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Oh, the exciting life of the babysitter. No, I didn't get to watch the kids enact any more scenes from horror flicks; however, I did star in a special flick I will be calling The Engineer's Daughter.
When I showed up at the family's house (my Tuesday job, so not the family that owns the Amazing Locker Boy), the father hadn't left yet. On his way out, he asked me if I knew anything about windows; I thought he was going to ask me to wash them, and contemplated the idea of running away before realizing he meant the computer platform.
Apparently his internet had been down for quite a while, and he'd been working over the last few days to get it fixed. He had the option to get someone from his office to come by, but he'd get charged about $150. I gamely agreed to take a look, so he gave me instructions to call if I made any progress and left.
The boys were at school and the girl was asleep, so my options were A) SIS reading or B) working on the internet connection. I chose B and started tinkering around. Within about a half an hour I had the computer online and called to tell him as much.
He called back a few minutes later with a proposal. The computer that had been hooked up belonged to his office; he'd been trying to use that one because his home computer ran Windows 98 and he could make no headway getting it set up. So, he told me, if I could fix the Windows 98 computer, I would receive monetary compensation.
I <3 fixing computers. I also <3 money. I hooked up the other computer. After about two hours (interspersed with, you know, actually watching the kids I was babysitting), I got it online. This was quite an accomplishment, because setting up a LAN on Windows 98 is a bit of a challenge and this computer was as old as a fine wine. So I did a little happy dance. In my head.
Today I made an extra $50 for doing something I love.
Da-da-da, can't touch this!
[/geek]
In conclusion, apparently my gothy "I only live in my computer..." stage was good for something. And so was growing up with an engineer daddy.
When I was about 13, my Dad installed NetTimer -- a program that gave each family member a username and password. Dad and Mom could be on the internet as long as they wanted, but when I was logged in, NetTimer would cut off the dial-up connection after two hours.
Now, I absolutely lived on MSN Messenger and fanfiction.net at this point in time, so this new policy didn't sit well with me. However, I was helpless before the awesome power of NetTimer, which could not be shut down without Dad's password.
After a day or so, I realized that Ctrl+Alt+Del would override this need for his password, and gleefully exploited my loophole for a couple days. This led to one of the most fantastic conversations of my childhood.
[MiniKat is surfing the web. EngineerDaddy enters.]
MiniKat: Oh, hey, Dad. You want the computer?
EngineerDaddy: Yep.
MiniKat: Kay. Hold on, just let me shut off NetTimer so it won't bug you.
EngineerDaddy: *smugly* You can't do that without the password.
[MiniKat, who is also a rather smug individual, Ctrl+Alt+Del's the program. It asks for the password.]
EngineerDaddy: See?
[A box pops up saying that NetTimer's not responding and asks if MiniKat would like to terminate it. She does so.]
EngineerDaddy: ...
[MiniKat grins.]
EngineerDaddy: ...
MiniKat: Muahaha!
EngineerDaddy: ...Give me that.
[MiniKat runs off full of glee.]
He uninstalled NetTimer shortly thereafter. Six years later, I'm STILL gloating.
11.29.2005
11.28.2005
"Who is it, Katie? I mean... Rusty?"
Yes, folks, my dad actually called the dog by my name. It was not my proudest moment. But apparently...
...I just can't compete with that.
I just cranked out the quickest BS of my life: "reading" 30 pages for Theories of Democracy and writing a 2-page "reading response" paper in under an hour. Yeah, that's right. And I didn't even have caffeine.
When I ask my friends how Thanksgiving break went, they usually say "Eh, not much... I slept a lot." This makes me outrageously jealous. People, don't take sleeping for granted. One day you could be like me. And trust me, it sucks to never sleep. I have the worst sleep deficit ever owning my life right now, and I missed the golden opportunity Thanksgiving offered to catch up with it, because I was hanging out with the Crystal person who was at my house... somehow, we got through Thanksgiving break without mocking a SINGLE Lifetime movie. I feel cheated.
