May 05, 2006
Doesn't it figure?
Now that the semester is almost over, my English teacher starts talking about word usage and how to write succinctly.
Bitch.
Posted by Kat at 12:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 03, 2006
When did I end up back in high school?
I'm really baffled by this.
Professors feel the need to "police" their classrooms by banning laptops. This goes back to the concept that the students aren't adults, but children who need to be taken by the hand and lead around the world.
How can we expect to grow up if they insist on treating us as irresponsible? Punish the whole for the failings of a few?
Posted by Kat at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 27, 2006
My French teacher confuses me.
She won't tell us the word for "boobs" in French, because she says we don't need to know it, but then turns around and says "oh, don't be so innocent, all languages have curses"
Oy.
Posted by Kat at 02:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 11, 2006
How do we ensure our kids are ok?
There's an interesting article I'm reading in class, in addition to an essay from the textbook. I'll share both and expound my thoughts on raising kids later.
Here are the current notes and questions:
Children need to be children while learning how to interact with organized systems and adults. How does this work? How is it possible to raise a child who is not overscheduled but still is able to grow up well, without seeing a divide between adult and child?
Posted by Kat at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 04, 2006
What is suffering?
I'm working on my second psych paper. One of the problems I'm having is defining suffering in terms of psychology. Any thoughts?
Posted by Kat at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 31, 2006
Problems with today's families
There is a lot of discussion these days about what is wrong with families or kids today. I'd like to take a radical view and say that comparitively, there is a lot less wrong with families today than even 50 years ago. The problem comes in the way that society views families and the resulting pressures. There is a perceived gap between parents and children which is made worse by the sitcoms and movies which portray an unusual situation of the overly-inattentive parent and the precocious kid, or the teenager with the problems she can't discuss with her father. It makes kids feel misunderstood and alone, because they put their parents in the roles they see on the TV or movie screen.
How is the modern gap between parents and children any different than in the past? Going back even a couple hundred years, we see parents making arranged marriages for the family, without regarding what is really best for the child. In the 1960's, parents complained about Elvis and The Beatles, claiming they corrupted their children. In the 1930's and 20's, the same held true for flappers and swing music. Each generation of parents believe they will be different, but they run into the same problems. The modern life is filled with dangers like widespread destructive drug use, paedophiles who work through the internet, and exposure to urban violence. However, these dangers have existed for centuries in different forms, and only now are out in the open. We make a concerted effort to raise our children well, with an eye towards ensuring they can make their own choices and understand freedom.
Unfortunately, oftentimes in today's world, freedom is seen as the other side of the coin from chaos. A classroom filled with groups of kids learning in their own different ways is not viewed as a good class, instead, the teacher is berated for not keeping control. An expression of dissent from a child is seen as a bad action and the child is punished. For all our liberal talk about the love of freedom and the psychoanalysis applied to families and schoolchildren, it is all simply a method of trying to figure out how to make kids be "good." Yet again, though, "good" simply means that children should be seen and not heard. Exploration of individuality is discouraged, even in schools that declare themselves a fortress of Liberal And Free Thought.
In the end, there is one simple solution: Keep the kids safe on a daily basis while allowing them to be free to explore who they are. Don't let them run into traffic, make sure they know to ask before petting strange dogs, help them understand how guns can be dangerous weapons as well as tools, and let them loose on the world to find out for themselves who they are becoming. Life is an eternal journey, punctuated by moments of happiness, sorrow, and growth. Every new experience adds to the ones before, and in the end, we are what we make of ourselves. No one else can claim responsibility for who we are now.
Posted by Kat at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 22, 2006
Continuation of paper analyses
Weird...I did both a technorati and google search on Highwater, and it seems as though there's a general acceptance of his work as being completely valid. I'm not sure I understand why, because he really puts forth the concept of "us vs. them" and the idea that we live in a dualistic culture.
While our world does seem to have quite a bit of dualism in it (good vs evil, etc), there is also a larger sense of the plurality in terms of individualism and diversity. We celebrate diversity, seek it out in our schools, offices, and communities, but then put authority on a man who says individuality is a myth.
I'm now thoroughly confused by this.
