Three things I’m loving this week

1. Poking fun @ Olympians. OK, OK…I know I preach endlessly about loving one another and accepting faults and not hurting other people by laughing at them, but…c’mon….the ice skaters and other Olympic competitors with what-were-they-thinking costumes have given us some real material to work with. I can’t decide which of these two photo collections I like best, so I’m posting both:
20 funniest figure skating faces
Funniest costumes

Michael Schmid, left, of Switzerland, and Errol Kerr, right, of Jamaica, soar through the air off a jump during ski cross training at Cypress Mountain at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver, British Columbia, Friday Feb. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)
2. Olympic cross anything. It started (I think) with snowboard cross and has branched into ski cross in the 2010 games in Vancouver. These events are wild, crazy, jaw dropping, OMG, entertainment. If you’ve never seen a cross event — it’s when they unleash four skiers or four snowboarders onto the course all at once and they race to the finish.
At the risk of sounding like a prepubescent shaggy-headed skateboarder, it is wicked cool. It’s just macho bravado.
Sports Illustrated magazine had a great article giving you a “look into the mayhem” that is ski cross.
BTW, ladies…if you’ve never bothered to pick up your guy’s copy of S.I. because you think it’s of no interest to you, give it a read. They have some of the best articles I have ever read in my life — stuff you’ll like even if you know nothing or care nothing about the sport or the athlete. I bought the subscription for Dan so he could get a free Steelers jacket (yes, I’m a sucker for free stuff) and I renewed it for me because I came to love the magazine.
One word of caution: S.I. just LOVES to get cute (and I’m sure they think clever) with the story formats in their big feature stories which can be both annoying and confusing, but…I’m a newspaper girl…I like to keep things simple and straightforward (and a little pithy).

3. Amazon.com deals on family movies. They’re offering up to 50% off popular family movies, even some of the newer ones like “Up” and classics like, “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “The Sound of Music.”
They’ve got a bunch of Blu-Rays on there, too, but…I don’t even know what that means let alone whether the prices really are a bargain…you be the judge. Check it out here.
Three things I’m not loving this week:
1. Chapped hands. Winter is not kind to my hands…currently, they are cracked and, in some places, bleeding. Last night, I stuck my hand over a jar of banana peppers to drain off some of the juice and tipped the jar over the sink to let it drain between my fingers…stupid, stupid, stupid mistake. It still stings. The more I wash or submerge them in hot water (no matter how much lotion I slather on after), the worse they get.
The silver lining behind this painful problem? I can’t possibly be expected to submerge my hands in hot water to do dishes or laundry, so…the husband’s been handling those chores.
2. Ice skating, ice dancing, ice tap, ice ballet, ice yoga … If it involves an ice arena, choreography, hokey music and absurd costumes, I really want no part of it.
I know millions love it; I’m not one of them. It’s so sweet and corny it makes my teeth hurt.
It should be noted that I hate American Idol (and all shows like it), too … so take my snarky opinion for what it’s worth.
3. Winter weight. This snow needs to clear out before I bust out of my pants. What is it about winter and snow that makes us want to stay indoors, stuff our faces and veg on the couch? Oh..right…it’s because it SUCKS to go outside. At least it’s almost March and February will soon be a cold, dark memory.