My grandfather taught me that. One afternoon when
I was seven I complained to him of boredom, and he
batted me hard on the head. He told me that I was
never to use that term in his presence again, that
if I was bored it was my fault and no one else's. The
obligation to amuse and instruct myself was entirely
my own, and people who didn't know that were childish
people, to be avoided if possible. Certainty not to
be trusted. That episode cured me of boredom forever,
and here and there over the years I was able to pass
on the lesson to some remarkable student.

        -- John Taylor Gatto