I used to get a runny nose a lot in high school. Sometimes I would wipe it with my hand, and then wipe my hand with my jeans. I had another method, though, and it was kind of artistic. Actually, it was resourceful. If I was in one of those 'alternative' high schools, they probably would have sent me straight to a fine arts university because of my nose-wiping methods. While the teacher was explaining away the mystery of the universe with Newtonian physical laws, I would be discreetly dabbing my runny nose and wiping it off on the loose leaf that I was not using to enlighten myself about the true nature of the universe. I noticed that the paper would get very damp, and then it would quickly dry. I decided that I would tear off little pieces of the paper, just a little bigger than my nostril. I would soak the pieces up real good, on both sides. Then when no one (or every one) was looking, I'd stick the soggy papper to the wall beside my desk. By the time the class was over, I wasn't any closer to understanding the laws of the universe, but I had noticeably changed my environment: there were dozens of of crusty white flakes hanging on the wall by my desk. Looking back, I think it was beautiful as a visual and a gesture. It was at least inspiring as the Einstien poster beside it that said "Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration" or "The world may be big, but there are no small things."

It was like performance art and sculpture. And there was probably a lot of conceptual stuff in there about the Enlightenment and Existentialism. I am aware that doing this was very rebelious. Most great ideas are born of rebeliousness. But I was also very bored. The values of the Modern world were dulling me, and making me turn inward: not to reflect, but to make paper-mache snot-flakes. The teacher should have been alarmed and sent me home with the complete works of Albert Camus. You could only go so far pushing the Sisiphian rock up the hill, but there was no end to what you could do to the appearance of the public school with stationary supplies and snot.