Well, the crowds have thinned, many of the event locations have been dismantled, and I haven't heard a "WOO-HOO!" or "LUUUUUUU!" for two days now.  But the memories of the Vancouver Olympics - ah, those are forever burned in my heart and mind.  I've never been so proud, so moved, so GRATEFUL to be a Canadian, to witness, to me at least, a coming-of-age of our national identity as a proud, beautiful, spirted, GREAT country.

It's impossible to list all of the wonderful memories I have from the Games, but here are some real highlights for me, in no particular order.

1. Clara Hughes' brilliant, stunning last race in her speedskating career - a bronze medal win that put her in the Olympics history books as the ONLY athlete ever to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games.  I'll never forget her smile.
2. Joanne Rochette's heart-breaking and brave performance in women's ice skating that earned her a spot on the podium and a place in every Canadian's heart.  Her late mother was her guardian angel for sure.
3. The love and support shown Alexandre Bilodeau by his severely disabled brother as he STOOD without his wheelchair to watch him win our very first gold medal on Canadian soil.  I bawled.
4. The unbridled joy of Jon Montgomery when he won gold in skeleton - and his walk to the podium as he chugged a pitcher of beer.  I laughed out loud.
5. The love so evident between speedskaters Marianne St-Gelais and Charles Hamelin as they watched each other medal, laughed and cried for each other, and embraced as if the whole world wasn't watching.  It gave me goosebumps and a lump in my throat.
6. k.d. laing singing Hallelujah during the Opening Ceremonies.  Best. Performance. Ever.
7. People everywhere, every age and colour, breaking into O Canada and waving Canadian flags at every opportunity. Soul-stirring.
8. Heather Moyse, Kaillie Humphries, Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown ruling the bobsleigh track at breakneck speed with gold and silver medals - and making it look easy and graceful and FUN!
9. Gold in hockey for our men and women and gold and silver in curling - what more can I say?  The ultimate high.
10. Finally, Vancouver - my new home, gorgeous, welcoming, vibrant - so deserving of your own gold medal.  I love you!

It's hard to believe that these marvelous Games are close to ending.  I should have spent the last several days braving the lineups at the Olympic Houses and the zipline, wandering up and down Robson and Granville Streets and generally drinking in the atmosphere.  But I didn't.  Because of Molly.

Molly is our soon-to-be-17-year-old cat.  She's a petite tuxedo, black with white chest, tummy and paws.  She's always been small, but age has her shrinking down to just over five pounds.  She's the love of my life.  She's my baby. And last Saturday we almost lost her.

Without warning, a nasty infection and high fever rendered my sweet girl from lively and inquisitive into an almost lifeless state in mere hours.  If not for the Emergency Animal Hospital, I'm pretty certain Molly would have left us.  She's on heavy doses of antibiotics and subQ fluids, but she's with us, thank God.

So this week I've curtailed some of my Olympic activities in favour of sitting at home in front of the TV holding my Molly close.  And it's been just heavenly.

Here's to you, Mollykins, and to all the pets we love and have loved.  I'll treasure you forever.

Cathy Browne is a PR and social media professional in Vancouver BC.  She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.

Some people may call themselves sports enthusiasts.  Some may say they are aficionados.  But when it comes to curling, I'm a nut.  Period.

Yes, I adore the sport that has men and women hurling heavy stones down a sheet of ice to knock out their opponents' rocks to see who can get closest to the 'button'.  So I was beyond excited at the prospect of seeing two matches live this week at the beautiful Olympic facility.  I was practically dancing in the lineups.

And the matches couldn't have been more perfect.  The Canadians won, men and women both. We got to see highly competitive teams from everywhere from the UK and Germany to the US and China.  And of course, we saw the men from Team Norway and their um, distinctive pants. (Did you know those pants have a Facebook page?)

We sat with very nice people from Vancouver, White Rock and Saskatchewan. We all had a ball.  Canadian curling fans are full of love for their Olympians.

Then, out of the blue, two very unexpected encounters.

In walked hockey legend Paul Henderson, who won the heart of every Canadian in 1972 when he scored the winning goal in game eight to propel Canada to a hard-fought victory over the USSR in 1972.  I got to shake hands and exchange a few pleasantries with Paul before he settled down to watch the match.

And then, much to our surprise, Vanoc CEO John Furlong entered and sat down directly in front of our row.  He was gracious, shook hands with us all and asked us how we were enjoying the Games.  But when he was not 'on' and engaging with anyone I caught a glimpse of the burden of the job on his face.  After he left, all of us shook our heads and said we wouldn't want his job.

I gave him one of my Metro-Blenz News Squad cards and told him about our project and invited him to take a look.  I hope he does.  I have a feeling he'd be pleased and proud of our efforts.

I know I am.

Cathy Browne is a PR and social media professional in Vancouver BC.  She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.

Yesterday I came across a retweet by social media pundit and cartoonist Rob Cottingham, referencing a blog by Seattle-based cartoonist David Horsey.  In the post, David talks about being scammed by an individual who gave him a hard luck story and asked for money for transportation.

I realized with a start that my husband and I were also victims of the same man.  He had stopped us on West Georgia in front of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, asking if we could give him enough money to get him to the airport.  He said that his money, passport, etc. had been stolen from him and he needed to get back to the US. I think he took us for tourists because I had a camera and my husband was looking at a map - only because we're still new to town and he was double-checking our location.

He was believable enough that we gave him $4 - a small sum, to be sure, but I felt just as shamefaced as if I had given him $20.  How could I be taken like that?

The fact is, it's all too easy.  Our natural inclination to be kind and compassionate can overwhelm our common sense sometimes.  But I've learned a few valuable lessons.

