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Tuesday Kaffeeklatsch 2/8/2022
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Let's hear it for another over 30 woman winning gold. Lindsey Jacobellus, in her 4th Olympics at the age of 36, wins gold in snowboarding. Overcoming a horrendous monkey on her back of 3 prior Olympic wipeouts, putting the cherry on top of an awesome set of career championship medals.
I enjoyed seeing women doing the snowboarding and freestyle skiing, very athletic sports where they get to wear baggy outfits instead of tutus and such. I am also a sucker for the human interest stories about how an athlete overcame a terrible accident, or something about their family. Several of the champions are students at prestigious schools like Stanford, Princeton, and Yale (well, on leave right now, I suppose). I think Nathan Chen was studying statistics at Yale so the host was joking to Steve Kornacki that Chen would take his job. Kind of weird having Steve talk about figure skating.
Robin P wrote: "Kind of weird having Steve talk about figure skating.I missed that! It is probably in the parts of the coverage I have yet to watch. Worked late so just hit some highpoints.
I love watching the snowboarding. Moguls make my knees hurt just watching. I do watch some skiing.
I am always impressed with athletes who are serious about academics. One of the interesting things about Nathan besides his academic interests is his musicianship - piano and guitar I believe. All require discipline and dedication.
Surprisingly, I was fascinated by the gold medal round of mixed curling. That Italian girl was so consistently precise with her placement of the stones, it was amazing. Still haven't figured out the scoring of that, though LOL.My fave is hockey, of course. The women's prelim match between Canada and the US was a lot of fun, it was rather wild. I hope Canada and the US meet again in the gold medal match, and I'm rooting for Canada. I'm looking forward to the men's games, I like the checking which is absent in the women's.
Also have been enjoying the snowboarding and Big Air skiing.
@ Anna-I really enjoyed the mixed curling too! And the Italian gal, I loved her! I loved when she was shouting at her partner, even though I had no idea what she was shouting, I knew she was the boss!Of course my DVR box quit on me the night of the opening ceremony and getting Direct TV out here with a knew one has not been easy. So I am only watching bits and pieces in the afternoons and whatever Adam has recorded the night before.
I have something to share on the reading front. So I’m 27 or 28% through the fiery cross, for those of you who wouldn’t recognize that it’s the fifth of the outlander books. It’s a 55 hour audio. I sort of thought if I listened wherever I went, it would take me about three months. But here we are almost at Valentine’s Day, and as you can see I’m barely a quarter of the way through. I’m not anxious for this to be a six-month process. Although I am greatly enjoying it. I just don’t go very far. I work two minutes from my house, I listen when I go to my exercise appointment twice a week, which is about 15 minutes each way. I had to give up on my blood for a thyroid appointment and they gave me a whole 3040 minutes each way. If it were nicer weather and I wasn’t afraid of falling I might take an hour long walk just to listen. But I’m really having trouble getting through. So this is all wrapped up and other concerns I have about exercise and falling and winter and masks. I was confused about how to get in walks and exercise I am about how to finish outlander. I thought about walking the track at the JCC, but I don’t want to wear a mask while I do so. So that’s out. Anyway, I’m struggling with how to pick up the pace of the outlander listening, because I just can’t be in this position in June. I am going on a trip in a week, and I’m wondering if I could knock off another 10%, 5 1/2 hours or more while I’m there. Thoughts anyone?
Is there a nearby park where paths and walking tracks are clear even though snow everywhere? Or, to make headway just in the audiobook, just take an hour drive to look at pretty scenery on back roads or quiet streets. That was a Sunday activity while growing up - we would all be loaded in the car and we would head out. It always ended with ice cream cones in summer. I still do drives like that when on vacation to familiarize myself with an area and gawk at fancy houses.
A deliberate drive! Interesting idea…. Once it warms up, I’d be thrilled to walk. I’m terrified of falling because my last fall, (the third of three) took me so long to recover. It gets warm here during the day and all the ice melts, but then it freezes over again at night and even by five or 6 PM I’m afraid to get to my car. Love your idea though, Theresa!
Sounds like you need a treadmill or stationary bike for bad weather.
Amy, with my bad hip I am reluctant to take walks alone because I worry about falling and being unable to get up and get back home, and also it hurts to walk too long. My uncle gave me a Cubii, an underdesk elliptical exercise machine, and it was exactly what I needed! Now I pedal whenever I read or watch TV, and almost an hour can go by without my noticing it so I don't have any guilt about being a couch potato, and it doesn't hurt my hip because I am sitting down. It has helped tremendously with my weight loss, I am using the Lark program and even though my swimming pool closed, with my Cubii I am still getting exercise in and still losing weight - I have lost 17 pounds since I started on Lark last November/December (can't remember exactly when). Check it out (cubii.com) - Costco had them at one point, it was cheaper there, but I don't know if they still have them.
