The ever-life-sucking diversions of life....

Man, how I hate them! Phones, computers, TV. They all take away from the things that are really important in life. Like family and friends. God especially! And yet each and everyone of us fall prey to their nearly irresistable pull. But tomorrow, I'm going to try to change that.

Tomorrow is my son's birthday party, and I don't want anything to interrupt it. I'll avoid the TV and not bring any books or handheld video games. Tomorrow, it's just me and the kids, the way it should be.

Of course, tomorrow morning, I'll be back at the garden, planting what remains of this first year's crops. (The flowers were already planted, compliments to my dear wife and children.) Hoping to get in onions and garlic, as well as belle peppers and hopefully some chillis, for salsa and things. I need to make sure we pick up sets for them and also some cilantro as well... can't have good salsa without cilantro! ;)

There's just so much more to plant. This year won't be so scientific as I suppose it will be in future years. But at least we'll get our hands dirty, and enjoy what we grow! (Even Nasturtium, that lovely edible flower and leaves! Great for a very pretty salad!)

But after that, and a quick shower, it's of to my mother's house for my son's birthday. Yeah, I know tomorrow is Sunday, but I'll be celebrating the Sabbath with God in his creation. I'm sure I'll be singing praises to the LORD and praying as I garden. (Don't worry, Mom. Jesus and Paul both spent time alone and were still with God. ;) )

So, here's hoping that tomorrow is a successful day.

Oh, by the way! I have a new schedule starting tomorrow! No more weekends working!!!!

LORD

Thank you for this day. Thank you for a hope for tomorrow, that it will be better than today! Thank you for my loving wife and family. Thank you for the joy that they are in my life.

Amen

Test blog for posting pictures

This is my lovely wife. She is having a bit of trouble posting pictures on her blog. It's not that it's not working. However, it's not working the way she wants it to. SO that's the reason I'm making this post; to see if there's something that she might have been doing wrong. Well to think that there could be so much trouble in a blog would be understandable if there were an easy way to fix it.

So this is the good part. One can do what she wanted to do. The bad part is that if you want to do this, you have to directly edit the HTML itself, and that's a pain.

(Oh, by the way, the picture you see is from my favorite PS1 game, "Final Fantasy VIII".)

Ok, so back to the painful HTML editing that needs to be done. It can be done, hon. But needs effort.

So there you have it. A blog about blogging, and the trials of blogging! Wasn't that fun???

Adventures in Gardening!

Today, my family and I had our first taste of Gardening. Since we live in a Condo, we rented a community garden plot for the growing season this year. I wasn't able to do much, but we did get our areas staked out, and I planted 2 tomato plants, 8 Sugar Snap pea plants, and 9 Kentucky Blue Pole Bean plants. My wife and kids planted so much more after I left. I can't wait to see what happens in the coming weeks! Tomorrow, if I can swing it before I have to go to work, I may nip on down there to plant some more. But we'll really have to wait until Sunday to do any more planting. Wish us luck!

Educators weigh in on "Unschooling"

My wife just read to me an article from the May 22nd issue of People about the "new" tradition of "Unschooling" children. More often refered to in Homeschooling circles as "Child-driven learning," it's method is letting children learn what they're interrested in, not what some institution or parents think their children ought to learn.

In this article a homeschooling mom said this about unschooling:

"I'm just trying to get out of my kids' way, and let them learn what they love." - Ren Allen, Unschooling Mom

Their father says this:

"Our philosophy is that it doesn't matter if a kid learns to tell time when he's six or when he's ten. If he learns what he's interrested in, it will stick." - Markus Allen

And that, from my experience is crucial. I can attest to the fact that while in traditional school, if a subject just didn't interrest me, I didn't learn it well at all. When something grabbed my interrest, I learned it better than the teachers did! (Just ask my Mom!)

Another unschooling mom, who's daughter, Aidin, was taking college credit courses at Harvard at age 15, and now attends on a full scholarship, said this:

"If they're allowed to be themselves, and develop themselves, children do amazing things." - Maureen Carey

But what do educators and education professionals have to say about this?

Frederick Hess, Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute:

"It's true that schools are immensely boring for some kids. But for disadvantaged kids, or those who don't have a stable family or community support to help them master basic skills, unschooling can be a recipe for anarchy."

Ok, so he's got a point. But the fact is, most homeschooling parents don't educate their kids because they're poor, and those who have "disadvantaged" kids find alternatives for "traditional" homeschooling, and find them the help they need in other ways.

People magazine's own staff writers said this:

"There have been no studies on unschooling's long term effectiveness and whether it works for kids who are less gifted or motivated than Aiden (Carey) is what worries educators."

My problem with this statement is this; what about homeschooling doesn't worry educators? If more people homeschool their kids, they'll be out of a job. So finding problems with it would be a really good thing for them, wouldn't it? I know, and have read about, several homeschooling families and their kids. And my unscientific research shows me that these kids are far better at handling academics than their traditionally schooled counterparts.

Now, I may no longer be the best person to talk about this, (my daughter will be attending public school this year, but that's due to the great opportunity as it is a Spanish Immersion magnet school, where she'll be bathed in Spanish, and be better for it) but we have homeschooled our daughter for her kindergarten year, and she has done just wonderful! She's learning maths and reading quite well, and does a great job (when not under pressure to read aloud to us ;) ).

Fact is, if push comes to shove and we don't like where things are going, we'll take her out again just as quickly, regardless how great an opportunity this is. We want her to have the best education, and if she starts struggling, or falling to the horrid effects that we have seen growing recently in public schools, she comes home to finish her education. End of story.

"We're just extending the same freedom to our children that we have as adults. To learn what we want and when." - Ren Allen, Unschooling Mom

And we agree as well.

"The lunatic is in my head."

If any of you know any Pink Floyd, you know the song the title comes from. Well, today is a full moon, and you could have guessed it.

In my job, I get calls from all kinds of people, but today, I had more people who were nuts, looney, daft, potty, or just plain crazy calling me. It really made me a believer in the whole "lunatic theory." I can't remember a day when I had more unreasonable people calling me. I had a headache beginning in my toes, and finally made it to my head about 20 minutes ago.

Oh, well. At least I go home soon. I can't wait to see my family... Ok, they'll be sleeping (hopefully) but I can see them. And tomorrow is the last Sunday that I have to work on Sunday! (YIPEE!) It's Mother's Day, too. I just hope I get it right this year.

Anyway, here's hoping that tomorrow is far better than today.

God,
Don't grant me patience. Rather, help me deal with my impatience. I need you, and I see that more and more. It should be obvious by now, but I always forget. Help me to never forget just how much I need you.

In Christ's Name,
Amen

My amazing wife

Ok, I have the endorsement of my wife on this one.

I'm so amazed on the progress that Kim's made recently. She says the same about me, but I don't see it. But maybe that's the thing about growth; the one doing the growing seldom ever sees it.

But for Kim, I mean, for the longest time, she made sure I always slept closest to the door, just in case someone broke in, I'd be that buffer for her. But the other night, she fell asleep there, no problem! I was amazed, but didn't tell her until later. Mind you, I was really tired, and I don't think I was really that capable of rational thought.

Anyway, She says that I've grown so much, and I'm so much different that I used to be. I honestly can't see it, but since she's a better mirror of me than I am, I think I'll take her word for it.

God, Thank you for the love you've seen fit to give me in Kim. She is a blessing, a lesson, and a partner in everything.

Amen!