So Linde had to call off our 'date' today because she's sick. Not surprising, the way she spreads herself so thin all the time, trying to do a million things. Anyway, so she's at home resting and we decided to try again on the 26th, after I get back from the UK. So I have today totally and completely free. I can't remember the last time I had a day like that, where I was on my own (Dia's in Hungary for the break), everything could wait, and I had no real 'obligations'. I haven't done much with it so far, though - had breakfast with Julia, finished organizing my new planner, did some UK packing, and am about to do a couple of short entries in my creative writing reader response journal (because I have that class approximately four hours after I touch back down in NL next week, so it needs to be done today or tomorrow). But I'm planning to finish watching Jerry Maguire (which I downloaded), do some organizing and filling up of the big suitcase, look up directions for some of the things I want to do in the UK, and (finally) finish the Jodi Picoult book Marijt lent me, so I can get started on the other one. Plus the Jags-Steelers game will be on the radio at 19:00. LET's go JAG-uars! :)

I did just discover something cool, however, which is the World Masters Games. It's like the Olympics - very high-class and professionally done - but open to adults of all ages and skill levels. They have events for total novices all the way up to professional athletes. The minimum age for most things is 30-35 (no maximum - there are competitors over 100 years old!), but for swimming it's 25 (because that's the FINA world standard). I knew this existed, because they just held it this past summer in Canada, but I treated it as one of those things like FINA swim meets - to be kept in the back of my mind until I turned 25 (in 2009). However, it turns out the Games are more like the Olympics than I thought - they're held every four years, which means the next one is in - you guessed it - 2009! So I can actually attend the very next one, which is awesome. And it's going to be in Sydney, too, if you can believe that. Score! I'd obviously do both swimming events (they have pool and open-water!), but since you can compete in whatever you want, I might be interested in cycling too, or maybe basketball. Depends on the dates, times, costs, etc.

Anyway, it's a long way off, but I think it's awesome that they have something like that - it fills a real 'hole' in our sports culture. It gives people like me, who are pretty good but could never make the 'real' Olympics, something to do with ourselves, and it gives older people and novices a competition which is appropriate for them (plus some motivation, something to look forward to and work towards).

Anyway, I suppose I'm off to do my journal entries. They only have to be 300 words, so I'll be done fast. And then... Jerry Maguire! :)