I miss the Cold War...

I wasn't even that sure I'd said that out loud.

"So you'd know who to root for?" the wife answered.

We were watching the pairs skating in the Olympics (one reason why updates are so few here in this journal... there are other things to spend time with in the evening and nights, now) and the female half of one couple had just tumbled on the ice, missing a difficult jump and ruining their chances for a medal.

Well, not so much that, I replied. But twenty years ago, if a Russian, Chinese or Czech skater fell, I'd have been thrilled that an opportunity had opened up for a western pair to step up in the ranks.

But now?

Now I don't want anybody to fail. I mean, when you've got a Japanese skater in a Russian pair, a Russian on a German team, and Chinese skating for Canada, or whoever, well, national pride doesn't make a lot of sense anymore.

Which, oddly, is okay. My eyes teared up several times when the athletes entered the stadium during the opening ceremonies, and it wasn't when the Americans came in. There are a lot of wonderful stories out amongst these best of the best, and not all of them are made in the USA.

I know they are all striving to push themselves to their very limits.

I just hate to see anyone fall.