ARML 2009

I wonder if this is going to become an annual thing for me. I was a coaches' minion for Eastern Massachusetts again. Apparently I'm not a real coach, since I wasn't cool enough to hang out with the real coaches while everybody else went to Hershey Park to get soaked by the rain.

I was overall happier with the schedule compared to last year; the bus from Canton left on time, Thursday lunch was at 12:45 PM instead of 2:30 PM, the graders managed to get into the Bryce Jordan Center well before 9 AM, and Power Round grading finished around 2 PM instead of 3:30 PM. Our 11 PM arrival at Penn State, however, was considerably later than planned.

On Friday I helped run our Team Practice, and then I went downtown to check my e-mail. I came back to campus for ice cream at the Berkey Creamery and then for the lecture. On Saturday I participated in Power Round grading, and then I had some time to watch the conclusion of the contest, from the relays until we left halfway through the awards ceremony.

Other highlights:

• Lots of downtown places have free wireless: McD'oh, Dunkin D'oh, Starbucks, and a Webster's Bookstore. Even the Bryce Jordan Center (where grading happens) has public wireless (essid "GoPennState"). This is great for those of us who start feeling e-mail withdrawal symptoms within half a day.
• The song contest was run by someone far more competent and prepared than I was last year. And the Ohio guy from last year won this time!
• The proportion of MIT people among the graders seems to be increasing.
• I recognized only a handful of Mathcampers among the contest participants. I feel so old now...