I'm Golden

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I really don't care much about the Olympics.

I know. You're all probably gasping and slapping a hand over your now gaping mouth. Sorry.

When I was little, I enjoyed them....you know, figure skating, syncronized swimming, all that jazz. And, there for a while, a dozen or so years ago, I could get into them...but, now??? Not so much.

Perhaps it's the change in television coverage. Is it me or does it seem like the coverage is much choppier and lighter now? It feels like it has narrowed in variety, too. But then again, perhaps its just me.

And, I'm embarrassed to admit, I'm minorly annoyed by the commentators. And the cowbells. Don't get me wrong, cowbells have a place in the world. I just don't think that place is on the slope of a snow-covered mountain amongst a crowd of screaming fans, layered behind loudspeakers saying the same message over and over again in multiple languages AND annoying television commentators rambling on and on about crap I don't really care about.

Now, with that said, it's Girl Talk Thursday. This week, we're talking Olympics.

What would I medal in, were I to find myself in the Olympics???

Oh, the glory...I could be a double medalist.

1. Making new outfits out of the same old stuff.

I can remember standing in my mother's walk-in closet years ago thinking, "One day, I want to have this many clothes." Lofty goal, right? I think I've achieved that now.

However, before that goal was realized, I wanted to present the same effect. One summer, I challenged myself. Could I go to the entire summer term without ever repeating the same outfit? Of course, repeating individual items was permitted - but never used exactly the same way. Accessorize it differently, combine it with different pieces, change it up somehow.

I think I succeeded. If not, I came darn close.

I still rarely repeat exact outfits. I tend to think of my closet in sort of a "choose your own adventure" sort of way. In fact, just this week I repeated an exact outfit and, since I'm being honest, I felt like I was cheating. I don't want to bore anyone, you know? A girl's gotta keep'em guessing.

2. Falling down.

When I was pregnant with BigGirl, I had at least three nasty falls. I remember tumbling down a steep flight of stairs at my grandmother's house as a child. I have a pair of surely jinxed shoes (or two) that I fall in almost everytime I wear them.

A few years ago, I was at field day with my class when I playfully accepted a challenge from a student to race. I held my own very well until I "opened up" at the very end. I literally lost control and found myself rolling head over heels in the grass after skinning my knees, elbows and hands.

My first year of teaching, I walked over to my desk chair at the back of the classroom, sat down, and immediately toppled out of my chair onto the floor. To my embarrassment, I almost immediately had 17 startled and worried little first graders huddling around my desk, gingerly helping me up and timidly righting my chair.

Just a week or so ago, I was headed home from school when I hit a puddle with my foot and - schwoomp - thank goodness I'm flexible. I was in a half-split (in a dress, mind you) with a bruised and skinned knee. After I picked myself up and headed out the door to pick up BabyGirl from school, the custodian chased behind me saying, "You need to fill out a report!"

I waved my hand good-bye and called to her, without looking back, "I'm fine! I fall all the time!"

So girlfriends, let me know if you hear anything in the news about these two events being added to the Olympic roster. I can win these gold medals...and I can win them with style.