What are you thinking about? (For Self Ed wannabes :P)

[Rosie_0801]

Actually *doing* anything is beyond me at the moment, as the sleep deprived mother of a small boy who is constantly being called by the Sirens who live over the hill, or somewhere else he shouldn't be wandering off to.

 

However, I am still thinking. :)

 

Dd and I watched a dvd about the Muslim history of Australia yesterday, and learned there was reason to believe they charted parts of the north coast back in the 10th century!

 

What have you been thinking about?

[regentrude]

When DH and I are driving, we listen to TC lectures. Currently Bach and the High Baroque, our second course with Greenberg whom we adore.

 

I just signed up for Duolingo and am trying to learn some Italian because DS was not content to choose a foreign language I could teach him at beginner level (French, which i did with DD, or Russian, where I had ten years of classes and was fluent )- nope, he wants to study Italian.

 

Lastly, I use the summer where I am off work to try to catch up on some literature. Madame Bovary and Father Goriot are done. have to think about something else.

 

But I can not for my life stick to systematic studies on my own with a book because I get bored, I would need an actual class to *do* work.

[TXMomof4]

I'm running through the Spanish the kids and I learned yesterday. We're taking weekly conversational lessons and I suck at it. The kids are pretty good. I cannot keep it all straight in my head and keep getting mixed up with my hs French. I will persevere!

[meggie]

I've been watching the children's nutrition and the art technique classes on Coursera. I've pretty much given up on ever earning a certificate, but watching videos is easy enough.

 

We also like to get books from the Make It Work series. We just received our photography one today. DH wants to do some projects from them with Digby and he explains a lot of them to me. Those things are always fun to learn about

[PRTGSw2K]

..

Edited July 20, 2016 by PRTGSw2K

[beaners]

At the moment most of my spare reading is devoted to Speech and Sensory issues for my son. That's partially reading for myself too, since his speech therapist has suggested a couple times that I go into the field. (I wish I could!)

 

The rest of my time I've been reading about the Pleistocene.

[Rosie_0801]

When DH and I are driving, we listen to TC lectures. Currently Bach and the High Baroque, our second course with Greenberg whom we adore.

 

Those TC lectures sound awesome. One day, when my kids are old enough to justify it, I'm going to spend lots of money on them. :D

 

But I can not for my life stick to systematic studies on my own with a book because I get bored, I would need an actual class to *do* work.

 

Ah well, if our You-Beaut Professors have this problem, I'll allow my self esteem to climb up a notch!

 

I'm running through the Spanish the kids and I learned yesterday. We're taking weekly conversational lessons and I suck at it. The kids are pretty good. I cannot keep it all straight in my head and keep getting mixed up with my hs French. I will persevere!

 

People who can learn languages are awesome. People who can't and try anyway are too. :D

 

 

I've been watching the children's nutrition and the art technique classes on Coursera. I've pretty much given up on ever earning a certificate, but watching videos is easy enough.

 

I only watch the vids too! (I know my limits!) I'm starting the art technique one today and am running behind on the climate change course.

 

I read ahead in DSs books to refresh my memory. I also try and read books they'll be reading in a few years.

 

Anything interesting? I'm slowly working through Shakespeare wondering if I will ever learn to like it.

 

At the moment most of my spare reading is devoted to Speech and Sensory issues for my son. That's partially reading for myself too, since his speech therapist has suggested a couple times that I go into the field. (I wish I could!)

 

My boy has retained primitive reflexes, so I am learning what I can about sensory stuff too.

[HSDCY]

I have been learning Korean on and off for the past year, not really committing to it. I plan to really make myself do it this summer.

 

I reserved a book called Wheat Belly from the library. I got a bag of einkorn flour at Whole Foods the other day just because it was on sale. Having no knowledge of how to use it and the health benefit of it, I googled it and found a host of websites talking about how bad modern wheat products are. Most of the people sharing their experience referred to how Wheat Belly changed their lives. I am looking forward to reading it.

