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Livin' the Good Life
Nov. 20th, 2009
11:50 am - Another Martinmas Come and Gone
This year our Martinmas celebration was the best ever! I say that because it went off extra-smoothly and had a nice companionable feel to it. There were 40+ people here, many of them small children, and it was nothing but peaceful. (I like to think that it was because all those moms and dads were practising attachment parenting, giving their children calm, focused, positive attention and guidance, so no little one had to act up just to get noticed.) The soups were delicious, as usual. And thanks to Ely's filming and Maya's editing, I've got little snippets of the things we did.
As my readers remember, Saint Martin was the patron saint of the poor, so we eat a "poor man's meal" of soup and bread, bring lanterns to symbolize the Christ within and walk out into the dark night with nothing but each other to keep us company and Christ to guide us through the dark times ahead. It's a European holiday (Nov. 11), so few people in our country know about it, much less celebrate it. It's also a time to go through your closets and donate to the poor.
Explanations for the video below:
First, all the families gathered around the table and I lit a candle and said a blessing. Then we all helped ourselves to a variety of homemade soups and breads. Maya's rye bread was a big hit! I couldn't resist putting in the clip capturing one of the two year olds un-self-consciously licking soup off the table. Priceless! Then her sister announces my puppet show. There are little pieces of the show, and right in the middle of it all, a little two year old boy walks up to me and says, "Darlene, what are you doing?" I almost lost it, it was so funny! And then a three year old girl in the audience says sagely, as if to pardon him, "He's just a baby." You'll hear it if you listen close. The point of the puppet show I do every single year is to act out the paving of the way for the coming of the Christ child through the world of nature... the flowers, butterflies and birds... with the sun and the fire symbolizing Christ's light coming to a cold, dark world. It's all very beautiful. After that, we gathered our homemade lanterns, practised the traditional Martinmas songs, got our coats on and went out into the very crisp, night air to file in procession down our driveway. The millions of stars were crystal clear in the inky, black sky giving us a graphic sense of the vastness of the heavens. It was so dark that I could NOT see the driveway. That's the first time in 20 years that I had a hard time staying on the road! But, that didn't seem to daunt anyone, as we had our little lanterns and each other to keep us on track. (You'll see on the video how VERY dark it was.) I especially enjoyed having Ely and Christina, and Ben and Rebecca here. Steve carefully tended the campfire the whole evening, and many brave souls sat round the fire warming their hands, eating hot soup, and visiting amiably.
As everyone gathered their pots and bowls and spoons, bundled their children up, and filed out the front door to go home, I remembered why I do this every year. It's a tradition in our community of friends, and we all keep coming back for more because it's just plain satisfying.
Nov. 13th, 2009
07:32 am - Lessons from a Cat
I've been waking up with "morning stiffness" lately and not liking it! What is this?? I used to bound out of bed each morning, ready to go! Now it takes a minute or so to feel that delicious and familiar ease-of-motion in my legs and hips and spine. I find that totally unacceptable.
So, I walked into my computer room the other morning to be enthusiastically greeted by my kitten who had been asleep. The first thing he did as he rose was to stretch. He stretched out one leg behind him, then the other. He luxuriously lengthened his spine in a modified "cobra pose" as he started walking toward me. He appeared to do all this automatically and instinctively, and I thought to myself, "Yes! Why didn't I think of that? I should be stretching in bed just before I rise!"
The next morning as I contemplated getting up, I deliberately began lengthening my legs and spine, wiggling a bit while I did it. Ah, there was that delicious feeling in my legs! I reached my arms above my head, feeling that stretch in my entire spine and thinking, "Oh, this feels SO good!!" I kept stretching until I felt thoroughly stretched. Then, I arose and walked out of the room with complete ease. What a difference!
Thank you, Smokey!
Nov. 12th, 2009
09:06 am - Our First Martinmas Lanterns
To be fair, I must mention that we've used our "coffee can lanterns" very satisfactorily for nearly 20 years, and they have served us well, being that they are attractive and sturdy and store easily. We made these lanterns when Ben was about four years old, and they are great because a child his age can actually make the lantern themselves, with some supervision of course.
