Two Weeks Till Friday (?) welcome to ambivalence.

This Is It.

It's hard to believe that this day has finally arrived. For 99.999999% of the world's population, many of which probably didn't even know there was a winter's Olympics, this is just another sporting event. To Vancouver, we've had to talk... and talk... and discuss, argue, fight, fear, debate, get excited, wait, wait, wait, and every other emotion under the sun for the past... what, 6 years? And now it's finally here.

The voice of protest is quickly being drowned out by the exuberant boom of patriotic passion and exhilaration. But for the past 5 years, we've heard little but vocal protest. And the Olympic supporters certainly seemed to be the minority. But how Canadian is that? We're so quick to judge, question, self-loath, self-judge. We're a cynical nation. Not that this is a bad thing but we tend to become more vocal when there is something to complain/judge. I can see the argument that this would be better than living in a country where it's citizens are oppressed without a voice. Yes, I'm looking at you China.

So for the past 5 years or so, we've heard the critics. We've listened to the people who have questioned every decision, every aspect, advancement of the Olympics. We've questioned the very questionable judgment of the government and their decision to underwrite certain large scale projects. We all freaked when the economy buckled and we're still looking at Hastings and Main and wondering why it's so hard to help the helpless.

But now the games are on. I think the time for protest should be put aside. Don't worry, that cross you bare will be there when the games are over. There will be so many things to complain about later. I for one am not going to let the opportunity of being in a host city pass me by. Is it an injustice that we have so many homeless people on the streets of Vancouver? Yes. Is it awful that we can't afford all the social programs that we need? Absolutely. Do you feel a little dirty doing business with the IOC? Ya, a little. Would our world be in such a better place if we just didn't bid on the Olympics? Um... I don't think so. We would still have homeless. We would still have gaps within the social classes. We would still have Hastings and Main. And life just isn't always fair. But I'm not going to stop living mine.

So carry on games. I'm all for it. I'm all for what it is doing for the city, for the country. And I see it on every face of every person that comes out watch the torch go by. Utter joy. Uber excitement. And a whole lot of pride. I think sometimes, at whatever the cost, this can be a very good thing.

***

I started the above post when I came into work this morning. I got called away to several meetings. Couldn't finish. The studio here has TV's everywhere. Normally they are playing advertisements of the games we make but today, it's all Olympics. CTV is playing everywhere. And like many others, we watched when they announced the accident and subsequent death of Nodar Kumaritashvili. We were shocked when CTV aired the accident. And then not surprised when the IOC had You Tube pull it of their site. We've all been discussing the tragedy. Why it was shown. Why it happened. How there were warnings about the track. What precautions there should have been. And so on.

But for the loss of an athlete, whether it be on the first day of the events or the last, our hearts go out to his family and the team and people of Georgia.