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Post by Awesome Aphrodite on Feb 19, 2010 5:47:40 GMT -6
I'm glad we have a DVR, because by the time I get home from work everyday, I'm too exhausted to do anything except eat dinner and go to bed. So I haven't had a chance to watch the Olympics much yet. I'm gonna spend some of my three-day weekend doing that.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 19, 2010 5:54:31 GMT -6
Drat! Why save them for the late night broadcast? I did see Lindsey get hers, because I was up watching the women qualify for the medal round of the 500m short-track race.
Yes! It was so very sweet, you couldn't help but smile....enough though it did feel like the world was intruding.
I said the same thing. Think it's boring?! How is that possible? But then again, I think the cross-country ski events are exciting, so <shrugs>, to each his own.
Oh, and tell your brother he's lost it. Carrot Top does NOT look like White's twin. Carrot Top = icky. Shaun White = swoooon.
One of the things I liked about watching the Women's Halfpipe last night was even though there were, it seemed, as many falls as clean runs, all of them came down to the bottom smiling. So they gave it their best, and came up short - why throw a fit about it? The snowboarders seem to have a different attitude than athletes in other events. I sympathize with those that work so hard to get there, and when their moment arrives, they don't deliver the performance they've dreamed of....but I've always disliked watching those who seem to have a tantrum of sorts when things don't go the way they want. It was nice to see all the smiles last night, regardless of the results.
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Post by katina2nd on Feb 19, 2010 19:22:08 GMT -6
Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi!!! Oi!!! Oi!!
GOLD GOLD GOLD
*cough*
Okay it's only "one" gold but what a ripper it was, concussed twice leading up to her event, came a cropper on her first run and still managed to pick herself up and win .... what a gal.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 20, 2010 7:43:55 GMT -6
You're talking about Tara...Tarah?....Bright, yes? The Women's Halfpipe? That much I think I've figured out....the "cropper" is a mystery. An exciting game of Robs and Croppers, it was certainly a shoot-out 'til the end. Exciting stuff.
Maybe a bit off topic, but it's a sporting thread, and it reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask Siren for the last week.... Siren, how are those Sooner Gals doing? The Championship playoffs are just around the corner, aren't they?
Saw the sacrificial pines again last night during men's ski-jumping.
And I have to say that Bode Miller certainly does seem to have turned a new leaf - at least when the media has a microphone in his face. He's much more gracious than I remember him from the last Winter Games. It's much better to pull for a gracious athlete than a in-your-face pompous one. Glad he got the silver in Alpine skiing yesterday.
Skeleton. One word. Insanity.
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Post by Siren on Feb 20, 2010 9:54:44 GMT -6
Hey, kat!! Congrats on that Aussie win!! I thought of you, my friend, as the anthem played. And Well Done on that spirited "Oi! Oi! Oi!", even if it did make you cough. LoL Skeleton. One word. Insanity. I was thinking the very same thing last night, Gams. NINETY MILES AN HOUR on that little sled - no straps, no padding, nothing but a little crash helmet. Do you think NASCAR drivers would do that? No way!! My hat is off to those skeleton racers - every crazy one of them. Very glad for the American men's figure skating champ. No, he didn't have "the quad". But he did skate with mastery and beauty and athleticism. Quad, schmad. And he was wonderfully and appropriately aware of the significance of the occasion. He said he was always moved when the U.S. flag went up and anthem played at the Olympics, and said, "I just never thought it would be for me." Humble, very deserving winner. I also liked what Scott Hamilton said about the champ, that if any young skaters were watching, and were dreaming of being like him some day, that the recipe for success is simple: hard work, every day. Scott said the hardest-working, most dedicated, best-prepared skater won. Lindsay Vonn said something similar about her win, "I've given up everything for this." I think of this while watching the winners and the "losers", that years of dedication and sacrifice go into these few days of competition, and that only a handful of Olympians ever get a moment of glory on tv, much less a medal. My Sooner gals? Thanks for asking. They're, in a word, surprising. Even without four-time All American Courtney Paris, and with a less-than-superhuman replacement at her position, and without their scrappy sharpshooter, Whitney Hand, out with a season-ending knee injury, they have solidified into a strong team this season. They are 18-6, and currently stand at #11 in the Associate Press poll. They are brilliant at times, maddening at others. But it's never dull. They trailed 65-wins-in-a-row, almost unbeatable UConn by only 2 at the half the other night, and lost by only 16 (which, against UConn, is a victory in itself). Still to come, a tangle with undefeated Big 12 foe Nebraska (enjoying a magical season), then the Big 12 tourney, and the NCAAs. We'll see how far they can take it.
