hedgehog.

The painters have started work. What began as just a constant scraping noise, not unlike a giant hedgehog attempting to scratch itself against the house, has grown into multiple scrapings and bangings. Like an army of hedgehogs.

I think I may try to spend the day away from the apartment.

In other news, I saw an article about how federal guidelines on sex and AIDS education are now federally required to stress the limitations of condoms. Does this strike anyone else as weird? I mean, teaching sex ed by emphasizing condom failure rates seems a little like teaching drivers' ed by emphasizing seat belt failure rates. Yeah, neither of them is perfect, sometimes you'll die even if you used them, and if you're being an idiot about the correct way to use them then you're definitely more at risk, but if you're going to drive then it's safer to use a seat belt.

Abstinence teaching only works for a while -- maybe enough that those taught are now psychologically ready for sex, which is good in some ways -- but they don't know how to protect themselves once they're ready. This isn't so much about teaching values any more as about teaching survival skills.

Anyway. Rant over.