There is no Olympic sport that I could get excited about. Sorry, that’s just the way it is with me. I think it’s a hangover from the days when every jock in school treated me as a target.
Have you ever attended a reunion and seen/talked to these folks since HS? It is amazing what a little time and maturity can do for people and their perspective.
When my 20 year reunion rolled around it wasnt until like a week before that I decided to go. Hadnt talked to anyone since I graduated so I didnt really care. I was SO HAPPY I did after the fact. I had a great time. In fact I ended up clicking w a whole group of people in circles I didnt even socialize in when in HS. No one cared anymore who was the jock, or the nerd, or the skater dude. We were just people who all grew up together and struggled through our teenage years w hormones as best we could. 12 years later I am still hanging out w them and we are now all celebrating middle age together (50th bdays), it is grand.
@phendrick@tinamarie1974 When the alumni committee contacted me to find out if I was coming to the reunions, I gave them the same answer each time. I said that my experience in high school left me with the firm conviction that with the exception of the very small group of fellow students that regarded me as a friend, I wanted nothing whatsoever to do with that institution, ever again. I wanted to forget it as completely as I could. I have not budged from that, nor will I entertain any suggestions that I ought to. The 55th reunion would be next year if they have one. I have an active desire to be elsewhere when it happens. I was miserable for the entire time I was in that school, and the other students were most of the reason. I will not give them a chance to make a target out of me again, and given who I am today, I have zero doubt that far too many of them would do precisely that all over again, and gloat about it as they did so. Frankly, I’d rather be in Cleveland. Any Cleveland.
@tinamarie1974@werehatrack @w, Glad you turned out as you did, instead of as a mass shooter (seems as if so many of those were shunned / bullied by peers while still in formative years) @t Gee, people might actually mature as they grow older!
At my 25th for hs, I enjoyed some time with a few people who were definitely in different cliques back then. And was surprised to find a few of the once “cooler” kids who felt life had passed them by compared to their classmates, both socially and financially.
Was most surprised to find one classmate, who had actually been my university roommate for freshman semester but transferred to an “easier” college, had retired after selling his computer company. Just goes to show you…
Would have liked to maintain the rejuvenated friendships, but distance and current family made that impractical. Wife went with me to 50th and liked my old friends, but soon after, Alzheimer’s got hold of her, and I dispensed with keeping up at all (except for one isolated event without her).
“Silly”? Moi?
(Just most of the time, but not above in this reply…)
Im glad you had a similar experience. I think we have all suffered from bullies at one point or another in life, and how we handle it is a personal preference/choice.
I had a terrible time for a few years after my parents moved from one district to another. I had zero friends and ended up in a lot of school yard fights, it was miserable to the point that I just didnt want to go anymore. After we left and moved to the district I mentioned above things changed, then one day when doing roll call my teacher mentioned the name of the ring leader from my previous school. It was her! Omg, I couldnt breathe. After class I cornered her, told her what I thought of her and that she better leave me alone, because things are different here. Her eyes got big like OH SHIT
And that was it, for the last three years of school she never said a word, looked at me, etc. We stood w our groups and at least I know I had a wonderful exhistance. I also felt better about myself that I confronted her and told her what I thought.
@phendrick@werehatrack @tinamarie1974
Wow! Good for you confronting that girl! I hated every moment of jr high (what they called it back then) and high school wasn’t much better, but I found friends outside of school when I started working, and that became my real world. I’ve never been to a reunion, but I still live in the same city and occasionally run into some of those people; even had the mother of one of them as a boss (she was nice! And the daughter had gotten over herself and was also nice by then.) I think it’s most striking to see how the popular gang dispersed and each person went their own ways, some what you’d expect and some not at all. And you realize they were often miserable too. Sheesh, it was all so long ago - not worth letting it hurt me anymore.
I was laid up in the hospital during the Tokyo Olympics so I watched a lot of the events on TV there. I loved the skateboarding events- Kokona Hiraki got silver in the women’s park event at only 12 years old! This year I’m excited for skateboarding and the new surfing events. Also hope Raven Saunders wins something in women’s shotput.
Maybe Boxing? IF… My Co- worker’s son made the cut this time around…
kid was Born and Raised here in Ohio, but his mom is from Trinidad.( Mom is Indian from Trinidad, Dad is Mexican. I keep telling her she needs to start a restaurant)
He made the Trinidad team in London 2012*, but not sure about the last 2 summer games, and he was trying to this year, but there were some…Local Legal maneuvers going on in Trinidad earlier this year to keep some Foreign born athletes off their team.
I only specifically know of him, and some Gymnast from Florida…
little digging, no he did not make the team.
one fight, with Exceptionally bad officiating…even the guys calling the fight were talking about it DURING the fight. it really seemed like the Ref was paid off…
Multi hull sailing. Or if you wait a bit Americas cup is after Olympics. Boats that can sail faster than the wind is blowing are amazing. I haven’t done it, but would love to learn. Just a simple MC scow here.
