I read Ms. Kelly-face's history thing, and I agree. But there are a lot of things that for some insane reason get pushed aside or out of our general education. 1. Sewing: A basic knowledge can take you a very long way. Even if you know nothing more than some basic cloth qualities and how to sew on a button, you can save a whole lot of money. I'll throw knitting and crocheting in here too. 2. Car maintainence: I don't know how to do this. Lucky for me, my dad does. I should still know how to change a tire and the like. 3. How to act in common situations: Did you see those episodes on The Wire? Effective. We need to know how to act in restaurants, in movies, in public.... But also what to do when you hear a neighbor being beaten or a verbally abusive customer. 4. Basic home maintainence: I know, I think I'm spelling it wrong. Same reasons as the car. 5. Cultural studies: A lot more emphasis should be here. That includes foreign languages, but also other believes and customs and all that jazz. Also the importance of realizing that there are a lot of different paths that you can take in life. You don't have to go to college to have a good life. If you want to be a CEO, climb that ladder. If you want to join a commune, go for it. Just don't drink the Kool-Aid. 6. Staying out of/getting out of risky situations: I just finished a book about serial killers. It was scary. You do not want to be the victim of a serial killer. Let's sub-topic drugs and alcohol here. They're going to happen. Keep up the part about beieng safest when sober, but there needs to be a lot more practical guidance. I'll just throw sex in there too. 7. Gym: I fucking hated that class. But it is pretty important. Maybe more of a focus on the different types of physical activities people might like? More than they do now. Actually, they probably do this. I just fucking hated that class. Let's throw in health too. Yeah, that's there already too I think. 8. The hard stuff: Dealing with major stressors and losses. Death is a very big thing. It's very weird how it's approached in such a denial-type fashion. What about divorce, lay-offs, failed business ventures? We need some coping skills. Also, let's not sweep major things under the rug. We all remember how Kenton's death was officially handled in the schools. He didn't just disappear. And going to his wake is a big reason I'm still alive. It doesn't mean everyone is going to kill themselves. (The world lost a good thing in him. I'm very sorry I didn't know him better.) 9. How to potty-train a puppy. Seriously, she's driving me crazy. I'm sure there's all kinds of other stuff. But I can't think of it and I don't want to type anymore. | 
