That's a Wrap

Wow! How bad were those closing ceremonies? So hokey. You know, Catherine O'Hara (Cookie? Cookie Googleman?) is really funny, but that show made her look like an idiot. It was just so miserably unamusing and amateur. But over the course of the last two weeks, there were plenty of athletic highlights to enjoy.

My goal was to have my mermaid looking like her old self before this time last year, when I realized that I had made a major mistake. I believe I reached that goal. I am tired of working on her, but I do think I can happily add this project back into my rotation.

Thanks, Melissa!

I have finished the DMC3031 stitches in the mermaids hair. It's taken a while. Some I put in and had to take back out. But also, I've been too excited by some of the things that are happening in Vancouver. First, I had to bite my knuckles over Lindsey Vonn's downhill. I love that she skis on "men's" skis. I don't know why but that thrills the gender studies student in me. I was worried about her injury too, but she's hard. Rock on, first American woman to win Olympic Gold in the downhill!!

I was born and raised in New Hampshire, one of the tinier states. Do you know how many of our 1.3 million residents have medaled so far in the 21st Winter Games? Two! Bode Miller and Scotty Lago (Three if you count Hannah Kearney who was born in NH.) Not bad for a little burg. That's as many as all of Belarus--and they have nine times the people.

Crazy Pants

I got back on track with my Miribilia (Emerald Mermaid) last night during the opening ceremonies. She looked like this yesterday.

As textile people, I am sure we all noticed some of the better outfits. (A note to Ralph Lauren: You're booooooooooooooring.) The first category I noticed was "crazy pants." The Czechs did okay here, but the Azerbaijanis came first. (Sorry for the link; I couldn't find a free photo.) I was also impressed with the really cute green jackets worn by the Slovenians. (The photo is in the header; it's third.) Cute jackets on the Russians too.

When I was growing up in New Hampshire (home of Bode Miller), they used to say that if you started skiing after age 10, you'd never be any good. (I started skiing at 10.) I think that's because that's the age when you begin to understand self-preservation. Most winter sports require you push yourself to the edge of self-preservation--I mean it is completely unnatural to fly down snowy or icy surfaces at incredible speeds with only a helmet for protection. If you think about it, the Winter Olympic sports are a lot more dangerous than most of the summer sports. But there has to be something about these athletes that looks death right in the face and spits.

Nevertheless, I was incredibly saddened by the death of Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili. It seems to me that even though these athletes are willing to shush themselves about at 90 miles an hour, it's up to the rest of us to do something about protecting them. Building a track with bare steel supports that is only fit for the top 5-10 athletes in the world...competition isn't only about world records. It's also about the fun of a 51 year old Mexican skier, kids from Africa who discover snow and decide they want to ski, or (forgive me) Eddie the Eagle. A lot of "also rans" make it to the Olympics, but they're still worth protecting. Let's hope (or pray, if you do that sort of thing) that the athletes stay safe in Vancouver.