So --- I got the OK to book student flights on credit card. I have to pay for and be reimbursed for MY ticket, but theirs can go on the school card. OK compromise to keep the nit-pickers happy.
I also had a pretty calm meeting with the Student Life money people about my budget increase. I expected a lot more hassle, but it turns out that it just wasn't going to happen.
Also --- most of my team is nice and ready for the next tournament.... one has some problems, but I think it will be ok -- even if it means they have to move in with me and hubby between now and nationals. They are very welcome, we have wireless and the bed is comfortable. They can even go back and forth to school with me....
And-- I spent the monring looking at places we can rent on the Oregon coast between nationals. REALLY neat, and in our budget. Yea down season.... now I'm looking for one with the perfect combination.... wireless internet, beach view, 3-4 bedrooms, kitchen, laundry and less than $150.00/night. Wish me luck...
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Two more reasons I love D1
1) D1 turned in some extra credit today... a reflection paper on the student success day procrastination seminar. The paper wasn't fully due until the end of the semester.
2) Moral support during the demonstration debate --- it is always helpful to have someone to pass notes to.
Here's hoping Notre Dame goes well.
2) Moral support during the demonstration debate --- it is always helpful to have someone to pass notes to.
Here's hoping Notre Dame goes well.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Debate -- records
D1 and D2 stayed home from BN in-state tourny...
Rex and the Reverend were 3-1 (probably, although there could have been a tab error..).
Computer-boy and a Bethel guy were 2-2 and the Russian and Herbie were 1-3.
I'd love to see Rex and the Rev do well at Notre Dame this weekend -- I think they have the talent to do well, and they are both motivated. I'm really happy that it looks like Rex has a decent partner for once, and one he can debate with at 4 tournaments before nationals.
Nationals should be fun -- nobody on the squad has been before. Rex and D1 were around last year when we hosted. Rex worked his ass off -- and earned a ton of respect for me, which even his consistent lateness lately has yet to really tarnish. Nobody has competed before -- and all but D1 and Rex are complete novices this year. If the Russian was a bit freaked out this weekend, wait until he's at nationals... wow....
Rex and the Reverend were 3-1 (probably, although there could have been a tab error..).
Computer-boy and a Bethel guy were 2-2 and the Russian and Herbie were 1-3.
I'd love to see Rex and the Rev do well at Notre Dame this weekend -- I think they have the talent to do well, and they are both motivated. I'm really happy that it looks like Rex has a decent partner for once, and one he can debate with at 4 tournaments before nationals.
Nationals should be fun -- nobody on the squad has been before. Rex and D1 were around last year when we hosted. Rex worked his ass off -- and earned a ton of respect for me, which even his consistent lateness lately has yet to really tarnish. Nobody has competed before -- and all but D1 and Rex are complete novices this year. If the Russian was a bit freaked out this weekend, wait until he's at nationals... wow....
Debate quotes-- updated
"I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard you say something dorky like that" -- turned into just "I wish I had a nickel" -- in response to whatever bizarre thing came out of the Russian's mouth.
Herbie has, what his grandmother would call a good Mongolian nose -- it seems that he has the nose of the people who are trustworthy in Mongolia... hmmmm
Computer-boy is really pretty sweet... and very nice, if a bit akward. He also has a great sense of direction.
Tonight at debate practice D2 came up with the "Black-market luge" DA...
Poor Rex, i was the only one getting a bunch of his jokes this last weekend --- the Stray Cat "look"... the K-State IE girl stuff and a bunch more just went right on by the others. Of course, I got it -- but, that often isn't enough for Rex.
Herbie has, what his grandmother would call a good Mongolian nose -- it seems that he has the nose of the people who are trustworthy in Mongolia... hmmmm
Computer-boy is really pretty sweet... and very nice, if a bit akward. He also has a great sense of direction.
Tonight at debate practice D2 came up with the "Black-market luge" DA...
Poor Rex, i was the only one getting a bunch of his jokes this last weekend --- the Stray Cat "look"... the K-State IE girl stuff and a bunch more just went right on by the others. Of course, I got it -- but, that often isn't enough for Rex.
Reading... for fun
I just finished James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" -- this is the book Oprah pitched such a fit about last week... it seems that Frey wasn't exactly accurate with his memories of drug rehab. It als seems as if he glossed over the time after he was in jail and called the three months he needed to get his life together after treatment, "jail".
One way or the other, it is a pretty amazing narration of the recovery of a severely addicted person. It is a story about friendship, challenges and love. Not bad -- of course, I bought the book after I found out there were "concerns" abou the truth of the book.
I'm also reading Jodi Piccoult's "Vanishing Acts". The story is about a woman whose father kidnapped her as a child. The father gets arrested for kidnapping and she goes back to meet her mother, who she thought was dead. Of course, it is more complex than this -- but in typical Piccoult fashion, i'm waiting for the other shoe to fall. Not nearly as good as "My Sister's Keeper", but few books are.