The rest of this semester will be a whirlwind of papers, presentations, and intense sadness. However, I can't wait for break. If all goes as planned, Roz will visit me at some point; also, Crystal and I will fly out to Portland to visit her family and stay there from December 28 until January 9. It will be my first time on the West coast. I'm excited! And I'm going to find a way to get to the beach if it kills me, which it shouldn't, because I believe we're visiting San Diego anyway.
Squee.
However, I've gotta say... what I'm looking forward to most about break is definitely the sleep. At this point I would sell my soul for a good sixteen hours.
As a side note, I represented you all today during a brief chat with the IT help desk:
"Hi, I'm calling about my wireless connection. My computer is connecting, but Cisco, which, by the way, is the MOST USELESS PROGRAM EVER WRITTEN, isn't."
(In case you're wondering, although my computer is obviously letting me online, Cisco still isn't working. I hate that program with the fire of a thousand suns.)
Finally, tasering an 11-year-old is wrong? Man. There go my babysitting jobs.
11.24.2005
Resolutions for the Rest of the 2005 Calendar Year, or Ways to Avoid Dropping Out
1. Spend less time with friends.
2. Spend more time downtown and less in Tenley/Friendship; also, spend more time off-campus.
3. Attend concerts. Go clubbing. Have fun.
4. Cook more, i.e., refuse to sacrifice myself on the Tavern/TDR Altars of Convenience.
5. Spend at least two hours a week working on actual assignments... why does the voice in my head think this is unrealistic? That's NORMAL.
6. Make non-free time more productive in order to enjoy the actual free time.
7. Keep a tighter reign on the finances.
8. Fix my relationship with my family as much as possible.
9. Learn not only to prioritize, but also to do the resulting priorities.
10. Paint. Draw. Write. Make earrings. Make purses. Take photos.
And, my only resolution for the coming year --
* Take riding lessons.
2. Spend more time downtown and less in Tenley/Friendship; also, spend more time off-campus.
3. Attend concerts. Go clubbing. Have fun.
4. Cook more, i.e., refuse to sacrifice myself on the Tavern/TDR Altars of Convenience.
5. Spend at least two hours a week working on actual assignments... why does the voice in my head think this is unrealistic? That's NORMAL.
6. Make non-free time more productive in order to enjoy the actual free time.
7. Keep a tighter reign on the finances.
8. Fix my relationship with my family as much as possible.
9. Learn not only to prioritize, but also to do the resulting priorities.
10. Paint. Draw. Write. Make earrings. Make purses. Take photos.
And, my only resolution for the coming year --
* Take riding lessons.
11.18.2005
I've gotta say, watching the kid I was babysitting involuntarily reenact a scene from Saw was not a good experience.
The family in question shall be referred to as the Fridays, because A) that's the day I sit for them and B) I doubt they want to be connected with the following story.
After a long walk, by which I mean a bus ride because I left the dorm way too late, and a nasty Starbucks sandwich, I arrived at the Fridays' house. I was informed that I had a list of errands to run, including but not limited to taking the youngest, whom I'll call Bob, to a birthday party for one of his friends. Let me note here that these friends, much like the Fridays, are rather wealthy, and that this party was being held the bowling alley of a country club.
I drove there in heavy DC traffic, happily weaving through the cars that would have liked to pass me, if they were cooler, and ignoring Bob's cries that I should use the map because otherwise I'd get us lost. Naturally, I got to the country club early, because I know my way around cities I've never even been to (kudos to those who get the reference), and we made our way into the bowling alley, which was in a basement...
FILLED WITH TWENTY SCREAMING SIX-YEAR-OLDS.
I'm not exaggerating. I COUNTED.
AAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHH!!!
I kept a pretty close eye on Bob during the hour and a half we were there because he's allergic to wheat and therefore couldn't have any cake (don't feel too bad - he practically OD'ed on frosting). However, when he and his friend Nicholas, the birthday boy himself, wanted to play in the men's room, I decided to give them their space. I called my mom and chatted for about ten minutes, really beginning to wonder what they were up to...
...When Nicholas ran out crying.
Assuming that Bob had caused some mayhem, I arrested Nicholas and demanded to know what was going on. Would you like to know what he said?
