The Olympics are over and I do not know what to do with myself.I have concluded that there are three kinds of Olympic watchers.First, there are those with disdain for the games. The televised coverage interrupts their normal programming and Bob Costas’ voice makes their spine hurt.They do not understand why athletes of unknown sports are suddenly getting so much attention. Especially since we forget about them the minute the games end. Their attitude tends to be "What is the point?"They voice their opinions against the games at will and have no desire to see the good in Olympic competition, let alone take the time to understand the sport of curling.The second kind of Olympic viewers are far less opinionated. They are casual watchers. Although they would rather be watching their regular sitcoms or dramas, they don’t mind catching a glimpse of a gold medal match. Especially after the folks at the network have just finished a great 10-minute feature on why a struggling, disease-fighting, single mother of three should win the bobsled race.They like the drama created by the network and the tears of ceremony draw them in even deeper. Yet at 9 p.m. on Thursday when ER doesn’t come on, they get a bit irritated, turn the television off and find something better to do.The final Olympic watcher is a dedicated fan of the event, not just of one sport in particular, but of the whole thing.These fans begin their Olympic experience before the opening ceremonies even begin. They start at bookstores, purchasing magazines dedicated to the athletes of the games. They learn whom they want to cheer on; Mr. Costas’ little vignettes never sway their judgment.Following the opening ceremonies, these fans take on an Olympic dedication to the watching of the games that spans to the closing ceremonies.They watch without bias. It doesn’t matter what is on, whether it’s international favorite figure skating or the biathlon – they are watching and they are cheering.Their dedication bleeds into their regular, non-television-based lives as well. They show up to work with tales of the previous day’s events and are flabbergasted when co-workers are not up to speed on a fall, disqualification or victory.They focus not on medal counts, but Olympic moments. How many did they witness? At the next games when Dick Burton talks about a fall at the games of Torino, these viewers will remember — not because they saw the replay, or read about it in the newspaper, but because they were watching it happen.I fall into this third, more insane category of viewers. It started when I was a kid. My father once gave me a Sports Illustrated with pages and pages dedicated to the summer Olympics. The centerfold of the magazine had a giant chart to help readers keep track of the winners.That summer, I spent two weeks in front of Olympic coverage. I had never seen diving, pole vaulting or sand volleyball. The athletes and their stories enchanted me. I admired their "Olympic spirit" and found that I was full of it as well.Ever since then, when the Olympics are on, chances are I can be found at home watching.The year the summer games came to Atlanta was the year I was graduating from high school. Months in advance, I started getting two of my friends excited about taking a trip to see the Olympics. We went as far as spending about $200 to gain admission into the early competitions. (A hint for anyone planning to attend the Olympics: they are expensive. Tickets to the finals or popular events are given out by lottery to those who can afford the steep rates.)The tickets arrived that spring but I didn’t get to go. Finding lodging in the Atlanta became impossible. My Olympic dreams were crushed and I was stuck at home watching again.This year my Olympic watching experience was the best I have ever had. I used my satellite digital video capabilities to record hours of Olympic programming across three satellite channels.I would hit record on the channels I wanted my television to record and almost like magic, whether I was home or not, they would be recorded and waiting for me.I skipped 80 percent of what Bob Costas had to say, I watched very few commercials, I replayed the falls and triumphs I wanted to see, not what they made me see, and two-hour curling matches were reduced to a nice tidy hour.If there were a competition for best Olympic watcher, it is possible that I would be in the running for a medal. My dedication never wavered and my understanding for the games stayed steady. Until I find a way to compete at the games, I am going to continue to develop my viewing skills.Story ideas or comments can be e-mailed to Lexi Moore at lexim@star-herald.com or called in at 962-3561.