On Wed, 15 Jan 2014 05:08:27 +0000, Doctor John wrote:

> On 15/01/14 01:59, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> Well said, John.  I couldn't agree with you more.  Especially here in
>> the US, and as a smarter person in school growing up, I was ridiculed,
>> teased, and bullied (though my "bullying" wasn't anywhere near what
>> kids these days seem to be subjected to).
>> 
>> 
> I feel for the younger you. I was lucky in being strong enough to take
> care of myself. There are one or two people out there who will still
> remember the effect of a knee in the groin - not a dignified response,
> but effective just the same.

I was never quite brave (?) enough to try something like that.  There 
were a couple of kids on the football team (well, one in particular that 
I remember well) who were really good to me, but mostly I just didn't 
make friends easily because I was as I described.

>> All because I was smart, somewhat socially awkward, and "gifted" (gawd,
>> I *hate* that term) generally and at playing the violin.
>> 
>> 
> At last! Someone else who played the violin. Do you still play or did
> you do as I did and give up because of the bullying? I took up the
> guitar instead - gave me more street-cred.

I didn't give it up because of the bullying - I was actually pretty good 
(though I do say so myself).  I still have it, but I need to have some 
work done on it before I can play it again - a repair gone bad several 
years ago left the sound post stuck to the top face of the instrument, 
and it's got a really bad wolf on the E string (the open E, at that).

I haven't played in years, though, because of that.  One of our neighbors 
is a violin maker, even, but he said it'd cost about $400 to get it 
fixed, because he'd have to take the front off the instrument to fix it.

>> Meanwhile, we wonder (at least here in the US) why education is
>> failing.
>> 
>> I guess it's because we don't believe in God hard enough.  Yeah, that
>> must be it - it certainly can't be because STEM education standards
>> absolutely suck in a lot of the US.  It couldn't possibly have to do
>> with anything about believing that "creationism" is science and
>> "evolution" is a myth.  Couldn't f*cking have anything to do with that.
>> 
>> 
> We seem to be getting a similar mindset over here in UK.

Heh, I don't think you've got that disease to the extent we do in some 
parts of the US (Texas, I'm looking at you.  Mostly because Texas has 
enough pull that the Texas Board of Education ends up picking what goes 
in curriculum across the country).

>> Kinda a hot button for me, and I'm overtired and a bit stressed. 
>> Sorry, carry on. ;)
> 
> No need to apologise. I am aware of (some of) the complexities in your
> life.
> 
> John (raising a cup of coffee in Jim's direction)

Thanks, that helps.  Oooh, coffee. :)

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

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