Life on an Island

The Olympics London 2012 begins today. 8 years ago 8-yr-old was born shortly before the Olympics. During 2004 Summer Olympics, every evening saw this several-day-old cry b/w 8 and 11pm. No matter how we comforted her, she would cry during that period. Auntie thought the baby was adjusting to a completely different world. I remember that during that week, hubby was away and every evening I would have the tv on, trying to watch the Olympics, and hubby would phone, but I couldn't hear anything but the baby crying. 2008 Olympics took place just after we moved from Texas to Michigan, without furniture or tv. One evening we went to a college classmate's house so I could see the gymnastics, but the then 4- and 2-yr-olds wouldn't quiet down, and we had to leave early. This time I figured that I would finally have time to watch it because we finished moving before the opening, and the kids are older. We weren't sure where we would be this year either.

I was particularly interested in the opening ceremony. The way a country, once a glorious empire, represents its most proud national icons, cultures, achievement, is so filled with history and rich symbolisms -- all from a culture that is so influential through its worldwide colonial history which also informs where we live right now.