Seven Quick Takes

— 1 —

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

I really want to back into some actual writing and communicating, but seriously…HOMESCHOOLING IS KICKING MY ASS!

— 2 —

(With apologies to all those fretting about vulgarisms among Catholic bloggers.  I really. Can’t. Help. It.  It’s just what’s happening. I’m sore.)

It’s not that our days are just full from dawn to dusk with Latin declensions and biological taxonomies and theological parsings…

Well, they are, …but…

(No, they’re not.)

..it’s that we are all HERE. ALL THE TIME. TOGETHER.

So, there’s that.

— 3 —

There are many distractions of late.  Scratch that.  Blogging would be the distraction.  Life has been sort of busy.  Last week, I drove 11 hours one day, then turned around and drove back 11 hours the other way, all for the cause of bringing my daughter home from college.  Not for the summer, however, since she lives tomorrow for an internship Out West.  I’m very excited for her, and will probably be heading out there for a visit when the boys go to Florida for their week with Mike’s family later this summer.

House matters have proceeded apace.  I found a house I rather liked, made an offer, various inspection-related issues have emerged, so we’ll see what happens with that.

— 4 —

At some point on Fridays, I think, Ah!  In a couple of days Mad Men  will be on!  I am not super-enthralled with the season, but I do have Thoughts.   I’ll give it one more episode and put them to paper screen. 

— 5 —

And then there’s Rectify. 

This merits a blog post as well, and I will do it.

It’s a 6-episode series airing on Sundance Channel, but also available for purchase on Amazon.  I’ve watched the entire season through twice, and could probably do it a third time.  Not because it’s a Fun Riot of Laughs, but more because it’s extremely suggestive and I can’t quite figure it out.  What I can’t figure out is if the suggestive allusions are coming from a place that’s authentic or if it’s for affect, a la Twin Peaks.   

More later, again.

— 6 —

A few weeks ago, I discovered that Horrible Histories  was available for purchase on Amazon Streaming – the first three seasons anyway.  This, too, will be the subject of a blog post next week.

We discovered Horrible Histories in book form at an English-language bookstore in Paris.  My kids LOVE THEM.   Michael, who is eight, especially loves the Horrible Geography titles.  He received Odious Oceans and Wild Islands  yesterday and has barely put them down since.

(This is a good source for ordering the titles in the US)

The television series is about to begin its fifth season in the UK.   You can get a taste of it on YouTube, but as I said, entire episodes are available for purchase on Amazon.  The series definitely picks up as it goes along – the first season is amusing, but subsequent seasons become more sophisticated, both in content and production.

I mean - Cavaliers v. Roundheads in the style of Sharks v. Jets from West Side Story? 

Yes, please.

And another “please” – please forgive me for saying ONE MORE TIME – I’ll do a blog post on this later.  I will, because I want to do my part in bringing Horrible Histories to American attention.  It’s quite fascinating actually – about half of the content of this series would never see the light of day if produced in the US, not only because of a franker attitude towards, er, scatological elements of history (but you know, face it….that’s the way it was…), but also because of political correctness.  The UK certainly has its own issues in that area, but as a whole, much of what Horrible Histories presents wouldn’t pass the PC Police in this country….

Interesting to see that the Horrible Histories cast has a Shakespeare film in the works!

As I said…more later… but in the meantime…you might be sorta amazed at this take on the Dissolution of the Monasteries…

 

Season 5 of Horrible Histories starts Over There next week, and I read somewhere it includes a Rosa Parks skit…I can’t…even….what???

— 7 —

Not much else….Does that count as a Quick Take??

Summer nights

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Crazy. I thought about going to Rome next week.  Thought about it really seriously when I looked up the apartment we stayed in last November and saw that it was available 3/14-22.  I took it as a sign.  Airfare wasn’t hideous at that point (late last week), even from Birmingham – the only glitch being Those Darn Cardinals –  who have been in absolutely no hurry to set a Conclave date.   Would they jump right in and schedule it for the 11th?  Or wait the traditional amount of time and go for the 15th?  If the latter, this would work out. So I dithered and studied airfare some more. Then I actually wrote to the owner of the apartment who answered me that yes, it was vacant for those dates but the preceding guests were journalists, arriving the 7th..and they might want to extend their stay beyond the 14th.  Well, I said, of course they will if the Conclave doesn’t happen until the 15th…but go ahead and check anyway.  And of course, they’re staying for as long as it takes.

The owner offered me another apartment about a mile away from the Vatican, but that would mean walking that mile to get to St. Peter’s, squeezing on buses to get to St. Peter’s or sitting in a cab in traffic on the way to St. Peter’s, when the point of the original place is that it’s 3 blocks from St. Peter’s.  Making it, you know, very convenient. For journalists.

Well, that’s okay. It was just a spur-of-the moment crazy thing, anyway.

— 2 —

The only value that papal prognostications have  is the entertainment they produce after the conclave.

— 3 —

The other travel that I thought might be happening of late was a short trip to New Orleans this week with my daughter, home from college on spring break.  Then I looked up hotels on Kayak and wondered why the only hotels coming up were 1-star places in Houma and such.  Going to hotel websites turned up “no available rooms” time after time.  Finally figured out that there was a huge convention happening.  Bill Clinton speaking and everything. A friend suggested we go anyway and stay outside the city, but I said that I wasn’t interested in sharing New Orleans with 50,000 drunk health care managers.  So we’ve stayed put.

— 4 —

It’s always nice when she comes home because I have someone to cook for.  That is someone to cook for who will eat food that is a color other than beige.  Gives me a good chance for some Pinterest-ing culinary excursions. I’m also pleased to report that at long last, I think making pizza has entered the “routine” category for me.  I finally figured out that if you just make the dough at least a day ahead of time – I use this recipe - it handles much better, and the simple fact that the dough is done by the time it comes to fix the pizzas makes it all less daunting.

