OK, time to shake my post-Super-Bowl-my-poor-Seahawks-got-jobbed blogless funk. I realize that sports and the average quilter are a lot like oil and water, but we've already established that I'm a bit of an iPod-listening-hand-stitching oddity. So let's add sports-watching to the list. I love to watch sports. I love the strategy and the intricacies. I love the human striving and the human frailty. I love the adrenaline and the joy. I hate the heartbreak, but I can't not watch it.
All of this high-falutin' pontificating can only mean one thing: it's time for the Olympics! Yes, I also love the pageantry and the sappy schmaltziness of sports and you just can't beat the Olympics for pageantry and sappy schmaltziness. I'm fortunately young enough to have no personal memories of the tragedy at Munich...my Olympic memories begin with Nadia Comenici in '76.
I love to watch the best in the world compete in their chosen events, but I also love the fact that everyone is invited to compete. My favorite story from the Athens games in '04 was of the lovely young lady from Afghanistan who ran the 100 meters. Her time was slower than AshLee ran in the 8th grade, but for a young woman from a war-ravaged Muslim country to compete at all was a triumph. I get all choked up just thinking about it.
I love to watch the parade of athletes. I love the medals ceremonies when the national anthems are played. I love the fact that for two weeks we can set aside politics and North and South Korea can march into the Olympic stadium together. No, I'm not so naive as to think there isn't PLENTY of politics and commercialism at the Olympic games, but I am hopeful enough to enjoy the dream that the Olympics represent. Most of all, I appreciate the full range of human drama and it's all out there to see in these two weeks.
The Olympics are also conducive to handwork. You can happily stitch away whilst listening to Bob Costas tell a heart-warming story and then when they finally show the ski jump or the short-track race or the halfpipe run you can stop sewing, look up and watch for 2 minutes and then go back to listening and sewing. I've got lots of hand embroidery lined up. I'll be very busy for the next two weeks.
1 comment:
I'm an Olympics junkie too! Last night I got LOTS of hand quilting done just as you describe.
I always tell myself I'm just going to watch the figure skating...well, and maybe the bobsled too. For some reason, I've always wanted to be the third man on a 4 man bobsled. Must be harking back to my sledding days in Idaho. Anyway, before I know it I'm sucked into the high jump. Oh, and maybe I'll watch speed skating, and, and, and, before I know it, I'm watching just about EVERY sport!
Wahooing in Wisconsin!!!!!
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