I pretty much need to read some fiction before I go to sleep. I don't absorb/remember the details of a book long-term because I read them pretty fast. It is my way to relax and end the day.
One way or the other, it is a pretty amazing narration of the recovery of a severely addicted person. It is a story about friendship, challenges and love. Not bad -- of course, I bought the book after I found out there were "concerns" abou the truth of the book.
I'm also reading Jodi Piccoult's "Vanishing Acts". The story is about a woman whose father kidnapped her as a child. The father gets arrested for kidnapping and she goes back to meet her mother, who she thought was dead. Of course, it is more complex than this -- but in typical Piccoult fashion, i'm waiting for the other shoe to fall. Not nearly as good as "My Sister's Keeper", but few books are.
I pretty much need to read some fiction before I go to sleep. I don't absorb/remember the details of a book long-term because I read them pretty fast. It is my way to relax and end the day.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Debate --- why we leave the state to compete
on a small tournament in BN state... it isn't the state champs, but has most of the same issues -- so, we'll repeat this in a couple of weeks... aaargh....
I’m not sure I’ve seen a tournament more screwed up by tab than this one… and they don’t even know THAT they are doing it, nor why what they are doing is a problem… This isn't intentional, unless their ignorance is intentional.
1) Resolutions = terrible, round 4 was “TH values academic freedom over freedom of speech” – since when is academic freedom NOT also freedom of speech. By valuing one you MUST value the other—can we say less than no gov ground… fucking ridiculous.
Semi-s, "TH would ban game shows"… WTF
2) Judges – many rounds there are several good judges sitting in the judge lounge – you know the types – the ones who know what a topicality argument is, what the basic burdens of debate are and a few other basics. Instead, they substitute the husband of a good judge for the one GOOD judge we got – when they guy was there.
They were also worried about husband of good judge being “qualified” to judge impromptu or inform – when all you have to do is sit there and watch the speeches… not decide who did the better debating. Fuck, I really don’t like this.
3) Schedule… here is how it looks:
Friday
10:00 registration
11:00 parli 1
12:15: parli II
1:30 – 6:30 IEs…
6:45 (or, whenever) parli III (finish about 8:30)
9:00 bowling party [except for debaters who need food and sleep.. because, wait for it…
Saturday
8:00 Parli IV
9:30 – 12:15 IEs
12:15: parli semi-finals..
When you read this schedule as a debater the message is clear, “debate is an EXTRA thing. If you debate, it is an event that must be done when it won’t inconvenience the IEers. As a result, my debaters sat around for many hours at a time -- so that they could debate for four hours...
4) Tab: wow… wow… it started as an 18 team tournament (only breaking to quarters when someone asked them to do it…) 5 teams didn’t show for round 1… thus 5 forfeits…
I wonder how the forfeit was tabbed…
And… the whole tournament was supposed to be pre-set (a bad thing and NOT A norm... at all...)– but then 5 teams didn’t show. The chick in charge didn’t want to re-do the round schematics… was going to allow 5 byes PER ROUND… fuck. You’d pretty much need to be 6-0 in a 4 round tournament to break… aargh… at least they re-paired the rounds.
Then – the way the tournament was paired (by hand, mind you) – in their power-match went like this… paired high/low within brackets, random bye (not, lowest team = bye… like it should). One of the two best teams in the tournament got a bye in the 4th round. They should have been debating someone who was 3-0 or 2-1…
I’m pretty pissed about this, we actually put ourselves into a 3 weekend back-to-back schedule and spent about $500.00 to come up here and do this farce.
I’m going to have to talk to BN in-state tourney director about this, and offer to tab the tournament next year… Hubby or Snoopy could have done it with their eyes closed AND could have judged… Cripes, D1/D2/Rex could tab this. It is a 4 round, 13 team tournament, not NPTE. When you have someone in the state that has tabbed nationals – actually, two of them (snoopy and hubby) – why would you do it yourself? Aargh..
As a result, I get this craptastic round to suffer, decreasing my education and confirming my view of debate in BN state. Thank GOD we are going to a realish tournament next weekend.
I have to give them some credit -- I was home at 4:30 on a Saturday afternoon... and, my new debaters got their feet wet..
I’m not sure I’ve seen a tournament more screwed up by tab than this one… and they don’t even know THAT they are doing it, nor why what they are doing is a problem… This isn't intentional, unless their ignorance is intentional.
1) Resolutions = terrible, round 4 was “TH values academic freedom over freedom of speech” – since when is academic freedom NOT also freedom of speech. By valuing one you MUST value the other—can we say less than no gov ground… fucking ridiculous.
Semi-s, "TH would ban game shows"… WTF
2) Judges – many rounds there are several good judges sitting in the judge lounge – you know the types – the ones who know what a topicality argument is, what the basic burdens of debate are and a few other basics. Instead, they substitute the husband of a good judge for the one GOOD judge we got – when they guy was there.
