How to feel old, fast
Beloit College (where I actually played my first intercollegiate quizbowl event) is back again with its Mindset List for the Class of 2007. Talk about a way to date yourself with the wrong references. Some of the stuff there I didn't know (snail darter) or didn't think was all that relevant (Samantha Smith). But some of it does make me feel old, and I was 10 when this current freshman class was born. I don't feel like it's been that long since I've been in college, but then I realize that both Letterman and Conan premiered around the time I started school and both just celebrated their 10th anniversaries.

On a quizbowl level, this does seem amazingly relevant. Plenty of us, who could be considered geezers on the circuit, like to poke fun at Charlie for some of his '70s and early '80s-based references whether in conversation, or through questions. This list could probably help guide folks in writing questions and wondering about accessibility. Granted, a good number of players would probably be bright enough to pick up on some of the stuff on the list, but sometimes you just can't beat living through something to realize its relevance or importance and just pick up by osmosis. That might explain why there's a gradual scaling back of '80s-based questions.