I imagine you will recite the title of this post to the tune of “Walk Like An Egyptian.”
I know you probably didn’t know this because there hasn’t been any news coverage, Twitter chatting or blog posting about it yet, but tonight is the kickoff — “Opening Ceremonies” if we’re being formal, which we always are — of the Summer Olympics in London. You’re welcome for that information.
The Olympics are of course a competition. If I were an Olympic competitor, which I probably will be one day, when List Making becomes an official sport, I’d be competitive for sure. I can smile and be nice and stuff, but I can also be a real bitch in the face of competition.
And while we’re on the subject of being a real bitch, what is happening with the world lately? From my own friends to strangers on the Internet, people seem to be angry. My Twitter feed is 90 percent snark and nastiness, and 10 percent happy Instagram pictures. (I still don’t get the allure of Instagram — what am I missing here?) People are extra critical, extra angsty and straight-up mean.
I’d say something preachy like “Can’t we all just get along?” but many days I’m as guilty as the rest of you. The gossiping, the hate-reading — I get sucked into it as well. I’m no shining example.
But ultimately, I like the world best when it’s a happy place. I like it when people support one another, and I like it when the general population feels like part of the same team. Maybe that’s why I like the Olympics. There’s a lot of pride, a lot of camaraderie and a lot of “we may be competing against each other, but let’s motivate each other, too.”
Yesterday, I saw this:
It warmed my sometimes-cold heart.
On August 5, Kara Goucher and Desiree Davila will both run the Olympic marathon. Sure, they’re both representing the USA, but they’re absolutely competing against each other as well. They can’t both win the gold medal.
I know it’s just a Tweet, and it’s a silly little thing, but I thought it was cool.
We keep hearing all about how Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan are training besties (yes, I did just say besties — I work at a teen magazine, people), and Desi’s name isn’t often dropped in with theirs because she doesn’t train with them. I’m not sure if the three of them have regular sleepovers or nights out together with hair braiding and toenail painting, but I do know that if these things are happening, my invitation just got lost in the mail.
Stupid mailman.
Girls can be downright cruel, and I don’t know why, but this week I’ve witnessed an overwhelming amount of negativity and meanness. It makes me sad.
Maybe just for a little while we can all act more like Olympians. Work together. Support and motivate each other.
Give pats on the back and congratulatory sweat hugs. We can hate each other on the race course, and high five each other afterward, right?
So act a little bit like a proud Olympian today. A nice one. I know they’re probably not all nice.
Hey, apparently that also means leading quite the rowdy lifestyle. Live it up, kids. Embrace the spirit.
Be kind. Be happy. Smile more. Find a gold medal. Wear it.
And have a wonderful weekend!
[This post brought to you by Ali On The Rest. My thoughts are significantly less coherent on days when I don’t wake up and run. Really. Take it all with a tiny grain of salt. And maybe some French fries.]
30 Responses
I totally agree with this post! Our family drag races every weekend and we have made great friends there. We always say we try to win on the track, but when you turn off after the race that we’re friends again. I think being nice to each other is good way to show sportsmanship. And yes, I’ll have some French Fries now : )
All the best to you Ali and love reading your blog. Hoping you have a good day and good luck on List Making Olympic Team Trials. I know a lot of list makers as I am an OCD type person and it’s a stiff competition.
I had a good run this morning so I’m full of smiles and happy words. Go TEAM!!! I LOVE SWEAT!!!
I <3 supportive sportsmanship. It is so refreshing to see!
Have a great weekend!
Fantastic reminder! Oh, did you catch the opening ceremony?
I want to have a snazzy dance photoshoot too…
The buzz in London is amazing. The opening ceremony is only 2 hours away and I cannot wait. I’m off to the weightlifting on Sunday (?!?) and am off to water polo, beach volleyball and basketball. It’s sooooooooo exciting!
I love the blue outfits! If I could find socks that looked like lace up boots it would be a winner for a relay race!
