So Much For Self-Improvement

Did I ever tell you how much I hated school? I hated it all, from kindergarten to university. I just don’t like sitting in a room listening to someone tell me stuff unless I know the person. (I’m going to Max Maven’s lecture next week. That’s different. That’s Max. Besides, as he pointed out at coffee this afternoon, I know him.) Taking Kung Fu was good, but forget anything else. I won’t even try the classes at the gym, though that’s no surprise.

However, I just tried to register online for a class. Adult Ed, the school is within a mile of here. Okay, it was “Ballet & Stretching”, one night a week, $50 for 6 weeks. It’s hard to beat that price, and I doubt I’d be the only klutz in a high school auditorium filled with whoever takes these things. But I said “tried” to register, meaning I didn’t. Here’s why:

Bad enough there was a mandatory section of the form that required the applicant to check Hispanic or Not Hispanic. Next they made you state your race, which got pretty specific if you’re not white. Side note: Back in the 1980s there was a movement among Jews to check “Other” to demonstrate ethnic Judaism, given that it is a culture as well as a faith. I don’t, but then I don’t state my ethnicity except for the national census or if someone starts spouting anti-Semitic bullshit. For the record, there was no “Other” on this particular form, if you can believe that. And an answer was required.

Look, obviously I’m white. My picture is up there, top right corner. I use 100+ SPF every day. Hell, I use 15 SPF at night. So yeah, I’m pale. But I don’t think that should matter, and certainly not to someone I’m trying to pay for a service. I tried to fill out the relevant information and pay, but they wouldn’t let me, not without knowing the racial stuff. So they’ll have to do without my $50, and I’ll be free Thursday evenings in June, if you want to get coffee or something