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<blockquote data-quote="Lone Wolf &#039;49" data-source="post: 1859307" data-attributes="member: 3016"><p>Friday, July 27</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(Please excuse the typos. Will hurry. Theres much Olympics to explore.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Nickis phone rang at 1 a.m. and again about 3 a.m. Then the hair-dryer rang about 6. Ah, roomies. Cant live with em; cant live without em.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Breakfast: Mixed fruit, awesome crunchy bacon (ACB), great link sausage, scrambled eggs which were good after I figured out how to grind the salt, canaloni beans (pork n to us rednecks),wheat toast with currant jelly, orange juice, yogurt: </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The torch has taken on an almost human quality herekind of like the Stanley Cup. It spent the night in the Tower of London. Its cute. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Commute: 8 a.m. media shuttle through Central London to the Victoria Embankment, then left along the Thames to Olympic park. Very light drizzle. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge didnt seem to mind the dripping. I also enjoy coming around another corner and glimpsing the Olympic Stadium for the first time each day. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A woman told me yesterday that she lives not too far from Olympic Park and can see the stadium lights from her window. Thats the extent of her Olympics, but she is delighted to be a part of it in her own small way.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p>The Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And Ive had ten lifetimes so far. Im one lucky goat.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Opening-ceremony day is thrilling. Ten thousand athletes or more have worked all their lives for this. And today is their day. Its not ours; were just kibitzers. Its theirs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>New people arrive every day. Sam Mellinger got here today. New ones are sleepy and lost; I get to help them. My advice to rookies like Sam: smell the roses, get enough sleep, eat reasonably, drink plenty of liquids and wash your hands. We learned all that in fifth grade, but some of us were sick that day</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Todays confirmation that George Bernard Shaw was right when he wrote that we and the British are two peoples separated by a common language. Those snack foods that Ive been enjoying for lunch? Theyre not cookiestheyre biscuits.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Speaking of which, the rine in spine sties minely in the pline but also sties in London a lot, and the self-deprecating natives love to joke about it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Volunteer du jour: Claudia, round and bubbly and extremely busy at the security check point. But she took time out to be friendly. These Brits are terrific. I am SO excited about the opening ceremony. I sawr the rehearsal Monday night. Its absolutely beautiful. I cant go tonight; its too expensive. I will be watching every minute on the telly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Lunch: yogurt. Pringles. Four cookies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Email from home: 50 Mary Poppinses That is a lot of spoonfuls of sugar. I still have a crush on Julie Andrews because of this role (and fraulein Maria of course). </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Weather: Cloudy all day, more drizzle. High seems to have been about 70; low somewhere near 54.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dinner: (see below)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When all the ticketing was done and it was time to depart for the opening ceremony, a couple of friends suggested we walk. My instinct said to take the media shuttle, which would drop us off at the proper, convenient entrance to the stadium. They wanted to walk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I should have said well meet you there but I knew the chances of actually meeting in a media section that extended over about 20 percent of the stadium were about like salsa in Senegal. And I wanted to be sociable. And so we walked and walked and walked some more until we entered the stadium on the opposite side of the MPC. We immediately got separated, but I grabbed Nickis jacket and held onto her. We were pointed to an elevator which took us to the field level where performers were stretching and generally green-rooming. We skedaddled onto another elevator before they put us in the show.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We arrived only about 100 minutes before the ceremonys start, late by the traditional standard. Most of the media seats were already occupied. Some very kind American sports-writing pals squeezed us in. I went off to buy a hot dog and returned with a nice English pastie instead. Nicki and I shared it and vowed to have 137 more before we go home.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I loved the ceremony. My favorite part was the farm scene; we walked in from the chaos outside into field with sleep, ducks, and an eighteenth-century cottage. Sweet country sounds like chirping birds were piped into the stadium. People harvested grain, fed the animals, played cricket and generally did 18th-century stuff. It was intriguing and relaxing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>You got to watch the spectacle on TV, so I wont give a play-by-play. But the Queen, Camilla, Nicki and I enjoyed it very much. So much was happening; I had to make myself watch the field instead of the monitor that Nicki and I shared. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>About four jakillion people around the were watching and we actually got to be here. I missed my friend Bob Condron, with whom I had shared nine ceremonies including my all-time favorite, Los Angeless. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The real queen! The real J.K. Rowling in a rare public appearance! The real Michelle Obama! The real Paul McCartney! The real James Bond! (Well, not exactly. Sean Connery wasnt here.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>One segment sort of featured what the press kit saidand the Brit next to me agreedwas Englands beloved national health service. Say that again. Think about it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I made my traditional visit to the concession stand after Greece made its traditional entrance. I was seduced by the fish and chips sign. Neither was inspiring. The people in front of me in line spent $170 on fish and chips, pickles and Diet Coke. THAT was impressive. I live in a different world, because I was angry with myself for wasting my $15. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(Im writing from the media seating area; Pakistan just entered.