You had me at Sochi

I was prepared to write another cynical blog post, something like my scathing rundown of the Superbowl.  This one was going to tear the Olympics apart and make fun of the whole thing, from the Opening Ceremony, through the costumes of skaters, and finally really lay in to the absurdity of the biathlon. (Ski, ski, ski, lie down, shoot, get up ski.  Really???)  I was very concerned, and still am, about the security of the athletes, and their families.  I was, and still am outraged by Putin's stance against the LGBT community.

But I can't write the piece I thought I was going to write.
Because I'm completely sucked in.

Yes.  Riveted, addicted, and glued to the games.

I have not watched every event, not by a long shot, but I have really enjoyed what I have watched, and fallen a little bit in love with each person, as I hear his or her story and and watch the mini-drama as it unfolds.

I didn't love the opening ceremony.  The pageantry was too much, and I felt it was too long. I didn't like seeing Putin sitting there, not reacting, with an uncanny resemblance to Dr. Evil. (I still see it, when they show him at the various events, and you will see it too.  No smiles, no excitement.  He is NOT a guy I'd want to go for cocktails with.)

"Tiny little 'laser beams' on their heads."

I have never been such a big fan of the winter Olympics before, but maybe it's because of the winter we are having here in New Jersey.  We have so much ice on our front walk and driveway that I can barely make it to my car without slipping and falling...how on EARTH do those men and women glide so effortlessly across the ice, twirling, swizzle-sticking, doing ballet, jumping and leaping and turning themselves into human dreidels?

Yes, that's what it must be... each of these athletes is competing and excelling in a sport that I cannot even do just a little bit.  I cannot ice skate.  That was not something we did back in my growing up years.  There was a roller rink, where I went once, and was helped around the place a few times by a handsome guy named Gino on a group date when I was 15.  But that's it.

The same goes for skiing.  I realize I may come off looking particularly non-sport-y as I share all this, but I have gone skiing exactly twice.  Cross-country skiing once, too hard, too cold and kind of boring.  And downhill once, where I was THE only one in the beginner class told NOT to go out onto the mountain.  I spent the day in the lodge by the fire drinking coffee and reading a book while my family had fun on the slopes.

So when I see these skiers and snow-boarders doing amazing tricks, or going 80 miles an hour down a hill, I am just in awe.  And some of them are wearing just a leotard!  I'm sure you've seen them.  They wear the layer I wear under my clothes just to walk to the car to go to work.  They fly down the mountain, or around the half-pipe, while I am not sure I can walk to the curb without taking a header.

They are super men and women.

Like I said, I didn't want to love these games.  With Russia's openly anti-gay stance I was ready to boycott. Yes, I was going to boycott (how they'd miss me) but these amazing young and not-so-young athletes are risking their bodies, dedicating their lives and flying around the world, I figured the least I can do is watch them.  And cheer them on.  And wait to see if anyone will take a brave stand and raise a rainbow flag on the podium.

And besides, after watching night after night, I'm an expert judge.  Aren't you?  Tara Lipinski and I can call the figure skating like nobody's business.  I can tell you if someone's going to nail a triple axel before they even land.  I've watched so much of the men's and women's half pipe, and I can tell you what a YOLO trick is. 

There are a few sports I've missed, such as hockey, and skeleton, which appears to be the backwards luge. I have to say I missed Bob Costas, who left the helm of the ship with pink-eye, but has finally returned.

Looks pretty pink, I'd say, Bob.

There was also a big to-do about the Russian speed skater who unzipped the top of her skating outfit when she crossed the finish line.  Apparently she forgot she had nothing on underneath.  That's a big thing to forget, but I guess when you are winning a gold medal for your country, you get a little crazy.

Hello World.

I haven't even looked at a medal count during these games. I'll be relieved when the athletes all come home safe and sound, maybe bruised from the mountain, but safe from any blast of a suicide bomb or explosion from a terrorist making a statement.  I know people say that we have to put aside our differences and come together for these two weeks of sports.  But I think its our differences that make us fun and make us interesting to one another.  It's learning to accept and play nice with our differences that should be what the Olympics are all about.  The athletes probably get that.  Maybe someday the governments and leaders will too.

And now, I'll get back to my front-steps-of-death and try to take my dogs for a walk.  I may do a double-toe loop followed by a jump off the bottom step, but it won't be on purpose.

Real scenes from my front-steps of death, taken by my frozen-mittened hand holding an iPhone and two dogs on leashes.  I win at least a bronze in the suburban Olympics!

Thursday Was Definitely Not Pasta Day

Well, Guido Barilla most got his fifteen minutes of fame, and his anti-gay comments went globally viral.  No one is shocked that people still have anti-gay sentiments, but I think we are all a little amazed when people, corporate owners with a LOT at stake, announce them to the world!  I'll quote him here directly so I don't leave anything out... and also because he managed to put down the role of women, and take a swipe at same-sex couples' adoption...

"I would never do [a commercial] with a homosexual couple, not for lack of respect but because we don't agree with them," said Guido Barilla, according to a Reuters translation. "Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role. … If [gays] don't like it, they can go eat another brand."

Just to drive his point home, Barilla added, "I have no respect for adoption by gay families because this concerns a person who is not able to choose," according to a translation from the U.K. Independent."Everyone has a the right to do what they want without disturbing those around them."

 http://www.advocate.com/politics/2013/09/26/barilla-gays-eat-someone-elses-pasta

Wow.  Bad enough he still thinks that way.  Please, don't try to explain to me that Italy is a "macho country" and they need a few more years to catch up, or that one person doesn't represent the entire company.  He does when his name happens to be Barilla.

 Here's what I posted on the company Facebook page... 

Good news. A "traditional" family now can have two dads or two moms, or a single parent, or be a multi-generational household, or a blended family or an adopted family... We all make new traditions in every generation and I think for many of us, Barilla products will not be part of our vast, colorful, diverse celebration of the human experience. You really blew it, Guido

I didn't really expect an answer.  But a little while later, this apology appears on the Barilla Facebook Page.  

At Barilla, we consider it our mission to treat our consumers and partners as our neighbors – with love and respect – and to deliver the very best products possible. We take this responsibility seriously and consider it a core part of who we are as a family-owned company. While we can’t undo recent remarks, we can apologize. To all of our friends, family, employees, and partners that we have hurt or offended, we are deeply sorry.*

 https://www.facebook.com/BarillaUS

Hey, my post (well, okay, and the thousands of others on Facebook in several languages, and on Twitter as well, hashtags: #boycottbarilla or #boicottbarilla) really got to him.
Or them. 
That looks like a nice apology.
And words are important, but so are actions.  I'm absolutely sure they ARE deeply sorry.  So let's see if they are sorry because one man spoke about how he felt and didn't represent the company, or they are sorry they are going to lose a lot of money and respect worldwide.  

In Judaism, we understand that true repentance, teshuvah, is making a different choice, when faced with the same set of circumstances the next time.  So I guess we will wait for the next ad campaign.

When their Facebook page looks like this

And doesn't make us think of this

Then we can stop boycotting this brand, and show that we appreciate a company who admits their mistakes, as egregious as they may be, and knows how to grow up. 

Peace, love and equality for ALL!

Juliet



*To which I responded: 
Words are good, and important. Your actions in the next few days will be even more important. The damage done by Guido Barilla was devastating and the ripples go far beyond the LGBT community. The world is watching. Do the right thing.

By the way, I did have some Barilla Pasta in my pantry.  I'm not a food waster, so I collected the few boxes and donated it to a food drive. I won't buy any more, but I will also not throw food in the garbage.