Pisaries Creator

Besides the U.S. Presidential election and what many U.S. citizens mostly referred to themselves as Americans, we enjoy watching the different sports during the Summer Olympics. I’m no exception and the sports I most watch is swimming, diving, gymnastics, and track and field. You’ll catch me watching fencing, table tennis, cycling, basketball, equestrian, rowing, and beach volleyball too. As with many other people who live in the desert and tolerate 100+ degree temperatures during the summers, I’m looking forward to cooler weather and not having to use the air conditioning which cuts down the energy bill by about 50 dollars each month.

2024 appears and feels different than any other previous Summer Olympic year I’ve experienced because in many ways the times are radically different. Never has there been two decades where Americans have experienced unprecedented times politically and socially during my lifetime. Of course, previous generations when I wasn’t even a blip on the procreation radar had similar circumstances. How the next four years and 20 years after that materializes hinges on the outcome of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.

In the meantime, I’m focusing on what I have control over and what will make me less crazy and insane because watching all the political news and events does make a person lose sight of reality and sanity. This isn’t to say what’s happening politically around the world isn’t important because it is very important, but to be so deeply entrenched into the daily grind of its complexity can be exhaustive. I found myself completely having emotions all over the board. It wasn’t when I took a step back emotionally from it that I was able to get a little more sense of control over my own life. What happens will happen and it is what it will be.

A good diversion has been the Summer Olympics as it served as a reminder to not be so damn serious all the time. The 2016 Rio Games I sort of remember and 2020/2021 Tokyo Games seems more than three years ago. Here we are again with most of the countries competing not fighting against each other in various sports. Sure, there might be some verbal attacks as in Australia’s annoyance with the U.S. usage of the cowbell. Honestly, that would annoy just about anyone in a bad mood. I don’t like when people jingle their change in their pockets. That doesn’t happen too much anymore because coins are a thing of the past. Every broadcaster talks about the sportsmanship of athletes when they win or lose or don’t even medal. I mean just getting to the Olympics is a victory compared to the average person like me.

Certain countries dominate more in medal counts in particular sports. Scandinavian countries tend to leave everyone in the snow during the Winter Games when it comes to medal counts. The U.S. partly due to their large delegation number seems to be one of the top countries of earning the highest medals in the Summer Games along with the caliber of U.S. athletes. This applies to any large-populated country. What I will say is close swimming races that are razor tight is why I watch the Olympics. Four plus years of hard work coming down to hundredths or thousands of a second is probably the most nail-biting experience from afar.

Probably the strongest and most flexible athlete pound for pound are gymnasts. And then there’s track and field which hands down are some of the most powerful athletes when it comes to short distances. We are only a few days into the Olympics and there has been disappoint, surprises, and a whole lot of gold, silver, and bronze. The host country has the second highest medal count, so far, and I hope many more for France. I also hope many more for all the other countries competing. Even with the delegations being presented in boats and the artists performing in the rain, I felt was a mixture of uncertainty with expectations where anything can happen (good or bad). Some are in your control, but many are not, and in a way the Olympics is similar to my own life, which is another reason why I tune in every four years (just on a larger and grander scale).