i love even numbered years...

+ because even numbered years mean olympic years (and sometimes world cup years)!!! i can't even begin to express how much i appreciate and cherish the olympics, both winter and summer. in some ways i like the winter olympics most because the things that are done are almost all dare-devilish, insanely difficult feats that the average person is probably incapable of. i mean, most people can run or swim, they just can't do it very quickly. but ski jumping, short track speed skating, bobsledding, snowboard half pipe? not only is everyone i know pretty much incapable of doing those things, but most probably wouldn't even attempt any of those things! because those events are all crazy and dangerous. so i am constantly in awe of the winter olympians and the awesomeness they accomplish. at the same time, i question their sanity and/or intelligence a bit.

so, probably needless to say, donny and i have been spending all of our evenings watching the olympics together, and we've come to a few conclusions...

1. the american snowboarders' pants that look like jeans are pretty awesome. whoever designed them really did an amazing job making them look like jeans, because even now knowing that they are pants, i still am not quite convinced. 

2. male figure skaters have become more flamboyant than when we were kids, no question.

3. americans aren't really good at events that require patience or perseverance, e.g. cross country skiing, anything with shooting, curling. 

4. shaun white is a complete and total badass. he leads his sport to a degree that is unrivaled in most other sports.

5. short track speed skating is a hardcore sport. and they get so horizontal during turns that there is no way they shouldn't fall over.

but my favorite thing about the olympics that i am constantly in awe of, and inspired by, is the peace that they seem to bring, even among feuding nations that may hate each other. differences are put aside and nations tolerate each other. it is always a glimmer of hope in an otherwise mostly bleak outlook.

aside from olympics, we've had other excitement around here. yesterday, on my dad's birthday, it snowed here in college station... a lot! donny got to make his first ever snowman while i supervised. i must have seen at least 8 snowmen on the sides of the roads on my way home. people get so hyped here when it snows, it's pretty awesome. also, i wrecked my car. that happened before the snow. no one was hurt, but my car wasn't drivable so i missed a morning meeting at work, donny and i have been temporarily sharing a car, and now we are waiting to find out whether the insurance will decide to fix it or consider it totaled (we're hoping they'll fix it!) with my driving record it was probably just a matter of time. luckily i hit a pick-up truck and literally didn't leave a scratch. and, since it was a truck, the damage on my car was high enough that it missed the frame. keeping the bright side in mind, or at least trying to...