If you're wondering why Mr. Crankypants didn't blog over the weekend, it was because he was sitting mesmerized in front of his big, honkin' plasma TV. I'm not sure exactly why, but I have been flat-out addicted to the Olympics this year. I've always has a soft spot for the Olympics, especially the Winter Olympics. Undoubtedly fond memories of attending the games in Lake Placid in 1980 play their part, and I've always loved to watch the sheer drama of years of training coming down to sometimes as little as mere seconds of competition decided by hundredths of a second of difference. But something has sent me into the realm of vast overkill this time around.
The cause of the extreme addiction this time around could be the long winter that has worn on me, or it could be a backlash spurred by my growing disgust at the news. But in truth, my primary suspect is the deadly combination of HDTV and the DVR. Monique and I have been recording the daytime competitions and the primetime competitions, then fast-forwarding through all the dreck -- the ads, the spotlights, the studio interviews, etc. -- and just watching competition after competition. The recording-and-fast-forwarding of Olympics is nothing new for us. We started doing that back in our VCR days with the 2004 Summer games. However, the DVR makes it especially easy to program the recording and to fast-forward through the dreck. Plus, the HD visuals of Vancouver and its environs have been as mesmerizing as a good nature show.
Add it all together, and ... well, I'm hooked.
Fortunately for all of us, I'll have to go cold turkey in a week, but even now, as I type this brief message, curlers are sweeping in full high-def plasma glory. I can't look away ... must watch stones sliding on ice.
(Thank goodness I was able to touch typo this post!)
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My nine year old sees downhill skiing and says, "Is Andrew skiing?"
ReplyDeleteAnd he was! (Well, he was skiing right up until the end of the slalom portion of the downhill, when he was sliding last few dozen yards, not skiing them.)
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone, John. That slowly sliding stone has mesmerized more viewers of this Olympics than one would expect. I have been reading that many simply can't take their eyes of it...and those two ferocious sweepers with their little brooms smoothing the already perfectly polished ice. Reminds me of feather bowling we once did at the Cadieux Cafe. Who iknows, it might become the next Olympic sport.
ReplyDeleteI note that I came in to read the comments and Google Ads has chosen "Substance Abuse Rehab" and "Addiction Counselors" as appropriate ads for this post.
ReplyDeleteAre they trying to tell me something?
You are such a remarkable multitasker, John. Blogging, twittering, fast forwarding the Olymicp coverage we watch each night... I don't know how you do it all! But, I like being there to do it with you.
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