it is not me who looks back through the mirror
but the vision of a person whom i don't recognize
a smile encroaches the deepest crevasses of a once frowned being
it is just you and me here now - in this quiet moment
there are no worldly distractions to veer from the reality of this now
you are quite possibly the portrait of the most beautiful image
the sight of something so real is daunting while oddly comforting
contradicting the smile follows tears in unison
perfect chaos upon one single face
its imperfection is in its own right - perfection
there is no sadness here, not between you and i
it is a marriage of a past and the decision you have made now
the perfect harmony of two swaying to the rhythm of the wind
holding tightly to the self while relinquishing opposition
it is just you and me here now - no one can see us
this is the moment where you and i are no more
the moment where the person standing in front of the mirror ceases
and you continue forward
you will find your footing in the footprints of a past
never lose who you are or where you came from
but i cannot follow as i will only become a burden on your journey
i started all of this but it is my time to bow out gracefully
there are things that were not done in the best of intention
there are mistakes that you will have to overcome
it is just you and me here now - but i am so very tired
i could say that i am sorry for every misstep that i have taken
but i would not want to deny that that is you
from my past you have been birthed
and because of me you will be better- for that i shed no tears
it is just you here now - the refection in the mirror
panic and confusion coupled with the prospect of true happiness
it is just me here now - i will be what i was meant to be
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
it's unnatural...
Over the last 2 weeks, I have been on a serious donut kick. I can’t control myself. I think about getting them for breakfast the night before when I am crawling in bed and am still thinking about them when I wake up. It’s ridiculous – like some kind of forbidden relationship that I am obsessing over. So because of all this donut thinking, I have had them more over the last 2 weeks than I care to actually admit, but not enough for anyone to really call an intervention… yet. The time might be nearing.
Conveniently, there is a Dunkin Donuts on the corner of my apartment complex. Seems like a sign from God that these delectable donuts are truly walking distance from my apartment and I have to literally drive by the place to go to work – everyday. So even on the days that I haven’t stopped, I have driven past Dunkin Donuts slowly and whispered something like – tomorrow… I will have you tomorrow – as one single tear is shed. Ok it’s not that dramatic, but our bond – the donut and I – it’s deep and it’s real… at least for the last 2 weeks anyhow.
Like anything forbidden, once you do it long enough, you start getting sloppy. You aren’t as careful and figure if you have gotten away with it for this long, you’re in the clear and start leaning toward the side of carelessness. Like at first, I wouldn’t tell my coworkers how much I was going to Dunkin Donuts. I would put them in my purse and walk into work nonchalantly. I mean, I wasn’t prepared to run the risk of someone seeing the bag and asking if there was a spare donut in there. I imagined that I would have unleashed something like – NO AND MINDYOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS – as I hurried by making no eye contact. Then as I realized one day that the bag was half hanging out of my purse and no one even noticed it, or if they did, they definitely didn’t ask me to share. Well, if that’s the case, I’m not going to smash these guys in my purse any more and I began to carry them in, in hand. Again, no one even seemed phased.
After a while, I started to wonder why it was that no one was even asking about the donuts or asking to have one. So I found myself announcing the donuts – in morning meeting. I’d say something along the lines of – I was going to get you all some, but I just didn’t have time this morning. The reaction wasn’t what I was looking for, in the least. It was blasé even. *Humph. Friggin donuts are amazing. What’s wrong with you people?*
Next, I decided that instead of buying donuts for the whole office, I would only buy a couple spare ones. This created exclusivity – less donuts then there were people in the office. I would buy 4 donuts; 2 French Crullers and 2 Plain Glazed. Taking on 4 would be no huge feat for me to undertake should no one feel the need to join me in my new-found love of the donut I could handle it, confidently. This partially worked. I ended up just offering a couple of them out to people that I actually like in the office. It generally left me with 2 donuts – 1 Cruller and 1 Glazed. A yummy glazy manage a trios of debauchery. So wrong. So bad, yet so good.
So first, I encountered shame and hid my growing love of the donut. Second, I found myself wondering why it was that no one else was even remotely interested in how delicious these donuts really are. I outted myself. Some might call it a cry for help. I generally classify it under the – I’m going straight to hell for eating crap that’s not good for me and I must take someone with me. Whatever. Donuts are delicious. One can only resist their doughy temptation for a short period of time. Then you find yourself sitting next to me, eating a Cruller and talking about the wonder and awe that is such a simple pleasure.
