A Winter Olympic memory that brought joy and heartbreak

Russian silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva /
She created brilliant figure skating moments.

Over two weeks and three weekends, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics filled our hearts and television screens with lots of excitement. For my wife and I, much of it took place on the Olympic figure skating ice.

Sometimes, it was colorful and loud, oftentimes it was elegant. There were plenty of thrills and excitement, just a few spills and disappointments, but enough flash and panache to make it all seem worthwhile.

Because of the 14-hour time difference between South Korea and the U.S. east coast, we tuned in to watch figure skating following our nightly dinner – and, occasionally, it kept us awake past our bedtime. Sometimes, we watched online. Because we cared, learning about the human side of many of the Olympic figure skaters competing as well as about the sport's history was a real treat.

During the final two nights of figure skating last week, after the excitement of the team, men's and ice dance competitions, we had the noblest pleasure of watching the 18-year-old Russian Evgenia Medvedeva make her Olympic individual debut in the ladies' singles event. Performing to "Nocturne" by Frederic Chopin, Medvedeva performed her short program, which included a triple flip/triple toe loop combo, triple loop and double Axel, flawlessly. Her score of 81.61 points placed her second behind her Russian teammate Alina Zagitova, who scored 82.92.

Medvedeva's skating maturity and artistic presentation were well beyond her years. From watching her skate and in listening to the comments expressed by the NBC figure skating commentators, it gave us a joy of understanding Medvedeva, both as an athlete and as an individual. Among the things we learned about her: Medvedeva likes studying foreign languages, enjoys drawing, is fond of listening to music (such as K-pop), and loves Japanese culture (such as anime). She may skate like an adult, but she's a kid at heart – and that's the beauty and joy of it all.

Two days after skating her short program, Medvedeva returned to the Olympic ice. She was the last of 24 skaters to present her long program, which decided the gold medal – and was won by Zagitova by the slimmest of margins, 239.57 to 238.26. Medvedeva, skated as Tolstoy's tragic "Anna Karenina" with music composed by Dario Marianelli. 

As she skated, we rooted for Medvedeva, a two-time world champion and consensus favorite to win the gold before she broke a bone in her right foot last fall. As The New York Times wrote, "Medvedeva was forced to confront a sobering reality on Friday at age 18: Experience and artistry and expressiveness did not prevail over mathematics."

Before her final performance, Medvedeva said, "I'm not chasing numbers, I'm chasing feelings."

There was a beautiful, athletic bounce to Medvedeva's skating, a lovely expression on her face throughout her four-minute free skate to a classic Russian story. Medvedeva was Anna Karenina – and she gave it her all. She was mentally tough and she skated brilliantly. It was a perfect, balanced and mistake-free performance – Medvedeva didn't do anything wrong – even if it didn't earn her the gold medal.

What a way to win if you're Zagitova. What a way to lose if you're Medvedeva – even if losing means winning the silver medal.

Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova.

Indeed at age 15, Zagitova became the second-youngest women's skater to win the Olympic gold medal. With shrewd design and stamina, precision jumping and a sense of "youthful certainty," Zagitova landed all 11 of her jumps in the second half of her balletic "Don Quixote" free skate long program, compared to eight for Medvedeva. As The New York Times explained: "This is known as back loading, and is meant to gobble up a 10 percent bonus awarded for each jump beyond the halfway point of a routine, as skaters' legs begin to tire." 

Skating with calm and endurance, Zagitova's strategy – which was within the rules even if it broke the spirit of them – worked to her advantage, even if it wasn't as emotional and captivating as Medvedeva's long program.

The two Russian figure skaters each scored 156.65 in the free skate and Medvedeva was ranked first ahead of Zagitova. Looking back, Medvedeva's technical elements included: a triple flip/triple toe loop combo, a triple Lutz, a triple flip, a triple loop, a double Axel/double toe loop/double toe loop combo, a triple Salchow/triple toe loop combo and a double Axel. Her interpretation of her music was superb. 

"If most skaters skate with their brains," said NBC figure skating analyst Johnny Weir, as he watched Medvedeva perform, "Evgenia skates with her entire soul throughout her performance."