[xixstar]

I really want to work on a more advanced learning in nutrition and wellness. There is a school here that has a Masters in Nutrition and Integrative Health that I think has the 'right' approach to health/wellness and all. I'd really love to attend there, but that's not really in the cards. So I've been thinking about how to work out my own program but so far I'm dragging feet.

 

I feel like I'm well read in lots of more current issues and politics on food, but it lacks the peer reviewed aspect I'm so used to consulting in my previous researching days.

 

Perhaps I could just flesh out the practical steps to these objectives a bit: http://www.tai.edu/nutgoals.aspx

[beaners]

 

My boy has retained primitive reflexes, so I am learning what I can about sensory stuff too.

 

Ooooh! That reminds me! I remember you posting something about pain meds during labor and delivery possibly contributing to that. I was given some type of narcotic within an hour of this son being born, and I keep wanting to ask you where you had read about the connection between the two.

[elegantlion]

Right now I'm doing two Coursera classes. Physics with ds and archaeology for me. I'm also going through the trial of the Big History Project, in the midst of a 4 hour GIS class (which I've drawn out over 2 weeks), and insanely try to plan next school year while I'm also looking for a job. It's 9:30pm and I just made some coffee. I have some long nights ahead.

[Jen in NY]

Thanks to someone on this board, I signed up for the "Finance" Coursera course, which is so far really good.

 

I've asked my dad (econ prof) to help me think about our retirement plan, so he sent me two books:

 

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

 

and

 

Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett which is long enough that I will probably reach retirement age before I finish it. :huh:

 

I got the much shorter: The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John Bogle out of the library. : )

 

 

Also, just got asked to teach the beginner trumpet players in my district for the summer... (yippee!!!), so I am reviewing my bag of beginning trumpet tricks. I'm so happy about this opportunity and cannot wait to meet my crop of newly minted 11 yo trumpet players!! :laugh:

[Beth in Mint Hill]

I'm excited about a new book that I just started: The Classical Trivium--the recently published Phd thesis of Marshall McLuhan! Yes, the Marshall McLuhan of "the medium is the message" fame. Back in the 1930s or 40s he was studying at Cambridge and became fascinated with the Trinity and the Trivium. He did his dissertation on the history of the trivium. But his thesis was never published until just a few years ago!

 

Its truly for language nerds. It is a work that you can really sink your mental teeth into - I love it!

[Jen in NY]

I have been learning Korean on and off for the past year, not really committing to it. I plan to really make myself do it this summer.

 

I reserved a book called Wheat Belly from the library. I got a bag of einkorn flour at Whole Foods the other day just because it was on sale. Having no knowledge of how to use it and the health benefit of it, I googled it and found a host of websites talking about how bad modern wheat products are. Most of the people sharing their experience referred to how Wheat Belly changed their lives. I am looking forward to reading it.

 

My husband read this book and gave up gluten almost immediately. He feels much better!!

[justamouse]

I am thinking about diving back into Don Quixote again, I had no idea Cervantes was in the Battle of Lepanto and that he was written into GK Chesteron's poem. So. That upped my curiosity factor about him.

 

I've also started brushing up on my French. Which was non existent, so I'm thinking of pouring that energy into Portuguese.

[justamouse]

I'm excited about a new book that I just started: The Classical Trivium--the recently published Phd thesis of Marshall McLuhan! Yes, the Marshall McLuhan of "the medium is the message" fame. Back in the 1930s or 40s he was studying at Cambridge and became fascinated with the Trinity and the Trivium. He did his dissertation on the history of the trivium. But his thesis was never published until just a few years ago!

 

Its truly for language nerds. It is a work that you can really sink your mental teeth into - I love it!

 

 

*fingersinears*

 

A generous boardie passed that onto me and it's sitting on my shelf and I know I need to read it....

