Cats and Dogs

Day one of my journey to the Sport and Society conference in Rio de Janeiro.

I've made it from Boston to Kennedy so far. No further.

 I sit at Gate 5 where I have been for several hours waiting out one torrential rain storm that has, according to the attendant, shut down the runway.  The blast of lightning I just saw suggests to me that we are not getting out of here anytime soon.  Scheduled to depart at 930 pm, it is now 940, rescheduled for 1030.  I think it is time for me to get out the pajamas.  Two more lightning bolts just came my way followed, as it does, by some thunder that I could hear inside the terminal.  We are not leaving here until after 11 if not tomorrow morning. Check in time at the hotel isn't until the afternoon anyway.

Not a whole lot of English speaking folks in this waiting area.  Ours is not the only flight delayed so those waiting to go to Italy and Argentina are also sprawled about.

I've been warned by one out of every two people whom I've told that I am off to Brazil to watch my wallet.  It ought to be interesting getting off the plane.  I've flown into Acapulco and Tel Aviv, and chunneled into Paris.  I could speak a little of each of the languages in these cities. But Portuguese, as my mother would say, gournisht.  I know nothing.

I took out a How to Speak Portuguese CD, but I read the newspaper instead this weekend. I have printed out a couple of pages of phrases like how to get to the bathroom, and how much is.  I should study these phrases on the plane if I can't sleep.

Some real troopers of kids around here who are up way past their bedtime and haven't squawked much. I hope they don't find their screaming rhythm when we board.

I looked on a map and the conference hotel is a good distance away from Rio which might be a good thing if the 50% of my colleagues who have warned me of miscreants are correct.

Today, Wednesday, and Thursday are three of the slowest sports days in the United States. No baseball because of the All-Star break, football not yet even in preseason, and hockey, basketball still on vacation. With the World Cup done in Brazil, I imagine there will be a relative lull in sporting activity in Brazil as well.  A good time for a moratorium to consider the effects of sport on society.