"I am feeling very Olympic today"

This post will be all over the place, I’m afraid. I don’t have long to post this morning, so I should just wait, I suppose. But my internal calendar seems to have selected Saturday mornings as my blogging time, since that’s when I get the strongest urge to update. And after all, who am I to argue with the voices?

First, the Olympics. Last night, my wife and I indulged in our regular Olympic ritual of celebrating the start of the Olympic Games. Typically, this involves nothing more elaborate than having a good meal, and watching the opening ceremonies. Last night was no exception. We indulged in a family tradition known as a “floor picnic,” wherein we prepare a bunch of finger food, spread out a blanket on the floor, and eat in front of the TV. Last night was special because we welcomed a new member to our Olympic Appreciation Society — our 11-year-old daughter, who found the opening ceremonies just as fascinating and wondrous as we did. Of course, this was aided by the fact that China’s opening ceremonies last night were without a doubt, the best that have ever been done. Period.

There’s a lot that I love about the Olympics. I know there are ugly bits; it is, after all, a massive sports competition, and sports can be a very nasty affair. And I know all about the doping scandals, the over-commercialization, the corruption, “… et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.” Wherever there are shiny prizes, there are men and women who will cheat to win them.

But one of the main things I love is the fact that the Games give us just a little taste of world unity. For two weeks every two years (counting both Winter and Summer games), the world gets a little bit smaller. There are few things that capture the attention of the entire planet at one time the way that the Olympic Games do. We’re a long way from the ideal of an Olympic truce, as the events in Georgia clearly demonstrate. But even a little glimpse of the nations of the world peacefully co-existing, competing, and even co-operating, is intoxicating.

I want to throw out a quick, two-sentence movie review. My wife and I saw “The Dark Knight” on Thursday. Words cannot express how excellent this film is. The late and lamented Heath Ledger will own the Joker character for a very, very long time indeed. And it definitely exceeds it most worthy parent film, “Batman Begins.” 

Okay, that was three sentences. Sorry.

By the Way, I am back to being indifferent about “The Clone Wars” release. I still plan on seeing the film, but I have very low expectations for it.

Finally, you may have noticed a few changes in the appearance of this blog. I was growing to dislike the green theme, and wanted to add some graphics. I find graphic design fun, when I have the time to indulge in it, so expect tweaks and changes for some time to come. By the way, the sunrise photo is my own, taken from a car as I travelled in Eastern Colorado.

I’m also already starting to fall out of love with the blog’s title. It doesn’t have quite the feel that I want. Also, there’s no way I can confine myself to blogging just about Star Wars. So, I’m open to suggestions on a suitable replacement.

Let me know if you agree or disagree about the Olympics, whether or not you liked “The Dark Knight,” or if you think I should drop the title in favor of a less fandom-specific one.