Help this potato reach all 50 States!

Help this potato reach all 50 States!

True confessions

Someone posted on TWTM board that they don't feel as if they have enough of an education to homeschool their kids.

Ayup... you guessed it. That person was me.

The comment about Mental Multivitamin was just because I happened to be reading it when I finally decided to post something I have been feeling for a while now, but the overall feeling is real.

I didn't finish high school. I dropped out the summer before my 11th grade year. I have Mono in 10th grade and had to have a tutor. I was taking French and she only spoke Spanish, so I had to drop it. I was one credit shy of passing 10th grade. Technically I have a 10th grade education. I took the GED test (and scored in the top 98% for the whole state) but that was "just the GED", KWIM? I went to college, but because of a problem pregnancy had to quit, saying I would go back when the kids were in school." HA!

I have The Well Educated Mind and have tried to get started with it (Don Quixote), but can't seem to find a reading partner. I know... excuses. I have tried to read it on my own but I already read 4-5 books a week and can't fit it in. I think I just need to read a book or two less and make time for DQ.

The thing is, It is grammar, math and other "hard" subjects that make me feel inferior. I am ok with science (but that could be because we haven't done *hard* science yet) and history is no problem (I love history)It is just... you know... the important subjects that I have trouble with.

Anyway, this summer I plan to try to do something about this. I am not sure what yet, but something.

Waldorf Toys by Bella Luna Toys

Ok, maybe one of these dolls, too.

Waldorf Toys by Bella Luna Toys

On page 3 of this PDF catalog are wooden "lego" blocks. I think I am going to get some for Syd for Christmas.

Currently Reading

How can you join the ranks of America's wealthy (defined as people whose net worth is over one million dollars)? It's easy, say doctors Stanley and Danko, who have spent the last 20 years interviewing members of this elite club: you just have to follow seven simple rules. The first rule is, always live well below your means. The last rule is, choose your occupation wisely. You'll have to buy the book to find out the other five. It's only fair. The authors' conclusions are commonsensical. But, as they point out, their prescription often flies in the face of what we think wealthy people should do. There are no pop stars or athletes in this book, but plenty of wall-board manufacturers--particularly ones who take cheap, infrequent vacations! Stanley and Danko mercilessly show how wealth takes sacrifice, discipline, and hard work, qualities that are positively discouraged by our high-consumption society. "You aren't what you drive," admonish the authors. Somewhere, Benjamin Franklin is smiling.

"One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit," Harry G. Frankfurt writes, in what must surely be the most eyebrow-raising opener in modern philosophical prose. "Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted." This compact little book, as pungent as the phenomenon it explores, attempts to articulate a theory of this contemporary scourge--what it is, what it does, and why there's so much of it. The result is entertaining and enlightening in almost equal measure. It can't be denied; part of the book's charm is the puerile pleasure of reading classic academic discourse punctuated at regular intervals by the word "bullshit." More pertinent is Frankfurt's focus on intentions--the practice of bullshit, rather than its end result. Bullshitting, as he notes, is not exactly lying, and bullshit remains bullshit whether it's true or false. The difference lies in the bullshitter's complete disregard for whether what he's saying corresponds to facts in the physical world: he "does not reject the authority of the truth, as the liar does, and oppose himself to it. He pays no attention to it at all. By virtue of this, bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are."
This may sound all too familiar to those of use who still live in the "reality-based community" and must deal with a world convulsed by those who do not. But Frankfurt leaves such political implications to his readers. Instead, he points to one source of bullshit's unprecedented expansion in recent years, the postmodern skepticism of objective truth in favor of sincerity, or as he defines it, staying true to subjective experience. But what makes us think that anything in our nature is more stable or inherent than what lies outside it? Thus, Frankfurt concludes, with an observation as tiny and perfect as the rest of this exquisite book, "sincerity itself is bullshit." --Mary Park

This is a quick but deep book that explores the role of personal accountability in one's work and personal life. In his own work experience, Miller found that many people look for others to blame their problems and conflicts on. He proposes that instead of asking who is to blame for the situation, we should ask, "What can I do to improve the situation?" Only by being able to ask this "question behind the question" can we take ownership of the problem and start working toward a solution. Throughout the book, Miller (who has consulted for major corporations with his firm, QBQ, Inc.) recounts real-world situations—in customer service, retail sales, personal relationships and the corporate boardroom—and the positive and not-so-positive ways they were handled. Each example reinforces the message that personal accountability and ownership of a problem not only leads to a resolution but also lifts people willing to take ownership and action above those looking to play the "blame game." From responsibility, says the author, comes leadership and greater career opportunities. In one's personal life, Miller says, ownership of conflict can also lead to enhanced relationships and greater enjoyment of daily life.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CNN.com - Frugal public school teacher donates $2.1 million to alma mater - Jun 20, 2005

Frugal public school teacher donates $2.1 million to alma mater

Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Posted: 9:41 a.m. EDT (13:41 GMT)

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- A retired public school teacher who was so frugal that he bought expired meat and secondhand clothing left $2.1 million for his alma mater, Prairie View A&M -- the school's largest gift from a single donor.

