But i've found myself enjoying it. Yes, the IOC is a diabolical den of corruption, but somehow the spirit does transcend even those dickheads. For sure whoever does well will be tough, as well as talented - it's not an olympics for prima donnas.

I haven't been watching mainly because we don't have a TV service, though I suppose I could watch online. I have been following somewhat though, and one thing that has struck me is indeed how tough this olympics must be for the athletes. In addition to all the covid weirdness, no crowds, and no fun, it has been hot here. The temp doesn't seem too bad for someone living in Taiwan. It's mostly been in the low thirties. But the humidity has been extreme.

Philippines won the first Olympic gold - Hidilyn Diaz, in weightlifting - how symbolic is that? Wanted to post a youtube video of the moment but the IOC has banned that.

Yeah, one thing I'm happy to see are some winners in events from countries that don't usually, or never, win those events. That's good to see. I'm also happy to see the refugee team.

Aussies are smashing it in the pool. Dan - you were a champion swimmer as i recall - at college level? You've gotta be digging this... (not Aussies kicking US butt part but as a swimmer)

High school, then I got way to interested in extracurricular activities to spend five hours a day in a pool.

The other thing i noticed was how there's so much crying. The winners are crying, the losers are crying - i'm building a back porch - at the jackhammer-post-holes-through-concrete stage - catching races on frequent breaks - now i'm crying.

We're living in tough times - the striving, the emotion of sport captures that - even in Covid - especially maybe (despite the IOC's best efforts).

Is this the emotional outlet the world needed?

Coincidentally, I was in an online meeting the other day of about 20 people or so from all over the world, and in the course of talking about some fairly mundane educational business, one participant started crying when talking about why she took a certain approach to her students... and that caused another participant to start crying... and earlier in the meeting (I just remembered this) another person was crying. There's definitely some pent up emotion in the world. I'd say crying is a healthy release. Certainly better than road rage.

So, yes, I think the olympics is serving as a release. It's certainly one for the books. It's right up there with the 1936 olympics in it's uniqueness and awkwardness.

Disclaimer: If the olympics turns out to be a super-spreader of a super-variant - imported back into every country in the world, then i'm backflipping to the original posts.

LOL! Well, yesterday Tokyo had it's worst day yet of the entire pandemic with 2800 cases. So, yeah, it seems likely that Japan will be sharing the love a little. But, you know, I'm to the point, like a lot of people I think, where I'm ready to just say fuck it. Let's just live, eat, drink, be merry, get sick, die, or get better. I mean, that's what we're doing anyway. School is starting back as normal even though nothing has changed from when it was completely virtual. Restaurants are opening, people are going about their lives and just saying to hell with it. Is that wise? I don't know. But we really don't have much choice.

We have vaccines that are fairly effective, though of questionable long term safety. So people have that option. I'm going back to school in three weeks just as this region is experience its worst outbreak yet. I'm OK with that.