Monday, February 24, 2014

My Olympic Memories Over the Years ~ Post by Jessica E. Subject



With the Olympics now over, and all the medals handed out, I am left reflecting on the event in Sochi as well as the Olympics that I remember from my lifetime.

The first Olympics games I remember are those from Calgary, Alberta in 1988. When the Olympic torch arrived in Stratford, we went to city hall for a nighttime event by candlelight. The Olympic bears were there, and even though cold, it was a lot of fun. And at school, we watched the Olympic games. Yes, instead of working, we watched television. It was the best!

For the summer Olympics, I remember bits and pieces. Ben Johnson won and then had his medal taken away. I worked at McDonald's during the Olympics in Atlanta, because I remember wearing the purple hat to work everyday. And I also recall Donovan Bailey being the fastest man alive. His picture crossing the finish line donned so many newspapers that year.

And then came the Olympics in Vancouver. It was like the games in Calgary, only I had kids of my own. We went to the events at city hall when the torch came through town, and then we drove to the city limits to watch the carrier take it out of the city. And of course, we watched the games on television, cheering for Canada all the way.

I'm not sure how much of those games my children remember, but I love their enthusiasm for this year's games in Sochi. My son is amazed by all of the aerial events, with skiers and snowboarders flying through the air and performing tricks, or trying to jump the farthest or fastest. Many Canadians focus on hockey, but curling is a big thing to watch in our household. My daughter was super excited to go curling for the first time this year, and it just happened to be on the day Jennifer Jones won gold for Canada. She also watched the Olympics at school.

But here in Canada, we cannot forget about hockey. With the women's hockey game against the US for gold, we were on the edge of our seat. I was home with my sister-in-law, my son, and another little girl. When Canada was down 2-0 with only five minutes to go in the third period, we were biting our nails. And then the women scored once, twice, to tie up the game. Thus, they went into overtime. When they finally scored the winning goal, I'm sure there was cheering all across Canada. Because, that was honestly, the best game of hockey I've ever seen. And with the men, we watched both the semi-final and the gold medal game with our hearts pounding. We Are Winter!!

Of course, I'm super proud of all of the Canadian Olympians, but also of those from other countries, too. Because it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make it to the Olympics. And I know there are many inspiring stories to write after these games, too.

But, of course with my love for aliens and space, my mind is thinking in terms of a Galactic Olympics. Hmm... After all, the Olympic torch has now been up in space.

So, what was your favorite memory from the Sochi Olympics or any other games you remember?

Bio:

Jessica E. Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. If you're looking for something even steamier, check out her erotica titles w/a Paisley Brown.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.



5 comments:

  1. It was all about curling for me in Sochi. I was crying for Jenny Jones and the ladies before Jenny was! I KNEW they were gonna kick booty. My dad was in a curling league for all of my childhood and adulthood, until he passed away a few yrs ago, and he taught us all the love for it. I love figure skating, hockey, down hill skiing, but I never get as excited as I do with Curling.
    Tho the women's hockey game was PHENOM!! this year :D

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    1. Yes! Jones, Jacobs, and their teams played so well. When we missed the games in the morning, we watched them later in the day. And right at the beginning of the Olympics, we were watching the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. I have never tried curling, but I really would like to. And, I agree, the women's hockey game for gold was the best game I've ever watched. :-)

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  2. I love the different types of skiing and snowboarding this year. The scenery was awesome too!

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    1. It was so cool to watch all the new events in skiing and snowboarding this year. There definitely were some trailblazers. And I was surprised by the roughness of it all, especially in the snowboarding. Made it that much more intense. :-)

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  3. Considering the men's curling team is from the Sault, that was the most memorable moment for me. Our city went bonkers...apparently some guy ran through the street naked when Team Jacobs won. LOL

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