I’ve been watching the Olympic games since I was old enough to babble, “Go, USA!” and I think I’ve acquired a good bit of knowledge about them.  As a matter of fact, I was the only one of a group of family members watching the skating events the other night who knew who Dick Button is.  I have also known for many years that the original Olympic racers in ancient Greece ran wearing nothing but  the gorgeous olive Mediterranean skin they were born with.    Mmm.   What was I talking about again?  Oh yes, my Olympic knowledge.
Over the years I have learned terms like “giant slalom,”  “halfpipe,” and “luge”  and that I need to stay as far away from those things as possible, in order to avoid hearing terms like “ruptured,”  “dislocated,”  and “crazy old fool.”  
Anyway, I thought I had a pretty good handle on most things Olympic, until these present games.   Now, I’m hearing about things like “amplitude.”   In all my years of teaching vocabulary, I never heard of that.  Shaun White’s high school English teacher is probably scratching her head on that one too.
I’ve also just learned that Vera Wang designs costumes for some of the figure skaters.  How awesome is that.  I have something in common with gold medalist, Evan Lysacek.  We both wear Vera Wang.  Of course, she designs for him personally, and I buy her designs from Kohl’s, but still.
A third thing I’ve learned from the 2010 winter games is that you can come back -- even with a few years on you.  As much as the athletes are still predominantly barely more than children, several of the current competitors are beyond the age of what is considered “peak” and are holding their own very well.  Personally, I’m rooting most enthusiastically for those  athletes. 
So, just as with many things, watching the Olympic games is proving to be a learning experience for me as well as great entertainment.  I hope the US continues to do well.  I hope there are no more serious injuries.  I hope the weather in Vancouver cooperates.  I hope that someday they will award gold medals to the announcers who have to pronounce the incredibly difficult names of some of those competitors.  And I hope that all of you, my faithful readers, enjoy some good amplitude (whatever the heck that is).
Thanks for giving me a moment of your time.