At the conclusion of Medvedeva's performance, NBC figure skating commentator Terry Gannon was moved to say, "I don't know if we just watched gold, but we watched greatness."

As it happened, Zagitova's victory was the second consecutive gold medal won by Russian women. Because they operate in a centralized training facility, unlike in the U.S., the top skaters challenge each other on a daily basis in practice. Thus, Zagitova was challenged by her friend and training partner Medvedeva – and it paid off. 

Looking back, as Medvedeva received the plaudits of the appreciative crowd before skating off the ice after to await her adjudication, she shed tears of joy – maybe of relief, too. Despite facing enormous pressure, she skated marvelously – a season-best performance. In our eyes – and many others, too – Medvedeva was a winner. And, yet, she handled her defeat so graciously. 

"She created brilliant moments," said NBC figure skating analyst and 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lapinski in describing what she had just seen Medvedeva perform. "This was one of the best ever competitions."

After receiving her silver medal, Medvedeva had time to reflect. "It's life and it's a lesson," she said. "Every year, every moment, every day, every week, every month, we must become stronger. ... Today, we proved ourselves here."

Photos: Courtesy of Google Images.

A darkly comedic tale, "I, Tonya" never plays for laughs

With the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics just two months away, the release of Craig Gillespie's film "I, Tonya," a very dark, comedic tale of American figure skater Tonya Harding, which is based on the unbelievable but true events of what became one of the most sensational scandals in sporting history, is a very timely one.

I remember the sordid circumstances that played themselves out like an American prime-time soap opera nearly 24 years ago, and in watching a sneak preview of "I, Tonya," Sunday morning in Washington, DC., it all came crashing back to me.

Although Harding was the first American woman figure skater to complete a triple axel in competition, her athletic fete quickly took a backseat. Instead, her legacy became forever defined by her association with "an infamous, ill-conceived, and even more poorly executed attack" on her fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan just weeks before the 1994 Winter Olympics.

With an original screenplay written by Steven Rogers and featuring an early '80s soundtrack that will bring back memories, the film features a sympathetic portrayal of the fiery Harding by Margot Robbie, and also stars Sebastian Stan as Harding's conniving and often-abusive ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, and Allison Janney as Harding's acid-tongued, monstrous and outrageous mother LaVona Golden.

"I, Tonya," is at times absurd, other times irreverent. But, it's definitely worth two hours of your entertainment time this holiday season.

Four minutes of brilliance in front of the world

Terry, Tara and Johnny / Candid, colorful, compelling.

"Along with Tara Lipinksi and Johnny Weir, I'm Terry Gannon, the one wearing the suit."

One of the joys of the Sochi Winter Olympics on TV for me has been watching the live figure skating competition, which airs here in the U.S. during the morning hours on NBCSN. At times, it's been outlandish and outspoken, but thanks to the candid and colorful commentary of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, it's made for compelling viewing. And, thanks to Weir, every day we're rewarded with a fabulous fashion show, too.

If you've only been watching NBC's limited -- and heavily edited -- prime-time coverage featuring veteran commentator Tom Hammond partnered with choreographer Sandra Bezic and former Olympic champion Scott Hamilton, which focuses only on the Americans and the top skaters shown on tape hours after they've skated, you've been missing out on all of the fun.

The live coverage airing on NBCSN (NBC Sports Network), with the trio of commentator Terry Gannon, and Lipinksi and Weir, showcases each session from start to finish -- every skater from best to worst -- and the fun also includes getting to see Weir's flamboyant wardrobe come to life. It may be morning in the States, but in Sochi where it's nine hours ahead of New York and 12 hours ahead of San Francisco, it's night time -- and the stars are shining brightly, on and off the ice.

Weir, 29, who is openly gay, enjoys being free and open in sharing his opinion about what's happening on and off the ice -- including being critical of Russia's LGBT laws. The two-time Olympian's wardrobe choices have included a bright pink Chanel blazer for Valentine's Day that accentuated a lace top underneath and a gold brooch around his collar. Another day, he wore a Kelly green jacket with a matching tiara. Most days, he's the one wearing the most jewelry and sporting the loudest hairdo.

One day last week, Lipinski, 31, wore charming flowers in her hair, and for Valentine's Day, her attire featured a lovely blouse with little pink hearts. On some days, Lipinski and Weir coordinate their appearances. There's a wonderful spark between them. They're fun and energetic.

