Diversions

I wrote a comment about this on -R-'s site the other day, but does anyone else get teary-eyed at the Visa commercials with the footage from past Olympics and the voiceovers by Morgan Freeman?  The one with the guy who finishes the race last and his father comes down onto the track and (sniff!) helps him across the finish line, and the ever-so-dignified Mr. Freeman intones, "He finished"?  It gets me every time! 

Also, am I the only one who remembers that African swimmer at one of the last few summer Olympics, who was really not so much a world-class swimmer but he was the best in his country, and there was some backstory about how there were no pools where he lived so he had to practice in the ocean, and in the race, of course, he finished dead last by probably five minutes, and it was slightly painful to watch him flailing about the pool, his spindly limbs splashing wildly as he zig-zagged up and down the lane, but it was so INSPIRING, because he was THERE and he was LIVING HIS DREAM and you could just explode from the poignancy of it all.

So, yeah.  I'm looking forward to the Olympics; clearly, I am a sucker for those human interest features they do before the events, plus the fanfare of the opening and closing ceremonies and pretty much everything in between. 

Of course, I'm hoping we're either in Vietnam when the Games begin, or (even better) we're already home (hey, I can DREAM can't I?) and can cuddle up with Noelle while watching the little gymnasts throw themselves around the mats and the divers spinning off the platforms and everything.  We haven't gotten an update in three weeks (gack!), but I'm assuming things are continuing to move forward at their relatively brisk pace.  Which means I still have no idea when we're going, but for weeks I've been saying "a couple of months."  Oh, how I can't wait to say, "a couple of weeks."  One day. 

In the meantime, we're getting our shots for the trip (eep!  I never thought I'd be enthusiastic about getting shots, but in this case it's  a reminder that one of these days we actually WILL get on a plane and go to Vietnam) and having our homestudy updated so we can extend our immigration approval (just in case we don't travel until our current one expires, which I hope never happens since that's in September, when I plan to be comfortably home with Noelle).  So things are happening on our end, anyway.  And there's another baby shower to look forward to in July, the one hosted by Allison and her mom in my hometown; it's going to be an Old Skool Southern shower, with cheese straws and orange blossoms and sweet tea and more!  Woo! 

Then we can go to Vietnam.  Anytime after that.  Our schedule is WIDE open after July 12.  I may have mentioned this.   

(Really, anytime!)

Hold on.  I have utterly failed to comment on this year's "So You Think You Can Dance" thus far!  How have you been able to GO ON with your lives?  The overall quality of the dancers are nowhere near that of last season (DANNY!), but the good ones are really, really good.  I'm looking at Joshua and Katee (what's with all the SPELLINGS of the girls' names, though?), Will, Matt (in his solos, anyway; he's kind of dragged down by Ms. Uma Thurman-face, with her big, awkward body, but his technique is excellent), and Twitch.  How could you not love Twitch? 

I am not so much a fan of the woman with the pink hair, who looks kind of craggy and far too old to be on this show.  Or, sadly, Gev, whose charm outweighs his talent.  Or the other ones, whose names I can't remember because they're a bit eh.  I think the season hasn't quite taken off for me yet, but I'm just as excited as ever because Eeeeee!  Dancing on mah tee-vee! 

Comments

[-R-]

I always cry when watching the Olympics. I can't help it!

I hope you get to bring Noelle home before the Olympics!

I like Miss Uma Thurman-face, but I know nothing about dance.

[Leigh]

OMG...my husband laughs at my "commercial crying" and has even less sympathy for my "sporting event crying!" (Seriously, their mothers must be SO proud!!!)

I am OBsessED with the Olympics!! Being in Vietnam then would be so cool...not real time zone mess! However, you'll want to get out and experience it so being in Vietnam for the Olympics simply won't work. Let's get you there are back before they begin. Yeah...that's the ticket!

[Christy]

I love SYTYCD. My favorites are Joshua and Katee. They are both amazing. I agree about the talent this year. Last year was hard to top.

[Mandee]

Add me to the Olympics obsessed list. I LURVE them. I got all excited when I saw that the Gymnastics trials will be on Saturday. Mark it down!

[lizgwiz]

For some reason, in addition to yummy Will and delightful Twitch, I also really like quirky Mark.

None of the women are really grabbing me at this point.

[Becky]

OMG, I LOVE the Olympics, specifically the women's gymnastics! Did you cry when Kerri Strug won the gold for the team? Here's a youtube link if you want to re-live it... http://youtube.com/watch?v=KsQcwHc1Jfw It still gives me goosebumps!
:) Becky
http://www.stinkylemsky.typepad.com/

[Sharon]

Ahh - but I can top all the Olympic stories as this year the gymnast to watch is Shawn Johnson, 16 yr sophomore from - you guessed it - West Des Moines, Iowa, where her coach's gym is currently under water!! I have personally met her and you just need to know that the beaming face is totally sincere and her parents are just an ordinary couple completely awed by their daughter and hoping to come up with the money to get to the games. Don't forget she still needs to qualify this Sat afternoon but baring an extreme injury should take the gold in China. Very proud to be a homey in this situation! Sharon

[H]

Another Olympics lover here -- particularly the back stories like the one you mentioned. I, too, cry at commercials, the Olympics and, for some odd reason, parades. (Weird, I know.)

[Lynn]

Dear Lord, I cannot get enough of So You Think You Can Dance. Thank goodness it's a summer show so I can devote my thoughts to it FULL TIME.

I like all the favourites you mentioned, as well as Chelsie Hightower and Mark, who are cute as all get-out. Also Kherington has won me over, but that might just be sweetness of Twitch rubbing off on her.

It's Thursday and already I can't wait for next Wednesday!

[Maura]

I cry anytime* anyone wins a sporting event. For some reason? sports get to me. (Maybe because I STUNK and I'm crying for lost opportunities?) I think it's really the camraderie and achieving a hard-fought dream. When the DBacks beat the Yanks in the 2001 World Series? Watching the movie Miracle? Clips of USA beating Russia in the winter games in hockey? I'm a weepy mess. And I don't even like hockey.

*I did not cry when the Giants won the Superbowl. As a die hard Eagles fan, I detest the Giants. Yes, even though the Pats beat the Eagles in the Superbowl, I really, REALLY dislike the Giants.

[Leah]

The human interest stories are the best part about the Olympics. Sports schmorts, give me a video montage of someone in their tiny hometown working four jobs and supporting five kids while dreaming of winning a medal in front of the whole world. *bawl*

I went to a women's hockey game during the SLC Olympics and was totally underwhelmed. Where were my video montages?!

[Carolyn]

One year ago I was right where you are, waiting for the phone call to travel. You are doing a great job staying positive while waiting. :)
On to another big topic, I'm wild for Katee and Joshua. I called in my vote, and was so excited that my daughter fell asleep quickly enough that I could watch it and vote in time.

[Al]

Late post, but I totally remember the Olympic swimmer. After a sort of ridiculous amount of googling I found out his name is Eric Moussambani from Equatorial Guinea! That swim is one of my top 5 favorite Olympic moments.