Rio!

Have you been watching the Olympics? I've been traveling so this time around, viewing the Olympics has been a bit different from the usual of watching NBC's primetime coverage. I've been getting most of my content from the web! Here's what I've been into so far:

Surprisingly, Snapchat has had great coverage!

The Olympic Refugee Team! And this amazing story. 

I've always loved watching the opening ceremonies and critiquing each countries' outfits with friends. Sad I missed out on that this year, but thankfully this article does a pretty good job of breaking down the best and the worst AND they do it with similar comparisons that I would have used, including some Harry Potter references!

Who finds synchronized diving mesmerizing?

Great piece about the US Women's Gymnastics Team...

Guess their sport (I only got two right!)

@TaraandJohnny are killing it on Instagram

Finally, I cannot stop watching this video of an Olympic gymnastic routine from the 70's!



Image @USAGym

Thoughts on Sochi...

Have you been watching the Olympics? 

I can't help but be a Debbie Downer about them this year.

Usually, I LOVE to watch the Olympics, both summer and winter. But I haven't really gotten into the Sochi games. All of the negative press has really gotten to me this time. Instead of watching figure skating, I find myself reading articles about nearby communities without water, thanks to Sochi construction demolishing their wells and how Russia spent over $50 billion on the games-yikes. Not to mention everyone's fixation on a certain snowflake that refused to become a ring.

I appreciate that all of the negative aspects are coming to light instead of being hidden from the rest of the world. Russia isn't the first country to host an Olympic Games that has a less than stellar human rights record. And no matter where you are, hosting such a big event is a magnet for terrible things like human trafficking and threats of terror. Just as it is an issue in Sochi, sex trafficking was an issue at the London games. Maybe the positive in this is that all of these things ARE being reported on instead of ignored, the first step toward change.

One more complaint, then I'll leave you be. #sochiproblems, REALLY people? Do you realize the people of Russia have to deal with yellow tap water ALL the time, not just for 2 weeks like you do? Stop complaining! Did every news outlet send only journalists who've never traveled outside of the US before? I really appreciated the way this article tackled the issue.

I WANT to get into it. I do think the idea of the Olympics is still a positive one once you get past the human rights violations and overpriced pyrotechnics. I remember watching as a child and it inspiring me to continue with sports- definitely a great message for people of all ages today.

Have you been watching? What has been good?

Hopefully I'll watch some of the games and be back next week with a post full of Olympic spirit!


PS. Loved this about Surya Bonaly- one of my favorite figure skaters from back in the day. But even Surya and her backflips, something I looked on with nothing but amazement as a child is rife with it's own controversy.

The Olympics Are Almost Here!

It's almost that time again. We have patiently waited four years and now they are finally upon us, the Summer Olympics! USA, USA! Do you have big plans for watching the games? We'll be in Idaho next week relaxing and playing our own version (more to come on the Priest Lake Olympics).

Here are a few great links from around the web that are getting me into the Olympic Spirit:

An inside look into the Olympic Athletes Village.

I love the US Women's Soccer Team! This video is so silly and fun, can we be friends?

The ESPN "Body Shoot" makes me want to hit the gym right now.

Have you seen the Spanish Olympic uniforms yet??

US athletes to know before the games begin.

William and Kate's official Olympic schedule, can't wait to see Kate in her "dressed down" look.

Kid's Guide to the Olympics (this could also be called Teresa's Guide to the Olympics!)

(Images from here)