So up until now, my sloppy behavior and carelessness was reserved to something that was directly correlated to me as well as justifying a blatantly obvious extremely unhealthy pattern. Eh, you only live once. Furthermore, I keep telling myself that this too shall pass. I went on a cake kick for about 3 months several months back. Eventually, one day I woke up and was like – I don’t want cake any more. And that was that. So, eventually I will be over the donut, but for now – The donut is good. The donut is wise.
Today, while of course buying my 2 French Crullers and 2 Glazed Donuts, I hit a new mark of carelessness. I felt I was owed something. I mean, I really understand the value and amazement of the donut. I’m above the law. Untouchable Sugar-high.
I’m actually late to work this morning. I knew I was going to be late when I woke up to my alarm at 8:50am. It’s set for 7am. It’s hard to say if I hit snooze 12x or if I straight slept through an hour and 50 minutes of that horrific beeping.
>>Which quick aside – waking up to a shrieking alarm is just human cruelty. I don’t like it. I am considering revolting against all things alarm related. Except maybe fire alarms. I don’t know, I haven’t put much thought into how my revolution will look or take place. It’s something I will think about… probably over donuts… tomorrow.<<
So it’s 8:50am and I’m late. I now have to make choices. Quickly. If I shower, will I have time to get donuts? What if I shower but just don’t wash my hair? I washed it yesterday. Yeah ponytail and quick shower. Done. Quickly. What to wear? Hmm… well, this tank top and slacks that are actually clean, but slightly on the short side are here. Yeah. This is good. I’ll just wear my jacket all day given that it’s 41 degrees outside and I really did just put on a tank-top without a second thought. Done. 8:57am, I’m walking out the door. I mean, I’m not looking like I would get hit on at any point today, but damnit, I would have my donuts.
9:00am I pull into Dunkin Donuts. What’s this? The only car in the lot besides mine is a cop car. Right there. Right in front of the donut shop. Well, you have to be kidding me. This is greatness. I must have a picture. This will be new for me. When I come into work today, not only will I have some donuts to share but also a funny picture of a cop car in front of the donut store. I called that a damn good start to an otherwise bad morning. I pull out the old iPhone and line it up as best as possible without getting out of my car and making it too obvious that I am taking a picture of this classic stereotype. Beyond that, I can’t see the cop IN the Dunkin Donuts store so I wasn’t entirely sure where he was. The last thing I would want would be for him to catch me out there looking like an ass taking a picture of that. Click. Got a good enough shot that people would know what the score was.
I’m giggling in my car to myself thinking… this is great. When out of the corner of my eye, I see movement in the cop car. It was actually a Police Tahoe, which we all know the cops driving those around are pretty serious dudes. Holy shit. The cop was actually in the car when I took the picture. Did he see me? Holy shit. Holy shit. Is he leaving or is he just getting here? I have no idea. I wasn’t surveying the scene when I pulled up. I friggin had donuts on the mind. That was it. No checking to see what was happening around me. Holy shit.
Which for the record, I’m not sure why I was freaking out so much. Looking back on it, it was like it was all coming crashing down. Here I am at Dunkin Donuts. I’ve been here before. He has to know I have. He’s seen me here before. Does he know about my obsession with donuts? Have my friends sent him? Is this the beginning of the end of my having donuts on a regular basis? I liked how I got over cake. One day they feelings were just gone. No police involvement. This is dramatic. I can’t take it. I need to get a donut and think this out.
I hop out of my car at the exact same moment that the police officer exits his Tahoe. Holy shit. Ok, it’s cool… be cool. I don’t make eye contact and slow my pace so that he won’t have to hold the door to let me in 1st. Once inside, I’m standing behind him and my thoughts are split between Crullers and I think he saw me. There were a couple of people in front of him in the line and it’s taking longer than usual to ring up a couple donuts and have people be on their way. The cop turns around to me, looks me right in the face and says – were you taking a picture of my Tahoe outside?
