Minor pre-torch battery saga:

So, I completely forgot the posted directive to dress in red and white and wore deep purple, another totally Canadian colour. *facepalm* I did snag my camera though. I'd changed the batteries the night before, but wasn't sure whether the ones I put in were recharged or not, but I figured, well, the retail section downstairs at work sells batteries, it'll be fine.

As the official designated 'knower of things' I had the tracking map up and was watching the Olympic ~~chili pepper~~ torch progress along the map.

20 minutes to torch: Decided, hey, maybe I should check my batteries.

18 minutes to torch: Of course they were dead. Go downstairs to the retail section, figuring I can get some as an advance on my next check.

15 minutes to torch: Of course we no longer sell that kind of battery. Rummage around the office, find backup batteries for cordless mice. None have enough charge to run a digital camera. Go "oh well, I'll just miss getting pictures" and feel an entirely ridiculous mope coming on.

10 minutes to torch: Have brilliant idea! Phone video store next door!

9 minutes to torch: They don't sell batteries and are confused that someone is calling a video store for batteries. I say "I'm [CaffieneKitty], I work next door, I'm in there all the time, I was just hoping." Video store then goes "Oh! It's for you? Of course we have batteries!" So they gave me some out of their stash for the rental DVD player remotes. I love my local independent video store! ♥

And so all that is why there are crappy pictures to share! \o/ (and also a few taken by one of the reception staff)

Assorted police doing traffic duty.

Booster vans with people dancing and hollering. It's like 9 degrees celcius out at this point, and breezy. The guy in the Coke van was awesome and had each side of the street trying to out-shout the other, which is amazing given there weren't a lot of kids out. I found out later the torch was taking detours to go past each of the schools in the area.

Some torch-run statistics on the side of the support van, for the factoid-deprived.

Oh, hey, what's this? That's a new runner with an unlit ~~chili pepper~~ torch! OMG We're a relay point!!! \o/

(Okay so it isn't that awesome because they wanted to let as many people carry the torch as possible so each 'leg' in populated areas is only about 300 meters, and hence the earlier van-factoid of 12000 torch-bearers, but what the hell. WE GET TO SEE THE FLAME GET PASSED!! \o/)

Random car with vaguely Impala-ish overtones sneaking past the cop on traffic duty. Totally not an Impala, but makes me want to see Sam and Dean having to deal with a giant parade mid-case.

Where there's noise, there's FIRE! \o/

Here he comes! The relay points are really closely spaced, this guy ran from the corner.

Howdy howdy!

FOOM! \o/

I love this shot the reception staff person got. It's like "Yay, fire! \o/"

And off he goes. The previous relay guy was cool and let people in the crowd hold his torch while it was still burning.

Regardless of what might be said about politics, or taxes being spent on this instead of that, or protests or all the other things that have good and valid points, this is still a ritual. A massive, ancient, global, public ritual. Involving fire! And any day that involves an ancient non-damaging fire ritual is a good day. *nods*

Here is a video where you can hear noises and background chatter from the office lunatics and my annoying laugh.

The whole thing was a lot more exciting in person. Well, a bit more.

(Yes, that's me saying 'Flame on!' in the background of the vid because I'm a total geek, but apparently so is one of my co-workers, because he said it first. I never would have voluntarily referenced the Fantastic Four without prompting, because I never would have thought about it.)

Then it all rolled past to have a party somewhere that wasn't work. Sigh.

Occasionally, reality is nifty. Not that I'm about to spend any more time in it than I have to. :-P

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

The "Flame on" made me lol! Thanks for the piccies! :)

That really awesome. I have envy.

I'm glad your video store was so nice. It's cool to know people you can call like that, especially when they're a store!

I have to share my favorite parade story now so you can go write fic. My Sunday School teacher was visiting family with his wife, daughter and three sons in San Francisco, when they turned onto a street and found themselves the head of a gay pride parade. His eldest son asked what they should do, and he replied "Wave" and so they did. They were able to turn off before too long, but still. Fun times. He said the worst part was explaining to the littlest ones what "Dikes on Bikes" meant.

Oh, that is totally awesome. :D What a neat thing to see and experience. I'm totes jealous, for real. Fort Wayne will NEVER host the Olympics. ;)

SO. FREAKIN'. COOL!!!! I love your dorky laugh. :) :) :)

Am I the only one thinking the torches look like joints?
Especially in that picture:

lol. Oh good. Not just me then...

