Back 2 Reading

Back to reading this week; catching chapters between hauling dirt, possessions and groceries.

First up: Hadassah; One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney. We've read and watched many versions of the classic tale of Esther, (part of my educational philosophy of "layering") the latest being the 2006 movie, "One Night with a King." I thought the movie was o.k. but not particularly great because, while it did creatively address some of the issues of the story, I found other aspects just plain confusing (like the king stating to Esther, "I thought I was your Leah" - not confusing from a gender aspect, but confusing from a story aspect). And hile I was fascinated by the movie's visual portrayal of the splendor of ancient Persia I wasn't interested in the book beacuse of what I found confusing. But last week I had time and the book was here, lonely because most of the other books are still tubbed and I started reading. It didn't immediately grab me but once Tenney got into the actual story of Esther it got much better. Very good, in fact. I appreciated the time he took to talk about the political nuances, how he treated the expulsion of Vashti, the Biblical history of Saul and Samuel and the Aggites. And I really like how he addressed Esther's emotional life of being Jewish, her feelings and thoughts regarding competing for a pagan king's adoration and her relationship with a monarch just as ruled and dictated to by protocol and politics as anyone else. While I wouldn't say it's a definitive look at the book of Esther, I do think that it's an interesting addition to Biblical understanding and/or an ancient history study.

Next up: Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy by Bill Cosby. We are students of humor around here. I heard Diana Waring speak years ago about teaching your kids humor and it's something I've taken to heart. There's a lot to be said for knowing how to tell a good joke, punning (as much as you'll never hear me admitting that to my dh, Dr. Punny) and knowing how to take life and yourself not too seriously.

As a result we have a lot of joke, comic and classic cartoon books laying around, study tropes and poetry (because puns, hyperbole, metaphor, simile, understatement, etc. are all classic ingredients of humor), watch funny movies, like re-makes of Jane Austin's books (cause ohbaby, there are some funny lines and situations in a good Austin novel!) and comedians, like those on "Thou Shalt Laugh" who are truly funny rather than relying on snide comments and bathroom humor (discomfort, crudeness and humor at others expense doesn't count imho) and follow certain comedians, like Bill Cosby. The Cosby show is one of our favs for a number of reasons, the main one being that Bill Cosby is always good for a laugh. He is a master of timing. He can carry a scene on expression alone. He can dead-pan like nobodies business (o.k. maybe Tim Conway is the world's best dead-panner, but Bill is a close 2nd) and he captures the humor in real-life in a way that makes us laugh at situations and ourselves that we might otherwise cry about. So of course I picked up this book by the Doctor of Comedy himself. And it is funny. Its basically a series of sketches for stand-up and if you know his expressions and style well enough you can actually picture him delivering lines. The chapter, "Why I Don't Like Melting Snow Going Down the Crack of My Back" is read and laugh out loud funny, while other chapters, like the ones on his grandparents and wife are poignant and touching. The book is autobiographical in nature and interesting from that pov as well. And the other thing I love about Bill is how tangential he is; he goes off on these crazy tangents that don't seem like they are related but he weaves it all back- a master story teller, educator, and one of the world's great Funny Men. A fast and easy read, but worth every word.

7 Quick Takes

*1*

Jen at Conversion Diaries, who hosts "Quick Takes" had a great post a couple of days ago on Being Tired. http://www.conversiondiary.com/2010/08/on-being-tired.html. Jen is pregnant once again and I think this will make her 5th baby in about as many years. The post is about how tiring and taxing her life consumed by littles is but with the knowledge that she is living sacrament ally and fulfilling that which she is called to do. Which reminds me of post over at Down To Earthhttp://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/ by Rhonda Jean on "Making your Life Your Job." (my computer is uber slow right now so hop on over and check out her blog on ""Preparing for the future by relying on the Past" and hopefully you'll find it yourself). Had a similar discussion this week with friends over how God's desire for us is rarely about our being comfortable and 'at ease."

*2*

The evil bushes that I purchased 6 years ago, falsely marked as "Bridal Wreath Spirea" may just end up hacked to bits because 1) I have never liked them just for the fact they are NOT what I wanted and I didn't find that out till a year later when they bloomed, 2) they are insidious. Runners, runners everywhere. I spend more time cutting and pulling runners out of the rest of the beds than about anything else 3) spent blooms look dirty and ugly.

*3*

The river bordering our property is going down as is the river flowing through the basement. Alleluia. It's no longer at the driveway and actually below the river banks, along with lots of washed up tree trunks. As the basement has our only working shower right now we've spent the first week back home sloshing through water to get clean. Kind of oxymoronic.

