Totally awesome

I've started using the word 'awesome' with no apparent irony,
affected American accent or embarrassment. This appears to be my
personal legacy from London 2012.

While there are still six days to go, my own Olympics is slowing down.

I have no more tickets and only a half-hearted notion to attend the
marathon. Last night, I even strayed from the BBC for 20 minutes to
check if the other channels were actually bothering to show anything.
As I suspected, it was wall-to-wall Gordon Ramsay swearing at 'reality
shows' with pseudo amusing names. I was quickly back with the Beeb.

The real legacy of the Games appears to be the community effect; Brits
are less embarrassed, proud even, to be British. People are noticeably
happier, smiling and coming together as one to celebrate victories in
sports in which the majority would not ordinarily display any
interest. Such is the positive glow currently engulfing the nation, I
even saw two strangers chatting on a London bus, a domain usually
reserved for tourists, ignorant of the Old British way.

So, as we count down to the closing ceremony of what will undoubtedly
be our most successful Olympics in terms of medals and community
spirit, it will be interesting to see if the legacy lasts beyond
Sunday. Hopefully, the Paralympics will have a similar effect though I
fear for 2013; with no Royal weddings, Jubilees or global sporting
occasions to distract us, will we be Old or New British? New British
would be awesome.