And in what I assume was the guiltiest look (one he’d seen many times interrogating a criminal of sorts) I said – What? No? Why would I be taking a picture of your Tahoe? I furrowed my brow so as to hopefully show confusion and slight agitation at the mere assumption. He says – Well you know, a cop car at the donut shop. I was here the other day and someone literally pulled out their camera and took a picture. I thought it was kinda funny. Now even though he has given me the opportunity to admit that I had blatantly taken this picture as he used an assuring tone to say he thought it was kinda funny, I was not even remotely going to back down from my original story.
I did the only thing I knew to do. I started my next statement something like this – Oh, no. I didn’t even notice your car there. Although that is funny and maybe I’ll have to snap a shot on my way out. He chuckled and turned around. But then I got to thinking that that really didn’t provide an answer for why I had my phone up, in the direction of his Tahoe and the Dunkin Donuts sign. I must keep talking. So I say to him as his back is turned and for all intents and purposes, he believed the conversation was over and that I was a liar – I was looking for reception. The iPhone has gotten really bad about getting reception and dropping calls. *Wtf? Why are you still talking?*
He turns around and says – yeah, I have heard that AT&T is bad about that… And before he could finish his sentence which was seeming going to be followed by a more inquisitive question to prove I lied, was still lying and planned on continuing to lie the cashier asked him if he was ready to order. Good Lord. I side step to the other cashier and order quickly. I know what I want. I’ve been here before. I’m even certain the cashier was on his way to the Crullers before I’d even ordered them. We knew each other. I pay quickly, grab my bag and head out the door. The cop was walking out behind me. I didn’t stop to take the obligatory picture of his Tahoe at the donut shop; I just hopped in my car and took off. I actually think I broke at least 3 laws getting out of that parking lot quickly. I briefly looked back in my mirror with full anticipation of seeing red and blue lights, but there were none and I bee-lined to work.
Crisis averted.
What’s really sad though, is when I got to work I ate 2 donuts, gave 2 away and began thinking about if tomorrow was too soon to go back to Dunkin Donuts. I think I will give it at least a day. You know, let things cool off. Hopefully by then, this donut obsession will have fallen by the cake-wayside obsession. I don’t know. I really love me some donuts. I think I have a problem.
*And if you look close enough, you can actually see the cop sitting in the car. Something I didn't notice until I put the picture on my computer. It's all pretty Angela-standard.*
Conveniently, there is a Dunkin Donuts on the corner of my apartment complex. Seems like a sign from God that these delectable donuts are truly walking distance from my apartment and I have to literally drive by the place to go to work – everyday. So even on the days that I haven’t stopped, I have driven past Dunkin Donuts slowly and whispered something like – tomorrow… I will have you tomorrow – as one single tear is shed. Ok it’s not that dramatic, but our bond – the donut and I – it’s deep and it’s real… at least for the last 2 weeks anyhow.
Like anything forbidden, once you do it long enough, you start getting sloppy. You aren’t as careful and figure if you have gotten away with it for this long, you’re in the clear and start leaning toward the side of carelessness. Like at first, I wouldn’t tell my coworkers how much I was going to Dunkin Donuts. I would put them in my purse and walk into work nonchalantly. I mean, I wasn’t prepared to run the risk of someone seeing the bag and asking if there was a spare donut in there. I imagined that I would have unleashed something like – NO AND MINDYOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS – as I hurried by making no eye contact. Then as I realized one day that the bag was half hanging out of my purse and no one even noticed it, or if they did, they definitely didn’t ask me to share. Well, if that’s the case, I’m not going to smash these guys in my purse any more and I began to carry them in, in hand. Again, no one even seemed phased.
After a while, I started to wonder why it was that no one was even asking about the donuts or asking to have one. So I found myself announcing the donuts – in morning meeting. I’d say something along the lines of – I was going to get you all some, but I just didn’t have time this morning. The reaction wasn’t what I was looking for, in the least. It was blasé even. *Humph. Friggin donuts are amazing. What’s wrong with you people?*
Next, I decided that instead of buying donuts for the whole office, I would only buy a couple spare ones. This created exclusivity – less donuts then there were people in the office. I would buy 4 donuts; 2 French Crullers and 2 Plain Glazed. Taking on 4 would be no huge feat for me to undertake should no one feel the need to join me in my new-found love of the donut I could handle it, confidently. This partially worked. I ended up just offering a couple of them out to people that I actually like in the office. It generally left me with 2 donuts – 1 Cruller and 1 Glazed. A yummy glazy manage a trios of debauchery. So wrong. So bad, yet so good.
