I remember reading something that said the 20th century incarnation of a 'romantic' marriage has superseeded its older function - as something economically viable, where one was lucky to be friends and blessed to be able to love your spouse.

I can't imagine being married at 22 and having LittleLaura's at 23 and 25. (Heh, LittleLaura's running around the Earth. That's scary). Since being 22 is near 4 years away this seems implausible, unless you marry your University sweetheart. But, considering the maturity of even 19 year old guys this seems highly implausible.

In English we were studying the 'virtual warehousing of the young' whereby we 'artificially prolong adolescence'. I like this idea - that society has, in effect, closeted it's youth population which has led to a lengthened period of childhood. How many times have I heard, "If you act like a child, we're going to treat you like one" (Mutti and Vati), "The only way you'll learn is through your mistakes" (M & V), "You have rights but this comes with responsibility and should you choose to abuse your rights, you shall have them taken away" (School). Of course, the fatal flaw in all of these arguments is that we actually don't have any of this stuff.

So in a fatal act of rebellion, M decided to write to the school and argue that the best way to get through to late-teen adolescents is not to closet and order them about (note: he had to write to his own school!!?) but give us freedom of choice to make our own mistakes and learn from them. In reply, they said that this free thinking was the "result of the wide and varied education he has had" and that they "were impressed with his maturity of thought" and he is "the Principal and Head of Section would like to see him and discuss his comments". Heh. Can those guys really turn something around and make it seem like they're the good guys?

On a more upbeat, cultured note I'm off to see 37 Shakespeare plays performed in 97 minutes - performed by a troupe of 3 Australian men. Short, sharp and witty? Yes. Snooze inducing because I am exhausted? Definitely.