Tracks to Clementine

"What's a joyful activity in a car?"

Why, yes, I did ask that of a group of high school juniors today.

Only one student looked at me the way you are right now, but I suspect that the rest of them were a of all) too tired to notice or b of all) too confused by the previous writing activity wherein "pancakes" was revealed to be the newest curse word.

Yep, this is the same group of my previous post, the would-be has-been drinkers. I kinda think they can't all be, but I also cannot figure out how they all aren't if you go by the startling top that one of them was wearing today. I feel that if I painstakingly searched Go Fug Yourself I would be sure to find it: a mash-up of red satin and red chiffon shimmereen with a belly-revealing handkerchief construction and a flash of gold sequins.

Maybe it was her birthday. Maybe she was banking on Friday being a free ice-day and didn't do her laundry. Maybe she won a bet.

None of this is meant as a general post of "What on Earth?" We all know that I will step up to defend the Youth of Today much more readily than those complaining about them. Really what I'm trying to say is: dear Lord, high school is boring.

Sure, sure. That's nothing new. But what surprises me every year is that I'm surprised by just how boring it is. B O R I N G. I mean, here I am, dashing in at ungodly hours leading exercises containing the word "pancakes" and where is the general school system? Why, bucked by voting adults who want it to be or believe it should be just like it was when they were in school. I mean, that's nostalgia, right?

I'd like to see that same nostalgia applied to the field of medicine.

I guess this really is a general post of "What on Earth?" I don't see how anyone expects that anything in the entire universe will ever get better if all time in our school system is spent learning how to stay still and be quiet.

...yeah, I can't even wholeheartedly climb all the way up on that soapbox. What's the point? I'd rather spend my energy doing what I am doing: making teeny eensy differences that few notice and fewer fund. (Okay, so I got up just high enough not to get down quite yet.)

You know who else is in that class? A diagnosed functioning schizophrenic who is frustrated and depressed within general class structure but is focused, responsive and insightful when given the opportunity.

That's a pancake-ing joyful sight.

If I pat myself on the back too hard I'll fall right off the suds and break my nose.

Posted by Ida at December 1, 2006 04:01 PM