I’ve been enjoying the Winter Olympics this year more than usual. Unlike past Olympics, I read nothing about the American athletes beforehand. I have no favorites in any sport. I have no skin in the game. For me, it’s less of a competition this year and more of an athletic exhibition. I can just relax and watch these amazing athletes do their thing.
Watching has become something of a Zen experience for me. I get totally absorbed in each event I watch – even sports that are relatively new to me. I’m now obsessed with the snowboard events. Even the jumpy, twirly ones I never cared for in the past.
There’s one event called the Snowboard Cross, which is awesome. It’s called NASCAR on snow. Six snowboarders jump off a nine and a half-foot high ledge onto a crazy course of jumps, bumps and scary turns. The skiers spend half their time in the air. Skiers fall regularly and crash into each other. The skier in last place can end up being the only one to finish the race! High drama! Anything can happen! I’m hooked!
For each event, I listen carefully to the commentators and instantly learn the key technical elements to look for in each performance. I particularly love watching the skiers. The rhythm of the skis swishing and swooshing their way down the steep mountains is mesmerizing. I follow each skier and get into their rhythm as they go through the course.
The skating events are more exciting to me. It’s like watching a super graceful but high speed dance performance. I’ve always loved all forms of dancing on the ice, since I was a child. So I have a long history with this sport.
This year I fell in love with the German Pairs team in their first, short program. They had the routine that was the most fun and interesting as well as technically off the charts. But it didn’t seem like they’d be able to catch the Chinese team in first place and win the Gold. In the clinch, they put in an amazing, near perfect long program and got the highest Olympic score ever! They won the Gold by hundredths of a point. I was off my seat, cheering!
But mostly, I find myself peacefully staring at the TV for hours each night. With my ADD, that is really an unusual occurrence. I get totally absorbed and totally relaxed. It’s extra special to be sharing this experience with an equally enthusiastic husband.
Having the Olympics in my life every day is a refreshing change from our usual routine of TV shows and online shows. I’m really enjoying this immersive experience. I watch the clock and wait patiently for the evening Olympics show to start. It’s nice to have something different to look forward to every day. I give the 2018 Winter Olympics top scores!
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Categories: #Photography, Sports
WHOA! WE’RE COMING UP ON LABOR DAY 
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 
THOSE AMAZIN’ METS, “THE OLE’ PERFESSER,” AND THE PASSING OF TOM “TERRIFIC” – GARRY ARMSTRONG 
DAD WAS *MORE* THAN A CONTENDER – Garry Armstrong 
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
We’ve ben watching the Olympics too, Ellin. The figure skating is so beautiful and graceful. Even the ski boarding is amazing. You have to admire these people (some not so young anymore) for their excellence in the sport.
Leslie
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I think about the lives of the athletes. They must put in so much time training and competing throughout the years inbetween Olympics! I wonder how some of them continue to work and have families. But many of them are true amateurs. They are not sponsored to do their sport full time. Those are the ones I really admire. Also the older ones who keep coming back and trying again and again, even against much younger athletes. Sometimes age and wisdom win out in the end!
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We aren’t big Olympic followers, but I’ve been enjoying the ice skating and the ski jumping. I think ski jumping must be as close to really flying as a human can get and while i can’t imagine really DOING it, I think it must be glorious to try.
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As Marilyn says, we aren’t big Winter Olympic followers. Still, I marvel at the agility of the competitors. The U.S. competitor who did those multiple swirls on ice is so darn impressive.
I cannot ice skate. Never could. Way above my pay grade.
Kudos to all who qualified and are now competitors for their countries. You are giving us GOOD news, for a change.
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Try watching some of the ski and snowboard events that involve flying into the air and twisting and turning before landing! Very cool and very absorbing to watch.
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I’ve been thinking, as you have, that it’s more of an athletic exhibition this year. I’m thoroughly enjoying the break from the daily exhibitions of presidential non-news!
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It’s so nice to have something other than the depressing news of the day to keep me occupied. Evenings watching the Olympics are fun and relaxing. I forgot how good life could be without major political shit to deal with day in and day out. Nice break from the crazy world!
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