*4*

Because of all the rains we are confronted daily by Guido and his fang fighting army of killer mosquitos this year. Going out without bug-spray is dangerous. Going out with bug-spray is no guarantee that the hungry buggers won't try to eat you alive anyway.

*5*

Our crop of 3 little kittens this year is adorable. We've named them Oreo, Butterscotch and Moose Tracks, though the last name is hotly debated by Cub and Flower. It's supposed to be after the last ice-cream flavor we purchased but Flower insists it was Turtle Tracks (do they even make that flavor?). Anyway, they are cuteness itself.

*6*

Feeling a lot like Ma Ingalls these days as the bunks and beds are set up in the living room which is open to the dining room/kitchen. Every morning we wash dishes and sweep the floors and make the beds. Then what did Ma do? Cook prairie chicken I suppose. Let me reassure you that that rarely makes it way to my agenda.

*7*

Our veggie garden this year consists of 4 tomato plants which I hope have ripened fruit before it frosts, 2 overly spindly sunflowers that haven't even formed a head yet, one lone basil plant and 5 gone-to-seed parsley plants. The strawberries went to town and continue to run everywhere. The raspberry bushes were sacrificed for the egress window and the big win is the grapes. Drank some of the juice from last year yesterday (cause we just found the canned goods again) and it is delish. Beautiful to look and, too. I'm contenting myself wtih plans for next years veggie patch.

Seven Quick Takes is a blog carnival run by Jen of Conversion Diary

NOT (yet) Back To School

It's blog hopping time over at HOTM. We are sharing "curriculum" this week as part of the Not Back to School Blog Hop. Link up and join in the fun!
This is timely for me as I've been so consumed by the house and moving that school has been relegated to "later." Guess later has arrived. Here goes....

PLANS FOR 2010/11 SCHOOL YEAR

Flower (rising 2nd grade)

Writing: Writing With Ease II.

Math: Still undecided. Maybe Singapore.

History: Modern Age: Story of the World

Memory: Living Memory, Classical Conversations Cycle 3, TWTM

Poetry: IEW's Language Acquisition Through Poetry

Co-op: choir, art, science.

Reading: LOTS of reading.

Thinking Skills: something wonderful & age appropriate from the Critical Thinking Press catalog

Latin: Latina Christiana I

Bible: The Gospels

Cub (rising 5th grader)

Writing: WWII as well as IEW's First Fun

Math: Life of Fred Fractions & Percents, Problemoids

History: Modern Age: Story of the World

Memory: Living Memory, Classical Conversations Cycle 3, TWTM

Poetry: IEW's Language Acquisition Through Poetry Memorization

Co-op: choir, art, science

Thinking Skills: something wonderful & age appropriate from the Critical Thinking Press catalog

Latin: Latina Christiana I

Bible: the Gospels

Feche-Boy (rising 10th grader)

Writing: IEW's American History II & Lit

Math: Life of Fred Algebra and Geometry

History: Modern Age: using World History by Speilvogel as spine and perhaps the National History Day

Science: Chemistry-co-op using Prentice Hall text

Drama/Oral Interp: Co-op and One Act Play Competition & I'm hoping Poetry Outloud

Latin: Classical Liberal Arts Academy on-line

Personal Finance: co-op

Bible: the Gospels

and fitting in driver's ed (God give me strength!)

And I'm back to add that we'll be reading tons of books including but not limited to the historical time-period that we are studying along with the many we'll check out from the library. We'll also watch a boatload of videos, most "G" rated cause we're a "G" rated family and we're prone to quoting movie lines so they gotta be clean, take a bunch of field trips starting with Mt. Rushmore later on this month, make it to the Outdoor Campus several times for activities there and spend hours at local parks, write thousands of words and take hundreds of pictures and text and call and email and FB each other. Life will also demand continued work on the house (Feche Boy is already earning an Industrial Arts credit this year) and yard. TeenPact will work its way into our lives I'm sure (FB is hoping to make it to Survival this year and KB is again in GA working on the Echols campaign- not a TP event, but certainly an event created by TP involvement) and we will seize whatever other opportunities present themselves. We'll do our daily read-aloud and spend hours together cooking, gardening, working, playing, worshipping and living together.

And at the end of the year, no matter what it holds, like this year which included a fire and a death and a house re-build and illness and doubts and questions and hardship and miracles and God's faithfulness, we'll be glad we spent the year together- growing and learning. And we'll thank God once again for the gift of our children to steward and the gift of the time and resources to be together and the tool in our hand known as homeschooling.

