September 4, 2024 • 38 mins
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have not only showcased extraordinary athletic prowess but also highlighted remarkable stories of perseverance, a sense of humility in the face of adversity, and the spirit of competition. These elements intertwine to form the essence of the Olympic Games, and this year’s event has been no exception.. Muge and I touch on several stories that are sources of inspiration. If you've caught the Olympic Fever and want to do more than just spectate, here are some ideas to engage more actively.
- Decorate your face - use your country's color in glitter and face paint. Who doesn't like Mom or Dad cooking dinner in a more patriotic way.
- Host your own games or try one of the Olympic events at home.
- Host an international potluck to celebrate the diversity and culture of the many Olympians.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
(00:28):
This one is entitled Perseverance, Humility, and Competition, Lessons from the 2024 Summer Olympics.
So, wow, while we've been watching before we dive into our topic, how about some reflections
from last week?
I'm here with my favorite, fantabulous co-host, Muge Wood.
(00:51):
Muge, how was your week?
Week has been good.
Actually, I have been very inspired with the Olympics.
So I am looking forward to this episode.
In the meantime, I've got my own, you know, achievement plans in motion.
So they include things like finalizing my plans to attend US Open at the end of the month,
(01:11):
which will be my first time as a very engaged fan at US Open.
So I am looking forward to that.
And also just staying in the game of tennis.
For me, it requires a lot of mental engagement because I improve very slowly and it can be
frustrating at times.
So I appreciate the encouragement from my tennis coach, from my friends.
(01:36):
And one thing that stays with me that my coach says often is focus on your good shots.
Instead of dwelling on what you missed, focus on what you made.
So I am keeping my head space in that lane.
So my goal is to stay in the game and watch the game.
And Olympics certainly has been helping me.
(01:58):
Focus on the good shots.
I love that.
Yeah, it just, it is that motivation when you see something and you're like, that was
perfectly played.
I can do this.
This game is not beyond me.
That's exactly right.
I just need to do more of that.
Yes.
Yes, that's right.
We have a tennis team and our clinics are Wednesdays.
(02:19):
And this past Wednesday, we showed up, all of us, and we're trying to play earlier in
the morning, which really isn't good for our tennis game.
We're trying to beat the heat here in the DC area.
And we show up in, this last week it was eight and people just aren't awake.
Like this is very much a nine o'clock, even 9.30 crowd.
(02:40):
Anyway, we get on there, we're playing around and everyone's moving a little bit slow.
And I would told my one girlfriend, I said, I would love to mic our coach and just, you
know, like the NFL dust, where you hear those things under his breath, like, oh, there she
goes, lead legs, lead legs.
Okay, head to the ball.
(03:02):
Well, that does help.
I sometimes get that whisper for myself.
And when the coach is behind me, he's like, you know, Miguel, you have to move with the
ball.
And you cannot wait for this ball to come to you.
So you can't be like cemented in your position.
You got to move with it.
I am like, oh, do I?
(03:23):
Or do I just let it go?
Well, you're going to enjoy.
I'm sure you're going to pick up a lot of new tips when you go to the US Open.
I took in the city open, which is a local tournament here in DC.
And it was super, super fun.
I was able to see Ariana Sablanca play, Victoria Azarenca, you know, both, you know, very high
(03:48):
ranked players.
And then we were able to see in the evening, Francis Tiafo take on Rubelev.
And Francis Tiafo is a hometown favorite here in Maryland.
In fact, like his story is pretty cool.
His father worked in the school system.
I believe he was a janitor and, you know, Francis was always hanging around as a kid
(04:12):
and someone invited him, hey, take some lessons.
And from there he got the bug and just, you know, showed great promise and became this
amazing, amazing, amazing player.
So everyone was on their feet when he, you know, started to beat Rubelev.
And it was just a really, really fun, fun match.
So I hope you get some good ones when you are there in New York.
(04:35):
That's going to be a fantastic experience.
I'm sure.
I hope so too.
And also I'm thinking of the merchandise I may be shopping for.
So that will also be good memory of the experience hopefully.
And Tiafo is amazing.
I got to watch him at the Claycourt Men's Championship in Houston at River Oaks.
(04:58):
And I mean, everything about him is so inspiring.
It looks like you had some big names there, see the battle.
Awesome.
Yeah, yeah.
It was a lot of fun, a lot of fun.
So on to our topic, we've got lots to talk about.
We're going to talk about the Summer Olympics.
(05:19):
I'm just amazed by the life lessons as you take in the stories of the athletes, the stories
of the family, see them in action, how they handle both winning and defeat with grace.
So, let's talk first about gymnastics.
Gymnastics has been amazing for the US team.
(05:42):
The Italians have been really performing really well on gymnastics.
And I don't know, like when you think about gymnastics, were you ever involved in that
as a kid or when's the last time you did a cartwheel?
Okay.
Well, I think if our podcast were visual, probably our listeners could see my face and
(06:02):
rolling my eyes on the improbability of me doing a cartwheel.
So unfortunately, I was not very athletically gifted.
So a cartwheel was never in my future, even when I was young.
So, but the idea of being able to do a cartwheel is just incredible.
So I always say being fascinated by gymnastics and ice skating.
(06:28):
So I have to wait for ice skating for Winter Olympics.
But just the twirl spin turn, just looking at it, I'm like, how are you not getting
dizzy alone doing this on the floor, much less on a vault, on the beam, the uneven bars?
It is incredible.
And of course, the big one that we all have been waiting for and hoping for positive outcome
(06:53):
was return of Simone Biles and Team USA.
And that was just remarkably inspiring.
What did you think, Kristine?
Incredible, incredible.
And then when you look back at, you know, her story and all the greatness that she's
put into the sport, in fact, I mean, the level of difficulty scores were changed as a result
(07:16):
of what she's brought to the events.
And of course, we all know that how she overcame what they call the twisties when her mind
was a bit separated from what her body could do.
And in a sport like gymnastics, I mean, that could mean, you know, very serious injury,
even death.
And the fact that she came back is just a wonderful story of mental toughness, also
(07:44):
taking care of herself, taking herself out of that particular competition when she wasn't
100%.
And now coming back in bigger, better, like huge triumph, it's been amazing to watch.
It really has been amazing.
And there are just so many things that I'm grateful for her.
(08:04):
And you know, the whole twisties, we were, I know this is not funny, we're like, maybe
I have tennis twisties, like I am separated from my racket and tracking the ball.
So I may have twisties of my own kind.
But when you look at the mobiles, I mean, she is 27 years old, which is not exactly
super young for the sport of gymnastics.
(08:25):
And what I love the most about her, in addition to just incredible athleticism that she brings
is her focus on mental health and how she has been very transparent about that.
