I haven't blogged about this yet but I feel that I have too. The Olympics, 2010, Winter Games, whatever you want to call them (or what VANOC will let you call them)...its time we had a talk. Last I heard the cost was somewhere between $6-9 BILLION....that is a lot of social housing. Or food for the poor. Art supplies for under-privileged kids.

Now dont get me wrong, I am not against the Olympics per say. The Olympics have a long rich history, but is this what the ancient Greeks really had in mind? I am all for encouraging kids to be active, hell with the rates of childhood obeisity we need it! Not to mention sportsmanship, the world can always use more of that.

But the way I see VANOC spending is kind of like this: you owe a friend a shit tone of money. But rather then pay them back, even though times are tough for you too, you treat yourself to cavier and champagne (that you cant really afford in the first place) and you dont invite them to join you.

The city of vancouver owes its elderly, nurses, youth, homeless, first nations, addicts, and sex workers. It owes them education, affordable housing, food, publicly funded programs, universal childcare....but instead we have fancy new buildings and some tacky LCD screens on the side of the highway. Now I ask you is that a good example for our children of sportsmanship? Of global community? Is that what the games re really supposed to be all about?

Now that is not to say that I don't have Canadian pride, that I am not excited for the athletes from around the world!  I am happy the world is coming here, excited to watch the opening ceremonies, and busy rooting for Team Canada! Ill be watching hockey and figure skating, with a cold beer in hand... like every good Canadian out there. I just wish people used their critical thinking skills a little bit more often. The people of Vancouver are the true hosts of this winter sports spectacle. We have the power to demand more, to demand better, for the people...by the people. So is my healthy dose of cynicism really such a bad thing? I cant help it, I'm not cynical...Critical Thinking Studies made me that way ;)

Here I am, a few weeks after Bali, slowly settling in to 'normal' life once again. Although I miss Bali it is nice to be amongst mountains again, and running in the green mossy woods like a she-wolf. Went for my first run in Lynn Canyon in 2 months last weekend...it was more of a home coming than sleeping in my own bed again! Rather than loose weight in Bali I managed to put on about 10 pounds, so my inner she-wolf will be getting a lot of free reign in the next little while!

Found a yoga center near my house that I will start going to regularly. I never talked much about it but I had a life changing yoga class in Bali, and I don't think I will ever quite be the same again. it deserves a post all on its own (which will follow) but needles to say I am converted. Yoga helps balance me, helps the east meet west inside of me and keeps me grounded.  I mean, if I can stay calm and remember to breathe deep in the most challenging of yoga poses...then I can stay calm and centered during anything! Right? OK, so maybe that still needs some work but as Corrina says "yoga is a practice not a perfect!"

Sorry for the short boring post, but this really is me just making an effort to keep this blog ball rolling! Thanks for reading, I love every single comment you all leave...its like a daily warm fuzzy for my heart!