[Rosie_0801]

 

Ooooh! That reminds me! I remember you posting something about pain meds during labor and delivery possibly contributing to that. I was given some type of narcotic within an hour of this son being born, and I keep wanting to ask you where you had read about the connection between the two.

 

The only connection I'm aware of is that some drugs speed up the birthing process and it is the speed, not the drug itself, that can cause these problems. Our paediatric chiro said retained reflexes are more common with those born by c-section, but with ds, second stage labour lasted about 5 minutes, so he didn't get much more of the squeezes than a c-section kiddie would.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I've been watching the children's nutrition and the art technique classes on Coursera. I've pretty much given up on ever earning a certificate, but watching videos is easy enough.

I've been taking a class on Health and Nutrition from Coursera. I can't see myself earning a certificate either. I'd love to be in-person in classes like this. I've borrowed Michael Moss' Salt Sugar Fat from the library for the second time (14 day book with a waiting list). I don't know how much I'll get through in this 14 days. I'd much rather be in-person in a classroom.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I am thinking about diving back into Don Quixote again, I had no idea Cervantes was in the Battle of Lepanto and that he was written into GK Chesteron's poem. So. That upped my curiosity factor about him.

 

I've also started brushing up on my French. Which was non existent, so I'm thinking of pouring that energy into Portuguese.

 

We're almost like twins! LOL, I am reading Don Quixote right now. He's quite quirky, but the book is slow-going for me. I picked up a copy of the Well Educated Mind and that was first on the list. I'm going to work my way through the classics. Something I've never been able to do before.

 

Great thread, Rosie!

[Sunshine State Sue]

My husband read this book and gave up gluten almost immediately. He feels much better!!

After reading Wheat Belly and Ultra Mind Solution, I decided to give up gluten for 6 weeks. I felt mentally sharper. When I added it back in, I got noticeably more forgetful. I am now gluten-free at home. I try to be gluten-free when I eat away from home, but I don't make myself (too) crazy about it. While I am far from photographic memory land, my memory has definitely improved.

 

My mother passed away at age 87 after suffering with dementia for 5 years. :crying:

[Cindy in Indy]

Those TC lectures sound awesome. One day, when my kids are old enough to justify it, I'm going to spend lots of money on them. :D

 

 

 

My library carries many TC lectures on CD. I save a lot of money by checking them out instead of purchasing them. Bach and the High Baroque is one of my favorites! Perhaps you can check your library?

[Rosie_0801]

My library carries many TC lectures on CD. I save a lot of money by checking them out instead of purchasing them. Bach and the High Baroque is one of my favorites! Perhaps you can check your library?

 

If you blinked, you'd miss my library. They don't even have a documentary about the solar system.

 

 

The other thing I'm thinking about atm is lichen. Dd did a journal page entry about it several weeks ago and we've had rains since. Now the stuff actually looks alive! I like lichen. Don't know why. It's just one of those things that are happy about life.

[MomatHWTK]

I signed up for several old Coursera courses and some of the new ones. I'm watching the one on mythology, the new archeology one and the Technicity one, among others. I just watch bits and pieces. I have found for that many of the lecturers, the first few sessions are way to boring to keep my attention- they talk far too long about what they are going to teach and how they will teach it. Some of the instructors are also way too enthused about how many people are participating. Yes, I know there are a lot of us, now get on with the lecture.

 

Some of the lecturers are not ready for prime time just yet, but others have been very interesting to watch. I also use TC videos and audios- but Udacity and Coursera have them beat for price. ;)

[regentrude]

Ah well, if our You-Beaut Professors have this problem, I'll allow my self esteem to climb up a notch!

 

Rosie, I could learn anything from a book if I had to (if I had to teach a new class in the fall, I'd be fine studying books.)

It's for stuff I only want to learn for fun where I have trouble motivating myself to stick with a book or online course. I am an

extreme extrovert and learn best in live classes with other students. I will take a music history class in the fall, just because, and I am pretty sure I will do very well with that. But sitting at home studying by myself? Not for me - unless there was a compelling reason, like actually getting a degree.

