Real Olympics

So here's how the Olympics should really work. My way would ensure that entire countries would be fit, that money would not be wasted on training a select few athletes and that everyone's health would improve.

An Olympic committee would go into each country and randomly pick people off the street to compete in different sports. Fatty in Iowa is running the marathon for USA like it or not. Pack-a-day smoker from Canada is our newest gymnast. You get the idea.

This would force all the competitive countries who want bragging rights to get their citizens healthy. I figure that the Finns, Swedes, Japanese and possibly the Chinese would do great under this new plan... and it might be a wake up call to countries who produce a small number of elite athletes, but also some of the fattest, most unhealthy and out of shape people on the planet.

Brotherly Love?

So, every few days since the beginning of the school year, my youngest has said "I love you B-" when his brother gets out of the car at school in the mornings. He ventures to say this once or twice a week as Eldest is closing the car door. Eldest never responds. This is typical of both kids, Youngest being very affectionate and Eldest being, well, not so much.

Each time he is ignored, Youngest sighs and comments on how his brother doesn't love him. In the beginning, I would make excuses about how Eldest probably didn't hear him. More recently I have explained that Eldest is getting to that age where "I love you" is a bit embarrassing. Youngest isn't happy but has become accepting of this.

This morning, as he was closing the car door, Eldest said "I love you N-". I paused for a moment, totally surprised by what had just happened. I smiled to myself and, after a few seconds, proceeded to drive away. From the back seat, Youngest said, "What, he thinks I'm going to marry him now or something?".

Such is brotherly love.