She's been very open about how she has benefited from therapy.
We saw her integrating some of those practices on the sidelines before a routine.
(08:49):
She's meditating, she's doing some breath work.
And being able to take that, not only to revamp how she showed up and manage her outlook,
stress levels, but she also has become a role model for the team as well as everybody aspiring
to perform at that level of athleticism.
(09:11):
So I mean, it's just such a remarkable story.
I think we all wanted her to get this level of achievement.
I still cannot process how you come back and how you handle that level of pressure, but
at the same time being so graceful and almost casual about it and having fun going for those
(09:35):
next levels of achievement.
But I think first and foremost, her transparency, tender on the importance of mental health,
I think has been absolutely remarkable.
Yeah, there's a good Netflix documentary too.
I think it's just two episodes on her and where she came from and her situation with
(09:56):
how she was raised was pretty interesting and challenging.
Her mom was a drug addict, had four children, two, they were separated in foster care.
Her grandparents were able to, her grandfather was able to adopt her, remarried, and just,
wow, I mean, just amazing, amazing story that so many could get hope from, right?
(10:22):
I mean, not everything is perfect.
Not everything is, hey, you know, everything handed to you.
This really worked hard and the family's worked hard to get her where she is.
Yes, the whole family, I think 14 or 17 people from her family showed up to support her on
this very monumental event.
(10:45):
And I keep coming back to, I think, her giving spirit and generosity as well.
So she is from Spring, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston.
So she was born and raised in Houston.
She continues to live here with her husband and she has her own gym.
And this gym, obviously, is a magnet for all aspiring gymnasts, as we can imagine.
(11:10):
But there is also the story of Jordan Childs on the team USA, who some people have written
off as a promising gymnast during her career.
And Simone Biles apparently reached out to her and invited her to come and practice at
her gym here in Houston.
(11:31):
So Jordan Childs, as we have seen in the games, really blossomed with that type of confidence
and opportunity given to her.
And she won a medal recently, I think, on the vault in addition to contributing to the
achievements of team USA.
So I think that there's a lot there, not only for Simone's athleticism, but her character,
(11:53):
her giving nature, generosity, rising above circumstances, not only to help herself, but
everyone around her.
So it is pretty remarkable.
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
And talk about rising above.
How about the height she gets?
So there was this graphic and I pulled it because it was just so amazing.
(12:14):
So she's four foot eight.
And they compared the height that she gets to in those jumps to stacking nine boxes
of Wheaties at nine feet, 10 inches, well above Shaq, who's 7.1 and above the basket
where you could dunk.
(12:34):
So she could literally dunk as a 4.8 person.
It's just amazing watching her.
It's just like, I don't know that we'll ever see another person like her.
Right.
Right.
Well, she did accomplish several moves that nobody achieved and may not achieve again.
And I think she even patented some of these moves to be attributed to her.
(13:01):
So the height she achieves is incredible.
But then being able to do those rotations, flips and lending solid is incredible.
And also that makes me think she's obviously gifted and that gift is complimented by immense
(13:24):
discipline, motivation and mental space to optimize and get the most out of it.
But at the same time, like how do you know at such a young age what your gift is?
And be able to have that blossom?
I think that is probably an opportunity, but also recognition people need to be on the
(13:48):
lookout for.
Because how do you know?
How do you know you're gifted for swimming, for tennis, for any other sport at a young
age so you can work on it?
So that also fascinates me.
Recognizing that and finding the environment to blossom with all that.
Yeah, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
(14:09):
So now we have another story, experience over youth.
Joke of it over Alcares.
We're back to a little bit of tennis.
And wow, I mean, if you look at what happened in Wimbledon, it was quite a grind.
And Joke of it coming back with a bad knee gets all the way to the semifinals loses to
(14:29):
Alcares, who is so fun to watch.
And then we get to the Olympics.
The first opportunity for the coverage to win gold.
Mm hmm.
Mm hmm.
The Olympics.
I mean, I think the two of them, the coverage and Alcares, they are like target woods for
golf.
They make the game super exciting.
(14:50):
It is most anticipated and how they get to the ball and the stamina over hours and hours
of back and forth.
But when we look at the coverage and Alcares, I mean, I love them both and probably most
people do the coverage.
I think he is 37 years old.
It's it is older age for tennis at that level, at that level.
(15:14):
But yet he's in the game and he doesn't have to.
He achieved a lot, many, many stats, but he's staying in the game and and how he shows the
discipline to train and put his body through all that.
And and win is incredible.
And then Alcares, 21 years old, very young.
(15:36):
And he the grace he shows on their pressure and the athleticism.
It is just so fun to watch and to know that he has hopefully many years ahead of him to
delight all of us with his game.
But you know, it's interesting because when the two play, you just don't know, right,
which way it's going to go.
(15:57):
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
And if you look at the stats, they're pretty close.
So the score, the final scores were, excuse me, six, three, six, seven and six, four.
And then if you look at the key stats, first serve percentage, Djokovic, 68%, Alcares,
34%, winning shots, pure winners, Djokovic, 34, Alcares, 32, and then unforced errors,
(16:24):
Djokovic, 28 and Alcares, 30.
So just by, you know, a couple of shots on each side.
But yeah, all those things come to contribute to a close, close score and also, you know,
an ultimate victory by Djokovic, which is interesting.
I do like one of his stats that he's been showing or not a stats, but more, more a quote
(16:52):
that he said right after, right after this.
And he says, be in the present, forget about the past.
Future is going to happen.
If you want a better future, you create it.
Take the means into your hands.
And you know, he says that as a seven year old, he was dreaming of winning Wimbledon
and always visualizing that, putting the work in and so he's won Wimbledon a few times.
(17:16):
And then this, as you mentioned, first Olympic gold, it's pretty amazing.
What is, I think the power of visualization is incredible.
Another one I'll call out is the doubles, Alcares and Nadal plate.
I saw that.
Nadal carous, right?
So I mean, that is a very poignant moment, especially for Alcares, I think, because they
(17:40):
show pictures of when he was a young boy and there are pictures of him next to Nadal, where
he's aspiring to be like him.
So for them to play doubles as many times as they did is also pretty monumental.
So, you know, thinking possibilities for yourself, even beyond the reach of anything that has
(18:04):
ever happened before is really uplifting.
Agree.
Agree.
Then we get to our next topic, humility and action.
So I have pulled Katie Ledecky and Katie Ledecky is one of our hometown favorites.
She's from Maryland.
We raise a lot of amazing swimmers in this area.
We own.
So what is with that?
(18:25):
We have something special going on.
Something's in the water, baby.
Something big and impressive is in the water.
I like that.