"Bob shut himself in a locker... and he can't get out... WAAAAAH!!!"
Kay.
I bolted into the men's room. Desperate screams and sobs echoed off the tile walls, guiding me to the lockers at the back of the room... AND THE BLOODY ARM POKING OUT OF ONE OF THEM.
I'm not into gory films, but I know that scene has been in at least a few of them. Picture it... splotches of blood dotting a pale arm trying to claw its way out of its grey-green prison... the terrified eyes of the captive... the hellish screams rattling the walls...
Did I freak? Well, relatively speaking, no. I tried to open the door, failed miserably, tried to crack it enough to free his hand, failed again, ran outside and located a janitor, who accomplished the above in short order.
I took Bob back downstairs and practically covered his arm in ice. As it turned out, what I had thought was blood had actually been red marker from fooling around earlier at school... but you must understand, the red marker was very realistic. Don't judge me!
Although no worse for the wear, Bob refused to believe that this story would ever be funny to him. Interestingly, it was funny to everyone else.
After a long walk, by which I mean a bus ride because I left the dorm way too late, and a nasty Starbucks sandwich, I arrived at the Fridays' house. I was informed that I had a list of errands to run, including but not limited to taking the youngest, whom I'll call Bob, to a birthday party for one of his friends. Let me note here that these friends, much like the Fridays, are rather wealthy, and that this party was being held the bowling alley of a country club.
I drove there in heavy DC traffic, happily weaving through the cars that would have liked to pass me, if they were cooler, and ignoring Bob's cries that I should use the map because otherwise I'd get us lost. Naturally, I got to the country club early, because I know my way around cities I've never even been to (kudos to those who get the reference), and we made our way into the bowling alley, which was in a basement...
FILLED WITH TWENTY SCREAMING SIX-YEAR-OLDS.
I'm not exaggerating. I COUNTED.
AAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHH!!!
I kept a pretty close eye on Bob during the hour and a half we were there because he's allergic to wheat and therefore couldn't have any cake (don't feel too bad - he practically OD'ed on frosting). However, when he and his friend Nicholas, the birthday boy himself, wanted to play in the men's room, I decided to give them their space. I called my mom and chatted for about ten minutes, really beginning to wonder what they were up to...
...When Nicholas ran out crying.
Assuming that Bob had caused some mayhem, I arrested Nicholas and demanded to know what was going on. Would you like to know what he said?
"Bob shut himself in a locker... and he can't get out... WAAAAAH!!!"
Kay.
I bolted into the men's room. Desperate screams and sobs echoed off the tile walls, guiding me to the lockers at the back of the room... AND THE BLOODY ARM POKING OUT OF ONE OF THEM.
I'm not into gory films, but I know that scene has been in at least a few of them. Picture it... splotches of blood dotting a pale arm trying to claw its way out of its grey-green prison... the terrified eyes of the captive... the hellish screams rattling the walls...
Did I freak? Well, relatively speaking, no. I tried to open the door, failed miserably, tried to crack it enough to free his hand, failed again, ran outside and located a janitor, who accomplished the above in short order.
I took Bob back downstairs and practically covered his arm in ice. As it turned out, what I had thought was blood had actually been red marker from fooling around earlier at school... but you must understand, the red marker was very realistic. Don't judge me!
Although no worse for the wear, Bob refused to believe that this story would ever be funny to him. Interestingly, it was funny to everyone else.
11.17.2005
Stress sucks and it brings me down.
It has been an eventful day.
Yesterday it occurred to me that I had yet to do my field trip for Justice; interestingly, the field trip reaction paper is due on the 28th, the Monday after Thanksgiving. The field trip itself is "watching a trial procedure" at a court. Notaby, this is Wednesday, I have class all day Thursday, babysitting all day Friday, class all day Monday, and I'm going home early on Tuesday. See any room in there for a court procedure? No. No, you do not.
Tomorrow I'm skipping all my classes and going to a trial, and then coming home and writing like mad to get the paper that should have been due around 1:00 tomorrow afternoon in by midnight tomorrow night (**intense worship of that professor**).
