Going For Gold

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Caught an Olympic Medalist on a sports show yesterday. She was a skiier and had won a couple of the silver medals - Mancuso, I believe. In any regard, she sounded like a 12-year old kid, but she spoke of dedicating her life to the singular goal of winning those medals.

And I kind of like that. There's something to be said for setting goals and then achieving them, right? Most people don't aspire to gold medals, but that isn't saying that you can't shoot for gold within your own life, and even if you fall short, end up with a medal of some sort.

I'm not going to ever win a real gold medal. I sort of figured that out the first time I tumbled down a ski slope, tripped on the basketball court, nearly had a heart attack rounding the bases, or in my only football game ever, fumbled after being hit and watched the guy who recovered, take it to the house as they say.

Yet there is still gold there for the taking, right?

Matt and Sam are eager to tell me about how they are going to dominate the NBA for the next 10-12 years, and Jake has dreams of being the Halo king of all-time. They are still so ready to dream big, and I have to allow them to do that. I am always so tempted to explain that life will beat you down. They don't need to know that yet.

So, what type of Olympic sports would be good for me at this time in my life?

1). We could go the eating route - linguine and clams - I can still eat a bushel. I can medal with that.

2). Pissing everyone off? I'm still real good at that - just give me a few topics and make a couple of statements - I'll do my best to debate them as loud as I can.

3). Playing brickbreaker on the blackberry. I can't beat you with the high score, but I bet I can win a medal for sitting there and trying. Put on Judge Judy and I can play and listen for an hour straight.

4). Running a marathon race as long as the marathon is the distance between the couch and the stairs. Seriously, if they shortened the races it would be a lot more fun. Can you imagine the excitement of a three yard dash? I could still compete there.

In any regard, America is leading in the medal count - that is good news, I suppose.

Perhaps there can be even more of an incentive attached - say for every medal we reach we get our state tax back a week earlier than what the NY State government is proposing.

That skiier had excitement in her voice though, and it did my heart good to hear a thoughtful, focused approach to chasing a dream.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back in the direction of the gold - I'm thinking the linguine and clams contest - there's at least a silver medal there.

Comments

Carrie Lynn Fazzolari said…
Awesome. Now I know what I am making for dinner on Friday... you could probably win a medal for some of the meals you cook Cliffy... I think I'll try to compete with myself on that one tonight.
23 February, 2010
deafjeff said…
any time you wanna go at it with that meal is fine by me. It's the only seafood I eat. I can eat a bucket it of it too.
23 February, 2010
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