I read a recent statistics about kind of your neighborhood that says the fittest city in
United States.
And I'm thinking California, Seattle, Portland, you know, places, beautiful outdoors.
(18:47):
It says Arlington, Virginia.
That's where people exercise and they are out there.
I'm like, well, that's impressive.
I wouldn't have expected that.
Oh, yeah.
So there you go.
We have miles and miles of bike lanes and towpaths all around the monuments and people
are always out running, biking.
(19:09):
Yeah.
And Arlington is a very young city too.
So I think, you know, there's a lot of young people flexing and enjoying the outdoors.
So something is in the water and on the trail.
So let's hear about Lydia.
So you know, she has now become the most winning female athlete of all Olympic sports, let
(19:35):
alone swimming.
And what strikes me about her is her humility.
When she's interviewed by the press, you know, they'll tell her like, oh, well, you know,
you've broken another record.
She just looks at him like, oh, okay, you know, she's really thinking about her sport,
her game, how she's breathing.
And she says that she says, you know, the press has a better idea of where I am in all
(20:00):
these stats than I do.
I'm really focused on the game, focus on my sport of swimming.
And she also has, you know, some grace in the way that she handled winning.
One of her biggest rivals and someone she's always close to in terms of competition is
(20:20):
a swimmer, a Titmuss.
And when the journalist asked her after the interview when she beats this woman, she says,
well, you know, how was this rivalry?
And, you know, what kind of spurred you on to succeed over her?
And she said, well, really, it's a friendship.
(20:41):
And what I said to her after the race was, thank you for making me better.
We bring the best out in each other, which is just, you know, wow, amazing.
What a wonderful thing to say.
And you could tell that there's a lot of warmth between those two in respect for what they
bring to the sport.
I think that's remarkable because it also exemplifies what Olympics and sports are supposed to be
(21:09):
about, right?
I think about sportsman-like conduct that is obviously observing the rules and being
courteous, etc., but her showing as far beyond that and being able to respect, admire and
learn from your opponent and acknowledging that publicly.
Amazing.
So I think in a lot of these stories we are talking about, it is the athletic prowess,
(21:32):
but it's also character that helps these individuals shine not only as athletes, but
as leaders in their communities at the world stage and inspire us all.
I think the importance of character, integrity comes into play as well.
It's more than just a number of serve shots, distances you swim.
(21:54):
It's the whole package of what makes a human incredible.
That's right.
That's right.
And that's a great observation.
And just think of the pressure at that level.
And they're still coming forward as just tremendous people, tremendous human beings.
So here are three quick stories.
(22:15):
We're going to touch on, I was really taken with Yaroslava Mahučić, who is a high jumper.
And she recently took the gold and then just again looking at her story.
(22:35):
So out of the Ukraine in March 2022, I mean, she's fleeing the invasion to go compete.
So she had a three day tour, getting around a war that's breaking out, gets to Belgrade
and then has to have the semblance of mind and spirit to compete where she did win.
(23:03):
And then coming back to the Olympics here, again, just showing her spirit, talking about
how important this is for her country.
And again, putting herself in a very different place.
For her, it was about, I want to show the Ukrainian spirit, I want to show my people
(23:26):
back home that we're proud people and I'm doing this for them.
And she just stole my heart.
So I wanted to mention her.
That's amazing.
And I think, again, when we think about Olympics, they are about uniting people.
(23:48):
And it is incredibly difficult with all the divisions, turmoil, conflict that's going
on around us to be unified.
So it is great to see that perseverance and rising above circumstances.
When I was watching the opening ceremonies and I took the entire three hours and watched
the whole thing, I just love how they are coming down the Sand River with their own
(24:11):
flags.
And we saw some of the stories and countries represented the refugee team, Ukraine team,
and just to think what it takes for these individuals to show up and also be able to
compete at that level.
It is beyond human ability, almost, I think.
(24:36):
Yeah, yeah.
It's amazing.
And speaking of showing up, now, this is not from this year, but this was pulled from,
I think it's from the 2000 Olympics.
But I just learned about the story and I just couldn't believe it.
Apparently, in the Olympic Games, they will do a wildcard draw to encourage participation
(25:03):
by developing countries.
Trying to try and even the playing field a little bit and did this for a swimming event.
And the wildcard that they pulled was from Equatorial Guinea.
And the gentleman who was pulled to swim, his name is Eric Musambani, had never swum
(25:33):
before.
I don't know how this country chose him, but this poor guy had never swam, didn't know
how to swim.
So he gets this great opportunity to represent his country.
He learns in six months how to swim.
And I guess the circumstances of how he learned were pretty crazy, too.
(25:53):
He can only swim certain hours in a certain place and it was only a 25-meter pool.
He did not have any of the advantages that a lot of other athletes would.
And he gets to the event where now it's the qualifier and he has four other competitors.
(26:17):
Do they do a starting gun or what do they do?
Do they whistle or something to let the people start?
Yes, something to give the start, but I don't know where that comes from.
But yes, there's a calm-based trigger.
So the starting, I guess, they all assemble and all of the other competitors do a false
start, which disqualifies them.
(26:40):
So then Eric gets to swim the big length of the pool.
He comes in with the slowest time ever, but he completed it and showed up.
And I just love the story for so many reasons.
I love it that he learned how to swim.
There's so much excitement.
(27:00):
It just was kind of meant to be.
He was tapped almost like he got the golden ticket or something, like a Willy Wonka kind
of moment, and then he wins.
Wow.
See, I think there's so much packed into that story, right?
It's beating the odds and it warms your heart.
We don't wish ill on anybody, but it's almost like so glad this happened to him.
(27:26):
And beating the odds and the hope and not giving up and showing up.
I do believe much of life is about showing up.
You've got to show up to win.
You've got to show up to have a chance to participate.
So what a remarkable story.
And it's absolutely heartwarming.
(27:46):
So as our time winds down, I will call out one more that I am very drawn to because this
one is from Turkey.
So this story that created a lot of viral effect and memes is the story of the shooter
from Turkey, 51 years old, the use of the catch.
(28:08):
He won the silver medal for shooting.
And what made it special in addition to his medal is how casual he appeared in all of
this.
Apparently people show up with special clothing, focus sharpening visors, certain headsets.
(28:28):
So you are kind of all decked out in gear for this event.
So he shows up in jeans and a t-shirt.
And he's barely wearing earplugs like the ones they give you on the plane, nothing
too special.
And he aces it.
And one hand is in his pocket.
And with the other hand, he's shooting.
(28:49):
And people are like, how is this possible?
Like his opponents are holding the special gear and they interview him.
And he says, I really don't need all that gear.
It's actually a distraction.
And I keep my hand in my pocket because it helps me with my posture and equilibrium.
