In which we tell you how busy we are but not much else

I have not fallen into the pits of hell.

First of all, I’ve been working on what I’m now calling the Student Advocate (formerly the ombudsman). I’ve got initial documents ready to go, which I’ve put into the hands of an ad hoc committee of consultants. As it turns out, they may be opening other avenues of exploration as compared to helping me with the draft of this material. It shocks me that debate coaches are so…argumentative.

I’ve begun formally working on the Tournament Toolkit. Members of the VCA will recognize most of it, but for the world at large, much of it will be new. Also, it will be permanently archived and accessible, as compared to seeded all over the interwebs. The goal is presentation by the beginning of next season.

Curiously enough, I might be doing something on Modest Novice with the NFL, or whatever they call themselves nowadays. They seem to have finally realized the source of this idea, lo these many years ago. Unless I am arrested for crimes against debate humanity and shamed in a public trial that takes over the tabloids, with Nancy Grace attacking me daily on the Fox Network and the Parisians eventually tumbreling me to over to the guillotine so that my blood can run in the streets, ModNov is probably what I’m mostly be remembered for in this activity. So it’s nice that the memory might actually be valid.

I’m trying to do a chapter a day of the ultimate Nostrum edit. And a section a day of the tabroom vade mecum. On the latter, I’ve now updated all the extant material with illustrations, and now it’s on to the niceties of pairing MJP. I’ve also been helping out that tournament in Virginia with their events this coming weekend, and a small local event that the Quakers will be puting on later in the month, both long distance. Forget all the other changes wrought by tabroom: long-distance tabbing beats them all hands down! On the local front, we have our CFL Grands the weekend after this one, and I’ve been keeping a marginal eye on the registration. The key is that the field not exceed 20, which would mean three judges instead of two. My own team impresses me with their research to date on the same-gender classrooms. Of all the topics this year, this one has brought out the most discussion from everyone on the team. It’s a nice way to end the season, way preferable to the April topic: “Cannibalizing LD resolutions so that the PFers don’t have to do any new research should take priority over Indian food.” Is there a person on the planet who, A) didn’t think this would be the winning topic, and B) isn't really happy if they don’t have to debate it—again?