Did I miss the pairs figure skating? I was out of commission for a while and I forgot to record most days. I have always loved the women's and pair figure skating. The men are OK, but it's kind of boring. I loved the women's snowboarding Tuesday night where the top three contenders for medals were all good friends. When the New Zealand girl finished her run, and it was clear that she would get the gold, the other two didn't wait, they ran out to fall all over her in the snow. They were all so genuinely thrilled for her. I think it was New Zealand's first medal. (In that event, or in snowboarding, idk.)
annapi wrote: "Amy, with my bad hip I am reluctant to take walks alone because I worry about falling and being unable to get up and get back home, and also it hurts to walk too long. My uncle gave me a Cubii, an ..."Anna, my son got me one of those to use in the winter in front of the tv, but I could never build up a rhythm when sitting on the couch. My body position was probably wrong. I should try it with different chairs. Sitting on the couch isn't good for my back anyway. My exercise bike is in a cold room (a three season porch) so I need fast music to keep me moving.
My husband loved the curling too. He used to play once in a while with Canadian co-workers.
It was our first Winter Olympic gold medal in any event (we’ve had a silver before and one or two bronzes, but never a gold) - go Zoi, you little star! It was brilliant to see how the Australian lass and the other woman flung themselves on her. Fabulous sportsmanship. We were all jumping up and down in the lounge!
Amy, yes a chair is better. I can do the couch only with a mess of pillows at my back to push my butt far out enough to get my legs comfortable.
Feb is a short month and I'm trying to read a nonfiction 500+ page book! So... although I have the Olympics on in the background, I am not watching as much of it as I'd hoped! (Beyond the figure skating... where I'm making a point of not reading and actually watching!)
annapi wrote: "Surprisingly, I was fascinated by the gold medal round of mixed curling. That Italian girl was so consistently precise with her placement of the stones, it was amazing. Still haven't figured out th..."Curling - scoring:
At the end of each end, the team with the rock(s) closest to the centre will get as many points at the number of their colour rocks nearest the centre until the nearest rock of the other colour. Does that make sense?
So if there are 2 yellow rocks closer to the button than the closest red rock, the yellow team gets 2 points for that end.
KateNZ wrote: "It was our first Winter Olympic gold medal in any event (we’ve had a silver before and one or two bronzes, but never a gold) - go Zoi, you little star! It was brilliant to see how the Australian la..."Congrats!
I have recorded as much of the Olympics as I could so I can skip commercials and some of the waiting time for judging, etc. Or events that aren't so compelling, like cross-country skiing when they are in the middle of a long race. My daughter subscribed to whichever Peacock service has it so she can watch it any time, it's only about 5.00 a month, then she can cancel.
LOOOOOVVE figure skating. Watch it obsessively. Nathan Chen was just spectacular. I was in tears by the end of Jason Brown's marvelously emotional skate to the music from Schindler's List; he is a real artist on the ice. But the one that had me cheering was the skater from Mexico, Donovan Carrillo ... what a champion! As for other sports ...
I really love ski jumping. Have no idea why I'm so enthralled by this sport that I would never in a million years attempt. I also like the Big Air event, various snow boarding events and speed skating (a real Wisconsin tradition going back to Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen).
@Nancy - the pairs figure skating has been pushed to last in the line up by the Chinese hosts because it is their marquee event, where they are pretty much guaranteed the gold. Totally against tradition. I believe pairs will start next Friday.
It was really funny. For some odd reason I found myself walking the last block home just now swaying arms and hips like the Nordic Cross Country competitors. 😜
annapi wrote: "Surprisingly, I was fascinated by the gold medal round of mixed curling. That Italian girl was so consistently precise with her placement of the stones, it was amazing. Still haven't figured out th..."I don't know how curling scoring works, but here's a web page explaining it if you're interested. https://www.curlingbasics.com/en/scor...
I wanted to share this, incase anyone missed it. This is what the Olympics is all about-I actually criedhttps://sports.yahoo.com/beijing-wint...
Yes, indeed, JoAnne. We could use more of that spirit.
Joanne wrote: "I wanted to share this, incase anyone missed it. This is what the Olympics is all about-I actually criedhttps://sports.yahoo.com/beijing-wint......"
Bravo!
Now I just have to dig out of the deep work hole I am in given how much time went into this one case.
On to what is likely everyone's addiction these days: Winter Olympics!
The one sport I know something about and actively seek out to watch during the Olympics is figure skating. But I also find myself watching events that I have no clue about: short track, snowboarding, curling, and this year, nordic biathlon. I saw the final leg overvthe weekend of mens and it was an exciting final lap as the 3 vying for medals raced close together with what order they would end totally up for grabs. It was awesome. The top American btw ended in 7th, an excellent result. Or so the commentators said.
Back to figure skating. Because pairs are the Chinese marquee event - they have dominated for decades - it is the last in the rotation, not the first as traditional. I think the pairs short program is the end of next week. If you are a Project Runway fan, you want to watch the beginning coverage of the pairs short just to see if Tara and Johnny are indeed wearing the winning outfits from this season's PR challenge. Tara's was gorgeous, Johnny's was a train wreck. Even for someone as outrageous as Johnny.
What do all do you find yourself watching during the Olympics that you never watch any other time? And your fave?