Meanwhile, Gannon is the one who is simply attired in dark suits and skinny neckties. And, sometimes, he's the one with the best throw-away lines. During Monday's broadcast, Gannon described American ice dancer Evan Bates' wardrobe by tossing out this pop culture gem: "That's the second puffy shirt from Seinfeld we've seen tonight."

Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir

One thing that I've found refreshing about both Weir and Lipinski, who won an Olympic gold medal at age 15 at the Nagano Games in 1998, is that both of them are extremely knowledgeable about figure skating -- its history, its artistry and its social dynamics -- and they offer a fresh and thoughtful perspective as former champion skaters without being arrogant. An added bonus: They talk in a friendly, conversational tone of voice. Neither feels compelled to shout to be heard and they play off of each other well.

On the ice dancing rivalry between Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and their chief rivals and 2010 silver medalists, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Lipinski said: "Obviously, they have great respect for each other, but they're competitors." 

Weir knows all the competitors thoroughly, can anticipate what's going through their minds as they skate, and what it takes to win. "It's going to be such a showdown. Meryl and Charlie seem to have such an advantage. It's going to come down to what happens today."

Not since the legendary Dick Button has there been an American figure skating commentator like Weir, who's been unafraid to express his opinion -- even if it sometimes upsets the figure skating community.

Tara and Johnny /
A mischievous rapport.

The camaraderie and chemistry that Weir and Lipinski bring to their broadcast -- one critic described it as a "mischievous rapport" -- has been a joy.

"It's a Michael Jackson kind of night," said Weir, after the American ice dancing siblings, Maia and Alex Shibutani, became the second team to dance to a Michael Jackson medley during Monday night's free dance.

As much as I enjoy listening to the BBC's insightful and, at times, bubbly commentary offered by Sue Barker and Robin Cousins -- I've been listening to the British duo live online while taping Weir and Lipinski for later viewing -- I feel both Tara and Johnny have found just the right mix in offering enough technical expertise to educate their viewers in what they are seeing while also knowing the value of silence, something that Bezic, Hamilton and ice dancing analyst Tracy Wilson haven't learned or shown during NBC's prime-time broadcasts from the Iceberg Skating Palace.

After Virtue and Moir's elegant and heartfelt performance, a display of ease and unison skated to the music by Russian composers Alexander Glazunov and Alexander Scriabin, here's how Lipinksi, Weir and Gannon summarized it so succinctly:

Tara: "That was flawless. Their performance wrapped up their career so perfectly. It was effortless and smooth."

Johnny: "It was impeccable. The whole arena was silent soaking it all up. It was a beautiful, pitch-perfect moment. Their performance painted a beautiful picture."

Terry: "Their 114.66 is the best score we've ever seen."

Sometimes, letting a figure skater's performance talk -- as Gannon, Lipinski and Weir did during Monday's ice dancing final when they remained silent for four minutes during both Virtue and Moir's beautiful free skate as well as the impeccable and energetic gold medal performance by Davis and White -- speaks volumes.

As they took the ice, Gannon very tersely set the scene for Davis and White's free skate as the cameras zoomed in close on the Americans, who've skated together 18 years: "They've been dreaming about this moment since coming together as kids on ice growing up in Michigan."

Then, Davis and White exuded a dramatic tension of love and escape in skating to "Scheherazade." They engaged the judges, the fans and, just as importantly, a world-wide TV audience.

After Davis and White concluded their four minutes of brilliance in front of the world, culminating in the first gold medal by an American ice dancing couple, here's how Gannon, Lipinski and Weir described what had just happened:

Terry: "Four minutes to gold and it's over; not in their hands right now."

Tara: "Terry, when you think about it, Torvill and Dean are the most famous names in ice dancing. But, Charlie and Meryl are going to carry that same weight with what they're doing for U.S. ice dancing now. That program was pure perfection. ... So much pressure."

Johnny: "The pressure was so intense and they handled it beautifully. They fought the whole way through that performance. You could see it in the last minute. Charlie doing those very expressive stop and spins, stop and spins. ... "Whew! It was breathless. When you go for a gold medal, you fight for it."

