my blog?

I wasn't sure what I wanted this blog to be about. I friend all different kinds of people - friends from school, gymnast enthusiasts, fashion enthusiasts, and just people opinions i like to read. This blog was solely about gymnastics for all of oh 5/6 of the 11 posts. I was worried what people would think of me any my blog. As a swimmer, why do I love gymnastics so much? If I like fashion so much, why do I dress so normally? All these questions, I couldn't answer and it made me kind of ashamed of myself. That's why I don't advertise my blog. It's not on my facebook or anything. I haven't actually commented any of my friends although I'm subscribed to them and I guess it's worked. I've had so few visits and no followers. This isn't one of those "I need more comments" it's a "WTF do I want my blog to be?"

I've thought about this all day as I popped from gymnastics blog to fashion blog to med student blog. Everything written is important to that person. Why am I so ashamed to write what's important to me? Why care so much about other's opinions? I'm me and although I don't quite know who me is, I shouldn't hide her.

With that, today I continue my post on the Olympics. It's actually funny because I realize how swayed I am by the commentators! I was watching Mattie Larson and there was footage that said she would be the next big thing. This was it and I oohed and ahhed. She's good but I don't know why I was so in love with her, to be honest. She would be on my 2012 list but I think she needs to be more interesting.



I looked her up and she is back in the gym after an injury, ankle I believe. She competed at that USA-GER (I think it's a tri meet). This is her all around.



Watch at least her vault and bars. She's like a mini Alicia Sacramone. I'm gonna be honest and say that the reason that I might have liked her more than I intended to is because she might be part black. As a swimmer, I was always the only black swimmer on my team, except for my high school team at Tech. It didn't bother me in the sense that it made me want to quit but it was frustrating. The girls touching my hair, asking me why it was different, and just not having anyone who understood me. Jenny Thompson was my role model but I remember Sabir Muhammad trying a million times to make it. I remember Anthony Ervin tying for a freakin' gold medal and not really embracing/acknowledging the fact that he could be the inspiration for people that were like him, or half like him. Then, Cullen Jones made it and you can't get much darker than that. He was on that epic 4x100 free relay. He's made a movement in the black community encouraging Black kids to at least learn how to swim since he almost drowned when he was longer. Basically, I say all this because it's hard to get into a sport where you're part of a team but still alone. It doesn't have to bother you but I think everyone at least notices it. No matter how color blind you are, you know when someone doesn't look like you. And as you get to better and better swim meets, as you get to a more elite gymnastics style, the chances of you finding another African American get slimmer and slimmer. It's nice to have role models.

I remember watching this and jumping up and down cheering. I almost had a heart attack it was so close. Cullen was the slowest leg but I think he was always the slowest. Hey, 4 people, 1 of you has to be the slowest, right?



So, after yesterday's post, I also looked more at Ivana Hong and I don't think I like her that much either haha. All my favorites are leaving me! I think WOGA was good/will be good for her but I think they need other coaches other than just Valeri. He's coached 1 girl for the past how many years? [I think he only coached Nastia]. He's a great coach but I don't know where his originality is. Their beam routines are all very similar as are their bars now. I like Ivana's old bars where she had that funky shoulder thing. German giants. It's weird if you look at that video and another from 09. Her Tkatchev's have gotten lower. You'd think you'd get stronger. Yes, you weigh more, but you took out the german giants before hand, so no excuse. tsk tsk ivana.



K. I think I'm all blogged out now :)

Who for 2012?

I'm writing this on my itouch so bear with me with the spelling errors.

After reading different ogs, I've decided to look up WTF an elite qualifier is. Basically, different meets give you the chance to qualify for elite. If youget a certain score, you can go to the USclassic which is the last opportunity toqualify for nationals. Or, like Vanessa Zamsomething, a high enough score can land you straight to US Nats. Once on that team, you cancompete for spots on the US international squad for things like worlds and the Olympic. I skipped a step with international elite but life goes on. Alicia will
be at the classic :)

I was wondering who would make the 2012 squad. A lot of people speak highly of Rebecca Bross but I don't like her. I think she's too much of an in-between. She's not super flexible and she's not so powerful that I ooh and aahh at every tumble. I hope Bridget Sloan can stay relatively injury free to make it to 2012. She's not my favorite but I don't mind her representing my country at all. She did a damn good job in 08 when the team was falling apart. She could've crashed and burned on her 1 event but she didn't. She's a very solid competitor to me. Next is the darling Ivana hong whom I hope can recover soon! She truly deserves a spot that she arguably shouldve had in 08 when the team broke. Most of her awards are on beam but I personally love her bars routine. Aly raisman is meh. I like her over bross and as long as she doesn't crack like Alicia in 04, she should be ok. I like the juniors more. I tend not to like the ones in the spotlight re: Jordyn Wieber. She's cuter, and better IMO, then Shawn as far as being america's commentators favorites. Maybe vega and Ross or one of the other yet to be noticed juniors will steal the spotlight.