Here's how to make them. Fill an empty coffee can almost to the top with water and put it upright in the freezer. When the water is frozen take the can outside on some cement with a hammer and a nail. With the can on it's side, punch holes in the can with the hammer and nail (the frozen water keeps the can from denting in during the hammering) in any kind of pattern that pleases you. When the ice is thawed enough and loosens from the sides of the can, slip it out. Then take some spray paint and paint the can (on plenty of newspapers). Punch holes to insert a wire handle on each side near the top of the can. And there you have a lantern that you can use for years and years. Here are some of ours that have survived 20 years of children swinging them enthusiastically in the dark!
08:26 am - New Lanterns for Martinmas
Maya and I decided to make a new kind of lantern for Martinmas this year. We made tissue paper lanterns out of paper mache. To make one, first blow up a balloon and set it in a jar or something to hold it firmly while you work on it, then cover the balloon with one inch strips of tissue paper wetted with a white glue/water mixture (2-1). I used two layers, and I was glad I did, because the lantern would have been too thin and fragile with just one layer. It was tricky to get the strips of tissue paper on the balloon without them folding or tearing. It's pretty delicate work, and I think it would be a good project to do with an older child. Preschoolers would probably find it too challenging. And it's definitely a sticky mess, so be prepared with lots of newspapers to protect the table and water to wash hands frequently. Here are our lanterns drying
I let them dry overnight. In the morning, I popped the balloon, and carefully peeled it away from the inside of the paper mache, which was now stiff, but still a bit delicate. I trimmed the opening, punched two holes to insert a soft (electrical) wire "handle" to carry the lantern. And voila! It was done. I think it will be beautiful with a candle (depending on the wind conditions) or a light stick in it during our Martinmas lantern procession on Sunday evening!
Nov. 10th, 2009
04:27 pm - Only in Southern California
Here I am preparing for our annual celebration of Martinmas this coming Sunday, where we spend the evening sitting around a campfire wearing coats and scarves while eating hot soup, and we're having a heat wave! Today is November 10th, and it got up to 89 degrees! No telling what the weekend will bring, but this IS a lot better than "cold and windy". Wind cancels campfires.
Here's a picture of my back yard this afternoon. The little lavender daisies are called, Michaelmas Daisies. They are always in bloom during our celebration, though no one ever notices them in the dark:
I imagine that in colder climates these daisies are blooming during Michaelmas, which is on Sept. 29th, but our warm climate delays their blooming. So, I just like to call them "Martinmas Daisies".
Nov. 8th, 2009
08:07 pm - Lucky Day
Maya and I had a fun-filled day at Oak Glen today. The leaves were turning red and yellow, the air was warm but crisp at the 5,500 foot elevation, and there was a festive mood all around us. There were live bands playing bluegrass and Americana music. In the shops we found yummy samples of preserves, apples slices and fresh ciders, flavorful cheeses, and FUDGE! Pumpkins everywhere. The sumptuous smell of newly-baked apple pies came wafting out the doors of every bakery as we passed by ..... Mmmmmm.....
We really had a very lucky day. We were able to get 40 pounds of less-than-perfect cooking apples for twenty dollars! Do the math... that's 50 cents a pound! I believe we will both be having heavenly smells wafting from our own kitchens soon, and in my case, tomorrow!
We also found a beautiful, super-soft alpaca sweater that was hand-knitted in Peru, and it was exactly right for Maya. A lucky find. Here she is modeling it for us. Isn't she cute?
We also saw an unobtrusive sign that said "Buffalo meat for sale". We took a chance and followed the driveway up a hill to the garage of a very fancy house. The husband and wife who came out to greet us were sweet and delightful! They were so enthusiastic about their local, grassfed buffalos, proudly showing us their freezers full of every kind of cut and at very reasonable prices! We bought some on the spot and felt lucky.
Then Maya and I had a picnic lunch at my favorite park in Oak Glen. Maya had planned and prepared the meal for us, which was such a treat for me because I'm not too fond of the restaurant fare in the area. Maya made a simple meal that was both delicious and healthy, and once again, we felt lucky. The menu was: Forbidden Rice Salad, green beans and savory muffins. It was so scrumptous! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
And here is the setting for that wonderful lunch. It's one of my favorite places on earth:
We stopped and played on the playground outside the old schoolhouse/museum and I made the aquaintance of some very old oak trees. Man, I love old trees!
I've always avoided Oak Glen on the weekends because it's been reputed to be too crowded, but the extra-festive atmosphere seemed to make up for the crowds, and I actually enjoyed it more than ever. It helped to have an amiable companion like Maya who had a very similar idea of how to have a good time. I think we enjoyed feeling lucky together.
