I'm Rather Biased

This afternoon and evening was my son's forensics tournament. They were the hosts and I was a judge.

Oh the power!

I haven't participated in all of this since I was in school. It was fun to see it from the other side of the room as a judge.

When we had a break, we spent it in the hospitality room eating goodies the kids' parents provided (me being one of them). Some of the kids picked up conversation with us about what we were doing and had fun talking about the differences in forensics between now and when we were kids.

When I was a senior we did a short piece from a play we'd put on earlier in the season - probably about five of us. Apparently they don't have that as a category anymore. They don't do improv either. Drat!

Participating in these types of events provide wonderous opportunity to find out what your kid is like when he is away from you too. It seems that my son can be alot more animated in certain classes and around certain people.

I knew he could be with his close buddies but hadn't ever realized he was that way at school. School has always been "boring" - oh, that dreaded "b" word. So find me surprised to learn from several of the students that he's alot of fun in forensics class and choir.

By the way, several girls even told me that he was the best tenor in the entire choir. Of course, I've always thought that but then I'm a bit biased. Are they too maybe? Hmm, hmmm, hmmmm?

Tee-hee! I had so much fun getting behind the scenes looks at my son and how school activities operate nowdays. It's amazing the things you find out about your kids when you talk to some of their cohorts without your kid around.

Just to give my son's ego a little boost, I told him what some of his fellow students commented about his singing ability. Wouldn't tell him who, because that wasn't the material point, just that he is well-respected when it comes to his singing.

And his humor. Too bad he didn't get to participate in the humerous interp. Have a feeling he could have brought down the house with that one.

Then again, I'm rather biased.

Humor - Not My Cup of Tea

There's a friend of mine who is such a great humor writer. I'm so jealous.

He's currently working on a detective novel, and the wry humor just leaps off of the pages. Kinda reaches up and pinches you on the pattootie when you least expect it. We critiqued his first two chapters this week. I was dying laughing throughout the entire thing. Even when we were critiquing last night, I was cracking up so bad at times I could hardly get out my comments. Suppose my laughter was the best compliment he could have asked for.

There was a humor contest he entered a couple of years ago with a story about the Mustang Ranch. He won first place hands down. Now before you go about misunderstanding the intent, you've got to understand that it's not what you think. Just imagine a couple of car guys, grease-monkeys if you will, hearing about a place called the Mustang Ranch. They're all set to buy themselves a classic Ford automobile. That's where it gets absolutely hilarious. And of course the story had me about to pee my pants when I read it (and it's clean too).

I wish I had the ability to write that kind of humor, but God chose not to grace me with it. When I try to write something funny it usually comes across as odd and makes people look at me as if they're not sure where I'm going with it. My friends understand, even though they too have a strong inclination to back away from me. My writing style has a tendency to be a bit intense, so humor just doesn't work well for me.

But he's just oozing with it. I guarantee you that someday soon I'll be writing a glowing review of his recently published novel. Now if he'll just finish the dadgum thing (I know you're reading this right now, so you better stop reading and get busy writing).

Then we can celebrate his success. I'll have to think of something humorous with which to toast him. That might present a problem. Maybe I could just spill my soda all over him instead. That might get a laugh.

Or else I'll get slapped.