Terry: "Three times Americans have medaled at the Olympics in ice dance. In 1976, then it wasn't until 2006 with Belbin and Agosto the silver, and in 2010 Davis and White with the silver medal. This right now, was it a gold medal performance? The number they need to win is 112.11. There's only one time that they haven't reached that moment."

Tara: "Every moment of their program was so precise. From the finger tips to the toes, the emotion telling the story of 'Sheherazade.'"

Johnny: "When you're a team, this is what you're all about. You're all about this moment. It's hard to explain to people that haven't been there. That amount of pressure. Four years of your life down to four minutes in front of the world. If one little thing goes wrong, then you completely lose the last four years of your life. (Davis and White) owned it. They fought from top to bottom."

Tara: "You have to stay in the moment." 

After a brief pause, the scores for Davis and White are finally announced to the crowd at the Palace and to the world-wide audience tuned in. They scored 116.63 points, for an overall score of 195.52. The crowd erupts in thunderous applause for the winners. Hugs for all in the kiss-and-cry box.

Terry: "A U.S. ice dance team will stand atop the podium. Meryl Davis and Charlie White are the gold medalists.

Tara: "They're Olympic champions."

Johnny: "They were stunning. They deserved it. It wasn't a political weirdness situation that we've come to think of when we come to ice dancing. They earned it. This night was so special. I can't remember the last time I sat through a whole free dance -- and I loved it! I loved every second of it. They entertained, they wowed us. We marveled at the lifts and the spins and the beauty. It was just so enjoyable."

During a recent USA Today interview, Weir wore his feelings for figure skating on his sleeve. "We take great responsibility for what we say and how we teach people about the sport," he said. "Honestly, as a broadcaster, all I want is for people to skate so well that we're struck dumb, that we're unable to speak. But when it's called for, I'm not afraid to explain the judging system or why somebody beat somebody else. That's who I am.

"My job is to help bring skating back, and to help educate masses about what's going on in skating."

A postscript: In a New York Times column Wednesday, "Amid Blunders on Ice, Only a Few Signs of Grace," dance critic Gia Kourlas wrote:

"The only sure thing left is off the ice: the sparkling commentary of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, who, along with the sportscaster Terry Gannon, call the daytime live broadcast. They make it possible to suffer through wretched performances, not because they make fun of bad skating -- though you can usually count on priceless giggles at just the right moment -- but because they take it so seriously.

Tara and Johnny /
Always fashionable.

"While never short of opinions, they're generally quiet during performances. While they get to the nitty-gritty of technique -- pointing out when skaters are flat on their feet, or why they fall out of synchronization -- they also have information about more obscure aspects of skating, like how ice temperature affects a performance (speed skating requires harder ice than figure skating) or how male ice dancers have been known to build up their heels for extra height.

"It helps that Mr. Weir is a champion of inspired one-liners. While watching several near collisions during a men's warm-up, he blurted, 'It is Nascar out here in the world of rhinestones.' "

Screenshot images via the internet courtesy of NBCSN.

Sochi Winter Games: From Russia with Love

Sochi 2014 / The whole world's watching.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Games are less than a week old. Already, these Olympic Games taking place in this Russian resort town on the Black Sea coast have been all about the host nation, Russia, being buoyantly confident while projecting a sense of pride for the rest of the world to see.

Colorful fireworks light up the
Sochi sky at night.

Sure, during last Friday's elaborate but colorful Opening Ceremonies there was plenty of selective and revisionist 20th century history -- glossing over the bad parts -- going on. One didn't need to be an expert in Russian or Soviet history to realize there was no mention of gulags or, for that matter, Joseph Stalin, either. You know, that big fat chapter of Russia's evil history. I think if I were narrating the Opening Ceremonies, I might have looked the other way during the Stalinist Years, too, and fast-forwarded from the 1917 Revolution straight through to the Communist Cold War Years, filled with cosmonauts and the space race. But, then, that still leaves perestroika, the dissolving of the Soviet Union, which is so 20th century, and its growing pains with democracy in the current 21st century, which sadly has included gay repression.

