Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

 

I actually think this is legit. I mean, look at how horrible sex ed is. One of my friends was complaining about her period because she loves swimming, and some guy who was eavesdropping on us blurted, "Can't you just hold it?" And just recently my science teacher realised how much we don't know about our bodies when my class went into a unit on human anatomy and she asked us if we knew how puberty is changing us, and over half of the class just stared blankly. 

 

When I was a student, I joined a volunteer group that visited schools and helped with sex ed classes. I had to do some training for that, of course, which was extremely interesting, and the work was too. One of the things I realized was that the so-called "generation porn" has exactly the same insecurities regarding sex as we did when I was a teen, and the questions asked were often refreshingly naive. What made me sad was how almost all the girls I met knew a lot about childbirth, but had absolutely no clue about how to make sex enjoyable for themselves. The general attitude seemed to be that sex was something you endured to please the boy and make him love you, then later to get pregnant. Oh my god. What happened to the sexual revolution? The boys on the other hand were mostly concerned with not making a fool of themselves and pleasing the girl - and with the difficulties of female anatomy.

 

Worse thing is, dating and relationships are now getting slammed at my school. If I can, I'll somehow get pics of what's happening, but the basic thing is is that all PDA is banned, even if it's just a little hug. The assistant principal at my school showed us a very tacky passive-aggressive four-slide PowerPoint at lunch. They seemed pretty legit until the third or fourth slide popped up -- a closeup of two hands clasped together, and then a picture of a kid screaming captioned, "GET A ROOM ALREADY!"

 

I could go on, but then I'd get myself all fired up to start a riot tomorrow. I dunno, I just might.  <_<

[Arcadia]

Worse thing is, dating and relationships are now getting slammed at my school. If I can, I'll somehow get pics of what's happening, but the basic thing is is that all PDA is banned, even if it's just a little hug. The assistant principal at my school showed us a very tacky passive-aggressive four-slide PowerPoint at lunch. They seemed pretty legit until the third or fourth slide popped up -- a closeup of two hands clasped together, and then a picture of a kid screaming captioned, "GET A ROOM ALREADY!"

 

I could go on, but then I'd get myself all fired up to start a riot tomorrow. I dunno, I just might.  <_<

     

 

[T.o.b.y]

Worse thing is, dating and relationships are now getting slammed at my school. If I can, I'll somehow get pics of what's happening, but the basic thing is is that all PDA is banned, even if it's just a little hug. The assistant principal at my school showed us a very tacky passive-aggressive four-slide PowerPoint at lunch. They seemed pretty legit until the third or fourth slide popped up -- a closeup of two hands clasped together, and then a picture of a kid screaming captioned, "GET A ROOM ALREADY!"

 

I could go on, but then I'd get myself all fired up to start a riot tomorrow. I dunno, I just might.  <_<

 

Go right ahead, I'd say. How schools get away with that without provoking a mass orgy in the parking lot is a mystery to me.

 

And what is the rationale behind all this?

 

 

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

Apparently "PDA" is filed under the category "Physical Contact", alongside "Physical Violence" and "Harassment". Which is stupid, because when a kid pushes another kid over all's well, but when one guy hugs his girlfriend it's considered inappropriate, even if it's genuinely platonic. As if all teenagers are angry sexual creatures who do nothing but look for the next person to make out with. 

[Arcadia]

They're not???? :D

 

 

Don't hit me, I'm kidding!!!!!!!

[T.o.b.y]

Apparently "PDA" is filed under the category "Physical Contact", alongside "Physical Violence" and "Harassment". Which is stupid, because when a kid pushes another kid over all's well, but when one guy hugs his girlfriend it's considered inappropriate, even if it's genuinely platonic. As if all teenagers are angry sexual creatures who do nothing but look for the next person to make out with. 

 

So wait a minute. If, say, your best friend has been dumped and is crying her eyes out in the hallway, you can't even give her a hug to comfort her? You can't do each other's hair? Can't give someone with a bad case of neck pain a shoulder massage? How does your principal think friendships work?

 

Or is all this just bad in his eyes when it's between girls and boys? In which case, does he think they can't be just friends? 

