Le Sigh

The weather here is crappy, and it is making me crabby.

It is now mid-August, bordering on late-August, the weather should be improving. This has not been the case. This morning it was overcast and misty, but humid as all get out. I could barely breath. The sun poked out later in the day, but the fact that we are still wearing wool jackets this late into the summer is absolutely ridiculous.

It is making me unmotivated and pissy. The toe issue didn't help, but now that I can put on a shoe perhaps I'll feel a little better.

A Final Thought...

So my favorite part of the Olympics - swimming - has now come to a conclusion. It makes me a little sad...outside of the Olympics it is pretty difficult to watch high-caliber swimming, but also a bit happy, as I can get to bed at a decent hour! Don't get me wrong, I will still be watching the Olympics, just not with the same vigor I have been.

As I watched the finales last night, I thought about the week gone by I was once again truly amazed and inspired. From the awesome Michael Phelps, to the totally awe-inspiring Dara Torres, to the swimmer in one of the unseeded freestyle heats who finished the first Olympic swimming race for his country, to the Israeli swimmer whose father died a few days before his race...these are just a few stories among many.

For two weeks, the world gets to take a pause from the horrible, and just concentrate on something remarkable and, for the most part, positive (except when the athletes test that way). These are people, from all walks of life, who have reached the pinnacle of their sport, and are just giving it their all.

Yes, many are naturally gifted. As Torres says, she has a fast twitch reflex that helps her in the sprints, but she still has to work her ass off to get where she is. The dedication that goes into reaching the Olympics, in pretty much any sport, is something I cannot even fathom.

So I say, good on you, athletes!

On a more shallow note, I noticed last night that the swimmers wear different suits depending on what stroke their doing. The freestylers seem to wear those RZRs, the breaststrokers wear suits that only go to their knees, and for the men, the butterfliers wear just pants. I would like to put in my vote that the men always opt for the pants-only option. The display there is also awe-inspiring!

Boy or Girl?

As you know, I am having trouble NOT watching the Olympics (case in point: it is 11.30pm on a school night, I had toe surgery today, and still cannot stop watching until this damn relay is over). But, I am starting to have a problem...

The problem is with these Speedo RZR suites. If i happen to leave the room, and come back in to a new race, and miss the intro, I often have no clue if it is a men's race or a women's race.

(yes, I know if I look hard enough, I can tell... but the camera doesn't always pan down that quickly)

Those suits flatten out even the most buxom of ladies. Couple that with the swim caps and goggles, and, well, who the hell is swimming?

I don't mind that they wear the suits. I think technology evolves, and sports evolve, and you have to use what you can as long as it is available to everyone (and legal). The problem I have is that they are fug, especially on the men.

While I am at it, I don't understand why they are taking away our eyecandy, either. Swimming used to be the time when we could admire the lovely male form, all cut and freakishly strong and smooth. Now, they cover themselves with these old-fashioned looking ladies' suits. Men still get beach volleyball, which is almost pornographic. What do we ladies get in beach volleyball? Men with dorky tanktops and baggy shorts. UNFAIR I say!

I don't care if this is shallow. I love the sport of the Olympics, but I love the pretty, too. And I am feeling jipped here.

Is He Human?

After watching days of Olympic coverage, this is what I have been wondering about Michael Phelps. The dude is breaking records left and right, and never looks tired at the end of the race.

Finally, tonight, after swimming the 200 Butterfly, he looked pooped. The man has done a bunch of races already, so his body must be getting a little tired. Until tonight, it didn't look like it. After he touched the wall, setting yet another World Record, he did not look so spritely.

I am a total Olympic-a-holic right now. I want to be home watching them all day. I am staying up way to late watching the "live" program, then getting up and watching whatever I recorded in the middle of the night, resulting in running late for work. I have been cheering and crying for the swimmers (still a sport dear to my heart). Beach volleyball...I am digging it.

I've been a little freaked out by the synchronized divers. And the itty bitty mens gymnasts. I mean, those dudes are little. And freakishly strong. I watched some weird events at like 2 in the morning on Monday... I can't remember what they are, but they were odd.

2 more weeks?! Both a blessing and a curse.