And I'm a natural shooter.
I just do it.
(29:10):
And on top of that, he also likes cats.
So I mean, this guy has become an internet sensation because of how casually he approached
it.
Now, he didn't just show up at this Olympics to compete.
Apparently he's been competing since 2008 in Summer Olympics.
And he has his track record of winning.
(29:32):
He's a retired cop from the Turkish police force.
But the story of how casually he showed up and made it look effortless was the big story.
And I love that story.
And after he returned to Turkey to much fanfare, he's like, yeah, it's just not that big a
(29:54):
deal.
I mean, that's my passion.
That's my hobby.
That's what I do.
And off to the next thing.
So I think something to be said about maybe approaching it with a degree of casual approach
instead of putting so much pressure and must win attitude and stress.
(30:20):
I think for any situation, we feel that when we make it so high stakes and put the pressure,
we can take away from the joy and performance abilities as well.
I wonder too if this is another example of just age and experience because he's 51 years
old.
Yes, yes, 51 years old.
(30:41):
And yes.
Yeah.
So he's seen a lot of, I mean, seen enough life to be very confident and just thoughtful
in his approach.
And apparently like we can all learn from just putting your hand in your pocket and
yes, I do.
Yeah, I'm not a shooting person.
But if I ever take that up, I will remember that tip.
(31:04):
Yes.
The hand in the pocket apparently helps you with your balance of name.
So Christine, I mean, there's just so much ground to cover.
I love this period, especially as we approach college football, we need inspiration.
So we have been getting this in abundance.
So what are your thoughts on how we can incorporate our Olympics mindset into our lives beyond
(31:25):
the Olympics?
What are you thinking?
Yeah, well, I think there's a couple of things, you know, obviously to root on your team,
you can have even more fun if you decorate your face, wear your colors at home, you
know, especially if the decoration may include some glitter.
Yes, yes, that would be awesome.
(31:45):
The other thing I think would be fun and I'm starting to see people do this on Instagram,
host your own games or take a sport and try it.
And we're actually doing this here in Potomac, Maryland.
I ordered both a men and women's shot put.
(32:07):
And we're going to try it in our backyard.
I have the woman's which is 8.88 pounds and I'm waiting for the men's which is 16 pounds,
which should come today.
And we're going to line, we're going to do some spray painting on the lawn in the back,
you know, 20 feet, 22 feet, maybe 10 feet, because I don't know how far we're actually
(32:30):
going to do this.
And I promised my neighbor that I would do it in not in her direction, but in the other
in the other neighbor's direction, just in case it gets something like this, creative
and fun.
That's why I thought I asked you.
I cannot wait to hear how this goes, maybe a little documentation.
And we may have to come experience that.
(32:52):
And I mean, a full things, how did you come up with this?
My son and I were watching it and I was like, I think that'd be fun.
You see how they put the shot put next to their face, they do three spins and then they
throw it.
I think anybody could do that.
At least try it.
It looks that way, right?
Until we try it.
(33:12):
Although then I've got like three broken windows.
My my thing is just don't hit yourself with that.
But make sure that thing doesn't come hurling back at you.
I don't think you can.
I don't.
Yeah, actually, I don't know.
Maybe I should look look that up best way not to.
I recommend the helmet for the first one.
(33:36):
For the first attempt, just to be on the same slide.
I don't want to lose my cohost to shot put.
That's right.
Okay, well, I'll keep you posted.
I'll report on that in our next one.
I'm sure we're going to do it by this weekend because my son's got to go back to school.
And this is this is a really important thing for us to do together.
The other thing, break dancing.
(33:57):
So we haven't seen a lot of break dancing yet in the Olympics and that's supposed to
start this weekend.
I think it's really easy to throw a piece of cardboard down on the ground and try and
do some of those moves.
You know.
Yeah, well, yes, I think head above the legs would be important and that yes, that would
(34:18):
be inspiring.
I'm looking forward to that.
Yes.
Yes.
So we'll, you know, keep our eyes on that.
And then I think a sport that we probably don't play enough is badminton.
Right.
And did you see Snoop Dogg?
He did some with commentating on badminton, which was hilarious.
He was like throwing it back and forth.
(34:42):
He's got that.
No, I got this.
You want this?
I got this.
I haven't even caught that, but I've caught other memorable Snoop moments, including the
one he was twinning with Martha Stewart on the stands watching the Equestrian event.
It is it has been fun to watch.
(35:02):
Yes.
Oh yeah.
He's had the time of his life for sure.
And then the last one, hey, have an international potluck, bring food from around the world,
celebrate all of our differences and enjoy some of the traditional cuisine around the
world.
That's always a fun, fun thing to do.
So those are my tips and keep watching the Olympics.
(35:23):
We have, I think, what, four more days.
That is, that is awesome.
I love them all.
I think anytime food is infused into the activity, it makes it better.
I'm thinking of my own sort of non-Olympics activities.
They are not exactly Olympics caliber, but we finally will want to try our glow in the
(35:44):
dark, bachi, bowl set that we got for Christmas some time ago.
So we just want to see how this works at night.
The promise is so fun.
The promise is that you can see these things.
And then like your son, Christine, my son is going back to college for a senior year
as well.
Before he goes, we will have a little fierce and friendly potluck tournament at Houston
(36:09):
downtown in an air conditioned space, which is very essential for living conditions in
Houston.
And eventually, maybe we get a little sand volleyball as well at the courts near us.
So we got a mix.
We got a mix coming up.
I'm looking forward to it.
That is fun.
We actually had a family potluck game this summer.
(36:31):
And I will tell you, as I got through maybe half of the game, I was well behind.
So my fun was sabotaging everyone else.
I would just hit their balls.
And I would decide, no, no, my husband's not going to win.
I'm going to let my kids win.
Well, all of a sudden, especially when I volunteer to keep the score, the scorekeeping may go
(36:54):
astray and a little less detached from reality.
And the other thing I do is I blame it on the course.
So I'm like, you are just getting lucky on this course.
Let's try another one.
And I may shine in this one.
And that really doesn't happen, but it makes me feel better to think that it's less about
them or about the course.
(37:16):
Yes, yes.
Good.
It's all good fun.
All good fun.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, I so enjoyed spending time with you as always.
And for our listeners, always, if you have a moment, post a review, subscribe and follow,
(37:36):
and share our podcast with a friend who might enjoy it.
And with that, we'll sign off.
Until the next time.
All right.
See you.
Thank you for listening.
Your hope is to spark a little joy, inspire and educate our listeners in ways to live
(37:56):
an even more meaningful life.
If you have reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
to leave a voice message.
You may even be featured in a future episode.
