Last Friday was a monumental one for many. Even me.
I've been PSYCHED. I've been awaiting this for almost a decade...
I'm PSYCHED because the Winter Olympics kicked off last Friday! British Columbia, Canada (& for a handful of years, Vancouver) were home to me for a good part of my life. It's been exhilarating & bittersweet watching the coverage, seeing the sights, sounds, & electricity surrounding Vancouver. I SO wish I could be there. I'm living vicariously through my brother & friends, some who live there & some who are visiting for the festivities.
We, in the US, are shut out of Canadian broadcasting stations, but I was hoping that would lift for the Games. Sadly, it hasn't. So, I've been relying on NBC & affiliate coverage of my homeland's hosting of my favourite Olympics. It's not that NBC doesn't have good coverage, truly, but it's all surrounding the US perspective, of course. I'm missing the Canadian athlete profiles & coverage. I'm rooting for my homeland & the US somewhat interchangeably. I want the US to do well, & love the athletes. (SOOO glad Evan Lysacek kicked arrogant Plushenko's bum in men's skating.)
But when Canada wins a medal, especially a gold, well... my neighbours can probably hear the hooting & hollering and my facebook & twitter accounts light up like a Vegas show!
And there isn't a sport in the Winter Os I don't LOVE watching. Seriously.
I'll give it to NBC, & specifically Tom Brokaw, though. The short piece of journalism that aired just prior to the start of the Opening Ceremonies was poignant & reverent to introduce Canada to a US audience, & the sportscasters have been very gracious about the coverage of Canadian culture & history. As a dislocated Canuck, I'm very appreciative & overjoyed that other nations are getting to witness the beauty & diversity of the land that I love!
Since I was layed up by my knee this past Sunday, I had to miss church. Parked on the couch, I watched the today show with Asher and my Dad.
Not only did they have an apology expert on the show giving her two cents about Tiger Woods, they did a whole piece on the meaning of "EH". I thought of you. It was actually interesting. Who knew "EH" is Shakespearean?
I moved to the US ten years ago for work, & have made the firm decision to move back to Canada to be nearer to family primarily, but also because I miss the seasons, the climate, the people...
Dying Declaration by Randy Singer This was a terrific book! It starts off pulling your heartstrings, has legalese, intrigue, a little romance, & has you cheering in the end (with a chuckle)!
Saint Ben by John Fischer LOVED this book! The descriptions of the pranks played were delightful. The author was completely successful in bringing you into an era gone by, & the entire book was realistic & poignant.
Catherine Wheels by Leif Peterson A waste of time. The back cover of this book billed it as a Christian novel, but was more of a misdirected Catholic theme. The characters were immoral & the story was slow. The spirituality consisted of the characters pinning their hopes & dreams literally to a clothesline in a convent! No point!
Anonymous Tip by Michael Farris This could happen to anyone! If someone erroneously reported you to CPS, how far would it go? One of my favourite books so far! Courtroom drama, romance, raw realism... Among some predictability, also a few good twists & turns. I highly recommend this one!
The Martyr's Song by Ted Dekker An amazing story reminiscent of Elie Wiesel's "Night." This time set in Bosnia, it tells a horrific story of torture, but also shows a lesson of forgiveness & the freedom that awaits us in the world beyond. A good read for those feeling persecuted within their own circumstances. The audio CD included with the hardcover book has a lovely song by Todd Agnew.
Gardenias for Breakfast by Robin Jones Gunn This was a lovely novel! I didn't expect it to be so good. A great mother/daughter, healing the past/coming of age story. I highly recommend.
The Redemption by M.L. Tyndall So entertaining... are you kidding me? A Christian pirate novel? Really quite good. Has become a series. I intend to read the sequels.
The Sacrifice by Beverly Lewis #3 in the Abram's Daughters series of Amish novels. LOVED this book so much I went & bought not only the rest of the series but the rest of her books! Beautifully written books all!
Master Potter by Jill Austin An allegorical novel showing God's restoration power in our lives. Wonderfully descriptive. I put it down so close to finishing, now I need to start again!
Joshua: A Parable for Today by Joseph Girzone If Jesus came back today, would we recognize him? This book explores the possibilities in a novel turned movie (starring Tony Goldman). I loved it & think back on it often... Timeless!
THR3E by Ted Dekker Scary, but good! Okay, well not scary, but suspenseful. Lots of twists & turns. A good read.
A Song I Knew by Heart I found this hard to get into & have yet to finish it. I will though!
Sins of the Fathers by James Scott Bell Loved the idea of this book, but the character development was lacking. It was a good story, but could have been so much better (& longer).
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2 comments:
The Olympics have been awesome! Have been catching a bit here in Oz. You live in SUCH a beautiful country.
Since I was layed up by my knee this past Sunday, I had to miss church. Parked on the couch, I watched the today show with Asher and my Dad.
Not only did they have an apology expert on the show giving her two cents about Tiger Woods, they did a whole piece on the meaning of "EH". I thought of you. It was actually interesting. Who knew "EH" is Shakespearean?
Go USA! Love you Robin!!!
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