@HobieCat@tweezak
If you are ever in St Martin/St Maarten they have some retired America’s cup boats that they race in the bay. You get to be part of a crew so get to handle some of the chores. Really a cool experience.
Going on another Island Windjammer cruise this Christmas time. Really nice 100 foot-ish sailing vessels. Super fun to cruise with them.
@chienfou@HobieCat Nice to know how the 1% lives. Thanks for the tip but I think I’ll live out my days fishing with the wife at the local lakes. That’s more in my pay grade.
@OnionSoup 1906, not an actual Olympics, they fired dueling pistols at plaster dummies. 1908, they fired wax bullets at each other while wearing elaborate PPE. The event was not repeated at later games.
Sorry to see such distain/dislike for the games. Just got back from a month in Europe and got to see a women’s football match (France vs Canada) and some of the women’s bike event. Cool times in a fantastic city on the days we were actually in Paris. General population was very chill and my family members that live locally enjoyed the games a lot.
Unfortunately there is some political BS that goes on, but by and large the competitors/competition are really amazing.
Surfing in Tahiti
@llangley me too
@llangley it’s a magical place.
@jsfs @llangley I understood that reference…
Rugby
Curling!
@Zeusandhera That’s going to be a long wait since it is a Winter sport.
Gymnastics is good, but Rhythmic Gymnastics is great.
@hchavers Having been a gymnast in high school, I should be offended, but you’re right. They’re amazing.
There is no Olympic sport that I could get excited about. Sorry, that’s just the way it is with me. I think it’s a hangover from the days when every jock in school treated me as a target.
@werehatrack So you participated in archery or javelin throw?
@phendrick Not offered in Florida public schools in the '60s. (Nor was anything else in PE that I would have gone near.)
@werehatrack I think @phendrick was being silly.
Have you ever attended a reunion and seen/talked to these folks since HS? It is amazing what a little time and maturity can do for people and their perspective.
When my 20 year reunion rolled around it wasnt until like a week before that I decided to go. Hadnt talked to anyone since I graduated so I didnt really care. I was SO HAPPY I did after the fact. I had a great time. In fact I ended up clicking w a whole group of people in circles I didnt even socialize in when in HS. No one cared anymore who was the jock, or the nerd, or the skater dude. We were just people who all grew up together and struggled through our teenage years w hormones as best we could. 12 years later I am still hanging out w them and we are now all celebrating middle age together (50th bdays), it is grand.
@werehatrack Agreed
there was a time when i would watch diving and gymnastics, eons ago.
and Olympic archery is a joke, give them a welsh longbow and they couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, much less draw it
@phendrick @tinamarie1974 When the alumni committee contacted me to find out if I was coming to the reunions, I gave them the same answer each time. I said that my experience in high school left me with the firm conviction that with the exception of the very small group of fellow students that regarded me as a friend, I wanted nothing whatsoever to do with that institution, ever again. I wanted to forget it as completely as I could. I have not budged from that, nor will I entertain any suggestions that I ought to. The 55th reunion would be next year if they have one. I have an active desire to be elsewhere when it happens. I was miserable for the entire time I was in that school, and the other students were most of the reason. I will not give them a chance to make a target out of me again, and given who I am today, I have zero doubt that far too many of them would do precisely that all over again, and gloat about it as they did so. Frankly, I’d rather be in Cleveland. Any Cleveland.
@phendrick @werehatrack
/giphy thumbs up
@tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
@w, Glad you turned out as you did, instead of as a mass shooter (seems as if so many of those were shunned / bullied by peers while still in formative years)
@t Gee, people might actually mature as they grow older!
At my 25th for hs, I enjoyed some time with a few people who were definitely in different cliques back then. And was surprised to find a few of the once “cooler” kids who felt life had passed them by compared to their classmates, both socially and financially.
Was most surprised to find one classmate, who had actually been my university roommate for freshman semester but transferred to an “easier” college, had retired after selling his computer company. Just goes to show you…
Would have liked to maintain the rejuvenated friendships, but distance and current family made that impractical. Wife went with me to 50th and liked my old friends, but soon after, Alzheimer’s got hold of her, and I dispensed with keeping up at all (except for one isolated event without her).
“Silly”? Moi?
(Just most of the time, but not above in this reply…)
@phendrick @werehatrack
Im glad you had a similar experience. I think we have all suffered from bullies at one point or another in life, and how we handle it is a personal preference/choice.