Normalcy

Feche boy spent the afternoon 3 days ago harvesting grapes with Miss. Flower & I. He planted 4 vines 3 years ago and despite one of them being nibbled down by deer has pruned and mulched the remaining. We harvested 37 gallon bags worth with more to come. I'm saving the fun of canning for when KB is home and we can whip up 30 quarts of delicious fresh grape juice an hour. Liquid summer all winter long.

Today we went to our summer Bible Study. So good to sit with friends who share my faith and some of my history and bear each others burdens and rejoice together over life's wins.

Now we're at the library and burdened with books on a wide array of topics: education, humor, neurology, the military, and some biographies. Even though our house is still in serious disarray I feel more secure with books around and the anticipation of discovery through reading.

It is still raining almost nightly but the river is going down as is the water in our basement. It's almost dry enough to set up fans and the dehumidifier. The kids and I have been wheel-barrow hauling fools, building up the earth works around the house and filling in holes in the yard. We are slowly getting weeds and rocks and the mowing under control.

We are all looking forward to our trek to the Hills soon and Flower has been telling everyone, in detail, where we are staying and why and for how long. Miss. R is flying out for part of the week and we are hoping to fit in some visiting with friends on the far side of the state while we are there. Between now and then KB will arrive home and Grandma, Auntie M and Danny will be here for a short visit. Lots to look forward to in between putting our lives back in order.

All of that to say, life is gaining a semblance of normalcy for the first time in months. It's a good feeling.

Water Logged

Our 10 acres is bordered by a river and we generally love it. The river, which boasts tons of wildlife, is normally 2 pastures away from the house. This week-end it was kissing the drive-way with the first field south of the house under water with currents coursing through!

We've never had more than a handful of water in the basement before but 2 days ago, after another storm that dropped 4 more inches of water, we heard the sewage pump working non-stop and discovered inches worth of water sloshing downstairs. The sewage lift and the sump pump were lifting and pumping their little hearts out but it made no difference. We went out and got a 2nd pump, along with 80,000 other people from our fair city, and spent the day pumping out 7500 gallons of water an hour! The land is saturated with water coming and going and there was no where else for it to go but in, it's seeping through the walls. The saving grace is that, Praise God, we didn't dry-wall down to the floor, so the new walls are still beautiful.


The notsolittles and I went wading on the road (which was submerged) and enjoyed minnows swimming along with us, sand and mud squishing between our toes and the treat of watching a river otter playing in the middle of the rushing water.


Our evil plan of setting up shop in the basement is nixed and we are setting up semi- permanent residence in the living room while we do some closet and bathroom finishing on the 2nd floor and wait for the floor to be sanded.

As usual, it's always (10 or more) something(s).

Home Again!

9 months and 7 days after the fire and we have finally returned home. It's an odd feeling. Yesterday Contractor Dick and his band of Merry Men came and removed their equipment and tools, cleaned up the yard and drove away. I felt much like I did when KB was released from ICU, following the car accident, many bruises, X-rays and neurosurgery later. It was only 2 days after surgery, thought they had assured us she'd be there 6-8 days minimum, her head still looked wounded and hard core antibiotics were still coursing through her veins combating any nasty bugs that might have invaded during the time that her brain was exposed. Upon being released we loaded her up in a wheelchair and carefully maneuvered our way across the street to the hospital hotel. Every bump caused worry and usually a gasp from her. She was fragile, frail, peaked and bruised and I sure enough felt like she'd been released too soon from the care of medical professionals.

Same feeling yesterday as our house professionals took off. I wanted to shout after them, "Too, soon, the house is still too frail! And while the essentials are all in place everything but remains mostly un-done sans the first floor, which is beautiful! We are still waiting on our flooring sub-contractor to sand the 2nd floor and put 2 coats of finish on 2 levels. We hesitate to really move in until that is done. We have some dry-walling to do, a tub surround to tile, more mudding and sanding and texturing to do, closets to finish and on and on. The basement is finished enough but as the house was gutted we need just about everything still including but not limited to doors, towel bars, curtain rods, etc. etc. The yard is a whole nuther (nightmare) story. We have more than enough to keep us busy for months ahead. KB is planning to escape again, I mean leave, for GA tomorrow and resume her role on the Echols campaign as "Campaign Barbie." Since being home shes either been packing and moving, cleaning here or there, and working long shifts. I think she's looking forward to the flight to Atlanta just so she can nap!

Off to bleach the garage at the leased house and we are done there, thanks in part to Lori, Ann, Linda and Pam, cleaning wonder women, order blinds and a dishwasher. The rest of the appliances are home and in place and make the already gorgeous kitchen shine!