Then at least part of this nightmare will be over. However, my computer will still be infected with two files that only wiping the hard drive clean will remove... I'll be doing that over Thanksgiving, so let's hope my computer survives until then.
There's a bunch of other stuff I can't get into in a public journal, so let me just say: I suck as a person. And bleh.
I can't wait for this semester to end.
Yesterday it occurred to me that I had yet to do my field trip for Justice; interestingly, the field trip reaction paper is due on the 28th, the Monday after Thanksgiving. The field trip itself is "watching a trial procedure" at a court. Notaby, this is Wednesday, I have class all day Thursday, babysitting all day Friday, class all day Monday, and I'm going home early on Tuesday. See any room in there for a court procedure? No. No, you do not.
Tomorrow I'm skipping all my classes and going to a trial, and then coming home and writing like mad to get the paper that should have been due around 1:00 tomorrow afternoon in by midnight tomorrow night (**intense worship of that professor**).
Then at least part of this nightmare will be over. However, my computer will still be infected with two files that only wiping the hard drive clean will remove... I'll be doing that over Thanksgiving, so let's hope my computer survives until then.
There's a bunch of other stuff I can't get into in a public journal, so let me just say: I suck as a person. And bleh.
I can't wait for this semester to end.
11.13.2005
Standin' in line to see the show tonight...
Tonight was a genuinely good night, one of the best in a long time.
I would like to begin this entry by saying that Ash is my favorite ever and I love her, so please don't mistake any of the following as me being dissatisfied with her as a roommate. Since I have to have a roommate, I am very glad it's her.
That said, I LOVE MY SOLITUDE.
My depression has completely evaporated in the past two days. It's wonderful. I figured out why I've been having so much trouble with the season change and how to combat it; I'm also making up my sleep deficit and enjoying writing again. Truly, this is an amazing experience.
I love coming back to a room that's mine. This was one of the bonuses of Anderson 434 (bonuses that, I might add, were few and far between)... I had complete privacy. My roommate was never, ever there, and I essentially had my own room. True, I hated having my own room, because it meant I had to deal with the neighbors by myself, but it had its ups. Lisa, my roommate last semester, was constantly out studying, so it was a similar situation. In contrast, Ash is always in the room. It works because we get along well. Nonetheless, I think I'm resolving to spend more time off campus, because I'm more productive there, as well as more relaxed. So that's exciting.
Of course I'm still looking forward to her glorious return... the empire will once again be whole. Muahaha.
Tonight I worked the NARC from 7:30-2:30... well, that's what I'll be getting paid for, but I actually kept it open until after four. I had a great time. Various members of McDowell 7 (who are quite fun) were in the room for the majority of the night. I caught up with Sam, met a few interesting people, watched Batman Begins for the 432nd time, and played several good rounds of pool. Even better, I wrote about 2300 words on Guardian, and I'm now on a chapter where the action picks up. HUZZAH! I'm looking forward to resuming my writing when I'm done with this entry. (1100 more words to go tonight.)
I can't remember the last time I felt this good. I love the silence.
I would like to begin this entry by saying that Ash is my favorite ever and I love her, so please don't mistake any of the following as me being dissatisfied with her as a roommate. Since I have to have a roommate, I am very glad it's her.
That said, I LOVE MY SOLITUDE.
My depression has completely evaporated in the past two days. It's wonderful. I figured out why I've been having so much trouble with the season change and how to combat it; I'm also making up my sleep deficit and enjoying writing again. Truly, this is an amazing experience.
I love coming back to a room that's mine. This was one of the bonuses of Anderson 434 (bonuses that, I might add, were few and far between)... I had complete privacy. My roommate was never, ever there, and I essentially had my own room. True, I hated having my own room, because it meant I had to deal with the neighbors by myself, but it had its ups. Lisa, my roommate last semester, was constantly out studying, so it was a similar situation. In contrast, Ash is always in the room. It works because we get along well. Nonetheless, I think I'm resolving to spend more time off campus, because I'm more productive there, as well as more relaxed. So that's exciting.
