Items Are Expensive

I am going to go to state for Speech and Debate... and I am going to place.  This has become my sole purpose in life.  To better score at tournaments, I must be more prepared.  I need to memorize my speech in its entirety.  An easel is needed to hold up my posters.  A bag-type thing to hold my posters in between rounds and the trip to and from tournaments is needed.  I found a wicked awesome bag to hold my posters, but it was about $60.  Before tax.  My parents will pay for half if the 40% coupon for the store works.  Alright, so about $20 for me to pay–awesome.  That's not too expensive (I say "too" because I have no job, therefor no way to get money).  An easel... Metal or wood?  Where the heck do I even find one?  Things really add up.

Memorizing my speech has been difficult for me; I love my speech, but I mix some things up.  I will think that I have repeated myself or omitted something entirely.  Oft I have not, but it is discouraging.  I love practicing, but when I practice with Erin, I get nervous.  I don't know why, and I can't really tell if I care at this point.  I flail too much and eye contact feels like the time Chandler just told Owen that he was adopted.  How will I survive this jungle?