Ah... but that was before gas was $4 a gallon. I heard the latest numbers for all the US automakers yesterday... huge drops. And so many people around here drive hybrids, or want to. GM just wasn't willing to be ahead of the curve, and WAS willing to take the payoff from big oil.

I have some friends who are in that movie a couple of times... they had an EV1, and now have an electric SUV. They bought it for around $40,000, but could sell it used for $80,000! Amazing, huh? We actually tried to buy an EV1. We signed up at our local Saturn dealer (they were the retail outlet) and were told that demand was so high, there was no chance we'd ever get one. There were over 5000 names on the waiting list at their dealership alone! Within two years GM pulled the plug and scrapped the cars... because they claimed there was no demand. Huh? What about the huge waiting list at our dealer? I bet they are kicking themselves now!

"We finished both Minimus and the sequel Secundus, and we really enjoyed them both. They gave my son a great feeling about Latin -- that he "knew" Latin, that he could understand Latin, and that he liked Latin. Can't beat that!" We're doing Minimus right now as a follow up to PL (and part of LCI). Mostly we chose it because it is fun, colorful, and does exactly this... gives the "feel" of reading actual texts. My ds is young, but a strong reader, and it is just his speed... I'm hoping to finish Secundus next year and then move on to Latin Prep. I also suggest getting the teacher's manual. It does include the translations of the texts, background information on Roman culture/society for each chapter (my favorite part!), the answers to questions. There are also suggested activities, many of which are classroom based, and activity sheets with coloring, cut and paste, games, crafts etc. Also, there is explanation of the grammar (not included in the student text) and vocabulary lists (also not in the student text), as well as extra vocabulary. The CDs also get listened to a lot here... I like having the additional reinforcement of pronounciation. It is expensive, but maybe you live near someone you could share one with?

Ok... you must have much bigger bathrooms than we do. In our case, positions would very definately come into the conversation. There's barely room to stand in there, and certainly not, well.... the mind wanders.

That's so sweet! How lovely to have such a great son!

So I've been talking to my ds 6. He says he sees letters in different colors. I've asked him a few times this morning, and his answers are consistent: A is purple, B is black, O is blue, I is white, I remember. He says he sees the letters in those colors when he reads words. Now THAT I think it weird.... maybe it's why he spells so well?

Since you just did Italy, I'd focus on northern Europe. Oslo is fantastic for medieval history (I used to live there). Akershus and the Viking ship museum are not to be missed. I actually think Germany is wonderful for that period... there are so many lovely castles. The older ones tend to be smaller, but you can look around--I can't ever remember the name of my favorite. It even had underground passages carved out of the solid rock it sat on that you toured by flashlight--Awesome! How about a castle cruise on the Rhine? And Heidelburg! Gotta go there! Paris is always good (and the Louvre!). I've always wanted to see the catacombs there, and I think my dss would be really into that--macabre enough for them! I'm so envious! Our budget runs more to armchair travel these days.... hmph. Tell us what you decide!

I faced the same with my oldest ds... did we keep on trying to "teach" phonics, or just move on? We decided to drop phonics before K and just start on spelling. Didn't hurt him... he has moved ahead several grades of reading level this year alone with no phonics instruction at all. I think kids who are natural readers probably don't need the intensive phonics rules (ducking tomatoes). Now my second ds, looks like we're going to be doing phonics for a while yet!

Basically, we pay only 40% of the published tuition. The application "process" was to send in financial info (I think I faxed a pay stub), and we were approved the next day. If you had other circumstances besides income and really want to give them a try, you could call and ask--I've found them to be super nice and helpful. At the elementary level, each child has an advisor who emails them weekly with comments and a list of any problems they didn't get correct, etc. EPGY does require an admissions process in advance, and you need some sort of test results to demonstrate your child's math "giftedness" or acceleration, so that's the first step. You can check their web site to see what they accept. It isn't for everyone, but EPGY has been such a blessing here!

I'm not sure if this is really "synesthesia", but I do taste music, particularly instrumental music. Certain pitches or instruments have different "flavors"--strings are citrusy (the higher the pitch, usually the more sour), except for bass which is sort of cherry. Woodwinds are more herbal-y--can be licorice or peppermint or methol. Etc. I don't generally notice it in music with many instruments playing, but solo instruments will set off powerful flavors. OK, now this is too weird... found this on wikipedia: "In spatial-sequence, or number form synesthesia, numbers, months of the year, and/or days of the week elicit precise locations in space (for example, 1980 may be "farther away" than 1990), or may have a (three-dimensional) view of a year as a map (clockwise or counterclockwise)." Wait, doesn't EVERYONE have some sort of mental spacial map of time? How do you picture years, decades, centuries? For example, any given year starts on the lower left, and proceed clockwise to the right, ending with December, which is connected to the next January directly above it. I realize it isn't really that way, nor would I expect anyone else's to look like mine, but how can you "see" your calendar if you don't have a mental map? Same with numbers... how do you think of them if you don't have some sort of mental map? I had some idea that the other was unusual, but had never even heard of this being odd! Seriously?