I'm also in a ton of pain. I thought I was mostly past this...that things had stabilized and I wouldn't be incapacitated for 3-4 days out of every month. Guess I was wrong. My body hates me and I can't do anything about it except feel helpless. Nothing seems to work. I've now missed two classes and part of a third as a result of the pain. So I have to apologize to my professors and ask if there's an extra credit assignment I can do to make up for it.
Posted by Kat at 12:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 21, 2006
An Overly Simplistic View
The following is a paper I have to rewrite. The original title was Narrowmindedness and Hypocrisy.
The idea of the “Primal” cultures being somehow better than “Western” cultures, that we must respect those that live close to the earth and shun those who live in cities and build wooden and brick houses is hypocritical and belies the statement that we should respect all cultures and all beliefs. Jamake Highwater presents an argument, using shame and guilt as the qualifications, that Western culture and the English language are symbols of oppression and enslavement. The biggest contradiction in the film comes from his assertion that he grew up speaking both Blackfoot and French, but that it was the English language that gave him problems. Méksikatsi translates to “pink-colored feet,” whereas in English the word is “duck,” and he couldn’t grasp the idea of a non-descriptive word. In French, the word is “le canard,” which has about as much meaning as “duck” and no descriptiveness at all. The blame is automatically placed on the English language rather than on his abject poverty and inability to integrate into the culture surrounding him. Integrating into a dominant culture does not mean giving up one’s heritage or self, it simply means being able to adjust to different social mores. Highwater seems to prefer that the western world adjust to his needs and the needs of all primal cultures. The old saying of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” can be partially applied in this situation. We are told to teach our children to speak other languages so that they may become worldlier and understand other cultures, and as Americans, we are also often told that our society is harmful and oppressive, simply for being dominant. There are many contradictions in this view of the current dominant culture, and this film highlights all of them. Another example of this is Highwater’s view of the old New England church. While it is understandable that the Native Americans would see it as strange and terrifying, the opposing view, that the original immigrants and colonists would see the Native culture as strange and terrifying is never shown. It is human nature to be afraid of what you do not understand, and usually that fear leads to violence and destruction. Many wrongs have been done in the name of fear or modernization, but we are approaching a point where instead of trying to destroy that which we don’t understand, we try to bring it into our realm of experience. Highwater begins to show this at the end, by using the art school as an illustration, but it is too little, too late. He has already caused damage to how the western world and the primal world will understand each other. I wish that the beautiful, colorful section at the end of the film, where the art students talk about their experience in integrating western culture and techniques with their own, was the line of argument through the whole film. Instead, Highwater attempted to shame us into feeling like those of us who have never been oppressive or dangerous to the Native Americans should make reparations to a culture we want desperately to understand.
And here is the rewrite. My teacher thought it was harsh and inaccurate, so I'm taking a different tack and showing how the author/host (Jamake Highwater) is not taking into account enough how the world is changing and the diversity present in the world.
This is not done. I still have at least a page to write, if not more. There are also some awkward transitions and one section that needs to be moved around, but I can't seem to figure that out now. I'll see if maybe later there's a solution.
In the Jamake Highwater movie, Primal Mind, the idea of there being two types of humans is put forward; the primal culture and the western culture. What this view fails to take into account is that there are many human cultures and they are diverse and intertwined. Although America is not the center of the world, we have become dominant through absorption of the best and worst of the world’s peoples. In the course of this absorption, there have been great achievements and terrible roadblocks, oppression and enlightenment. The world has loved us, hated us, and loved us again. It is our diversity that is our greatest strength, and the one thing that has carried us through. There are so many cultures in the world - European, American, Arabic, Asian, African, Hispanic, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Communist, Capitalist, and so on. We as individuals are an amalgamation of our experiences and cultures, and our cultures are an amalgamation of individuals. A person can be a Communist Muslim African or a Catholic Capitalist Hispanic, or any other part of the mosaic that makes up the world. To say that the world is divided into “x” and “y,” whatever those two items may be, ignores this diversity. Highwater pays no mind to the Oriental cultures, or the Arabic and Persian cultures. He shows a vast divide between the Native Americans and the modern Americans, but doesn’t explain how the modern world is seeking to incorporate the natural one. There really is no clear division these days between the western cultures and the primal ones. Instead, we have a spider web of beliefs, incorporating the natural aspects of the world as well as the manmade ones. Pharmaceutical companies are researching plants from the Amazon to find new cures for new diseases. Religions are asking and answering the questions of how we came to be here and what our purpose is. Philosophers are seeking the same thing, many returning to the Greek and Roman ideas of the natural world and the beauty therein.
