Evidence of my public education

I went through the public school system. I attended grades K-12, graduated, and then attended a public college. After so much public education, I attended a private, liberal arts graduate school, and didn't see much difference in the education. There was just more money and the undergraduates drove a better car than I did. One more difference, I attended the public college courtesy of a state sponsored scholarship, and I am still paying for the private school education. The diploma is in a drawer somewhere. When it is paid in full, it will go on the wall--right next to my free one. Even the rich have to go slumming sometimes.

For all the tomatoes thrown at the public school system, I think I turned out okay. I can read; I can balance a checkbook; I know I have opposable thumbs. The only area that I am sufficiently lacking is in the area of music. I wasn't in the band in high school, and musical terms were not part of my everyday vernacular. The Rev. and his church peeps start talking about hymnology and measures and quatrains and 4 over 2 and my eyes and thoughts immediately glaze.

Evidence of my lack of musical ability (and probably taste) became more evident to me yesterday while I was driving to work. I was listening to a Christian artist (it was Sunday, I don't listen to gangsta rap or death metal on Holy Days) and the next song was beginning. The opening bars of the song sound just like Outkast's "Hey Ya!". I'm already singing "My baby don't mess around..." and the artist starts singing about Jesus. I thought I could follow, but it got worse because the songs sound so similar. The Christian artist is so sanctified, singing about one faith and one mercy and I'm humming the refrain of "shake it like a Polaroid picture."

I don't think that one will make it into any contemporary worship service anytime soon.