I feel so un-American! In fact, I feel like an alien being from some planet in another galaxy.
Right now, people the whole world over cry tears of joy, their spines tingle with anticipation, they shriek with excitement as their eyes turn to China for the Olympic Games. I’m crying. My spine tingles, and I shriek with agony as my eyes turn to the TV Guide.
“What? No Howie Mandel?”
Not really. I don’t watch that show with Howie Mandel (can’t even remember the name of the show and am too lazy to Google it). Howie isn’t funny since he shaved his head.
But, y’all get my drift: The Olympics means to me that prime time television is even worse than it usually is. If I turn on the television, I’m bound to see a bunch of people running and jumping over things. I can go to Macy’s Christmas sale to see that.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I admire the fact that athletes have trained diligently to compete against one another. Their persistence and dedication is remarkable. I admire folks who train for spelling bees, too, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch it.
There is a television commercial for the Olympics that plays footage of the injured athlete from Tanzania, John Stephen Akhwari, who finished last in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, “but he finished.” Yes, that sends chills up my spine. It could be because of Morgan Freeman’s voice over (I love his awesome speaking voice), but it’s not. I’m in awe of Akhwari’s dedication. He told reporters, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start a race, they sent me to finish it.”
“Oh, yeah, that gets me right here,” she says, as she thumps her heart. I can’t help but cry when I think about that. Akhwari’s feat isn’t the only inspirational one of the Olympics, and I don’t mind watching those. I’d be tickled pink to watch the highlights of the Olympic games. I just don’t want to be bombarded with the rest of it.
Y’all may know that I’m from Texas, and think it odd that I am not a sports fan. The Texas National Sport is football, and it’s almost blasphemy to tell you that I dislike football. I don’t mind if people play it, but the money spent on it astounds me. School districts in my home state think nothing at all of cutting the budget for the library, but by golly they are gonna have that new football stadium! Funding athletics instead of education offends me.
I feel that way about the Olympics. A lot of money goes into these games…and for what? China is spending billions to re-vamp Beijing so they can show off their culture. That’s not going to change the quality of life for the poverty stricken people living behind the walls that were built to hide them.
Countries all over the world spend millions to train athletes and send them to these games. Why? So we can all come together as one in a common cause? “One World, One Dream?” Give me a break. Let’s dream about peace, and can’t we just sit down and talk?
I respect your right to go beserk over the Olympics. But, I still rue the money being spent. It could be spent to improve education and quality of life instead. That would make tons of difference for millions of people, instead of a chosen few who get to wallow in glory because they have muscles.
Heck, even the television stations are spending money to promote these Olympics. That’s the money I resent the most. Seems like they could put their cash to work for better prime time programs, so I don’t get stuck watching Howie Mandel.
[I know that some of you are going to have something to say about this. Go ahead and blast me. I have on my flame retardant panties and brassiere...and I have a "delete" button.]
Other posts you might enjoy:
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
No blasting today, but I off to watch, dare I say, the Olympics??
I appreciate no blasting, and I’ll forgive you the need to watch half nekkid people jumping and running. Maybe that is the attraction?
No blasting from me either. The good thing it keeps my mother entertained and that’s worth something.
janeywans last blog post..Rain!!
Well, no one was really shrieking last night, tonight could be a different story
Sparky Ducks last blog post..Not a Good First Olympic Headline
There will be shrieks. I know there will.
I like Jay Leno’s version of the olympics…pick three random people from each country and enter them in a couple of events. It all just seems to be more about the science of sports then the talent.
Jens last blog post..Knitting Jag
That sounds like a good idea. I think they should make the Olympics look like some of those Japanese game shows. I don’t watch them either, but it might be more amusing. I guess the Olympics are just hard for me to take seriously.
No blasting from me either. I couldn’t agree more with what you said.
There are one or two events I might have considered watching if my TV picked up an NBC station (and I have a friend going to China to compete numerous swimming events in the Paralymics later this month) but I definitely don’t go berserk over the Olympics like some people I know do.
L-Squareds last blog post..A Sip of Nectar (Camera Critters #18)
Now, I have watched Special Olympics (my sister worked as a volunteer for our local chapter and I always admired her for that). There are a few events that I’d watch a bit of, but again the highlights would do me just fine. Hope your friend does well in the Paralympics, and it’s a pity you can’t watch that.
You know….I love the Olympics. Maybe I like the ideal of the Olympics more than the actual events. I just love how all the people come together and the opening ceremonies are spectacular. Last nights was amazing!!
Can we still be friends?
Jessica The Rock Chicks last blog post..Bring Home The Bacon
You can love the Olympics…I don’t quarrel with that. Of COURSE we can still be friends! But, if we ever get together we’ll just avoid sports events. We have music as a common ground.
I’m with you, Shelly. The money spent on sports is unbelievalbe! Think how far that money could go toward feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, providing medical care to the needy & on & on & on………… The world of sports (and yes the Olympics too despite it’s feel good sentiments) is totally obnoxious & out of control.
I can understand that folks like it for entertainment, but you are right that people have gone rabid over sports. I think about the salaries paid to some of these professional athletes, and my mind boggles. At least many of them give back to charity, so they redeem themselves in my eyes.
No blasting from this quarter, I think you already know how I feel about the Olympics in Beijing. One world, one dream, Russia couldn’t wait to blast Georgia, good timing I’d say…ciao
rosittas last blog post..I So Need Some Greek Sunshine
Yep, those Olympics don’t really do so much to change the world, do they?
Oh my gosh. You are SO my people. I cannot handle the Olympics, AT ALL.
Why is it that SPORTS are what brings the world together every four years in a spirit of cooperation and healthy competition?! SPORTS, of all things?
Does it really matter one flying fig who swims the fastest? Really? Wouldn’t it be more telling of a country’s qualifications as “The Best” if the competition were centered around something that gauged intelligence or diplomacy or ability to solve the world’s problems? Couldn’t it be a giant debate or, hell, I’m down with the spelling bee.
Don’t even get me started on the fact that it’s in CHINA. I suppose it’s OK to forget all of the human rights violations if it’s in the name of SPORTS.
Oh dear. I’ve turned your blog into a rant. Whoops.
It already was a rant, Amber
. You just made it a little more so. Yes, we could have an International Spelling Bee. The winner would be able to spell the word for “tolerance” in fifteen different languages?
I think you said it like it is, but money rules the world. Nothing you or me could do about it. I’ll watch as always, just my favorites though. Have to go to work sometime, too
I totally agree with all of that. Also, I’m another Texan who does NOT like football. Even though most of the state will soon erupt in a frenzy over it, I just wait for it to be over. I went to a high school that cut funding for academics to spend it on new football uniforms…
I’ve been really disturbed by the things China has done to make itself “perfect” for the Olympics. I respect the athletes, but I question the venue. Just today I read that the Chinese government swapped little girls singing in the ceremony because the one singing wasn’t cute enough and their image needed to be perfect. So irritating.