Someone on a local hs loop asked if I'd mentor her daughter who hopes to be a novelist. That conversation led to the idea of a workshop for kids who love to write and have aspirations of being published someday. I got a date, reserved a room, and folks are signing up! I'm so looking forward to it! Here's the website I put together for the class -- I used the software on my new MacBook, and I think it turned out kinda fun. http://web.mac.com/juliekenner/Site/Welcome.html (the cat is my cat Tiger, who is the stereotypical "writer cat;" the pink book is a Russian edition of one of my novels. I have no idea why it was on my desk that day; goodness knows I wasn't reading it.) Another "just had to share" moment

SWB said "The other thing that I am getting increasingly irritated about is the focus on early college admission. Sending your child off to school at 16 (or earlier) is becoming a mark of prestige. Too many parents are using early college admissions to reassure themselves that they've done a good job. "I must have done something right-my kid is 16 and ready to go to college." I really hate this increasing tendency to use early college admissions as a status symbol. I would like to see homeschoolers move more towards taking a gap year, a year off before college. We have this enormous flexibility; why don't we take advantage of it? I have taught college freshmen for almost ten years now, and I can tell which ones are 18 and which ones are 19 without even asking. My 19-year-old freshmen are better organized, they get more sleep, and they are happier. Most of all, they know what they are trying to get out of the experience. Emotional maturity can't be rushed; you simply have to live a certain number of years before you develop it." This is sooo true! I'm already planning (and saving) to do a final year with each dd traveling and reading in depth and exploring the world and their specific interests. I started college when I was barely 17, and was so unprepared emotionally. Academically, I was fine, but the experience was overwhelming and for the first time in my life I just wanted out of school. Tested out as much as I could, blew through, and graduated at 19 without a clue what I wanted to do with my life. Fortunately, I got the bright idea to go to law school, and while I don't believe in regrets (I like my life, and everything in my past built to this point) I do think I would have had a much better college experience if I had kicked back a bit and waited a year to start. Just felt the need to share :)

Granted, I have our macMini hooked up to our flat screen tV, so even small, it's going to be bigger ... BUT, we have it set for Quicktime as a standalone. Then, once the quicktime box opens, I grab the bottom right corner and drag it until it's significantly bigger. You lost some clarity that way, but not as much as I'd expected (and some vids are worse than others). As for the main topic, I love it. I've found a ton of supplemental programs that coincide with our lessons, particularly history and science

Dragonslayers Academy, Bailey School Kids, Judy Moody, Magic School Bus, and any science book she can get her hands on. She loves mysteries and I keep meaning to get Encycl Brown, but haven't done it yet. And she loves the B. Granville Nancy Drew movies, so I figure she'll discover my old collection pretty soon.

and I'm certain I'll like it as I used to download on my old iPaq (which I don't use anymore as an organizational tool, so I don't carry it with me, and since it wasn't THAT great for reading, I haven't kept up with it). I had finished one of the In Death books by J.D. Robb and I wanted the next one right then ... and Amazon had an eBook. So I downloaded, read it on my PDA, and was hooked. Ended up always keeping something on there (lots of Gutenberg stuff). The best, was that I could use it in darkened theaters before movies started -thus my wish for a backlit Kindle. But that was B.C. (before children). Now, it will just be nice to have a book with me -- and I can keep research material on it and annotate! I can't wait for it to arrive!! (and I love that you don't have to have a computer connection to get one. realize you're going to be standing in line at the post office for a year? order a book! I sound like a commercial ...)

Now to wait the umpty-million weeks until it's not back-ordered anymore. I want it nowwwwwwww!

Thanks Amy (and everyone!). I'll start with a new plan in the morning!

I think proximity probably really is key, but you may be right about the work. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

I guess my post does come off sounding like all we do is sit at the table and do academics, but I assure you that's not the case. Today, we built a fort, went to the library, had the Amazing Parade of the Superhero Stuffed Animals, and the girls played a game they made up that had something to do with the couch cushions and the colored counting bears, after which they both got into her Christmas present make-up kit and turned themselves glittery purple. She also lounged on the floor reading and watched Curious George on PBS. We're not lacking for play time/kid time. But the fact is that she does ask for it. She begs to do math and latin and spelling. But then she dawdles. And if I cut it short, she gets irritated because she wants to finish it (and usually wants to do more -- or so she says, but with the dawdle factor, we'd be doing workbooks all day). At the same time, I do think you're right, and perhaps I need to just recognize that the desire is there, the physical ability isn't, and just start out with shorter lessons so she still gets what she (thinks she) wants.