So first, I encountered shame and hid my growing love of the donut. Second, I found myself wondering why it was that no one else was even remotely interested in how delicious these donuts really are. I outted myself. Some might call it a cry for help. I generally classify it under the – I’m going straight to hell for eating crap that’s not good for me and I must take someone with me. Whatever. Donuts are delicious. One can only resist their doughy temptation for a short period of time. Then you find yourself sitting next to me, eating a Cruller and talking about the wonder and awe that is such a simple pleasure.
So up until now, my sloppy behavior and carelessness was reserved to something that was directly correlated to me as well as justifying a blatantly obvious extremely unhealthy pattern. Eh, you only live once. Furthermore, I keep telling myself that this too shall pass. I went on a cake kick for about 3 months several months back. Eventually, one day I woke up and was like – I don’t want cake any more. And that was that. So, eventually I will be over the donut, but for now – The donut is good. The donut is wise.
Today, while of course buying my 2 French Crullers and 2 Glazed Donuts, I hit a new mark of carelessness. I felt I was owed something. I mean, I really understand the value and amazement of the donut. I’m above the law. Untouchable Sugar-high.
I’m actually late to work this morning. I knew I was going to be late when I woke up to my alarm at 8:50am. It’s set for 7am. It’s hard to say if I hit snooze 12x or if I straight slept through an hour and 50 minutes of that horrific beeping.
>>Which quick aside – waking up to a shrieking alarm is just human cruelty. I don’t like it. I am considering revolting against all things alarm related. Except maybe fire alarms. I don’t know, I haven’t put much thought into how my revolution will look or take place. It’s something I will think about… probably over donuts… tomorrow.<<
So it’s 8:50am and I’m late. I now have to make choices. Quickly. If I shower, will I have time to get donuts? What if I shower but just don’t wash my hair? I washed it yesterday. Yeah ponytail and quick shower. Done. Quickly. What to wear? Hmm… well, this tank top and slacks that are actually clean, but slightly on the short side are here. Yeah. This is good. I’ll just wear my jacket all day given that it’s 41 degrees outside and I really did just put on a tank-top without a second thought. Done. 8:57am, I’m walking out the door. I mean, I’m not looking like I would get hit on at any point today, but damnit, I would have my donuts.
9:00am I pull into Dunkin Donuts. What’s this? The only car in the lot besides mine is a cop car. Right there. Right in front of the donut shop. Well, you have to be kidding me. This is greatness. I must have a picture. This will be new for me. When I come into work today, not only will I have some donuts to share but also a funny picture of a cop car in front of the donut store. I called that a damn good start to an otherwise bad morning. I pull out the old iPhone and line it up as best as possible without getting out of my car and making it too obvious that I am taking a picture of this classic stereotype. Beyond that, I can’t see the cop IN the Dunkin Donuts store so I wasn’t entirely sure where he was. The last thing I would want would be for him to catch me out there looking like an ass taking a picture of that. Click. Got a good enough shot that people would know what the score was.
I’m giggling in my car to myself thinking… this is great. When out of the corner of my eye, I see movement in the cop car. It was actually a Police Tahoe, which we all know the cops driving those around are pretty serious dudes. Holy shit. The cop was actually in the car when I took the picture. Did he see me? Holy shit. Holy shit. Is he leaving or is he just getting here? I have no idea. I wasn’t surveying the scene when I pulled up. I friggin had donuts on the mind. That was it. No checking to see what was happening around me. Holy shit.
Which for the record, I’m not sure why I was freaking out so much. Looking back on it, it was like it was all coming crashing down. Here I am at Dunkin Donuts. I’ve been here before. He has to know I have. He’s seen me here before. Does he know about my obsession with donuts? Have my friends sent him? Is this the beginning of the end of my having donuts on a regular basis? I liked how I got over cake. One day they feelings were just gone. No police involvement. This is dramatic. I can’t take it. I need to get a donut and think this out.
