Entertainment
I love the Olympics. From Aug. 8 to Aug. 24, I'll be glued to the tube with the rest of the world to cheer on the more than 10,500 men and women who have gone to Beijing in search of one thing—gold. The determination, courage, strength and skill of these athletes excite and move me like nothing else. I know how hard they have worked and what they have sacrificed. I know more than most people.
I was 5 the first time I saw my grandfather's Olympic medal. Kept in a velvet box tucked away in a secret drawer, the medal and what it represented fascinated me.
From the time he was old enough to walk, my grandfather rowed. By age 12, he was racing against some of the top athletes in his native France. Often competing with his brother Fernand, my grandfather won 18 National Champion gold medals and enough international prizes to fill the numerous trophy cases that lined the office walls of his rowing club.
But it was the Olympic medal that captivated me most. I would gaze at it often, trying to imagine what it must have felt like to win it. How many times had he swept the oars through the water prior to that one moment? A million? Two million? What did it feel like to be standing on that podium? Did he hear the roar of the crowd? What did he think about? Was it all those years of slipping his shell into the water at dawn? What did it feel like to be, if just for that second, the very best in the world?
In my own mind, I could see the crowds, feel the heavy weight around my neck. While I knew I would never be one of the very, very few to experience the pure magic of that moment, I held on to my desire for that feeling.
My grandfather died before I got the chance to ask him about that day. The medal has been moved out of the secret drawer and now lives in a safety deposit box.
But every Olympic year, I think about it. I know that when I watch the Beijing winners bow their heads to take their place in history, I'll be thinking of my grandfather. I’ll also wish, just for a moment, that I could've been there—cheering him on as he realized the dream of a lifetime.
By Karen Bokram
BY ANDREA T. ON 8/7/2008 5:09:00 PM 0 COMMENTS
Get your hands on their brand new album A Little Bit Longer featuring the smash hit BURNIN' UP in CDVU+ format!
This
CDVU+ is more than just a CD because it includes multimedia "Extras" on
the disc for your computer. Get the entire 30 page Jonas Brothers
digital magazine experience which features exclusive video performance
& interviews. PLUS tons of extras, including 60 printable photos,
complete album lyrics, downloadable graphics & hidden links.
(Package made from 100% recycled materials.)
Get your copy August 12 or pre-order today to be entered to win a signed “Gold Record” plaque when the record goes Gold!
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER NOW, or for more Jonas Brothers info!
BY ANDREA T. ON 8/7/2008 4:50:00 PM 45 COMMENTS
The iPhone is on your must-have list. No... it IS your must-have list. Why? Because the iPhone will walk your dog, do
your laundry, pull last month's pizza out from under your bed, and
that's just the beginning. Okay, maybe it won't do all that, but we've
got deets to give your parents so they'll throw their hands in the air
and say, "Bring me my wallet. I'll get you the cell phone."
1. It
will support Wi-Fi around the world -- perfect for getting in touch via
email with Mom and Day when you head off to Paris on that student
exchange program next semester.
2. Maps are excellent for
studying geography! When you get bored waiting for your parents to
pick you up, you can play around and find out where Uganda is.
3. It's cheaper than a computer!
4. With easy Google access, and a word document program at your
fingertips, you can write your English essays no matter where you are.
5. The calendar is ready to go; anyone can send you an
event and you'll be notified immediately (you won't have any more
excuses as to why you can't go visit you-know-who).
6. Your exact whereabouts can be tracked in real-time -- no more guessing where you are!
7. Places your parents don't want you to visit online (including sites
that have songs with xxx lyrics) can be blocked with Parental Controls.
8. With a single touch, you can access 21 different language keyboards
(even in Chinese!), which will help you with your foreign language
class.
9. All those photos Mom and Dad keep forgetting to
take of you while you grow up -- well, now you can get your friends to
take them on your iPhone... and make the memories for your slacko
parents!
10. You'll have the coolest Parents on the block!
What not to say:
1.) I can play tons of games.
2.) I can text my friends 24/7.
3.) I can become even more obsessed with MySpace, Twitter and Plurk.
4.) I can leave my phone at my friends house, so when you track me, you'll think I'm still there.
5.) I can probably figure out how to turn off the Parental Controls.
Your parents want what's best for you, and you know what's best for you is an iPhone. So get busy talking the deets, baby!
BY MANDY F. ON 8/7/2008 3:15:00 PM 4 COMMENTS
Even if you've already caught Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds 3-D concert, waste no time picking up the DVD (in Blu-ray and High-Def) coming out on August 19th. From Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, it’ll only be available for a limited time.
If you’re a lucky duck, ya know this mega-hit concert was unforgettable and unbelievable. Couldn’t nab a seat for the sold out concert? No worries, it’s all captured on the DVD. Gotta love technology!
Full of spectacular set and costume changes and choreography so amazing that it would make anyone want to jump off the couch and start shakin’. Miley performs as herself AND her pop-star alias, Hannah Montana, for the first time ever in the same show. The DVD includes her hits “Rock Star” and “Start All Over”!
Think you saw it all? The exclusive bonus footage on the DVD is a total must-see. Hang out with Miley and Jonas Brothers backstage or sing along to the songs with the lyrics right on your very own TV screen. Whatcha waitin’ for? Mark your calendars and start countin’ down them days!
Click HERE to get a sneak peak for what’s in store!
BY JIAE K. ON 8/6/2008 7:20:00 PM 14 COMMENTS