Whitlowe R. Green, 88, died of cancer in 2002. He retired in 1983 from the Houston Independent School District, where he was making $28,000 a year as an economics teacher.

His donation shocked family members and friends alike.

"He was a very meager person. I didn't think he had a million," said Beatrice Green, a cousin by marriage. "He'd buy the cheapest things."

Sharon Green Mitchell, another cousin, said Green and her father stopped talking for a couple of years when Green denied owing her dad $6.76. On road trips, Green would equally divide the gas bill among the adults.

"Now it's funny, but years ago you would sometimes get annoyed," Mitchell said.

Green's frugality was matched by his belief in education and dedication to young people, she said.

He often talked about leaving money to Prairie View, a historically black university. Green graduated in 1936.

"He sacrificed for this. He would always tell us to make your money work for you, and he did," Mitchell said. "I remember him saying, 'I'm going to help black children get an education.' He did it."

Green's donation will be used to establish a scholarship fund. The first scholarships are to be awarded this fall; students will receive $2,000 each.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Grocery Store Wars

ROFL!!

Ethan watched it twice with PJ today and then 3 times at home this evening. He giggled the whole time.

50 Years After Vaccine, Polio's Legacy Endures (washingtonpost.com)

50 Years After Vaccine, Polio's Legacy Endures (washingtonpost.com)

Summer School, so far

Christian
History: Sonlight 7
Science: Apologia
Math: BCM
Spelling: Sequential Spelling
Writing: IEW

Alex
History: Sonlight Alt 6
Science: Apologia
Math: BCM
Spelling: Sequential Spelling
Writing: IEW

Ethan
History: Sonlight Alt 6
Science: My World Science
Math: Spectrum Workbooks until Alex is in chapter 2 of BCM, then start with BCM
Reading: Hooked on Phonics, Lots of leveled readers

ABC13.com: HGTV 'Dream Home' winners struggle to afford taxes

ABC13.com: HGTV 'Dream Home' winners struggle to afford taxes

There has to be a special place in Hell...

Mother Accused Of Stealing From Son Serving In Iraq- $10,000 Missing From Soldier's Account

Blah, blah, blah...

Started our first official day with Sonlight. It was HORRIBLE!!!
Ethan lying on the couch whining "How many more chapters??" less than a chapter in to Mara, Daughter of the Nile. Alex read so far ahead of me that I had to move my thumb out of his way so he could finish reading. Christian got tired of waiting for me to finish with Alex and Ethan, and spent quite a bit of time telling me so.

Ethan did his reading lesson with just two mistakes (!!!) and did double math today because he was so excited.

Alex read three more chapters in The Teenager's Guide to the Real World and read about two more things in How Things Are Made : From Automobiles to Zippers and did his math without arguing.

After Christian read what he needed to in A History of Us he read part of the book I had pulled out for him, mumbling something about "I figured you wanted me to read at least two chapters."

So I guess it wasn't so bad after all. Tomorrow will be better.

We were going to start Sonlight last week, but Saturday my mom called that she was on her way to the hospital with chest pains. After they said they were most likely admitting her, Marty came home and we left for Ohio right away.

The next day they did all kinds of tests and let he go home. They aren't sure what was wrong, but are pretty sure it wasn't her heart attack.

We came home on Tuesday, and got nothing more than math done for the rest of the week.

Our first day of co-op was Thursday!!! It went really well. Alex tried really hard to not like drawing, but loves it! Christian is making a really cool set thingy for his LOTR Warhammer guys, and Ethan LOVED being my helper. My "The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and nothing but the Seuss" class is great! The kids are great, and the moms that helped are great. I think this class is going to be a lot of fun. This week we are reading "One fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" and they are making paper Japanese fish kites. I circle punched a bunch of different colors and patters of paper for them to use to decorate them. The snack will either be Goldfish crackers or gummi fish in blue jello.

I am in the process of dying salt for this weeks "Craftin' at the Co-op" class. We are making sand (salt) art in pint sized canning jars. Salt is 25 cents a container, and I had the canning jars, so it is a pretty cheap and fun craft.

Sheesh I just realized just how boring my life seems to be lately. Not that it was uber exciting before, mind you...

Sarah McLachlan - World On Fire

Sarah McLachlan - World On Fire