Of course I'm still looking forward to her glorious return... the empire will once again be whole. Muahaha.
Tonight I worked the NARC from 7:30-2:30... well, that's what I'll be getting paid for, but I actually kept it open until after four. I had a great time. Various members of McDowell 7 (who are quite fun) were in the room for the majority of the night. I caught up with Sam, met a few interesting people, watched Batman Begins for the 432nd time, and played several good rounds of pool. Even better, I wrote about 2300 words on Guardian, and I'm now on a chapter where the action picks up. HUZZAH! I'm looking forward to resuming my writing when I'm done with this entry. (1100 more words to go tonight.)
I can't remember the last time I felt this good. I love the silence.
11.10.2005
I <3 my major.
My group had a presentation today in US Foreign Policy, so I had to do an insane amount of reading today. However, I did a week's worth of reading in a little over two hours. This puts my USFP workload in perspective... it looks bad, but it really isn't. Besides, it's incredibly interesting. Nonetheless, I feel like an idiot in that class. I don't seem to get the professor's questions. (For example, he asked where it had been said that the Japanese had done something, and I was like "Um... our reading?" Apparently the correct answer was "the textbooks used in Japanese schools.") I want to talk to him and ask what I should do to get caught up with the rest of the class in terms of extracurricular knowledge... but I'm sort of afraid of him. He's brilliant, and I barely participate in that class because I am quite afraid of his opinion.
It's encouraging, though, to realize that despite my angst, I'm (probably?) in the right major.
I have been dreaming of Berlin. In my dreams, my AU friends are there taking everything in with me. I'm a little nervous about going to a new university (well, not new - I have been at die Freie Universitaet before... hee... I feel so cool saying that) without them. However, welcome to the real world. Gotta get out sooner or later. I want to spend a year, but I'm not sure if that's realistic.
Life seems to be settling down a little bit. The year is winding down. I've already registered for next semester, and I'm taking such fantastic classes as American Defense & Security Policy, International Economic Policy, Honors China, Japan, & the US, Honors World Politics (groan), and Microeconomics (groan). I would like to find a way to throw German Conv & Comp II in there, but we'll see... that would require overcoming quite a few barriers, like the fact that I haven't taken the prereq. Heheh.
I'm so excited about fall of '05 being over.
(And about writing EVER SO MUCH on Guardian!)
It's encouraging, though, to realize that despite my angst, I'm (probably?) in the right major.
I have been dreaming of Berlin. In my dreams, my AU friends are there taking everything in with me. I'm a little nervous about going to a new university (well, not new - I have been at die Freie Universitaet before... hee... I feel so cool saying that) without them. However, welcome to the real world. Gotta get out sooner or later. I want to spend a year, but I'm not sure if that's realistic.
Life seems to be settling down a little bit. The year is winding down. I've already registered for next semester, and I'm taking such fantastic classes as American Defense & Security Policy, International Economic Policy, Honors China, Japan, & the US, Honors World Politics (groan), and Microeconomics (groan). I would like to find a way to throw German Conv & Comp II in there, but we'll see... that would require overcoming quite a few barriers, like the fact that I haven't taken the prereq. Heheh.
I'm so excited about fall of '05 being over.
(And about writing EVER SO MUCH on Guardian!)
11.07.2005
My attempts at an entry couldn't say it as well as the song.
It's sitting by the overcoat, the second shelf, the note she wrote
That I can't bring myself to throw away, and also
Reach she said for no one else but you, cause you won't turn away
When someone else is gone
I'm sorry 'bout the attitude I need to give when I'm with you
But no one else would take this shit from me, and I'm so
Terrified of no one else but me
I'm here all the time, I won't go away
Hey, it's me -- I can't get myself to go away
Hey, it's me, and I can't get myself to go away
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way
It has, indeed, been a long day.
I'm pretending it's better because I don't know how to say that it's not.
I say that I enjoy lying about how I feel; in reality, I have no idea how to stop.
I have never felt so alone.