— 5 —

Watching House of Cards.  I’m enjoying it, and could easily binge-watch it, but am restraining myself.  It’s cable -ish, which means there’s profanity, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.  It’s not a documentary about politics, so don’t look for complete, careful and thorough excavation of life in D.C.  But Kevin Spacey is mesmerizing, to be sure.  His picture is next to “inhabit a role” in the Big Encyclopedia of Acting for this one. I’m five episodes in, and what I’ll say is that I’m sensing some unspoken, complex backstory – mostly in the relationship between Spacey’s character and that of his wife, played by the alarmingly and aggravatingly skinny Robin Wright – but if it’s not delivered (whatever it is)  - the absence of that layer is what will keep this series from reaching first-level quality.

— 6 —

Current reads in our house:  Swallowdale (11 year old) , The Castle in the Attic and Emil’s Pranks (8 year old), and all of us together, The Enchanted Castle and  Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea and Air.    The last is a simply great book. There is no dearth of books on explorers and exploration out there, but this one is really special.  It’s well written – substantial, but not too overlain with detail – and the illustrations are marvelous.  In particular: each chapter includes a fold out section that incorporates a map and some other illustration   – of the structure of a boat or other craft, and so on.  This one is worth seeking out and even purchasing.

Over the past week, for history/religion, Joseph has been reading St. Benedict: Hero of the Hills.  After he reads a chapter, I have him narrate it back to me in some way, and I try to change it up.  So some chapters he simply tells me what happened (he takes notes and the point of the exercise is to teach him how to summarize and present), but then other chapters I have him draw using the whiteboard, and for the chapter in which St. Benedict dies, I had him pretend to be a monk come to give us the news.

— 7 —

Speaking of homeschooling, while I still generally try to not read homeschool blogs (agitates the soul and tempts one to anxiety), there are a couple of Facebook pages I find really helpful.  One is The Libertarian Homeschooler - in particular check out the lists she’s recently posted here and here.   The other is Kicking it Unschool.  I really appreciate the discussions and resources offered at both.

I may have recovered from house-shopping fever.  Not sure.  But I think that I’ve figured out a spot for a basketball goal.  That, combined with the feelings I get when I walk from my car, stop on my front porch and open the door to enter into the small, warm space of my living room – and then listen to the boys playing outside with the boy down the street or chatting with the older lady next door – I don’t think it’s time to leave that yet, especially with warm weather coming – I’ve seen some great decks and a fabulous back yard.  But none of it beats that front porch, not right now.

(This week, that is)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

What a strange week.  I would say “sad,” but – well, okay, I’ll go ahead and say “sad” – but let me qualify that.     I will miss Pope Benedict.  His resignation is really quite a sobering moment.  This is not a normal transition and I think it says quite a bit about the Church in 2013. I’m really interested to see how the College of Cardinals respond.

So, “sad” on a few different levels, but not a crisis or a tragedy.  It’s not time to wallow, it’s time to listen and look forward.  Eyes on Christ, just as he’s been telling us to do all this time.

THAT SAID – I’m going to fill up most of the rest of this space with a smattering  of some of my favorite quotes.  There are loads, and more to discover as I continue reading his work for years to come, but here are a few:

— 2 —

 But the Lord also knocks with his Cross from the other side:  he knocks at the door of the world, at the doors of our hearts, so many of which are so frequently closed to God. And he says to us something like this:  if the proof that God gives you of his existence in creation does not succeed in opening you to him, if the words of Scripture and the Church’s message leave you indifferent, then look at me – the God who let himself suffer for you, who personally suffers with you – and open yourself to me, your Lord and your God. (source)

— 3 —

To pray is not to step outside history and withdraw to our own private corner of happiness. When we pray properly we undergo a process of inner purification which opens us up to God and thus to our fellow human beings as well. In prayer we must learn what we can truly ask of God—what is worthy of God. We must learn that we cannot pray against others. We must learn that we cannot ask for the superficial and comfortable things that we desire at this moment—that meagre, misplaced hope that leads us away from God. We must learn to purify our desires and our hopes. We must free ourselves from the hidden lies with which we deceive ourselves. God sees through them, and when we come before God, we too are forced to recognize them. “But who can discern his errors? Clear me from hidden faults” prays the Psalmist (Ps 19:12 [18:13]). Failure to recognize my guilt, the illusion of my innocence, does not justify me and does not save me, because I am culpable for the numbness of my conscience and my incapacity to recognize the evil in me for what it is. If God does not exist, perhaps I have to seek refuge in these lies, because there is no one who can forgive me; no one who is the true criterion. Yet my encounter with God awakens my conscience in such a way that it no longer aims at self-justification, and is no longer a mere reflection of me and those of my contemporaries who shape my thinking, but it becomes a capacity for listening to the Good itself. (source)

— 4 —

In the procession we follow this sign and in this way we follow Christ himself. And we ask of him: Guide us on the paths of our history! Show the Church and her Pastors again and again the right path! Look at suffering humanity, cautiously seeking a way through so much doubt; look upon the physical and mental hunger that torments it! Give men and women bread for body and soul! Give them work! Give them light! Give them yourself! Purify and sanctify all of us! Make us understand that only through participation in your Passion, through “yes” to the cross, to self-denial, to the purifications that you impose upon us, our lives can mature and arrive at true fulfilment. Gather us together from all corners of the earth. Unite your Church, unite wounded humanity! Give us your salvation! Amen. (source)

— 5 —

Dear friends, life is not governed by chance; it is not random. Your very existence has been willed by God, blessed and given a purpose  ! Life is not just a succession of events or experiences, helpful though many of them are. It is a search for the true, the good and the beautiful. It is to this end that we make our choices; it is for this that we exercise our freedom; it is in this – in truth, in goodness, and in beauty – that we find happiness and joy. Do not be fooled by those who see you as just another consumer in a market of undifferentiated possibilities, where choice itself becomes the good, novelty usurps beauty, and subjective experience displaces truth.

