So the days are counting down, and the beauty that is the Olympics is approaching fast. Less than two months and the world's top winter sport athletes will be congregating in and around Vancouver.
While I'm still a bit bitter about our ticket misfortune, I am quite excited for the Olympics. I'm looking forward to meeting people from across the world, getting out of this town, and taking in the glory of it all. Now, before you get too rile up about it, thinking "Oh yes, PARTAY!", I have some innate personality traits that I can not remove or set aside for even one week or one night for that matter, so I will not be partying in the typical college student way. I'll be out and about, but sober, with a camera glued to my hand. Expect pictures of, well, EVERYTHING.
Now, to start it off, in just under a month, the Olympic flame will be coming through the city where I attend college, so you bet I'm going to be there, even if I have to cut class to do so. There is nothing, not even white out conditions, that will stop me from being there... unless, of course, the relay is post-poned due to those white-out conditions, or the frigid temperatures that we're known for here in Alberta.
Now, many of the Canadian athletes have already been announced, others have not. The one group that I am following the progress and announcement of is the Canadian snowboard team, particularly the halfpipe riders. I'm rooting big time for the "kids" featured on Over the Bolts - Dominique Vallee, Mercedes Nicoll, and Jeff Batchelor. They're each in the running, just out of reach at this point... searching for one more top five placing at an international level event. And each of them has the potential and talent to do so. Everyone in Canada should be rooting for these riders, they've worked so hard to get to this place, and they deserve to compete on home snow, and bring a little glory to Canada, perhaps. Then of course, there are the seasoned veterans who competed in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, like Crispin Lipscomb (who happens to be featured in two McDonald's commercials), who are training their asses off to secure a spot on the Olympic team, all while bypassing many of the competitions that the young guys and gals are trying to dominate. Lets cheer them all on, Canada, and show a bit of pride for our nation. We're going to do better than ever this time, and we'll show everyone that here in Canada, where we have six months of winter, we are damn good at what we do.
And while we're at it, lets show some international love and unity, which is the entire point of this massive competition that is the Olympics (while we ignore the fact that competition divides rather than unites...). Everyone be sure to turn your T.V.'s on to the Olympics this February!
OH, and Merry Christmas everyone!
