Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Olympic Torch in Lindsay, LIVE (recorded)

Right from the beginning, when I first saw the signs, I became concerned.

2010 Olympics in Vancouver Canada... how can I get involved, be a part ? I am not and have no desire to be an athlete. I do not want to relocate my work. I may or may not yet attend the games. But surely, there is something I can do locally to contribute ? when I say concerned I mean that I wanted to get involved. I made it my concern. This olympiad will not only highlight beautiful british columbia. It is a chance for all Canadians to show our support for global, international initiatives of peaceful co-operation and co-existance across nations.
As such, when I first heard that the olympic torch would pass through much of canada, I was very happy. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of festive events. I had hoped that maybe I would have an olympic party with my friends. A bunch of us could goto see the torch, take the afternoon off. Everyone would understand... ITS THE OLYMPICS !!!! ITS LINDSAY, effing LINDSAY !!! If you goto the olympic torch relay site (google it) you an find the map and there is a great deviation from the route to accomodate lindsay and peterborough. Though I am certainly not complaining, I think we should have had much more voluntary recognition of the great efforts that some must have taken to bring that much exposure to our areas.

I have seen footage from soccer games, for crying out loud, where the people showed more passion, more enthusiasim (and greater numbers as a % of capita.) There were no more people at the main events than might attend a board-wide school field trip (i.e. to a christmas event), in my estimation. For most people it was business as usual, or maybe 15-30 minutes for a peek at it, then back in from the cold.

It is, quite possible that the events are planned to take place over the remainder of the afternoon, but the information available indicates that this unit will pack up and there is one in clarington already, and then the one from lindsay will leapfrog the other etc all the way. It is a logistical success, thats is to be sure.

Personally, I enjoyed seeing it more at the Lindsay St. and Queen St. location. I was so close I could have ran out and touched it (though I would obviously have been severly beaten and arrested just for being excited and interested)... it felt so interesting to contemplate the route before it and the route that lay ahead for the crew and device... the future of it all, the olympics and all what that means... which sorry to say seems to be headed for another 'paul the security guard' incident all 'sum of all fears' style (love u ben affleck). I fear it is this sort of paranoia that is the real reason no one celebrates it, the unspoken undercurrent, that silen tmajority that concents to pretty much everything but shows no partiality either way. The reason we will not 'paint the town olympic red tonight. the reason the town could never actually agree to provide a day of varied and local entertainment to the people in honour of the olympiad or anything local, or anything other than seemingly the legacy of the Conklin borthers. Its also the reason there are so few from every community who participate. One local hero who spoke mentioned the importance of world class facilities for the development of atheletes. In many countries their training facilities are charity rec centers, these are thee naturally gifted individuals, not machines of human precision, they are just the best. If you took a top rated olympic athlete from the third world and gave him americanized training, imagine. Our athletes are trained to harness the maximum yeild from body and mind. Truly inspiring, but how could a country without millions of dollars to blow compete? And besides, medal wins is no indication of host eligibility. so I really fail to understand much of the theory and concept and joy of the olympics (as I am not much of a sports fan) but it is still good and interesting to contemplate the history and joys of the olympic spirit.

Special thanks to all the people who made the day possible including all th local talent and heros. We all appreciate and respect your great efforts and your success speaks to the overall greatness of this beautiful, diverse and treasured land.

Go CANADA !!!!



:D


1 comment:

  1. :) Why dint you send this to the paper so that they can add it to there newspaper for friday?? Its good though even if you dont send it, but i think you should. :)

    ReplyDelete