Full Olympic Mode

For most, the holiday season is in full swing and I am no exception. This year however there is an extra excitement in the air for me. There is sure to be no post Christmas let down in my house as January will mark mere weeks from the start of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Living a 10 minute ferry ride across the Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, I am planning to be as involved as possible in the Games.
Yesterday I picked up my ticket package from the local Purolator Courier office, an ordeal that included over a thirty minute wait in line. With the tickets being so valuable, Vanoc stipulated that a signiture was required upon receipt. Like most others, I was at work when the courier initially attempted delivery. This resulted in a 20 to 30 person lineup at the courier office, all day long Saturday. Oh well, I simply chalked this up to my first of many long line-ups during the Games.
Anyway, with tickets in hand (a generic one is pictured above, they're quite nice looking), and my extra bedroom booked by out of town friends and relatives, everything is ready for the fun to begin.
It turns out I may also have a chance to volunteer at the Molson Hockey House in downtown Vancouver. Last month I let my feelings be known about the exhorbitant $500 price for a daily pass, but that didn't stop me from putting my email in for possible volunteering.
I received an email from them this past Friday, and filled out the subsequent form...we'll see what happens. I'd never pay that kind of money to get into the place, but I'd definitely help out if it means rubbing shoulders with some of hockey's elite.
Hence, with all this Olympic excitement, I am going to attempt to write only about Olympic related matters (whether current or historical) up until the end of the Games. This should be no problem at all, and I'll probably start with a look at Canada's withdrawl from international competetion in 1970 due to a dispute with the IIHF. Or maybe I'll take a look at Team Canada 1988 the first and last home team for Canada. Or I could do another preview of team selections for 2010.....stay tuned.

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