In which we come closer to a rubric

We’re coming into some sort of agreement on how to run tournaments next season. The NSDA finals gave some of the Usual Suspects yet more experience to draw from. I would say that our story so far includes the biggest question of single versus double flights, followed closely by the question of caps, which of course depends on the answer to the first question. Personally, I’m beginning to lean toward very tightly capped single-flighted Varsity rounds, with the resultingly high judge requirement, and looser double-flighted Community/Open and Novice rounds, not carrying the burden of lots of judges. In other words, if you want to aim for a bid, you have to want it enough to pay the (judging) price. Somehow I think that might cut out the ribbon clerks, but I could be wrong. In any case, we’ll be getting together soon to hash it all out. The goal is to present something concrete to all our tournaments to work with. For some, it will be a reality check. For others, it will remove much of the worrying, since we’re doing it all for them. And I mean that. I think about this stuff all the time. The thing is, there is no perfect solution, and arguments can be made for a lot of different possibilities. However you slice it, it won’t be easy. 

 

For those who miss complaining about the music in the tab room, please note that new tracks have been added to the playlist: a couple of k.d. lang songs (what a voice!), one Thin Lizzy (one was enough), a Squirrel Nut Zippers, yet another Delaney and Bonnie which I think finishes their run, a Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance, 3 Frank Zappa songs (including “Peaches En Regalia,” “Dancing Fool” and “Valley Girl,” the latter two of which probably will be deleted eventually, after they’ve annoyed the appropriate people enough), some rare Nilsson, some Fabulous Thunderbirds, two David Lindley, yet another Steve Earle (when he rocks, he rocks), a Big Star, a Walter Trout, a bunch of Eddie Money, and, after somehow missing this particular album completely earlier on, all sorts of songs from “Magical Mystery Tour.” We’re closing in on 2400 songs. Which is about 140 hours of music, just enough to last through Day One of most tournaments. 

 

I actually played golf twice this week, which is why I haven’t been writing here. The courses are open, they send you out one to a cart, and social distancing is a given, so why not. It’s the only thing I’m doing these days out of the house other than hitting the supermarket at the crack of dawn on Wednesdays with the other old-timers. I don’t see much else happening to break the pattern, though. Opening the various states, allowing the yabbos out maskless and witless, isn’t helping anybody. It’s not even as if the results will only affect the yabbos. They’ll get infected and pass it along to the rest of us. Where’s Darwin when you need him?