[MIch elle]

I really want to work on a more advanced learning in nutrition and wellness. There is a school here that has a Masters in Nutrition and Integrative Health that I think has the 'right' approach to health/wellness and all. I'd really love to attend there, but that's not really in the cards. So I've been thinking about how to work out my own program but so far I'm dragging feet.

 

 

Have you seen Michael Mosley's exercise & food shows on PBS? Really interesting - here's one: http://vimeo.com/64046221

[radiobrain]

I have signed up for every interesting free online class possible, and rarely get a chance to watch them.

 

Still trying to get through the Genetics & Evolution class w/ Prof. Noor, but he's in the part that makes my brain say "GAHH!"

 

I THINK all the time. If I could DO anything I think of, that would be awesome.

[TCB]

I've been relearning Algebra 1 with dd13, but she really prefers to self teach and doesn't enjoy me tagging along. However, she needs me to help at times so I'm going to have to try learning ahead for a while and see if this works better.

The 2 of us have been enjoying the TC series "My Favorite Universe" together though.

I really need to read more classic literature in preparation for lit discussions in the next year or two.

[Mnemosyne]

Thanks to someone on this board, I signed up for the "Finance" Coursera course, which is so far really good.

 

I've asked my dad (econ prof) to help me think about our retirement plan, so he sent me two books:

 

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

 

and

 

Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett which is long enough that I will probably reach retirement age before I finish it. :huh:

 

I got the much shorter: The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John Bogle out of the library. : )

 

 

Also, just got asked to teach the beginner trumpet players in my district for the summer... (yippee!!!), so I am reviewing my bag of beginning trumpet tricks. I'm so happy about this opportunity and cannot wait to meet my crop of newly minted 11 yo trumpet players!! :laugh:

 

Gautam is great! I loved his class when I took it.

 

Graham and Bogle are good too, they are very good people to learn from. Bogleheads.org may give you some good advice too, once you have a basic plan together.

 

I've been reading a psychology book called Thinking, Fast and Slow and studying brain psychology lately.

[flyingiguana]

I have signed up for every interesting free online class possible, and rarely get a chance to watch them.

 

Still trying to get through the Genetics & Evolution class w/ Prof. Noor, but he's in the part that makes my brain say "GAHH!"

 

I THINK all the time. If I could DO anything I think of, that would be awesome.

 

Is that course currently available? When I signed up, all I got directed to was one that starts Jan 2014.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I'm down to 3 Coursera classes right now: mythology, Climate Change & Archaeology. I really should be reading ahead on the books I've got planned for dd next year - but I'm detouring on Hemingway. My book group just did A Moveable Feast, and it inspired me to read Hemingway, which I've somehow skipped all these years after having been forced to read The Old Man in the Sea in junior high and hating it . . . I'm reading The Sun Also Rises right now, and planning on reading A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls this summer. We'll be doing modern history next year, so this is prep, right??

 

I'm also doing various math things to get ready for dd's dive into PreA - reading AoPS books and banging my head against Alcumus, mostly.

 

I'm thinking a lot about next year's teaching - modern history for dd10, and world geography/lit/ecology&habitat studies for dd7. I'm kinda nervous, both about "teaching two" and about teaching her, specifically, so I'm trying to get a lot more organized lesson planning done this summer, feeling less able to wing it like I could do with 1 child.

 

Hmm, what else - we just got a community garden plot, so I'm thinking about what to plant there for a fall garden.

 

I'm thinking about teaching writing, and reading a lot of books about that.

 

I'm thinking a lot about climate change stuff, both for my work and because of the coursera class, and reading up on various topics.

 

I'm trying not to think about the fact that the orthodontist just told us that dd10 needs $6500 worth of orthodontia, which we can't afford . . .

[Rosie_0801]

Is that course currently available? When I signed up, all I got directed to was one that starts Jan 2014.

