Gold rush.... armchair observations on the Olympics

 
     With the exception of an occasion show on the Food Network or HGTV, or Oprah if I am lucky enough to be home at 4:00 once in a while, I'm really not too much of a TV person. This week is different. This week I am all about the Olympics in the evenings. How about you?
    Oh ya, I'm a Phelps phan. (Isn't everyone?!) I had errands (and two meetings) after work and thought I was going to miss part of the Olympics, but I made it in the door just as it was starting. (I needed my Phelps phix) I mean, is this kid amazing, or what? And he seems so nice. (and his Mom even seems so nice, like someone I'd swap recipes or run to Target  with) That just makes it all perfect television for me.
     It's kind of funny, I'm not an athletic person by any stretch of the imagination, and I never have been. I played badminton in high school (notice I didn't say I lettered in it, and yes, it is too a sport.) I don't watch any kind of TV sports and I only ever cared about the sports my own children participated in as they were growing up, but... I don't know. There is something different about the Olympics. Maybe it's the fact that it's all about the world's best young athletes, still mainly unknown, giving their all out there. Or all the ceremony of the award presentation, and the fact that yes, if you are talented enough and work hard enough you can do it.
     Everyone has a story, and they are all fascinating. (How about Germany's gymnast, Oksana Chusovitina, who left Russia for Germany to get her son medical care? Now, that's a story.) I swear, I think these stories are every bit as interesting as the Olympics themselves.
     Another observation from my cozy chair in the living room, is tattoos. Have you noticed how many of these young athletes are sporting the Olympic rings tattood somewhere on them? The shoulder seems to be the most common location. While I am from an age group that are not necessarily fans of body art, these look kind of cool and I can understand the symbolism of it all.
     Besides Phelps, and the swim competitions, I'm also totally engrossed in watching those tandem (synchronized? Whatever.) divers. How do they do that? Wow. (There isn't a better descriptive word for me to insert here. Just WOW.) Oh, and the gymnastics.The strength. The power. The balance beam? Come on. If that doesn't impress you, you need to get yourself checked.
    My third favorite event is volleyball. Mens. Womens. Oh yes, people, volleyball. And for me, with the volleyball event, it's not just the volleyball game, it's the fact that it's in the sand and I love those cool little covered benches to take-a-break-and-have-a-sip-of-water areas they provide for the players. So cute, with the fan-type flipp-y awning tops. (You see, in the end, a little part of it is about decor and details...)