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Post by EllieNeo on Feb 20, 2010 10:26:54 GMT -6
naaaaaah.... looks like fun!!! then again, so do skydiving and mountain climbing without ropes. or is that just me? your aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi cracked me up, kat. and here i thought that it was just an urban legend that people from australia chanted that. shows what i know! aph was watching the recorded stuff yesterday so i didn't get to see any new stuff. we'll watch it tonight after we get home from the show. cats! gonna be SOOOOO awesome to see it live. we have the dvd, but i know it'll be so much better to actually see it live! ...as long as there's not a HUGE crowd.... i hate crowds. *AHEM* but that has nothing to do with anything. i've lost track... what's the medal count so far... i know that we have a couple gold, at least one silver, and some bronze, but i lost track of the exact numbers. and did i hear the italian national anthem on the late night...
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Post by katina2nd on Feb 20, 2010 21:22:16 GMT -6
You're talking about Tara...Tarah?....Bright, yes? The Women's Halfpipe? That much I think I've figured out....the "cropper" is a mystery. An exciting game of Robs and Croppers, it was certainly a shoot-out 'til the end. Exciting stuff. Yep that's her Gams, "Torah" Bright, what a fantastic, natural person she seems, really pleased to see her take the gold. "Come a cropper" basically means to have a fall, which is exactly what she did on her first run, though I gotta admit I like your explanation better. Hey, kat!! Congrats on that Aussie win!! I thought of you, my friend, as the anthem played. And Well Done on that spirited "Oi! Oi! Oi!", even if it did make you cough. LoL Thanks Siren, and congrats' also on your Sooner gals, hopefully this is the year they take it all the way, sheesh I can only imagine the celebrations then. your aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi cracked me up, kat. and here i thought that it was just an urban legend that people from australia chanted that. shows what i know! Crikey no cobber, that's a fair dinkum full blooded Aussie battle cry Ellie, used at various sporting events, especially the Cricket. Strewth, hearing it reverberating around the almost packed 100,000 seat MCG Cricket/Footy stadium is enough to give you goose bumps.
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Post by EllieNeo on Feb 21, 2010 21:07:31 GMT -6
w00t, our hockey team beat canada's!
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Post by Gabrielle On Nutbread on Feb 22, 2010 0:33:08 GMT -6
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Post by Phalon on Feb 23, 2010 8:50:46 GMT -6
Oh, good! So often a good team has a bad, or string of bad seasons after their starring seniors leave, (the Wolverine football program is the perfect example; two years of I-can’t-bear-to-watch games following the departure of most of their star seniors). I wondered about their season because we haven’t heard much from you in the Sooner department this year. Or from Katina and his Cats either, for that matter, (six weeks into the season, or does it start in six weeks?). I’ve become a desk-chair fan of both teams.
No croppers for the Aussie women in the Aerial qualifications – from the bit I was able to watch anyway. Though I didn’t see the second round qualifications, during the first round skier after skier ‘cropped’ their landings, but the Aussies did a spectacular job at sticking theirs. The finals are televised tomorrow. The Australian women are predicted to do well in the Ski-Cross competition too, which starts today.
Kind of a neat makes-you-smile story about the Women’s Aerials. China has a slew of great aerialists. Often when you think of Chinese athletes, you think reserved, hard-working, taking their sport to the extreme – and maybe just a bit too seriously, without laughter or smiles. The men’s and women’s freestyle coach, along with helping produce some top-notch athletes, has changed the image. Canadian coach, Dusty I’m-sorry-I-didn’t-catch-his-last-name, makes it a point to engage the athletes in some fun along with all their hard work – some of which has to do with the language barrier. Not speaking fluent Chinese, Dusty uses what he calls Chinglish – a mixture of Chinese and English, with a whole lot of hand gestures, resulting in a bunch of laughter from both the coach and athletes. What we get to see is a team of more open, fun-loving, and smiling skiers. Fun to watch – all of the aerialists from every country are.
