Silly title, eh? But then I realised that reading IOC Session commentaries from international media is always never seemed to be enough! Haha!
Take the UK's Guardian website for example. So I thought there is nothing new over there since I last 'visited' there many weeks back but then I was so wrong. Maybe I had missed on the commentaries when it was the day for the announcement of 2012 Games host city because I found myself so excitedly reading it late yesterday night on Dad's laptop which I was using...in the room. Especially on their 'live' commentaries as it happens from here in Singapore. I was giggling and in dismay occasionally on what they said. Wait till I let you know which is for which comment I have to say...
At 11.36am, BST (British Summer Time; which is 7 hours behind us and 8 hours behind because of GMT) - They have a minute to press the buttons on their keypads, a length of time which is proving way too short for some of these doddery looking IOC officials, who appear to be suffering from the after-effects of a particularly pleasant lunch. My mind was saying - Oh thanks! Now finally someone say about the food here being good indriectly where back then the papers once reported here saying that the food culture here is still not world-class yet, have to admit. Heyyy, we *heart* our food culture! At 12.03pm, BST - In the event of a draw, Jacques Rogge will have the casting vote and he's intimated that he'll be voting for Paris. The big cheese-eating surrender monkey! And my mind is saying - Hmm, I remembered the IOC President once told the media that he has no favourites whatsoever despite he does speaks French. (Mr Jacques Rogge is from Belgium, you know.) But he himself should knows very well which city's presentation stood out. At 12.23pm, BST - "This isn't the most action-packed minute-by-minute commentary you've done, is it?" writes Bob O'Hara. "A minute-by-minute commentary on the Steven Gerrard contract negotiations would have been more dramatic." My head - Oy! I know what he means there because back then it was Steven Gerrard saying he is leaving Liverpool...and not after all. But anyhow, excuse me over there because it's such a mega event then! The world is all looking at us from here in Singapore! A small nation getting international attention!
At 12.32pm, BST - Singapore's answer to Ant & Dec, a very attractive lady in a nice dress and a dapper young man in a smart suit, are waffling away behind a lectern while the BBC's Barry Davies commentates in the background. My mind - (initally) Huh? (Later on) Ha, I know what he means there now! The two hosts on Pop Idol who were also hosts for World Idol back then! Haha! (*sticks tongue out*) Also - They introduce a come-and-visit-us tourist montage for Singapore, prompting the Beeb to cut back to the studio. How rude! As a floating holidaymaker with no concrete plans made yet, I could well have been convinced to go to Singapore on the strength of that video. My mind - Haha, thank you very much! Because there are rather mixed comments about the video, with some coming from Singaporeans themselves. Someone should call the Singapore Tourism Board now and tell them of this! From a British even as well! *singing I Feel Good* At 12.35pm - "You may be bursting with indifference, but there are millions of people in London and throughout the UK who are bursting with suspense," writes Simon Evans. "Spare a thought for us. I doubt there is a single workplace in London that hasn't stopped to wait for the result!" That's put me back in my box. My mind - Ha, the dude who wrote in is right! Neer neer! But because back then, I was in my parents' room, so anxious for the results but yet so convincing knowing Paris is getting it anyway...but my prediction for London came true after all! At 12.48 - ... LONDON! My mind as I was reading yesterday - So remembered how I felt then. Stunned and shocked and surprised at first and almost went all berserk later on!!! Woohoo!!!!!!! And I was telling Dad, grinning - 'London has won.' Dad's a supporter for Paris but he was a good sport still.
At 1.10pm, BST - Final vote count: Paris 50 - 54 London My mind - I remembered Dad, Mother and I (and almost anyone who's watching with us for the announcement at home) all kept asking each other about the vote difference till we saw it from CNA's breaking news thingy later. After that, I said - 'I so know it! Mr Jacques Rogge was right about the difference - less than 10!' Later on, everyone in the house (not all of us! LOL!) began to throw out the reasons why London won (because it was evident from the beginning and after all, it's always nothing but the London team's news on our papers and TV news like almost everyday before the announcement) and Dad talked of the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair's sincerity in coming to Singapore despite his G8 committments. And I was thinking to myself when seeing the celebrations at Trafalgar Square on BBC World - 'London has won the Games for 2012...and it happened here in Singapore. We happened to be their former colony, as in the UK, you know? How amusing!'
(continued) I also remembered switching to CNN trying to find out how the voting really went and it was like after I saw the voting figures from each round till London emerging victory - (thinking then) - 'So London has been in the lead all along except in Round 2 of voting! Wow!'...and I continue to yak non-stop about reasons for London's victory, repeating them time and again, because before the announcement, I was thinking that Mr Tony Blair's serious lobbying will be proven whether he did right after the result. Haha!...
And it goes like that there. What might had happened if I read those commentaries on Guardian's website on the day of the announcement. Haha.
And on another article also on the Guardian website, it's about the final videos before the final announcement. It was saying - It did occur to me, while watching the coverage from the Raffles ballroom in Singapore, that the ceremony was at times more fun than the games itself, which led me to wondering how Singapore was chosen to host the 117th session of the IOC; if maybe there was another process, in which cities not bidding for the games bid to host the bid, if you see what I mean. And my mind was thinking - I don't really know how to explain how we managed to get the 117th IOC Session here because though I remembered I read it from The Straits Times (our national newspaper here, ahem!), now I seemed to forget some of the details. Just remember, we were given the mission to bring it here and we did in the end because 'those up there' must had like what we had! Infrastructure and safety...among the best. No kidding. Heheh.
So, there you have it. The comments from Guardian website and mine too! It's always nice to read of such things and you know you can relate and explain as well! Aha!
*sigh* It's back to school tomorrow. But on the upside of it, Teachers' Day on Thursday. Times flies, huh?
From Diana, which is me, yours truly...signing out! Till we meet next time, folks! Have to watch some of those programmes I wanted after the upgrade of digital cable in the house. Okaaay, I will really go now! Bye!
