The Olympic Memorabilia Mexico '68

The memories of my experiences in Mexico City are priceless.  Actually, the government and the electric company of Mexico flew members of the press to Acapulco after the games were over.  So of course my memories of both cities are pleasant, to say the least.  The most popular type of memorabilia is, no doubt, pins.

During the Mexico games there were no sponsor pins but there were team pins.  Some of olympic team athletes who I dated gave me a few. I brought home a big "P" sign because it stood for PRESS, PRENSA..  Part of my job was to scout and look for those well-designed signs prior to the crew's arrival to the olympic venues so they would save time.  That sign means nothing to most people but I was thrilled to be able to bring that "part of my job"  home.

There was no famous Super Store as there is today at each Olympics.  I did receive a few presents.  Among them was set of drinking glasses with Olympic logo engraving.  The logo is similar to the designs and patterns used in the artwork of the Huichole Indians.  The design was a collaborative project of Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, architect and president of the Organizing Committee, Eduardo Terrazas, and Lance Wyman of USA.

The most interesting item was a gift that I presented to my parents as a wedding anniversary because I knew that my dad enjoyed very unique novelties.  This unique gift came to me in an unusual manner.  During those month is Mexico I visited and had dinner with the family of a famous bishop from Hong Kong.  I attended one of his last Masses in Hong Kong and his family in Mexico wanted me to have something from their home.  They felt a connection to him through me.  I certainly didn't think I should take anything, yet they insisted.  The maids had in the rear of the home some small beetles that were decorated with rhinestones.  A little chain and pin were attached.  I chose a red and green sparkling beetle!  The beetle lived in a small green plastic cage and had a small piece of balsa wood for food.  It made it, after almost freezing near Albaquerque, New Mexico in November.  When I arrived at the New Jersey shore just in time for the anniversary, my dad was thrilled.  He gave it a name, OLEY  took it around South Jersey for almost a year.

I took only a few photos. One of the ones I took at the opening ceremonies I used on one of my Christmas collage post cards. Bud Lamoureax, one of the main cameramen was in one of my few photos.  Also one of the broadcasters or press writers from Tunisia, Mustapha Majoul sent me a few.  No good photos of my boss, Bert Quint, Haywood Hale Broun  or our office on Avenida Reforma.  

One of the basketball players gave me a basketball.  I had it signed every time I went to the athlete's village.  Oh, that village was so much fun.  We could eat there and the meals were, as the Hawaiians say, ono!  Also brought home some of the cards we used to announce the medal recipients for CBS News.  Just small black cards with white letters pasted on them.  OH how things have changed, aye?

New Beginnings 2009

As most blogs expand and evolve, so goes this one.  The month started with MacWorld Show in SanFrancisco where I had the great company of my kids and good fun on the musical double decker bus.  The month was highlighted with the inaugural events in Washington DC. Did have fun thinking about the time I headed for the Inaugeration when I was in my twenties and ended up on the Florida float in the parade.  Ah, the world has changed and because of cell phones, computer networking, local Laguna celebrations AND my excitement, even though I spent the day along the Pacific coast, I felt I was in DC.   My cousin, Chris Wimberg from Cape May, New Jersey, hired a bus, headed for DC with his cell phone of course and became part of history!  It was great fun to make contact with him via cell and text and hear play by play descriptions throughout the grand day of January 20, 2009, (Which happens to be my dad's feast day).  My sister Joan Wimberg Rosati flew from the state of Washington to join Chris.  I started the day very early and made contact with both of them.  Watched the big screen TV at the Ritz Carlton Hotel near our home here during Obama's speech.  (Surf was up at Strands Beach and Creek!)  Then channel switched during part of the day and celebrated with other Obama fans in the evening at Mozambique in Laguna.  I hear such positive comments from many countries.  We have such a great beginning with an intelligent leader for all of us here at home AND for the whole world family.