Nov. 7th, 2009
06:57 am - Blessingway
The baby shower that we gave last Sunday was not your regular run-of-the-mill baby shower. In fact, it was a "blessingway". There were some baby gifts during the last 15 minutes or so of the three hour event, but that was not the main purpose of the party. The "meat" of the gathering was the loving interaction between the mom and her friends and family... her support group. Here's how it went.
The guests arrived and we all sat in a circle. Each of us was holding a special bead that we brought to string on a neckless for the mom to wear during her labor. As the neckless string went around the circle, and each woman strung her bead, she talked about her relationship with the mom-to-be. There were many heartfelt tears! We talked about how we met her, what she means to us, our wishes for her and her labor and birth, and any advice we had for her based on our own experiences with labor. No horror stories were allowed. Only positive birth experiences and advice. She shared her concerns about the birth and what life would be like with a fourth child. Since she was in my childbirth class, I had had the opportunity to witness her relationship with her husband over a three month period, so I had a lot to say about that. I observed that she and her husband have a model relationship. Married 20 years, they behave like newlyweds. They are affectionate and kind to each other, ready to be playful, yet serious about the important stuff. They are clearly a team. They are of one mind about their family and how they want this birth to go. Her husband is fully on-board and ready to do the work of assisting her in labor. He is a completely involved parent. (I wrote about him as the only dad who attended with his three year old at my "Apple Day" event.) It was brought up that she and her husband had been junior high school sweethearts and that they were married right out of high school. Here is a case where marrying young worked out very well. I put on an "extra" bead for him. All of this, and more, was discussed and I think she felt thoroughly loved and supported by the end of it all. She will wear her neckless during labor to remind her of this love and support. Beautiful.
Afterwards, instead of those dreaded games, we painted a plaster "belly cast" that she and her husband had made of her "due any day" pregnant belly. She said her husband had painstakingly made it as perfect as he could, and it was noted as the most carefully made cast any of us had ever seen. We sat outside on our deck listening to the birdsong and the trickling fountain, with the smell of the grass and flowers wafting around us. So pleasant. While some painted, others gave her a foot bath and foot/leg massage while she looked on. Since pregnant women often have swollen feet and ankles at the end of their pregnancies, this was a welcome, well-received gift. There were healthy snacks available during this time. A sheet was posted to sign up to bring the mom and her family dinners after the birth. I signed up for the fourth day, the day her milk would come in, so I could help her with any breastfeeding concerns. The cast turned out surprisingly beautiful, and we all stood around admiring our artistic efforts. The last thing the mom did, which was almost an after-thought, was open gifts. We were careful to give her things that she actually needed, and she clearly appreciated that. It was a sweet, sweet testiment to the love and caring that a community of women can give one another. I was honored to be a part of it all.
Nov. 3rd, 2009
02:15 pm - Hammer Museum Gig
Our gig at the Hammer Museum Friday night was a delightful surprise... much better than any of us expected. They called it the "Halloween Hoedown", and we were the only band playing. I thought there would be lots of bands, but no, just us. There were some games and contests going on, but basically it was a concert. The sound man was extremely polite and accomodating. He really wanted us to sound good, and he knew his stuff, so we did! The lighting was much more elaborate than we are used to. The audience really listened, and sometimes they sang along. The more rousing songs made everyone get up on their feet and dance with abandon! What was especially fun for me was that Ely and Christina came, and every time they got up to dance, the dance floor filled up. They definitely stole the show! It's amazing how much better you can sing and play when you have an attentive, enthusiatic (dancing) audience. The Museum put us up in a very nice hotel and fed us. They even paid our gas money to get to L.A., not to mention paying substantially for the gig. We all agreed that we could get used to being treated so royally and appreciatively! But, it is rather nice to drive the twenty minutes to Pioneertown every Saturday night to the rustic and popular hangout, Pappy and Harriet's. There's something to be said for the convenience of a local gig.
Nov. 1st, 2009
11:47 am - and another thing....
You can disagree with Obama, wish he wasn't the president of our country, and be looking forward to voting him out, but if you DEMONIZE him on Facebook, or anywhere else, I will instantly drop you from my friends' list. No questions asked. If you believe that he is evil, please don't tell me if you want to remain my friend. I could not be friends with somebody who thought that way.