• I will make sure we walk briskly, with confidence as if we know exactly what we're doing and are totally comfortable with our surroundings. Scammers are less likely to hit on locals.
• We won't pull out a map in public. Instead, we'll find a hotel lobby, coffee shop, library, restaurant, etc. where it won't be so obvious.
• If someone assumes I'm a tourist because I have my camera, I'll say I'm 'on assignment' (which, of course, I am!)
• It's unfortunate, but I personally am not going to stop when approached.  The longer you engage with this kind of person, the more likely you'll be to give money.

Hope this experience of ours will help others out there who, like me, would rather trust.  It's disheartening that we can't do that, particularly during major events like the Olympics.

Cathy Browne is a PR and social media professional. She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.

Well, the Olympics are in full swing, and this wonderful city of Vancouver is absolutely electric.  I've never seen so many people from so many parts of the world having so much fun!  And I'm proud of all of us locals (with or without blue jackets) who are ready with a smile and a helping hand.

Like so many of us, my excitement and emotion began at the Opening Ceremonies at a local watering hole with some good friends and dozens of other happy and boisterous fans.  For a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this, I wanted to be with people who were as pumped as I was.

The Opening Ceremonies didn't disappoint anyone who anticipated artistic excellence to rival the spectacles we've seen in past Games.  For me, though, it was some surprise appearances and awesome performances that have stuck in my mind.

• 16-year old sensation Nikki Yanofsky singing a very different, but riveting O Canada. This girl is destined for stardom!
• Our gracious and utterly human Governor-General Michaelle Jean opening the Games.  I am an unabashed fan of this woman.
• The Celtic dancers and fiddlers in a visually stunning routine.  Ashley MacIsaac rocks!
• k.d. laing's moving rendition of Hallelujah - one of my all-time favorite songs by iconic Canadian Leonard Cohen.  Quite simply, I bawled.
• The Olympic flag carried in by people I revere and admire for so many reasons.  It was a joy to see Betty Fox, Bobby Orr, Julie Payette, Donald Sutherland, Anne Murray, Jacques Villeneuve and Barbara Ann Scott - but I was particularly overjoyed to see former General Romeo Dallaire, whom I consider a true Canadian hero.
• And of course, the torch lighting was perfect, but what made me happiest was seeing Nancy Greene and Rick Hansen.

I was hoarse and exhausted on the bus ride home.  But I was in great company.  Most of the people on the bus were either coming from the actual event, or had seen it somewhere on TV.

The driver asked over the intercom "So, how was it, guys?'

And we all yelled, "It was AWESOME!!"  And two days in, everything is still awesome.

We have gold, silver and bronze medals - and a ton of memories. And we have two more weeks to go:-)

Way to go, Canada.  You're making us all proud.

Cathy Browne is a freelance PR and social media professional. She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.

On Sunday, I hopped on the Main bus to meet a friend downtown.  I love the Main bus. It meanders down my beloved Main Street neighborhood full of mom and pop businesses, wonderful clothes shops that showcase the best of Canadian fashion, and of course, some of my favorite restaurants. (I plan to do a photowalk later this week and will post shortly after.)

What made my trip even more enjoyable this time was the driver - a woman who smiled, chatted and went out of her way to be helpful. No matter who got on the bus - locals she recognized, a homeless person looking to get a free ride, or a young mother struggling to maneuver a stroller on board - she extended the same courtesy, with the same smile. She made everyone on the bus glad to be along for the ride.

One woman actually complimented the driver on her positive attitude as she was getting off at her stop.  The driver smiled and said, "I love my job!" That was definitely evident.

Translink, take note.  I don't know her name, but the driver of Main bus #2553 is a winner and a terrific ambassador for Vancouver. And she personifies what I hope will be our attitude toward each other during the Olympics - ever positive, ever helpful, and damn happy to be part of the fabric of this beautiful city.

Cathy Browne is a freelance PR and social media professional. She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter, and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.

My good friend and fellow Metro Blenz News Squad teamate Bonnie Sainsbury wrote a great post the other day about the Ask Me! button campaign that will alert visitors to Vancouver’s Olympic Games that the wearer of the Ask Me! button is friendly, approachable and helpful.  It’s a wonderful way to break the ice for people who may feel shy or intimidated at the thought of talking to strangers, and I encourage everyone to read Bonnie’s post and pick up a button.

But not everyone will be able to see those buttons.  Blind and visually impaired people like me, and many seniors with failing eyesight won’t be aware that you’re there to lend a helping hand.  So, here are a few things you can do to help:

• Remember that blind or visually impaired people aren’t always identifiable by a dog guide or white cane.  If you see someone who looks lost or uncomfortable crossing the street, or is having problems reading street signs or addresses, chances are they may have trouble seeing.
• Approach the person, and touch their arm lightly, and ask in a normal tone of voice if you can help at all. Don’t yell.  We’re blind, not deaf:-)
• Let the person take YOUR arm so you can guide them. Many people think they need to grab the blind person’s arm, which means that you’re dragging them around.  That’s very disorienting.
• If the person is using a white cane, don’t grab the cane and pull him/her along.  I’m serious.  It happens.
• If the person has a dog guide, don’t distract the dog by talking to it or petting it.  A dog guide is a working dog.
• If the person requires directions, make them very concise.  And don’t point in a direction.  It won’t help most of us.
• The phone number for the Vancouver branch of the Canadian Nantional Institute for the Blind is (604) 431-2121. Keep it handy.

Hope this helps.  Feel free to ask me or the CNIB for assistance.

Let’s make the Games memorable for everyone.

Cathy Browne is a freelance PR and social media professional. She is @CathyBrowne on Twitter and blogs at Cathy's Clean Slate.