Olympics

[Guest guest]

I'd been waiting for this too, but I'm having a bit of trouble getting

as involved as I usually do because ... well, because it isn't summer,

actually. (See, you don't need to have OCD to be rigid!)

In the category of Overcoming Obstacles, I'd like to offer up Staci

Stitts, a Berkeley student who graduated from 's high school a

year ago. (Her mother is currently 's chemistry teacher.)

Staci's hair all fell out when she was in 7th grade, from alopecia. She

fiddled with wigs for a while and then said the hell with it and goes

around bald and proud.

Staci qualified for the Olympics in the 100 meter breast stroke, though

I think she may have failed to make the final cut once she got there. In

any event, she marched without a hat in the Opening Ceremonies, and she

is officially one of the best athletes in the world, simply by virtue of

being chosen to attend.

I am much more ambivalent about athletes like the Chinese gymnasts who

were removed from their families almost at birth in order to train.

This seems to me to create obstacles that these kids will never be able

to overcome.

~Taffy in San Diego