I’ve been trying to get even more sleep than normal lately. I’ve always needed a lot of sleep, but recently I’ve thought that another hour to hour and a half each night would probably make me (and everyone around me) happier.

Of course, I made this resolution just days before the Olympics started. Not smart. First there were the stunningly spectacular Opening Ceremonies, better than any I have ever seen. There was no going to bed before I found out how that torch got lighted. No way. And now I’ve seen the coverage schedule that runs until 11pm every night, and realized that I’ll probably be running on a massive sleep deficit for the next two weeks.

I’m not even a very sport-loving person. I’m pretty terrible at all sports (especially those having to do with running or with balls… which is most of them), and I normally don’t see the point in watching people go around and around anything (like a track), or try to get a ball to do, well, anything. And yet, the Olympics hold a special fascination for me.

For one thing, everyone there is really, really good at what they do. But that’s a given. No, for me, much of the fascination has to do with memories of childhood. Back then, a TV would magically appear in our normally TV-less house and we kids would be given free reign to stay up as late as we wanted to watch the games. We’d make little nests on the floor with our blankets and pillow and get absolutely caught up in the competitions, even when we didn’t fully understand the point of the games, or the rules. Even if we fell asleep early in the evening (and I have it on good authority that this was the common outcome every night), we were still thrilled by the lack of a bed time. And this excitement got bundled in with the excitement of the games themselves, and with my parents’ cheering and gasping and talking excitedly about the events we watched.

Even now, the theme song that plays before and after each commercial break or news cast triggers a smile and the distinct sense that tonight, no matter what I have to do tomorrow, there will be no bed time. Even now, I cheer on the swimmers and the runners with more than characteristic enthusiasm just as we did all those years ago with my parents.