However, leave it to Russia to always put on a good show when it comes to ballet and music. For me, the Alice in Wonderland-inspired lesson in learning the Cyrillic alphabet and seeing the multicolored onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral bobbing in the air were nice touches. So, were the tributes to Tolstoy's "War and Peace" and Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." 

For Russia, the show is especially enjoyable when it's ballet and music set on ice.

After all, a dominant nation that's given us so many figure skating champions, especially pairs champions -- the Protopopovs, Rodnina and Zaitsev, Gordeeva and Grinkov, and now Volosozhar and Trankov -- not to mention ballet artists like Pavlova and Baryshnikov, and classical composers such as Prokofiev and Stravinsky, is definitely a nation secure in its own cultural identity. Forget the politics, if you will. Because when you combine the art of ballet and music with the athleticism of figure skating, you stop for a moment, soak it all in, and smile in appreciation.

The soul of Russia is found on ice and it's their vital tradition.

"Figure skating is our tradition," Tamara Moskvina, the longtime figure skating coach who has coached Russian pairs skaters to four Olympic gold medals, said in a New York Times interview this week. "It combines technique and art, and Russia has a great tradition in those fields." 

On Sunday night in Sochi's Iceberg Skating Palace, the inaugural Olympic team ice skating competition reached its crescendo. On the strength of Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who won the short and long programs in ice dancing, the United States won the bronze medal and Canada won the team silver medal. Both countries will be competitive during individual the competitions, which began today.

However, when it was all said and done Sunday night, there were lots of bouquets tossed onto the ice and plenty of applause in appreciation of the "home team." Team Russia had won its first gold medal of these Winter Games, and I'm sure they will win more during the ice skating competition.

It's all about the tradition of artistry meeting athleticism.

While Russia and, before that, the Soviet Union have dominated pairs and ice dancing events, there have been moments of individual brilliance, too.

For instance, Evgeni Plushenko, 31, who is competing in his fourth Games, won the men's long program during the team event in what could be seen as a valedictory performance that was full of perseverance in overcoming numerous injuries. What he may have lacked in technical skill -- he attempted just one quadruple jump -- he made up for by dazzling the crowd, and a world-wide audience, with his enthusiasm and showmanship.

Plushenko now has four career Olympic medals, most in the modern era. He won the men's singles in 2006, and silver medals in 2002 and 2010. Arguably, he may be more popular among Russians than President Vladimir V. Putin, who attended the team figure skating event and, later, congratulated each Russian team skater individually.

Yulia Lipnitskaya / The little girl in the bright red dress. She's
brought joy on ice to an entire country, and she's winning gold, too.

Meanwhile, the ladies free skate portion of the competition turned into a coming-of-age gala for 15-year-old Russian figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya. She brought joy to an entire country, skating poised beyond her years -- and flawlessly, too -- to music from from the Academy Award-winning "Schindler's List." She was the little girl with the ponytail skating beautifully and brilliantly in the bright red dress. And, Lipnitskaya was the same little girl who scooped up a preppy, Russia baseball cap as she skated off the ice. She put it on without hesitating -- it was an age-appropriate thing to do -- and she kept it on her head through the rest of the competition, including the flower ceremony for the medal-winning teams afterwards.

By winning the short and long programs in the women's portion of the team event, Lipnitskaya became the youngest gold medalist since Tara Lipinski of the United States won the women's individual competition at age 15 during the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. (Incidentally, Lipinski was in the arena working as a figure skating analyst for NBCSN during Lipnitskaya's short and long programs.)

When you see Lipkitskaya's flexibility and fearlessness on the ice, not to mention her gravity and emotional resonance in interpreting a serious music score, you realize that you are witnessing something very special. Now, I can't wait to see her perform in the ladies individual competition against the reigning Olympic champion Kim Yu-na of South Korea during the final week of the Games.

Gold, silver, bronze /
It's all about winning medals.

Undoubtedly, the Sochi Winter Games, believed to be the most expensive Olympic Games in history, have brought bright lights and color to an area of the world that's not far removed from war. The Caucasus Mountains look beautiful and inviting. There's been lots of patriotic flag waving in the arenas, on the slopes, and in the plaza of Olympic Park, too. They have made for good TV visuals back here in the United States (thanks to NBC and the Today show, which desperately wants to see the Americans do well -- and win often). Thank goodness, I've found a reliable Internet link to watch the BBC2's refreshingly enjoyable, commercial-free coverage that is far less pretentious and glitzy than NBC's boosterish -- and, sometimes, boorish -- 24/7 coverage that's full of commercial interruptions every few minutes here in the United States. 

