Oh, Canada

This year's winter Olympics closing ceremony was very delightful.First of all, this display should not be judged against Beijing's most elegant Olympic ceremony. It is completely and utterly its own different thing.

As millions of people watch, the Olympic flame spreader fails to operate. The Olympic Cauldron was missing a leg! Not again, but WAIT! A clown comes to the rescue and by the power vested in mimes everywhere, the ceremony commenced.

That's how they began the closing ceremony, with a sense of humor. The opening ceremony had a glitch with the cauldron, so in the closing ceremonies, Canada poked fun at it by reenacting it.

I wish I had been there; it looked like a very amusing and very sweet party, hosted ever so graciously by a humble, yet wild nation.

Canada is educated. They know that they are being silly and, dare I say, dorky? But, Canada is not embarrassed by their strange ways. Canada is proud.

When the famous speakers came out to give props, I said to my friend, "I hope they say something about how their Health Care rocks." My friend retorted that they absolutely were not going to make this ceremony political.

One of the first points that William Shatner made was how proud he was of his native homeland, Canada. One reason Shatner was proud of his homeland was "the fact that we are a people who know how to make love in a canoe, which is why our Health Care system covers flues."

They continued with giggle fits galore throughout the event. It was beautiful. A place, filled with people, proud people, that don't take themselves so seriously that the presentation of continuous parodies on many of their stereotypes makes them cheer.

And, thanks to Canada's closing ceremonies, I know that this year's Halloween costume is going to be amazing. I will be one of Canada's lovely Maple Leaf girls, complete with Maple wings and a foxy red ensemble. My date can easily be a hockey player, lumber jack or Mounty (meaning a Royal Canadian Mountain Police Man, those guys in the ceremony with the sweet red pants.)

The moment that made the closing ceremonies most delightful was an audience shot of a girl TOTALLY rocking out to Michael Buble singing about "Maple leaves forever," complete with her moose hat and blinking light.

How cool is a place that can admit to the strain of hosting the Olympics, but still be gracious and party-down in a most inclusive way? Canada is very, very cool.

Guests in attendance ranged from athletes to pop stars. There was Neil Young, Simple Plan, Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne. There were comedians and movie stars and large inflated moose heads.

I believe that Canada did an excellent job in having performers diverse enough to entertain a very broad audience.

They also dropped inhibitions and had some over-the-top silly action in a parade-like atmosphere.

Overall, the deeper message I received from the ceremony was this: Life is ongoing. Stressing over the little details can bring success -- like practicing ad nauseam for a gold medal in the Olympics -- but satisfaction can also be found with large, inflated beavers with "made in Canada" stamped on their butts.

Thanks oh, Canada, for a most gracious Vancouver games in 2010, Thank you!