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| How better to spend the day of one's birth than in the London Olympic spirit! |
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I wish there was a word that could sum up the last 30
days….but it wouldn’t be enough.
Surreal….if I had to pick one.
Living with people I’ve never met, in a city that I can’t get enough of,
working a job I’ve never done, with more people I’ve never met, and all in the
middle of a worldly event dating from Ancient Greece. Just crazy.
I’m sitting here in the kitchen…wondering if I’ve put back
the house properly, freaking out about how many bags I’m taking back-and what
I’ll do with my Union Jack pillow, and wondering if I’ll get everything done by
the time my mini-cab shows up.
Life is made up of moments….but some more grander than the
next, or the one before. This
moment…has been just awesome….every single moment. Okay…I take that back, there were some moments when I
crossed my eyes, and some moments where I wanted to stick my tongue out at
people, but other than that….loved it all. I worked long weird hours, and stood all day, and
slept in the kitchen. HOWEVER, didn’t matter…I worked with
amazing people….some more amazing than others, but amazing none-the-less.
For the general audience that still has no idea what I do
for a living….and for the audience that THOUGHT they knew what I did for a
living! I was working for
Coca-Cola and a “program” that they had for the Olympics. They essentially took over the entire
hotel, decorated it beyond measure for Coke, and created an atmosphere to the
likes I’ve never been a part of. I
mean the signs that simply said which way to the toilets was totally “Coke-ified”! It was cool. Cool to see….but COOLER to be a part of….even if our Coke
T-shirts weren’t really the most flattering thing going….
So I was working in the Transportation Department….and I was
on the Dispatch team. Which means,
I parked buses in bays, loaded passengers, unloaded them, worked out schedules,
drivers hours, etc. It sounds
simple and mayhaps a little trivial, but I assure you that there were days when
we were just keeping our heads above water. This sort of thing, if you’ve never done it, it’s pert near
impossible to wrap your brain around it….and really….why should you. Know that I did it, loved it, and
THAT’s what I’ve been up to for the last month.
I worked the late shift most nights….which was really
great. I could “sleep in” most
mornings. (Let’s back up and
define “sleep in” as just “not set an alarm”….as sleeping in in the kitchen
rarely happened…..many times thanks to the sun, or street noise, or my
roommates making breakfast….but still….no alarm set.) So then I could get up at my leisure, clean the kitchen-as
it was my bedroom, and make my way to work….some days early so that I could be
a tourist on the way in! Museums,
Shows, walks, shopping, Wenlock Stalking (One of the Olympic Mascots, and there
were 80 of them all over the city, I had high hopes for finding them all, but
alas, only about 20.) , to name a few, and then stroll into work. Sure, most nights I got home at like 1
and 2am, but it was all good, and there were always stories to be told! Like the one night when I met Anthony
Daniels….just C3PO….just the ONLY character to be in all 6 Star Wars
films! Or when Will.i.am walked by
me 3 times….never once did I ask for a picture tho….a twinge of regret, but to
be fair, it was never the right time.
I made friends with the neighbors of the hotel, where we’d taken over
with our buses, and they made me smile every day. And then there was my late night crew….that made it all
bearable. Great people, and we
laughed a lot, enjoyed Chaqwa Hot Cocoa’s-Thanks SB.
So I was working on the streets behind the hotel for a
month, but that’s not the Olympics….no, but it’s having to do with the
Olympics. AND? I got to GO to the Olympics. Out of this world experience. For my birthday….I was given tickets to
Beach Volleyball. One week
later? To Athletics. I can’t describe the energy of 80,000
people cheering in a stadium.
(Let’s not leave out my breakfast date at the world’s largest
McDonald’s!) And then, just 2
nights later, I was given the opportunity to go to a medal round of Athletics….and Bolt, maybe you’ve heard of him, was standing right in front of
us, well, 16 rows down, but incredible.
We saw a world record happen, we listened to the Russian anthem a few
times, and decided it was a lovely tune as well! (Prepping us for Sochi!!!) So I went to venues!
I went to the Olympics!!!!!!
Wow.
I’m sure I’m leaving loads out, but you’d be bored, or green
with envy, so just know that the Olympic experience with Coca-Cola was one of
my great moments in my life. I am
beyond blessed, my cup runneth over, and I feel just grateful for the moments
I’ve been blessed to have. God is
good, all the time, and if you don’t think so, I’m sorry. It “must be nice”….and I’ll be
honest. It is. Thanks for the support from home, liking
my pictures, and moments, etc, I’m feeling the love. I’m super sad to leave it, but bliss can’t last forever
right? So….I am headed home, and
then quickly on for a proper vacation, and ticking off states I’ve never been
to! ALOHA!
Last year…2012,
the parade was on January 2, the rule of “never on a Sunday” had taken
affect! The Rose Parade is always
on New Years Day, unless New Years falls on a Sunday, in which case the parade
is done on that Monday! Such as it
was for the 123rd Tournament of Roses! We expect to see you there for the 125th! No pressure, but get booking. (jay@albrooks.com) Easiest thing to strike off your bucket
list!!!!!