HA! I was right. Watching short-track Saturday, we were debating why Apolo yawns so much before each race. LX suggested it was because he was trying to psych out the other skaters by appearing bored. It didn’t matter to Hubs, stating “whatever works for him”. I said it was to match his dreamy bedroom eyes; at this, LX and Hubs rolled theirs – is synchronized eye-rolling an Olympic event; they’d surely win. To prevent further rolling, in my concern for my family’s eye health, I added he probably does it as a sort of deep breathing, calming technique.
But still....there are those dreamy bedroom eyes.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 24, 2010 6:01:09 GMT -6
Yesterday was a day of Olympic firsts.
Canada's Ashleigh Mcivor won gold in the first women's running of Olympic Ski Cross.
Since it first became an Olympic event in 1926, the United States team won its first medal ever (a silver) in the Nordic Combined.
And Russian skater, Evgeni Plushenko, won the first ever Olympic Platinum medal....awarded to him by him. Bluck. He also wins the Olympics' second Platinum medal in these games for Poor Sportsmanship.
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Post by EllieNeo on Feb 24, 2010 7:37:29 GMT -6
...platinum medal...?? what in the world...
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Post by Phalon on Feb 25, 2010 8:14:36 GMT -6
Yep, Ellie - a platinum medal. Apparently, unable to reconcile the fact that he won silver instead of gold in men's figure skating, he insists his performance was better than gold, and declared himself a platinum medalist. The platinum photo, though, has been removed from his website from tons of backlash from media sports stating his declaration is nothing less than "bizarre". Here's the story: www.mediaite.com/online/evgeni-plushenkos-awards-himself-platinum-medal-in-vancouver/And sigh....some of the events seem full of ill-feelings and controversy lately. There was the halt of Julia Mancuso's run down the course in the women's Giant Slalom because Lindsey Vonn was still on the course recovering from a fall. Not Vonn's fault, of course, that Julia had to be snowmobiled back up the course to run the race again much later, but it did seem to hurt her chances, putting her back in 18th position. It's done nothing but add fuel to their tentative relationship, though. The two team-mates don't seem to have the best of friendships - Mancuso has said Vonn has turned the U.S. ski-team into a popularity contest. I tend to agree - Lindsey seems to have Princess aspirations. Short-track speed skating seems to be never without controversy, and last night's women's relay was no exception. I saw the push the Korean skater gave the Chinese skater - no one who watched could have missed it. But whether it was grounds for disqualification of the Korean team is debatable. It's a judgment call - and the Koreans, always top-of-the-sport short-track skaters, are sure to be very vocal in their outrage about the ruling. Can't say that I blame them, but I've never cared for their skating tactics on the ice, and their comments afterward. As far as sports team's go, I'd have to compare them to the Florida State Seminoles - a team with great ability, but not so great sportsmanship. But ah....I did read an inspiring story this morning. I knew about snowboarder Hannah Teter donating all the money she earned from sponsors after winning a medal in the last winter Olympics, but here's her post-Olympics plans for these games: sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Hannah-Teter-is-going-off-the-grid?urn=oly,223826
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Post by Siren on Feb 25, 2010 17:01:54 GMT -6
"And sigh....some of the events seem full of ill-feelings and controversy lately. There was the halt of Julia Mancuso's run down the course in the women's Giant Slalom because Lindsey Vonn was still on the course recovering from a fall. Not Vonn's fault, of course, that Julia had to be snowmobiled back up the course to run the race again much later, but it did seem to hurt her chances, putting her back in 18th position. It's done nothing but add fuel to their tentative relationship, though. The two team-mates don't seem to have the best of friendships - Mancuso has said Vonn has turned the U.S. ski-team into a popularity contest. I tend to agree - Lindsey seems to have Princess aspirations." I read an article that compared Mancuso and Vonn to "Maverick" and "Iceman" from "Top Gun". And that seems to be a pretty apt comparison. I can imagine that it is a great distraction and frustration, being a teammate to one of the Olympics' media darlings. But I don't think Mancuso's public ventings have been helpful. She is from the generation, though, that tweets, posts, or blogs instead of talking with friends. As time marches on for me, I appreciate and admire older Olympians more and more. I really enjoyed reading this story about a 40+ Olympian whose good looks are bringing a lot of attention to her often joked-about sport, curling.: sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/curling/news?slug=dw-bernard022410&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
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Post by Phalon on Feb 26, 2010 7:37:01 GMT -6
Interesting article, Siren. Whether or not it has to do with Bombshell Bernard, I never realized curling had such a big following. I have to admit to taking the event more of a joke than a sport. Maybe I'll have to give it a watch...if there's still anything left to view. I believe maybe last night the finals were shown? Not sure, we took an Olympic viewing break.