I’m not a fan of negativity at all but I don’t like the Pollyanna approach either. I do love instagram though. Mostly because my kids post pics on there and I love to see what they are up to! (Some of them don’t live at home anymore)
I ran this morning and I don’t feel like I have my thoughts together. Ruh Roh.
Blech. Instagram. I am not a fan. Honestly, I feel like people just use it to take pictures of pointless things, give it a special effect, and then act like it’s a beautiful work of art. “CHECK OUT THIS SEPIA COLORED PHOTO OF A BOTTLE OF WATER!” Uhm, no. Ok instagram rant over.
Looking great in that photo, btw! Your hair looks just like the hair of the girl in the center of the other photo, haha.
Great post! I can fall in to the anger trap easily, but I’m starting to have a more positive outlook. Thanks for the extra reminder!
Love this, I whole-heartedly agree!
Love the two picks-pretty awesome!
I love that you put the pictures side-by-side, because I can see your “professional take” on the Knicks City Dancers’ outfits.
Like I said: BASICALLY THE SAME.
I am so looking forward to the festivities this evening. Fun and happy and THEN kick butt. BTW – You look great in the pics!
YES! List making as an Olympic sport. Make it happen!!!
You will win. I will take second. I’m ok with that.
Love the photo of you three and love your shoes SO much. I alos love the sentiment of this post – I hate it when girls bring each other down instead of building each other up. As Kristin Armstrong said ‘We’re all just girls and we’re all getting old’.
SO excited about the Olympics even though I’m not there!!! I need a podium in our house!
i appreciate this post today especially. yesterday i was told “life sucks and then you die.” this isn’t the exact issue you speak of, but its not exactly happy olympian spirit either. so thank you for the positive outlook.
I love the KCD, a few years ago my old company did their whole rebranding, including uniforms. It was really cool, also got to check out the tryouts which were pretty intense. I am sooo not a dancer!
I love your blog posts! This weekend we were in Charleston for my Bachelorette party and all the girls there are avid blog readers. A bunch of us were talking about how if we could pick one blogger to be our BFF who it would be and an overwhelming majority definitely picked you! Thank you thank you for always keeping it real and making me look like a huge cheeseball smiling at my computer in the morning!
WTF THEN WHY WAS I NOT INVITED TO THE PARTY??? It’s fine. I guess the mailman lost that invitation, too. I forgive you and hope you ladies had a blast. I would love to be your best friend.
I love this! There is so not enough happiness and camaraderie at all in the world. Happy weekend Ali!
So when you say “Act like an Olympian” do you mean the motivating and supportive competitor Olympian or the drunken, sexed crazed Olympic Village Olympian? I’m good either way….Just let me know.
ALL THE WAYS.
Oh God, this totally changes my plans for the weekend….
i love this. negativity creeps up on me way to easily these days, and this helped me to reel it back it and have perspective.
also, after reading this i made an announcement to my office that we should do as many patriotic things as possible in order to honor opening ceremonies. the girl next to me just turned on Made in America – does that count?
cheers!
On days I do not get up and run I feel like my brain is not functioning at full capacity. Then again I rest on Monday and Friday mornings, that may have something to do with it too…
I don’t get the Instagram allure either. I tried it out last year, got bored within 5 minutes and deleted the app. I hate to admit it but I feel the same way about Pinterest. I am probably the worst social media manager on the planet.
Yes, Pinterest! WTF? I joined, after having to “request an invitation” (because it’s SO exclusive) and was completely overwhelmed in the first minute. How is Pinterest different than doing a Google image search? I guess because all of your “pins” are in the same place with cute titles? I wasn’t a fan. Too much happening. It made me dizzy.
I feel rage whenever I get an email that someone is following my pins. I DON’T WANT ANYONE FOLLOWING THE ONE DAY I TRIED IT OUT AND DECIDED IT’S LAME. Oops. Be happy like an Olympian. PONIES!!!!
Great post.