Life Update and Olympics Chatter

During my current state of January-through-springtime blues, I decided I should take certain steps to make myself feel better. So far, so good.

I somehow mustered enough motivation to join a gym and start working out. Mind you, at the time I signed up, I was pretty well convinced that this was NOT going to help my mood, NOT going to give me any more energy and certainly NOT going to whip me back into viewable shape. After one month, I am happy to report that I was wrong – no matter how much I tried to hold onto the fat and the blues, this new routine has now set in pretty nicely and try as I might to fight it, when I come home from working out, damned if I don’t feel better!

I’m not sure of any real weight- or inch-loss progress as yet, though I seem to notice a slight difference in the way certain clothes fit. I’ll keep you posted when I get measured and weighed again.

Another attempt to chase away the funk was to redecorate our living room – top to bottom. It’s amazing what new furnishings, fresh paint (especially when it’s done by someone else), and new window treatments can do. It’s still not completely finished, but the newness of it all, so far, has really lifted my spirits.

A third attempt and perhaps the most trying for me, has been to sit down and force myself to write something new every day. None of this material has been blog-worthy, trust me. Much of what I’ve written in the past month has been deleted almost immediately – a practice I’m usually dead-set against. It’s all good though … it has given me some ideas that can be bored-and-stroked (gear head talk) for future posting.

Now, with the Olympics in full swing, I will have something to watch other than perfect looking people on television either getting laid or complaining about not getting laid. Well … ‘tis true, isn’t it? That is what most sitcoms come down to – bottom line.

Watching the Olympics is a sport in itself. They should pass out medals for this activity. I’ve learned to sprint, full-out, from my couch to the bathroom or kitchen in between events … just so I don’t miss out on some history-making moment. My adrenaline races as I imagine someone going head first into a wall – even though this rarely happens. My brain gets a workout trying to recall past participants as Ed and I discuss who was better than “this” or “that one.”

It has also occurred to me that there are several phrases we will hear over and over again during the games – some worth mentioning here. Perhaps the most popular phrases we can count on during the Olympics are:

“I’ve been doing this since I was two” – as stated by just about every participating athlete.

“I’m just happy to be here, winning would just be a bonus” – as fibbed by just about every participating athlete.

“I’m hoping to set a record” – as stated by MANY participating athletes.

“If not for my (insert relative) who died in (insert year), I wouldn’t even be here today” – as stated by SOMEONE during EVERY Olympics I’ve ever watched.

“I have my own definition of winning … this system is all corrupt anyway” – as stated by someone who will remain nameless so I don’t get sued.

In my living room, there are also several phrases which get repeated throughout the games. Some of these are:

“Yeah, let me guess … you’ve been doing this since you were in diapers” – as stated by any one of us sofa spectators.

“Mm…hm. It’s not about the gold, it’s just about the game. But of course … who really wants the gold?” – as stated quite sarcastically by a certain male in the house.

“Nice fall … talk about hanging your partner out to dry” - as stated by any one of us in the room.

“Ohhh good! Is this the event where you could die if you make one wrong move?” – as stated by a young goddess in training.

“Oh yeah, they lost, I saw it on the news earlier” – as stated by same young goddess who likes to reveal the end of movies before we get to see them.

And perhaps the single most popular statement one might hear in our living room while watching the Olympics …

“You know, I could do that if I were an entirely different type of person” - as stated by a Hag of much Weariness.


Don’t get me wrong. I have a great admiration for the young men and women who dare to compete in such a stressful and mind-blowing event as the Olympics. I really do. It always amazes me to realize there are such strong, seemingly fearless young people throughout the world who are willing to put their entire ‘normal’ lives on hold to compete with the best of the best.

I just think one more medal should be issued in each event. A prize should be awarded to the person with the most obstacles. I say this because for some reason, the media seems to feel that we all need to know JUST how many injuries, how much strife and how much sadness these people have had to endure before arriving at the Olympics. If we are going to learn about all these obstacles, I think the least they could do is award a prize for them.

I’m glad the Olympics are on this year … it has really given me a point of focus for the next couple of weeks. I just wish I wasn’t watching yesterday’s events. I like it better when they’re held somewhere within three-hours or so of my time zone.

In closing, I have two questions? Curling. If you participate in this event … are you a Curlist or a Curler? And who the heck named it “Curling?”