That was Fun

A professor of mine did a study concluding that the Olympics will leave Vancouver economically neutral, only providing a “feel good feeling.” This disappointed me, as it lacks the drama people like to talk about. The feel good feeling turned out to be worth more than we dared to hope for.

Canada is a young country that is criticized for not having culture and the Vancouver Olympics unified the country for the first time in my life. Brazil celebrates Carnival, India celebrates Diwali, and Canada doesn’t really celebrate much. I would love to be disagreed with but Canadians don’t strongly value holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, they are expendable to busy work schedules. The Olympics made me admire cultures that will passionately and unanimously drop everything to celebrate, like Mexico and the Day of the Dead.

Vancouver 2010 was reported as one of the most energized Olympics veteran reporters had ever attended. Vancouver residents looked bewildered today and are hoping the Olympics was the tipping point towards more festivals and celebrations.

Canadians are proud to share this beautiful city, the medals only gave us something to cheer about. Most report their favorite Olympic moment as just dancing in the freedom and excitement of the streets in a sea people.

Nicole Fisher, Vancouver British Columbia

Published Articles: nicole-fisher.blogspot.com

Olympic Exhaustion

The city couldn’t be more festive and I am equally exhausted. Tonight my creativity only extends to uploading photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/n2fl06/2010OlympicAlbum#

The Paralympic games are about to start and a lot of the Olympic venues are going to continue. Timeliness has gone out the window, as I am sleep deprived and returning to school tomorrow but there are still many exciting Olympic moments locked up in me that I’ll be sharing soon… the fun isn’t over yet.

Nicole Goes for Bronze

Last night I bought my cousin Danna in Saskatchewan an Olympic t-shirt. I had it signed by about 30 random people including my taxi driver, the Subway lady, a gold medalist, the manager of the Saskatchewan house, and more specifically, someone who seemed like he belonged to the Italian mafia.

The mafia fellow sold my friend tickets to tonight’s bronze medal men’s hockey game for a price 12% of the value stated on the ticket. It could definitely be a scam, but I am going to have a ton of fun either way.

Skeletons in the Budget

My athletic ability extends to running on a treadmill and when I look at an Olympic ice skater standing on the podium I admire their discipline and dedication. Olympic medal winners have succeeded at something I have chosen not to pursue. However, the average Canadian citizen has not been able to pursue some Olympic sports like skeleton racing which is very capital intensive.

Government support of Olympic athletes should be limited to sports that every citizen of the country has been given a reasonable opportunity to pursue. Most Canadians wouldn’t even know what skeleton racing is if not for the Olympics. When a skeleton racer mounts the podium we think “are they crazy?” and have to assume they’ve been introduced to the sport through another skeleton racer. It is an elitist sport that most are unlikely to have the opportunity to try. A ski injury is more identifiable to most than a tenth of a win in a skeleton race. The Olympics are about unifying a country and skeleton racing only makes me question how much skill is even involved.

Settle the Score

I didn’t end up going to the CANADA v. USA game, but instead watched it from Hotel Vancouver. It was obviously a friend’s choice to go to the most pretentious hotel in Vancouver, I had to call ahead to assure they wouldn’t be showing a polo match. Cutlery was the most predominant sound while watching the game as people ate their overpriced salads with 3 forks. I would have replaced the tie wearing waiters with people spilling beer on me at a noisy pub, call me simple.

I just watched the CANADA v. GERMANY game in Kelowna with my dad, beer and ice cream. We won 8-2. I am heading back to Vancouver early tomorrow for some final Olympic madness.

I would also like to say shame on society. All I keep hearing is “Canada isn’t doing very well” regarding how many medals we have won in the Olympics. Every time I look at the television Canada is winning another medal or embarrassing another hockey team. Perhaps we aren’t #1 on the world score board but I don’t even care to look, Canada is doing very well. We have a tremendous amount of successful athletes who are winning medals and making our country proud.

On a petty note, Russian gold winners receive 6 figure rewards, a car, and a full ride retirement at 35 and American athletes make millions. Canadian gold medal winners only receive $20,000 CAD and most work careers in addition to becoming world class athletes.

Quit looking at the scoreboard, Canada is doing fantastic.

Fireworks and a show

After watching fireworks and DJ show last night with my friends and family, I woke up and it is a beautiful summer’s day. I won't even make the comparison, I will just say that it is a beautiful summer's day.

I wrote myself out of the will last night for sure. I had a few people over on my Grandparents patio to remind this city what a beer garden looks like. Real estate prices may be going up elsewhere in this city, but we’ve been more popular with our neighbors. We had a lot of silly fun with good people. The fireworks were so close that a dud firework that fell from the sky and people actually jumped out of the way.

