My Midd Experience

I hope you guys are still enjoying what are now your closing months abroad. While I am aware of the plural insinuations that I'm doing naught but pulling teeth here, I must kindly chide all a' y'all; Middlebury is, in fact, neither boring nor exasperating, but stimulating in a salad of ways.

For example, Balanced Debate is getting off to a good start. After going through hell choosing its initial members, we've already got three faculty debates in the works. Katie Hylas (our Senator,) is working on getting a sociologist to debate a psychologist over the origins and nature of gender. The sociologists seem to be all over this, while the potential psychology professors so far approached have all seemed squemish to debate a sociologist. Dan Roberts, also a member of the committee, is planning a debate between an Art History and an English professor over perspectives on art. Specifically, "does context matter to a work?" Finally, Colette Van der Ven, whom we all know, is getting two, maybe three, Political Science professors to debate international development: helpful or hurtful? On one side we have our very own Nadia Horning!

Just so that I won't be accused of nepotism, only appointing the three people, all of whom I already knew, I must add that I've also appointed to strangers, who are not as active as my friends.

We're also planning student-only Soapbox Debates! Hopefully making them a biweekly thing, getting the Ross Fireplace Lounge at 7:00 PM, to get the out-of-dinner crowd. The first one is planned for Nov. 13, and the topic: "Should the U.S. be the world's moral policeman?" Specifically, universal human rights versus cultural relativism. Future topics would probably include current events that make people angry.

Finally, Dr. Mr. President Max Nardini and I are planning a "Great Debate" for J-Term or the Spring, bringing in outside speakers to a real, Lincoln-Douglas-style debate. We're meeting Tuesday to discuss topics and specific speakers.

The biggest mistake I made with this subcommittee was to have three of the five people be going abroad next semester. Therefore, I need new applicants. Eddie's expressed interest. And, while I love you all forever already, that feeling would be magnified if you all applied (when the time comes, of course.)

Secondly, Debatable deadlines are coming up, soon. Being an editor, I have something invested in this, and am politely requesting that, if you guys have time, you could submit something. Topics include, but are not limited to: Politics, Diversity, Academic Affairs, Pop Culture, Sports, etc. etc. Submissions should be limited to 850 words (3 - 3 1/2 pages,) or "blurbs," which are just two paragraphs.

I got two tests back, today, and on both, I received an 89.75 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!? OMG OMG OMG OMG WTF>!?!?!?!

They really couldn't spare a quarter-point, each?! I didn't even know we graded in quarter points in this country/world/dimension.

Anyways, I'll go to bed now; I wanted to write to kill time, let you guys know how I'm doing, hope you're all doing well and make a note of the fact that I am not morbidly bored.

Love you all. enjoi.

--gs