Flashback Friday V

This week's installment of Flashback Friday is brought to you by the year 1998 and 1999.

I haven't thought about this stuff in a looooong time. There's your fair warning.

Once upon a time, I attended Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona. In the 70's, Marcos was well known for its strong Speech & Debate program. (MdN was a 70's school. Colors were brown and gold; need I say more?) With the passage of time, the school's S&D program dwindled into obscurity.

Flashforward to 1998. I'm a Sophomore. I see a flyer posted heralding the revival of a Speech & Debate team. I decide to give it a go--

I got sucked in. Like sports, S&D asks for time and cost commitment. Most Saturdays started early, in a van, driving to some high school for competition--and lasted late into the evening. The MdN team consisted of a motley crew of students with a core of 6-8 participants. (For the record, no one competed in debate, we were a speech only crowd.) Sadly, most weren't very good--but S&D was a nice place for people to feel like they belonged.

Shockingly (or not shockingly) enough, I competed mostly in events with a speech I personally wrote. Sure I did impromptu speaking (5 minutes total to draw a topic, prepare, and deliver), dramatic interpretation, duo comedic interpretation, etc., but I excelled and did the best when my speeches were home grown.

Is this boring? I'm starting to think maybe a little. (My cousin Rachel argues that a blog isn't boring until the blogger points it out--and then the reader has to stop, think, and will usually agree. Whoops.) Here comes the meat.

My favorite favorite favorite piece involved visual aids. In the Expository event, you write/speak for 10-minutes with the use of an easel and whatever other aids you bring. The speech is supposed to be informational; and applicable to the listeners (1 judge + any other contestants waiting to perform in the classroom you've been assigned). Does anyone remember 1998? It's been a long time, but surely you remember the craze that swept the nation? The investment so secure it was going to pay for your as yet unborn children's tuition? Plush, colorful, pvc-pellet filled... Any guesses yet?!

Beanie Babies! Don't act like you don't remember what a phenomenon those lil guys were. At retail $7; sold on eBay and in boutiques for $35-400. But this is not a Beanie blog, this is a blog about a speech written about Beanies (is that better or worse?).

For the better part of an academic year, I became known as "Beanie Girl" in the S&D community. I had a rolling suitcase that held all my non-postered visual aids. (My posters were fetching awesome btw.) I had cases, and tag protectors, and lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!). True to who I am, the piece was not only informational (history, sales, etc) but also a commentary of how out-of-control Beanie Mania was becoming. Case in point: I showed the audience the first Beanie I ever received as a gift (14th birthday) and explained the dog's name was Bones and should be worth $X. I then threw it on the ground and stomped on it, and then explained that Bones should be worth $X-.9X. And on and on and on.


My Beanies piece was a hit. I started doing well in competition. I spent more time at tournaments. I competed in district, regional, state, and southwestern region championships. In one year of Speech participation I became a member of the National Forensics League and advanced two levels. I lettered twice. (Are you giggling about this as much as I am?)

I was named co-Speaker of the Year at Marcos (sharing the co- with the Senior on my team who did some placing as well). My name is engraved on a plaque in the Marcos front office. I'm totally big time yall. Respect me. Respect the Beanies.

To eliminate the need for another Flashback Friday devoted to my Captain Geeksquad Adventures, I'll comment briefly on my quick rise through the DECA regional, state, and national competitions. It's not everyone who wins a trip to DECA Nationals in the glamorous Louisville, Kentucky. And to think, I should be working retail to put those experiences to good use!

Have I said enough? Are you leaving knowing more about me? Wishing you didn't know? Please don't feel like this is a "Nat toots her own horn" post. I just rarely think about this period in my life (honestly, would you?) and when I saw the pictures I decided it would be a true Flashback post, because it kind of tripped me out. Probably a lot like the first time Marty saw the DeLorean.

Short of it, will you still be friends with me after learning of my geeker past? I mean, at least I wasn't a mathlete...