nt

I do the timer, but only with mixed results. Today, for example, she had 9 problems to do. I set the timer for 18 minutes, which I thought was pretty generous! I'm standing about 5 feet away unloading the dishwasher, and she's working, then telling her sister something, then scribbling, then pointing at the cat, then telling her sister something, etc. (I decide not to intervene ... maybe this will be an object lesson. Haha, in my dreams.) The timer goes off. "Have you finished?" (Big, puppy dog eyes): No, Mommy! But I promise I didn't get distracted!!! At which point, I pointed out how she clearly did get distracted. Ended up giving her more time and sitting RIGHT BESIDE her. It may be that RIGHT BESIDE her is my answer. But in past experience if I do that, then she says she needs help (which, actually, she doesn't.) And, selfishly, I don't want to. I want to empty the dishwasher or read Curious George to her little sister. Maybe it's genetic. I'm supposed to be working Right Now. Yet look where I am ....

My dd6 is doing Singapore 2A, and I'm following the HS manual schedule with some modifications. Basically, though, I plan to do an exercise each day. She gets this stuff and when she's not weaving a pencil through a napkin or drawing stars around the edges of her WB, she can get the answers quickly. But dawdle she does ... I've been having us work until the work is done, and then I explainto her why she can't go outside to play with her sister later ("If we'd finished math faster ..."). It's not just math, either. She can dawdle on her SWA page and the Getty-Dubay handwriting pages. This is a kid who can forget she went to her room to get socks. How would y'all handle it?

I wore hard contact lenses as a teen and loved them up through college, but they drive me nuts now (the gas permeable ones) and I haven't worn them in years. I've tried soft contacts, but I have astigmatism in both eyes, and they just don't sit right (I'm VERY picky about the correction; hate even a bit of blur). So, yes, I live with glasses. And I don't really mind. BUT, I've just now hit th point where I need reading glasses when my eyes are tired. I tried progressives and hated them (the reading part is tiny! what's up with that???). I may have to break down and get bifocals or something. Bleah. Have considered Lasik, but I'm too chicken!

I've managed to put on about 10 pounds, all settling in my hips, thighs and rear end, and I cannot seem to get rid of it. I'm determined, though, as my clothes aren't fitting right. My big thing is that I work in the evening after the family is gone to bed, and THAT is when things like Girl Scout cookies tempt me. So my goal is to eat only veggies as late-night snacks ... and lose one pound per week. Julie

I'm dying for one, but they've been back-ordered for over a month now (urgh). Plus, I love to read in bed, and by the time I go to bed, but dh is already asleep by the time I quit working and crash. So I really wish they'd built in an optional "use it if you want it" backlight feature. But it sounds way cool, and it's on my list of must-have gadgets (I short list, I have to say, as I don't even have an ipod yet!)

.0005 seconds on Google confirmed it. Sigh....

I don't know if they are or not, but I wouldn't be surprised. And I was all set to start up with Psych, too. Sigh. If The Shield disappears off iTunes, I just might have to upgrade cable!

We used to regularly watch some shows off iTunes from Bravo, a great thing since we only have Basic cable. But ... (cue music of doom) ... the last time I logged on, Bravo was GONE from iTunes. I googled, but got no scoop. What happened? Anyone in the know? I shall really miss Flipping Out (she confesses, hanging head in shame)

I'm with you ... and I'm not willing to divide my hard drive (or whatever it's called) and run Windows on my Mac. I got away from PCs b/c mine crashed literally every day. 4 solid years with a Mac and No Problems! (just inconveniences like the watch it now thing).

I was adamant that my newly adopted 3yo have the pre-leaving Mommy sedative because of attachment issues. the hospital said they didn't do it. I argued and moaned and asked everyone, and we got the stuff. As a friend said, she would have let dracula carry her back to the OR. Definitely insist on it ... and insist that you are in the recovery room at the first sign that your kiddo is regaining consciousness. It may be icky (the kiddo will still be intubated, and there may be oozing), but it really does help the little ones!

in that I read more than I posted, but I DID post. Been away since before Christmas (long story, involving, in part, an entire cup of coffee dumped on my computer on Christmas day at Disneyland). Returned to find this format and thought Ick! Pooey! But I have to say that it's already growing on me. And what the heck? It was a good time to change my board name.....