I hop out of my car at the exact same moment that the police officer exits his Tahoe. Holy shit. Ok, it’s cool… be cool. I don’t make eye contact and slow my pace so that he won’t have to hold the door to let me in 1st. Once inside, I’m standing behind him and my thoughts are split between Crullers and I think he saw me. There were a couple of people in front of him in the line and it’s taking longer than usual to ring up a couple donuts and have people be on their way. The cop turns around to me, looks me right in the face and says – were you taking a picture of my Tahoe outside?
And in what I assume was the guiltiest look (one he’d seen many times interrogating a criminal of sorts) I said – What? No? Why would I be taking a picture of your Tahoe? I furrowed my brow so as to hopefully show confusion and slight agitation at the mere assumption. He says – Well you know, a cop car at the donut shop. I was here the other day and someone literally pulled out their camera and took a picture. I thought it was kinda funny. Now even though he has given me the opportunity to admit that I had blatantly taken this picture as he used an assuring tone to say he thought it was kinda funny, I was not even remotely going to back down from my original story.
I did the only thing I knew to do. I started my next statement something like this – Oh, no. I didn’t even notice your car there. Although that is funny and maybe I’ll have to snap a shot on my way out. He chuckled and turned around. But then I got to thinking that that really didn’t provide an answer for why I had my phone up, in the direction of his Tahoe and the Dunkin Donuts sign. I must keep talking. So I say to him as his back is turned and for all intents and purposes, he believed the conversation was over and that I was a liar – I was looking for reception. The iPhone has gotten really bad about getting reception and dropping calls. *Wtf? Why are you still talking?*
He turns around and says – yeah, I have heard that AT&T is bad about that… And before he could finish his sentence which was seeming going to be followed by a more inquisitive question to prove I lied, was still lying and planned on continuing to lie the cashier asked him if he was ready to order. Good Lord. I side step to the other cashier and order quickly. I know what I want. I’ve been here before. I’m even certain the cashier was on his way to the Crullers before I’d even ordered them. We knew each other. I pay quickly, grab my bag and head out the door. The cop was walking out behind me. I didn’t stop to take the obligatory picture of his Tahoe at the donut shop; I just hopped in my car and took off. I actually think I broke at least 3 laws getting out of that parking lot quickly. I briefly looked back in my mirror with full anticipation of seeing red and blue lights, but there were none and I bee-lined to work.
Crisis averted.
What’s really sad though, is when I got to work I ate 2 donuts, gave 2 away and began thinking about if tomorrow was too soon to go back to Dunkin Donuts. I think I will give it at least a day. You know, let things cool off. Hopefully by then, this donut obsession will have fallen by the cake-wayside obsession. I don’t know. I really love me some donuts. I think I have a problem.
*And if you look close enough, you can actually see the cop sitting in the car. Something I didn't notice until I put the picture on my computer. It's all pretty Angela-standard.*
Monday, February 15, 2010
i happen to find this more appalling than…
…when the Chinese folks lied about how old their gymnast competitors were in the Beijing Olympics. I mean, we half expected it from them… but Olympic Officials – really?! I mean this poor guy isn’t even in the ground yet and already they are looking for a way to say it’s somehow this luger’s error and not the ridiculous Luge they built in that kinda-country called Canada.
________________________________________________
Luger's Death Caused By "Human Error"
Friday's accidental death of Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was not caused by the track, according to Olympic officials.
The International Luge Federation and Olympic officials have stated the deadly accident was a result of "human error" because the Georgian luger, traveling almost 90 mph, was late coming out of the second to last turn and overcompensated for the timing error.
"This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem, he eventually lost control of the sled, resulting in the tragic accident," reads the statement.
________________________________________________
The officials have agreed to make a "change in the ice profile" and raise the wall that Kumaritashvili was catapulted over, but only "to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again."
Ok, let’s start this rant where it feels most natural to me – the Olympics in general. Right now, the sole purpose of the Olympics is to gather from all corners of the world, the best athletes of their trade and have them compete to be called the world champion. Fine. Makes 100% sense to me. But it seems like as the Olympics evolve, they have become this thing of how completely ridiculous can we watch one person train to be?
