Olympics (part 2)

We are now just about five days from the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics and both Nicole and I are starting to find it sad that it is nearly over.

I'm also kinda sad to realize that, come 2012, I'll probably remember virtually nothing about the events of this two weeks. It is strange, but for what is so compelling now (and was in 2004) is destined to be lost from my brain by a wave of Simpson's episodes and microorganism photographs.

So, here is what I have enjoyed, with the thought that maybe I'll read this in four years.

Swimming / Michael Phelps

Yeah, the coverage on this guy is getting a tad bit overwhelming, but when you are the best in the world at something, that tends to happen. It really was exciting to watch him dominate so many races, and the two miracle .01 second wins did have a certain destiny aura about them.

Diving

The last time I tried an actual dive off a diving board, I hit the water forehead-first, producing an immediate and long-lasting headache that has encouraged me to not try the maneuver again. Long before I get into the fascination of the synchronized diving or the dominance of China's team and Guo Jingjing, I'm just amazed they can perform these feats with such grace, little splash, and apparent lack of headaches.

Gymnastics

The true thief of my sleep this week, as much as I try to not get sucked into these competitions, I just can't look away. Lots of controversy around the judging, as usual, I suppose, but at the end of it all, just about every deserving character (Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Cheng Feicame, and the rest of the exciting Chinese team) came away with a Gold and many Silver medals, so I suspect it is all good.

Badminton

That's right, badminton. And China's Lin Dan who just went into a goofy rage after winning the Gold, including firing his shoes into the crowd...which I'm not sure is such a great souvenir.

More later...

(images swiped from http://www.cbc.ca, http://www.chinadiving.com, http://results.beijing2008.cn, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn respectively)