I won or did very well at all those literary tournaments, debate tournaments, quiz bowls, chess tournaments, and the like when I was your age. Winning Best Negative Speaker at the N.E. GA debate tounament (one of the nation's largest) was cool. Because of me, our team also defeated Westminster, this private school in Atlanta that usually won the whole thing. I distinctly remember one literary tournament because it was during the school week, so we got to miss classes and that was the day that the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up on live television. I was the extemporaneous speaker runner-up that day because of some dim-witted last-minute substitute judge.
Despite all the certificates, prizes, and awards, my greatest thrill was playing as the #2 seed in the state tennis championship. I lost my second match though that day.
I got my picture in the papers too (won a 150 US savings bond) for winning the region for my letter to Mikhail Gorbachev in a "Letters for World Peace" contest.
Oh, am I being obnoxious?
Would it also be obnoxious if I asked you to pucker up and kiss my ass?
Happy St. Patrick's Day!