Christ offers more! Indeed he offers everything! Only he who is the Truth can be the Way and hence also the Life. (source)

— 6 —

Friends, again I ask you, what about today? What are you seeking? What is God whispering to you? The hope which never disappoints is Jesus Christ. (source)

— 7 —

I will simply be a pilgrim who is beginning the last part of his pilgrimage on earth. (source)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

I have a bit of real estate fever.  Scratch that.  A lot.  In fact, I came back from Europe determined to do a couple of sort of big things to this place and then go shopping.  So far I’ve done nothing except clean out the basement, but that doesn’t stop me from spending an inordinate amount of time studying listings.   There’s no need , but what there is is a desire for a slightly different, more open layout, a little more energy efficiency than this 90-year old bungalow affords, and (frankly) space to put up a basketball goal.  My life would be transformed by a basketball goal.  No, not by me, personally shooting baskets, but other people. Not that they don’t play outside pretty much all the time anyway, oh, how they would love it.  And their play would be just that much more focused, which would be good.  And there’s just no good spot on my current property for it.  The driveway is narrow and slopes down from the minute it begins and the back yard is smallish.  If I had someone put in a even a smallish surface and goal back there..it would just have to be taken out before I sold the place – which I will, eventually.

Oh, and even though I’ve lived comfortably in a purging mindset for ages now and am not an accumulator, it would be a refreshing change to have more than three closets in my house.  People, I’m not kidding.  Three. 

So I’ve been looking.  Found a few possibilities, but I’m waiting to see what else comes up on the market this spring. I’m hoping just to find something else in my own area – in fact I have my eye on one house that’s not on the market, but records show it’s been put on and taken off a couple of times over the past two years…so I’m hoping the owner gives it another shot this year…that would be ideal.  Because I really love this neighborhood and I don’t really want to leave this part of town – there’s no traffic, I get downtown in about six minutes, I’m close to the airport, the interstate…as a friend who’s also toying with a move said, “My route.  I like my daily route, and I don’t want to mess that up.”

So we’ll see.

— 2 —

Curriculum Report I: 

We’ve started Latin.  I’m using Getting Started with Latin with the 6th grader, and I like it a lot.  It’s very laid-back, low key and..dare I say it? Easy. It’s just what is says – it’s about getting started.  We get through this, and then we’ll wind back around next year and begin a more formal study, but right now, this is perfect for a student unaccustomed to formal foreign language study who isn’t a strong memorizer, except of football stats.

I had thought Minimus would be good for the 8-year old, but I ended up sending it back.  It’s on a faster track than I had thought – too fast.  and since Getting Started is slower than I thought, he’s ended up just slipping in and joining us in that.

They like it – and probably partly because I like it.  I took four years of high school Latin and then two in college.  Second year was one of my favorite college courses.  It was taught by Dr. Harry Rutledge, who would stroll into class in his three-piece suit carrying only his copy of the Aenid, and we would spend the next fifty minutes sight-translating – turned out I had a knack for it – and listening to him spin yarns.

Latin – at the introductory level – elegant, pardoxically sturdy yet intriguingly flexible,  with the qualities of a puzzle –  appeals to my 11-year old boy quite a bit.

— 3 —

II

8-year old has been in Math Mammoth for a couple of weeks now, and I’m glad I chose it – and so is he.  It’s third grade, and so far it’s a lot of mental math practice with larger addition and subtraction problems, which he’s really glommed onto – again with the puzzle aspect – and he just started multiplication.  He knows his tables already, but the approach is such that it challenges him to flip problem around and look at them from different perspectives which he seems to find quite enlightening.  Thumbs up so far.

— 4 —

The Life of Fred is a very strange – on the surface – math series about a five year old who teaches mathematics at KITTENS University.  The titles of the volumes for younger children have nothing to do with math – Apples – Butterflies  - and such. (Middle school titles are more traditional  - 6th grader is on Fractions.)  You can read about the series here.  Some people use them as their sole math curriculum.  We are using them as supplements – again, to encourage them to think about numbers and mathematics in different, creative ways and to just learn to think mathematically.  All I can say at this point is that they are being devoured and Fred comes up in conversation several times a day….

— 5 —

So yeah, we read Rime of the Ancient Mariner this week.  Why? Because My Hot Shot Curriculum called for it?  No, because I was cleaning out the piano music and I finally found the Dover volumes of Dore illustrations – Bible, The Divine Comedy, and this – that my mother had given me ages ago, and I thought, “Hey!  Let’s do this!”

And what do I mean by “do?”  We sit on the couch and take turns reading it aloud – I do the bulk of it to save time and (my) patience, but they do big chunks, and are improving on this sort of thing all the time.  We read (over two days), I explain certain points, ask them to talk about other points, they ask (many) questions, we examine Dore’s rather gory pictures, and I point out a few well-known passages which they sort of memorize (if they’re short) and we might use for copywork later.  In this, for example: Water, water everywhere/Nor any drop to drink!   

Since we’d read the Book of Jonah earlier in the week – it was the source for one of the daily Mass readings one day, so might as well just read the whole thing – it’s only 4 chapters – we played just a bit with bouncing the two off one another.  Just a bit.  Don’t be too impressed.  That part of it is mostly me going , “Hey!  Did you notice blah blah blah blah blah” with them looking longingly at the front door.

Perhaps I should be aiming higher, and they should be writing papers or at least paragraphs about these works we’re reading.  Perhaps at some point we will get there.  But right now, I just want to sit on the couch and have us read to each other and talk about these works, examine pictures, listen to recordings and watch productions or snippets thereof, and through all of that, learn to associate great literature as something a person spends time with in the normal course of a day or week because it is interesting, entertaining,  intriguing and fun to explore and talk about, and reveals truths about ourselves and the world.

— 6 —

I read another book!  To Be Sung Underwater.  (I bought it during a sale – 2.99 Kindle edition a couple of weeks ago)  It was the first book in a long while that I found hard to put down.  But it faltered near the end, and since finishing it I’ve been able to see the whole more clearly.  It’s basically a story about how the past impacts the present and a woman’s attempts to make sense of that (unique!).  There is some great writing here – passages that I highlighted and copied out because they seem to so succinctly capture a moment.  McNeal has a true gift for voice and dialogue.  Every single character spoke in a unique, identifiable voice that was also recognizably human, from the main character’s husband and his rather arch self-regard to her mother’s frankness.  

