Flashback to 2002, Day 11

February 22, 2002:
Along with the confirmation that our uniforms were finally ours, we received instructions to receive other assorted goodies as a benefit for our service.
I decided that it would be better to get down to pick up my "retention package" before everyone else was done with their assignments, so Paddy and I took the long trek, again, to the SLOC Distribution Center on 25th South and 38th West. After hiking around the huge building (it wasn't clear by the signage that the "retention entrance" was on the WEST side) I entered and was given a big white bag. In it were a coupon for a Big Mac Value Meal, a variety of pamphlets on spectacular offers ( Team 2002 jewelry from O.C. Tanner, Olympic coin sets and Dale of Norway sweaters), a folder with a "Diploma", thanking me for my contribution, signed by Jacques Rogge and Big Mitt, and, here's the shocker, a gorgeous copper medal with Art Deco motif and the logo (about 1 1/2" x 3") and a nifty Pulsar stainless watch with a tiny 2002 logo on a deep blue face. What a surprise! I ran and had the watch sized. I've been thinking I needed a new silver toned watch. Yippee!
I found my male cohort sitting up in the stands before the gates opened, watching the hockey game on the big screens. I walked up to talk to him and told him that I would be glad to work Saturday, since I had friends from Logan who had tickets and wanted to be there when they were. (Aren't any of you coming?) OK, I lied, but it seemed like the only way that he wouldn't treat me like a sucker for WANTING to be there another night. And I decided not to get rid of him unpleasantly. He was so thrilled to be done that he was downright cheerful all night and hit the road with barely a goodbye. Oh, well, life will be much easier for the last two days.
Tonight the band is the Goo Goo Dolls. A cameraman I talked to in the staff tent said that at least it was warm and the band was pretty mellow. I don't know what he was on - the "music" was so awful and annoying that it made my fingernails hurt! Someone said that they were glad that they threw in some of their softer numbers.
I wanted to take advantage of the fact that there were 4 of us in the IB, so I went out and watched most of Victoria Jackson and all of the medals ceremonies. Even though we didn't win any medals, it is exciting to see those athletes celebrating. The Croatian girl who has won 4 and the Dutch skater with a bunch (I won't even try to spell either one) were both there and acted as if it were their first. After they get their medals and flowers, almost all of them throw the bouquets into the crowd. Someone brought one into the booth - they are just gorgeous. About 2 dozen yellow roses in a tight bunch. The ribbons are cool, too. They are specially made with the crystal logo woven in.
My favorite Victoria Jackson joke - She said she would do her best impression, so she took a blonde wig from her pocket, hung it over the mike on the mike stand and said, "Calista Flockhart".
LOST AND FOUND OF THE NIGHT: (tie) The $5 bill turned in by a young couple and the two $20 bills turned in by another young couple. (It's possible that the owners didn't need the cash as much as either couple, from the looks of them)
I'm not sure what the explaination is, but the large majority of athletes who have come in for help are German. They don't seem to have chaperones or advisors, like the others. It has been fun to talk with them - they generally speak English very well. We had one woman hockey player ask to use the phone - I teased her a little and said that she couldn't call home. She laughed and said she wouldn't. After she was finished, we asked her if she was able to meet with the Chancellor of Germany when he was here. She huffed a little and said that he doesn't think about them at all when they are home, but makes a big show of greeting them somewhere else. The women's hockey team doesn't get much support or respect. They train, but only have about three competitions a year. She said, "We were only 6th, here, but we are growing." I expect they will.






A couple with Olympic leather jackets and tons of pins came in to get warm. I noticed from their accreditation badges that they were massage therapists at the Village. I jokingly asked if they would extend their services to volunteers. Next thing I know, I am getting a wonderful 15 minute neckrub. What a treat. They were from Colorado and so nice and appreciative of all we have done here. I said that since they were neighbors, they already knew that Utahns weren't scary, but I was glad that many other people were pleasantly surprised. I believe that those from other countries didn't realize that everyone in Utah knows or is related to a former missionary from almost every country and has pleasant feelings about that place. Times that by the number of returned missionaries that everybody knows and there are a lot of Utahns who feel connected to a lot of countries. Not to mention the fact that we are all immigrants from other places. I know I cheer for Japan or Italy or Chile or Sweden or Norway or Brazil or Belgium and especially Britain. I hope that the one thing that all these athletes and officials take home is that the people of Utah embraced the world.