Olympics

Scattershooting while wondering why so many Cowboys players injure hamstrings, year after year…

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If you are not a Facebook friend, you must know me already, or come with a sterling recommendation from someone who does. My confidence and trust matter. That’s who I am, and how I roll. For those who already are, you’ll notice that I do not take any of these silly and pointless “challenges”–even if I agree with the sentiment behind them. Just not a herd-mentality fad follower–I blaze my own trails, think independently, and don’t tolerate silly and pointless gimmicks.

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This election is (should be) foremost about the Supreme Court vacancies. This is why I am voting for the most constitutionalist candidate–not Trump or Hillary, either of whom would trample the Constitution in his or her own terrifying ways. We need justices who will apply the literal words of the Constitution exactly as written, not “interpret” it to fit pop-fad cultural and political whims. Given the low odds that the imperfect but much more palatable ticket to which I have defaulted (Johnson/Weld) will get enough electoral votes, I see no realistic way out of a destructively leftist Supreme Court now that Trump is sabotaging the election in Hillary’s favor. We are so screwed as a nation and society if either the Clintons or Trump reach the Oval Office. Given that Trump acts as if he doesn’t even want it, the election is Hillary’s to lose.

As for those who would overlook the horrendous things they’ve done and said, and vote for Hillary or Trump anyway, thereby pushing the corrupt and revolting prospect of a Clinton or Trump presidency upon us all, to the potentially grave detriment of America? A wise sage, wiser than any of us, once said the following: Forgive them, for they know not what they do. I will try hard to obey that, and forgive those I know who are Trump or Hillary voters…not saying it will be easy.

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Based on what I have read about the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and NBC’s commercial-infested coverage thereof, I am glad not to have watched. Whatever I was doing (probably sleeping), it was time better spent. All I saw in social-media feeds from friends and associates either was complaints about it, or a few folks cheerleading for sideshow stuff and sociopolitical propagandizing having nothing to do with sports. At its core, the Olympics are supposed to be about sports, not issues and agendas. I missed nothing worth watching.

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Yes, I don’t care for ceremonies as a whole anyway–pure artifice, pandering to emotion. Screw the glitz and glamor–just go straight to the actual competitions. That’s the fun stuff, the substance; let the appreciators of vanity and shallowness enjoy the style. [Similarly, I don’t watch Super Bowl pre-games or halftime shows either. Hell, I didn’t even go to my own college graduation ceremony–pointless waste of time and money when I was getting my diploma regardless.] I’ll go to someone else’s ceremony if it matters a lot to them that I be there for “support” or whatever, but artifice in general just isn’t my cup o’tea.

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On a somewhat related note, I find abiding joy not in earthly culture or artifice or societal whim or others’ impressions and expectations, but in higher purposes. How timely it was then, that a friend posted the following verse, Colossians 3: 1-2.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics with Elke; and we agree–it was lame. That whole ordeal seemed shallow, trite, pointless, rambling, disjointed and unnecessarily chaotic.

All the vast richness and color of British history, especially before the late 1900s, and they had to largely ignore a good deal of it in favor of playing pop-music rubbish from the stinking Pet Shop Boys, among others? I suppose there was some sociopolitical point regarding the U.K. health-care system, acting-out a bunch of sick children in hospital beds with nurses, but that’s not the appropriate place for it. And what business does some comedian have making a mockery of a London Symphony performance overseen by one of the world’s greatest conductors–even if by design? Bollocks!

Some of the lighting effects, including the rain falling from the rings, were interesting. By in large, however, this was a pathetic show. If the creator were trying to be cool, edgy and abstract somehow, he failed wretchedly, instead going off into the weeds and turning it into a humiliation for the hosts. As a friend of mine said online, “I never in my life thought I could be embarrassed for the people of another nation; tonight dispelled that belief!”

I admit–personally, I never cared much for the concept of ceremony in general. I declined to attend my college graduation, went to my high school’s event only because my parents essentially made me, and luckily have managed to avoid ceremonies for most of the awards I’ve received. After all, isn’t a grand accomplishment worthwhile for its own sake, without any pageantry or pomp?

Fireworks shows, I’ll except. My own wedding to Elke..yeah, that was obviously worthwhile. Otherwise, I attend or watch ceremonies only for the sake of others, not on my own. Tonight’s event made me glad I wasn’t one of the unfortunate throng who paid to see it in person!

The good news is: the opening ceremony mercifully is over, relegated to what Reagan called “the ash heap of history” (ironically, in a speech to the British Parliament about communism).

Now, onto what REALLY matters…the sports itself! Hooray…let the games commence.

Scattershooting 160806

Opening Embarrassment in London