So, the 2008 Summer Olympics started in Beijing on the date of 08/08/08. (You may have heard.) I am participating in the Knitting Olympics having promised to work on an existing WIP and some sort of shawl. (Yes I do theoretically know which WIP and which shawl, but I reserve the right to be copy as long as I end up to to FO's at the end of this). The reason for two was that, other than a brief period with the Parthenope, knitting monogamy is something I struggle with, so b picking two projects when I just can't freaking look at the main project, I can still knit and not feel like a slacker. At least not a Knitting Olympics Slacker.
But I really wanted to take a moment to talk about China and the Olympics. I visited China in 2004 (I can hardly believe it was so long ago.) It was a fascinating trip in a number of ways and I won't even begin to try and capture it in a blog entry now. But, even then, you could buy Beijing 2008 wares everywhere.
The Olympics are such a fascinating thing for me, who is generally non-athletic. But I still have pursuits that take time, patience, money and energy, for what to others seems a fairly brief return. So, I understand the passion, even if my passion doesn't have me flipping around a mat or jumping over obstacles.
And just because I love it, the athlete's Olympic Oath:
In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.
