LOL and other things i don't like, part 1.

We all have things that bother us. Pet peeves. I am not going to bust out some huge list of things I dislike, because there are too many things to be happy about (I'll include one of those, too). But here's a little list of annoyances for this week. Feel free to add your own in the comments!

1. LOL. Honestly, this is one of my least favorite pieces of internet lingo, mostly because it is overused. You are not laughing out loud. You're not. Because what I just said to you was not that funny. Sure, I can be witty and all, but not to the point where you are laughing out loud to yourself. I might overuse "haha" but maybe it's because I feel like I can be haha-ing to myself in my head. If ever I am laughing out loud from something someone said online, I will actually spell it out. I can't even bring myself to use LOL. It's annoying. Please refrain from using it in conversation with me, because I will actually think you're an lolcat or something...

2. The day before a long vacation. This is really an obvious one. This week has gone by so slowly, and I am just ready for vacation. Does the week before a long vacation stress you out at all? It's like, I have to get all of these projects done before I leave so I don't have to work while I'm off having a good time...it's a pretty vicious cycle. You'll know what I mean next time you want to go on vacation and have to wrap everything up before you leave.

3. Constant complaining. I am not complaining when I tell you this - I am providing a public service announcement. You may have a Facebook account that allows you to update your status whenever you please but when you continually post negative statuses that talk about how terrible your life is, it doesn't make me want to be your friend. Why not share the good things that are going on with you? I think someone should do a study to see how being negative causes people to either remove you from their news feed or remove you as a friend.

4. Manners. There are so many ways people have bad manners these days (I think in part to internet and television, where people generally treat other people like junk), but I have specific examples in mind right now. Say "thank you." Say "you're welcome," not "no problem." (I'm still working on that one.) Offer to pay for gas when someone gives you a ride just because (like to the airport or something). We're forgetting common courtesy these days and it doesn't help our relationships. What poor manners have you noticed lately?

I only have the energy for four things, but I will leave you with this awesome video about how it's okay to be alone. Really, it is. I am alone sometimes, and I think once you've learned to enjoy it, it's actually a nice way to be. Here's the video:

making big things happen.

There is a reason I have gotten involved in Olympic sport and why I have stayed here for two and a half years (and have no real plans to leave). I am a huge fan of international sport, and not necessarily professional sports that most Americans spend time watching or following. Yes, I like baseball, but professional (American) football in the NFL or pro basketball in the NBA are not my favorites.

Olympic sports seem different. Yes, the athletes that compete in the Games these days are no longer amateurs (as they were years ago before Ted Stevens and co. made an amendment to the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 in the late 90s), but the Olympic movement is fueled by amateur athletes everyday.

Take a look at the demographics information for the sport I work for as an example. In 1999, our annual membership for amateur athletes was 19,060. By June 2010, just more than 10 years later, membership had sky-rocketed to 134,942. That's a huge jump! And yes, part of this growth can be attributed to the addition of triathlon in the Olympic Games (triathlon made its debut in 2000), but a handful of elite athletes cannot solely be responsible for the growth. A few athletes told a few of their friends and the numbers grew. And people lost their jobs and turned to fitness as a way to pass the time while they moved to a new position. And people wanted to get healthier and used triathlon as a way to become active individuals with bright futures. I have heard hundreds of inspiring stories from so many amateur athletes. These people are a huge part of the reason I love my job.

Some of these inspiring athletes are paratriathletes - athletes who are disabled in some way. Some were born with a growth disorder. Some were in the military. Others had accidents that led the the loss of one of their limbs or paralyzation. No matter what story they have, they are phenomenal people. And triathlon is different than other para-sports.

From our website:

Triathlon is the only sport - anywhere - in which disabled athletes compete side-by-side with able-bodied athletes at local, national and international levels. 

 It's true. And though triathlon has been an Olympic sport since 2000, paratriathlon was not part of the Paralympics. Until now.

Saturday the decision was made to include paratriathlon in the Paralympic Games beginning in 2016. The reason this is big news, besides the fact that I work for the National Governing Body for triathlon in the U.S., is that I feel like I actually helped play a part in this decision. I didn't make huge waves, but by posting things on our social networks and including it in the newsletter that I put out weekly, I helped spread the word to our membership and helped to get support for this movement. Now if only I could go to Rio... (haha)

I think it's just important to remember that the elite athletes on the biggest stage in the world are not the only competitors out there. There are hundreds of thousands of amateur athletes out there that compete for PRs, for health, for themselves and will never win a gold medal or any other medal. They might finish last. They might barely finish. But they are still part of the movement. They are still out there participating no matter what. They are making big things happen, if only for themselves.

It's an important lesson to learn, and one that you can use every day. Make big things happen. I know you can.