Comments? Revisions? I have to get to French class, but I'll have time later to check.
Posted by Kat at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 07, 2006
Class from HELL
I swear, if I have to keep sitting through the same grammar bullshit that this teacher insists on putting us through, I'm going to explode. Between that, his constant picking on students, and the indoctrination that seems to permeate the entire department, I don't know how any learning happens. I just can't understand how someone who has been teaching for so long is so bad at it.
Posted by Kat at 12:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 01, 2006
I think they forget we pay their salaries.
I am pissed.
Really really pissed.
I had a post, nearly completed, about the problems with power trips and indoctrination that I'm facing at BMCC. It was a beautifully written post, with examples and arguments laid out. Part of it was even in French because that was the only way I could express it.
The bastard who runs the French Lab for my class closed out the browser window.
"Ok," you say, "it was French class and you were writing a blog entry. That's not uncalled for."
Except that the same browser window also had two About.com pages in it, as well as Le Monde and The Dissident Frogman open. He was being a bitch because I was directly critisizing him and the school for treating us like incompetants. We choose to be there. We put out the money, time, and effort to learn. The way we learn is up to us, not up to him. Give us computers with an internet connection and allow us to go to about.com, and we will do so. It's an authorized page. So is Le Monde.
If I fail the tests, that's my responsibility. If I don't hand in the homework, I have only myself to blame. If I use the lab time to learn in my own way, il tombe sur ma tete. Ce n'est pas leur problem.
I am an adult. As are my classmates. We range in age from 18 to...At least 50, that I know of. Possibly older. We are working our asses off to gain the knowledge we need to achieve success in our chosen fields. Ils n'ont pas le droite pour faire ceci.
Posted by Kat at 02:32 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 27, 2006
Papers
I want to post my papers, English, Psychology, and French, as I write them, but name-changes and other edits are necessary. I refuse to put real names online without the person's consent, and some of the situations would have to be either slightly changed or removed entirely to protect privacy.
My paper about Jamake Highwater and the hypocrisy of his views on Native culture vs Occidental culture will definitely be posted. Evil evil people, forcing us to watch a one-sided, narrow-minded video by a man who is so pissed off about the way he was raised that he has to apply it to the entire Western civilization.
Bitch. The idea that he grew up in abject poverty, speaking Blackfoot and FRENCH, but blames ENGLISH for his problems is fucked.
The example he gives in both his essay and in the video (some PBS video from late 70's/early 80's) is that of the word "duck." He says that in Blackfoot, duck is meksikatsi, which means "pink-colored feet." Fine. He had trouble with the English word, because it isn't descriptive. But he says he grew up speaking French as well, in which duck is translated "canard." Canard has about as much descriptive meaning as duck.
He's full of shit.
Posted by Kat at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 19, 2006
Parental Notification letter
TO: Concord Monitor editors
RE: The parental notification law
If NH wants to enact a parental notification law, make it equal and also enact a spousal notification law for those women over 18 seeking abortions. It makes about as much sense.There is a serious problem in our society when we feel the only way to protect teenaged women is to force them to tell either their parents or a judge something that most adult women are embarassed by.
Placing a restriction on teenagers which is not also placed on adults not only puts an unfair burden on the teenager, but also can put them in direct danger. How many teens would rather die or hide their pregnancy to keep from having to make their situation public? How many abused kids and terrified girls are going to suffer as a result of this law? It's wonderful if the relationship exists where the teen can talk to her parents, but this is often not the case. This law is intended to do one thing - frighten already terrified girls. This isn't going to prevent them from having sex, nor is it going to better our society.
NH is the "Live Free or Die" state. I hate seeing it move away from that to a "Let the Government Intrude on Our Lives" state.
Now let's see if they publish it.
UPDATE: Yup. They published it on the 22nd.
Here's the URL, though they took out the best paragraph. It doesn't flow as smoothly now, and my best point was removed.
Ah well. I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity to write more.
Posted by Kat at 10:53 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 01, 2005
More on the parental notification law
Yesterday I attempted to comment over on Jay Tea's entry on the topic, but due to internet problems I was unable to post. Here is the comment, which although pretty much the same, has been edited after further thought.