We started with Singapore (which I liked and will use with younger ds) and supplemented with Miquon... but EPGY has been a huge hit with my son. I originally checked it out because of recommendations on the old accelerated board. While ds was fine with Singapore, math wasn't a favorite... now he begs to do math every day, often will do multiple lessons a day if I let him. EPGY math is online through Stanford. My ds loves computers, so I think that is a big draw... but it doesn't look like a video game. There are no cute decorative illustrations or animations, no frills, and the voice is obviously a math professor, not an actor. Other than the "math races" that pop up every time you log on, which are pretty primative graphically, there isn't a game aspect at all. Just challenging math problems that move at his own pace. I never would have pegged my ds for a math head, but EPGY has really allowed him to find his own comfort zone, far ahead of what I would have thought. I love that it automatically adjusts to his ability. If he is successful with problems, he moves on. If he isn't, he has to practice more. He's done almost two years of math this year, and has learned amazingly much... even with us taking a lot of time off. If we hadn't switched, we'd probably still be plodding along worrying whether or not he had "covered" everything if we were teaching him using any textbooks. It is thorough, deep, and he is learning so much. It isn't cheap, and we aren't rich... but we do get good financial aid and the results have really been worth it. If you have a child who is mathematically inclined, EPGY is just fantastic.

5 Most influential British Authors: Shakespeare Austen Dickens Wells Christie 5 Most influential American Authors Melville Poe Twain Steinbeck Hemingway 5 Most influential Inventors: Guttenburg Whitney Edison Oppenheimer Farnsworth I wanted to include James Joyce somewhere as well, but he's Irish. Dh and I had a long Tesla vs. Edison discussion... so that was a close one too.

Oldest ds K (last year): First Language Lessons 1/2 SWO A, started B HWT -- K Printing Singapore 1A, 1B, started EPGY Prima Latina, started LC 1 Basic Bible Online Art history/music history survey World geography focus (used GTG and other resources) Oldest ds 1 (this year): GWG 3 SWO C, started D HWT -- 1st grade printing Copywork LC 1 (quit), switched to Minimus, Secundus Read alouds--ancient classics SOTW 1 Memoria Press D'Aulaires Study EPGY Math online REAL Science Life Artistic Pursuits Youngest ds K (next year): Explode the Code HWT -- K Printing Singapore Earlybird K, moving into 1A as needed start FLL 1 (midyear maybe?) Explorers Bible Study Drawing with Children World geography focus (using GTG and other resources) Being Mr. Big-Ears and listening on all his older brother's stuff as desired (SOTW II, etc.)

"It's not that we argue or don't speak to one another or anything of that nature, it's just that we're not close. Our relationship is not deep. She is very much willing to help me if I need something, and she loves seeing the kids and buying them things or taking them places. We just are such different people that we don't connect on a deeper level." I can totally relate to this... Let me share a story (sit back and get comfy, this is long). Seven years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. I was 30 years old, and for years had worried about these same issues. My mom and I got along, didn't argue (much), she always bought me things...but we just didn't connect on a deeper level. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I might have a daughter, and would have the same emotionally distant relationship with her I had with my mom. So I invited her to go with me on a retreat. Yep. Seven days at an isolated monastery in New Mexico. It was totally my sort of thing--Gregorian chant, grand silence, beautiful scenery. A place for spiritual centering and deep connection to God. I had been planning on going with a friend from church, the friend had to cancel, so I asked my mom. I figured--just us! Time to talk authentically in a place of true serenity. Well, after two days things had come to a boil. My mom had tried to chat in a friendly way with all the other guests and monks during meals (instead of maintaining silence, and was even rebuked gently by the abbot after about the 100th time), didn't understand the appeal of a simple room with a single bed, desk, and view of the river, and just wanted to sleep late (never made it to the chapel at 3am, or 5am, or 9am...). In our free time, I wanted to delve into every issue we'd ever faced, explore our differences and come to a true resolution--she just wanted to chat about the new baby. My frustration grew and grew and we ended up having a blow-up argument, the end of which went something like this: Me: "But we never communicate! All you want to do is be.. pleasant!" Mom: "But that is communicating!" Me: "No, we never connect, we are family, but not inimate!" Mom: "Yes we are! What do you think intimacy is, anyway?" Me: (long pause) "Intimacy is saying what is in your heart... saying what is real, authentic and true without regard as to whether or not it is pleasant." Mom: (long pause) "Well... by that standard, I've never been intimate with anyone!" Suddenly it all became clear. I went for a long walk alone, and came back and said: "Let's get out of here and go stay in a fancy hotel in Santa Fe." We did. We packed up, left the stark but beautiful monastery (my thing), and headed down to Santa Fe to enjoy massages, shopping and fancy dinners on her dime. We both had a great time. Because I finally figured it out. My mom just can't do intimacy the way I want. She isn't trying not to connect with me, she is simply not capable of the kind of connection I want. She really has NEVER had that kind of relationship with anyone, not me, not her husband, no one. She isn't made that way. While I long to go deep, delve in, get real... she doesn't, can't, is happy on the surface. She isn't avoiding the issue when she calls and talks about everyday things, that is how she talks to everyone. I want to talk about feelings and get real, she smiles, and nods, and misses the point. Since then, we talk all the time. I make a point to call her a couple of times a week, she calls me about the same. We go long times talking every day on the phone. We talk about the kids, her work, my work, dieting, exercising, our health... small talk. I've embraced her for who she is and how she can relate and we are closer than we have ever been. I know now that the "problems" were all about me. I had to let go of my dream mom, my ideal relationship, and have relationship with the mom I've been given in the way she is able to be. Is it perfect? No. Is it the type of relationship I hope for with my own children? Not really. But I hope that now I'll have the wisdom to accept them at the level that works for them, not focus on my own demands, even if their personality is about being pleasant, surface, and not as "deep" as I would care for. Because I sure don't want to miss out with them for as long as I did with my mom...

