If you can't get out of it, get into it....

A MAJOR, and I mean MASSIVE sporting event is about to begin in Vancouver...that's right, it's Olympics 2010! Unfortunately, I have not been looking forward to it. In fact, there was a referendum back in February 2003 in which citizens voted whether to give "permission" for Vancouver's Olympic bid (seven years goes by fast). I did not vote in support of the Olympics. I did not want it here, and I have not changed my mind since then. There are plenty of reasons for this and they have been well articulated by people who can voice their opinions without ranting, unlike me. Suffice to say, I have a different set of priorities when it comes to spending taxpayers' dollars. Especially, the millions of dollars that we do not actually have. I'm not against the Games themselves (although I think the "Spirit" of the games has long since up and left and probably watches them on TV from its motel room; wrapped in a shabby bathrobe with the remains of the mini-bar in it's lap). I just didn't want them here.

I remember at the time of the vote that a common argument on the pro side was that the Olympics would put Vancouver on the map. I never understood that argument. Vancouver is essentially populated by people (including me) who located it on the map long before there was talk of the Olympics. It was well positioned "on the map" over 20 years ago when Vancouver hosted Expo '86. Everything was here, if you wanted the type of thing Vancouver had to offer. No point in coming to Vancouver if you were looking for the cultural and architectural delights of New York, Paris, or London (and calling everything newly built in the city an "Urban" something-or-other does not in itself create a chic, mature, culturally important city)...I am among many who cannot stand the smuggest slogan on earth; "The Best Place on Earth". There was nothing wrong with the slogan, "Beautiful British Columbia". It is beautiful and we are lucky to live in such surroundings...humility is better than arrogance. And surprise!, the water, the mountains, the forests, the parks, and the amazing coastline did not just plonk themselves here because of the Olympic buzz. Hmmmm...I am almost ranting...deep breaths.

Anyway...the Games are fast approaching and, reluctant as I am, I can feel a definite buzz in the air. And the fact is that I find myself anticipating what the city will be like during the games. Asking myself how many people will come here? Will I be able to visit friends or get out and about? What's it going feel like? What things can we get up to? We actually do have tickets to one Olympic event...gasp! Mark received tickets from work (we couldn't afford to put our name in the lottery to buy them). He got tickets for the Men's Hockey: Czech Republic vs Slovakia (imagine my excitement). He almost got tickets for the men's gold medal speed-skating, but his name was put into a draw and he lost. There were two sets of tickets and only four people in the draw...that should give you some idea of Mark's luck in gambling. He must never go to Vegas.

Although, I don't like the fact that parts of Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks are going to become RV parks...I decided I can live with it. Particularly because I read that the concession will be selling breakfast. I think that it will be fun and unusual to go buy breakfast and sit at the beach...in Winter. I'm quite looking forward to that. And apparently, there will be lots of free stuff to see and do. There's also a few sporting events...eh eh...(but we'll watch those on TV like the rest of the world). It's probably the only time I will live in a city that is hosting the Olympics. So the excitement builds and, to use one of my life's mottos, if we can't get out of it, then we may as well get into it.