Still, very cool!

"Totally not an Impala, but makes me want to see Sam and Dean having to deal with a giant parade mid-case."

YES! Someone needs to write that fic RIGHT NOW.

I'm not sure who in the rabble of staff behind me said it first, but it was funny.

Hee! Well, it would have been a broadening experience for them all. :-D

I'm not sure if I'll ever write the Winchesters into a parade, but I'll put the thought in the bunny pen and see if it attaches to something else.

Thanks for sharing your story! :-)

Maybe a bigger city nearby though. I mean Vancouver is 4 hours travel from where I am, but the torch is going to every province in the country between now and February, and they're making a point of taking it through a few of the smaller towns.

Maybe the next time somewhere in the US hosts, they'll run the torch past you?

I tried to damp down the sound on that frigging thing. I sound like the offspring of Eddie Murphy and a hyena.

Hee! It has been mentioned a few times in the critical press. I think they're supposed to be icicles or something, but... Well. The Games are being hosted in Vancouver after all. ;-)

There's been talk about Chicago, which is four hours from here, so I dunno. Might be possible.

Highly unlikely that it would travel past anywhere I'm likely to be working, though. The town I actually live in is teeny, about 1500 people. Ah well, who knows? Could happen in my lifetime.

For now I'll just share in your squee. :D

lol. Oh good. Not just me then...

Nope! :-)

YES! Someone needs to write that fic RIGHT NOW.

I've ushered it into the bunny pen to see if it attaches itself to something else, but no guarantees.

That was brilliant! And yes, they need to do a parade episode, definitely;)I agree with the problems you mentioned but it is still a ritual(woo fire!!), and seeing one in person is wonderful:)

Cool! And cute! I'm trying to remember what I was doing before the 2000 Sydney Olympics and while I vaguely remember bits of the torch relay (and it starting in Australia at Uluru) I think I was spending too much time working on my PhD to really get into it. (Fail!) But I do remember Cathy Freeman lighting the cauldron - I sobbed, it was so truly awesome.

Thanks for the pictures.

Fire appeals that caveman bit inside us. It's why people like cookouts and burning things.

Fire, good...

And why does the torch look like a big roach/spiff/joint to me? I guess your term chili pepper is better.

Yeah, I can just see someone yelling "And the joint is lit!" That would go over real well.

Thanks once again for posting the pics.

Not just me then, oh good. Thought I might be weird than normal-weird.

Ah, what would Dean say on seeing a torch that resembles a giant marijuana joint?

Does that help you any?

Cool! Thanks for the pics and video and report. Love that the video store supplied batteries once they knew who you were :)

On the way here it went through at least three communities that size or smaller. It's even apparently going past "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump" in Alberta, which is a rock with an interpretive center, so stranger things have happened.

And yes, they need to do a parade episode, definitely;)

The logistics and budgeting might be tricky for shooting, but really all they'd need to do is put a general call-out for fans to be extras and they'd have a damn convincing crowd. XD

"When in doubt, set something on fire." -Belkar, OOTS. ;-)

Australia had the best Olympic opening and closing ceremonies ever. I got weepy and I'm not Australian. "Land Down Under" still does me in. :-D

You're welcome.

They're awesome like that. Of course I've been buying significant segments of the VHS tapes they're selling off, so the good will is perhaps less than purely altruistic. XD

That was really very awesome, Love. I think I enjoyed it more because you were enjoying it so much. :)

Also, looks like a 1968 Dodge Dart. Hee.

I'm debating trying to get hubby to drive out to Niagra Falls on Dec. 21 to see this very fire passed along so I can say, "That's the fire CK saw, 3000 miles away!" Not sure if he'll go for it, it's 6.5 hours away. :( Still, it'd be oh so cool.

I'm debating trying to get hubby to drive out to Niagra Falls on Dec. 21 to see this very fire passed along so I can say, "That's the fire CK saw, 3000 miles away!" Not sure if he'll go for it, it's 6.5 hours away. :( Still, it'd be oh so cool.

Awwww, you're so sweet! :-D Maybe you can sell him on it as a mini-honeymoon?

Burning icicles?! o_O
That sure is a sign of the Apocalypse!

Maybe! XD

indeed yay! for your local independent video store! :D

and so funny with the Impala-esque vehicle sneaking by....so boys :D

Local independent video stores rock!

Torch Day

FOOM! \o/

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