 

Oh, and I'd say creating restrictions like that sounds like a sure fire way of turning the teens at your school into angry sexual creatures. I'm feeling both angry and in need of a good snog just reading this!

 

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

 

Apparently "PDA" is filed under the category "Physical Contact", alongside "Physical Violence" and "Harassment". Which is stupid, because when a kid pushes another kid over all's well, but when one guy hugs his girlfriend it's considered inappropriate, even if it's genuinely platonic. As if all teenagers are angry sexual creatures who do nothing but look for the next person to make out with. 

 

So wait a minute. If, say, your best friend has been dumped and is crying her eyes out in the hallway, you can't even give her a hug to comfort her? You can't do each other's hair? Can't give someone with a bad case of neck pain a shoulder massage? How does your principal think friendships work?

 

1) no, 2) more no, 3) definitely no, because "friendship" is now a codeword for "friends with benefits". At least, that's how it feels. Then again, the assistant principal is an ultra-conservative male of very ill repute, so nobody really takes him seriously unless he's sitting across from them in his office.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Sounds more like ultra-scared versus ultra-conservative.

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

Aren't those words synonyms, though? :lol:

[Carol the Dabbler]

Seems to me like the "zero tolerance" people come in both left-wing and right-wing versions -- depending on whether you're talking about PDAs or toy guns.

 

[Arcadia]

Aren't those words synonyms, though? :lol:

I have hope for you, young Jedi.

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

The irony is, is that just yesterday a substitute teacher was busted for looking at some real nasty stuff on his iPad in class! 

[Shadow Dweller]

The irony is, is that just yesterday a substitute teacher was busted for looking at some real nasty stuff on his iPad in class! 

 

Send some trojan-contained baits to your 'lovely' assistant principal and lets see him 'burn'  :lol:

[SherlockedCAMPer]

The irony is, is that just yesterday a substitute teacher was busted for looking at some real nasty stuff on his iPad in class!

You keep reminding me why I'm glad I homeschool my son. I don't have to worry about the teacher or sub looking at stupid stuff and crazy school policies.

[T.o.b.y]

And you keep making me feel grateful for the school I went to. I had a rough time with my peers, but at least the teachers and school regulations didn't make things harder. I can't really remember any big regulations, to be honest. We could wear what we wanted, which in some cases included fake-cow-hide mini skirts and mohawks, and as longs as people weren't actually having sex during class, nobody seemed to care much about who had physical contact with whom. Before it was illegal in my state to smoke in public places, there was even a smoker's corner for the over-15s and teachers.

 

Most of my teachers were very motivated and supportive. I don't think I'd have ever gone to university if it hadn't been for some active encouragement from a whole bunch of them. And if any of them had naughty pictures on their computers, they were at least smart enough not to get caught looking at them at work...

[Arcadia]

Yes, most of my school experiences were extremely positive as well, I hate hearing when it's not for others. It was such a magic time of my life, school, I wish everyone could experience it that way.

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

That awkward moment when you get extremely anxious about Googling something mildly ordinary... 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

That awkward moment when you get extremely anxious about Googling something mildly ordinary...

How come that reminds me of Sherlock especially in TGG when he's shooting the wall out of boredom.

[T.o.b.y]

I have a rant against myself. Sleepless nights seem to trigger unpleasant revelations...

 

For over five years, I have had a photo on my wall of myself in a bikini. From the one summer where I managed to be thin for five weeks. I dieted for months until I finally had a flat belly, then wasted a ton of money on a skimpy swim suit and had an aunt of mine take a photo. Hurray. And that photo has been on my wall in a frame for five years.

 

Is that my big achievement in life? Seriously? I was miserable that summer. Always hungry and cranky, even more wired and neurotic than usual, and certainly not sexy, at least not in the eyes of my partner. I have two professions, can look back on at least three really interesting volunteer jobs, have a university education, am happily married, have managed to hold on to my friends way back from elementary school, and this stupid bikini shot is what I have had on display saying "look what I can do when I put my mind to it"?

 

And I thought I was a feminist, for god's sake. Ha, ha, ha.