As a NH native, I feel the need to drop my $0.02.
One of the best things about NH is its take on individual freedom and the right to make decisions for oneself without the interference of government. There is a certain appreciation for personal responsibility.
It is not the government's responsibility to parent or to interfere in parenting, barring situations of abuse or neglect.
As an example, consider a nineteen year old woman and a sixteen year old one. Both are pregnant, neither one has a good relationship with her parents, and both will be seeking abortions. The sixteen year old used a condom that broke, whereas the nineteen year old simply had sex with any male that came along. Why should the sixteen year old be penalized for nothing more than her age?
Age has nothing to do with one's ability to make a mature decision. There is a reason why a woman is considered emancipated when she has a child. If she is old enough to have one, she is old enough to make the decision herself about having one.
Just the fact that the law has come this far upsets me and makes me rethink my opinion of my home state. I'm not so sure I like being known as a native New Hampshirite these days. I have lost pride in my state and its status as a flagship of freedom, which is something I never thought I would say.
Posted by Kat at 06:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Speakout
I wrote to Fox about the New Hampshire parental notification law. The body of the email is below.
I grew up in New Hampshire. One thing I have always been proud of is being able to say I come from the "Live Free or Die" state. That freedom is more important than anything else. With the institution of this parental notification law, New Hampshire is coming under fire from several civil rights groups, including the National Youth Rights Association (www.youthrights.org). It disappoints me to see a state so in love with freedom restricting the ability of women to choose privately based on something as irrelevant as age. A woman under 18 is considered emancipated when she bears a child because she is considered responsible enough to make decisions for herself and her child, and yet that same consideration does not apply to women who are simply pregnant. Why is a seventeen year old less capable of making a decision without her parents' knowledge than an eighteen year old?
Leaving aside the lack of a clause allowing for health of the mother, I notice that it is a notification rather than a consent law. No permission is required from the parents, rather, it simply requires they be told, or that a judge be told. This violates confidentiality laws and medical ethics. We do not require that a parent be told when their teenager is being treated for an STD, quite the contrary. We hold that the doctor cannot legally or ethically tell a parent that their child is taking doxycycline, azithromycin, or ciprofloxacin for treatment. It is meant to act as a deterrent, yet another sign of the nanny-statism which has become so prevalent in our government.
Another concern over the notification law is that it will simply drive abortions back into alleyways and cellars, resulting in a loss of life or fertility. Women are going to have abortions. Many realize that they are not ready to have a child, and make the difficult, but appropriate decision. However, many young women are stuck in a position where they are terrified, unable to approach even a teacher or counselor, let alone their parents or a judge. Unfortunately, sometimes it is the teacher or parent who is responsible.
This law will not act as a deterrent. The only thing that will is to have better, more comprehensive education on prevention, as well as a greater availability of birth control, the morning after pill, and RU-486. Give teens more control over their bodies and you will find that they act with responsibility. If teens are treated as toddlers, not trusted to make their own decisions and mistakes, then they will never grow up to become good members of society.
Posted by Kat at 10:57 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 16, 2005
Responsibility and youth
Dr. Helen doesn't seem to have trackbacks, so I'll just write my reaction to her entry about the Pennsylvania case here and post a link to it in her comments.
While I agree that personal responsibility is sorely lacking in American society these days, I think that the inclination to place the blame on the lack of boundries placed by parents and culture is wrong. Many kids are acting out and reacting to a situation they aren't comfortable with. There's a reason the Youth Rights movement is gaining strength, and a large part comes from an educated populace that realizes they are expected to shoulder responsibility while having to wait to be given rights.
I have a number of issues with how this story has been presented in the news, not least of which the constant description of the girl as a "kid". When I was 14, I was in no way a child. I was responsible for my own life and my own actions. Many teenagers are. To claim that someone becomes a full-fledged person at a specified age with no reason for said age doesn't work. Why is someone not a person one day, and then the next, because of something as silly as a birthday, they become a member of the social contract?
I'd like to see parents teaching their kids responsibility when they are young, rather than being shocked at their rebelliousness once the child grows up and new rules are suddenly instituted. As it is now, parents brush off things as "kids will be kids" and then one day, they start making all these new rules.
