O Tempora! O Mores! Oh Hell!

[stoutfellow]

This is... Oh, hell, I can't even muster up the indignation any more. (No, this one isn't political. That, I've got indignation and to spare for.)

Comments

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I picture the children walking silently, single file, to the former play area. Each walks to his/her designated safe area, spreads arms and legs, and thus begins the mandatory 15-minute exercise break. At the buzzer, all return to line up and walk quietly but pleasantly tired back to their assigned seats. It's time for their history pills.

Bad SF! Bad! Oh, wait, this could actually *be* the recess of tomorrow.

[kattsune.livejournal.com]

I see your future happening soon. When are these kids all going to get together with all that unbreakable space and just be... kids?

Some of my fondest childhood memories involve falling on/off/into/through things. The actual landing part usually sucked, but everything before it was top-notch.

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

"Some of my fondest childhood memories involve falling on/off/into/through things. The actual landing part usually sucked, but everything before it was top-notch."

Oh, yes! And often involved things our parents wouldn't have approved of, at all, had their opinions been solicited. I remember one summer when I was about 10, where the neighborhood kid game of choice was our version of "army," battles and all. I had many scrapes and bruises, but it was worth it. Including once jumping off of a tree branch, expecting to land on my feet; instead, I landed flat on my torso, knocking out my breath. Learned a good lesson, too - I've never once as an adult been tempted to sail off of anything that high off the ground! This game just wouldn't be played today.

[kattsune.livejournal.com]

There's a type of tree called a banyan, and they grew all over the place when I lived in Okinawa. They're the perfect climbing tree, with branches everywhere. I remember one summer where I think I spent more outside time in our backyard tree than on the ground. Now, there's only one drawback to this wonderful tree. The root system spreads across the top of the ground at least half as far as the crown spread before going under. So when you fall out of the tree, you land on those.

"Dear Mom, today I learned that it is indeed possible to hit every branch on the way down. I learned that it is possible to fall past the branches and think you're safe, only to land on more branches called roots. Incidentally, I also learned to suck it up, learn and move on. I will be more careful in the future."

No one ever says those things to Mom and Dad, but I think that's why every kid needs recess.

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

Back in the early '60s, my father was posted to Ft. Shafter on Oahu. There was a banyan near where I went to school, which was - of course - a kid magnet. I think we were forbidden to climb it, but just bumbling around on the roots was entertaining enough.

Ah, memories...

[kattsune.livejournal.com]

Forbidden to climb?! That's awful! I'm seriously tempted to see if they will grow in this climate so that I can start planting. Some trees were manufactured with "Climb Me" stamped on every atom.

Tell me you've at least been a part of the animal bothering show before you were old enough to know better. I used to chase snakes and lizards because they were the coolest things ever. Mom never let them in the house though.

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

Banyan trees are figs and they're tropical, so unless you live in a nice warm place, you're probably out of luck. If you do live in a place they'll grow, you should note that the way they get those nice root systems is often to start growing on another tree. They're commonly epiphytes that usually end up strangling the original tree eventually, hence the name 'Strangler Fig" for the species native to Florida.

Re: recess of tomorrow

[kattsune.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they won't grow in my climate, but it's a beautiful dream. I bet if you were to just keep an eye out, you'd be able to keep the banyan from eating too many of the neighbor trees... But can you imagine what you could build/design from that? They remind me of the LotR elven village trees... But I think it's monday and my imagination is on overdrive to keep me from falling asleep at my desk.

recess of tomorrow

[svenbluelion.livejournal.com]

I picture the recess of tomorrow involving virtual reality so that children are safely at their desk and get to imagine that they are really outside and having fun.

Re: recess of tomorrow

[kattsune.livejournal.com]

Picture this, but younger... it looks like the one in my old backyard: http://psych.fullerton.edu/navarick/Banyan.jpg

Gian Bayan, suitable for jungle gyms and small apartment complexes:
http://www.ventanasvoyage.com/images/Tonga-%20Fiji-%20Vanuatu-%20N%20cal%20pixs/banyan%20tree.jpg

And of course, if you look closely, you'll be able to see the barren, non-cushiony ground, with it's gloriously painful root structure here:
http://www.hootpage.com/banyan_tree.jpg