September 20, 2000
Olympics
 It was an exceptionally busy weekend for our television-It's Olympics time again!
With a pizza from Magoo's, Kyle and I planted ourselves in front of the TV last Friday night for the opening ceremonies. The rest of the weekend proved a little more challenging, as we couldn't figure out the TV scheduling. We had schedules from the Honolulu Advertiser and Star Bulletin, the regular TV Guide, Sports Illustrated, and the NBC supplement. But the times were all different, very vague, and frustrating.
There were several events we really wanted to watch: 1) Brian Viloria's first boxing match, 2) Heather Bown and Robyn Ah Mow's debut on the women's volleyball team, 3) Kevin Wong's beach volleyball game, 4) Mike Lambert and the U.S. men's volleyball team, and 5) Swimming.
Except for swimming, all the other Olympians we wanted to cheer on had Hawaii ties. It was so cool to watch them, and remember them as a college player at the University of Hawaii, or think about the "big party" their families must be having as they punch, set, and stroke their way to a gold medal.
Luckily, the UH volleyball game (Hawaii vs. UNLV) on Saturday night ended quickly, and we were home to watch former Rainbows Bown and Ah Mow win over China. That was probably the most exciting event all weekend.
 Swimming was great, too. I had read about Australia's Ian Thorpe in Kyle's Sports Illustrated, and was so excited to see him win. It was also fun watching Dara Torres, Megan Quann, Jenny Thompson, and all the other swimmers. Who knew swimming could be so exciting?
It's amazing how exciting otherwise "boring" sports can be when it's the Olympics. Usually, I'd never watch boxing or swimming. Maybe it's like the "Tiger Woods effect'-someone has to make the sport interesting. The media helps, too. I remember going to the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, and watching speed skating at the M-Wave. Even though Bonnie Blair wasn't there, it was definitely a fun day.
Thankfully, we watched everything we wanted to this weekend. It would have been such a bummer if we missed any of them.
Susan Sensei's English Lesson #47（スーザン先生の英語講座 その47）
For two years I taught English in Japan, and was "スーザン先生" to my students in Ikaho town, Gunma Prefecture. I will try and introduce new words and phrases for the Japanese visitor to Hawaii. Here is this week's situation:
【今週のレッスン】
ハワイでローカルの有名人にばったり出会いました。サインしてもらいたいのですが、どうお願いすればいいでしょう?
「サインしてもらえますか?」
"May I have your autograph, please？"
「サイン」と言ってもアメリカでは通じません。英語ではautographと言います。
それでは、同じパターンでもう一つ。ハワイでお友達になった人と一緒に写真を撮りました。後で写真を送ってあげたい時にはこう聞いてみましょう。
「写真を送りたいのですが、住所を教えてもらえますか?」
"I'd like to send these pictures to you. May I have your address?"
Have a nice trip！
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Loco Girl's Profile（ロコ・ガールのプロフィール）
Born in Hilo, I grew up going fishing with Dad, shopping with Mom, and trying to be a good "big sister" to a younger sister and brother. A Waiakea High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa alumni, I taught English in Japan for two years on the JET Program, and am now employed at PacRim Marketing Group, Inc. I love doing a lot of things-shopping, reading, lettering, making jewelry & crafts, watching Friends-and that's just the start of my list! I like being busy, and am active with the JET Alumni Association (JETAA) and the Honolulu Junior Japanese Chamber of Commerce (HJJCC.) My family and friends are, of course, very important to me, and are why I live a very typical, happy, local-style life in Hawaii and will never leave!
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