What's important is this: During its first week, the Sochi Winter Games have been about breaking down barriers of age, for which we can thank Plushenko and Lipnitskaya, an old wisehead and a young upstart, among many competing at these Games -- and, for Russia, it's been about restoring a little bit of tradition, too. For better or worse, it's also brought the whole world just a little bit closer together.

Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov /
Continuing a tradition of excellence in pairs figure skating.

A postscript: On Wednesday evening, Tatiana Volosozhar, 27, and Maxim Trankov, 30, won the gold medal in pairs figure skating, beating fellow Russians Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov by 18 points.  It continued a tradition of excellence and their country's dominance in this Olympic sport.  Skating to music from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar," Volosozhar and Trankov presented a challenging free skate program that was steeped in difficulty, and they finished it without any big mistakes. At its conclusion, Trankov triumphantly slid across the ice like an international football player celebrating a goal. Meanwhile, Volosozhar, tearful and standing with her knees bent slightly, buried her face in her hands. It was a celebration in joy. Although there were two more pairs to skate, they knew the gold medal was a possibility.

Photo of Yulia Lipnikskaya courtesy of Reuters/Google images. 
Photo of Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov via BBC Sport/internet image.
Other photos courtesy of Google images.

2010 ~ My Year in Pictures

Self portrait / Me and my iPhone camera.
At Macalester College, 12/27/10.

As most of you who follow this blog or are friends of mine on Facebook know, I'm an avid photographer.  As picture taking has matured from film to digital, the hobby of photography has become easier and more affordable ~ no more buying and storing film ~ and I make it a habit to bring my camera (a Canon PowerShot A570 IS) with me wherever I go or travel. Thanks to the recent addition of an iPhone, I now have two sources for taking pictures.

As a digital photographer, I have become my own editor. For instance, if I take a photo that I'm not happy with, I can easily delete it and re-shoot the photo, then edit it for clarity. Now, thanks to social media like Facebook, uploading and sharing photos with a large group of friends is fast and simple.

During the past year, I've taken more than a thousand photographs of people, places and things.  In revisiting the photo albums I've shot over the past 12 months, I've pulled together a group of 65 photos, including the above self-portrait (taken with my three-week-old iPhone), that I'm pretty excited about.  They cover a variety of things important and interesting to me: Flowers and nature, sports, music, urban landscapes in cities like San Francisco and Seattle, as well as pictures taken during the summer and winter seasons.  And, there's also a few selections from the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., a first-time experience for me.

You may recognize some of these photos, such as the Queen Elizabeth roses, that appeared in my blog during 2010.  No two Queen Elizabeth roses ever seem exactly alike.  Others, like Claes Oldenburg's "Cupid's Span" ~ which is a very visible public art display along the Embarcadero in San Francisco ~ always fascinates me no matter the time of year.  Last month, I photographed "Cupid's Span" on an unusually warm, December Tuesday morning. Returning four days later, I captured it on a foggy, chilly Saturday afternoon.  It's the same public art display, but the weather radically changed its color and appearance.  That is why I always tote my camera along with me whenever I visit San Francisco.  You just never know what you may encounter that is worth photographing.

Now, presented in chronological order from January to December with identifying captions is:  2010 ~ My Year in Pictures.  I hope you enjoy the exhibit and I welcome your comments and feedback.

Cheers and Happy 2011!

1/14/10 ~ An early bloom in our garden: A Pristine rose.

1/14/10 ~ One of the season's first Calla lilies in our garden.

1/23/10 ~ Oregon State coach Craig Robinson (President Obama's
brother-in-law), standing, observes his team against Cal at Haas
Pavilion, Berkeley.

1/30/10 ~ Winter sky, afternoon southern exposure, 2:28 p.m.
I took this photo standing on our deck where there's always
a great view of the sky ~ day or night.

2/2/10 ~ The Ferry Building, San Francisco, 11:31 a.m.