But it was, in the end, that main character – Judith – who gave me second and then third thoughts.  I can’t really explain without going into plot detail, which I don’t have time to do and which will bore you if you haven’t read the book, but I’ll just say that this was a book I certainly enjoyed reading for the beauty and knowingness of much of the writing, but, in the end, the central character just didn’t ring true and the final turn of events was over-the-top contrived and neat.

Next up – more light reading as I revisit Venice and France…..

— 7 —

Praying for the Pope.  And his successor.  And us.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

So, sure, the Pope….

Woke up Monday morning, checked e-mail.  At the top was from the e-mail list from the USCCB.  Title was “papal resignation” – just like that.  No caps.  I thought, “??”  Assumed it was some test run or that the item was a FAQ in answer to some hypotheticals.  Then a couple more down the list was from Ann..then saw I had a text from her…What?? 

Well, since no one else has commented on this, let me just say..

Kidding! 

This is one of those situations in which the only thing we know for sure is that we don’t know everything.  I think it’s fairly pointless to spend a lot of time on speculating why Benedict did this instead of exploring what it means for the papacy in general and looking to the future.  That said..

• As many have pointed out, Pope Benedict has spoken of a papal resignation/renunciation/abdication as a theoretical possibility.  His writings on the papacy are characterized by a broad and deep historical awareness as well as a servanthood model.  Although he is routinely and unjustly accused of inflexibility, his thought and his view of human existence, including human existence in the Church, is marked by an emphasis on freedom – the freedom that is the disciple’s, united to the loving heart of Christ.  
• My long-distant, barely informed opinion is that this is about: the Curia, the demands of the papacy in the 21st century and his sense of his own strength.  He saw what happened in John Paul II’s declining years and one of my guesses is that he is seeking to diminish the chances of similar scenarios in the event of his own decline.  Given current standards of medical care, even an 86-year old man could have a terribly debilitating health catastrophe, be alive but incommunicado for a very long time…and what then?
• There are countless other currents and issues.  Some claim that this is quite dire and marks a defeat for the Pope’s program of mending the breach between the Church’s past and present and refocusing us all on Christ.  Some say the opposite – that in doing this, Benedict has rather slyly pulled the rug out from under the feet of those in the Curia who don’t share his vision – by denying them the opportunity to increase their power if he falls into a weakened state, especially for a long period of time.   Who knows?  Perhaps it is none of this, some of it or all of it.
• Perhaps it is much simpler than we know.

Anyway.  There is no lack of thoughtful commentary out there.  No lack of stupid, ignorant commentary, either, shockingly. I’m just hesitant to put a lot of energy into attempting it since every day brings a new twist – the Holy Father’s quite candid talk to Rome priests today, for example – and because I know I don’t know anything, really.

But Sandro Magister does:

Over his nearly eight years of pontificate, Benedict XVI has been resolute and farsighted in indicating the destinations and keeping the rudder straight. But on the barque of Peter, the crew has not always been faithful to him.

This is what happened when he dictated a rigorous line of conduct in order to fight the scandal of pedophilia among the clergy, clashing with hypocritical and delayed implementations..

The same thing happened when he ordered cleanliness and transparency in ecclesiastical financial offices, seeing these disregarded.

This is what happened when he saw himself betrayed by his trusted butler, who violated his privacy and stole his most personal papers.

But there is more than that. Pope Ratzinger has fought first of all and above all to  revive the faith of the Church, to correct its waywardness in doctrine, morality, the sacraments, and the commandments. And here as well he has often found himself alone, opposed, misunderstood.

It has been, in short, an incomplete reform that Benedict XVI has pursued. In resigning, he has recognized that he can no longer move it forward with his diminished strength. And he has trusted the conclave to elect a new pope with the strength necessary to do the job.

His is a supernatural wager that recalls that of his predecessor John Paul in the last painful years of his life.

 

— 2 —

I’m going to miss him.  A lot. 

Every time my skeptical mind would start running in circles about something or other, usually a look at something by Joseph Ratzinger would give me a welcome pause, redirect my thinking and root me in that sense of open, sure faith in the love of God and heart of Jesus Christ.

We always talk about “pray for the Pope.”  ”Pray for the Holy Father,” we say.  ”Pray for his intentions.”

Do you see why now?

Ann wrote: …

….the next time I am in Rome I will climb to the top of the dome at St. Peter’s and look for an old priest with white hair and a cane feeding the goldfish. Although he will no longer appear at the apostolic window, we know that he is there, praying for the Church, still blessing us. 

In the spring of 2009, Ann had the opportunity to present a mock-up of our first book to Pope Benedict. He’s looking at the illustration above. I still remember her breathless phone call from Rome telling me about this!

— 3 —

Change gears.

Went to the Home & Garden show, which was mostly a big waste – half gutter guard companies, the other half As-Seen-On-TV cleaning devices and solutions.

But..I made a big mistake.  I (with my two assistants tagging along) stopped and talked to this woman for a few minutes.

Chickens?

To rent? 

Like…you can have the chickens for a while..and then they come take them away??

Could this maybe drown out the drumbeat of

canwepleasegetalizardcanwepleasegetadogWhycantwegetafishIreallywantabeardeddragon?

Hmmmmm….

— 4 —

Back to Pope Stuff. This is one of the weirder things I noticed this week.

I was leafing through the present issue of Living Faith for Kids.  Which was probably compiled about four months ago.

It opened to a special little extra “Catholic stuff to know” spread.  The topic was : “How do Catholics elect a Pope?”

Its placement in the issue?

The page  before February 28. 

— 5 —

When we were in Paris, we discovered the Horrible Histories series – published by Scholastic UK.  The boys gobbled them up, especially the 8-year old.  I’ve since discovered there are other in the “Horrible” genre, so we are slowly testing them.  Michael (8) has read the volume on the rainforest and is now reading the book on lakes - Monster Lakes.    They’re amusing and substantive – although a bit gross at times, as the titles make clear.

You can find them in a number of places, but I ordered mine from this fellow – he has really good prices and doesn’t charge shipping.  I ordered some geography titles and a few math.  We haven’t cracked the math yet, but will soon.