It seems as if this Olympics you've got more of those older athletes to admire. I wonder if it's because there are more of them, or because they're getting more recognition?
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Post by Siren on Feb 27, 2010 11:37:57 GMT -6
I'm hoping it's because more older athletes are making the cut. I thought this photo captured the Olympic spirit beautifully. USA's Katherine Reutter was absolutely thrilled with her silver medal finish in short-track speed skating. That smile could out-shine the Olympic flame! uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/27022010/5/photo/27022010051033.html
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Post by Gabrielle On Nutbread on Feb 27, 2010 12:10:38 GMT -6
Snowboarding today. Such fun to watch! Not sure how I feel about seeing closeups of the guys' butts... but That wipeout in the speed skating last night made me go "WHOA!" Too bad Apolo got disqualified, but you could clearly see why. But they wouldn't stop bitching about it, so I eventually changed the channel. It's like "get OVER it, already. It happened, he's disqualified, go on with your lives, people!" But, nooooo. NBC, being as Ameri-centric as it is, has to shrew about him getting disqualified. Granted, I'm not happy about it either, but I wasn't bitching about it for an hour, either. I wish I could watch the Olympics on a channel that ISN'T so obsessed with the American athletes, and ignores everyone else.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 27, 2010 20:03:30 GMT -6
Love the photo of Katherine Reutter, Siren. I (of course) missed the medal ceremony; I would have liked to see that one especially. Though she doesn't have the golds, the look of determination on Katherine's face during the race, and her enthusiasm reminds me of another speed skater. Bon-nieeeeee Blair, (that's how the commentator always announced her name). Can you believe it's been over twenty years since she earned her first Olympic gold medal?
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Post by Phalon on Mar 1, 2010 12:32:52 GMT -6
Ah, Hockey! What a game! What a fitting end to this Olympics! Although I would have liked to see the American team win yesterday, could there be no better topper for the host country to have their own team win what they consider their national sport.
And so it's over - 16 days of international sport - 16 nights of me, who doesn't watch a whole lot of T.V. and rarely watches televised sports, sitting glued to the television, often long past the time any sane person would be awake.
I didn't catch very much of the closing ceremony - it's always been kind of an anti-climax for me, (although I did feel the need for munchies and an after-smoke). I loved the hour and a half highlights though beforehand, and also the opening moments as the mime finally got the malfunctioning torch arm to raise, and it was lit by the woman past-Olympian who didn't get her chance during the opening ceremony.
Favorite Commercial: Visa's "Go World" spots were great; rarely is anything that Morgan Freeman narrates not worth listening to - you just can't help it. What a voice - and his hearty laugh at the end of the Jamican bobsled team's tribute was catching. But my favorite was the P&G athletes' Moms commercial - there were a few of them, but there was one in particular I liked. Music plays while the faces of moms in the crowd are shown, watching while their grown child competes. Although her voice isn't present, you can clearly tell what the last mom on the commercial is yelling while those around her are wildly cheering...."That's my baby!!!!" It's sweet.
Whew!
I now return to my regularly scheduled life already in progress.
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Post by lolapalooza on Mar 2, 2010 0:00:36 GMT -6
Man oh man! Whew! Great, great show, Canada!