To keep in touch, subscribe to our podcast, Refirement Life, using the podcast player
of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
(38:21):
Thanks again for joining us on this episode.
Until next time.
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
(00:28):
This one is entitled Perseverance, Humility, and Competition, Lessons from the 2024 Summer Olympics.
So, wow, while we've been watching before we dive into our topic, how about some reflections
from last week?
I'm here with my favorite, fantabulous co-host, Muge Wood.
(00:51):
Muge, how was your week?
Week has been good.
Actually, I have been very inspired with the Olympics.
So I am looking forward to this episode.
In the meantime, I've got my own, you know, achievement plans in motion.
So they include things like finalizing my plans to attend US Open at the end of the month,
(01:11):
which will be my first time as a very engaged fan at US Open.
So I am looking forward to that.
And also just staying in the game of tennis.
For me, it requires a lot of mental engagement because I improve very slowly and it can be
frustrating at times.
So I appreciate the encouragement from my tennis coach, from my friends.
(01:36):
And one thing that stays with me that my coach says often is focus on your good shots.
Instead of dwelling on what you missed, focus on what you made.
So I am keeping my head space in that lane.
So my goal is to stay in the game and watch the game.
And Olympics certainly has been helping me.
(01:58):
Focus on the good shots.
I love that.
Yeah, it just, it is that motivation when you see something and you're like, that was
perfectly played.
I can do this.
This game is not beyond me.
That's exactly right.
I just need to do more of that.
Yes.
Yes, that's right.
We have a tennis team and our clinics are Wednesdays.
(02:19):
And this past Wednesday, we showed up, all of us, and we're trying to play earlier in
the morning, which really isn't good for our tennis game.
We're trying to beat the heat here in the DC area.
And we show up in, this last week it was eight and people just aren't awake.
Like this is very much a nine o'clock, even 9.30 crowd.
(02:40):
Anyway, we get on there, we're playing around and everyone's moving a little bit slow.
And I would told my one girlfriend, I said, I would love to mic our coach and just, you
know, like the NFL dust, where you hear those things under his breath, like, oh, there she
goes, lead legs, lead legs.
Okay, head to the ball.
(03:02):
Well, that does help.
I sometimes get that whisper for myself.
And when the coach is behind me, he's like, you know, Miguel, you have to move with the
ball.
And you cannot wait for this ball to come to you.
So you can't be like cemented in your position.
You got to move with it.
I am like, oh, do I?
(03:23):
Or do I just let it go?
Well, you're going to enjoy.
I'm sure you're going to pick up a lot of new tips when you go to the US Open.
I took in the city open, which is a local tournament here in DC.
And it was super, super fun.
I was able to see Ariana Sablanca play, Victoria Azarenca, you know, both, you know, very high
(03:48):
ranked players.
And then we were able to see in the evening, Francis Tiafo take on Rubelev.
And Francis Tiafo is a hometown favorite here in Maryland.
In fact, like his story is pretty cool.
His father worked in the school system.
I believe he was a janitor and, you know, Francis was always hanging around as a kid
(04:12):
and someone invited him, hey, take some lessons.
And from there he got the bug and just, you know, showed great promise and became this
amazing, amazing, amazing player.
So everyone was on their feet when he, you know, started to beat Rubelev.
And it was just a really, really fun, fun match.
So I hope you get some good ones when you are there in New York.
(04:35):
That's going to be a fantastic experience.
I'm sure.
I hope so too.
And also I'm thinking of the merchandise I may be shopping for.
So that will also be good memory of the experience hopefully.
And Tiafo is amazing.
I got to watch him at the Claycourt Men's Championship in Houston at River Oaks.
(04:58):
And I mean, everything about him is so inspiring.
It looks like you had some big names there, see the battle.
Awesome.
Yeah, yeah.
It was a lot of fun, a lot of fun.
So on to our topic, we've got lots to talk about.
We're going to talk about the Summer Olympics.
(05:19):
I'm just amazed by the life lessons as you take in the stories of the athletes, the stories
of the family, see them in action, how they handle both winning and defeat with grace.
So, let's talk first about gymnastics.
Gymnastics has been amazing for the US team.
(05:42):
The Italians have been really performing really well on gymnastics.
And I don't know, like when you think about gymnastics, were you ever involved in that
as a kid or when's the last time you did a cartwheel?
Okay.
Well, I think if our podcast were visual, probably our listeners could see my face and
(06:02):
rolling my eyes on the improbability of me doing a cartwheel.
So unfortunately, I was not very athletically gifted.
So a cartwheel was never in my future, even when I was young.
So, but the idea of being able to do a cartwheel is just incredible.
So I always say being fascinated by gymnastics and ice skating.
(06:28):
So I have to wait for ice skating for Winter Olympics.
But just the twirl spin turn, just looking at it, I'm like, how are you not getting
dizzy alone doing this on the floor, much less on a vault, on the beam, the uneven bars?
It is incredible.
And of course, the big one that we all have been waiting for and hoping for positive outcome
(06:53):
was return of Simone Biles and Team USA.
And that was just remarkably inspiring.
What did you think, Kristine?
Incredible, incredible.
And then when you look back at, you know, her story and all the greatness that she's
put into the sport, in fact, I mean, the level of difficulty scores were changed as a result
(07:16):
of what she's brought to the events.
And of course, we all know that how she overcame what they call the twisties when her mind
was a bit separated from what her body could do.
And in a sport like gymnastics, I mean, that could mean, you know, very serious injury,
even death.
And the fact that she came back is just a wonderful story of mental toughness, also
(07:44):
taking care of herself, taking herself out of that particular competition when she wasn't
100%.
And now coming back in bigger, better, like huge triumph, it's been amazing to watch.
It really has been amazing.
And there are just so many things that I'm grateful for her.
(08:04):
And you know, the whole twisties, we were, I know this is not funny, we're like, maybe
I have tennis twisties, like I am separated from my racket and tracking the ball.
So I may have twisties of my own kind.
But when you look at the mobiles, I mean, she is 27 years old, which is not exactly
super young for the sport of gymnastics.
(08:25):
And what I love the most about her, in addition to just incredible athleticism that she brings
is her focus on mental health and how she has been very transparent about that.
She's been very open about how she has benefited from therapy.
We saw her integrating some of those practices on the sidelines before a routine.
(08:49):
She's meditating, she's doing some breath work.
And being able to take that, not only to revamp how she showed up and manage her outlook,
stress levels, but she also has become a role model for the team as well as everybody aspiring
to perform at that level of athleticism.
(09:11):
So I mean, it's just such a remarkable story.
I think we all wanted her to get this level of achievement.