— 6 —

One of the features of Charlotte Mason schooling – which is part of my inspiration – is “narration” – that is, the child learning by telling you, the teacher, what he or she has read.  Younger children tell you, but the older they get, the more they write.

It’s something I am trying to work in, but (not surprisingly) am a little slow on.  I was feeling badly about that until today, when I was trying to do some of my own work and Michael came in approximately every 73 seconds, his finger holding his place in Bloomin Rainforests, saying “Did you know that ________________?”

I realized – narration? Check. Me, I get narrated at all day long. 

— 7 —

For the past month, every time I’ve passed the boxed Valentines section in a store, I’ve felt this tiny thrill:

We don’t have to do that this year!!! 

Yup.  It felt good. 

/Curmudgeon

#Beendoingthisforthirtyyearssogivemeabreakalready

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

I’ve recently accomplished some amazing feats, long out of my grasp:  I’ve finished reading several books that I’ve started.  Fiction, even.

— 2 —

Wonderful Fool is by Shusaku Endo  - the author of the great Silence.  It’s in the Odd Christ Figure Confounds and Confuses genre.  The translation was pretty flat, but the story – a Frenchman enters into the lives of a pair of Japanese siblings – was interesting enough.  It was predictable in some ways (because, of course, you don’t have to think too hard to predict how a plot featuring a Christ figure is going to end), but the Japanese setting and strangeness of Gaston is intriguing, and I have to admit that there is a little twist at the end that really does pack a punch.

— 3 —

The Infinite Tides is a rather lengthy, floridly-written novel about an astronaut whose daughter dies while he is up in space.  It’s essentially about how a man who sees reality through the prism of numbers – their patterns, structure, shape and color – is slapped in the face by another, unquantifiable reality.

I do think it was overwritten and just a bit showy – sometimes fiction authors who are incorporating a particular discipline – from, say, beekeeping to, say, mathematics – overdo the technical material, and I’d say that’s the case here.  I have to qualify that by saying that of course there’s a purpose to the mental musings, since we’re in the fellow’s head and the author is working hard to help us *see* life through this character’s perspective, framed in questions of mathematical structure and the experience of space, but it about a third too much – if I can resort to numbers to describe it.

Some books begin well and peter out –  I experienced the reverse with this one.  I was borderline annoyed through much of the first half, but felt it ended very strongly, as Astronaut Keith, in the company of other interesting characters,  experiences what I would say is a subtle spiritual epiphany, whether or not that’s what the author intended.

— 4 —

We finished Julius Caesar, but not before watching available clips of the RSC 2012 production , in which the play is set in a modern African nation.   I think it looks magnificent.  The inflections and accents lend themselves quite well to Elizabethan English, and the setting doesn’t seem forced at all. Seems to fit.  I see that the production is coming to the US this spring…to BAM and THE Ohio State University…hmmmm….field trip to Columbus?  It could happen….

— 5 —

We’re on The Tempest now.  We won’t be reading the whole thing, I don’t think.  We watched the BBC animated version, read through the goofy kids’ version, and I’m going to check out the Coville retelling from the library.  We’ll read some excerpts and watch the episode of Shakespeare Uncovered - airing here tomorrow night – in which Trevor Nunn discusses the play.  They’ll Do Some Art – it lends itself to that. I am curious enough about the Julie Taymor version to probably take a look at it myself, but I don’t think I’ll subject the boys to it. Maybe a scene or two, but probably  not the whole thing.

— 6 —

I hope I’ll soon be able to tell you about Ann Engelhart’s and my new book coming out in the late summer – title has been hammered out, at least. Cover should follow within a couple of months.

Now we have to start working on the next one!!

— 7 —

Finally, some more Vintage Catholic for you  - a 7th grade textbook published in 1935 by MacMillan, part of The Christ Life Series in Religion.  Authors are the famed liturgist Dom Virgil Michel OSB, another Benedictine, and Dominican sisters.

Note the tone.  It treats the young reader, not as consumer or client to be served or pandered to, but as a part of the Church with a vital role to play and a spiritual life capable of “courageous penance.”   I really love the paragraphs on p. 146 that set the global scene for the season. I’ll post more over the next few days.

If you click on the images, full-screen, readable versions should come up. 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

///

First, before the First Take. Don’t forget:

(The image was made by a smaller pro-life group many years ago – I don’t remember what the group was or if it still exists.  If you know, let me know, so I can credit.)

Thanks be to God for the witness in Washington this weekend, and the witness everywhere, every day offered for Life and Love.

— 1 —

Now, to dramatically shift gears:

This puzzle really gave me the vapors last week:

 

I can’t blame anyone except myself, though.  It was a gift to THE BOYS, given with my full permission and consent.  One of my older sons called and said, “Hey, there’s this 3-D historical puzzle of Paris…do you think the boys would like it?”  Sure, I said, since I had seen it and was actually considering getting it myself. We waited until this week to break it out….. Well. As you can see, it’s finished.  And it’s very nice.  And we remembered/relearned/learned about Paris as we put it together.  However the pronoun is not quite accurate.  First-person singular is more like it.  It turned out to be quite challenging – perhaps you can see this from looking at the bottom section.

So I ended up doing most of it – not that the others weren’t trying. But it’s done.  Finally. Bottom section glued together and to posterboard – the top pieces are foam, and stay together pretty well without glue.

The amusing thing to me about this puzzle is that the Pompidieu Center isn’t one of the chosen landmarks.  As controversial as it was and perhaps still is, the Center is a draw, it and the area about it seems to be always crowded and it is notable.  I mean – far more notable than the cluster of so skyscrapers in La Defense that the puzzle-makers deemed worthy.

So I guess I know what their opinion is…

— 2 —

We had snow last Thursday I originally started this 7 takes for last week)  and it sent Birmingham into a totally predictable panic.  It began as light sleet in the morning and turned into heavy-ish snow in the afternoon – at which point school systems started shutting down early, having the (again) predictable effect of SENDING EVERYONE IN THE CITY OUT ON THE SNOWY ROADS AT THE SAME TIME. When, in truth, all you had to do was look at the radar and see that the system had a very defined border to it which would be hitting us not long after it began…which it did, and by 3:30, I was driving on wet roads under blue, only partially cloudy skies.