Oct. 31st, 2009
09:13 pm - My Problem with Facebook
No offense, but I really do skip over most of my "friends'" entries on facebook. Why would I care what kind of daily progress a person is making on some computer game? I have no interest in reading about someone's political or religious views or affiliations on facebook either. If I want to know those things, I'll ask you.
I go to facebook to get certain kinds of information about people I care about. What are you doing today? What are you happy about? What are you struggling with? What fascinating piece of information would you like to share? Who are the important people in your life, and what are you all doing together? Do I need to pray for you, or have a heart-to-heart with you, or send you a care package, or rejoice with you? Facebook, to me, is a light-hearted, superficial way of "catching up" with friends and family. By its very nature, it reaches and shares information with a great number of people having wildly varying degrees of closeness and agreement, and so it needs to remain generic and benign. A few times I've fallen into the trap of responding to someone who was trying to get me on "their team" via facebook, and then I've been sorry. In my opinion, this is not the medium for such conversations. Instead, I want to use it as a positive way to "touch base" with a lot of people and to feel connected to them. When my facebook page gets filled up with people's game results, their political propoganda, and their religious beliefs, I feel like deleting them. In fact, I'm very close to doing just that. So, if you find yourself deleted as my "friend", it's not that I don't love you or care about you. I just don't want to hear that kind of stuff from you on facebook. I want to have some control over whether your beliefs or opinions are flashed in front of my face. No offense.
Blogs, on the other hand, are good and appropriate places to write ones opinions. If I visit someone's blog, I know I am voluntarily stepping into an extremely personal space, and I expect to meet unique opinions and biases that may differ from my own. I expect more depth and controversy. I expect to enter someone else's world and see through their eyes for a while. If I find I don't like the view, I can, and do, stop visiting their blog. But, when that stuff pops up unbidden up on my facebook, I feel like I just got a solicitous phone call or a piece of junk mail. (I want to, and often do, hang up the phone or toss the mail in the trash unread.) So, be forwarned. I'm about to start purging my facebook "friends".
Please remember, if that turns out to be you, I still love you!
How about starting up a blog and inviting me to read it?
Oct. 30th, 2009
07:45 am - Busy Weekend
Tonight our band, Shadow Mountain Band, will play at the Hammer Museum in LA. We're all going down together in the motorhome. (That's the only way to take all of us, plus our instruments and equipment.) The Museum is putting us up in a hotel for tonight, then we're back to the desert Saturday for the Halloween gig at Pappy and Harriet's in the evening. THEN I'm hosting a baby shower on Sunday! Sounds like fun!!(One step in front of the other, one minute at a time, Darlene. You can do it.)
Oct. 25th, 2009
04:09 pm - The Naming....
We've had our kitten for one month now, and Steve and I just agreed on a name. Ta da!....
Oct. 18th, 2009
01:20 pm - Apple Day at Darlene's
"Apple Day at Darlene's" was a success! I've been planning it ever since the little girls' tea party I wrote about last month. My main purpose, other than providing some enjoyment for the 3 and 4 year old girls in our group, was to demonstrate for the moms ways of doing things that are Waldorf-inspired. I had such fun doing that with my boys when they were young, and I'm reliving some of that style of fun now. I particularly want to work with girls because it is such a novelty for me, and I really love to do "girlie" things in girlie ways! It was something I missed out on completely while raising my boys. One thing I do like about Waldorf, though, is that it emphasizes that both sexes should learn to sew and knit and crochet. They are all useful skills in themselves, but they also prepare children to use their fingers and hands for things like writing and other important tasks that require fine-muscle coordination and control later on.
I did a lot of studying of the Waldorf method 30 years ago when Ely was first homeschooling, and then I went even deeper 20 years ago when my friend Debbie and I started a Waldorf-inspired playgroup for our three year olds. I believe my little Ben benefited from the efforts of all us moms working together to create a sensitive, intentional, and meaningful experience for our little ones.
So, "Apple Day" began with me telling a story called "The Little Red House with No Doors and No Windows and a Star Inside". It's a riddle, and the answer is: an apple. The children were good listeners
After the story, each child took their place at the table
and had their attentive moms (and one father, who was so sweet and patient with his daughter) cut the apple that each had brought from home crosswise to see if THEIR apples had stars in them. And, of course, they all did. From there, they put on their aprons, and I provided each of them with a "cook's hat" that I had made (simply because I thought they'd all be so adorable, and they were!)