Yep! But we see pretty much everything that is child appropriate. After several years with littles who were too young to go to the movies, it is such a luxury... back before we had kids, we'd see movies a couple of times a week.

I don't usually reply to myself... but with my avatar... there is just something strange about imagining Elizabeth Bennet strolling through Pemberley and saying, "Frakkin' cylons... frakkin' toasters..." With Colonel Tigh's voice, of course.

I'm with you, Abbey... I'm enjoying this season more than last. But I must admit... I want some reveal! Tie up those loose ends! Tell me who the frakkin' cylon is! Come on, it's the last season... I want payoff! Dh keeps reminding me that it is early in the season, but I want my buffalo now.

Ok, I'm back on the board to check... how are you doing? It's now LOST time here, so it must be way past in your area. I hope you and yours are well, and have gone blissfully to sleep... take care!

I agree. It was fine when my ds was very young, but even then we had to condense, move faster, skip. Still, I think he got a good grounding before we started GWG3 this year--which we love. For our next, I think I'll try FLL again (since we have it), and depending on how it goes maybe move to GWG 1/2. Younger ds loves to write, so I think he'll enjoy more of a workbook approach.

Yes. You are suspect. The secret board police are coming. And marathon running dairy farmers are the first on the list, if you know what I mean. :D

I happen to agree with Flock of Sillies... I think any system that allows people to make anonymous negative comments only seen by that person is really pointless. What is the point of being able to send mean comments and not sign your name? Customer satisfaction ratings are public, and include an explanation of why they were given... that I understand. This is ONLY meant to criticize one individual privately and anonymously. Would you send an anonymous critical letter to someone -- negative rep (unsigned) is the same thing. But I'm not in a stew over it either. I've been following this thread mainly because it just boggles me that people feel so passionately about it. What I don't understand is why there is so much defensiveness about this issue. Beansprouts, you wrote... "In fact, I find the accusation to be very hurtful." I'm really confused by that... I think you said above that you don't send anonymous negative rep, so why does the comment bother you? I don't think Peek is slurring the "women of the board" in general, just certain types of behavior. I've been around here for six years, and I don't feel insulted. Peek has been here longer that that, I'm pretty certain. Women of the board, certainly. I'm just confused. Of course, I don't give out neg rep. And I haven't gotten any yet either... (will I be editing this soon?)

We did Prima Latina and the first half of Latina Christiana... and at that point ds was just plain bored! We switched to Minimus (now Minimus Secundus) for this year, and it has been great... he loves the stories, the colorful pictures, etc. I like the inclusion of actual archeological and mythological Roman content as well. I think we'll be moving on to Latin Prep, eventually aiming for Cambridge. Maybe it's just a British think, ya know?

Ummm... a few minutes ago? I got paid today, and our "cutting back" is that we only eat out once a pay period... OK, sometimes twice. But it was "kids eat free" night at Maria's Italian Kitchen, and that's our favorite place!

So we drove by on our way home from dinner... and there were 100 or more people in line at both stores we passed. But to keep with the spirit of the day, we did stop and buy ice cream and cones at the grocery store for later... if you want to head to BR tonight, you've still got time to make it (even on the east coast)!

I'm another who won't give neg rep... if something was that offensive, I'd reply and sign my name. I sign my name to positive rep too, for the most part!