— 3 —

The other Christmas gift we broke out this week was their microscope.  It’s a good compound scope, and while we haven’t gotten too formal about it yet, they are having a great time looking at prepared slides.  It didn’t come with any blank slides, surprisingly, and so once we receive those, we’ll be all set.   I had a microscope as a child, and I remember what a revelation it was the day I wondered what a drop of stump water would look like under the lens…and discovered a tiny little universe right there.

They’ve started doing some bi-monthly homeschool classes at the Zoo - the first one was on Snow Apocalypse Thursday, so the 11-year old’s was cut short, but they enjoyed them nonetheless.  I’m kicking myself because the science center’s homeschool dissection sessions had filled up by the time I got around to inquiring about them, but perhaps we’ll have another chance someday.  Although nothing’s stopping us from dissecting at home, right?

(I’m serious – a FB friend posted a series of photos of her child’s dissection of a cow’s eye – something I remember quite vividly (in a positive way) from 5th grade myself – so who knows? We’ve been talking about optics quite a bit around here…hmmm…)

We’ve been doing various random science experiments from our various random science activity books.  Grown yeast in various host substances.  Made bread.  Did some optics experiments with magnifying glasses, water and other things.  Air. Experimented to understand that air is “stuff” and not a vacuum.   Played/worked with water, cooking oil and food coloring today – density/immiscibility – and then ended it all with a few drops of liquid detergent which sets everything a -scattering.   That last move was Joseph’s idea after we talked about why you need the surfactants in soap to get oil off of your hands.

As I said, it’s random – more random than it probably should be for a 6th grader, but I’m working on that.

— 5 —

We are pretty much prisoners of basketball games, basketball practice, Scouts, altar serving schedules and Parish School of Religion for the next couple of months, so not much travelling will happen.  I finally updated the other blog a bit with some more Paris material, though, so there’s that - 

And, of course, there’s a lot to do around here – the Birmingham Museum of Art has just opened a really nice new children’s section, which was fun for the 8-year old, for example:

— 4 —

Started Julius Caesar this week.  Began by reading one of the adaptations in this book, which the boys thought hysterical.  Then watched the BBC animated version (which was very good).  Now we’re reading it along with watching the 1953 version – Calhern, Brando, Gielgud, Mason - free streaming for Amazon Prime members -.  Mason is stunning as Brutus.  I’ve always loved him anyway, but really, he was born to play Brutus, don’t you think?

We watch a couple of scenes a day. I stop it occasionally to ask them to tell me what’s going on, answer questions and underscore particular speeches.  We spend about 20 minutes on it before they run off to Legos or football outside.  Michael has taken to saying,  Yond’ Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous at random moments of the day.   Such behavior is actually fairly normal for an 8-year old who apparently spoke in a British accent, even before Shakespeare week, during much of his religious education class a couple of weeks ago.

I hope we get over to Atlanta to the Shakespeare Tavern for one of their performances of the play in April, and perhaps even before that in March for Much Ado.  I’ve  never been, but have heard it’s very good. 

— 6 —

None of this fits into no particular curriculum.  I’m not even being very school-y with any of it.  Sometimes I worry about that, and sometimes I don’t and chalk it up to unschooling.  Perhaps I should have had the boys do lab reports on the yeast “experiment,” but I thought it was well and good enough to talk about what a “control” is and why it’s important, to stress exact measurements and cleanliness.  The draw-er drew what the different results looked like, and the non-draw-er and I talked about and came up with some theories as to why. When I was researching supplementary materials for Julius Caesar, I happened upon some suggestions and examples of how other homeschoolers have used it, and the next several paragraphs and photographs were all of character charts and plot diagrams and narrative analysis and lapbooks and I just had to go shut it all down and go nudge Michael to tell me again what Caesar says about Cassius.

There is definitely a longer blog post brewing about these issues as I am pushed and pulled this way and that.  Pushed and pulled just in my head, though.  No one else  is very concerned and I suppose if they were really confused about the characters, we would do a chart – I’m a fan of character lists in the front of complicated literary works, myself.  But really – they’re getting it.  And they’re enjoying it. And we’re talking about the themes as we go.

But anyway…for another time.

— 7 —

Books that have been read the last couple of weeks around here: Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain novels; Henry Reed’s Journey; The Thieves of Ostia; Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes; The Whipping Boy;Owls in the Family;John Billington: Friend of Squanto; The Matchlock Gun; Johnny Tremain; The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet; This Side of Paradise …(you can try to match up books to readers if you like)..as well as zillions of books about animals and Pre-Columbian cultures (because, “Mom, you know I’m not that much interested in Egypt anymore, don’t you?”)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

There are so many people to pray for. There always are, of course, but at times, it seems to arrive as a storm of needs: Jen Fulwiler. This sweet boy – Fulton Poppe – burned in an accident this past Monday – go here to help. Dominic Pio. Parents, children, the young, the old. The grieving. Those suffering, those in mission to serve them. When I was younger I would consider the lives of contemplative religious and think, “How could anyone pray so much? And why would you want to?” Now I think, “How can you stop?” Pray without ceasing. I get it now.

— 2 —

So to switch gears. We are back in the swing of school, doing our weird mix. I resolved not to read homeschooling blogs when I began all this, and I don’t, but Facebook and Pinterest still live on my screen and regularly give me pause about what I have done and what I have failed to do. Our days are certainly full, but there are no lapbooks being made here and no color-coded bins.

Egypt boy got a little crafty today, though:

Is that okay? I think so, because I can’t imagine us doing either (although the bins might help. Should probably think about that.). Time will tell.

