Have you been watching the Olympics?I've been glued to the TV for the last 2 weeks. It started out on a high note with a great opening ceremonies and has just gotten better. The fact that the US is currently leading the medal race hasn't hurt either. There's something fun about watching our athletes succeed.
Zilla and I have spent several nights together picking and fighting over the events. We've argued about figure skating. We've laughed at ski cross and snowboarding and we've become enthralled with curling.
I've watched sports I didn't even know existed...and come to really enjoy them. Although, it's always the human interest stories that get to me. The snowboarder that broke his neck, the skier who fought addiction, Lindsey Vonn's injury and of course the Canadian who lost her mother just days before she had to skate. These are the stories that get my interest and keep me watching.
I realized, after days of lapping up these stories, that I could learn something from this. Personalizing the sport - putting a face on the competition - helped to snag my interest for events that I normally couldn't have cared less about. I think it's a lesson we can apply in writing too...make the character believable, compelling and with a story that holds your interest and the readers will enjoy it too.
I will say there's one thing I'm tired of...the commercials. If I have to hear the world say ah one more time I think I'm going to scream, and if I never see another DayQuil commercial it'll be too soon.
So, are you watching? What's your favorite event? Have you been disappointed by a competitor? Is there something you're still looking forward to seeing?
I'm looking forward to seeing the closing ceremonies although it will be a little bittersweet. I'll be sad to see these games end.
Instigator
11 comments:
Thank goodness for DVR. I had a meeting Tuesday night and couldn't watch the ladies figure skating short program. I just finished watching, and as you can see from the time stamp it's pretty late. I didn't expect to get sucked in by the Nordic combined (Go USA!) and that added to my viewing time. Watched Apolo qualify for the 500 and the Korean women get disqualified in a relay, which put the US women on the podium with a bronze.
Lots of exciting competition and so many great human interest stories. I loved the one about Isabel, the blind sled dog. Sledding isn't an Olympic sport, but it's an integral part of the Canadian culture and Mary Carillo did a feature piece on it, learning to drive a sled in the process.
Off to bed -- finally.
I have to admit, the only Olympics I've watched has been the highlights flashing across the TV in the mornings while I'm on the elliptical at the gym. If it hadn't been for all the posts on FaceBook, I'd have probably forgotten they were going on. :(
Although I did read on MSN.com about how the searches for Apolo Ohno's mother have reached into the thousands every day, because they show the parents watching from the stands and they never show her, just his dad. Apparently he's never seen her, because he was a baby when she left and gave his dad custody and has no desire to meet her. Never would have thought that her not showing up in the stands would push that many people to google her. *shrug*
Angel
I've probably watched more this year than normal because of DB. He's Tivod the whole thing. Personally, I like to watch figuring skating. I got sucked into the men's individual drama. Can't wait for the women's finish tonight.
And as for the "say ahh" commercial - sound familiar people?? It's ODE TO JOY! Just picture me red faced with laughter, humming it, and it will be more interesting.
I haven't watched much. Just a few events, and like Angel, get mostly highlights in the mornings while I get AC ready for school. I always plan to watch more, but I never seem to get to it. Sigh.
I too am totally addicted. It's on almost all day if you catch all the different channels. My husband and I have really enjoyed the curling surprisingly although I'm still trying to learn all the rules. Too bad neither of our teams made it. I have ignored all my other shows and have so many tapes (including olympics) that I know I'll never catch up and I'm getting nothing done lol.
I'm sick of the commerical with the guy who wants the blue phone at the end - just don't get it and it's enjoying.
I love every second of it and have watched way too much and done too little else. I wish I understood hockey. I love the snowboarding and I'm sorry it's over. I love the commercial where the athletes are depicted as children because that's how their mothers see them. The little boy removing his watch to get ready to play hockey is wearing a wedding ring.
I like that commercial too, Jean but I never noticed the little boy is wearing a wedding ring. Will watch for that next time it comes one.
Instigator
I get distracted by the kid at the end that stands up to do down the ski jump. No way in hell I'd let my kid stand at the top of something like that, even for a commercial. To think my own child (even grown) would to it makes me queasy.
The men's snowboarding was my favorite so far. Shaun White is unreal!!! I do love the women's figure skating and hope to stay awake long enough to see it tonight. I plan on setting my DVR just in case, since I fell asleep at like 7:30 last night. Really gotten sucked into curling this year too. Don't know what it is about it, but you really can't turn away once you start watching.
I LOVE watching the winter Olympics! As everyone has mentioned the human interest stories are fantastic. The dedication it takes to make it where these young men and women are today is mind-boggling.
As I envy the toned bodies and muscular perfection, I'm encouraged to exercise and take care of myself. As I hear about the struggle and how many times a certain athlete wanted to give up, but didn't, I take another look at my own goals and rededicate myself to them.
There is no other venue in the entire planet where people of different cultures can gather and the world can see we are not so different as we previously believed. We are all human, we hurt, we are driven, we ache to succeed. The heart truly applauds the effort of every countryman who sets out to win gold. That is how it should be all the time. We should all step back and take into account the tremendous struggles those around us make everyday just to smile and be open to possibilities.
Sit. Cross legs. Assume meditative state. Let us all say a collective... wait for it... "Ah!"
well I should read my comments first - I meant to say "annoying" and not enjoying - I made no sense (sigh).
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