'Tis the Season

Well, Thanksgiving's come and gone, and already we have our house fully decked-out Christmas-style. I guess I'm still in that transition phase, the one where you've already had your tryptophan nap, but you still aren't singing any Christmas songs. I suppose it's still taking a while for the Christmas spirit to spread, but in the meantime, I'm still thinking about what I'm thankful for. Food, shelter, family, my PSP - you know, the essentials. But in all actuality, I think it's no mistake that we first look at and appreciate what we have before we start drooling over what we don't. Thanksgiving, to me, is a reminder that I need to see what I have, and how I'm lucky to have it. That way, when I'm still transitioning, I don't show complete disregard for the family and friends I already have in the pursuit of the toys and clothes that I don't.

So, when you do start forming your Christmas list, just remember that if by chance you don't get your top-of-the-list item, money can't buy the people you love, and deep down, cherish the most.

Recent Success

On the 16th & 17th of this month, there was a small speech and debate tournament at a high school. I got a superior award in extemp, and I lost two rounds of debate and won four. The superior award was taken by only one other person in the junior extemp division, so that was pretty cool. I had taken three, count them, three practices in extemp before the tourney, and I think I drove my coach insane with all the complaining and whining, and being too hard on myself. Heh. I guess putting myself and my coach through that ordeal paid off. However, I think there was another giant contributor to my recent success. At the beginning of the tournament, I drew a profile of a person exhaling air on my hand. Every time I looked at it, I took a relaxing breath, and it helped my nerves. I guess it's the little things that make the difference, eh?

Post #20

Debate. I'm on the high school debate team. I do Lincoln Douglas debate, which is different for parliament or policy debate. But it's debate.

I have yet to have outside benefits from debate, but I hear they are many and not far away. I'm not that good at it, in my personal opinion. Apparently I rock, though.

I'm also doing Extemporaneous speech, which is where you're given a current events topic, any resources you bring in, and one half hour to prepare a seven-minute speech on that topic. It's not fun. I don't like doing it, but I've learned a lot from it, like how to appear knowledgable, confident, and experienced without knowing beans about the topic. It's benefitted me outside speech.

How ironic. The activity I most hate to do has benefitted me more than the one I like doing. It's not fair, I tell you.

I like a couple of my team mates, one that's in the novice division like myself, and one in the senior division, who rocks at debate. I find strength in them when there's none to be found in myself. It's one of the major reasons I like speech and debate, and stayed in it -- not that I've contemplated quitting....more than two or three times.

I guess it goes to show that even in one of the most cut-throat environments you can find friends. That's the moral of the story, just so you know.