I still cannot process how you come back and how you handle that level of pressure, but
at the same time being so graceful and almost casual about it and having fun going for those
(09:35):
next levels of achievement.
But I think first and foremost, her transparency, tender on the importance of mental health,
I think has been absolutely remarkable.
Yeah, there's a good Netflix documentary too.
I think it's just two episodes on her and where she came from and her situation with
(09:56):
how she was raised was pretty interesting and challenging.
Her mom was a drug addict, had four children, two, they were separated in foster care.
Her grandparents were able to, her grandfather was able to adopt her, remarried, and just,
wow, I mean, just amazing, amazing story that so many could get hope from, right?
(10:22):
I mean, not everything is perfect.
Not everything is, hey, you know, everything handed to you.
This really worked hard and the family's worked hard to get her where she is.
Yes, the whole family, I think 14 or 17 people from her family showed up to support her on
this very monumental event.
(10:45):
And I keep coming back to, I think, her giving spirit and generosity as well.
So she is from Spring, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston.
So she was born and raised in Houston.
She continues to live here with her husband and she has her own gym.
And this gym, obviously, is a magnet for all aspiring gymnasts, as we can imagine.
(11:10):
But there is also the story of Jordan Childs on the team USA, who some people have written
off as a promising gymnast during her career.
And Simone Biles apparently reached out to her and invited her to come and practice at
her gym here in Houston.
(11:31):
So Jordan Childs, as we have seen in the games, really blossomed with that type of confidence
and opportunity given to her.
And she won a medal recently, I think, on the vault in addition to contributing to the
achievements of team USA.
So I think that there's a lot there, not only for Simone's athleticism, but her character,
(11:53):
her giving nature, generosity, rising above circumstances, not only to help herself, but
everyone around her.
So it is pretty remarkable.
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
And talk about rising above.
How about the height she gets?
So there was this graphic and I pulled it because it was just so amazing.
(12:14):
So she's four foot eight.
And they compared the height that she gets to in those jumps to stacking nine boxes
of Wheaties at nine feet, 10 inches, well above Shaq, who's 7.1 and above the basket
where you could dunk.
(12:34):
So she could literally dunk as a 4.8 person.
It's just amazing watching her.
It's just like, I don't know that we'll ever see another person like her.
Right.
Right.
Well, she did accomplish several moves that nobody achieved and may not achieve again.
And I think she even patented some of these moves to be attributed to her.
(13:01):
So the height she achieves is incredible.
But then being able to do those rotations, flips and lending solid is incredible.
And also that makes me think she's obviously gifted and that gift is complimented by immense
(13:24):
discipline, motivation and mental space to optimize and get the most out of it.
But at the same time, like how do you know at such a young age what your gift is?
And be able to have that blossom?
I think that is probably an opportunity, but also recognition people need to be on the
(13:48):
lookout for.
Because how do you know?
How do you know you're gifted for swimming, for tennis, for any other sport at a young
age so you can work on it?
So that also fascinates me.
Recognizing that and finding the environment to blossom with all that.
Yeah, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
(14:09):
So now we have another story, experience over youth.
Joke of it over Alcares.
We're back to a little bit of tennis.
And wow, I mean, if you look at what happened in Wimbledon, it was quite a grind.
And Joke of it coming back with a bad knee gets all the way to the semifinals loses to
(14:29):
Alcares, who is so fun to watch.
And then we get to the Olympics.
The first opportunity for the coverage to win gold.
Mm hmm.
Mm hmm.
The Olympics.
I mean, I think the two of them, the coverage and Alcares, they are like target woods for
golf.
They make the game super exciting.
(14:50):
It is most anticipated and how they get to the ball and the stamina over hours and hours
of back and forth.
But when we look at the coverage and Alcares, I mean, I love them both and probably most
people do the coverage.
I think he is 37 years old.
It's it is older age for tennis at that level, at that level.
(15:14):
But yet he's in the game and he doesn't have to.
He achieved a lot, many, many stats, but he's staying in the game and and how he shows the
discipline to train and put his body through all that.
And and win is incredible.
And then Alcares, 21 years old, very young.
(15:36):
And he the grace he shows on their pressure and the athleticism.
It is just so fun to watch and to know that he has hopefully many years ahead of him to
delight all of us with his game.
But you know, it's interesting because when the two play, you just don't know, right,
which way it's going to go.
(15:57):
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
And if you look at the stats, they're pretty close.
So the score, the final scores were, excuse me, six, three, six, seven and six, four.
And then if you look at the key stats, first serve percentage, Djokovic, 68%, Alcares,
34%, winning shots, pure winners, Djokovic, 34, Alcares, 32, and then unforced errors,
(16:24):
Djokovic, 28 and Alcares, 30.
So just by, you know, a couple of shots on each side.
But yeah, all those things come to contribute to a close, close score and also, you know,
an ultimate victory by Djokovic, which is interesting.
I do like one of his stats that he's been showing or not a stats, but more, more a quote
(16:52):
that he said right after, right after this.
And he says, be in the present, forget about the past.
Future is going to happen.
If you want a better future, you create it.
Take the means into your hands.
And you know, he says that as a seven year old, he was dreaming of winning Wimbledon
and always visualizing that, putting the work in and so he's won Wimbledon a few times.
(17:16):
And then this, as you mentioned, first Olympic gold, it's pretty amazing.
What is, I think the power of visualization is incredible.
Another one I'll call out is the doubles, Alcares and Nadal plate.
I saw that.
Nadal carous, right?
So I mean, that is a very poignant moment, especially for Alcares, I think, because they
(17:40):
show pictures of when he was a young boy and there are pictures of him next to Nadal, where
he's aspiring to be like him.
So for them to play doubles as many times as they did is also pretty monumental.
So, you know, thinking possibilities for yourself, even beyond the reach of anything that has
(18:04):
ever happened before is really uplifting.
Agree.
Agree.
Then we get to our next topic, humility and action.
So I have pulled Katie Ledecky and Katie Ledecky is one of our hometown favorites.
She's from Maryland.
We raise a lot of amazing swimmers in this area.
We own.
So what is with that?
(18:25):
We have something special going on.
Something's in the water, baby.
Something big and impressive is in the water.
I like that.
I read a recent statistics about kind of your neighborhood that says the fittest city in
United States.
And I'm thinking California, Seattle, Portland, you know, places, beautiful outdoors.
(18:47):
It says Arlington, Virginia.
That's where people exercise and they are out there.
I'm like, well, that's impressive.
I wouldn't have expected that.
Oh, yeah.
So there you go.
We have miles and miles of bike lanes and towpaths all around the monuments and people
are always out running, biking.
(19:09):
Yeah.
And Arlington is a very young city too.
So I think, you know, there's a lot of young people flexing and enjoying the outdoors.