 

 

No, it isn't. There is a Useful Genetics course available though.

[Rosie_0801]

The kids and I were watching a BBC doco about the Pacific tonight. There was some *amazing* footage of larva flowing in Hawaii, and, well, amazing footage of a whole lot of things. It made this fabulous piece of bush I live in look kind of drab in comparison. If there is any naturally occurring aqua, I've never seen it! But there was also a section on tuna fishing, so for your information:

 

Couldn't find one for the US

Canned Tuna Guide Canada

Canned Tuna Guide UK

Canned Tuna Guide Australia

[Laura Corin]

I just started working on diagramming. It's not for any particular purpose - I just thought it would be fun. Calvin thinks I have an odd idea of fun (says the boy who is seriously considering studying Anglo Saxon and Norse literature at university).

 

I listen to an episode of In Our Time most weeks - I can feel my horizons widen as I listen. This is the link to history, but there are podcasts for other areas of thought.

 

L

[MtnMama]

I'm reading WEM and planning future reading based on the WEM/WTM book lists. I'm thinking of reading chronologically using History of the Medieval World as a spine. I'm hoping to start this summer, and figure it will take me years and years to complete. It's my own personal quest, and it's currently occupying all my spare brain capacity :).

[Rosie_0801]

Calvin thinks I have an odd idea of fun (says the boy who is seriously considering studying Anglo Saxon and Norse literature at university).

 

Ha. I have a friend with that sort of idea of fun. She studied Old Norse at one stage, researches historical costumes in the Baltic area to the point where she has acquired a cyber fan club, has recreated a medieval Korean costume and all this while studying the reproductive habits of fungi as a day job. Not sure how she does that, but it involves dissecting a lot of kangaroo poo. I think she'd like your Calvin. :)

[SEGway]

We did SOTW2 this year and the time period piqued my interest. Thanks to recommendations here, I looked for and scored some good ebay deals on TTC Daileader audios, so I've been cycling through those during kitchen-working times for the last few months. They're really interesting to me. My oldest even has enough background info to enjoy them a bit, too (when she wanders in and out as I make supper).

 

I like hearing what everyone else is up to, too. :)

[Rosie_0801]

We went road tripping on Monday to see some aboriginal rock art. I was disappointed, because it was so faded I could hardly see anything, but dd got the gist of it. My brother and I are now plotting to add a side trip to our seasonal nature study tours to see a better example. I am very excited about this. Couldn't afford to do it without him, the wonderful chap.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I'm down to 3 Coursera classes right now: mythology, Climate Change & Archaeology. I really should be reading ahead on the books I've got planned for dd next year - but I'm detouring on Hemingway. My book group just did A Moveable Feast, and it inspired me to read Hemingway, which I've somehow skipped all these years after having been forced to read The Old Man in the Sea in junior high and hating it . . . I'm reading The Sun Also Rises right now, and planning on reading A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls this summer. We'll be doing modern history next year, so this is prep, right??

 

I'm also doing various math things to get ready for dd's dive into PreA - reading AoPS books and banging my head against Alcumus, mostly.

 

I'm thinking a lot about next year's teaching - modern history for dd10, and world geography/lit/ecology&habitat studies for dd7. I'm kinda nervous, both about "teaching two" and about teaching her, specifically, so I'm trying to get a lot more organized lesson planning done this summer, feeling less able to wing it like I could do with 1 child.

 

Hmm, what else - we just got a community garden plot, so I'm thinking about what to plant there for a fall garden.

 

I'm thinking about teaching writing, and reading a lot of books about that.

 

I'm thinking a lot about climate change stuff, both for my work and because of the coursera class, and reading up on various topics.

 

I'm trying not to think about the fact that the orthodontist just told us that dd10 needs $6500 worth of orthodontia, which we can't afford . . .

 

 

You have an amazingly full intellectual plate!