The best comparison I can think of is the Patriot Act. A large portion of the population, when suddenly faced with this new set of rules, flipped out. It's the same thing, on a smaller scale, with teenagers. Institute new rules at what seems like random, and they're going to react accordingly.
People forget that those little things running around have brains. Guess what? They think and react the same way adults do.
Another issue I had has to do with the comments on her post. One of the commenters wrote about statutory rape - Once the person is post-pubescent, and able to consent, there is no way in hell that should be a crime. It falls under the nanny-statism that Dr. Helen talks about.
Oh...Nanny-stating...right.
*sigh*
It is just as possible to have a mini-nannystate within your own home. If a person is controlled by an authority figure, with no ability to make their own decisions, that is just as bad as if the government was making the decisions. Parent or government...at times, it can be the same thing.
Work with your kids, rather than trying to control them.
Posted by Kat at 12:38 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 17, 2005
Cold
Starbucks is freezing.
I'm trying to get this new site up and running.
Right now, I'm just focused on drawing in people. Only one rule - No Bitching.
This means no flame wars, no bitching about your day, your kids, or your parents.
I am using it for a specific project, seeded by NYRA (link on the right, I'm a lazy bitch today). A group that mediates between parents and kids, to work out solutions and offer alternatives to the schools discussed here. The idea being that most kids who are sent to these schools either have honest problems that need to be solved by inpatient psychiatric programs, or they just have social problems that can be dealt with by changing certain aspects of their situations.
If you're interested in helping, head over there and sign up. We'll be having a meeting at some point, when I can organize it.
DISCLAIMER: Although I am heading this up, I do not intend to do all the work. If you are joining, you must be willing and able to put in a ton of time. We are trying to change kids' lives, not just make ourselves feel better.
SECOND DISCLAIMER: Parent's Sandbox and NYRA are connected only through me. They are unaffiliated, and will probably remain so. At this point, this project may either remain with NYRA, or break off and form it's own non-profit org.
THIRD DISCLAIMER: I will not reveal the names of those who come to me looking for help, even with permission. If they want to tell their story, they will join up and do so.
Posted by Kat at 08:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 26, 2005
Student Rights
I haven't posted on this topic nearly enough. One of my reasons for wanting to become a teacher is seeing all the crap students go through for being extremely intelligent or just different. I want to give as many of those students as I can an opportunity to excel, to enjoy learning, and to become what they are meant to be.
On one forum I frequent, another poster asked the following question:
What are the arguments for/against dress code?Does the ACLU work on these at all?
The following is my post, in full, with all mistakes. I didn't edit it at all. If I have anything wrong, please tell me, because I feel like I missed something major.
I'm not sure what the ACLU has done. They technically have a section on student rights, but dress codes seem to fall in a grey area. We've attempted to work with them before, to little effect.The major argument in favor of dress codes is that they create equality amongst students. Apparant economic equality, as well as social.
A secondary one is disturbance in schools. If everyone is dressed the same, or if certain things are banned, then the risk of disturbance is "lower". I think most of us here disagree with that argument strongly.
In terms of being against dress codes...They create an army of people who are exactly the same. They don't allow for any individuality, and tend to hurt those who will become the leaders of our culture. Musicians, artists, social activists, all are restricted when their personal style is restricted. They also tend to be rather biased, allowing certain modes of dress while banning others. The idea that one's dress contributes to their productivity is flawed. It doesn't contribute to true productivity, it only creates an environment where standing out, whether it be grades, homework, personality, or manner, becomes anathema to the person. It kills the thing that makes us most human - our creative desire to be an individual person.
It's a difficult thing to discuss. We want to make our children better people, but restricting them in expressing themselves only hurts them. Numbers aren't everything. Grades are meaningless if the student isn't actually learning what will help them succeed in life. Teach them what they are interested in, get them interested in the world around them, whether political, social, or natural, and they will thrive. Children want to learn.
Posted by Kat at 01:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 27, 2005
...in the Hundred Acre Wood...
*sniff*
John Fiedler, the voice of Piglet. RIP.
Who's next? Eeyore? Rabbit? Pooh?!
Gah.
Posted by Kat at 11:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Meant to post this earlier...
Paul Winchell, the voice of Tigger, died yesterday.
RIP.
I loved Tigger.
Posted by Kat at 02:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 16, 2005
Video Games and Kids
If video games influenced kids, we'd all be running around darkened rooms, listening to bad techno music and popping pills.
