One Day To Go

With the opening ceremony for the Olympics only one day away I thought I should write a brief post. What is the situation on the ground. As of right now my building is surrounded by Chinese SWAT, Bush will be arriving this evening, pollution looms over the city, traffic is horrid, protesters are already up to their stunts (2 Britons and 2 Americans scalled an electrical line to wave a Free Tibet banner), I have been harrassed constantly about my residency permit, and the police dogs are all over the city.

Security is tighter I have ever seen it and many diplomats are even comparing it to war zones they have lived in like Kosovo or even Iraq. Many of my favorite bars are closed because of "security reasons" and outside seating has been banned to prevent confrontations between foreigners and locals. Nerves are high, everybody has basically arrived , rain is in the forecast, and it's completely chaotic.

I thought Beijing was going to be a little more prepaared than this. Perhaps the official's only measure of success is not allowing terrorists to ruin the Games. Pollution, traffic, bad PR from throwing dissendents in jail or blocking websites, a no-fun Olympics - these matters although troubling to me do not seem particulary threatening to the organizers.

I am so anxious to see how the Games turn out. How the media reports it. And how the Dream Team performs. I recently went on a ticket buying spree, picking up tickets for Archery, Weighlifting, Boxing, Handball, Baseball, Field Hockey, and the last stretch of the Women's Marathon (as long as it's not delayed because of poor air quality.)

I have been typing this stream of consciousness for about 5 minutes now and its allready 6pm. Time to go home and get the party started. No work tomorrow. Citywide holiday for all. Rock on and lets see how this movie ends.

(I will talk to ya'll after the end of Olympics since I will be hosting family and friends and mainly because I will be having to much fun to post). One World One Dream --- ha ha!!!!