The pool boy metaphor

Let's say there's this kid, a teenager we'll call JC. Now JC has a great cushy life; he doesn't have to work, parents pay for everything, fridge is always stocked, he's got an Xbox and tons of friends to hang out with.

Once a week, mom tells JC he's got to clean the pool. Really, it's the only thing he's asked to do and truthfully, it's not that monumental a task because the pool isn't even that large. JC doesn't mind cleaning the pool, after all he likes using it and he's been 'in charge' of the pool since he was younger. Plus, skimming leaves off the water is kind of fun.




Just recently though, mom says he's slacking on pool duties. Sure there's nothing floating in the water, but the filter is clogged and the chlorine is unbalanced. It seems like every time she wants to use the pool, the heater isn't set properly.
She's nagging, blah blah blah, and he's responding with 'yeah yeah yeah' and nothing is getting done right because in the end, it just doesn't matter. Mom can screech all she wants and JC is still gonna get to play in the pool.


Ok this time, let's say that JC and his mom live a less luxurious lifestyle without the ipods and the internet or even a nice big bed for the entire family to cuddle in. There's still enough food to eat, and lots of affection but no couch to sit on or TV to watch all day. JC's bored and just waiting for something to do. The most important thing in his life is that pool.




Now mom tells him that she has a job for him. He'll have to clean the pool properly and only if he can do that(even cleaning out the nitty gritty stuff like the filter), he'll earn total user privileges.

Think he'll deliver to the best of his pool cleaning abilities? I'm counting on it because it's going to be a very long 48 hour experiment until we get to take another dip in that grimy pool.

Believe

So the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are over.



For 17 awesome days, Canada united as a country and believed. We kind of had to, brainwashed by the media into listening to that song over and over again.

There were so many firsts for Canadians in this Olympics. First gold on home soil, first ice dance gold, first ski cross gold, first time we heard O Canada officially played 14 times and unofficially sang hundreds more.

And there was a first for me too. For the first time in my life I fully grasped the emotions that these athletes go through during the course of competition. Ok, hardly on the same scale of world grandeur, but somewhat comparable on a personal level.

Take what happened to Cheryl Bernard. During the very last moments of the gold medal game in Women's Curling, she missed a shot that every single Canadian knew she could have made in her sleep. A shot she has made a thousand times before.



"Pretty routine double," Bernard said. "Rubbed it, missed it by a millimeter. Couldn't ask for an easier shot."


Bernard runs out of magic



While the rest of the country sat in disbelief at what they had just witnessed, I thought, 'I know how that feels'. Then I realized, wait a second, I do know how that feels. Lola and I, in the past, have run a flawless jumpers course only to have her dash right by the very last obstacle; the tire, hoop, that horrible burning ring of fire, which is how I saw it that day.
Yup, we know what's like to be in second place when you wanted that gold so badly. But we also know what's it like to have friends and family rally around you and declare what a great run that was, point out your exceptional footwork, and say you'll get it next time.

I have to believe that Canadians will rally around Cheryl Bernard, declare what a great tournament that was, point out all those stones she amazingly curled, and say you'll get it next time.