golden darlings [olympic memories]

i tried my best to "boycott" this Olympics. there are real issues with the Chinese government, and obviously the way they are managing aspects of the games is questionable and then there's freedom of the press (or lack thereof). but somehow i found myself staying up until all hours watching the women's Olympic all around gymnastics competition last night.

Four years ago the Olympics were in Athens. Owen was being born, and I had just moved from the Tulane Dr. to the Grad Gardens apartment with Sage. I vaguely remember that she watched some of the games, but for some reason I don't remember watching any of them at all. Not even when I was home, waiting for Owen to pop out (he came a couple days after I flew back to MD ... was born on my first day of grad school).

Four years before that (2000), the Olympics were in Sydney. That was the summer after my freshman year in college, so I was working at Zapata's and going to WOSC for speech as a summer class. The class and work were actually finished by August, but I still don't remember really watching much of the games.

In 1996, I was 15 and cleaning house for a couple at my church. I distinctly remember watching the games as I vacuumed their living room, which had disconcerting amounts of wood (the ceiling had to be mopped) and a giant deer head - ick! But otherwise, nothing much sticks out from those games either. [Although was this the year of Michael Johnson? I do remember that]

1992, however, was a big year. Shannon Miller, Shannon Miller, Shannon Miller. She went to high school where my aunt teaches in Edmond. God, Oklahoma was so proud. I remember twirling in the living room and imitating the moves (well the dance moves - I never was a tumbler). We had our table in the front room then, and we still had our bedroom downstairs (probably the last summer before that changed/we moved upstairs). So I just looked her up, and she didn't win a gold until 96, but that 92 Olympics is when I really remember watching her and being so proud... Crazy.

The only other Olympic memory I have is of a 1984 LA Olympics T-shirt. I was 3 that summer, and my mom's family lived in Orange County. I don't really know that we were there, but I wouldn't doubt that we were. I wore that T-shirt growing up, mostly as a night shirt. It became so soft and threadbare. I wonder what happened to it. Big pair of 80s sunglasses and I think it had hot pink writing. God love the 80s.

/End Nostalgia ... for now.