I’m partial to the ice skaters – during the winter Olympics, which seems an appropriate point of reference given that Vancouver is currently hosting them. Back in the day, you’d watch the Nancy Kerrigan’s and Kristi Yamaguchi’s of the world skate to almost perfection. Triple Lutz, Double Axle, Camel Spins and the ever edge-of-your-seat Quadruple Lutz that it seemed no one landed. So it’s fair to say that even then, skaters were pushing the edge – finding a way to supersede their predecessor. An almost evolution of the sport, so-to-say. I agree that as people become more talented that the games should look for more challenge and pressure so that participating in the Olympics isn’t something just anyone can do.
But I will tell you what… it’s like they have sucked the viewer anticipation out of the whole thing. I watched ice skating last night for a little bit before I turned it off saying this is just ridiculous. It’s like when karate became an “art” and you get points for certain moves but in any street fight would get your damn ass kicked while pausing between hits to wait for a judge to mark your point (*clears throat – Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Segal*). That’s what ice skating has become – a point system that no speculator can even comprehend for one. Two, they have made the sport so complicated that it’s likely that you will see people fall in almost every skate. Granted, there are some that don’t but somehow even when those guys don’t fall, they come in 2nd or 3rd place to someone who did fall because they crossed their foot over two-times instead of once before jumping. Something complicated – or so I’m expected understand. How the hell do you watch the friggin games and know what the hell’s going on half the time? Furthermore, has the need to add more and create unnatural complexities really proved worth it in the end?
I’d say no. And beyond that, there has been the removal of really and truly waiting for the final scores to post because it’s just that close of a performance between gold and silver.
All that to say that it is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing to even allude to the notion that this Luger’s death was caused by human error. Are you kidding me? Ok, riddle me this…
1. I tried to Google how many Luge deaths there have been over the last 10 years. And you know what? It doesn’t even rank. While the sport is considered dangerous (and really rather pointless to me), people aren’t just flying off the track and dying every year at the Olympics in the Luge competition.
2. If it wasn’t somewhat the responsibility of the Olympics Officials and the construction of these apparatuses, why is it then that they almost immediately removed like what?! 100 yards of the Luge track. I’m sorry… they what? Right, removed an entire football field of track to make it safer. I definitely hear human error in that “slight track correction” the old Olympics Officials implemented. And what the hell? Why was there 100-more yards than usual in the first place?
3. By their own accord – The officials have agreed to make a "change in the ice profile" and raise the wall that Kumaritashvili was catapulted over, but only "to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again." BUT ONLY are really the words that stick out there. Like we’re fixing it BUT ONLY because this dumbass couldn’t get control of the ice skate under his ass long enough to not jack him however many feet in the air at 90 miles an hour to his ultimate human error of a death. Really Olympic Officials? I get what you’re selling. I’m just not buying it.
I happen to find all of this just down right outrageous. This need to make it bigger, better, faster and break some kind of record has really gotten out of hand. Fine. This I actually get. Such is evolution. And we evolve. Fine. Fine. Fair. But it’s like when some shit like this happens, I want someone to just stop and be real for a minute. Like – whoa dude, we fucked up… hard-core. The intent was not for anyone to die here. The purpose was to watch someone do something we’d never seen before. That being said, ideally you try and compensate for as many things as you can anticipate going wrong in an infinite amount of situations. We sure as shit did NOT see this happening, obviously. Now that we know based on this horrific tragedy, we are doing all we can to make his family as whole as physically possible while taking the proper steps to scale back the track and make some additions to ensure the remaining lugers safety. Then they need to pay some undisclosed multi-million dollar settlement to this kids family. Friggin 21-years old… an Olympian… dead. And some official comes on to say it’s the fault of his human error. Bullshit. I call bullshit.
It’s damn appalling. End of story.
________________________________________________
Luger's Death Caused By "Human Error"
Friday's accidental death of Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was not caused by the track, according to Olympic officials.
The International Luge Federation and Olympic officials have stated the deadly accident was a result of "human error" because the Georgian luger, traveling almost 90 mph, was late coming out of the second to last turn and overcompensated for the timing error.
"This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem, he eventually lost control of the sled, resulting in the tragic accident," reads the statement.
