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Off the Shelf, August 4, 2008
The Olympics are coming! The Olympics are coming!
I’m sure this isn’t a news flash to anyone out there, but I confess that the Olympics are the only sporting events that I care about watching (well, besides Sumo wrestling, but that’s another column). Every time the Games come on I scramble for television coverage – for many years I didn’t own a TV. Even when I have had one I refused to pay for cable, so my reception was nil. These days I watch movies on my computer, and that’s my visual entertainment.
Most of the time it’s not a problem, but when the Olympics are on I crave CBC, NBC, whatever I can find. I am not much of a sports bar fan, so my options are limited. I know I’m not the only one out there in this situation, so we have decided to offer Olympic coverage for all in the library’s Community Room through the Beijing Games period, at least during library hours. The opening ceremonies are on Friday, and we’ve blocked off the room throughout the Games. The only two hours during the week that are already booked are the two Thursdays from 6 to 7 pm. Hopefully your favourite event will not be broadcast during those times.
Politics aside, the 2010 Games are one of the reasons I wanted to move to Whistler two years ago. I lived in Los Angeles in 1984, and before the events started I was totally blasé, way too cool to try and get tickets to anything. Once the Games started, though, I was caught up in the magic of the thing. Someone gave me an extra ticket to a couple of track and field events, and my cool was totally gone. I was speechless with excitement. Of course, I am the one who weeps at every medal ceremony – even on television. I still have some little flags and buttons and stuff from that day.
LA is a different planet from Whistler, though, and it will be very interesting indeed to experience the takeover of our little town by the world. In the meantime, grab a coffee and take in some Summer Games here at the library. We have a huge screen with projected TV, and our hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 to 7 and Sunday, 11 to 4.
Lauren Stara, Library Director