7 Quick Takes

*1*

We're home. 9 months & 7 days after the fire. Kinda felt like a pregnancy, just this time we birthed a house.

*2*

Kittens! 3 born the day we arrived back at the acreage. Flower is ecstatic!

*3*

We are sleeping dorm-style in the living room instead of the pop-up, thank the Lord, as we've had 4 & 5 inches of rain both nights. Viking Man or Feche Boy are now on Horse and His Boy for bed-time stories. You are never too old. Trust me.

*4*

KB leaves again for GA tomorrow. She is back on the campaign trail. If you're in GA, check out Tim Echols for Public Utilities Commissioner.

*5*

My random-global self is about shorting out given the vast array and amount of work still waiting for us on the house. My husband says, "just trust me and do everything I say!" - snort!

*6*

I have not read a book in 2 weeks. I'm going through with drawl. I haven't watched Stargate Atlantis either and Feche-Boy and I are on the last episode of season II. I still can't stand Wier. Rodney rocks. I have a thang for geeky men. Hence my marriage.

*7*

4 birthdays coming up. Feche boy, KB, Moi and Viking Man. We'll be in the Hills for a week to celebrate. Booyah!!

Jen hosts Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

Finish what You've started!

My crazy, funny friend Mae, who just adopted her 6th child (a special needs beautiful baby girl from Haiti), forwarded this to me, knowing that finishing what "we've" started is putting us about a quarter inch from the edge right now. Hey, I'm in good company, what with Mae being there and all = )!!

Calmness in Our Lives

I am passing this on to you because it definitely works and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Oprah show, you too can find inner peace. Dr. Oz proclaimed, 'The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished.' So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, a bottle of Tequila, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how flipping good I feel right now.

He is Good

I hit a wall yesterday. It was coming. Friday I was so exhausted, dizzy, unable to concentrate and just bone tired, but I had a friend here helping me pack up so I muddled through. Saturday was worse, but we were moving so I muddled through another day. Thankfully we had some dedicated old and new friends here and God Bless Betsy and Don and Neil and Mike and Charles and Peter they just kept hauling and serving and laughing.
This morning came around and we still had a boat-load of work to do that had to get done To.Day. The basement needed finished cause after manana we are out of here (the leased house) and need a place to call home and they are finishing the plumbing in the bathrooms on Monday so that we have a shower, which means the mudding needed finished and 2 coats of primer applied before the end of the day both upstairs and down.
But Viking Man had notes that had to get finished (for his day job) before we went out to the property so we ordered out breakfast as a treat for everyone while we waited. I was having a hard time thinking through the order and the manager was helping me with servings sizes and and we started talking. I mentioned we were moving and that was why I was so tired and couldn't think straight and she asked where we were moving from and that led to a discussion about the fire. Miss Pancake Manager Lady said, so compassionately, how sorry she was to hear about our house fire. And we talked for a bit longer and I finally ordered everything and she reiterated how she hoped everything worked out o.k. I said, "it's been hard, but God is good."
She paused, looked me in the eye and smiled, declaring, "Yes, He is." I almost burst into tears, because in that moment, when she looked at me, it was like when Gayla serves communion. She looks you in the eye and says, "Christ died for you." And it's as if it's no longer Gayla, but the Spirit of the One True Living God peering into your soul, seeing you, loving you, claiming you, declaring, "I died for you." And my heart almost bursts with gratitude. Thank-you, Jesus!
This morning as the gal declared God's goodness, it was more than just her speaking. It was Christ shining through her, telling me, reminding me, declaring to me that He is good. That bone tired or no, He is good. That this season will pass and He is good. That in the fire, He is good. That in the heartache He is good. That in the day, no matter what it brings or requires, He is good.

I ordered pancakes and was given a feast for my soul.
And God bless Miss. Pancake Manager Lady! (and thank-you for the extra strawberry crepes to "help make the move easier!!")

Grace Like Rain

Drove from the acreage to the leased house tonight in a rockin' and rolling thunderstorm. I mean Great Plains thunderstorm. Rain slashing, thunder rolling, lightening flashing, water rushing storm. Listening to Todd Agnew's deep and resonate voice singing Amazing Grace.
We hardly needed our headlights on there was so much lightening. And the rain was incredible. Pouring down, sloshing on the window, creating sheets of water on the road...
.

"Grace Like Rain Falling Down On Me."

