OLYMPIC FEVER

Dear Biscuits,

Ok, so i dont have Olympic "Fever" but since 2000 i have really learned to enjoy the Olympics. I've never been much about sports in general, at least not traditional sports. I loved BMX and Freestyle Bike stuff on the ramps and of course I loved Skateboarding as a kid and still do. I came up during the trend of Skateboards being really fat. They have slimmed it down since the 80's to what i imagine must be the best size/weight etc. And its nice to see the legitimacy skating/bike has gotten. It was criminal to skateboard most anywhere when i was a kid. Now its cool to see things like the X Games and other big events.

I tried to skate but of course i had no skills there. This is due largely to my health situation which i was going to address earlier but decided not to cuz it would sound to "poor me" and i am trying to get alot of peeps to read this blog so unless anyone wants to know specifically i will keep it out of this. Suffice it to say i have and always had handicap level health problems so try as i did i could never do any of that stuff but i LOVE to watch it.

The Olympics became interesting to me for a few reasons. The main one was that i was in Japan during the 2000 games and i was also in Japan at the time for an extended visit with what would become my wife and her family. Though my wife spoke (Spotty) English, her family did not and my future father-in-law and I spend alot of time drinking and communicating via an electronic English to Japanese dictionary and drawing stick figure pictograms. The Olympics (in Australia i believe) proved to be a good thing we could have in common to discuss.
I know the Games can be very Political and the Propaganda factor for every country is undeniable, but i still like it. I mean hey, who saw the opening ceremony in Beijing? Even a piece of it was enough to make you speechless. But still in the back of your mind you cant help but remember all the articles you read on how China demolished blocks and blocks of housing to build that freakishly hideous "Bird's Nest" Stadium. and all the "undesirables" the State deemed unworthy to be in the area when the world's eyes began focusing on Beijing so they were spirited away to the edges of the country. And the million plus cars that were banned from the city in an effort to cut down on the smog which was so bad that athletes were wearing masks to try to keep from coughing.
Where was Al Gore and why wasnt he drawing attention to the "Carbon Footprint" the Olympics created? but i digress....

Its the idea that athletes train for four years to give a few minutes of a performance in some cases to try to be the best in the world at what they do. I like seeing the dreams come true or being crushed! I like it cuz the athletes for the most part, arent millionaires. In America at least, sports has gotten crazy... athletes have become super stars because they get publicity agents now and somehow the get paid obscene amounts of money! I guess the people are willing to buy the tickets though and support the teams and stuff. But Olympic athletes seem to be more of the everyday sort of guys and gals who train for years with no fanfare, no million dollar contracts or paydays etc. It seems more passionate to me; these kids (mostly young peeps) and their work ethics. I cant stand hearing about sports stars wanting to re-negotiate their contracts for more $$$ in the middle of the season or whole teams going on strike! So maybe i am a sucker and i have fallen for the Olympic Propaganda. Oh well, sports looks like fun and i wish i could try some of them.
Thats all for now Biscuits. Feedback to hunnskyy@yahoo.com
dont be afraid.

A Somber Moment

Dear Biscuits,

I just got home and saw on the news that Isaac Hayes has died. At 65 he apparently died Sunday but i was so sick i was in bed all day (more on that later). Learning of Hayes' death really made me sit down and think. We lost Bernie Mac on Saturday! This 2008 has seen the deaths of many of our great performers and well known people. And many of them seem to have died rather young considering today's medicines and life expectancy trends. I have decided to use this post to make a list of the many well knowns who have died in 08. . . not to be morbid but just as an homage from a regular guy who writes a silly blog that all of maybe 4or 5 people read/have read. I mourned for each of these peeps some to a higher degree than others but mourned them nonetheless and i cant help but wonder who and how many more might go before 2009 arrives. This list is not exhaustive but only the ones i remember from jotting a note about in my personal journal;
Lost to us in 2008 (to date)

Arthur C. Clark- invented the communications satellite, among other things.
Bernie Mac- Actor comedian
Bo Didley- Musical innovator to say the least.
Tim Russert- Host of Meet the Press , by all accounts one of the nicest, and fairest news personalities out there.
Tony Snow- Withe House Press Secretary/news personality
Charleton Heston- What can you say? MEga-Star, one of my favorites, Spokesman for the NRA.
Estelle Getty- A Golden Girl
Eddy Arnold- WWII Vet and Hero, singer , actor
George Carlin- Again, what can i say here? Mega comedian, philosopher, performer. I loved this guy. Didnt always agree with all his views, but he made me think.
Harvey Korman- Comedian actor
Heath Ledger- A sad loss for Hollywood; great acting career and was on the rise
Isaac Hayes- Another Musical Monster/Innovator and actor
Ivon Dixon- One of my favorite Heroes on Hogans Heroes. Played Sgt. Kinch
Jeff Healy- 1989 brought his "Angel Eyes" to the top of the charts. Singer guitar player, front man for the Jeff Healy Band. Blind since the age of 1 he began playing guitar at age 3. He was special to watch.
Roy Scheider- Probably most popular as the sheriff who tried to save everyone in the JAWS movies.
Sydney Pollack- Actor (Ghostbusters) director and Producer

Surely i have missed some but these are the ones i happened to take note of. I will get into the Health issue i alluded to earlier next time. For now just think of these folks and all the personal family and friends of your own and please Biscuits, hug your loved ones. Life is too short.