R.I.P. Olympia - Library opened in honor

[Robeye]

This is sad news.

I will miss the nimbus of generosity and gentility that followed her everywhere.

Rest in peace, Olympia.

 

[skateluvr]

While there are many folk with Olympia's first and last name, here is a short article by someone who I think might be our Olympia from 1991...very interesting....

POWER SKATING

Published: April 7, 1991 New York Times


The idea of a style of figure skating based solely on jumps seems rather like a performance of Brahms played mostly on cymbals: when one element, no matter how flashy, takes over, the whole suffers ("Power Skating," by Jared Lubarsky, March 10).

Yet what worries me even more about the prospect of "jump skating" is the effect it will have on the skaters themselves. The sight of Midori Ito on television last month at the World Figure Skating Championships in Munich, Germany, hobbled by new and old injuries, made me wonder how many kids will be chewed up by this style. I fear that skating will become like gymnastics, with a constant procession of disposable 13-year-olds who thrill audiences for a season and then burn out or become too injured to perform. "Olympia" New York, N.Y.

Wow Chris....this has to be Olympia. I read those words from her on this forum. Great detective work.

 

[Meoima]

Now that I rememberm she was the first poster to welcome me in this forum. She encouraged me to post more and often, that my English might become better in time. Oh...Olympia.

 

[caitie]

This was so sad to log in and see. I didn't know her, but I remember her from our handful of exchanges. She was so thoughtful and intelligent and kind.

 

[fairly4]

this is nice. some of mom s, favorite books was murder she wrote. but I read a great one last year in august don't remember the name. sorry.

 

[deedee1]

I am so sorry I am late. I was trying to post here to tell the truth, but I was so shocked, too saddened to hear this and I just couldn't express my feeling very well with my darn poor English. I have logged in, typed up a couple of words, then my ability to think in English and to write stopped while thinking of our dearest Olympia, and had to give it up... First Ziggy and now Olympia;;;; so so so sad.

Do you guys remember the day you posted your very first comment on GS Forum? Didn't you feel a bit 'hesitant' about posting your opinion, thoughts, and/or ideas before posting? And after posting, didn't you wait anxiously/timidly and worry about how your opinion(s) would be received by GS members? I did. I had encountered with this forum by accident while looking for some news/articles in English on Tokyo Worlds 2007, then was very much fascinated by all topics relating to figure skating! I registered but has been a sort of lurking for about 5 years since. I felt hesitant about posting myself for a long time. Because you guys were just amazing with great love for the sport and with such deep knowledge, not only on its history, rules, music, skaters both currently competing and retired ones, coaches, choreographers, but to ballet, dance, art, music, etc., when I barely knew the difference btwn tech specialist and tech controller. I thoroughly enjoyed just reading from threads to threads and felt 'dizzy' with shower of all updates, first-hand reports, play-by-plays via PC on every single comps by some genius members, or even off ice dramas... I had to wonder sometimes 'what in the world is mule kick?' 'who is Speedy? and TAT??', though. And because the way you guys talked over was very close to each other; discussing, fan-girling, laughing, teasing and caring one another, like close friends for decades in real life. Thus, to post a comment here was as if I were walking, all by myself, into a private members club's salon that would require at least 2 recommendations by already-members to join. A too high hill to climb for me; what if someone would say 'who are you?' what if I am to be told 'oh, come back when you know much more about this sport, will you please?'...

Olympia was one of the very kind members who gave me warm welcomes when I came out of my lurkdom and posted my very first in the fan fest threads. To my surprise, she replyed mere 10 min after I posted it actually.

I'm so glad you were brave and posted your statement. It's lovely and eloquent, a splendid characterization of Daisuke. I agree with you that the sport should be more than just collecting points, and Daisuke embodies that extra something that makes skating unique among sports. The skaters who "grab my soul," as you put it, are the ones I remember forever: Kurt, John Curry, Yagudin, Lambiel, Paul Wylie, and Daisuke being premier among them. Like you, I felt that when he stood on Olympic ice after that awful injury, he had already won. I'm thrilled that he medaled, and I hope he medals again. But I'll watch him no matter what, as long as he's skating. If he turns pro (a long time from now, I hope!) and skates mostly in Japan, I hope that generous fans will post his programs on YouTube where fans like us can watch him from all across the globe.

At first I never thought I would hang on to online forums this long or could survive with my poor English at all, but thanks to great help and warm-hearted words from so many members including Olympia who encouraged me to keep posting when I was very hesitant to write my elementary-level English and afraid of making errors in grammar back then. She was always fast to answer my (though sounding so 'silly' sometimes) questions on its writing or grammar, and hepled me further by giving me other options and explaining its cultural bakcground and/or the recent trend/tendency of usage of English as a language. No wonder at all her profession is education and books/writing. Fall 2014 is probably one of saddest seasons for me both on and off forum, and I do realize that this forum has become so special to me now, because of Olympia, Ziggy and all the other GS members.

Rest in peace, Olympia and Ziggy. This beautiful melody is for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtzWup-QsM0
You are true angels with such beautiful hearts. We are going to miss you two a lot.

 

[dorispulaski]

Oh deedee1, what a beautiful tribute for Olympia!

 

[Mrs. P]

Whole post!

What a wonderful story.

And make me grateful that Olympia reached out to you so you could feel welcomed here! Her legacy will be in the presence of wonderful posters like you.

 

[demarinis5]

Thank you deedee for your touching and heartfelt post.

 

[ice coverage]

I am so sorry I am late. I was trying to post here to tell the truth, but I was so shocked, too saddened to hear this and I just couldn't express my feeling very well with my darn poor English. I have logged in, typed up a couple of words, then my ability to think in English and to write stopped while thinking of our dearest Olympia, and had to give it up... First Ziggy and now Olympia;;;; so so so sad. ...

Many thanks to you, deedee , for your very beautifully-composed :yes: homage to Olympia .
It's one of my favorite posts ever on GS -- full of humanity, and rich with details of our shared experiences here on GS.
Your deeply expressive writing made me both laugh and cry with appreciation for Olympia, for you, and for GS as a whole.

 

[Scrufflet]

Very well said, deedee!

 

[seniorita]

I 'm so sorry I 'm beyond words, Olympia was a really wonderful person who always had a good word for everybody, she had talked to me with beautiful messages and I remember our first pm was about watching the movie The Red Shoes which I will defenetely watch again this weekend to honor her. It is really hard for me to accept the loss of members here, even if I havent met them in person they make/made my day more bright.

 

[bebevia]

I came in expecting to keep up with what I've been missing over the last months... and Olympia's joyful comments were part of it. I thank her for the chance to have gotten to know her here. May she find there the same joy that she has given others.

 

[Layfan]

What a terrible loss! I saw the thread title and prayed for it not to mean what I thought it meant as I opened it. Olympia's posts were wonderful, insightful and joyful, especially about music. Reading the obit, I can see she was the type of person I imagined her to be. But we were lucky here at GS to have her. I will be looking for her books.