Saturday, January 23, 2010

Jet Plane

Last year when I was trying like crazy to figure out a way out of my miserable life, I had decided I would try to get a job with the Vancouver Organizing Committee. I had some good contacts and I thought it would be a good way transition back into the Olympic world. I told my friend Carrie about my plan and she responded by sending me a book of walking tours of Vancouver. Her confidence that I would need that book still gets me a little teary eyed.

The right opportunity never really came up but I kept that little book by my bed and looked at every night and promised it I would use it eventually. Even so I'm sort of pinching myself that I leave for Vancouver in three days. I spent the first part of the day furiously cleaning my house (full disclosure, I am such a clean freak that normal people might not be able to see an actual difference) and then the second half running around getting my errands done so I can leave for three weeks. And maybe getting my eyebrows waxed and buying a few more cute things to wear during the Games. I mean, if a girl is going to be mixing with Olympians, she doesn't want to do it with stray eyebrows right??

My intern left this morning and we spent about 20 minutes just staring at each other yesterday trying to come up with anything major we may have forgotten. He and I have been joined at the hip for the last three months and I was way more panicked watching him leave my office then I was when my boss left last week. Too real now I suppose.

I know I can do this, and part of me thinks it's funny that 25 year old me was probably less stressed out about the Games than 33 year old me because she was too young and dumb to know what was about to happen.

That's what I am the most excited about-not having any idea what is about to happen. I've planned really well, I've tried to think of everything, and now it's time to just get there and let the adventure happen however it wants to happen. I've been getting all kinds of emails from friends who will be there with all kinds of fun things to do (we already have our tickets to the Barenaked Ladies on the 16th-how Canadian is that??). There is a TON of work ahead-six semis with my name on them will leave Monday morning and we'll unpack them Friday. We have about 600 athletes and team staff come through during our 10 days of operation. Anything could happen and the anticipation and the unknown has me feeling like I'm going slowly up the first hill of some ridiculous Six Flags roller coaster. I know the ride will be fantastic but I also kind of want to throw up.

One thing I do know is that I really can't wait to tell you guys all about it. I feel like the theme of 2010 is going to be "making up for lost time." I have the Games, a trip to Mexico, a site visit to London and two really great weddings all in the next few months. Like Conan O'Brien said last night (and it sort of made me tear up a little bit) "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen".

Here's to amazing things happening to kind people!

(I've been obsessed with this song all day.)

7 comments:

cropstar said...

Bonne chance et bon courage!!

Jamie said...

Good luck! Enjoy every moment.

corinne said...

beautiful. congrats katie. can't wait to hear all about it.

littlemikemack said...

Beautifully said...congratulations, and of couse good luck.

NatAttack said...

just. can't. wait. to. hear.

pandorasbox said...

Katie!

The Daily Pilot in Newport Beach came and interviewed Tim and Me about the posters we made for the Olympics. The reporter may be e-mailing you too as they would really like a picture of them up on the walls so the kids can see them! Who would have thought??? Hope you are having a blast?

Hugs!

Patti aka Jessica White's mom

{jane} said...

amazing things will happen. i can't wait to hear about them. LOVE the conan quote, it just may end up on my new chalkboard wall tonight. that song is fantastic,

and...

i'm sorry you have 'romance holes' right now, life can just be too rough at times. live the next few months to the fullest! big hugs. we'll be watching you on TV!!!