An Olympic Pin Wishing You "Happy New Year"!

Fine Arts as a major led me into Education, Education led me into technology. Now one of my desires is to return to the Arts and paint Olympic works of art and perhaps even design a pin.

I was given several pins then started collecting pins. Never collected seriously, simply added to my collection if a pin was interesting, had a good message or was designed well.

There are many pins out there, even official pins, that didn't catch my eye. But this is an example of one pin in my "preferred box" collection from 2002 that is interesting, well designed and has a message. No doubt most folks who were preparing for the games for so many years were delighted to finally move into the year of the games.

Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 with a photo of a 2002 pin from my collection!

Happy New Year Olympic Pin
Salt Lake, January 1, 2002
It is interesting, well designed and tells a story!

Happy New Year 2018...Long Live The Olympic Games

If you have read some previous posts on this blog, you might know why my enthusiasm for the Olympic Games is...ongoing.

Perhaps because I lived in so many different countries my desire for peace in the world is also...ongoing.

When you love so many countries and their culture, their music, their people...The Olympics, a conduit of Peace in the whole world, sustains your confidence in humanity and for me and many other Olympic friends, quite simply, the Olympic movement gives us a sense of balance.

Tonight, new year celebrations from Sydney's famous bridge, New York's Times Square, Paris's Eiffle Tower to Dubai's Light Show...the world celebrated beautifully. When all the energy comes together at the ceremonies of the Olympic Games, my heart soars!

Long Live the Olympic Games.

Happy New Year.

Announcement Today Firming Up the Future Olympic Cities

Paris will become the Olympic City in 2024. C'est magnifique!!
"Land to build the Olympic Park won't be available later. 2024 or not at all"

Los Angeles will become the Olympic City in 2028. This is magnificent!!
"Stadiums already to go, plenty of time to plan, transportation will be great"

We knew beforehand but today the announcement came from IOC.

It is firm. Alleluia!

Time for me to get creative. Will gather my art supplies! 

Ah, The "Visualness" of our Olympics in Los Angeles

Olympic Games Los Angeles California 1984
Crowd participation and computer graphics in the 80's!
Among my preferred Olympic "Scraps that Tell Stories".

Marion Wimberg, my mom, was part of that audience.
It was one of biggest thrills of her lifetime.

Visual Olympics

Colors beaming freely 

Flags waving wildly

Athletes training seriously

Teams competing proudly

Families cheering fiercely

Smiles reflecting beautifully

Bodies leaping strenuously

Minds focusing intensely

Logos worn conspicuously

Pins trading constantly

Music playing ceremoniously

Countries competing peacefully

Flame shining globally

Spirits mixing universally

      - c wimberg cadora

Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028...Opa!

Will be entering more posts during the month of August but in the meantime...so excited to know that it sounds 'quite clear' that the Olympics will be coming to Los Angeles in 2028! 

Can't help smiling when I think of those 1984 Olympic memories:

Wide open freeways

Taking my son pin trading while carrying my daughter in a baby backpack

Helping MomMom Wimberg experience one of the highlights of her life, The Opening Ceremony

The music and excitement of the Olympic Village at USC

Trips to the venues in Pasadena, UCLA, Mission Viejo, San Diego

The huge inflated six pack where Sam the Eagle and fun pin traders gathered

Opening our home to our out-of-state family

USA Wrestling Team WILL Head for Iran

The ban has been lifted for the USA Wrestling Team and visas will be granted by Iran. At this time, the wrestling team and wrestling delegation will be allowed by the government to head to Kermanshah, Iran to compete in the World Cup. The Freestyle World Cup is scheduled for this month, February 2017. This brings back hope to wrestlers wishing to possibly compete in the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. 

Iran Reacts to Trump's Travel Ban

There were concerns about incoming athletes coming to the USA from the seven banned countries. Now, as it stands, athletes coming to the USA to compete will become an exception to the rule.

However, in the meantime, the government of Iran has issued a statement in retaliation. It will not allow USA athletes to enter Iran. The wrestling athletes were due to depart for Iran next week.

Olympic Movement Builds Bridges Not Walls

The Executive Order/Travel Ban will not affect all athletes coming to USA thanks to the United States Olympic Committee and the World Olympian Association. The USOC and WOA have worked these last few days to help pave a clear path for athletes to enter and compete in the USA even though initially they were banned.

Mayor Garcetti of Los Angeles sounds more committed than ever to host and bring the games back to L.A. The present executive order to ban travel for ninety days he says “unfairly targets refugees”.  No doubt The Refugee Team that competed in Rio de Janeiro, who won the hearts of all, will grow larger.

Once a city becomes an 'Olympic Host City' it morphs into a magical place where the joy of the Opening Ceremony and the spirit of the olympic flame unites the smiles of the world.  A host city becomes a place that brings togetherness peacefully...people from all countries and now

...people without countries. 

The Olympic movement has traditionally built bridges

...not walls.

Travel Ban Hinders Hopes for Los Angeles 2024

PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and...Los Angeles 2024?

No doubt Trump's Travel Ban has caused great concern this week for one of the candidate cities for 2024 Olympics, Los Angeles. The International Olympic Committee does not comment on the politics of sovereign countries, however I believe there is a possibility, because of the travel ban, that LA could possibly be removed from the list of candidates.

I think of Korea in 2018 and am reminded of the "World Harmony" theme of 1988. What fun co-ambassadors will bring to us all in Tokyo 2020 with Anime favorites Naruto, Luffy, Shin Chan, Pretty Cure, Sailor Moon, and Astroboy. No doubt in 2022 Beijing will delight us all with another awesome opening ceremony with a theme similar to 2008, "One World, One Dream". But with a travel ban no dreaming for our Californians am afraid to say, no LA 2024. 

California...beautiful California...where Walt Disney and many others have "opened their golden gates" and helped to make many peaceful happy dreams come true for people all over the world.