Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Pointless Post #44

I almost can't believe it, but the last time I posted a Spider-Man picture was in December 2008! That's a long time ago. I had already planned to do this, but thanks to Jill's spurring on, it made me do it faster. So far, the fences are still up around it but apparently "engineers" are working on a solution to be able to get people to be able to get closer to the fire. I know this because a Montreal cop told me this as she laughed at me taking these pictures.

Spider-Man says "hello" in the rain at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Cauldron

Spider-Man is ecstatic at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Cauldron

Spider-Man tries to roast marshmallows over the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Cauldron

I at first wanted to have Spider-Man waving a Canadian flag, but seeing as how I didn't have any small ones, I made him hold a skewer of mini marshmallows, yeah!

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What are Pointless Posts?

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Pointless Post #43 - Olympic Cauldron Edition

Here's an obligatory, stand-in-front-of-a-famous-landmark-like-a-tourist picture. I believe this was the most popular conservative Chinese person pose of the 20th Century if my made-up facts are not mistaken.

What should I do/how should I pose the next time I'm near it?
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What are Pointless Posts?

Vancouver Olympics, Day 1 - Cauldron up close

Day 1 was yesterday, but as I've previously mentioned, its sort of unbelievable the Olympics is finally here. After seven years of speculation and hesitation, we'll just continue to speculate and hesitate how it will unfold. And we may as well enjoy it, when possible.

I nearly cried a few times yesterday, once out of sadness and once out of joy. Within the past few years, my tear ducts seem to be easily triggered, but I always manage to keep it in at the last second (I don't mind crying, but I try not to because its messy). I woke up in the late afternoon yesterday and while checking my email, I read about Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. It saddened me, but like most bad news, I sort of brushed it off. While flipping through channels on TV, all of a sudden I saw the video of the crash and I cried out in shock. I pray that God can turn this tragedy into something good somehow.

The opening ceremonies was beautiful overall, with the First Nations welcome and representation from across Canada and Parade of Nations the best part. I lost interest after that because it got too slow. Long story short, I almost cried during the parts where Canada was represented. Again, in the past few years, I've gained a greater appreciation for this country, one nation under God, where He has dominion from sea to sea (to sea). If Canadians realized what they were praying when they sing "...God keep our land glorious and free..." during our national anthem, who knows what wonderful things God could unleash on this nation to use to bless the world with.

At work, anything Olympic related seems to be a popular topic of choice to talk about (that was sarcasm) and some coworkers have theorized that the majority of Vancouver has come around into embracing the Olympics because of the torch relay that went into so many communities. I literally only had to walk outside my home for 30 seconds before I was on the torch route. It seems to have been a good way to capture everyone's interest. Somewhat ironically, the cauldron that is now lit outdoors which was lit by the flame in the torch relay (presumably) is inaccessible to the general public, because if you were to go down there now, unless you have proper accreditation, there is a rather large fence that separates you from the flames (although you can still see it). My YouTube description will end this post:

This is the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Cauldron up close, in the middle of the Jack Poole Plaza (I think that's what this open space is called). This video was taken on February 13, 2010, around 5am. Just out of site are some police officers who guard the flames, probably chuckling at me because I look like a tourist (and I did). Unfortunately, it looks like the fencing around this plaza won't be taken down for security reasons since it's right next door to the Main Media Centre Venue (this plaza is connected to the International Broadcast Centre, aka the new Vancouver Convention Centre) so hopefully this video will suffice for now until it opens up to the general public. You can hear the gas burning and feel the warmth if you stand close enough. Its pretty windy as it's basically on the waterfront. If I get the chance, I'll try and bring some hot dogs to roast over it the next time I'm there.



Saturday, February 06, 2010

A bunch of Olympic related stuff (work and play)

I've had four full shifts so far at the Main Media Centre venue. Not many guests have arrived yet so not much was done this week. It was pretty quiet. On the plus side, I've been trying to make use of these slow times to pray. I had a very good prayer time one night. If my prayer life was plotted on a graph, you would have seen a huge surge in activity at the point "Friday, 2am." A good way to make a true Christian feel guilty is to ask them how their prayer life is.

On the negative side (or is minus side the opposite of plus side?), almost all other Olympic venue workforce (other Event Staff, Games Security Screeners ("security?"), and police) have been celebrating the Olympics the same way I've been by planning to also, by eating as many cookies as possible. I speculate there must be a correlation between the amount of cookies we eat and the amount of work we have to do (and also not to mention the fact that we were promised cookies during our shifts). Truthfully, the cookies aren't actually that tasty. It just helps to eat something.

I pity some of the police from across Canada that have been brought in here to work the Olympic venues. Some of the cops I've talked to have shifts over 12 hours long, in a single location (ie. blocking off a tiny street with a barricade), only at one particular venue. Whoopee. They also have to be away from their families for 5 weeks.

Ok, so for something unrelated to my job, I happened to be walking along Thurlow street (the newest part, closest to the waterfront) and I saw what resembled huge helium tanks (but not quite... maybe it's natural gas?) being delivered behind some covered gates next to the International Broadcast Centre (the new Vancouver Convention Centre building). Inside those gates is a huge thing covered in white plastic so it just looks like a big white cube. Global BC news speculated a few weeks ago that's where the Olympic flame will be on display during the games, so that makes sense if it's true. And if it is true, I'll try to take a picture of it.

I can't remember what other stuff I wanted to say and I want to end quickly because I haven't killed zombies for a few days now, so if you are looking for optimistic news/insight/fun related to the Olympics, check out:

http://2010vanfan.ca <-- a super-optimistic and informative fan blog http://www.citycaucus.com/2010free <-- free stuff happening during the Olympics

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Vancouver Olympic Cookies

It is a little past 5am right now. I'm trying to alter my sleeping schedule, because I start work at 10pm tonight (or ~17 hours from now). My shifts will go until 7am. How ironic that I've been killing hundreds of zombies for the past few days (playing Left 4 Dead, yeah!) and I sort of feel like one now as I force myself to stay awake. I wonder how Batman does it.

I have a more general idea of what I'm actually doing at the Main Media Centre venue, but not so much of what I should expect (and I can't really say too much anyways because our supervisors made a point during training/orientation by asking us not to blog on the interwebs). Because of strict corporate sponsorship and stuff for the Olympics, we're not allowed to bring our own food/drinks to work, so instead one meal is provided for every shift you get, and hot drinks and cookies are provided throughout the day! So I'm definitely expecting that.

I plan to visit the break room so that I can stuff my pockets with cookies to eat during my shift. That's a normal and rational thing to do right? That's how I'll celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. I like cookies.

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In other Tim-news, I was finally able to pick up a book from the SFU library that I put a hold on in, wait for it, October 2008. Apparently it was lost.