Speech and Debate
After the Bronco Invitational, I am in possession of a very detailed cowboy trophy (2- dramatic interp), and much simpler medal (4- oratorical interp)! If awards could be converted to solid money, placed on a supermarket scale balanced, weighed, and then used to purchase random supermarket objects, mine would qualify me for a completely morally reprehensible bag of cheetos. But I don't do these things for the faux marble trophies ornately wrapped in azure tin, unabashedly boasting swashbucklers in gold-tinted plastic. Though I complain whenever I don't have an excuse to skip the class, I love the (mostly) pure competition of the tournaments. I love standing in front of three judges, and all of my competitors, and being the only speaker and focus for ten minutes. I love being provocative and terribly politically incorrect and making the judges smile, and my competitors wince. I love the shared anxiety within the room. In all, I love to compete, but I'd rather leave before the awards ceremony (even if my rearing cowboy does have an opposable thumb).