One Week Left!

Here I am trying on my uniform again! Well when I say again, I really mean for the first time, officially. The last time I had one on, was before Xmas, when I went to accreditation to pick up my ID and to determine what size uniform I needed. This is the first time I've put all my pieces on to make sure they fit comfortably. I ended up having to chase down a belt for my pants because they were just too loose in the waist. (And no, I am not complaining!)

I spent this evening with a red Sharpie labelling everything with my name. I feel like I am 12. I can see labelling clothing I am going to have off and on, like my jacket and vest and toque, but my pants?!? I only have one pair and I cannot imagine a situation in which I would inadvertently leave my pants somewhere! ...And if I could imagine such a situation, I am guessing that not having pants on might be the least of my worries! Anyway, pants are duly identified, just in case. Maybe I should add "If found, please return to the embarrassed half-naked girl" on the tag. *laughs*

I've packed my official backpack with all the stuff I need for venue training tomorrow. It's quite a monster of a backpack-I've never had one this big, as I tend to like to travel light. They've made the limited edition Volunteer backpacks extra roomie because we have to have on us at all times-there's nowhere to store anything-no lockers or anything like that.

So what am I going to be packing around? Well let's see....

-my spare shirt, vest, jacket & toque when I am not wearing them

-a pair of heavy duty gloves

-a pair of spare socks

-my accreditation (ID)

-the Olympic pocket guide

-my iPod (Don't leave home without it!)

-cell phone

-pocket money

-official steel mug

-medication

-toothbrush, paste, lip balm & breath mints

-sunglasses clips

-house keys

-umbrella

-wetwipes ('cause I hate that sani-gel stuff!)

-Kleenex (I maintain a 3 pack minimum at all times.)

and if I can manage a wee bit more weight, my journal. (I think I will sneak it in.) I am trying to keep what I am hauling at a minimum, as the less stuff I have, the less time I will have to spend going through security screening. Less is more!

If it were up to me, I would just stuff everything in my jacket pockets and not have a bag, but if I take my jacket off, when I am inside the venue, I have to have somewhere to put it. I'm a girl who could happily do without a purse or a bag, but that's just not going to work this time around.

The steel mug I mentioned was a part of our welcome package. We're not allowed to bring any food or beverages into the venues (alas, no Starbucks!) but they gave us these steel mugs and will be providing our meals, snacks and drinks. Believe me, I am pleased to not have to pack a lunch-that's my least favourite chore ever!

I am going to test drive my steel mug tomorrow. It has a handy-dandy clip built into the handle so you can attach it to your backpack and have it dangle. I want to know if you can do this with liquid in it or not...the instructions never said. I'm going to test it out with water before I try something hot! I also need to find some sort of sticker to put on it, so I know it's mine because there will be a zillion just like it lying around. I'll have to look and see what I have handy.

On the news tonight they were talking about all the FREE entertainment that's going to be available while the Games are on. If you are interested, the website with all the details is here. You can get a run down of all the "houses" that are being hosted by different countries and/or sponsors and local city venues. The site tells you where each is located and what type of entertainment is being showcased. I am simply stunned by the length of the list and am already wondering how I can squeeze in enough downtime to visit a few of the houses. I might have to give up sleeping!

In addition to that site, our local station, Global TV is doing an excellent job providing Games related information on their website, which you can find here. There are tons of tabs to click and you can spend hours learning about the Olympic & Paralympic Games, our city and so much more!

I am so excited that the world is literally coming to my backdoor. I had just a small taste of what it was going to be like during the World Police & Fire Games in the summer and it just made me hungry for more. I met some incredible people, made some wonderful memories and I felt very blessed to have been able to serve during those games. I know that these games are going to be equally as special and inspiring.

You know, I think Kleenex should be my official sponsor because it's like this: I don't care what country you are from. I will cry happy tears for you, whether you medal or not. Seeing people having the courage to live their dreams moves me. THAT is what the Games are about.

ONE WEEK from today, my Games begins!