Goodbye, Winter Olympics

Don't know when I've enjoyed the Olympics so much. Past games have been enthralling, certainly. The 2008 Beijing opening ceremony was unequaled. But this winter, the Olympic games in Vancouver seemed to be fresh celebrations of our common humanity. Maybe I'm at an age where I'm more aware of international strife, so the Olympics, for the most part, transcending borders and differences was more meaningful to me this year.

Another refreshing aspect was that I could watch TV not produced by Hollywood. I could see beautiful, glittery, figure-hugging skating costumes not designed to push the boundaries of decency. I could see real life contests, not fake-real life contests.

As always, I could admire and be inspired anew by the physical freedom produced by physical discipline. And I was beginning to be inspired by the bouquets to grow broccoflower in my vegetable garden next year ~ but then I learned the bouquets were NOT broccoflower, but green spider mums, hypericum berries, and loops of monkey grass, along with other greens. Could've fooled me.

Favorite funny moments: a snowboarder adjusting his iPod seconds before beginning his half-pipe run with his head bouncing to whatever he was listening to; and the giant inflated beavers in the closing ceremony.