I got stuck behind the torch relay on my way to work this morning.

By the time I got to work, the torch had also reached Gastown.

Crowds poured out into the streets and cheered as the flames made its final run through the city.

I shot a little video, take a look;

Finally!

The Olympics begin tomorrow.

It’s a little surreal, for as long as I’ve lived here it’s been the great imminent event that has eclipsed almost everything else.

I went for a little walk this afternoon during lunch and the city was abuzz with activity.

It’s like our population doubled overnight, there’re people everywhere!

The Olympic Torch is making its way downtown; I plan on seeing the relay tonight.

Hopefully it gets cold enough to wear my red mittens.

My first thought after seeing this Tourism BC Ad (featuring Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds, Erick McCormack, Kim Cattrall, Steve Nash, and Sarah McLachlan) was;

“Oh my God, I want to live there!”

Except, I already live here!

The Ad is just in time for the winter Olympics which is a surprising 20 days away.

The Olympic torch has made it’s way throughout the country and it’s finally here in BC.

Most of us have come around to being excited about the games.

It’s a nice afternoon, I’m think I’m going to go ride the Olympic Line streetcar to Grandville Island and take some pictures.

There’s an old Akan adage, which I’ll paraphrase as thus “You don’t rush out to meet with festivities that’s coming to your house”.

It’s intended to encourage patience, patience for those things that’ll eventually come to us.

I was oddly reminded of that saying the first time I saw the 2010 Winter Olympics countdown clock.

A dad taking photos of his little girl tried to distract her by asking how old she’d be come February 2010.

The girl steadied herself for a moment, with her mom’s help counted on her fingers and shouted excitedly “I’ll be nine!”

Her older brother says with an incredulous look, “But, that’ll take forever!”

1092 days seemed so very far away.

2010 seemed like a lifetime to come.

I’ve passed by the clocked several times in almost three years that it’s been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds.

A lot has happened since then, and yet some things have remained the same.

I’m beginning to think that maybe 2010 didn’t seem so far away after all.

It’s only two months away now.

I guess it’s time to look beyond when the clock stops counting down… because that’s inevitable.

For the first time in I can’t remember when I ventured out during my lunch hour.

Through snow storms, wind storms, and dark gloomy days I just didn’t miss going out during lunch anymore, I stayed in more, and when the weather got a little better, I couldn’t be bothered.

I had errands to run today so I dragged myself out. It’s dry and overcast; feels like the rains will be returning soon, it’s a little balmy.

Being outside felt a tad strange yet comforting, I haven’t been to the mall in over a month; there was a time when I’d come to the mall everyday. It felt so unhealthy I imagined I could never break the habit.

I ran my errands and decided go take a look at the 2010 Olympics countdown clock and decided to take some pictures.

In case you didn’t know, Vancouver won the bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and we began the official countdown on Monday the 12^th.