[Georgiana Daniels]

I just started working on diagramming. It's not for any particular purpose - I just thought it would be fun. Calvin thinks I have an odd idea of fun (says the boy who is seriously considering studying Anglo Saxon and Norse literature at university).

 

I listen to an episode of In Our Time most weeks - I can feel my horizons widen as I listen. This is the link to history, but there are podcasts for other areas of thought.

 

L

 

 

Do you actually DO some of the diagramming? We're just starting this too, and I kind of wanted to diagram alongside my daughter but never took the next obvious step.

[GWOB]

When I am finally done with caring for my dying father, I plan on doing a few Coursera courses, beefing up (and, ahem, actually watching/listening to) my TC collection, probably getting around to reading Charlotte Mason's words rather than someone's interpretation of her ideas, possibly actually learning Algebra even though I always made As in my math classes, and finding good resources about being a good teacher. My oldest will be in 8th grade. I really need to buckle down and focus this year. I want to give all my kids the best of myself, so I'm hoping to really improve my knowledge base and teaching skills.

[Rosie_0801]

 

Do you actually DO some of the diagramming? We're just starting this too, and I kind of wanted to diagram alongside my daughter but never took the next obvious step.

 

 

I've seen people on here talk about diagramming being fun and I caught a *slight* glimpse of that before I had to give up my grammar studies. Don't ask my why it can be fun because I don't know, I just know it can be. :p

[meggie]

Rosie gave me a nudge to come back and post some more :D

 

All my thoughts today haven't really been high reaching. I went to a gluten free cooking class at the Bosch Kitchen center. The lady who taught is not as good as the one who used to teach. She made bread and pancakes. And all I could think were, "The GF bread and pancakes I make are better than these." But that seemed rude to think, so I just smiled and nodded a lot. And ended up buying a cutting guide for homemade bread. Dh was less than thrilled, but he's not the one cutting all that GF bread, now is he?!

 

Also, on Lexi's blog, I saw a review for Mystie's book. (those are both the sn of people on this forum. I just don't know them personally) So I bought the book. It's about using your tablet as a home organization binder. Oh my freaking heck. My tablet was of major use to me before. Now it's even better. I highly recommend it. I got it off Amazon for the Kindle. Here it is for anyone interested. I am so not technologically savvy, but I'm floundering my way through to get some basics and even that is incredibly helpful. So that's on my mind. I'm also using her tips to organize my lesson plans on Evernote. I have one notebook dedicated to SOTW. I have a note for each chapter. I'm going to put all of the project ideas from Pinterest on there. All the books from the library that I want to use for those chapters. That way I can add or delete the good and the bad and have a record for when we do this again with Digby and Chuck.

[Rosie_0801]

I still wish I could work out a way to enjoy Shakespeare...

[Georgiana Daniels]

 

I've seen people on here talk about diagramming being fun and I caught a *slight* glimpse of that before I had to give up my grammar studies. Don't ask my why it can be fun because I don't know, I just know it can be. :p

 

 

It really appeals to my logical side, despite the fact that my logical side is my smallest side ;)

[Georgiana Daniels]

Rosie gave me a nudge to come back and post some more :D

 

All my thoughts today haven't really been high reaching. I went to a gluten free cooking class at the Bosch Kitchen center. The lady who taught is not as good as the one who used to teach. She made bread and pancakes. And all I could think were, "The GF bread and pancakes I make are better than these." But that seemed rude to think, so I just smiled and nodded a lot. And ended up buying a cutting guide for homemade bread. Dh was less than thrilled, but he's not the one cutting all that GF bread, now is he?!

