Oh my, grace, beauty -- utterly wonderful -- just there to behold.
Their muscles, their focus, the way they fly fearlessly up, up -- I gasp as I watch them, and watch again, trying to take into my muscles the freedom of theirs.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
APOLO ANTON OHNO
I saw him in the Vancouver Olympics, after the figure skating was over and done with. I was weary, tired of watching. For me, racing skaters are only momentarily interesting. I didn't know, still don't know much about the 5,000-meter short-track relay.
One of the final games in the Olympics, it appeared to be a mass of confusion. But I kept watching him, picking him out of the confusion. Was it the blue outfit? The easy going smiling look on his face? The kind, supportive way he had as he wended his way through the crammed-together bodies and moved, kept moving toward the finish?
Every time there was a station break, I saw film clips, and heard more about Apolo Ohno.
He's an eight-time medalist (two gold, two silver, four bronze) in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time. Ohno's 28.
He was the U.S. Olympics Committee's Male Athlete of the Month, and Speedskating's Athlete of the Year. Aside from that, he managed to win Dancing with the Stars in 2007. (I watched a film clip of the show -- he was fun, adept, energetic, a skillful and delightful dancer.)
Then, I watched this. It's a bit long -- give it a glance. (Exercise is my thing -- what Apolo says about it reminds me of what I said just the other day about chess, and dancing.)
Like Magnus Carlsen, the Mozart of Chess, (see my talk-blog 3/8), Apolo Ohno started at age 12; encouraged by his Dad, went into Olympic training; was nicknamed "Chunky" -- the hellishness of losing weight while training -- perhaps that's why he has such a laid-back, cheerful, positive, winner's energy.
He doesn't look Japanese, he lo0ks like a plain, ordinary American guy. He's into a lot of things that have to do with helping people. He supports HIV/AIDS charities, The Salvation Army, Clothes Off Our Back Foundation; he used his fame to raise funds for Japanese elders; he joined Senator Ted Kennedy in D.C., to show the importance of math and science education and helped launch the "Math Moves U Hippest Homework Happening," that gave students opportunity to do math homework online with celebrities and athletes.
Using his fame and his look-you-in-the-eyes personality, Apolo got himself sponsors -- McDonald's, General Electric, Vicks, and Coca-Cola. Ohno's dad, Yuki, said, "He's not a professional athlete with a multi-million-dollar contract with a team -- he needs sponsorships to pay the bills." (Alaska Airlines, sponsoring him at the 2010 Winter Games, has a Boeing 737 jet with Onno's image painted on the side.)
That man in the film clip, wearing the blue suit, headband and the Olympic Gold Medal, smiles. It's his last Olympics. He's thinking of going into the entertainment business. I like him.
I like him a lot.
Hey Media, Apolo Anton Ono is another guy you should tout and promote -- a hero for kids to emulate, for us to emulate -- he inspires us all.
One of the final games in the Olympics, it appeared to be a mass of confusion. But I kept watching him, picking him out of the confusion. Was it the blue outfit? The easy going smiling look on his face? The kind, supportive way he had as he wended his way through the crammed-together bodies and moved, kept moving toward the finish?
Every time there was a station break, I saw film clips, and heard more about Apolo Ohno.
He's an eight-time medalist (two gold, two silver, four bronze) in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time. Ohno's 28.
He was the U.S. Olympics Committee's Male Athlete of the Month, and Speedskating's Athlete of the Year. Aside from that, he managed to win Dancing with the Stars in 2007. (I watched a film clip of the show -- he was fun, adept, energetic, a skillful and delightful dancer.)
Then, I watched this. It's a bit long -- give it a glance. (Exercise is my thing -- what Apolo says about it reminds me of what I said just the other day about chess, and dancing.)
Like Magnus Carlsen, the Mozart of Chess, (see my talk-blog 3/8), Apolo Ohno started at age 12; encouraged by his Dad, went into Olympic training; was nicknamed "Chunky" -- the hellishness of losing weight while training -- perhaps that's why he has such a laid-back, cheerful, positive, winner's energy.
He doesn't look Japanese, he lo0ks like a plain, ordinary American guy. He's into a lot of things that have to do with helping people. He supports HIV/AIDS charities, The Salvation Army, Clothes Off Our Back Foundation; he used his fame to raise funds for Japanese elders; he joined Senator Ted Kennedy in D.C., to show the importance of math and science education and helped launch the "Math Moves U Hippest Homework Happening," that gave students opportunity to do math homework online with celebrities and athletes.
Using his fame and his look-you-in-the-eyes personality, Apolo got himself sponsors -- McDonald's, General Electric, Vicks, and Coca-Cola. Ohno's dad, Yuki, said, "He's not a professional athlete with a multi-million-dollar contract with a team -- he needs sponsorships to pay the bills." (Alaska Airlines, sponsoring him at the 2010 Winter Games, has a Boeing 737 jet with Onno's image painted on the side.)