Oh, brother. Preach that.
The house. The house was cool before the fire. A 1920's 4 x 4 craftsman style farmhouse, on 10 acres, bordered by a river. Like I was cool before Salvation. Myself, but a shadow really. And the house now is...restored. Getting there fast. We stand in the great room and it's almost like what it was...but beautiful now and rich, vibrant and nurturing instead of tired and worn and almost dreary. Like how so many of us are when we allow the One True Living God to rule and reign in our lives. The cool that we were before looks pale and insecure and almost pasty grey compared to the colored and rich person we become through God's redemption.

And I stand in the house and turn circles, soaking it in, this miraculous transformation. This redemption of a house. And this year has been like the storm we drove through tonight. God's Grace falling down on me. Not a soft gentle warm spring rain. More like a crashing, thundering, soaking rain that has me awed and trembling at God's mighty works, His provision and deliverance and redemption. Once again. Redemption. Something from nothing. Something better. Something beyond what I could have asked or imagined.

He rules. He reigns. He roars. A lion.
The heavens declare Him. And His Grace pours down on us.
Alleluia.

It's All About the House

Rule #1- Don't maim your co-worker.
Yesterday, Feche boy and I were 10 minutes into staining when I accidentally whapped him in the side of the neck with a 14 foot kick board. Ouch! Poor guy. It jerked his head pretty well and he spent the rest of the day feeling nauseous. I called KB who was at home with the notsolittles resting and they came to the rescue. All the kids joined in and we got done by 4. Another 500 feet of wood stained.


At the house they put the kitchen counters in and they are - wow! They also got in most of wood on the first floor, windows, trim, the built-in bookshelves, the 12' floorboard. The floors are sanded and have the first coat of stain (first floor anyway) and it is --well, unbelievable. Contractor Dick had pictures from just after the fire there and it's hard to believe it's the same place.


The ceramic tile is in both bathrooms. My poor, hard working husband was wondering if he'd be able to move today as he spent the majority of yesterday bent over a floor, which look awesome!! Today he is going to cut the cinder block in the basement to create a door from the bedroom to the bathroom/laundry room area.


More sanding on the agenda. Ceiling. Ugh and argh. My hands are swollen, my shoulders ache and I'd like some cheese with that whine. And more tubbing of items at the leased house. Sorting what we need immediately and what we need long term and what we don't need at all. We can start moving the kitchen over so once KB gets home from work we are going to take dishes, put butcher paper down and start moving in. AND, the stove, fridge and microwave are getting delivered in the morning. Yippee.

Off to make lunches, drink coffee and confront a ceiling. I'll try to post more pictures tomorrow.

The Joy of Friendship

We are off to another day of laying ceramic tile staining wood trim and sanding drywall. It promises to be another long and taxing day but we can see the progress being made and that is so encouraging. The kitchen and bath counter top is in and we have been assured that we'll have running water and flush toilets by Friday. This makes me happy. Happy,. happy, happy.Cause we found a pop-up camper to put at the property so we'll be sleeping there for a couple more weeks but at least we'll have the kitchen and baths up and running in the house. Happy. Did I mention happy? I have been really grateful for the porta potty, but indoor flush facilities rock.

Saw friends of ours from Fuller last night. Paul is a language geek (Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek) and has been a pastor for the past 20 years, Lynn is a nurse and their 3 sons are almost grown (how did THAT happen?). They are minutes away from the airport we were at to fetch KB from. It was SO good to be with them, laugh out loud, catch up and look at their lovely faces.

A lovely day. Old friends and KB home.

2 weeks ago my Uncle Dean and his lovely wife Brenda stopped by on their way from IN to the Hills. We see them once a decade and I wish it was more. They are delightful people. Really, truly delightful. It's like God is interspersing the grueling work with the gift of friends. SO great to see Brenda and Dean. They came, oohed and ahead over the house, hugged everyone, encouraged some more....just what we all needed.

KB's home, after a 3 week Campaign U.- blitzing GA- their candidate WON (GO Team TIM (as in Echols)!!!) and having an absolute blast with other political nerds. She described the 3 weeks gone as "a taste of heaven." I feel bad that she is back here for our own personal, "taste of purgatory" but that's where we're at.

Talked with Gram and Miss R this week. Selfishly wishing they were both much, much closer geographically. Why can't everyone I love just be in the same spot?

I better get going- gotta get staining... Hope your summer has been full of good times with family & friends!

