Two things struck me this weekend and it took me some time to figure out how the two were connected. I watched the Winter Olympics on Saturday night, and finished a book on Sunday, and the two couldn't be more different than night and day.

The book I read was Drew Carey's "Dirty Jokes and Beer," and the event I watched was the women's figure skating final event. These two events wouldn't leave my mind all weekend and I finally figured out why. First, let me tell you about the women's figure skating event.

I watched Michelle Kwan skate, and she was gorgeous. Absolutely perfect. I really thought no one would top her. I think Tara Lipinsky did a great job, and yes, she can do two triple lutzes in a row, but that was the only reason she won the gold medal and Michelle got the silver. But neither of these skaters affected me as much as Surya Bonaly from France.

Twenty-one years old, and returning from a bad injury, Surya was in sixth place. It would take a minor miracle for this girl to even win the bronze. But she went out there with all the hopes in the world. And they fell apart. The audience audibly moaned in unison when she bobbled the first two difficult jumps in her program. The energy level just plummetted. No one clapped despite the engaging music she skated to. Surya knew it. The audience knew it. She would never medal.

But Surya didn't give up, and in my opinion, did something better than just finishing up her program and skating off into retirement. The only person in the world able to do it, Surya performed her best stunt - a complete backflip, landing on one leg. Why? The judges actually deducted severely for that jump, even more so than the bobbles that originally cost her a medal. Why? Because more so than any skater that glided across the ice that evening, Surya was the only one to remember a most important fact. That performing is not for the judges, but for the audience. The crowd screamed and went wild when they saw Surya head-over-heels. And then the energy came. Then the sudience started clapping, Surya was uplifted by their applause, and completed the rest of her program flawlessly.

And, what totally shocked me, what made me laugh out loud in admiration, was Surya's finish. With her back to the judges. A big no-no in skating. Basically the equivalent of giving the finger and a Bronx cheer. "Screw you," was what Surya's actions said. But you should have seen the grin on her face when she slid off the ice. At the very least, Surya knew she gave the audience a great show, and reminded everyone that there are some things, like her backflip, that are outside the realm of even gold-medalist figure skaters.

(This also makes me think of Michael Jordan. He doesn't HAVE to slam dunk the ball, or seem to glide effortlessly 25 feet across the court for a behind-the-head slam. He's doing it for the audience! He knows that that's why they go to the game - to not only watch an awesome sport, but to oooh and aaahhh a little!)

OK, so what about Drew Carey and his book? Well, first off, it was a terrific book - I screamed with laughter through most of it. He's a pretty good writer, and I like his write-it-how-you-say-it voice. But what I took away from Drew's book was this: This man is successful, well-paid, and a celebrity. And he's been abused, lost his father at an early age, and tried to kill himself twice. And though he's lived through it all, doesn't make excuses for himself, or ask for anyone's pity. All he expects to do, is live his life - given back to him twice - the way he wants, regardless of what others think of him.

Drew intends to tell his dirty jokes, drink his beer, and enjoy whatever pleasures he can get (without hurting others), and screw what other have to say. Although he's not doing a triple salcow in front of a panel of international judges, he refuses to let the judgement of others interfere with how he intends to live his life. I admire that.

So I think I finally found the connection that satisfies my obsession with these two events. Screw the judges. As long as you're not hurting someone else - or yourself, hopefully (falling head-first on solid ice certainly will) - have fun with your life. Be foolish occasionally. Show off once in a while. Make the audience happy.