They were also worried about husband of good judge being “qualified” to judge impromptu or inform – when all you have to do is sit there and watch the speeches… not decide who did the better debating. Fuck, I really don’t like this.
3) Schedule… here is how it looks:
Friday
10:00 registration
11:00 parli 1
12:15: parli II
1:30 – 6:30 IEs…
6:45 (or, whenever) parli III (finish about 8:30)
9:00 bowling party [except for debaters who need food and sleep.. because, wait for it…
Saturday
8:00 Parli IV
9:30 – 12:15 IEs
12:15: parli semi-finals..
When you read this schedule as a debater the message is clear, “debate is an EXTRA thing. If you debate, it is an event that must be done when it won’t inconvenience the IEers. As a result, my debaters sat around for many hours at a time -- so that they could debate for four hours...
4) Tab: wow… wow… it started as an 18 team tournament (only breaking to quarters when someone asked them to do it…) 5 teams didn’t show for round 1… thus 5 forfeits…
I wonder how the forfeit was tabbed…
And… the whole tournament was supposed to be pre-set (a bad thing and NOT A norm... at all...)– but then 5 teams didn’t show. The chick in charge didn’t want to re-do the round schematics… was going to allow 5 byes PER ROUND… fuck. You’d pretty much need to be 6-0 in a 4 round tournament to break… aargh… at least they re-paired the rounds.
Then – the way the tournament was paired (by hand, mind you) – in their power-match went like this… paired high/low within brackets, random bye (not, lowest team = bye… like it should). One of the two best teams in the tournament got a bye in the 4th round. They should have been debating someone who was 3-0 or 2-1…
I’m pretty pissed about this, we actually put ourselves into a 3 weekend back-to-back schedule and spent about $500.00 to come up here and do this farce.
I’m going to have to talk to BN in-state tourney director about this, and offer to tab the tournament next year… Hubby or Snoopy could have done it with their eyes closed AND could have judged… Cripes, D1/D2/Rex could tab this. It is a 4 round, 13 team tournament, not NPTE. When you have someone in the state that has tabbed nationals – actually, two of them (snoopy and hubby) – why would you do it yourself? Aargh..
As a result, I get this craptastic round to suffer, decreasing my education and confirming my view of debate in BN state. Thank GOD we are going to a realish tournament next weekend.
I have to give them some credit -- I was home at 4:30 on a Saturday afternoon... and, my new debaters got their feet wet..
Debate -- update and general comments...
Written during BN state, in-state scary tournament… while I probably should have been flowing...
What I want to say, but can’t ----
Ummm – dude, you don’t have a right to the Status Quo as opp ground – stop whining about the fact that gov ran a case against using people in space…
What about a counter-plan… disband NASA… or a good old militiarism of space DA…
HMMM – asserting plan will work, interesting strategy
Here I am at the special olymics of debate – no standards or impacts on a T.
Wanky turns, but they are turns… I didn’t know that these kids could use those sorts of terms without their heads imploding.. gasp – they have “policy” vocabulary…
On TV there is “what not to wear” -- Here there is “how not to run a debate tournament”..
During an elim round
Oh my goodness... “game shows” = “torture” – K land… even for me who isn’t exactly a K fan..
Right now the LO is finished with her T argument, I don’t have to flow much.
MG, can’t answer the T.. so she tells stories of Saddam dipping kids in acid, saying that somehow that answers the connection between game show and torture.
Gov’s T response pretty much comes down to “if we are a little bit topical, we are topical” huh… either you ARE or you ARE NOT. It is a yes-no question. A little bit pregnant -- you know, it is like that..
So sad, here I am looking at my widget that is iphoto, looking at pictures of GOOD debaters. If I need to do that, something is wrong with the round I am watching.
What I want to say, but can’t ----
Ummm – dude, you don’t have a right to the Status Quo as opp ground – stop whining about the fact that gov ran a case against using people in space…
What about a counter-plan… disband NASA… or a good old militiarism of space DA…
HMMM – asserting plan will work, interesting strategy
Here I am at the special olymics of debate – no standards or impacts on a T.
Wanky turns, but they are turns… I didn’t know that these kids could use those sorts of terms without their heads imploding.. gasp – they have “policy” vocabulary…
On TV there is “what not to wear” -- Here there is “how not to run a debate tournament”..
During an elim round
Oh my goodness... “game shows” = “torture” – K land… even for me who isn’t exactly a K fan..
Right now the LO is finished with her T argument, I don’t have to flow much.
MG, can’t answer the T.. so she tells stories of Saddam dipping kids in acid, saying that somehow that answers the connection between game show and torture.
Gov’s T response pretty much comes down to “if we are a little bit topical, we are topical” huh… either you ARE or you ARE NOT. It is a yes-no question. A little bit pregnant -- you know, it is like that..
So sad, here I am looking at my widget that is iphoto, looking at pictures of GOOD debaters. If I need to do that, something is wrong with the round I am watching.
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