2/14/10 ~ Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, 10:29 a.m.
I took this photo standing across Taylor Street from
the cathedral in Huntington Park.

2/14/10 ~ Grace Cathedral labyrinth, 12:21 p.m.
The Kei-Lun Martial Arts troupe welcomes the
 Lunar New Year of the Tiger.

2/17/10 ~ Apolo Anton Ohno (front) in a 1,000 meter heat race
during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Vancouver, B.C.

2/18/10 ~ Women's curling at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
in Vancouver, B.C. was our ticket of the day.  There were four
matches going on simultaneously during our session.

2/18/10 ~ Canadian skip Cheryl Bernard puts the curling stone
into play for Team Canada during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Our seats were right on top of the action at the curling rink.

2/19/10 ~ Opening face off of the Belarus-Sweden
men's hockey game in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
There were many NHL players on both squads.

2/19/10 ~ The Olympic Flame, Vancouver, B.C., 5:54 p.m.
We waited in a queue line for about an hour to get an up close
and personal view of the Olympic Flame.

2/20/10 ~ Riding a water taxi under the Burrard Street Bridge to
Granville Island in Vancouver, B.C. during the Olympic Winter Games.
The bridge beautifully frames the snow-capped mountains.

3/6/10 ~ Battle of the Bands outside Haas Pavilion
following the Cal-Stanford women's basketball
game. This is the Stanford drum major.

4/29/10 ~ Our orange roses are in full bloom in the backyard.

5/8/10 ~ A Queen Elizabeth rose in full bloom in our backyard.

5/15/10 ~ Two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher
Tim Lincecum of the Giants versus Houston at AT&T Park.
Who knew in May the Giants would go on to win the World Series?

5/15/10 ~ Claes Oldenburg's "Cupid's Span" along the Embarcadero.
We enjoyed a post-game walk from AT&T Park to the Ferry Building
after a Giants' victory.

5/19/10 ~ A Queen Elizabeth rose in full bloom in our backyard.

5/24/10 ~ Another Queen Elizabeth rose in our backyard garden.
Throughout the year, our Queen Elizabeth rose bush was our most
 prolific one.

5/30/10 ~ Puget Sound as seen from Discovery Park, Seattle,
12:04 p.m.  Exploring nature in Discovery Park is one of my
favorite things to do when visiting Seattle.

5/30/10 ~ Busker fiddlers at the Folk Life Festival on the
Seattle Center grounds.

6/6/10 ~ Window display and an interesting reflection in front of
Article Pract, Telegraph Ave., Oakland, Calif.

6/19/10 ~ Bay Bridge and beyond.  I took this photo looking out
from a parking garage on Howard St. near the Embarcadero.
That's Oakland in the distance.

6/27/10 ~ Indoor labyrinth at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco.
I took this photo at 10:36 a.m. prior to the 11 a.m. Eucharist service.

6/29/10 ~ Alliums.  They start as delicate, airy globes ... 

7/7/10 ~ Target Field, new home of the Minnesota Twins, Minneapolis.
The team was on the road during our summer vacation, but
we took a guided tour.

7/9/10 ~ Aftermath of June 18 tornado, Albert Lea, Minn.

7/10/10 ~ Painted Lady butterfly, photographed during a picnic at
my in-laws' house, Albert Lea, Minn.

7/12/10 ~ A little squirrel, a big tree, a tall climb ahead ...
I took this photo in my in-laws' back yard, Albert Lea, Minn.

7/13/10 ~ Sunset on Lake Minnetonka, 8:25 p.m.  I took this photo
from the pier at Maynard's in Excelsior, Minn.

7/21/10 ~ Artisan breads by Mike the Bejkr at the Pop Up General
Store, Oakland, Calif.

7/30/10 ~ Portraying Degas in the Ballet Studio.
I took this photo during the run of  the "Birth of Impressionism"
 show at the De Young Museum of Art, Golden Gate Park.

8/1/10 ~ Blue Bottle Coffee Co. kiosk at the Temescal Farmer's
Market held on Sundays throughout the year in Oakland, Calif.

8/1/10 ~ Sailboats on San Francisco Bay, 2:23 p.m.  I took this
photo from Fort Mason, San Francisco.