Posted by Kat at 08:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Evil!
ABC has a show called "Brat Camp".
I am disgusted by this show. It lauds programs, not like Outward Bound, but Challenger and Summit Quest. Programs that have killed kids.
What is truly stupid is that as part of their TOS, the first paragraph reads:
We live by words online, so we don't allow obscene, racist or sexually explicit language. We also reserve the right to remove postings that defame or insult anyone, and notes that are abusive or hateful. Any harassing notes or postings that might be construed as stalking will be deleted and made available to the proper law enforcement officials. We also reserve the right to remove notes that are off the subject or not in English.
So they cover their asses, and chances are any post I make telling them what an awful idea for a show this is will be deleted.
For more information on the Challenger program and Steve Cortisano, go to 63 Days and read about an actual experience.
Also, NYRA has a ton of information on gulag camps and schools, as well as forums which are not censored.
Posted by Kat at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 14, 2005
The verdict
I really don't care about Jackson. I think he's a pathetic little man who is either simply trying to get publicity, or a true pervert. Either way, any parent who let their kid go near him after the incident in 1993 is a moron and shouldn't have had kids in the first place.
I have no patience for people who hurt kids or give the impression that they're going to hurt kids.
Ditto for cats, but that's another entry.
I've been babysitting for C. since she was 20 months old. I started babysitting her sister, S., when she was 3 weeks old. If they trip on the playground I feel for them. I can't imagine what would happen if either of them was seriously hurt. These girls have my heart.
Posted by Kat at 10:25 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 07, 2005
Voting Age Bill
Tomorrow, a bill is going to be introduced to the City Council that will push for the voting age in NYC to be lowered to 16. Gale Brewer is the author, and it has some good support. There will be a press conference tomorrow afternoon, and members of NYRA, Lower the Vote and other organizations will be there.
Jason may have more information about it. If you want the official email forwarded to you, leave a comment.
UPDATE: The bill is introduced, articles about it are here and here (for the moment). Will update with more.
Posted by Kat at 12:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
May 27, 2005
Abortion Rights
Supreme Court to Review Abortion Law
This is an issue that's been going around the courts for a while now. New Hampshire wants to institute parental notification for women under 18 seeking abortions.
I've worked at various jobs involving teenagers who have issues. The idea that a clinic would have to inform parents who probably have something to do with why the girl is pregnant in the first place disgusts me.
It goes so far beyond any emotion I have words for.
Posted by Kat at 04:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 10, 2005
School Troubles
I am applying to college.
This has now been going on for a few months.
I left college, for various reasons, back in 2001. Proceeded to move down here, establish myself, and now I've decided that a degree in education is a good idea.
Now I'm having to yell at people.
CollegeBoard.org has fucked up bigtime. They had all sorts of issues with their system that meant my scores didn't get out. Now they're telling me it's fixed, but it'll take 3-5 WEEKS to get my scores to CUNY.
Can I scream now?
So I've contacted CUNY, and am waiting for a response from them as to whether or not it will screw up my chances for getting in.
If anyone has connections to CUNY admissions, and would be willing to push a response, I'd be very appreciative.
Hell, I had a 1300 on my SAT's, my GPA was fairly good, you'd think I could just get a preliminary acceptance pending receipt of scores.
I know. I know. It doesn't work that way.
I really am going to scream. I swear.
Posted by Kat at 02:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 21, 2005
The Horror of Schools
Was flipping around the usual suspects earlier. Came across the following.
Student Kills Grandparents, 7 at School
When I was a Junior in HS, the Columbine shooting happened. A few years before, I had been part of an exchange with a JrHigh school out near Denver. Each of us stayed with a student. The day of the shooting, they interviewed a bunch of the kids. One of those students was on the TV. She said her boyfriend was still inside.
He was killed.
He was someone I knew. Danced with at their semi-formal. Typical preppy skater kid. Cute. Funny.
And then dead.
I was never so freaked as I was that day. I had known loss. But to be confronted with it, to see maps of the school with a little red dot to mark where he died...Nothing could compare.
And to know that there was someone I knew out there who lost him without being able to say goodbye...
This kid was laughing. He LAUGHED while he waved the guns around.
There is no forgiveness for that. Not from me.
Posted by Kat at 10:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack