Yo! Whassuppp? (this is what happens to your vocabulary when you spend a week and a half of your life watching back to back Breaking Bad)*
I thought it was time I did an Olympics post, what with living in London and all…. This is the best I could do.
1. The Olympics and WeeGee’s ‘sense of occasion’
My mum says I have no ‘sense of occasion’ and I can’t really disagree with her, because it’s mostly true. I don’t usually understand ‘occasions’ so I really don’t see why it bothers her that I ‘always’ miss the first dance and the cutting of the cake at family weddings**
I mean I understand that a wedding is a big deal for the people involved and even to some extent for the guests. But all the ceremony is baffling to me – why do I have to be there to see people dancing if I already know they’re all happy and married and stuff? Maybe if I ever have a wedding of my own I’ll understand – although I don’t really understand getting married so it’s quite unlikely I’ll ever have a wedding of my own.
By the way, it’s not just weddings I don’t understand. It’s big occasions generally – like sporting events, and ‘events of national significance’, and award ceremonies, and great big huge concerts.
So why do I find myself so carried away with the Olympics? The Olympics is a big occasion but somehow, I find myself all interested involved. It’s most out of character. I went to see the torch relay twice and even cried the second time. Then I went to watch as the cycle road race as it passed through Kingston. Not only that, during the torch ceremony I high fived a policeman on a motorbike and cheered AND appropriated a flag for the cycling and waved it and cheered as some people on bikes whizzed past me.
I’m on leave this week and I’ve been watching all kinds of sports: people jumping off things, over things, people on horses, in boats, on bikes – people doing all kinds of things that I wouldn’t do.
And I’m enjoying it.
What’s that all about? Is it broken brain or is it brain getting fixed or does WeeGee just care about the Olympic Games all of a sudden? Who knows?!
Having said all that my sense of occasion has clearly not returned altogether… I decided not to bother going to see Bradley Wiggins cycle through Kingston today because Mr Hilarious texted to tell me that I wouldn’t be able to see a thing (because it was packed and because I was so wee). I saw him win on the TV but then I got distracted and decided to empty the bin. I missed the gold medal ceremony whilst I was emptying the bin……
2. The Olympics and being British
I’m not a patriot and I don’t understand flags. I think of myself as (in this order) a person; a Scottish person; a British person. The last two don’t matter to me very much. Oh, and I don’t understand flags. Maybe that’s because I’m a leftie (except I’m not really…..I don’t like labels either)
However – and here’s another contradiction for you – I am on team GB when it comes to the Olympics! What with all the people jumping off things, over things, on horses, in boats, on bikes, punching each other***, stabbing each other****, swimming and etc, etc I want team GB to win! Again – it’s most unlike me because I don’t tend to get tribal about such things.
Anyway all of this got me thinking about ‘my national identity’. As I’ve said I’m not a patriot and national identity isn’t terribly important to me but I can’t help being who I am – a person who lives in Britain. It occurred to me that I write a ‘very British Blog’. Most of my followers are British as is most of my traffic. I have interesting conversations with Brandic (a lovely lady from the U. S. Of A) about the differences in our common language and it strikes me that even if I don’t think of myself as British I just am. Nothing to do with patriotism or national pride – I just am.
So – now you have my thoughts on the Olympics. I’m going to the Olympic park on Friday to watch some hockey. Maybe my thoughts will change again after that. I’ll let you know.
Lots of love, WeeGee the Brit xx
*That’s not the worst thing that happens to your vocabulary but most of it is not civilised enough to be repeated.
**Because I’m either outside having a fag or, since I gave up, hiding in the toilets
***Boxing (which I hate)
****Fencing (which is interesting and useful especially if you do crosswords).
How do you eat an elephant? 
Your speaking my brain again. I don’t understand ceremony or flags or being a nationality. Sometimes I don’t even think I’m a person. But I also don’t understand competitive sports so I can’t really join you on your olympic brain fixedness xox
Would you like to put ‘not being a person’ into words? That would be fab – I know it but can’t say it xx
Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to write about it, but I haven’t quite explained it to myself yet. One day soon 🙂 xox
Fencing and crosswords. It’s amazing isn’t it, how often epee comes up as an answer?!
Isn’t it just!
Well, I’m in the good ole US of A, so my traffic isn’t from Britain. I get what you mean about just being British. I think I just happen to be American based on my word choices . . . indeed, I am a Southerner, a type of person others think of as judgmental and religious. I’m neither of those two things, but my word choices are indicative of the South.
I’m enjoying some of the Olympics, too, but I actually do care about big events, though not really weddings unless I’m *really* close to one of the people getting married, which is something I’ve never experienced.I find watching some of the less well-known sports kind of amusing to watch just because you hardly ever see them on TV.
Angel, I didn’t know you were from the South! Perhaps I’m a bit of a numbskull, but I never picked up southern undertones from your writing. However I tend to not notice things sometimes though so… Take that with a grain of salt! I think you are right, there definitely exists preconceived ideas and prejudices about southerners, which in my experience is completely untrue. My lovely partner is from the south after all. 🙂
(Sorry WeeGee, didn’t mean to hijack your post!)
Well, people in real life often tell me I don’t sound like I’m from the South, but I think they have exaggerated ideas about it. It’s not something that’s so much apparent in my writing but more in my speaking, like when I call sodas “Cokes” and other such things.