— 3 —

There are advantages and disadvantages to starting this homeschooling thing midstream in a child’s educational life. The greatest advantages are two: first that someone else (as I mentioned before) has done the hard work of teaching basic skills and secondly  that since the children have seen the other side, we have zero problems with cooperation. That is to say, all it takes is a reminder that you could be dressed in shorts , sprawled on the floor or on the couch or on my bed doing your schoolwork in 2-3 hours  or you could be in a uniform sitting at a desk for the better part of 7 hours…you pick.

That works.

— 4 —

The disadvantage (to me) is that I have a little problem with initiative with the older one. So accustomed is he to being told what to do and living with schoolwork as an obligation from which one yearns only to be free, I haven’t gotten him to that ideal unschooling point of just following his interests down a rabbit hole as the center of his educational life (as it is for adults, you see). That actually is part of the reason I wanted to try to educate him at home. Part of it is due to the unfortunate conditioning of regular school, but it’s also personality. His 2nd-grade brother is quite different, and sits happily for hours in the midst of a pile of Egypt and animal-related books he checked out of the library, leaving only to draw, inspired by what he’s read, or tell me about something he’s read.

Working on that. It’s tricky though – “Here’s what I am requiring you to do in order for you to develop more personal initiative. “ Not quite sure how that works.

I mean he does have interests – mechanical/engineering, mostly (translation: Legos) – so I’m working on that, simply trying to provide opportunities.

— 5 —

So..our day?

I usually wake up around 7, and they around 8. We start school around 9:30. Prayer – Mass readings – and then copywork and dictation. This is something I’ve just started and I am very ad hoc about it. Next week I’ll probably get more organized with the Brave Writer component. So far, the 2nd grader has copied the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary and the 6th grader has written (from dictation) the Lord’s Prayer, Genesis 50:19-20 and then 1 Samuel 16:7, both of the latter related to his OT studies. Short, but we’re just starting.

Why copywork and dictation? You can read the Charlotte Mason explanation here. Even after just doing it for three days, I’m hooked. I think it is such a simple, powerful way to help a child learn to listen and to internalize not only grammatical structures, but also just good writing.

Then math – 6th grader is using his school’s text (Envision – which I don’t hate.), reinforced by Khan Academy videos -and videos from this teacher, which are also good (2 minutes on rotational symmetry reinforced the concept very well, for example) – and various reinforcement exercises. 2nd grader burned through 2nd grade math by November, so we’re doing multiplication tables now, with regular reviews of other basic skills.

When I was mulling over this, a reader wrote to me about math curricula – specifically Singapore Math. She told me it was great, but that I needed to be careful about just plunging into it, since it’s so different. I toyed with the possibility for a while, but ultimately decided against it, since one or both of the boys might be going back to school and I wanted to keep them on the same track as their schoolmates.

(Sidebar: Envision is not the most controversial math curriculum out there, but it’s not beloved, either. When our school brought it in, I read reviews, most of which were from teachers, and most of which were negative. The next year, there were still many negatives, but there were more “I’m getting used to it, and I actually sort of like it,” too. As a non-mathematician who is, at the same time, not awful in math and has pretty good mental computational skills, I’m finding that it actually seems to fit the brain of a non-mathematician better than many other math curricula I’ve encountered. As the name implies, there is a visual component to it, which is mostly helpful. I bought the homeschool edition, and we are finding it very easy to use. Pearson is really going after the homeschool market. Smart. )

This same reader encouraged me to help my kids “think mathematically” – which is something I tend to do anyway (always looking for those durn teacheable moments, right?), but what I’ve been even more conscious of since her encouragement – it’s just a matter of being conscientious about those opportunities – which happen when you’re cooking together, when you’re playing Yahtzee, when you’re driving down the road, when you’re buying items in the store, when you’re talking about the temperature or when you’re looking at maps.

So, math. A little grammar, before we get the Brave Writer thing started. The 6th grader is diagramming, the disappearance of which from school I really don’t understand, considering all the emphasis on multiple intelligences and learning styles. It really helps him work out sentence structure.

Trebuchet in upper right. Puzzle on bottom. Strewn books on left.

Then, today, the 6th grader constructed the trebuchet model he received for Christmas, so there was much conversation and research into the history of the trebuchet and then the physics of it. This led to review of photos we took of Castelnaud castle on the Dordogne, and reviews of that geography. Then the 2nd grader pulled out the geodes he had received, and we proceeded to crack them open – he did most of them, but one was stubborn and required my heavy hand. Again, accompanied by a bit of study of what geodes are and how they happen, and also by him bringing out the other rocks in his collection along with his rock identification book.

6th grader worked on keyboarding – still on the home row. 2nd grader practiced multiplication tables on the Math Evolve app. We worked on this 4D puzzle of Paris one of the older siblings gave us. Read A Wrinkle in Time aloud, and they had their own reading time (The High King and Jim on the Corner. )

They’d earned some play time – indoors, since it was rainy. Madden 13 for the 6th grader and Minecraft – the appeal of which I DO NOT understand – for the 2nd grader. Basketball practice. Home. Dinner. Yahtzee. Bed.

— 6 —

I binge-watched the first season of Homeland last week. I was certainly caught up in it. In the great tradition of binge-watching, yes, I stayed up until 2 am two nights – it’s just a bad idea to put in a disc of a show at 11 pm and say, “I’ll just watch one episode. “ I mean – bad idea.

But ultimately – meh. I got caught up in it, but then afterwards thought, “Why?” I know that themes of identity are supposed to resonate through it, but because of the superficiality of the characterization, I feel they really don’t. I mostly just felt whipped around and a little manipulated. Fiction is hard, whether on paper or on screen. To build suspense and bigger themes organically takes (it seems to me) really careful and deeply thought writing and better acting than Homeland boasts. I ultimately just didn’t care, had no desire to watch the second season – mostly because I didn’t trust the series not to waste my time with red herrings and twists and turns that exist only for their own sake.

— 7 —

Made these this week – gingery, but not to much, just a touch of chocolate. Good and substantial cookies.

Weekend: 2 basketball games, serving at Mass, Cub scout den & pack meetings. Too bad about that whole “no socialization” thing.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

First, prayers, prayers, prayers for Jen Fulwiler and her baby.  And thanks to Hallie for hosting this week.