That I can't bring myself to throw away, and also
Reach she said for no one else but you, cause you won't turn away
When someone else is gone
I'm sorry 'bout the attitude I need to give when I'm with you
But no one else would take this shit from me, and I'm so
Terrified of no one else but me
I'm here all the time, I won't go away
Hey, it's me -- I can't get myself to go away
Hey, it's me, and I can't get myself to go away
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way
It has, indeed, been a long day.
I'm pretending it's better because I don't know how to say that it's not.
I say that I enjoy lying about how I feel; in reality, I have no idea how to stop.
I have never felt so alone.
11.06.2005
"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard!" "I don't get what she means by 'milkshake'... can you explain it to me?"
So yeah, I actually had to explain that song to my roommate... afterwards, she sort of screamed/cried her way back to sanity... it was hilarious.
On Friday, Ash and I metroed it up to the debate tournament at Gee-Dub. How exciting for us! Although Ash was quite happy with how the tournament went -- and she should be, as she's improving rapidly -- I was furious with myself for my own performance. I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with debate. Unfortunately, I can't see a way to improve. The practices are oriented toward the novices, not the varsity, and they're not helpful at all. I'm thinking about getting a debate coach, but that would be expensive, not to mention time-consuming.
As an example of why debate is upsetting me, let me tell you about my last case on Friday. The opposing team ran a resolution stating that the US should proliferate the Emergency Weapons System and dealert technology it already possesses. Right now you're probably reading this paragraph over, going, "What?" and if you are, you know exactly how I was reacting when I heard it.
Being the Leader of Opposition, and therefore the first on our side to speak and oppose it, I got up and stated that we were running a counter-case, and that we should distribute the dealert technology but not the EWS. Yeah... apparently, as the other team pointed out, it's basically the same thing. GREAT. CAUSE I KNEW THAT.
Let me take you ringside to see my reaction.
*blink blink* "Um... well." *drums fingers* "Um." *rakes a hand through hair* "Yeah. Actually we're just going to oppose the whole thing."
And there you have it... not my proudest moment as a debater... considering that the above pause lasted about thirty seconds. Here is me... being about 120 different shades of unhappy.
My chief problems right now are a) I don't feel like I'm improving or that I know how to improve, and b) the cases I'm running into seem completely impossible to refute without a good knowledge of, you know, what the hell's going on. Another case resolution we had to oppose was that Frederick Douglass should not have allowed his white friends to buy his freedom from his owner. Right... I clearly know enough to coherently argue against that... kay...
After the case on the EWS, Ash and I went outside into the darkness of the DC night. Immediately, a group of guys walked past, loudly hitting on us. We ignored them because that's what we do.
A few moments later a straggler came up and started dancing at us. We clapped gamely... unfortunately... he took this as an invitation to talk with us. Boo. This guy, who identified himself as Derek, proceeded to chat us up as his friends returned to SURROUND US ON ALL SIDES.
At this point, I glanced up and saw some girls walking back toward our building. Let's reenact that conversation.
Kat: Ash, are those debaters?
Ash: Yeah... we should probably get back.
Derek: Heh heh... *at the passing girls* DEBATERS! DEBATERS!
[The girls do not turn around.]
Derek: *evilly* Guess they're not debaters...
Kat: *BUSTED* Yeah... what time is it? It's probably time to get back anyway.
Ash: Yep! Time to get back!
[The guys, grumbling a little, cease to surround us.]
Derek: Can I call y'all sometime? *looking at Kat*
Kat: ...I... don't actually think my boyfriend would like that.
Derek: Aw, y'all got a boyfriend? 'S cool, man, we can still be friends.
Kat: *flashing back to junior/senior year of high school* Um, no. My boyfriend's kind of possessive...
Derek: Aw... how about you? *looking at Ash*
Kat: Yeah, Ash. How about you?
Ash: Um... I just got out of a really bad relationship... yeah... I've kind of sworn off guys.
Derek: Aw, y'all breakin' my heart!
Ash: Yeah... sorry about that.
Memo to the kids back home: Being approached by guys on a dark street in DC? Not as much fun as you'd think.