Summer Sanity Savers Part II

A Valedictorian's Perspective

Well, now, isn't this something! (Or, One Valedictorian Survives the Soul-Destroying Classroom)
(The following was read as the valedictorian's speech at Coxsackie-Athens High School in recent weeks, creating quite a stir among administrators, to great applause from students and many of their parents)
(From blogger buddy Angelina: http://angelinainlouisiana.blogspot.com/2010/07/well-now-isnt-this-something-or-one.html)

There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master: "If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen?" The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years . ." (The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast - How long then?" Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years." "But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?" asked the student. "Thirty years," replied the Master. "But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student. "At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?" (Replied the Master, "When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.

"This is the dilemma I've faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.

Some of you may be thinking, "Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn't you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.

I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer - not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition - a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning.

John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, "We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness - curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don't do that." Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. ... Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim ... is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States. (Gatto)

To illustrate this idea, doesn't it perturb you to learn about the idea of "critical thinking." Is there really such a thing as "uncritically thinking?" To think is to process information in order to form an opinion. But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?

This was happening to me, and if it wasn't for the rare occurrence of an avant-garde tenth grade English teacher, Donna Bryan, who allowed me to open my mind and ask questions before accepting textbook doctrine, I would have been doomed. I am now enlightened, but my mind still feels disabled. I must retrain myself and constantly remember how insane this ostensibly sane place really is.

And now here I am in a world guided by fear, a world suppressing the uniqueness that lies inside each of us, a world where we can either acquiesce to the inhuman nonsense of corporatism and materialism or insist on change. We are not enlivened by an educational system that clandestinely sets us up for jobs that could be automated, for work that need not be done, for enslavement without fervency for meaningful achievement. We have no choices in life when money is our motivational force. Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.

We are more than robotic bookshelves, conditioned to blurt out facts we were taught in school. We are all very special, every human on this planet is so special, so aren't we all deserving of something better, of using our minds for innovation, rather than memorization, for creativity, rather than futile activity, for rumination rather than stagnation? We are not here to get a degree, to then get a job, so we can consume industry-approved placation after placation. There is more, and more still.

The saddest part is that the majority of students don't have the opportunity to reflect as I did. The majority of students are put through the same brainwashing techniques in order to create a complacent labor force working in the interests of large corporations and secretive government, and worst of all, they are completely unaware of it. I will never be able to turn back these 18 years. I can't run away to another country with an education system meant to enlighten rather than condition. This part of my life is over, and I want to make sure that no other child will have his or her potential suppressed by powers meant to exploit and control.

We are human beings. We are thinkers, dreamers, explorers, artists, writers, engineers. We are anything we want to be - but only if we have an educational system that supports us rather than holds us down. A tree can grow, but only if its roots are given a healthy foundation.For those of you out there that must continue to sit in desks and yield to the authoritarian ideologies of instructors, do not be disheartened. You still have the opportunity to stand up, ask questions, be critical, and create your own perspective. Demand a setting that will provide you with intellectual capabilities that allow you to expand your mind instead of directing it. Demand that you be interested in class. Demand that the excuse, "You have to learn this for the test" is not good enough for you. Education is an excellent tool, if used properly, but focus more on learning rather than getting good grades.

For those of you that work within the system that I am condemning, I do not mean to insult; I intend to motivate. You have the power to change the incompetencies of this system. I know that you did not become a teacher or administrator to see your students bored. You cannot accept the authority of the governing bodies that tell you what to teach, how to teach it, and that you will be punished if you do not comply. Our potential is at stake.

For those of you that are now leaving this establishment, I say, do not forget what went on in these classrooms. Do not abandon those that come after you. We are the new future and we are not going to let tradition stand. We will break down the walls of corruption to let a garden of knowledge grow throughout America. Once educated properly, we will have the power to do anything, and best of all, we will only use that power for good, for we will be cultivated and wise. We will not accept anything at face value. We will ask questions, and we will demand truth.

So, here I stand. I am not standing here as valedictorian by myself. I was molded by my environment, by all of my peers who are sitting here watching me. I couldn't have accomplished this without all of you. It was all of you who truly made me the person I am today. It was all of you who were my competition, yet my backbone. In that way, we are all valedictorians.

I am now supposed to say farewell to this institution, those who maintain it, and those who stand with me and behind me, but I hope this farewell is more of a "see you later" when we are all working together to rear a pedagogic movement. But first, let's go get those pieces of paper that tell us that we're smart enough to do so!

