We don’t seem to be able to get rid of the Speechonauts. Although most of them remain stolidly unsigned up, they persist in showing up at meetings. I would like to take anyone who believes that “kids nowadays are all about computers” and take them by the hand and introduce them to some kids nowadays. The youth of America, as I have maintained often, are no more adept at computers than the fogies of America. Computism is not a skill inborn since 1995 or so. On the other hand, they can text in their sleep, but part of being able to text is having someone to text to, and there are a lot of teenagers out there sleeping with their cell phones, just waiting for someone to send them a text message. Adults, on the other hand, just sit around cradling shotguns in their crooked arms, rocking on their porches and waiting for kids nowadays to appear on their lawns. Thus the difference between myth and reality.
What I do detect, however, is that we have reached the full swing of the nautical pendulum from debate back to speech. Historically the ship of Hud has had either a dynamic speech team or a dynamic debate team, but seldom both simultaneously. I maintain this has something to do with the particular brand of nuclear fuel they’re burning at nearby Indian Point during the moment of conception. At the moment, the Speechonauts are a young team, and there’s some real talent there. They’ll be fun to watch over the coming years. Too bad I won’t be staying with them, although I’m toying with some ways of keeping my hand in a little bit. We’re hoping for a new coach for them by mid-October. We’re starting the interviews this weekend.
I have a vision of a one-person debate team next year. That doesn’t seem right.
After last night’s meeting I managed to get the latest Nostrum recorded, and, of course, I monitored the Pups for a while, but all there seems to be going as smooth as the proverbial goat. I’ve recharged my little MiFi for the journey, I’ve recharged my Starbucks card, I’ve recharged the iPad, I’ve tested the printer, I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid, I’ve seen the elephant, I’ve said yes to the panda, I’ve caught up on OKGO videos, I’ve packed my galoshes—in short, I am ready for the weekend in New Haven.
Do I sound eager for the season to begin?
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