8/1/10 ~ Sea gull along the waterfront at Fort Mason, San Francisco.

9/4/10 ~ The Seattle Space Needle, 9:59 p.m.
I took this photo while attending the
Bumbershoot Music and Art Festival.

9/5/10 ~ Ichiro Suzuki at bat in the bottom of the first inning for
the Mariners in a game against Cleveland at Safeco Field.

9/6/10 ~ The Clientele perform on Labor Day at the Bumbershoot
Music and Art Festival, Seattle.  This British band has been a longtime
favorite of mine.  It was my first time seeing them live. 

9/6/10 ~ Jenny and Johnny perform on the Mural Stage at the 2010
Bumbershoot Music and Art Festival, Seattle.

9/23/10 ~ San Francisco City Hall at night, 7:29 p.m.

10/14/10 ~ Queen Elizabeth rose against a backdrop of
the blue sky and clouds, 8:27 a.m.

10/15/10 ~ The No. 2-ranked Cal women's volleyball team:
All for one and one for all.  The Bears reached the NCAA
championship match for the first time in school history.

10/27/10 ~ San Francisco City Hall at night during the
2010 World Series.  The outside lights were filtered orange in
honor of the Giants playing in the 2010 World Series.

11/3/10 ~ Giants rookie catcher Buster Posey during the team's
World Series victory parade in downtown San Francisco.

11/13/10 ~ The front door at A Verb for Keeping Warm, a new knits,
textiles and accessories store in Oakland, Calif., that grew
into a brick and mortar store from a website.

11/14/10 ~ 2009 Black Mountain Vineyards Merlot.

11/18/10 ~ Almost full moon, 6:15 p.m.  I took this photo
standing on our deck.

11/25/10 ~ Thanksgiving Day, Oakland, Calif.
We enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day meal at Lake Chalet.

11/25/10 ~ Thanksgiving Day, Oakland, Calif.,
walking along the shore of Lake Merritt
after our meal at Lake Chalet.

11/26/10 ~ At Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, Calif.  It's match point
 as the Cal women's volleyball team wins its first
Pac-10 volleyball championship.

12/7/10 ~ Along the waterfront of the San Francisco Bay, 11:23 a.m.
That's Yerba Buena Island and the Bay Bridge in the background.

12/7/10 ~ Another view of Claes Oldenburg's "Cupid's Span" while
walking along the Embarcadero in San Francisco.  That's the
Ferry Building clock tower in the far background.

12/10/10 ~ Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas leads the
San Francisco Symphony in concert at Davies Symphony Hall.
Our seats in the First Tier provided a good view of MTT conducting.

12/11/10 ~ Venerable Red's Java House, along the Embarcadero.
Red's Java House is a short walk from AT&T Park. 

12/11/10 ~ A view of "Cupid's Span" on a very foggy afternoon.
I took this photo at 3:09 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon walking along
the Embarcadero from AT&T Park to the Ferry Building.

12/11/10 ~ The F-Line street cars connect Fisherman's Wharf with
the Castro by running along the Embarcadero and up Market Street
in San Francisco.

12/14/10 ~ Badly Drawn Boy (aka Damon Gough) performing at
the Swedish American Hall on upper Market St. in San Francisco.
I was impressed with this quaint and ornate music venue.

12/18/10 ~ Christmas tree ornaments.
I took this photo at the Palace Hotel in
downtown San Francisco.

12/19/10 ~ Inside the Nave at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco on the
Fourth Sunday of Advent.  I took this photo just minutes before the
start of the 11 a.m. Eucharist service.

12/25/10 ~ Christmas Day, Albert Lea, Minn.
I shot this photo during a post-breakfast walk my wife and I
took in Lakeview Park.

12/25/10 ~ Christmas Day, Albert Lea, Minn.
I was impressed with the fresh snow that adorned many outdoor
trees and made for a most festive winter atmosphere.

12/26/10 ~ Fountain Lake, Albert Lea, Minn.
Minnesota's 10,000 lakes freeze during winter and Fountain Lake is
no exception.  At the center is a hut used for ice fishing.

12/27/10 ~ Old Main at Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minn.
This was always my favorite building on campus while I was a
student.  Most of my history courses were in Old Main.

All photos by Michael Dickens, copyright 2010.