Economies

So I am playing hooky from school today. By my calculations I am running an 84% average and I've completed all my work for the week that's been assigned thus far. Double plus my back hurts from the gym. Lots of rationalizations, I could go on for years like this. Or at least hours.

Hot times at the gym yesterday. Aprés work out a hot local buddy whom I'd not seen since the early summer working at Local Unionized Grocery Franchise Garden Centre was there. The gym has been good to him and I tried to make chit-chat whilst not staring too intensely at his now 33% more voluptuous everything. Unfortunately we both had places to go despite what seemed like mutual desires to rub man units.

There are many things to dislike about my post industrial town one thing I love is the Hamilton Farmer's Market. A 160 year old tradition that managed to escape the urban renewal that obliterated most everything else in the city during the late 1970s. What I find coolest about the market is that I bought broccoli and brussel sprouts from a farm that still operates up the street from the home my Grandfather built. The place my uncle and his family still live, well within the limits of the city and in fact a rather urban area nearby McMaster University.

I find myself going on riffs like this about my city and my relationship to it. What I realize now is that in the process of leaving home for the UK in 2002-2003 I was, inevitably, brought closer to a sense of where I'm from. It's a good feeling but presents the problem of moving away. If you were to ask me at 21 if I wanted to live in Toronto or somewhere larger I'd have answered with a resounding "yes!". But now I'm not so sure, I really like living in a town that I have such intimate, carnal knowledge of. I'll go where the best opportunities take me but I think I'll always come back.

Adult High School

Adult High School is a pretty crazy place. My first period class has reminded me that, perhaps, I'm not as much of a ruthless debater as I'd once thought. I'm actually quite constrained and polite.

There is one dude, who I will call Malcolm X Jr., whom basically launched a barrage of insults in my direction "on behalf of my class". Irony being that he does this to most everyone who disagrees with him. And the class doesn't seem to like him very much at all. He's aggressive, close minded and has a chip on his shoulder like none I've experienced on a daily basis in my life.

What set Malcolm X Jr. off with me was when I disagreed that Dr. Phil is a valid form of therapy. And that he is a television hack spurting pop-psychology platitudes to the applause of advertisers and ratings.

I don't know how to say this really without sounding conceited. But when you're a little bit intelligent around others who are not you are quickly identified as a threat by some people. People who learn figure out that listening to others and applying their knowledge together learn more... but that's the crux of the problem really. Malcolm X Jr. is a dogmatic dumbshit. And not surprisingly a card carrying member of the God squad.

It's not even personal. He just can't hear anybody but himself and people disagreeing with him. And frankly I'm a bit scared he's gonna work his hate outside of class, so I'm just keeping quite from here on in.

Makes me wonder what's been done to him. Abusive parents, church, community? Has M. X. Jr. really been that hard done by? The race card is awfully quick to come out but there are so many other card carrying members in all my classes that don't seem to need it.

Despite all the bad at school. All the obvious poverty, struggling and second chances it's neat to see so many people, yours truly included, start to get it. To gain momentum and carry forward in life. I've also made some good friends. People I can relate to about school and life as a young adult. No other fags that I know of, but really that is the least interesting part about me these days.