So something is in the water and on the trail.
So let's hear about Lydia.
So you know, she has now become the most winning female athlete of all Olympic sports, let
(19:35):
alone swimming.
And what strikes me about her is her humility.
When she's interviewed by the press, you know, they'll tell her like, oh, well, you know,
you've broken another record.
She just looks at him like, oh, okay, you know, she's really thinking about her sport,
her game, how she's breathing.
And she says that she says, you know, the press has a better idea of where I am in all
(20:00):
these stats than I do.
I'm really focused on the game, focus on my sport of swimming.
And she also has, you know, some grace in the way that she handled winning.
One of her biggest rivals and someone she's always close to in terms of competition is
(20:20):
a swimmer, a Titmuss.
And when the journalist asked her after the interview when she beats this woman, she says,
well, you know, how was this rivalry?
And, you know, what kind of spurred you on to succeed over her?
And she said, well, really, it's a friendship.
(20:41):
And what I said to her after the race was, thank you for making me better.
We bring the best out in each other, which is just, you know, wow, amazing.
What a wonderful thing to say.
And you could tell that there's a lot of warmth between those two in respect for what they
bring to the sport.
I think that's remarkable because it also exemplifies what Olympics and sports are supposed to be
(21:09):
about, right?
I think about sportsman-like conduct that is obviously observing the rules and being
courteous, etc., but her showing as far beyond that and being able to respect, admire and
learn from your opponent and acknowledging that publicly.
Amazing.
So I think in a lot of these stories we are talking about, it is the athletic prowess,
(21:32):
but it's also character that helps these individuals shine not only as athletes, but
as leaders in their communities at the world stage and inspire us all.
I think the importance of character, integrity comes into play as well.
It's more than just a number of serve shots, distances you swim.
(21:54):
It's the whole package of what makes a human incredible.
That's right.
That's right.
And that's a great observation.
And just think of the pressure at that level.
And they're still coming forward as just tremendous people, tremendous human beings.
So here are three quick stories.
(22:15):
We're going to touch on, I was really taken with Yaroslava Mahučić, who is a high jumper.
And she recently took the gold and then just again looking at her story.
(22:35):
So out of the Ukraine in March 2022, I mean, she's fleeing the invasion to go compete.
So she had a three day tour, getting around a war that's breaking out, gets to Belgrade
and then has to have the semblance of mind and spirit to compete where she did win.
(23:03):
And then coming back to the Olympics here, again, just showing her spirit, talking about
how important this is for her country.
And again, putting herself in a very different place.
For her, it was about, I want to show the Ukrainian spirit, I want to show my people
(23:26):
back home that we're proud people and I'm doing this for them.
And she just stole my heart.
So I wanted to mention her.
That's amazing.
And I think, again, when we think about Olympics, they are about uniting people.
(23:48):
And it is incredibly difficult with all the divisions, turmoil, conflict that's going
on around us to be unified.
So it is great to see that perseverance and rising above circumstances.
When I was watching the opening ceremonies and I took the entire three hours and watched
the whole thing, I just love how they are coming down the Sand River with their own
(24:11):
flags.
And we saw some of the stories and countries represented the refugee team, Ukraine team,
and just to think what it takes for these individuals to show up and also be able to
compete at that level.
It is beyond human ability, almost, I think.
(24:36):
Yeah, yeah.
It's amazing.
And speaking of showing up, now, this is not from this year, but this was pulled from,
I think it's from the 2000 Olympics.
But I just learned about the story and I just couldn't believe it.
Apparently, in the Olympic Games, they will do a wildcard draw to encourage participation
(25:03):
by developing countries.
Trying to try and even the playing field a little bit and did this for a swimming event.
And the wildcard that they pulled was from Equatorial Guinea.
And the gentleman who was pulled to swim, his name is Eric Musambani, had never swum
(25:33):
before.
I don't know how this country chose him, but this poor guy had never swam, didn't know
how to swim.
So he gets this great opportunity to represent his country.
He learns in six months how to swim.
And I guess the circumstances of how he learned were pretty crazy, too.
(25:53):
He can only swim certain hours in a certain place and it was only a 25-meter pool.
He did not have any of the advantages that a lot of other athletes would.
And he gets to the event where now it's the qualifier and he has four other competitors.
(26:17):
Do they do a starting gun or what do they do?
Do they whistle or something to let the people start?
Yes, something to give the start, but I don't know where that comes from.
But yes, there's a calm-based trigger.
So the starting, I guess, they all assemble and all of the other competitors do a false
start, which disqualifies them.
(26:40):
So then Eric gets to swim the big length of the pool.
He comes in with the slowest time ever, but he completed it and showed up.
And I just love the story for so many reasons.
I love it that he learned how to swim.
There's so much excitement.
(27:00):
It just was kind of meant to be.
He was tapped almost like he got the golden ticket or something, like a Willy Wonka kind
of moment, and then he wins.
Wow.
See, I think there's so much packed into that story, right?
It's beating the odds and it warms your heart.
We don't wish ill on anybody, but it's almost like so glad this happened to him.
(27:26):
And beating the odds and the hope and not giving up and showing up.
I do believe much of life is about showing up.
You've got to show up to win.
You've got to show up to have a chance to participate.
So what a remarkable story.
And it's absolutely heartwarming.
(27:46):
So as our time winds down, I will call out one more that I am very drawn to because this
one is from Turkey.
So this story that created a lot of viral effect and memes is the story of the shooter
from Turkey, 51 years old, the use of the catch.
(28:08):
He won the silver medal for shooting.
And what made it special in addition to his medal is how casual he appeared in all of
this.
Apparently people show up with special clothing, focus sharpening visors, certain headsets.
(28:28):
So you are kind of all decked out in gear for this event.
So he shows up in jeans and a t-shirt.
And he's barely wearing earplugs like the ones they give you on the plane, nothing
too special.
And he aces it.
And one hand is in his pocket.
And with the other hand, he's shooting.
(28:49):
And people are like, how is this possible?
Like his opponents are holding the special gear and they interview him.
And he says, I really don't need all that gear.
It's actually a distraction.
And I keep my hand in my pocket because it helps me with my posture and equilibrium.
And I'm a natural shooter.
I just do it.
(29:10):
And on top of that, he also likes cats.
So I mean, this guy has become an internet sensation because of how casually he approached
it.
Now, he didn't just show up at this Olympics to compete.
Apparently he's been competing since 2008 in Summer Olympics.
And he has his track record of winning.
(29:32):
He's a retired cop from the Turkish police force.
But the story of how casually he showed up and made it look effortless was the big story.
And I love that story.
And after he returned to Turkey to much fanfare, he's like, yeah, it's just not that big a
(29:54):
deal.
