the Olympic spirit.

I feel like I HAVE to say something about this...

So the Winter Olympics are in full swing and along with that comes... figure skating! YAY!

Pairs skating was on this weekend.

(I'm really more into solo skating, but I enjoy pairs none the less)

Skating gets me SO emotional these days. (I am not really into this emotional streak I'm on)

If you compete at all in figure skating you know the work that goes into it.

The technical and artistic meaning behind it all, the insane judging system, the pressure & competitive nature of the sport.

Every fall or slip affects me personally and my heart really goes out to every skater.

They work SO hard and to see it all down the drain with sometimes quite minor flaws...

it kills me.

The ridiculous requirements and elements they have to perform perfectly.

I am so proud of the Chinese team Shen/Zhao.

They skated so well & they were the oldest ones in the competition & their story is so great-- (they came out of retirement to try competing one last time).

Sometimes you just need some time off to get it all into perspective.

One story that makes me sad is the Russians end to the gold after a 12 Olympic streak.

I just felt horrible for this girl in the pairs team for the Russians;

Yuko Kavaguti <--her story.

She went through so much just for a chance to compete in the Olympics & she did.

She didn't skate a clean program and the Russians took fourth.

Of course none of this was a waste for each competition you learn so much about yourself,

but she just looked so sad after it all. I just hate to see that after all that hard work.

I have to thank Eric for bearing through the pairs skating.

It's not dire that I watch it right when it's on, but I'd like to see it at some point. We actually had the games on most of the weekend. Winter Olympics have a lot of good sports to watch. Summer Olympics are cool because of Rhythmic Gymnastics and Gymnastics

but other than that I'm set.

I am actually waiting for them to include Ultimate Frisbee in the Olympics because then I have a shot! Heh, I love Frisbee.

But all this skiing that I'm watching is making me want to try it.

Especially this awesome downhill skiing! It looks insanely fun.

I love the speed and jumps in there. Man oh man!

But you are so injury prone when you do stuff like that.

So on another note;

It turned out that Valentines Day was not as crazy as anticipated at work. We got out later than midnight only one night and before midnight the other four. I got really lucky in that sense.

Eric dropped by work on Friday to surprise me with a room key for the Westin this weekend.

It was a really good weekend and it turns out I didn't have to work Sunday so that gave us the day free. I'm really not big on Valentines Day, so we did something we would normally do while in that area; we bopped around the Oakbrook Mall. We did a little shopping but nothing extensive.

One shop I am always pleased with is Urban Outfitters.

I love the books and random trinkets they sell.

We ended up snagging sushi in the evening hours--all in all, a GREAT weekend.

I'm glad I worked a lot last week and I'm glad it's all done & will return to normal until graduation rolls around.

I'm glad that next year I will be considered "seasoned" in the cookie decorating biz. I will have decorated every holiday bouquet and know the flow of it all. That's pretty exciting to me!

I'm glad that I spent a great weekend in a nice hotel with my counterpart--I feel really lucky.

Things are good right now.

& I shall go to bed in a chipper mood!

Bonne nuit!