I've gotten hooked on watching the 2008 Olympics.  It's easier to watch them than it would be if my sons were at home, because Owen probably wouldn't be interested in them, and he would be yelling at the TV:  "I HATE it!"  Since my boys are with their grandparents at a time-share vacation condo in another state, I am savoring the opportunity to soak up the Olympic coverage in peace.

For most of my childhood and even during my college years, my mother and I watched the Olympics together with a fervor bordering on obsession.  Winter AND Summer versions.  Jim Craig and Rowdy Gaines, Dorothy Hamill and Nadia Comaneci...I can fondly recall all of my Mom's favorite Olympic stars.  My three siblings never caught Olympic fever, nor did my Dad.  It was just Mom and I, glued to the screen for a few weeks every four years.

Now, Mom is gone (she died in 2004).  I miss the joy of watching the Games with her.  I wish that one of my boys could help me start a new mother-child Olympic-watching tradition in our family.  But I'm not holding my breath.  We'll see what happens when they return from their trip with Grandma and Grandpa, but I anticipate that Owen will follow my prediction ("I HATE it!"), and his big bro will just sigh and say dismissively, "I'm just not really a huge fan of the Olympics."

Yep, that's my firstborn's favorite catch-phrase these days:  "I'm just not really a huge fan of ___" (fill in the blank with anything imaginable).  If nothing else, his latest saying is versatile.  At a moment's notice, he can apply it to TV shows, clothing styles, Xbox games, or food items.  In whatever way he uses it, his proclamation manages to sound at least vaguely scornful, bored, AND effortless at the same time. 

In a way, I prefer Owen's passionate, vigorous, often disruptive howls of "I HATE it!"  At least he's willing to commit himself to his opinion.  No wishy-washy "not a huge fan" stuff for my Owey-boy.  No way.  He just puts his disgust right out there for all to hear:  "I HATE it!"  There's a strange kind of charm in his absolute conviction--even when it gets aggravating because his Daddy and I want to watch a certain TV show!  Is it Owen's autism that drives him to yell about his hatred for specific television programs?  Hmmm.  I like to think that he just has strong opinions and is willing to express them boldly.  For better or worse, there is not much that's ambiguous about Owen's personality or his likes and dislikes.  The only real mystery about him is, well...the autism.