Dear God, let it be over soon

Please, no one call social services on my behalf. Although I am utterly weary and wanting so much for it all to just end, it's not me...it's you. And when I say you, I mean the beast that is the Olympics.

Every two years, I turn into an Olympics glutton and gorge endlessly on the prime time coverage. Blessedly, the other networks don't bother to run anything against the Games (at least shows that I watch); otherwise, my DVR (and quite possibly my head) would explode. I've heard the Games referenced as 16 days of glory. I call it 16 days of torture. I really, really don't want to sit slavishly in front of the TV 3-4 hours every night. Even with the DVR helping me out, it's still an enormous amount of TV to sift through and heaven help me if I miss a night and then have to double up.

I can hear you, gentle audience, wondering aloud why I participate each Olympics cycle. Truthfully, I don't know. I actually did a little experiment with Vancouver and after watching the Opening Ceremony, I stayed away from the Games for three whole days. During this period of abstinence, I watched skiing and skating on-line. Little snippets of Olympics moments on my computer screen. And they were utterly without context. And I hated it.

I like the random bits of information the commentators blithely spit out. I like the 60 second backstories of the athletes. I like when experts breakdown scoring or demonstrate technique or provide history.

Yes, there is too much vitriol. Yes, there is rabid jingoism. Yes, there is too much breathless hyperbole. But so help me, I must have it and like any junkie who has no sense of moderation, I'm reaching OD levels.

So, I beseech the powers that be, please, please let it be over soon.

While I'll be grateful to see the 2010 Games end, I'll be honest and say, "See you in London in two years!"