I had a terrible time for a few years after my parents moved from one district to another. I had zero friends and ended up in a lot of school yard fights, it was miserable to the point that I just didnt want to go anymore. After we left and moved to the district I mentioned above things changed, then one day when doing roll call my teacher mentioned the name of the ring leader from my previous school. It was her! Omg, I couldnt breathe. After class I cornered her, told her what I thought of her and that she better leave me alone, because things are different here. Her eyes got big like OH SHIT
And that was it, for the last three years of school she never said a word, looked at me, etc. We stood w our groups and at least I know I had a wonderful exhistance. I also felt better about myself that I confronted her and told her what I thought.
@phendrick @werehatrack
Sheesh, it was all so long ago - not worth letting it hurt me anymore.
@tinamarie1974
Wow! Good for you confronting that girl! I hated every moment of jr high (what they called it back then) and high school wasn’t much better, but I found friends outside of school when I started working, and that became my real world. I’ve never been to a reunion, but I still live in the same city and occasionally run into some of those people; even had the mother of one of them as a boss (she was nice! And the daughter had gotten over herself and was also nice by then.) I think it’s most striking to see how the popular gang dispersed and each person went their own ways, some what you’d expect and some not at all. And you realize they were often miserable too.
/showme jumper horse
Checkers
/showme synchronized swimming
Closing Ceremony
@2many2no I agree. At least it will all be over then.
@2many2no came here for this
None of them
Toss up between team hatchet throw and the fight-to-the-death with untipped epees.
Gymnastics is cool, but I can’t stand subjective scoring. I guess it’s track & field for me
Tiddlywinks.
/showme absolutely nothing
@mediocrebot NZT-48?
Not a one.
I do think Simone Biles is extraordinary. But I can watch her performances without the pomp, and the ridiculous judging.
Swimming or track
Women’s Beach Volleyball
@sjk3 Yea!
Hockey
Stadium Horse Show Jumping
The Pig n’ Ford races
Wait, what? That’s not an Olympic event? Should be…
@macromeh That’s so great! Thanks for posting it.
@macromeh That’s coming up August 7-10. I’ve lived my whole life about 2 hours from there and I’ve never been to it.
@Fuzzalini @macromeh “Turd place”? That’s something to strive for?
Great. Thanks for the post.
I was laid up in the hospital during the Tokyo Olympics so I watched a lot of the events on TV there. I loved the skateboarding events- Kokona Hiraki got silver in the women’s park event at only 12 years old! This year I’m excited for skateboarding and the new surfing events. Also hope Raven Saunders wins something in women’s shotput.
Swim and Dive stuff! A guy from my local pool is in the events.
Maybe Boxing? IF… My Co- worker’s son made the cut this time around…
kid was Born and Raised here in Ohio, but his mom is from Trinidad.( Mom is Indian from Trinidad, Dad is Mexican. I keep telling her she needs to start a restaurant)
He made the Trinidad team in London 2012*, but not sure about the last 2 summer games, and he was trying to this year, but there were some…Local Legal maneuvers going on in Trinidad earlier this year to keep some Foreign born athletes off their team.
I only specifically know of him, and some Gymnast from Florida…
little digging, no he did not make the team.
Is hacky sack in the Olympics yet?
Multi hull sailing. Or if you wait a bit Americas cup is after Olympics. Boats that can sail faster than the wind is blowing are amazing. I haven’t done it, but would love to learn. Just a simple MC scow here.
@HobieCat America’s Cup is absolutely amazing to watch. The strategy during and before the race is almost as cool as the boats.
@HobieCat @tweezak
If you are ever in St Martin/St Maarten they have some retired America’s cup boats that they race in the bay. You get to be part of a crew so get to handle some of the chores. Really a cool experience.
Going on another Island Windjammer cruise this Christmas time. Really nice 100 foot-ish sailing vessels. Super fun to cruise with them.
(BTW HobieCat… I can see why the moniker!!)
@chienfou @HobieCat Nice to know how the 1% lives. Thanks for the tip but I think I’ll live out my days fishing with the wife at the local lakes. That’s more in my pay grade.
Water polo
Fun fact. Dueling with pistols was once an Olympic sport.
Bring it back.
@OnionSoup If you didn’t finish first place, you probably weren’t back for the next one…
@OnionSoup @phendrick
Maybe bring this back with paintballs? That might be pretty cool!
@chienfou @phendrick I think it would be fun with paintballs. Probably easier to officiate too.
@OnionSoup 1906, not an actual Olympics, they fired dueling pistols at plaster dummies. 1908, they fired wax bullets at each other while wearing elaborate PPE. The event was not repeated at later games.
@OnionSoup @werehatrack
In fact, the event in 1908 was part of the Franco-British Exhibition not the 4th Olympiad.
Sorry to see such distain/dislike for the games. Just got back from a month in Europe and got to see a women’s football match (France vs Canada) and some of the women’s bike event. Cool times in a fantastic city on the days we were actually in Paris. General population was very chill and my family members that live locally enjoyed the games a lot.
Unfortunately there is some political BS that goes on, but by and large the competitors/competition are really amazing.