Extremes

*1*

Extreme Sports: In response to our rock climbing adventure, my sil sent us this:



Don't try this at home (or Yosemite). Osman died in 98' free-falling.

*2*

Extreme Differences: Reading What The World Eats - fascinating. Detailed descriptions of families throughout the world, what they eat, how much they spend, fertility and literacy rates  and other facts about their corner of the world. Check out the videos: http://www.whattheworldeats.com/

*3*

Extreme Culture: The kids have finished the audio production of Huck Finn, narrated by Norman Dietz. Flower gave a beautiful rendition, complete with accent, of Jim telling abut  his shame and humility over punishing his daughter for disobedience when in fact, she had gone deaf. KB continues to despise Tom Sawyer. I continue to think Twain was brilliant.

*4*

Extreme Fantasy: LOTR Winter Reading Fest continues with The Two Towers. KB had a nasty cold/ flu this past week  so her LOTR loving Dad has stepped in to tell the tale. It's one of his favorite sagas and he is going above and beyond the call of duty with innovative and dramatic voices and sound effects; and he calls me dramatic!

*5*

Extreme Parenting: More to read on Chua's parenting style:
Parents like Amy Chua are the reason why Asian-Americans like me are in therapy (!) by Betty Ming Liu, who recommends Tony Hsieh's book Delivering Happiness as a more inspiring read on Asian Americans
Amy Chua: Chinese Conceit, Chinese Ignorance, and the $24,000 question in which the author of the article wonders why, if the Asian way is so great, Chua is married to a non-Chinese guy, and wonders why her husband's Jewish traditions were smothered
And in this article about it, A Chinese mother explains why being a hard-ass Asian parent is better for your kids than Western coddling, along with in the others just listed, there are links to Asian American bloggers' responses, including some who agree with Chua

Can I just say it again- this woman knows how to market. The lesson here, more than on how to parent,  is this:  if you want to make money selling books, p*ss people off.

*6*

Extreme Dislike: Things I have to get done that I don't want to get done:
1) renew by long-expired drivers license. I haven't driven since November. It's actually been a very nice break. There will come a day however, soon I think, when I will need to drive and have no driver available to me. My husband brought home a DL manual for me to study last night. Joy.
2) Sort. Books to be sent to 2 different places and stuff to pack up and send to R in Ky.
3) Neaty box all of the Christmas decor which is, as we speak,  is lounging in an unused bedroom currently referred to as "The Christmas Room."
4) Plan Flower's 8th birthday party and make sure other parents know about it in time to get their kids to it.
What's on your list of must but don't want to dos?

*7*

Extreme Temps: Sub-zero temps most of the week. Flower and Cub keep making attempts at playing in the snow. The rest of us don't even bother. The RR tracks are so heavily rutted it's making it difficult to drive over. My good friend Laura, warm and securely ensconced in her mild and temperate GA winter states that winters in SD are a far cry from winters almost anywhere. Hoping you are warm, wherever you are!