Termites, Tiks, talks, torpor, Tars

Dept of Clarification: My whole thing about institute cases was in response to the tendency of some campers to run their camp cases unchanged at tournaments, not in criticism of the concept of camp cases per se, or the practices of camps in developing those cases. This should put young Termite’s mind at rest, at last, that the entire purpose of CL is not to attack him heart, soul and spirit. I know in my own heart, soul and spirit that Termite is the last person on earth who would suggest that he run a camp case at Yale. When he returns to the Ship of Hud I know he will run to me eagerly, his puppy eyes open wide, his tail wagging, and he will beg me for the benefit of my wisdom on Sep-Oct. At which point I’ll swat his nose with a rolled-up newspaper, call him a bad dog, and go on about my business.

Speaking of warm and cuddly, for those members of the VCA who believe that we should simply write about cats, your challenge today is to “Find the Spine.” How does one twist oneself up like that?



I’m really starting to entertain seriously the idea of a semi-regular podcast on debate issues. Having put up another Nostrum yesterday, and realizing beyond question that this is entirely a vanity pursuit (and not even in aid of my own vanity, given that Jules and the Nostrumite get all the glory), and meanwhile ruminating over values and criteria after reading McNeil’s latest on OMG, I realize that I am semi-regular in my desire to hold forth (consider the recent piece on Running the Rez), I’m getting reasonably adept at it despite the fact that my vocal tone never would have earned me the Darth Vader job over James Earl Jones (although I do have an inclination to sneak into OC’s tent late at night and wake him up out of a sound sleep and say, “Cruz, I am yaw fah-thah”), and most of all, there are some ideas that just work better delivered mouth to ear rather than hand to eye. We’ll see.

And I’ve begun seriously the Legion of Doom PosterBoy work. What fun. My barrage of emails has begun; I’ll hit all my targets by the end of the week. Meanwhile, I continue my simmering ire over the fact that nothing happens on the communications front. I’ll give ‘em another day or two and then launch. Again. Sigh.

The chez is now in total disarray. The stoners broke a hole in the back of HQ, which should become a door some time today. I disconnected all sorts of wires and cables, but miraculously the wireless still worked last night when all was said and done, while the TV is an enormous heavy lump just taking up space in the middle of the room. And I could have used a nice “House” last night instead of various Bump invite update chores I ended up with. I did have a lovely surprise visit from one of the crack heads of the Sailors: Ben came by to deliver a wonderful thank-you from the team, which I must admit touched my hard little heart. I’m only in this for the money, of course, and the fact that there isn’t any doesn’t deter me because I have my sights set on some of those $5K posting fees O’C is always collecting. So when the Tars make a statement like this…it makes me feel proud of them, and proud to work with them. No irony. No jokes. It’s probably the best thing I get to do. Thanks, guys.