— 2 —

A whirlwind last few days, full of much driving.  A week ago today, I drove down to south Georgia to hand off the two youngest boys to my sister -in-law who was taking them to FL where they’d spend a few days with Mike’s family.  And then  back. Then college-aged daughter and I spent a lazy weekend back here before heading to Charleston on Monday.  One of my older sons and daughter-in-law live in Charleston, so we spent New Years’ with them, which was very nice.  Went to Mass at the Cathedral, lunch here, and Katie and I stayed here.  Daughter-in-law made a variety of croissants - from scratch - which were patisserie-worthy.  She learned via this website, and highly recommends it.

— 3 —

Now college-aged daughter is winding her way back to school.  I drove down to Florida Wednesday night, spent the night with my good friend Dorothy – didn’t feel bad about crashing because she’s one of my oldest friends so I wouldn’t, but also because Dorothy came and hung out with us in Rome for a week in November – oh, and then drove back up to Birmingham yesterday, all in time for basketball practice last night.  Not me, one of them.

— 4 —

Driving is something I don’t mind.  I even look forward to it, honestly, especially in the present mode of life which involves NEVER BEING ALONE EVER AT ANY TIME EVER AGAIN APPARENTLY.

Ahem.  I don’t even need music.  I can sit and just think and drive for hours at a time, as I did last night.  Sweet.

By the way, my favorite “introvert” search term over the past week was “introvert and houseguests.”

— 5 —

I received this for Christmas:

Tell you why and how.

My kids always want to know what to get me for Christmas.  I always say, “Earrings,” because it’s a legitimate need.  I always need earrings because I always lose them.  Or, more accurately, I always lose one.  If society wouldn’t judge me for wearing mismatched earrings, I’d be fine, but such is not the world we live in, hence I am always in need of earrings.

But it is getting boring and predictable, and this year I had an inspiration when my daughter asked about taking the little boys to get me something.

In Europe, I’d discovered what much of the world already knew about – the electric water kettle. Fell in love with its sweet little quick-boiling self.  So I said, “You take them to Target and sort of navigate them towards small appliances, drop hints, and see what happens.”

It wasn’t unrealistic. I had gone on about those kettles, and they’d heard me.

So they went, and this is how it went down:

(Walking down the aisle, surrounded by blenders and toaster ovens:

D. : So…did Mom ever talk about anything she really liked…in Europe maybe?

J: Well…there were these glass chickens that she liked. 

D: ?????  

(This is the kind of thing he was talking about. Impressive memory.)

D: Well, anyway…oh, look over there.  Coffeemakers.

J:  Mom doesn’t drink coffee.  She drinks tea. Wait! Look!…

..and he picked out the perfect gift, all by himself….

— 6 —

The shingles are better, thank you.  And then two days later, she broke the bone in the tip of her index finger in her very own front door. Idiot. So much for years-long  ”not needing medical care” streak.

— 7 —

Back to school, slowly.  The 2nd grader  reviewed his multiplication tables, and did far better than he’d done before Christmas.  No struggle at all. I guess his brain used that rest very well and did a lot of subconscious work over the past couple of weeks. Brains do that.  Useful lesson for me.  6th grader started a new math chapter, new vocab unit, they watched this video (checked out from the library, your friend)  - even though I hate Disney, in general, I’d read good things about this series, and it was an entertaining review of Newton’s Laws of Motion.   Talk about Reconciliation, about Epiphany…and then a trip to the Birmingham Museum of Art this afternoon to catch the Norman Rockwell exhibit before it closes.  We’ll be a little more organized and thorough next week.   I hope.

For more Quick Takes, visit Moxie Wife.

Read Full Post »

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Finally got the tree up.  As in, yesterday, December 19.  Does that strike you as odd and wildly off-schedule?  Not me.  I look at the FB statuses which celebrated trees being erected Thanksgiving weekend, and I think…if I had done that, I would be sick of it all by now.  I sort of am anyway (in that twenty years ago, I was aghast to hear people – mostly middle-aged women with many years of childrearing behind them – say, “If I never have to put up another Christmas tree again, that’ll be fine with me.”  How could they?  I would think.  Well, now, twenty years later, I’m her, and: This.

Besides, I really do try to do Advent, and while obviously the two aren’t mutually exclusive for many – like for example, the Pope in Rome and his St. Peter’s Square front yard –  for me, in my head, they are.  I like to wait as long as possible.

— 2 —

Anne Engelhart and I finished another book this week, and this time, it’s really all ours.  The previous books have been hers, illustration-wise, but my role has really been minimal, as I’ve acted as more of an editor/agent in the process, since Pope Benedict’s words formed the core of the books. Not this time!  The book is a Christmas-themed story for children, will be published next year, and I’ll have details available in a couple of months once the trade shows start.  I’m really pleased with it.  After Christmas, we’re starting work on another.

Ann’s house – with her permission – contemplating the final stages….

— 3 —

Speaking of children, thanks to someone’s FB post, I discovered this gang out West somewhere who produce “Kid History” and “Kid Snippets.”  Hysterical.  The basic idea is that the grown-ups act out the stories the kids tell.  ”Kid History” involve lore from family history, and Snippets are scenarios the children are asked to ad lib.  My two favorites are below.

“Math Class” will be eerily familiar for any teachers…..

— 4 —

Book club this week was Tinkers by Paul Harding.   Some gorgeous writing and precise description, but to me, was ultimately empty.  The book is about life and death, but I came away thinking that the author doesn’t really much about the import or meaning of either, so while there are passages I want to go back and learn from in terms of writing, the book itself I didn’t find memorable.

— 5 —

School is going well.  I’m going to change it up a bit come January to add more disciplined treatments of writing and science.  More discussion of that after Christmas – any suggestions/advice, add to comments.

— 6 —

Next field trip involves going up to the Florence area to see friends, but in the process seeing the Helen Keller home in Tuscumbia (as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright house and maybe the Indian mound…who knows!

— 7 —

Ah…speaking of Be Saints…here’s what Elizabeth Scalia had to say about it – thanks, Elizabeth!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Read Full Post »