Keep Calm and Watch the Olympics

In case you live under a rock and weren't aware, it's time for the 2012 Olympics. The 17-day event which will bring pride, honor and worldwide recognition to eager athletes, began on Friday evening in London. Everyone who's anyone is there in a rare show of global unity. Politicians, celebrities, athletes and millions of ecstatic fans are attending the ancient and prestigious sporting event. Social media is exploding with their reactions. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is talking about it.

Don't worry, The Expendables aren't allowed to compete in the Olympic games (Just wouldn't be fair…) Coming August 17th… PREPARE TO RELOAD!
— THE EXPENDABLES 2 (@Expendables2) July 27, 2012

An estimated one billion viewers will watch the Olympics which officially kicked off with the opening ceremony Friday. Fans and athletes brimming with excitement posted tweets and photos of the festivities in London. The ceremonies were, appropriately, as British as could be- choirs of children sang traditional songs, men wearing top hats and suits with tails strolled beneath fabricated clouds and read excerpts from The Tempest and horse-drawn carriages encircled the stadium.

@LashindaDemus/Twitter

Athletes competeing for team USA, many hailing from Los Angeles, shared their thoughts on the impact of such a powerful experience via social media outlets. One Angelino athlete tweeting his excitement was Chay Lapin, who will compete in water polo for the United States.

An amazing experience walking into the stadium... The dream @bearmann4 #openingceremony #london2012 twitter.com/ChayLapin/stat…
— Chay Lapin (@ChayLapin) July 28, 2012

Lapin, who once competed in the sport for UCLA, is a first-timer at the Olympics. On the other end of the spectrum, repeat participants shared their insights as well. While prepping for his final Olympic games, seasoned veteran Michael Phelps reminisced about his first go-around:

Talk about a blast from the past... First Olympics way back when.. The start of my last one Tom!!!lockerz.com/s/228668286
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) July 27, 2012

Though Phelps is ready to relax after Olympic retirement, many fans are sad to see him leave.

@MichaelPhelps please Michael, Stay for another Olympics! You're such a role model to everyone!!!
— Azzam Abbas (@Azzam_ab22) July 27, 2012

From all these tweets, posts and pictures, one thing is for sure- the whole world seems infected with Olympics fever. And that fever is truly infectious.