Erica Goldson Athens, NY

Summer Fly By

Just caught a "Summer in Review" and about choked. It can NOT be time to review summer. I know this because we have to finish re-building our house, move, clean the leased house, get appliances, plan the school year, purchase curriculum, and about a zillion other things before we even consider that it's time for summer to be over.
We are moving this week-end. That will check one thing off the list. Did I mention that the house wasn't finished? There is lots of dust and building materials every where there. It will be a nightmare to live in. We got creative and thought about renting an RV to move out to the property and live there for a few weeks while we got another floor completed. But wait. The Sturgis Rally is in a couple of weeks. Largest Bike Rally in the country and every RV is rented in a 4 state area for the next month. Shipping one in from farther away sky-rockets the cost to a mortgage payment a week. Kinda spendy.
Another thought was air-mattresses on the floor. My dh is still going to work in professional attire 4 days a week, in between working like a mad-man on the week-ends. Sleep is important to him. The air-mattress thing will never work. One of us will be ready for divorce or 4th floor after just a few night of that I'm sure.
O.k. so still figuring that one out.
Packing up the leased house. We aren't really ready to move in due to house not being finished. We've been putting sealed tubs in the barn. Pretty much everything else we have out at the leased house we are using so it's hard to pack it up ahead of time. Tubs are cleaned and waiting to be filled in the living room. My end of summer decorative look, hahaha. Creative thought is just to store the stuff on the trailer until we have another floor ready and hope like heck that we don't tub anything we really, really need.
2 much 1/2 done and that time crunch thang. I did get appliances ordered. My fav summer reading of 2010: Consumer Report: Appliances. Just called the store, checked on model numbers, walked in, paid and delivery day set. It is so incredibly easy to spend thousands of dollars. So, so easy.

My mantra for the day: Must.Not.Panic.
And with that, I am off to pack tubs...

Summer Sanity Savers

The following items are my friends. They are all inanimate, which gives you a good idea of my relational abilities/time/priorities this summer. Without them, I would have been bickered to death by my 2 youngest children, deaf or more sore and tired than I already am. Art supplies are de rigeur 'round here. Narnia, too. This is the complete set under one cover and Cub has been reading ahead while Big Bro and Dad read them in order out-loud. This is his go-everywhere pile.

Found a bucket o'gum on clearance. For less than a penny a pop this has gained us a lot of mileage in attitude from Cub and Flower.

The smallest pool with a filter available at Stuff Mart. Worth every.single. penny. We have put in long, hot, hard days at the property, basically ignoring Cub and Flower. They have been bored, lonely, agitated and irritated. This little pool has saved the day (and maybe the summer).

Ear plugs to protect our precious hearing against the shrill and annoying shop vac which we use daily, the drill, the sander, the tile cutter, the mower the saw, etc.etc.

The outside hoses. Thank the Lord we have some running water! 2 spigots. Good for washing hands, tools and creating mud works (the above is a multi-tiered, multi-draining creation, providing hours of play for certain children.

Kittens, Kids and Fans. The first 2 good for smiles and hugs. The last good for drying floors and drywall and paint and cooling off attics and basements and people.

Our new A.C. Ta-dah!! For days when we're not drywall cutting or sanding. I am really, really happy this is now a permanent part of my life. Seriously.

Turtles. Aren't they cute?

Also known as tile space-ers. Very cool.

T0ols. Ours, theirs and leased. (Hubby digs the tile cutter). High Tech....

and kid-powered.

(And I forgot a picture of the portable DVD player. It's packed up daily.)

What have been your must-haves for summer?

Work, Work, Work

I, we, are overwhelmed by work. We are not strangers to work, like to work and are thankful for work. Our kids know how to work, they are joining in, they have done more than expected. But the tasks at hand right now are overwhelming. Dh is having a hard time sleeping and I am having a hard time facing the day. There is sooo much to do, not enough hands, and certainly not enough time.
Seems like the thing to do these days is to run marathons. I am in awe of the multitudes of women in my age category running marathons and competing in triathlons. They look lean and mean. I am sporting the tribal look, thanks to hours mudding and sanding drywall compound and am in a marathon of a whole different sort.
We are in a time, space and work crunch, feeling like we're in a trash compactor with no R2D2 standing by to save the day.

God is bigger than what we are facing. He has a good and perfect plan for us. This I know. I pray that He gives us the strength and time and energy to complete that which He has called us to do in this season.

What Happens When

This is what happens when the 10 year old is in charge of lunch. SLABS of cheese, rather than slices.

Aforementioned 10 year old chef, showing off our new back door.

This is what happens when you leave master craftsmen in charge of your kitchen. Did you think the cupboards could get any better? And yet, they did! Please note the crown molding and new Espresso stained poplar window trim.

Aforementioned master craftsmen, Keith and Brad. They made the cupboards by hand. They are sturdy and solid and b.a.utiful. These guys Rock!

