Ahhh High School, was RE: [geeks] A favor concerning my dog

[Tim Harrison]

Chris Byrne wrote:

> I went and had a great time reminiscing with the teachers I loved, and then
> took out my pay check, pinned it to my chest like a name badge, and went and
> visited the teachers I hated.
> 
> I admit it was chilidish, and petty, but man it felt good.

I can well imagine. :)  I have been on my own since approximately 12
years of age, and spent a lot of time doing a lot of things I
shouldn't.  I decided I'd try to go back to school.  Made it half way
through Grade 9, and then bugged out.  Got booted from the school, and
went back to my "bad ways".  Then, my father and I had a chat, and
worked out a lot of things.  He suggested that I go to his school (he's
an English teacher and head of the English Department, so he carried
some weight with the board).  I went there, and tried to make it
through.  
 
> Thankfully I was neither unpopular not teased in high school. I didnt
> havemany friends, but that was by choice since the ones I did have I still
> do, and will for my entire life. Of course being able to beat up anyone in
> the school helps there too. I had a kind of strange role in my school. I was
> kind of like "the troubleshooter" guy. If you had a problem I was the guy
> you came to see.

I kept pretty much to myself in school.  There were a few "geeks" that
would hang around, but no one really bothered me.  I had learned a lot
about how to avoid trouble by being out in the "real world" (whatever
that is when you're 12 - 17), so I could keep myself away from anything
that wouldn't promote the continuation of my existence.

A few months into being at the school (as a preface, I knew most of the
teachers on a first name basis, as they had been friends of the family
since I was born), I was given the administrator passwd for the Novell
network, because the computer teacher knew that I had more experience
with Novell than he did.  That gave me a good start into the technology
world.
 
> One interesting consequence of this is that while I wasn't active in the
> social scene at my school, I did have lots of sex with lots of the girls
> there, and even two of the younger teachers/teachers aides. Something about
> a big strong man in their time of need etc... etc... It's very interesting
> to see just how instinctual and animal brained human beings can be.

I didn't go near the ones at my school.  Couldn't stand them.  I dated
outside of that particular circle.
 
> I didn't hate high school because of the kids, or because of the teasing, or
> any of the other reasons most geeks give. I hated high school because it was
> an institution dedicated to crushing my intelligence and individuality into
> the same mold as all the other automatons who memorized their textbooks and
> lecture notes. I got out as soon as possible by testing out as a junior and
> heading straight on to college.

I tried the college route for a semester, but found that I was teaching
the teachers.  The operating systems teacher was consulting me before
classes.  That bothered me.  So, I got out of there, and went off on my
own.  Since then, I've had no problem getting a job with no schooling
whatsoever.

School tends to be about 5 years behind the times (which can be cool for
someone who loves old technology), and I have yet to hear tell of a
school that teaches you how to work with Cisco routers, or how to design
relevant networking topologies.  A friend of mine is taking a college
course in Canada for networking, and he told me they're getting close to
that as he's entering his third year, but (yes, here comes the arrogance
;)) he also told me that he has so far known everything he needed to
know from listening and working with me on private projects (when I was
still in .ca).  Makes me feel pretty good, but makes me think little of
schooling.

I'd love to set up a really good program, but I feel the stigma of
something like DeVry coming on.

-- 


Tim Harrison
Network Engineer
harrison at timharrison.com
http://www.networklevel.com/