I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a little weary of the Winter Olympics. It's depressing enough to see snow out my window every day, but to have to see it on television too, is a enough to send one under.

Admittedly, I haven't watched that much, comparatively speaking. Sometimes, out of desperation with nothing else on, I'll watch some downhill or hockey (and I'll watch today's game between US and Can), but no figure skating or curling. All the hype, promos, and commercials irritate me.

I swear I heard somebody say there was 9000 minutes of advertizements scheduled for TV coverage, but that comes out to 150 hours. Perhaps they added a zero to their numbers. Still, 15 hours is a lot!

As a matter of fact, I'm also tired of basketball. I realize I don't have to watch TV sports, but it's like an addiction. I can't not watch it. 10 days in Hawaii may be like Tiger's sex addiction clinic. I doubt if it will cure me, however.

Speaking of Hawaii, I was entranced with the coverage of the predicted tsunami to hit Hilo's coast. It turns out that our "new" campsite on my backpack trip will be Halape, which is right on the ocean, down Kilauea's slope. Can you imagine being stranded there if a giant wave came ashore? Whew! (If you google Halape, you can see what we're in for.)
Fortunately, the tsunami forecasters were wrong.

Now if I just avoid catching my sister's cold, I'll be good to go. I just wish the weather would improve so I could get in backpack shape. I have less than a week.