This is what happens when you leave a teenager alone with not enough to do. They get the water cap stuck on their finger. He really is a bright boy!

Your Kids Are Your Own Fault

Larry Winget is slap therapy for parents. Despite some strong differences in opinion about what I consider Godly and appropriate life-style and behavior, I still give this book a thumbs-up. It's not a difficult book and covers lots of basics. Unfortunately, it seems that "basics" aren't so much anymore, hence the real need for this book.

It's organized into 6 sections:
1- How did we get into this mess- and if you don't think we're in one, go to any public place and observe most children, most parents and most parent-child interactions.
2- The Five Basics
a. Communication
b.Involvement
c. Education
d. Discipline
e. Punishment
3-What to Teach Your Kids - 2 Biggies- Money & Sex
4- Your Teenager
5-The Short Lists - basics like: "a cell phone is a privilege" and "put the seat down"
6- The Ultimate Goal of Parenting & Other Final Thoughts.

If you aren't familiar with Larry Winget ready yourself. He is opinionated, mouthy and isn't opposed to strong language. Or sex before marriage, or a host of other, imho, questionable behaviors. He is also strongly opposed to homeschooling. That's o.k., his reasons are lame and thoroughly disproved. There's enough good stuff in this book to get over the points one won't agree with.

A couple of quotes I thought were especially notew0rthy:
"I found a survey of corporations that regularly interview globally looking for talent to hire, and one of the respondents said, "If I wanted to recruit people who are both technically skilled and culturally aware, I wouldn't even waster time looking for them on U.S. college campuses."

This is a problem. Our kids are going to be competing on a global level. And while America is still the biggest and baddest dog on the block we better wake up and realize we're not the only dog out there.

And this,
"I have another concern that isn't addressed by any of the studies I have found regarding television viewing. I believe that watching too much television has made us a nation of spectators instead of a nation of doers."

Ayup.
Flower asked on her way to a friends house 2 days ago why we don't have a gaming system, cause "all of her friends do" (she's 7 btw). And when I went to pick her up the other Mom mentioned that it was so nice for her kids to have a friend to play with who was still into Legos, cause most of their friends were into electronics. Geez.

The tag-line on the book is "A Guide for Raising Responsible, Productive Adults." Larry has lots of good things to say about creating an environment that will allow that to happen.

Happy 94th Birthday GRAM!!

Today my beautiful, wise, talented Grandmother is 94 years old. She still lives in her own home, is the official caretaker for her 92 year old live-in boyfriend, Walter, 2 dogs, assorted cats and numerous plants.

She came to be my Grandmother through a rather unconventional method. My Grandpa adopted 2 kids, my mom and her adopted brother, with his first wife who very quickly abandoned them all. Gram entered the picture 7 years later as part of a business arrangement. Grandpa would financially support Gram and her invalid mother and she, in turn, would raise his two motherless and somewhat wild children. Into a home that was lonely and bleak Gram brought flowers and pets and music and literacy, Shakespeare and faith and most importantly, love. Even though her own mother passed away within the first year of the arrangement Gram stayed on and she and Grandpa lived and loved together until Grandpa died in 1980. Theirs was a "love comes softly" affair and a sweet one. He called her "Momma" and adored her despite being 20 years her senior.

My mom always said that Gram saved her life and she most likely did, though sometimes events are too painful to re-tell and are best left unspoken. Suffice it to say that Gram provided a safe haven for Mom to grow and thrive in and Mom was able to thrive and grow and live a beautifully productive life because of it.

When mom graduated from high school and wanted to go to college but Grandpa said that college was for boys, Gram went to work and paid mom's tuition at a private college. She worked full time for decades after that and despite a formal education that ended at 8th grade made excellent money and earned many promotions at an international phone company, purchased by Verizon years later, making her stock investments an even bigger deal. She's a sharp cookie. And opinionated.

She is talented and strong. In my mind always, though lately she''s a bit more frail. Gram's greatest delight has always been her family, piece mealed and cobbled together though it may have been. She has outlived her devoted husband, her two children that were her joy, her oldest grand-daughter whom she cherished and countless pairs of dogs. I know if I call her, her strong and gentle voice will answer. She'll say, "I love you, Baby," even though I'm kissing 50 and I will imagine the smell of her kitchen- skeins of yarn and knitting and kittens and coffee. Warmth and opinionated conversation and books and pets and plants and most of all, love.

My Gram has loved me my whole life. No matter what I've done or not done or left undone or overdone. Just doesn't matter. She's just flat out loved me. She knows my name. And I love her.

Happy Birthday, Dear Gram!!

and many, many more!