olympic-sized rant ... sort of
You never know what's going to set you off. I read this link from Donn on Facebook this morning after reading another "I hate the Olympics" status update from someone else and it triggered the following response from me:
You know what? I'm crumbling. The novelty has worn off and my usual pleasure in watching the ultimate "... series of races between a bunch of people with unusually low body fat" has been stripped away by having it in my own backyard and therefore in my face. I get all these veiled "you're such a moron to like the Olympics" messages on Facebook and my blog and elsewhere by people who feel the need to parade their opinions even if their only reason for doing so is to vent their spleen (not talking about you, Donn, because at least you add the element of humour and that's always top priority in my opinion) and I'm done in. Future Olympics will give me a lot more pleasure simply because I can either 
(a) completely ignore them (not likely) or (b) do it behind the scenes and silently point the finger at some other hapless city for taking it on the chin if I feel the need. But why would I feel the need? I agree with a lot of the bad press because it's usually based on fact, but that doesn't mean I 
need to take it on like I have anything to do with either preventing it or defending it. However, if I'm out there in the trenches actually DOING something to support or reject the Olympics then I have every right to celebrate or lambaste them to those who feel otherwise. I believe in the right to free speech but I believe even more in either putting up or shutting up. (Or, at the very least, making people laugh.) On that note I should probably shut up now.(Holy shit -- where did that come from? It's probably due to Canada's loss to the USA in last night's hockey game -- #%?!@$!@)
I'm over my snit now. The
truth is, I don't care enough to enter those trenches either for or against, but since childhood I've felt contempt for the bullies and snitches and spoilsports who TALK rather than DO. After all, we all know what's really important, don't we? Fotoz. Lots-o-fotoz. (Second only to dotting our i's with hearts and fuzzy slippers. Oh. And Olympic pins.)
posted by andrea at 8:57 a.m.
13 Comments:
hear ye hear ye!
That actually felt pretty good. Does that mean I can start watching them -- obsessively --- again? :)
Oops! I might have been one of the "send the Games back to Greece" brigade.
I DO recall that I grovelled for "pitchers." And you've posted some!
Biggest pain in the fundament for viewing folk Down Under? Ridiculous time-slot on tv. Moronic broadcasters,too, but they do drop some glittering gems with their faux pas!
Now, get yer finger back on that shutter, please!
Di: I'm magic. I can poke holes in your attiutude with one hand and deliver photos with the other. That way I can please all of the people all of the time -- and piss them off, too!
A steaming catharsis always does a heart good!
I've been watching here and there but don't have any real opinions on anything. And the media always seems to skew things the wrong way, no matter what the fact!
Great photos, by the way!
I would rather see
A: an all or nothing steroid Olympics with corporate logos plastered all over the athlete's uniforms and funeral hearses waiting at the finish line of each event in case they blow an aorta.
or
B: permanent site in Greece with absolutely no identifiable clue as to the athlete's country or sponsorship...just their individual accomplishment.
oh and no competitions that involve a judge of any kind...
just clocks, scales and measuring tapes.
I'm so with Donn on the last one, any sport that relies on style points is NOT a sport. Figure skating? pfffft.
Because I'm still mourning missing seeing Stephen Colbert, the Olympics are about tv sport viewing again, as it should be. I'm not setting foot near the mobs downtown again and there's nothing all that interesting to see either! 7 hour lineup for the zipline??? WHY? go home people, hug your family, your cat. (Hmmm, I think I'm also a little cranky about the hockey loss after tuning in for the 3rd period)
Not even going to mention the O word!
What is the Asian lady doing in the last-but-one photo? Is it a demonstration of wok wizardry? A Chinese variation of juice squeezing? Perhaps the old three card trick?
It's the captured record of such scenes that make me so glad cameras were invented.
Ponita: I want to be in your position again: far enough away that I can consider it recreational.
Donn: I like your suggestions. In all cases the objectivity is increased, which I think is a good thing.
Ellen: I don't line up for ANYTHING for more than 15 minutes unless it's to get out of Czechoslovakia, but that was the last time. It was 1987.
Di: The Asian lady was a man, very funny and doing magic tricks.
Nicely stated. Couldn't have said it better myself.
Re: returning the games to Greece - the ancients competed naked.Not even a logo'd jock strap.(And I don't think the ladies were allowed to watch.)
Andrea, I wonder if it might also be the nature of Facebook? Some so-called “friends” can write absolutely horrible things, unless you call them on it. For example, one person recently was upset because some football team cost them a bet and they hoped another hurricane would visit the winning team’s city--what?! I was flabbergasted at such an attitude—no one on earth deserves a devastating hurricane! What is it about a public forum that people will write things they would never say in person? Or would they? Scandalous things said to purposely start arguments? Yet bad behavior and mob mentality often sweep in by waves unless we point out impropriety. Which is what you have done quite nicely; thank you. Now, go watch some more of the games—they will be over too soon!
Ian: Thanks.
Di: That would really explode the viewership!
Gina: I think you're onto something. Even one step removed from face-to-face immediacy seems to give courage. The online equivalent of hurling abuse on the playground and then running away? :)
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