Monday March 19, 2007

I had such a pleasant weekend. Saturday, I went to the 2007 Fort Smith Southside Forensics Olympiad – and had the best time. I was able to catch up with an old friend and revisit some favorite memories.

 

As I drove up to the school, I was overcome by a feeling of familiarity. I walked into the building and was comforted by the cliché that “some things never change”. I wasn’t scheduled to judge right away, so I roamed up and down the halls. There were students pacing – black notebooks in-hand – silently mouthing words in rehearsal for a round, partners preparing an improv scene in the stairwell, and random outbursts of showtunes. I found Balgavy – pen behind her ear, Starbucks in-hand, carrying a Harvard portfolio and upset-stomach medicine for one of her JV kids. 

 

We sat in the coaches lounge or the cafeteria between rounds of judging and chatted about family, friends, school, work – everything. And we talked about how, in a world in which “communication” now conjures thoughts of text messaging and Myspace – it was truly a treat to get to sit down with an old friend and talk.

 

It was also heartening to discover that the program I was a part of during high school – has not changed much. They have new facilities and twice as many students and new coaches – but the same person who taught me important lessons in poise, confidence and accountability – is still there. I loved meeting her students and hearing them talk about rounds or rehearsing. I loved standing in the sea of people while breaks were posted – witnessing joy matched only by reunited families in airport terminals. It was such a great day and I hope it’s not another 7 years before I get to go back.

 

Enough mush. J Saturday night was, of course, St. Patrick’s Day (Lonette – I thought of you ALL day!). We gathered the posse and hit Jose’s patio for some green beer and jig-dancing --

 

 

And though it looks like I was not in the spirit - I was wearing green pants!

 

Sunday was spent at the doctor's office for an ulcer in my eye... and now I have to wear glasses all week and put milky drops in my eyes every few hours for the next 7 days. Stupid contacts.

Comments

[LogDog2020]

My little sister is a seniorin Fayetteville High School's forensics team, and from what I have heard, she's kind of a badass. She might have been there. Now that that's out of the way, Jeezus!, ulcer in your eye? That sounds like a revenge/torture method brought on by a squirt of acid in the eye by some abhorrent enemy. Never heard of that one.
No baby for Aeja and I on St. Patty's likeAeja's Irishfamily had hoped. I guess the baby has more French than Irish in her. Perhaps a little of my mother's "Stubborn Belgian" side.

[sarahmcow]

Are Belgians stubborn?
Sadly, the ulcer-in-the-eye torture is self-induced. I have been told for years that I should take my contacts out every night so my eyes can "breathe" -- which I've always thought was unnecessary -- so I take them out every month or so, instead. And I wear 2-week contacts for months on end. So unfortunatelyI don't deserve sympathy...

[ChiquitaQ]

No you don't deserve sympathy! And again, TOTALLY jealous about the tourney...
I'm glad you got to dance jigs as well. :)

[LogDog2020]

You know, generally speaking, I really am not sure about the Belgian thing, but the Belgians in my family are...