These games were superb, from opening ceremony to closing. Just terrific. I was impressed by everything this committee had a hand in. Obviously the weather played a part in some events (aerials in the pea soup night sky) but what was controllable was awesome.
Classic - albeit tragic in a couple cases- stories of lost dreams and folklore heros. I'm still catching my breath. Perhaps my favorite story, the one that will linger with me for Olympics to come, is the cross country skier who fell off into the ravine, was advanced to the finals due to the 'lucky loser' rule and finished with an incredible bronze - with broken ribs and a collapsed lung! Majdic was her name, from Slovenia; just googled the name. Magic it was too, that's how I'll remember her name. I'm still in awe of what she did.
For me, the opening ceremony is always as important as any medal event. I remember Costas telling us at the start of Vancouver's that the fella behind it wanted to leave people with the thought that they would want to come to Canada. Holy crap, I want to go. I want to BE Canadian. Can I have a birth do-over? 'Born again' is an option, maybe I'll close my eyes and click my heels three times and ask to be born again in British Columbia. From the slam poet in the opening ceremony to Catherine O'Hara at the closing, I just thought, "Wow..." They accomplished their goal in representing their nation and I'm a believer that there's no place like my born again home. Bravo, Canada!
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Post by Phalon on Mar 2, 2010 5:01:38 GMT -6
Shoot, Lola - your post makes me want to be a Canadian. Dead-on summary.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Mar 16, 2010 0:56:03 GMT -6
Forgive me everyone for the catch up posts.
I’d like to start by echoing Madam P’s assessment of Lola’s commentary. Fabu…..Fabulo……Fabulu…..ok you guys know I can’t spell.
Awesome commentary Lola. Loved it…and I also would like to be a Canadian. If only for the snow. The snow and the moose. The snow and the moose and the trees. Did I mention the snow?
In honor of that sentiment I give you the “Born Again Canadian” test. Answer nine out of ten questions correctly and you will receive in the mail your very own born again in Canada certificate. (just send 5.95 for sh&h)
1. What do Canadians do when they aren’t playing hockey?
2. Describe (without googling) the Canadian flag.
3. Where is your soon to be future new country located? (yeah no hints on this one)\
4. How many provinces comprise the nation of Canada?
5. Recite the national anthem. (if you watched the Olympics at all you should know this by now)
6. What is the origin of the name Canada?
7. What is the leader of Canada called?
8. Who is Tim Horton?
9. What’s the National animal?
10. Where is the capitol?
BONUS QUESTION:
11. What is the Canadian $1 coin called?
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Post by Phalon on Mar 16, 2010 4:25:49 GMT -6
ACK! This is like that Survivor Challenge from Hell, isn't it? Extra points for pictures, too? Pfft!
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Post by stepper on Mar 16, 2010 16:29:46 GMT -6
1. What do Canadians do when they aren’t playing hockey? Watch hockey.
2. Describe (without googling) the Canadian flag. Red side borders as a reminder that the Brits used to wear red uniforms, snow white background center symbolizing the fact that the place is too cold for real people, with a dead Maple leaf symbolizing....I haven't a clue..
3. Where is your soon to be future new country located? (yeah no hints on this one) This is a trick question because the answer is South of the USA. Or were you refering to the claim on the Artic oil which would then be north of the USA and East of Alaska?
4. How many provinces comprise the nation of Canada? All of them put together - with the possible exception of Quebec because they have so much trouble with English they still prefer French.
5. Recite the national anthem. (if you watched the Olympics at all you should know this by now) La la la la do be do....(sorry, that's the best I can do with it.)
6. What is the origin of the name Canada? The country was name by the Vikings. The letters symbolize their initial reaction to wintering in that part of the world. "Cold and Nasty and Dark ARRGH!" Quite remarkable considering where the Vikings came from huh.
7. What is the leader of Canada called? Sir or Ma'am, depending on the particular shape of the heel of their shoes. Excluding snow shoes of course.
8. Who is Tim Horton? An elephant who lives north of the USA - best known in the childrens' book "Horton Hears a Who" and the line "A person's a person, no matter how small."
