(no subject)
today i judged for a high school speech & debate meet.
it was amazing.
even if i only got to judge one round.
i had forgotten how much i love speech, and how much i really miss it.
as a "one-year-out" judge i was supposed to only be allowed to judge novice events, but there were some judge shortage and affiliation issues, so they let me do poetry because "they knew what i was capable of."
(that made me feel special!)
it was a little weird to be on the other side of the ballots, and it felt bizarre to be critiquing and grading what usually would have been my competition. i did see several people i was used to competing with, but thankfully i didn't judge for any. i was super nervous when i got in the room. usually i walk in, find the person with the brightly colored papers and the stopwatch, and start trying to figure out the best way to play my piece. this time i was the person with the ballots and stopwatch who got to ask if there was anyone double entered who would like to go first.
i got over my nerves by repeatedly telling my self "i am qualified for this job. i am definitely qualified for this job..." and i think i wrote some pretty good ballots. (i tried really hard to not be the kind of judge that i hate and used to spend the whole bus ride home yelling about) i included areas for improvement on the first place ballot, and made sure to list several strengths on the 5th place one. and made sure that my cell phone was not even in the room.
(dear asshole cell phone judge from last year,
i still hate you.)
the bus ride home was even complete with talking way too loud about whatever i wanted. thanks kim!
sadly, i will be back in the 'Burg before the next meet, so until next year,
i shall remain speechless.
it was amazing.
even if i only got to judge one round.
i had forgotten how much i love speech, and how much i really miss it.
as a "one-year-out" judge i was supposed to only be allowed to judge novice events, but there were some judge shortage and affiliation issues, so they let me do poetry because "they knew what i was capable of."
(that made me feel special!)
it was a little weird to be on the other side of the ballots, and it felt bizarre to be critiquing and grading what usually would have been my competition. i did see several people i was used to competing with, but thankfully i didn't judge for any. i was super nervous when i got in the room. usually i walk in, find the person with the brightly colored papers and the stopwatch, and start trying to figure out the best way to play my piece. this time i was the person with the ballots and stopwatch who got to ask if there was anyone double entered who would like to go first.
i got over my nerves by repeatedly telling my self "i am qualified for this job. i am definitely qualified for this job..." and i think i wrote some pretty good ballots. (i tried really hard to not be the kind of judge that i hate and used to spend the whole bus ride home yelling about) i included areas for improvement on the first place ballot, and made sure to list several strengths on the 5th place one. and made sure that my cell phone was not even in the room.
(dear asshole cell phone judge from last year,
i still hate you.)
the bus ride home was even complete with talking way too loud about whatever i wanted. thanks kim!
sadly, i will be back in the 'Burg before the next meet, so until next year,
i shall remain speechless.