My Nana and I went inside the Yaletown Livecity venue during the day – it wasn’t overly impressive. You wait in line for up to several hours to get inside and tour sponsor exhibits while waiting for your concert (also audible from the other side of the fence, noted with a beer in my hand.)

Someone may have a first hand report of the CANADA v. USA game tomorrow…

Hockey, Eh

I watched the CANADA v. SWITZERLAND hockey game at a crowded pub tonight, we won in a shootout. It really made me feel like a Canadian, like one of the ones you see on a beer commercial.

After the game I strolled through Robson square in a sea of people who would periodically yell “CANADA” or just yell, and be received by plenty more people continuing to yell. I yelled, it was fun, but I’m not embarrassed to say that I would need to be drunk and giggling to keep that kind of momentum up. If you’re not standing in line for something, engrossing yourself in the crowded streets quickly loses its entertainment value.

The Yaletown venue has just erupted into a fury of applause, I can only imagine something as shocking as Michael Buble proposing to Miley Cyrus has happened. I don’t even care anymore, it’s time for a movie and popcorn.

Colbert Nation

First of all, the weather is absolutely gorgeous here.

Last night the fireworks didn’t come and the concert at Yaletown ended early. Apparently the barrier between the band and crowd collapsed, sending 19 people went to hospital. No one was seriously injured, we need stop feeding England’s "Vancouver 2010 Olympics are the worst ever" fire.

Gordon Campbell responded to allegations of spending too much money on Canadian athletes. “Give me a break” he said, reminding us he has other things to worry about and that our athletic spending is temperamental at best. If our Olympic over expenditure is any indication of next year’s budget, we may have to cut sports out altogether, the education system, paving roads, etc., etc…

STEPHEN COLBERT – It was all very anticlimactic. I had to stand back from the crowd because I am only 5’3 so I know Stephen didn’t see my extra Canadian outfit I put on just for him – a red plaid lumberjack shirt with a black vest. After starting late he referred to us as “the most polite mob he’s ever seen” and apologized for calling us syrup-suckers. It was difficult to hear his interviews thus making me focus on how freezing it was, but the audible jokes were hilarious. Stephen Colbert has a naturally sharp wit that my family understands and many others are offended by. There were a lot of moments I know won’t make it past the editing room and I am happy to know he isn’t just a script.

Stephen Colbert also mentioned that he wanted to be an official member f the USA speed skating team. He promised to make up for his lack of “skill, dedication, and practice” with style. He was hired as the psychologist of the USA speed skating team, seriously.

The Colbert Report will start featuring the Vancouver recordings on February 22.

I also went to the Russian “Sochi” house in Science World. There was dancing, music, and displays of the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia. In the IMAX theater I watched 2 insightful films into the lives of Russian athletes and had a short nap. It was neat to understand the athletic dedication, it’s not all about free Olympic fireworks and concerts. My empathy for failed gold medalists is at an all time high.

The Irish hospitality house has caused quite a commotion in Vancouver, literally keeping the neighborhood up all night (even before the games started). I was questioning if Ireland had even sent any athletes, or only a hospitality house. I can confirm that Ireland has 6 athletes in the 2010 winter games, and Brazil has 5 athletes, contrary to what my step-grandfather living in Brazil thought, keep sending the support, Al!

It’s time to get serious – I’ve created an Olympic photo album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/n2fl06/2010OlympicAlbum#

Commence Olympic Marathon

I’m back in Vancouver, and it’s absolutely wild. Here’s a brief update of what we’ve missed:

Hooded protestors got violent downtown and smashed the windows of The Bay’s Olympic displays. Three people are being held responsible and one of them isn’t even Canadian. If they’re concerned about the allocation of tax dollars, give their public legal aid representative a break.

VANOC had to refund 20,000 tickets for an Olympic event at Cypress Mountain because of tremendously muddy and unsafe conditions. As much as I love the mild weather, it’s getting ridiculous that we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars relocating snow to Cypress Mountain by helicopter and truck while losing any potential for ticket revenue. Shut up protesters.

Canada is getting flak for recently spending too much money on our Olympic sports programs - that’s like complaining about the hungry kid at school getting lunch. The United States and other countries routinely spend millions of dollars on their athletes, so if we want to offer up some pocket change before we invite the world to our city everyone can quit complaining.

CBC lost the bid to cover the Olympics and apparently their broadcasts are “sensitive and grumpy.” Do indulge.

Tomorrow I wake up to see Stephen Colbert live and in person. If I understood why rabid fans feel the need to reach out to touch the hands of their favorite celebrities, that is what I would be doing.

Alexisonfire and Buck 65 have been playing outside my window at Yaletown Livecity. Since, a few drunk girls have been singing The Spice Girls, a less glamorous side of leaving my bedroom window open. Fifteen minutes until the nightly fireworks and then I’ll kick off my Olympic Marathon with Stephen Colbert.