Ok. So, I just created consent forms for the research I'm doing next week. My dad's response? "These are scary. I understand that this is the way 'the game is played' in research, but you better be prepared to explain to your grandparents why you need these."

So, um, grandpa and grandma, I need these to save my ass in the future. What the hell am I supposed to say to them? "I'm trying to do this right, so please, please, pretty please, sign these forms."?

I guess so. Yeah.

I need to write an essay about why I want to work with high-needs children. And the thing is, I do, but I don't know how to say why without sounding either self-aggrandizing or idealistic in a way that implies that I don't know the reality of the situation.

Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact.

Can you explain to them that, for obvious and well-proven reasons (Tuskegee airmen), there's a big system in place to protect research subjects and, for not quite as obvious reasons, you interviewing them causes them to fall under this big umbrella of "research subjects"? Or do you want it shorter?

Yesterday, I locked myself out of the apartment. Acrossthehall!Teacher being gone for the week, I rang the bell of her next-door neighbors, whom I've barely seen. One of the little boys, maybe 7, came and answered the door, but he didn't recognize me, so I asked him to go get one of his parents. I mean, *I* know I really live there and could prove it once I got inside, but I'd rather stand outside all day than try to persuade this kid out of his good sense in not opening the door to people he doesn't recognize.

Er. That's kind of a roundabout analogy, but you see what I mean. They're not signing it because they're in any danger at all of being exploited or misused -- they're signing it because other people might be in that danger, so this is the system.

Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact.

Cool! Can you make that 500 words?

ETA: Although, I have signed a pledge to not engage in sex outside of marriage in order to teach Sunday School at my church. I won't break that, so either I'll stop teaching Sunday School, or I'll wait.

They made you sign a pledge to teach Sunday School? I mean, I'm not pooh-poohing the idea that a teacher have a healthy spiritual life (and that includes resisting all sorts of temptations -- not just sexual). That's a very biblical idea, but a pledge?

(Did you also have to pledge not worship any other gods/make a graven image, keep the sabbath, honor your parents, lie, murder, steal, take the name of the Lord in vain, or covet?)

(I'm just sayin'...)

Cool! Can you make that 500 words?

Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact. Well, you enjoy the challenge. And you feel you can learn the most as a teacher by working with them. And you like your work to have an impact.

Heh. I was wondering how you'd done it so fast.

Er. That's kind of a roundabout analogy, but you see what I mean.

Oh, I like that! That'll definitely work. I hope. Grandpa's gonna be the difficult one, I suspect, and I don't even really *want* to be collecting his oral history. Blech.

They made you sign a pledge to teach Sunday School?

Yes. Yes, they did. There were a bunch of things on it, but the sex stuff was the big one. I have a copy of it somewhere here. God only knows where!

Heh. I was wondering how you'd done it so fast.

I totally dare you to do that.