That man in the film clip, wearing the blue suit, headband and the Olympic Gold Medal, smiles. It's his last Olympics. He's thinking of going into the entertainment business. I like him.
I like him a lot.
Hey Media, Apolo Anton Ono is another guy you should tout and promote -- a hero for kids to emulate, for us to emulate -- he inspires us all.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
WHO ARE THE RACISTS?
I saw a show last night that made me weep for what we are today -- "Scottsboro Boys."
A woman, whom we don't know (till the end of the play) remembers the story of the Scottsboro boys, nine teenage blacks who were accused of raping two white women. Back in thirties, they were tried, found guilty, and re-tried many times -- given death sentences, spent years in jail that destroyed their lives.
What Matthew Yglesias in his "Daily Beast" blog, "Here Come the Racists," said, (I read it a few times) rings loud and clear, as I recover today from the experience last night. The musical which sings and dances the story marvelously, tells the tale that hasn't been told for a while, tells us where we are right now in a way that no one has said much about -- except, perhaps Yglesias (and me, in posts on my blog, fearful that we are inspiring someone to be an assassin and kill Barack Obama.)
The infliction of pain, cruelty, the demeaning of blacks -- it's sickening --it's sad for America the Beautiful to become a nation that destroys its people.
"The Scottsboro Boys" -- music by John Kander and lyrics by the late Fred Ebb is ... wow ... toe-tapping, poignant, evocative, memorable.
The book by David Thompson is wow ... It penetrates, and makes you laugh, and cry. Kander and Ebb and Thompson's collaboration produced a minstrel show -- a perfect metaphor, ultimately in black face, which is ... wow ... right on the money dramatically.
The play on the stage wipes me out. Perhaps because I am guilty -- we are guilty, and we haven't cried for the Blacks, probably can never shed enough tears for them. And find a way to embrace them for giving us good men -- more and more every year -- educated, articulate, practical, trustworthy reliable, loving good men -- teachers, politicians, and a leader like the President.
The cast of "Scottsboro Boys" -- each one is a name to remember, thanks to Director Susan Stroman's careful casting and knowledge of dance and drama. All of them dance (with flexibility, rhythm, footwork, dynamic intensity, exciting unison) and yet they are individuals. The cast is ... wow ... as is the way Stroman collaborated with Kander and Thompson, and the designers (set, props, costumes, lights, sound) and made the musical into entertainment and drama.
Matthew Yglesias -- your blog is so right on about where we are in terms of ugly racial hatred, our confused predilection for helping Blacks, compensating them for the past, while destroying them, undermining them, attacking the White House.
I hope this musical gets seen by the world.
A woman, whom we don't know (till the end of the play) remembers the story of the Scottsboro boys, nine teenage blacks who were accused of raping two white women. Back in thirties, they were tried, found guilty, and re-tried many times -- given death sentences, spent years in jail that destroyed their lives.
What Matthew Yglesias in his "Daily Beast" blog, "Here Come the Racists," said, (I read it a few times) rings loud and clear, as I recover today from the experience last night. The musical which sings and dances the story marvelously, tells the tale that hasn't been told for a while, tells us where we are right now in a way that no one has said much about -- except, perhaps Yglesias (and me, in posts on my blog, fearful that we are inspiring someone to be an assassin and kill Barack Obama.)
The infliction of pain, cruelty, the demeaning of blacks -- it's sickening --it's sad for America the Beautiful to become a nation that destroys its people.
"The Scottsboro Boys" -- music by John Kander and lyrics by the late Fred Ebb is ... wow ... toe-tapping, poignant, evocative, memorable.The book by David Thompson is wow ... It penetrates, and makes you laugh, and cry. Kander and Ebb and Thompson's collaboration produced a minstrel show -- a perfect metaphor, ultimately in black face, which is ... wow ... right on the money dramatically.
The play on the stage wipes me out. Perhaps because I am guilty -- we are guilty, and we haven't cried for the Blacks, probably can never shed enough tears for them. And find a way to embrace them for giving us good men -- more and more every year -- educated, articulate, practical, trustworthy reliable, loving good men -- teachers, politicians, and a leader like the President.
The cast of "Scottsboro Boys" -- each one is a name to remember, thanks to Director Susan Stroman's careful casting and knowledge of dance and drama. All of them dance (with flexibility, rhythm, footwork, dynamic intensity, exciting unison) and yet they are individuals. The cast is ... wow ... as is the way Stroman collaborated with Kander and Thompson, and the designers (set, props, costumes, lights, sound) and made the musical into entertainment and drama.
Matthew Yglesias -- your blog is so right on about where we are in terms of ugly racial hatred, our confused predilection for helping Blacks, compensating them for the past, while destroying them, undermining them, attacking the White House.
I hope this musical gets seen by the world.
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