Phelps, et al.

One really cool thing that happened tonight... we made a spontaneous decision to shut the joint down as the 4x100 medley started. Not in a closing-time way, mind you. It's just that we cranked up the sound, told everybody they couldn't order anything for five minutes, and yelled to everyone else to pay attention, that we were all going to watch history.

I imagine this was happening all over the nation.

It was really quite thrilling! Guests, servers, bartenders, managers, culinary staff, staring at TVs and each other's reactions, everyone stopping to just enjoy something for a moment, bask in a little unity. It's fun to be in a public house celebrating these Olympics and the wonderful, uplifting feeling they're giving us; these kinds of moments are meant to be collectively shared. I love the way it makes the world seem smaller somehow, and, although it's fleeting, we can all feel just a little less cynical, and a little bit joyous.

How can you not get a kick out of the Olympics?

Before Beijing '08 is over, make it a point to get off the couch, and wander over to your favorite watering hole to take in the moments with strangers and friends. Build some memories. You'll thank me later.

Eight in '08 for the peerless Michael Phelps! It'll be easy to remember when Trivial Pursuit: Turn of the 21st Century comes out.

A toast to the 2008 USA athletes! It's a blast watching you, and sharing in your victories.

(except for maybe that part where the amazing Dara Torres makes almost all women feel lazy, inadequate and insignificant.)

Let us be lovers, we'll marry our fortunes together
I've got some real estate here in my bag
So we bought a pack of cigarettes, and Mrs. Wagner's Pies
And we walked off to look for America
Kathy, I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
Michigan seems like a dream to me now
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
I've gone to look for America

- Simon & Garfunkel, "America"

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