I wasn’t excited.

Really.

Zero anticipation.

Nada.

Zilch.

In the weeks and days leading up to the Olympics in Vancouver, I couldn’t have cared less. I’ve always been a proud Canadian, but the whole “Own the Podium” deal just hadn’t grabbed me. It wasn’t that I din’t care, I was sure that news of medals would cuase my pareiotic heart to stir, but i just wasn’t into it. I didn’t feel part of it. These Olympics were just not for me.

But then it happened. During the opening ceremonies Twitter was buzzing with commentary. And suddenly I was hooked. Perhaps it was being able to share the experience with so many people in real time. Suddenly the whole thing was engaging, intriguing and compelling. The first Social Media Olympics were on.

Twitter, the social media outlet I use most often, allowed me to share the inspiration I felt upon hearing Shane Koyczan exclaim “We are choices“. It allowed me to voice my displeasure at CTV for showing footage of Nodar Kumaritashvili’s death. I actually wanted to watch Joannie Rochette skate. (Yes. I admit, I wanted to watch figure skating.)

By then the magic of the games had really grabbed me. The first gold by a Canadian on Canadian soil. The enthusiasm of Jon Montgomery. Then the  golds started piling on. The British were dissing us, and we collectively said, “screw off“. These games were much more than they ever would have been for me had it not been for Twitter enabling me to add to the conversation. Suddenly, I wasn’t watching, a silent spectator. I was participating. I was part of this incredible re-branding of Canadians as a deeply proud patriotic people.

And then yesterday, during the big Men’s Hockey final, I shared in the experience with tweeps both north and south of the border as Go Canada GO was trending on Twitter.

And finally, I tweeted this shortly after Sidney Crosby scored his epic goal:

For this proud Canuck, it couldn’t have gotten much better.