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In contrast to the overwhelming heat at Beijings ceremony, we wore jackets and long pants to this one and I nearly wished for my gloves. It only rained for three minutes, but we happy to be under the canvas roofabout two-thirds of the way to the top on the press box side. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was a grand night and Im so happy for the English people and for the athletes and proud of the worlds people for coming together again for a big party. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We walked out into a very chilly night wind, better people. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>What a privilege to be in London! Inspire a generation. And mind the gap.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lone Wolf '49, post: 1859307, member: 3016"] Friday, July 27 (Please excuse the typos. Will hurry. Theres much Olympics to explore.) Nickis phone rang at 1 a.m. and again about 3 a.m. Then the hair-dryer rang about 6. Ah, roomies. Cant live with em; cant live without em. Breakfast: Mixed fruit, awesome crunchy bacon (ACB), great link sausage, scrambled eggs which were good after I figured out how to grind the salt, canaloni beans (pork n to us rednecks),wheat toast with currant jelly, orange juice, yogurt: The torch has taken on an almost human quality herekind of like the Stanley Cup. It spent the night in the Tower of London. Its cute. Commute: 8 a.m. media shuttle through Central London to the Victoria Embankment, then left along the Thames to Olympic park. Very light drizzle. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge didnt seem to mind the dripping. I also enjoy coming around another corner and glimpsing the Olympic Stadium for the first time each day. A woman told me yesterday that she lives not too far from Olympic Park and can see the stadium lights from her window. Thats the extent of her Olympics, but she is delighted to be a part of it in her own small way. The Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And Ive had ten lifetimes so far. Im one lucky goat. Opening-ceremony day is thrilling. Ten thousand athletes or more have worked all their lives for this. And today is their day. Its not ours; were just kibitzers. Its theirs. New people arrive every day. Sam Mellinger got here today. New ones are sleepy and lost; I get to help them. My advice to rookies like Sam: smell the roses, get enough sleep, eat reasonably, drink plenty of liquids and wash your hands. We learned all that in fifth grade, but some of us were sick that day Todays confirmation that George Bernard Shaw was right when he wrote that we and the British are two peoples separated by a common language. Those snack foods that Ive been enjoying for lunch? Theyre not cookiestheyre biscuits. Speaking of which, the rine in spine sties minely in the pline but also sties in London a lot, and the self-deprecating natives love to joke about it. Volunteer du jour: Claudia, round and bubbly and extremely busy at the security check point. But she took time out to be friendly. These Brits are terrific. I am SO excited about the opening ceremony. I sawr the rehearsal Monday night. Its absolutely beautiful. I cant go tonight; its too expensive. I will be watching every minute on the telly. Lunch: yogurt. Pringles. Four cookies. Email from home: 50 Mary Poppinses That is a lot of spoonfuls of sugar. I still have a crush on Julie Andrews because of this role (and fraulein Maria of course). Weather: Cloudy all day, more drizzle. High seems to have been about 70; low somewhere near 54. Dinner: (see below) When all the ticketing was done and it was time to depart for the opening ceremony, a couple of friends suggested we walk. My instinct said to take the media shuttle, which would drop us off at the proper, convenient entrance to the stadium. They wanted to walk. I should have said well meet you there but I knew the chances of actually meeting in a media section that extended over about 20 percent of the stadium were about like salsa in Senegal. And I wanted to be sociable. And so we walked and walked and walked some more until we entered the stadium on the opposite side of the MPC. We immediately got separated, but I grabbed Nickis jacket and held onto her. We were pointed to an elevator which took us to the field level where performers were stretching and generally green-rooming. We skedaddled onto another elevator before they put us in the show. We arrived only about 100 minutes before the ceremonys start, late by the traditional standard. Most of the media seats were already occupied. Some very kind American sports-writing pals squeezed us in. I went off to buy a hot dog and returned with a nice English pastie instead. Nicki and I shared it and vowed to have 137 more before we go home. I loved the ceremony. My favorite part was the farm scene; we walked in from the chaos outside into field with sleep, ducks, and an eighteenth-century cottage. Sweet country sounds like chirping birds were piped into the stadium. People harvested grain, fed the animals, played cricket and generally did 18th-century stuff. It was intriguing and relaxing. You got to watch the spectacle on TV, so I wont give a play-by-play. But the Queen, Camilla, Nicki and I enjoyed it very much. So much was happening; I had to make myself watch the field instead of the monitor that Nicki and I shared. About four jakillion people around the were watching and we actually got to be here. I missed my friend Bob Condron, with whom I had shared nine ceremonies including my all-time favorite, Los Angeless. The real queen! The real J.K. Rowling in a rare public appearance! The real Michelle Obama! The real Paul McCartney! The real James Bond! (Well, not exactly. Sean Connery wasnt here.) One segment sort of featured what the press kit saidand the Brit next to me agreedwas Englands beloved national health service. Say that again. Think about it. I made my traditional visit to the concession stand after Greece made its traditional entrance. I was seduced by the fish and chips sign. Neither was inspiring. The people in front of me in line spent $170 on fish and chips, pickles and Diet Coke. THAT was impressive. I live in a different world, because I was angry with myself for wasting my $15. (Im writing from the media seating area; Pakistan just entered.) In contrast to the overwhelming heat at Beijings ceremony, we wore jackets and long pants to this one and I nearly wished for my gloves. It only rained for three minutes, but we happy to be under the canvas roofabout two-thirds of the way to the top on the press box side. It was a grand night and Im so happy for the English people and for the athletes and proud of the worlds people for coming together again for a big party. We walked out into a very chilly night wind, better people. What a privilege to be in London! Inspire a generation. And mind the gap. [/QUOTE]
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