Home Speech Meet

Tomorrow's the Home Speech Meet.  Naturally, after weeks of beautiful, sunny, 60-80 degree fall weather, the forecast is this:

 

Of course.

I'm sleeping up at the condo tonight, so I'm not so worried about my commute.  The other schools coming, though, are coming from grand distances - from Strasburg (way east) to Gunnison (way south) to Branson (so far away I bet Ben didn't even know it exists).  I've got my fingers crossed for them.

Paula, my assistant coach, showed up at 9:30 this morning and said, "What can I do to help?"  How awesome is that?  Thanks to her, we got everything done before school let out, which meant all we had to do after school is set up the classrooms, post signs, move food to the various locations, print off the registrations, and hand out the speech hoodies.  Most of the team showed up to help and we had the whole thing ready to go within 30 minutes.  A handful of students stuck around to run their pieces, then I booted everyone out until tomorrow.

I'm at the condo now.  I didn't get a chance to eat today, so I just had a Subway sandwich from the local gas station for dinner (at 4:30!) and I'm currently wrapped up in a furry blanket while the condo heats up, trying to figure out what to do about my back.  See, I woke up this morning with the muscles on the left side of my neck and the right side of my back completely seized up and sore.  They've stayed that way all day despite painkillers, stretches, and a lot of kids laughing at me for not being able to move very well.  I've named the upper ache "Speech" and the lower ache "Meet," fairly certain of the cause.

Come hell or high snow drifts, I'll be done with the meet by 2:00 tomorrow afternoon.  That will be very, very nice.

P.S.  The hoodies are pretty good this year.  The students picked the slogan "I choose you, Speakachu!" on an ash-colored hoodie (apparently Ash is a Pokemon character), and one of the freshmen did a nice spinoff "Speakchu" picture for the front logo, complete with a cool monkey.  Because why not?