 

I tore the thing down and replaced it with a postcard sent to me by my dead grandparents. Instead of throwing the photo away, though, I think I might put it in my purse. The next time I'm buying jeans and the sales lady sneers at me, I'll take it out, wave it under her nose, and say: "Listen, I've been there, I've done that, it was bloody awful and not worth the effort, now get me whatever size it is we'll need to not make me hold my breath in them, and shut the F*** up, thank you very much." I'll do something similar with everybody who "tactfully" offers to make me copies of her newest weight-loss bible or sends me links to that kind of website.

 

How sad is it that after all our mothers and grandmothers fought for, my generation still lets their appearance dominate their self-worth.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Good for you! 

 

Too bad I don't have any photos of myself during my "fat" phase (or what my father called "a little meat on your bones").  I'd gladly carry that in my purse to wave at people who "helpfully" suggest that I gain some weight -- as though that were possible -- or even desirable.

 

I gained the aforementioned weight kinda by accident, by eating mostly junk food during my early twenties -- breakfast bars, toaster tarts, Oreos, soda pop -- and I single-handedly kept the Hostess bakery in business.  When I started eating mostly real food, the weight just dropped off, no matter how hard I tried to gain it back.  Nowadays I do find it a little easier to gain weight, but only if I haven't been sufficiently active, and then my blood pressure goes up -- so that's no good.

 

A couple of decades ago, I'd been through a trying time, and a friend very solicitously said she was worried about me because I was losing weight.  It occurred to me that if I'd said I was worried about her because she was gaining weight (which she was), that would have been impolite -- yet it was perfectly OK for her to express the opposite concern.  When I mentioned that to her, she blanched and apologized profusely, and I said "No, no, it's fine -- but it really is odd, isn't it?"

 

I finally decided that the important thing is to be as healthy as possible, and then whatever I weigh is presumably what I "should" weigh.

 

[sittything]

I'm starving today.  I'm like a bottomless pit.  That's all I've got.

[by the sea]

T.o.b.y , I appreciate your rant.  Sneering sales persons are seriously aggravating.  Personally, I wouldn't say I have the greatest physical self-image and I work in a room full of women who really talk a lot about dieting and exercising and camouflaging ... one of them has even had surgical stomach intervention.  She's lost lots and lots of weight, too.  I can't seem to motivate myself the way they can ... and actually do for short periods of time ;)  ... but I find the older I get, the less it bothers me.  My colleagues are all pretty fashion-conscious as well and I know I look like a bag of old clothes but given the opportunity to join the Cloud Appreciation Society (I'm a member in good standing) or buy the latest chic garment from the local knock-off store, I'll pick the clouds.  I know I should weigh less than I do, but even my doctor doesn't bug me about it any more.  I think I'm too formidable for her !!  :lol:  :lol: 

 

Debbie

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

I'm just always sleepy and wired all at once, which is weird, but kinda nice when you're BS'ing an entire essay the class period before it's due...

[T.o.b.y]

I finally decided that the important thing is to be as healthy as possible, and then whatever I weigh is presumably what I "should" weigh.

 

Exactly! There's a much broader spectrum of what is "normal" than we're commonly led to believe, and as long as you're well and happy, it really shouldn't matter what size you wear.

 

My best friend is naturally very thin. So thin that she's afraid to go to a doctor when she is sick, because they always think she's anorexic and try to talk her into therapy for a disease she doesn't have. It makes me angry. Not anybody who is skinny has an eating disorder, and not everybody who is fat is an undisciplined slob. We spent an entire adolescence hiding our bodies, and feeling ugly and I tried to diet and she tried to stuff herself with food that didn't agree with her, and all for what? For a stupid beauty ideal that is no more than a construct based entirely on childhood impressions, influences and role models. In Ruben's time, I'd have been a F***ing sex goddess, and I still think her ribs and hip bones poking through her clothes is attractive, too.

 

The only good that came of it is we both had an incentive to exercise a lot, and that's a good habit to form in any case...

 

Strangely enough, we have the same cup size. (She's gorgeous, I can tell you ;) )

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I'm starving today.  I'm like a bottomless pit.  That's all I've got.

 

 

You remind me of my 12 year old on some days (today he was not the bottomless pit, tomorrow could be different).