Just Like Me!

10 things/people I identify with in these Olympic games

1. The way John Orozco's mom watches his routines. When she watches there's a lot of gasping and hand wringing and peeking through her fingers. I can't imagine what it would be like if I personally knew, or had raised, one of these kids, I'm already freaking out. This morning it's possible I yelled from my empty living room to a swimmer whose race had been over for more than 12 hours, "America needs you to win this!"

2. The way Ryan Lochte is absolutely fantastic at what he does and yet on some days it's just not coming together for him. It's happening to me a lot lately and it's frustrating as hell even without the Olympic hoopla.

3. Every single one of the people crying in these photos. I am a weepy mess during the Olympics, it all makes me cry, the good, the bad, and even the indifferent.

4. Swimmer Lia Neal commutes every day from her cool Fort Greene home to somewhere far away for her swimming. I commute that way for work. I bet it's an even bigger drag at 5 or 6am when she does it than at 8:30 when I do!

5. Missy Franklin and I are only children. Gotta stick together.

6. One of the support staff for the female US gymnasts carries all of their backpacks to the next event. I, too, carry a heavy backpack all the time. I feel her pain.

7. Did you hear about how Misty May Traynor was done with the Olympics until her former partner Kerri Walsh found someone else to play with in the London games? I, too, often hate to feel left out of something big, even if I'm not sure I want to participate in it on its own merits.

8. I often find myself talking about the events non-stop, even when I've run out of useful or insightful things to say. Surely Bob Costas can relate.

9. Last night the poolside interviewer for NBC (not going to look up her name because she's kind of killing me) pressed Michael Phelps for predictions about his performance in his next final. He very politely put her off and finally said, "My swimming does the talking." I'm learning to have the measured, firm, sane response when things get emotional. I can't always pull it out but some days I have as much poise as Phelps v2.012.

10. The US women's synchronized springboard diving team. My underwear crawls up my butt all the time and I'm grateful that no one is wandering around with a camera and broadcasting my relief efforts on international broadcast.