My Olympic Wrap Up

There was a time I thought that I would write extensively about the Vancouver 2010 Olympics while they were here, but when they arrived I found myself uninterested in writing anything on the actual games, anything positive I had to say I could have turned around and written from the opposite stand point. I’m always up for good clean sports though I was never what you would call an Olympic supporter, but I wasn’t a bitcher either. I did however vote NO for the games. I’ll never forget it it because it turned the vast majority of people in the office I worked in against me, I was one of the only people who lived downtown (small office), I was also the youngest in this particular place and I ran competitively at the time and due to being an athlete people were appalled that I would vote NO. The fact has always remained the same, I voted from a political standpoint, the part of my mind that believed and still believes that it was a joke that only Vancouver got to vote on something that our children’s children’s children will still be paying for was the appalling thing. Granted, not MY children. My debt is payed off when I die.

gold rings for Canada.

mini Inukshuk.

light show off English Bay.

I spent most of the games feeling depressed and creatively blocked. I considered doing a wrap up post of 17 photos for 17 days but I didn’t take photos every day of the games, and even the photos I did take were pretty lacklustre, there aren’t many that I consider to be good photos. I did Tweet a lot, it went over pretty well for someone who doesn’t make a point to live Tweet a trip to the bathroom.

For me the only real highlight other than so many top ten finishes and fourteen gold medals for Canada was getting to go see the Canadian Men’s Curling team plus seven other countries. When the information on how the Olympic tickets were going to be sold and the prices were announced it became clear pretty quickly we wouldn’t be seeing any events. We didn’t even entertain the idea of getting to see anything anywhere but on a T.V., let alone see one live that both my parents and myself have played in the past and one that Adam and me watch. One that Adam is developing an odd obsession with, comparable only to when he discovered Tennis. (long story) So, when the opportunity arose from a friend who most graciously gave us, yes gave us Olympic curling tickets came to pass there was nothing else to do but go and to go wearing matching sweaters, something that we both agree is only acceptable on this one occasion. Adam wore my dad’s old curling sweater that I started to let him wear years ago because even though I love it, it is way too big for me. Oddly enough one of my closest girlfriends has the same sweater and lent me hers! Awesome. Getting to see Canada’s undefeated mens team second row right over the button is up there with best memories ever. Thanks again Steve!!

we built this city on rock and roll.

matching sleeves and mitts.

HARD.

Mitts.

Adam went out exploring and people watching more than I did. There was also a time I didn’t think I would stay in the city for the games, and although I am glad I did, I think Adam would have had a better time had a I left. I hate that about depression, I’d been feeling so well and bam it just hit like a load of bricks almost a week in. I’m not in break down mode but I’m feeling really shitty.

It is nice that the helicopters are gone. I don’t miss the games at all, we watch golf. It’s over. We just changed the channel, there is curling on this weekend. But they left us with the cheque and the feeling remains that we are the province the country doesn’t care about. They came, they went, and now we pay.

  • http://gusgreeper.com gusgreeper

    @Rhonda thank you! but what – did you want me to jump over the railing and turn the stone around, i’d have called you to bail me out of jail.

    @Jenn the worst with the helicopters is that what in the last two years maybe three you think? they are already all over more often but all day every day was horrible. it didn’t make me feel safe that is for sure. living so close to the madness for me the novelty wore off pretty fast, but yes, there were some moments that were freakin’ huge!

  • Jenn

    The helicopters drove me crazy. There was no escaping them.

    I’m not a fan of the Vancouver Olympics, but I tried to get out on occasion to see what was going on. I went down to Robson square after men’s hockey gold, and that was crazy. I wasn’t there long, but I’m glad I can at least say I knew what it was like.

  • Rhonda

    I love the Flame photo! beuaty! although with the curling stones, I think I would of preferred that the one stone be turned to match the rest :P

  • http://gusgreeper.com gusgreeper

    i love sports, a lot, but we are a city with many many issues. basically i kept my mouth shut for seven years and made the very best of it that i could. :) no i hadn’t seen that, pretty rad. <3

  • http://fortheloveofrocks.blogspot.com maja

    Wow, I got the impression from your facebook posts that you were totally into the winter olympics going on there. I didn’t really watch any of it on tv.

    Hey, have you seen this? http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/it-will-be-sunny-one-day.html

    it’s kinda great.

  • http://gusgreeper.com abc4

    with the title i thought this was going to be about all the rubbers vanoc threw at the athletes.
    i love that all of my highlights were completely unanticipated: i watched the semifinal mens hockey at my buddy pats with a surprise albertan, we got to see CURLING dammit / steve for vancouver mayor, i saw colbert in the park TWICE, and i rollerbladed through a rabid mob with a maple leaf tied to a hockey stick. what a dandy. oh AND the surprise podcastings from englandland when i got home from groceries.
    ok but we did plan on seein’ krixty + garg and that went as planned. so the exception proves the rule!

  • http://gusgreeper.com gusgreeper

    @BTExpress BC is footing the bill. that is why i voted no, only Vancouver got to vote it was only a referendum. we end up being like California, for example, you think everyone is going to vote yes on gay marriage and then it is no, in Vancouver you think everyone is going to vote for the lesser of the evils and they vote for the Liberals, happens every time.

    @C.J Daz is going to have to get used to sports, or i will have to come up with other fun facts to talk about.

  • http://www.liquidinspirationpodcast.com Mr C.J Hixon, A man, A myth, with leg ends.

    On the flipside, you could say that the people of Vancouver have paid for me and Daz to have three (Brilliant, BTW) sports sections for our show.

    For anyone wanting to hear corinna with Acne Buttocks Cool and friends talking aboot sports but mainly talking aboot things other than sports can be heard:

    http://www.liquidinspirationpodcast.com/2010/02/session-29-boobs.html

    http://www.liquidinspirationpodcast.com/2010/02/session-30-chronologically.html

    And coming soon on Session 31.

    I enjoyed the Hockey SOOOOOOOOO much! That final was Awesome!

  • http://bookbinder2008.blogspot.com BTExpress

    You mean Vancouver is footing the bill? Seems to me, that this was a Canadian thing, so everyone should be paying the bills. Which makes me think, why host the games at all if you don’t make money off of it?

  • http://gusgreeper.com gusgreeper

    yeah missing them or not there is still a come down which for me i guess is feeling a bit negative at present from seven years of build up holding my breath for two weeks and then it’s over yet politically is about to heat up all over again. but you are right, when i was out in it, the energy did make me feel good and proud. we did it, we pulled it off for sure and thanks for saying so!

    we only have two pairs of the mitts, i wish we’d have bought a dozen pairs, they were only ten bucks.

  • http://stevenjones.blogspot.com/ Memphis Steve

    You should store away those mapleleaf mittens. They will be worth some money, I suspect.

    Depression can be like a boulder hanging from your neck, pulling you down. I fully understand. But what a great experience to live through and see firsthand one of the greatest winter Olympics of all time! You will remember this for the rest of your life. I wish I could have been there.