Yes, same with my partner! She doesn’t speak with a southern accent (she used to but apparently she’s lost it over time living on the west coast), but the southern girl in her comes out every so often. Like, “y’all” and “UM-brella” instead of “umBRELLa.” 😀
Oi you two! Stop hijacking my post 😛
i’m so not into occasions myself! but i’m glad you enjoyed a little bit of them. 🙂
WeeGee,
I love this post! You’re a hoot! You have a great writing voice. It’s like I can hear you speaking as I read your writing. It’s great.
I totally agree with A Year in the Life. You have a great writing voice WeeGee. Your posts are so enjoyable to read as a result – and also because of your great spirit.
Oh, and Brandic. Thank you too. I’m off to blush some more 😀
Thank you – that’s a lovely thing to say. I’m off to blush a bit now 🙂
I know what you mean. I am neither sporty nor patriotic (and I never was) but when Steve Redgrave was going for that last gold medal it was so agonising that I had to watch from behind the sofa.
It’s strange isn’t it, the things that get into you?
I was watching the rowing again today and was reminded of the joke from the last Olympics where GB were great at rowing and cycling – ‘the British are only good at sports you do sitting down’ 🙂
You are a fabulous writer and it doesn’t seem to make any difference what state of mind you’re at! You’re always a brilliant writer. i haven’t had a chance to read all your posts or comment- I especially wanted to about a week ago when you were struggling but didn’t really know what to say but to say that I am here if you ever want to talk- just contact me. I may not be good with responding to blogs, but if you need me, I am here for you. and I can relate to so much you say- I can’t wait til I devote a few hours to your blogs and respond to every one of them Big hug always and carry on enjoying the olympics.. or doing the crossword! haha
Hello you – I missed you lovely. How’s it going?
Thank you for your lovely comment. I don’t know which I like most, crosswords or the Olympics!!
xx
I can relate very much to this post. I am not patriotic in the slightest (people who are flag toting, America loving actually piss me off – not because they love their country but because it seems to come with an attitude of superiority), I don’t understand the whole flag thing* (well, again, this is limited to the American flag – no I don’t hate my country!), and I don’t understand big events (nor do I like them). When I was younger – in high school specifically – I would attend our “brother school’s” football games with my boyfriend (who went to said “brother school”). I went through the motions: I clapped and got excited at all the right moments (which truly were more boring than anything), I cheered when “our team” was behind (what’s with all this “our team” bs), and I let myself be dragged along to the after parties to celebrate said teams victories. I’m so glad that that time period is over (and long past), and I have come into my own about what I like, what I enjoy, and what’s important to me. Big patriotic events, political events, and sporting events are typically not for me. I rarely go to big concerts because I don’t like being around a huge crowd of people**. I do, however, like watching my favorite basketball team on tv (in the comfort and warmth of my own living room) and the occasional tennis match. Oh another thing that I don’t get: parades. Screaming kids, waving politicians, loud drums and trumpets, again the flags… I think I’d rather be sat on by some 400 pound man.
That all being said, I LOVE the Olympics! I don’t know why. Perhaps because most of the sports are sports that aren’t given that much national attention typically – like swimming, gymnastics, diving, archery, etc. Or perhaps it’s because there is an air of camaraderie that seems unique to the Games. Or maybe it’s because these olympians have fought and struggled tremendously to get to where they are. Or perhaps all of the above! Whatever it is, I love it!
Glad to hear you are getting caught up in the spirit of the Games. I am quite jealous that it’s in your city!
-Brandic (the American)
Ps Is Breaking Bad good? I haven’t seen it although I have heard of it.
(In the spirit of WeeGee:)
*Although I have been known to wave around a rainbow flag from time to time at the gay pride parades. Wait… Didn’t I say I hate parades? Okay well gay pride parades are one type of parade that I tolerate. 🙂
**The exception being going to a Tina Turner or Brandi Carlile concert. The former being my childhood idol and the latter being my favorite singer/songwriter of all time (thus my username “brandic”).
Oops I meant to say that I cheered on our team when they were behind as a way of encouraging them lol.
I can’t believe how exciting the Olypics are. It’s amazing even if it goes against everything I thought before.
Gay pride parades are different because they mean something important to the world – about tolerance and acceptance and stuff lots of people don’t have but should have.
WeeGee
PS – breaking bad is AWESOME. Seriously! Watch it 🙂
Reading this was better than watching tv coverage of the games..;)
A new career perhaps? Alternative Olympic commentary!!
Okay so WeeGee I’m driving into London (ish) on Friday. Please tell me – these special lanes.. Why can’t I go in them!!??? Also – be careful x
You can’t go in them because (according to the man) you are not special enough. Even if there is no-one else in them. It’s the law or somfink.
Ive always wanted to have the police catch me doing something naughty….
Wasssssssuppp? 😀
My roommate and his best friend are obsessed with Breaking Bad. I think I’d enjoy it more if I weren’t just thrown into the last season…right now I just find it extremely confusing. I should start with the first episode, haha.
It’s hard for me to get into the Olympics, but that’s mostly because it was an Official Daddy-Daughter event in our childhood that our father made us watch, or in the case of Atlanta, Georgia and Sydney, Australia, actually dragged us to it in person.
I supposed I’m supposed to say it was “an incredible opportunity” (as Daddy insists), but honestly it’s just mostly triggering. A week of being fully around Daddy and having to be a polite lady is really hard. We tend to avoid watching it on television.
But I am really glad that you’re having an enjoyable time 🙂 That’s really great!
Serioulsly. You should start with season one. It’s awesome 🙂
I’m sorry you have such a bad assocaition with the Olympics. That’s a shame for lots of reasons. Take care lovely xx
I will take your recommendation on Breaking Bad into account 🙂 I think the first couple seasons are on Netflix, so I have no excuse. Lol.