9. What’s the National animal? The beaver, best known for being tricky and blocking waterways simply because it likes hearing people use the word dam.
10. Where is the capitol? North of the USA in Canada - or did you mean you wanted something more specific?
BONUS QUESTION:
11. What is the Canadian $1 coin called? Okay - one answer. Loonie - for the common loon pictured on one side. The two dollar coin is the Toonie.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Mar 16, 2010 17:02:27 GMT -6
Yes madam P it is a revisitation of the dreaded survivor challenge........pfft.....NOT! With alll the trouble I got into the last time?
Good job stepper but unfotunately you won't be saying phrases like "oot and aboot in a boot" with your fellow canadians anytime soon. The canadians are of course sorry you didn't pass the test and would like to offer you consolation prize. Two fresh Tim's and a cup of coffee. Enjoy!
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Post by Phalon on May 14, 2012 6:25:04 GMT -6
Yay! An Olympic year!!!
Ok, so it's a little early to bring this up perhaps, but I've seen a few news items (the beach volleyball competitors can now dress more conservatively if they so choose), and the "proud sponsor" commercials are starting to appear.
Since we have an inside correspondent this year, (if he's got time), tell us, Moonglum, how are the venues coming along?
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on May 14, 2012 9:23:12 GMT -6
OMGOMGOMGOMG.....I am soooooooo excited!
I'm dancing a little even though you can't see it.
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Post by moonglum on May 14, 2012 10:06:51 GMT -6
Time. What I wouldn't give for a truckload of that. Most of the venues are all but finished now. They stopped us taking photographs quite a while back, under pain of banishment, otherwise I would have posted some. Best I can do is..... www.london2012.com/spectators/venues/index.htmlNot sure how much these show, I havn't looked at all of them myself. Must be nearly three years now that I've been involved with the Olympic Park. In the beginning our company had three of us engineers working on there and the neighbouring Westfield shopping complex at Stratford. Now there is just me. As I say, it's all but finished, mainly the landscaping left now. Not much call for aerial platforms to lay turf. lol. There have been a couple of test events at the various venues. The Velodrome is really impressive. I watched the craftsmen building the track, shaping the formers and aligning it by hand. Very interesting. The Aquatic centre is amazing, I stood up on top of the 10 metre diving board and remebered diving from just such a board when I was a teenager. I'll try and be a bit more productive on the information front, but time really is eluding me lately.
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Post by Phalon on May 14, 2012 20:27:08 GMT -6
Ah, Poppet. That is why I miss you when you're not here. (And psst...I saw that little dance even though you didn't think I could see it; I'm a Mom and Mom's have eyes in the back of their heads.)
Completely understandable, Moonglum. I hope they do give you a bit of time off to catch some of the events, since you've worked so hard for so long to make sure the rest of the world gets to see them. Thanks for the preview; I haven't had time yet, except to browse the site, but it all looks exciting.
Tell Vox that I say hi, and hope she's doing well.
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Post by Siren on May 14, 2012 22:25:13 GMT -6
Hi, MG! Good to see you! I just checked on her, and, yes, my favorite summer Olympian is back: hurdler Lolo Jones. Talk about heartbreak? This kid has seen it. The school of hard knocks? She has her masters. Tough breaks? Oh, yeah. At the '08 Games, she was way in front of the pack, on her way to a sure gold medal. But she tripped on the ninth hurdle, and finished 7th. Everyone was flabbergasted. She was thought to be a shoo-in for the gold medal. But what impressed me about her was that she didn't dodge a tv interview just minutes after a crushing disappointment. She did the interview right there by the track, and handled it well. Amazing well, considering her heart must have been breaking. Later, they showed tape of her after the interview. She had walked away from the track, not quite out of sight, and was leaned against a wall, sobbing. Since then, she's had some major setbacks, including a spinal surgery. She had to work her way back from the bottom to a #1 ranking. Lolo says she's ready to get it done this time. And after having to wait four years to get a second shot - 12 years in all, chasing her Olympic dream - I believe her. www.bpusathletes.com/meet-the-athletes/lolo/lolo-hello
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