Thanks, smonster. My day really isn't going as badly as that last post makes it sound. Sour grapes from knowing the person who decides we should be out in this mess lives on campus and has someone else shoveling him out as a benefit.

I hope the cafe has real food for lunch.

And the sequel to Poltergeist just writes itself....

Not to mention a revival of the Airport franchise.

there's an article on Yahoo about ice dancer siblings that were born in the US and now skate for other countries

They live in the US and represent other countries? Where do they train? I do think that's a bit weird. But a fair number of Jamaican athletes train abroad, because resources are better that way. I don't know what would apply in those cases.

I don't care one whit about the Winter Olympics. It's just a blot on my normal TV viewing. Don't like cold weather sports. They all have to do with cold weather.

It's in my city!

Are you going to all the free stuff? My cousin keeps emailing me with lists of the concerts and parties he and his wife are going to, because rubbing it in = affection in our family.

They live in the US and represent other countries?

The two skating for Japan live and train there, I think. Regardless, they've skated for Japan the bulk of their careers, so it's not like they pulled a switcheroo just for the Olympics. The other sibling I think doesn't have Georgian citizenship, but is allowed to skate for Georgia because her partner is a Georgian citizen.

When I was a kid, my aunt took us kids to Telemark Lodge in Northern Wisconsin. At one point we took cross-country ski lessons. The instructor was a former Olympic cross-country skier. We got there a little late, and for some reason my early attempts at the correct cross-country skiing style were not very good, and I could tell the instructor was getting exasperated with me. At the time I was thinking, "Gee, this must be Hell for him" - kind of like that Far Side cartoon where Stratavarious is in Hell and is forced to teach beginning violin to kids.

So anyway, whenever I see Olympic cross-country skiing, I think of that instructor and how he didn't like me....

I woke up this morning and someone had stolen all my patience. Today could be interesting.

Don't like cold weather sports. They all have to do with cold weather.

I really only watch for the figure skating.

If you're born in the US is there any way for you to have your citizenship revoked? I thought it was yours until you gave it up.

One of my greatest sports thrills ever was watching Franz Klammer (sic?) in the downhill in '76.

Anybody ever heard of Jeanne Carroll? She was one of the very first female standup comedians.

She sounds fascinating, and I love this bit by her.

“The thing that attracted me to my husband was his pride,” one of her best-known bits went. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw him, standing up on a hill, his hair blowing in the breeze — and he too proud to run and get it.”

Are you going to all the free stuff?

I'm going to try! I'm working the whole time, but I'm right downtown, and there are a lot of pavilions and things all around. I just saw the torch from a distance through the office window! It's still travelling through the city today, and then it is coming to the Four-Host First Nations Pavilions at 1:45, where it is going to stay until the opening ceremonies. Fortunately, the Four-Host First Nations Pavilion is right across the street from my office! Cool!

Exciting, Abby!