I mean, that's my passion.
That's my hobby.
That's what I do.
And off to the next thing.
So I think something to be said about maybe approaching it with a degree of casual approach
instead of putting so much pressure and must win attitude and stress.
(30:20):
I think for any situation, we feel that when we make it so high stakes and put the pressure,
we can take away from the joy and performance abilities as well.
I wonder too if this is another example of just age and experience because he's 51 years
old.
Yes, yes, 51 years old.
(30:41):
And yes.
Yeah.
So he's seen a lot of, I mean, seen enough life to be very confident and just thoughtful
in his approach.
And apparently like we can all learn from just putting your hand in your pocket and
yes, I do.
Yeah, I'm not a shooting person.
But if I ever take that up, I will remember that tip.
(31:04):
Yes.
The hand in the pocket apparently helps you with your balance of name.
So Christine, I mean, there's just so much ground to cover.
I love this period, especially as we approach college football, we need inspiration.
So we have been getting this in abundance.
So what are your thoughts on how we can incorporate our Olympics mindset into our lives beyond
(31:25):
the Olympics?
What are you thinking?
Yeah, well, I think there's a couple of things, you know, obviously to root on your team,
you can have even more fun if you decorate your face, wear your colors at home, you
know, especially if the decoration may include some glitter.
Yes, yes, that would be awesome.
(31:45):
The other thing I think would be fun and I'm starting to see people do this on Instagram,
host your own games or take a sport and try it.
And we're actually doing this here in Potomac, Maryland.
I ordered both a men and women's shot put.
(32:07):
And we're going to try it in our backyard.
I have the woman's which is 8.88 pounds and I'm waiting for the men's which is 16 pounds,
which should come today.
And we're going to line, we're going to do some spray painting on the lawn in the back,
you know, 20 feet, 22 feet, maybe 10 feet, because I don't know how far we're actually
(32:30):
going to do this.
And I promised my neighbor that I would do it in not in her direction, but in the other
in the other neighbor's direction, just in case it gets something like this, creative
and fun.
That's why I thought I asked you.
I cannot wait to hear how this goes, maybe a little documentation.
And we may have to come experience that.
(32:52):
And I mean, a full things, how did you come up with this?
My son and I were watching it and I was like, I think that'd be fun.
You see how they put the shot put next to their face, they do three spins and then they
throw it.
I think anybody could do that.
At least try it.
It looks that way, right?
Until we try it.
(33:12):
Although then I've got like three broken windows.
My my thing is just don't hit yourself with that.
But make sure that thing doesn't come hurling back at you.
I don't think you can.
I don't.
Yeah, actually, I don't know.
Maybe I should look look that up best way not to.
I recommend the helmet for the first one.
(33:36):
For the first attempt, just to be on the same slide.
I don't want to lose my cohost to shot put.
That's right.
Okay, well, I'll keep you posted.
I'll report on that in our next one.
I'm sure we're going to do it by this weekend because my son's got to go back to school.
And this is this is a really important thing for us to do together.
The other thing, break dancing.
(33:57):
So we haven't seen a lot of break dancing yet in the Olympics and that's supposed to
start this weekend.
I think it's really easy to throw a piece of cardboard down on the ground and try and
do some of those moves.
You know.
Yeah, well, yes, I think head above the legs would be important and that yes, that would
(34:18):
be inspiring.
I'm looking forward to that.
Yes.
Yes.
So we'll, you know, keep our eyes on that.
And then I think a sport that we probably don't play enough is badminton.
Right.
And did you see Snoop Dogg?
He did some with commentating on badminton, which was hilarious.
He was like throwing it back and forth.
(34:42):
He's got that.
No, I got this.
You want this?
I got this.
I haven't even caught that, but I've caught other memorable Snoop moments, including the
one he was twinning with Martha Stewart on the stands watching the Equestrian event.
It is it has been fun to watch.
(35:02):
Yes.
Oh yeah.
He's had the time of his life for sure.
And then the last one, hey, have an international potluck, bring food from around the world,
celebrate all of our differences and enjoy some of the traditional cuisine around the
world.
That's always a fun, fun thing to do.
So those are my tips and keep watching the Olympics.
(35:23):
We have, I think, what, four more days.
That is, that is awesome.
I love them all.
I think anytime food is infused into the activity, it makes it better.
I'm thinking of my own sort of non-Olympics activities.
They are not exactly Olympics caliber, but we finally will want to try our glow in the
(35:44):
dark, bachi, bowl set that we got for Christmas some time ago.
So we just want to see how this works at night.
The promise is so fun.
The promise is that you can see these things.
And then like your son, Christine, my son is going back to college for a senior year
as well.
Before he goes, we will have a little fierce and friendly potluck tournament at Houston
(36:09):
downtown in an air conditioned space, which is very essential for living conditions in
Houston.
And eventually, maybe we get a little sand volleyball as well at the courts near us.
So we got a mix.
We got a mix coming up.
I'm looking forward to it.
That is fun.
We actually had a family potluck game this summer.
(36:31):
And I will tell you, as I got through maybe half of the game, I was well behind.
So my fun was sabotaging everyone else.
I would just hit their balls.
And I would decide, no, no, my husband's not going to win.
I'm going to let my kids win.
Well, all of a sudden, especially when I volunteer to keep the score, the scorekeeping may go
(36:54):
astray and a little less detached from reality.
And the other thing I do is I blame it on the course.
So I'm like, you are just getting lucky on this course.
Let's try another one.
And I may shine in this one.
And that really doesn't happen, but it makes me feel better to think that it's less about
them or about the course.
(37:16):
Yes, yes.
Good.
It's all good fun.
All good fun.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, I so enjoyed spending time with you as always.
And for our listeners, always, if you have a moment, post a review, subscribe and follow,
(37:36):
and share our podcast with a friend who might enjoy it.
And with that, we'll sign off.
Until the next time.
All right.
See you.
Thank you for listening.
Your hope is to spark a little joy, inspire and educate our listeners in ways to live
(37:56):
an even more meaningful life.
If you have reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
to leave a voice message.
You may even be featured in a future episode.
To keep in touch, subscribe to our podcast, Refirement Life, using the podcast player
of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
(38:21):
Thanks again for joining us on this episode.
Until next time.
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Betrayal: Season 4
Karoline Borega married a man of honor – a respected Colorado Springs Police officer. She knew there would be sacrifices to accommodate her husband’s career. But she had no idea that he was using his badge to fool everyone. This season, we expose a man who swore two sacred oaths—one to his badge, one to his bride—and broke them both. We follow Karoline as she questions everything she thought she knew about her partner of over 20 years. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-3 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.