________________________________________________
The officials have agreed to make a "change in the ice profile" and raise the wall that Kumaritashvili was catapulted over, but only "to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again."
Ok, let’s start this rant where it feels most natural to me – the Olympics in general. Right now, the sole purpose of the Olympics is to gather from all corners of the world, the best athletes of their trade and have them compete to be called the world champion. Fine. Makes 100% sense to me. But it seems like as the Olympics evolve, they have become this thing of how completely ridiculous can we watch one person train to be?
I’m partial to the ice skaters – during the winter Olympics, which seems an appropriate point of reference given that Vancouver is currently hosting them. Back in the day, you’d watch the Nancy Kerrigan’s and Kristi Yamaguchi’s of the world skate to almost perfection. Triple Lutz, Double Axle, Camel Spins and the ever edge-of-your-seat Quadruple Lutz that it seemed no one landed. So it’s fair to say that even then, skaters were pushing the edge – finding a way to supersede their predecessor. An almost evolution of the sport, so-to-say. I agree that as people become more talented that the games should look for more challenge and pressure so that participating in the Olympics isn’t something just anyone can do.
But I will tell you what… it’s like they have sucked the viewer anticipation out of the whole thing. I watched ice skating last night for a little bit before I turned it off saying this is just ridiculous. It’s like when karate became an “art” and you get points for certain moves but in any street fight would get your damn ass kicked while pausing between hits to wait for a judge to mark your point (*clears throat – Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Segal*). That’s what ice skating has become – a point system that no speculator can even comprehend for one. Two, they have made the sport so complicated that it’s likely that you will see people fall in almost every skate. Granted, there are some that don’t but somehow even when those guys don’t fall, they come in 2nd or 3rd place to someone who did fall because they crossed their foot over two-times instead of once before jumping. Something complicated – or so I’m expected understand. How the hell do you watch the friggin games and know what the hell’s going on half the time? Furthermore, has the need to add more and create unnatural complexities really proved worth it in the end?
I’d say no. And beyond that, there has been the removal of really and truly waiting for the final scores to post because it’s just that close of a performance between gold and silver.
All that to say that it is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing to even allude to the notion that this Luger’s death was caused by human error. Are you kidding me? Ok, riddle me this…
1. I tried to Google how many Luge deaths there have been over the last 10 years. And you know what? It doesn’t even rank. While the sport is considered dangerous (and really rather pointless to me), people aren’t just flying off the track and dying every year at the Olympics in the Luge competition.
2. If it wasn’t somewhat the responsibility of the Olympics Officials and the construction of these apparatuses, why is it then that they almost immediately removed like what?! 100 yards of the Luge track. I’m sorry… they what? Right, removed an entire football field of track to make it safer. I definitely hear human error in that “slight track correction” the old Olympics Officials implemented. And what the hell? Why was there 100-more yards than usual in the first place?
3. By their own accord – The officials have agreed to make a "change in the ice profile" and raise the wall that Kumaritashvili was catapulted over, but only "to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again." BUT ONLY are really the words that stick out there. Like we’re fixing it BUT ONLY because this dumbass couldn’t get control of the ice skate under his ass long enough to not jack him however many feet in the air at 90 miles an hour to his ultimate human error of a death. Really Olympic Officials? I get what you’re selling. I’m just not buying it.
I happen to find all of this just down right outrageous. This need to make it bigger, better, faster and break some kind of record has really gotten out of hand. Fine. This I actually get. Such is evolution. And we evolve. Fine. Fine. Fair. But it’s like when some shit like this happens, I want someone to just stop and be real for a minute. Like – whoa dude, we fucked up… hard-core. The intent was not for anyone to die here. The purpose was to watch someone do something we’d never seen before. That being said, ideally you try and compensate for as many things as you can anticipate going wrong in an infinite amount of situations. We sure as shit did NOT see this happening, obviously. Now that we know based on this horrific tragedy, we are doing all we can to make his family as whole as physically possible while taking the proper steps to scale back the track and make some additions to ensure the remaining lugers safety. Then they need to pay some undisclosed multi-million dollar settlement to this kids family. Friggin 21-years old… an Olympian… dead. And some official comes on to say it’s the fault of his human error. Bullshit. I call bullshit.
It’s damn appalling. End of story.
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