What Would Johnny Weir Do?

True friendship: Going out for your friend’s birthday and missing the most anticipated, juicy men’s figure skating competition of all time. That was my predicament this week when I realized my friend’s birthday celebration would be disrupting my plans of once again, sitting on my couch, reading live blogs and watching the show. Luckily (or sadly), we went to our “regular” bar and I was able to sway the powers that be to put ice skating on as many TVs as possible. In my post-couple drink/couple saki bomb confusion I couldn’t understand why they were showing skiing, snowboarding and every other imaginable sport except skating. Wasn’t this supposed to be the most dramatic Olympic event!?

By the time 10 rolled around and it finally aired, I gave up any hopes of actually hearing the broadcast and settled for just watching distantly. Unfortunately, my viewing was interrupted by the behavior of my friends and their dramatics. Someone makes out with someone else’s crush and all hell breaks loose. (Yes, my friend was turning 26, going on 16.) But this isn’t surprising coming from my incestuous “we’ve-all-made-out-with-each-other” kickball team friends.

Once that shitstorm settled I was able to catch just a few performances: Johnny Weir, Evan Lysacek and Pluscenko. Now, I am a fan, but even I don’t understand what the hell is going on without Scott Hamilton’s insightful commentary. So I saw Weir’s flawless performance and saw the joyful outburst of Lysacek. But then I saw that crazy Russian land his QUAD, and I knew it was all over. I sank in my chair until I realized, in fact, all was not lost. USA had claimed victory for the first time since Brian Boitano. USA! I also made friends with a fellow Johnny Weir fanatic. I can only hope I run into that classy fellow again.

Somehow, yesterday, I also learned that I’ve been out of the What Would Brian Boitano Do?-loop a la South Park. (Update: He now has a show on the Foot Network called What Would Brian Boitano Make? ) My roommate schooled me in this last night and it made my gchat convo from earlier in the day make a lot more sense. We’ve also created a new name to call someone who is….awesome?:

In reference to questioning how to deal with our friends’ crazy drunk antics and aftermath….

g: what would johnny weir do?….
g: id concur. no Jweir but he'd do in a pinch
me: hahah nobody can compare to jweir
g: he is such a jweir
me: new phrase that we must include in our vernacular
g: deal

Later…

me: are you seriously drinking tonight
g: i told my coworker id booze with him
me: ah, you're a beast. i'm going home and napping lol
g: i should. my minds telling me no...but my body
me: hahah my mind and my body scream no. WWJWD
g: too funny. you are being a jweir about all of this
me: i thought we agreed jweir was awesomeness

Take-aways for above exchange: 1) Clearly I got no work done yesterday. 2) We are still working out the kinks in our definition of jweir. WWJWD?

Reflections from Chile

I know this blog has strayed away from books and book news lately, but I've been distracted by lots of things going on. Maybe its the warmer weather coming, but I haven't had lots of time to devote to reading books. However, I still am an avid blog reader. One of my best friends is currently living and working in Chile and chronicling her adventures in her own blog. She recently wrote a post on her likes and dislikes about Chile and part of it really struck me and I'd like to share:

I love the people. I think I'm mostly too scared to live in a place like New York or DC because people are so busy and scary. Down here, even though I'm living in a HUGE city, I feel like everyone is hospitable. I'm not afraid to ask someone for directions if I'm confused, and people are always willing to help. They also share a lot more than we do in the States. I don't miss our individualistic nature at all...I think it has led to too many problems and loneliness in our country. The 'American Dream,' while it's intention may be good, it sometimes leaves people behind because it's all about what each person can accomplish and obtain for his or herself or his or her own family. I want to be successful in what I do in life, but I want to share it with others and not feel like I have to beat out or compete with someone else. Biological and immediate families are very supportive of one another (for the most part) in the U.S., but what about our ENTIRE family...friends, acquaintances, co-workers, strangers, the poor, neighbors, etc...?

Miss you mi amiga! You are part of my family :)