Fortunately, I woke sick Saturday morning, and didn't have to return. When did being sick become a fortunate occurrence? I still <3 debate... well, actually, I don't... but I'd really like to. I'd like to enjoy it again, and most of all I'd like to improve. The crap about "practice makes perfect" kind of breaks down when practice consists of "Emergency Weapons System? WHAT THE HELL?"
In other news, I'm making a good bit of headway on Guardian. Huzzah!
On Friday, Ash and I metroed it up to the debate tournament at Gee-Dub. How exciting for us! Although Ash was quite happy with how the tournament went -- and she should be, as she's improving rapidly -- I was furious with myself for my own performance. I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with debate. Unfortunately, I can't see a way to improve. The practices are oriented toward the novices, not the varsity, and they're not helpful at all. I'm thinking about getting a debate coach, but that would be expensive, not to mention time-consuming.
As an example of why debate is upsetting me, let me tell you about my last case on Friday. The opposing team ran a resolution stating that the US should proliferate the Emergency Weapons System and dealert technology it already possesses. Right now you're probably reading this paragraph over, going, "What?" and if you are, you know exactly how I was reacting when I heard it.
Being the Leader of Opposition, and therefore the first on our side to speak and oppose it, I got up and stated that we were running a counter-case, and that we should distribute the dealert technology but not the EWS. Yeah... apparently, as the other team pointed out, it's basically the same thing. GREAT. CAUSE I KNEW THAT.
Let me take you ringside to see my reaction.
*blink blink* "Um... well." *drums fingers* "Um." *rakes a hand through hair* "Yeah. Actually we're just going to oppose the whole thing."
And there you have it... not my proudest moment as a debater... considering that the above pause lasted about thirty seconds. Here is me... being about 120 different shades of unhappy.
My chief problems right now are a) I don't feel like I'm improving or that I know how to improve, and b) the cases I'm running into seem completely impossible to refute without a good knowledge of, you know, what the hell's going on. Another case resolution we had to oppose was that Frederick Douglass should not have allowed his white friends to buy his freedom from his owner. Right... I clearly know enough to coherently argue against that... kay...
After the case on the EWS, Ash and I went outside into the darkness of the DC night. Immediately, a group of guys walked past, loudly hitting on us. We ignored them because that's what we do.
A few moments later a straggler came up and started dancing at us. We clapped gamely... unfortunately... he took this as an invitation to talk with us. Boo. This guy, who identified himself as Derek, proceeded to chat us up as his friends returned to SURROUND US ON ALL SIDES.
At this point, I glanced up and saw some girls walking back toward our building. Let's reenact that conversation.
Kat: Ash, are those debaters?
Ash: Yeah... we should probably get back.
Derek: Heh heh... *at the passing girls* DEBATERS! DEBATERS!
[The girls do not turn around.]
Derek: *evilly* Guess they're not debaters...
Kat: *BUSTED* Yeah... what time is it? It's probably time to get back anyway.
Ash: Yep! Time to get back!
[The guys, grumbling a little, cease to surround us.]
Derek: Can I call y'all sometime? *looking at Kat*
Kat: ...I... don't actually think my boyfriend would like that.
Derek: Aw, y'all got a boyfriend? 'S cool, man, we can still be friends.
Kat: *flashing back to junior/senior year of high school* Um, no. My boyfriend's kind of possessive...
Derek: Aw... how about you? *looking at Ash*
Kat: Yeah, Ash. How about you?
Ash: Um... I just got out of a really bad relationship... yeah... I've kind of sworn off guys.
Derek: Aw, y'all breakin' my heart!
Ash: Yeah... sorry about that.
Memo to the kids back home: Being approached by guys on a dark street in DC? Not as much fun as you'd think.
Fortunately, I woke sick Saturday morning, and didn't have to return. When did being sick become a fortunate occurrence? I still <3 debate... well, actually, I don't... but I'd really like to. I'd like to enjoy it again, and most of all I'd like to improve. The crap about "practice makes perfect" kind of breaks down when practice consists of "Emergency Weapons System? WHAT THE HELL?"
In other news, I'm making a good bit of headway on Guardian. Huzzah!
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