 

Also, on Lexi's blog, I saw a review for Mystie's book. (those are both the sn of people on this forum. I just don't know them personally) So I bought the book. It's about using your tablet as a home organization binder. Oh my freaking heck. My tablet was of major use to me before. Now it's even better. I highly recommend it. I got it off Amazon for the Kindle. Hereit is for anyone interested. I am so not technologically savvy, but I'm floundering my way through to get some basics and even that is incredibly helpful. So that's on my mind. I'm also using her tips to organize my lesson plans on Evernote. I have one notebook dedicated to SOTW. I have a note for each chapter. I'm going to put all of the project ideas from Pinterest on there. All the books from the library that I want to use for those chapters. That way I can add or delete the good and the bad and have a record for when we do this again with Digby and Chuck.

 

 

I'll have to check it out because now I'm curious how Evernote works like that. I thought it was cool when I first checked it out but then never really made use of it.

[meggie]

I still wish I could work out a way to enjoy Shakespeare...

 

 

Glad I'm not the only one. I find Shakespeare really boring

 

 

I'll have to check it out because now I'm curious how Evernote works like that. I thought it was cool when I first checked it out but then never really made use of it.

 

 

Before I got the book, I'd been frustrated to the point of making pages for it in my notebook. Maybe I'll make a little video demonstrating how I use it and post it on FB. I'm a visual person, so while reading Mystie's book is helping me figure some stuff out, it's really really taking a concentrated effort to do so. Videos would be so much better.

[Rosie_0801]

Glad I'm not the only one. I find Shakespeare really boring

 

 

I'm not finding it boring, exactly. It's more that he and I don't share a sense of humour, so I find his comedies unamusing at best or insulting at worst. The only history I have read so far was of a period I was a little too familiar with, so there wasn't anything to grab me. But I'm not finished yet. There may be more :) The BBC Classics version of Midsummer Nights Dream is so good it makes me forget I don't like the story. :)

[dangermom]

I have some different things going on.

 

We got two cool things from TC--a physics course for 12yo's 8th grade science, which I need to watch and prep with, and for all of us, Filippenko's course on the whole universe. I heart Filippenko. Haven't watched much yet, but I'm hoping to spend some time this summer watching it and bouncing on the mini-tramp to get a little exercise in. I need to prep the whole physics thing, but I'm taking June off homeschooling; it's necessary for my mental health!

 

My big thing these days is my book blog and its attending reading. I do reading challenges and stuff, it's great. About a year ago I joined an online 'club' for reading the classics, and I tell you what, it has been wonderful. The challenge level of my reading has gone way up, I'm getting so much out of it and enjoying it, and I have people to share it with. We do group events as well as personal goals, so for example somebody is hosting a June event for 18th century lit and another person is doing the Beat writers. I've done two but I tend to choose exhausting projects (I know, I'll write about little-known classics in children's literature 3 times a week for a month!).

 

(In theory I do Robin's 52 Books in 52 Weeks but for some reason this year I've fallen down on the posting-on-the-thread part. Bad me. I want to!)

 

ETA: I try to do Khan academy over the summer, but that's hard to do. I already spend too much time on the computer. This week I'm trying to focus on Doing Other Things.

[Laura Corin]

 

Do you actually DO some of the diagramming? We're just starting this too, and I kind of wanted to diagram alongside my daughter but never took the next obvious step.

 

 

Yes, I'm doing it. My sons are too busy at the moment to do it, so it's just me on my own. I hope to interest them in it later.....

 

L

[Nan in Mass]

I'm a discouraging number of hours into my 10,000 hours of painting lol. I'm learning to make a website (so I can display the paintings). I'm learning something about elder care. I am working on learning my state homeschooling laws so I can make my sons' graduation documents as official as possible. And as usual, I am working on foreign languages. At the moment, I am trying to do some Spanish. I finished a year of cc classes almost exactly a year ago and it is evaporating fast. Summer is when I usually have the energy to read some French, as well. I am trying hard to get back to practising guitar. That pretty much disappeared when I began homeschooling high school and I miss it dreadfully. Missing it doesn't seem to make it any easier to actually pick up the guitar and do some each day. Mostly, I am wandering around stunned by the idea that I have exactly three days left of homeschooling.

 

Nan