Olympic Digressions

For over a year I have been writing about a three-week trip to Europe with David, many years ago when he was 13 years old.  I’ve finally reached Paris.

But I keep digressing to talk about other things. 

This week I became immersed in memory when I went to see a doctor in Rockwall.  I will have more to write about Rockwall.  But that can wait.

I sat in front of my 36-inch Sony television watching the Olympics.  (Do I sound like Hyacinth Bucket telling callers she is talking on “my exclusive slim-line telephone”?)   Years ago I took a couple of tennis lessons.  I could not hit the ball over the net.  I watched with rapt admiration as Federer and Murray ran back and forth and slammed the ball at each other.  So Quick!  How do they do it?  As for the little girl gymnasts doing backward somersaults onto a four-inch beam – unbelievable!    

During dialysis on Friday, I read the August 6 issue of The New Yorker.  That magazine should give me a free subscription for all the plugs I give them on this blog.  You really should get a copy of this one. 

The New Yorker prints long, long articles which give detailed analysis of various topics.  The August 6 issue leads with a piece on Paul Ryan.  How’s that for fortuitous timing?  Ryan’s tax plan reminds me of Adolph Hitler and his “Mein Kampf”.  A big bill of bullshit for gullible people. 

Just for fun read “The Marathon Man”.  A Michigan dentist promoted himself as a marathon runner.  An elaborate internet fraud.  The mystery is how and why he did it.

Towards the back of the magazine is an article about the Olympics.  Titled “Glory Days”, Louis Menand tells “What we watch when we watch the Olympics.”  Here’s a quote:

    . . . . Achievement in sports must comply with the laws of physics. . . . You
    can dedicate your life to the sport, but, if you are under six feet tall and weigh
    less than two hundred pounds, you are never going to throw the discuss seventy
    meters.  The motto of athletic competition should not be “Follow your dream.”
    It should be “Follow your reality.”

This rule applies to every thing in life.  A little girl with an I.Q. of 95 should not be encouraged to think she can grow up and become a brain surgeon.  Or even strive for a college degree.  I am not being an “elitist” for saying so.  People with all levels of ability can have satisfying lives by working at the best of which they are capable.  And all jobs should provide a “living wage”. 

We don’t need to become as rich as the Romneys and Kennedys to feel successful.  We should not feel like failures if we don’t make millions.  In Albuquerque a retired telephone linesman said to me, “I married a good wife, bought a house and a car.  I have two good kids and  sent them to college. I’ve had a good life.”