I suppose that the buzzing in my head was just looking for a place to escape. It reminds me of a bird, caught between two glass doors, destroying itself in a terrified bid for freedom. It found it, last night, somewhere between the sober, frank discussions and the floods of self-doubt and fear.

At first I thought it had gotten into the walls, and I listened for it, a glass pressed up against my ear. It wasn't there, though -- but the more I listened, the more I knew it was nearby, somewhere close.

I think it's in my clothes, now. I can feel it on me if I stay very still, something like a skin.

...

And the rock cried out, no hiding place.

I think I've lost one of my oldest friends, for the second time.

Smart kids still exist.

Riding on the local train tonight I sat facing a five-year-old child who was smart. And I mean it.
The following pieces of conversation with his mother made me laugh:
Mother:"We're going to see dad, and then you're going to Maria's place."
Child:"Maria is a girl."
Mother:"That's right. She is."
Child:"Even if it'd just be me and her, the human race wouldn't become extinct."

Child:"What does extinct mean, mom?"
Mother:"Well, you just said what it was."
Child:"Yeah, but what's it mean?"
Mother:"Well, it's when... when everyone dies."
Child:"Everyone of a particular species. Not everyone. It's hard for everything to die. All humans could die. Then we'd all be extinct."
Mother:"You said it."

Child:"Dad's getting old. I think you should help him."
Mother:"Old? He's not that old."
Child:"I think he's old. He's older than you, than me."
Mother:"If you think he's old, you can always help him with something."
Child:"You're the mom. I think you should help!"

Just makes me glad to see things like that. That smart kids still exist.

Student uprising at local high school; no deaths or injuries reported
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,380010847,00.html?

The student walkout had been discussed throughout the week. After lunch, the students would walk out to protest the firing of history teacher Jim Eakins. The Utah Legislature recently passed a bill cutting back education spending; as a result several schools had to fire their teachers. Interestingly enough, that same Legislature passed a bill that would earthquake-proof Utah's Capitol building - the total amount came to a staggering $300 million. Education got FAR less than that.

The walkout was a wild success. 6th period was then dedicated to the walkout. Students came pouring out of the building protesting the firing of Jim Eakins. A certain noder stood there watching the crowd go by angrily protesting the firing of Mr. Eakins. Twenty policemen were there complete with nightsticks in case things got out of hand. unfortunately, they didn't

As I stood there, one girl turned to me and shouted:

Hey, kid from another school, why don't you join the march for Mr. Eakins?!

I briefly considered it. Mr. Eakins had been my history teacher - while not unique, he was certainly not boring. He had been a former basketball player, and it's easy to see why: he towered over the class in his 6'10 figure. Oddly enough, he sounds like Ardo Newpop from Under a Killing Moon, just not as stupid. I thought about joining the crowd, but Mr. Eakins had done nothing special for me. News media were there to cover the event, but they were shortly kicked off campus by the police

The students marched from the school's football field down to the corner of the street. They chanted 'ACADEMICS, NOT ATHLETICS!' referring to the fact that no coaches were being cut. 20 minutes later, the cops dispersed us hooligans and told the student body to get back to class or else suspensions would be handed out. All in all, it was an interesting experience, and a very nice waste of a sixth period.

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