Better than any superfluous adjective can describe

Wow. Wow. Wow.

There is no word adequate enough to describe the opening ceremony. I think this is the first time that I've ever gotten choked up watching any Olympic-related events. As goofy as I think some of the TV commentators were, I think one of them eloquently summarized the ceremony: it was better than any superfluous adjective can describe (something along those lines, since my short term memory is basically non-existent).

We haven't turned on our TV since our Pakistan vacation. I rushed home around 7:25 and had 5 minutes to turn on the TV and try and find a somewhat acceptable rabbit-ear reception. It's been so long that it took me a few minutes to figure out how to switch from DVD to TV mode and then I couldn't figure out how to turn on the sound. I mean, we have 4 remotes, which one does what?!?! I miss the days where there was one power button, one volume button and one little knob to switch among the 4 channels. There's something to be said about a very simple UI.

Okay, getting off track... so I finally found the channel, figured out how to turn on the sound, and finagled with the rabbit ears enough that we had a tolerable reception.

I kind of figured that the ceremony was going to be a pretty special show. I mean, this is really the first time China has had then ENTIRE world's attention since it started popping on everyone's radar and become rumored as the next dominant country. The Chinese gov't won't tolerate anything less than absolute perfection. They certainly didn't disappoint. Everything was executed with such brilliance. Oh my gosh, I felt so proud. These are my homies! Did you see the precision during the drum act!?!? Or the perfect circle in the tai chi piece. The former marching band geek in me can't help but admire such incredible synchronicity.

While I was beaming with pride that my homies are putting on a show that is going to make its mark in history as one of the most brilliant and beautiful ceremonies ever, I was also angry and sad.

I was angry that the government has enough power to fundamentally change people's lives just so they can put on a good face to the world... this is everything from forcing citizens to attend behavior classes to forcing non-Beijing residents to leave the city to reduce the population. I really do despise the spitting and cutting in lines, but I also accept it as part of the culture - it is all part of what makes each society unique and different. It just seems so wrong to force all these people to change their behavior so that it's more acceptable to the Western culture. What gives?!?!? I also read a story that this old couple that spent all their savings to travel to Beijing so that the wife can get specialized treatment for her illness. All the doctors they visited said that they were too busy prepping for the Olympics to help the wife. This kind of attitude and mentality... this superficial mask that is donned by China to itself appear bigger, better to the rest of the world - it makes me so mad!!!

This is also related to what makes me so sad. I think China has this magnificent, absolute intriguing history and culture. Granted, I'm a little biased, but they have thousands of years of history that is unique and so ridiculously awesome and special. This embracing of the Western culture and discarding the Chinese past - it's really sad. I'm hoping that soon, the good people of China will realize that they don't need to be become completely Westernized to be regarded with respect and they'll learn to embrace both the old and new and create an all new synergy of the past and the future.

Hmm... this started as a post about our crappy TV signal, but it ended up being a long Lily rant. Sorry! Hope everyone enjoys the Olympics!