Here's one adorable model:
and they all busily got to work cutting up their apples. I loved how diligently they all cut those apples to bits! And then they were delighted with the apple coring "machine" I had set up outside, and each of them took a turn at the crank. While I cooked the apples into applesauce, they each got out their rolling pins and enthusiastically rolled out their portion of pie dough I had ready for them. After each pie crust had been flattened to its little cook's satisfaction, and made surprisingly round
the girls spooned on the lightly-steamed applesauce and brought the sides up around the pile of sauce, squeezing and pinching the sides together. They initialed their creations, and I popped them into the oven while each girl washed her pie-making equipment (a few aprons got washed too, I discovered later.) Some moms and I prettied up the table with a fresh tablecloth and flowers, while the girls went off to the living room for some games. We played the now-traditional Row, Row, Row Your Boat where we swing them in a long cloth like a hammock... and of course we played Ring Around the Rosie. The new one I introduced was Caterpiller. Here's a photo of it:
The girls lie face down in a line and the girl on one end rolls herself over the other girls. This picture captures the legs of one girl as she's in the process of taking her bumpy ride across the backs of the others. You have to not mind momentarily squishing your body against other bodies to play this game. It was a little too intense for a few of the girls. But the others seemed to really enjoy it. I'll try it again next time, and maybe the others will be ready for it by then. I wonder if boys would like this game better?
After the games, we dished up the extra applesauce and the girls ate it along with some iced-peppermint tea.
After that, they washed their dishes, then went off home with their warm, hand-made pastry creations in little paper bags... and I promptly took a nap!
The video below was shot and edited by Maya. (Thanks, Maya!!!) She compiled short clips of most of the activities, just to get the overall feel of the day. I think she did a great job!
Why do I do this, you might ask? Just look at the faces of those girls!
Oct. 13th, 2009
07:22 am - Best Dollar I Ever Spent!
As I write, our kitten is happily playing around my feet with a fake, furry grey mouse I bought from the feed store shortly after we brought this little guy home. He never seems to tire of it! He romps joyfully with it every day, chasing it as it skitters across the carpet in response to his energetic whacks, throwing it in the air then leaping for it and catching it in both paws, skillfully batting it around helter-skelter like a soccer pro, then carrying it into the kitchen so he can play on a slippery surface for a while, endlessly stalking and pouncing, using kitchen chair legs as an obstacle course to "worry" his prey in, then carrying his tiny victim around in his mouth until he's ready to go at it again. He never fails to make me laugh with his antics! (I am easily amused...)
I believe we have ourselves another great mouser, and, in times of need, a reliable mouser can be priceless.
Oct. 2nd, 2009
09:06 am - Birthday Wishes for Nathen
Nathen shared this U-tube with me. These are some of the campers from the camp Nathen is an advisor for. Thought it was adorable!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3ghiZaJ
07:03 am - Scored!
I have got the best kitten in the world! This cat has all the qualities I love in a cat and none of the qualities I don't like. Amazing. Here's what he's like:
He snuggles with me
He purrs loudly and consistantly
He rubs his face on my face (yes, I like this!)
He is not afraid. (I ran the vacumn right next to him and he just sat there and looked at it curiously) I've NEVER had a cat that wasn't afraid of the vacumn cleaner!
He's smart. He learned what "no" meant very fast. And then he remembers.
He likes Gilmore, even though Gilmore hisses at him. He persists in trying to be friends, and I think it's working.
He's really cute!!
He follows me around like a puppy.
He has a very soft little meow and doesn't meow often.
He's not obsessive about food.
He's just a very well-adjusted cat. He seems to have NO neurotic behavior.
I believe he is grateful to be rescued from the animal shelter.
I feel lucky!
Sep. 29th, 2009
09:50 pm - Happy Birthday, Nathen!
I love this picture of our family in 1974:
And this one taken during an earlier photo shoot:
I was just listening to a cassette tape of Nathen and me talking when he was just about the age of the second photo (2), and I'm so grateful to have captured him at that time in his life. He was so articulate and communicative! And he STILL IS! He is such a pleasure to talk to now as an adult, just as he was as a child. Only now he's 100 times smarter than me! He thinks circles around me.
Today, not only did he turn 38, but he started grad school and will begin his training as a marriage and family counselor. He'll be a great counselor!
Happy birthday, Nate!!
Sep. 22nd, 2009
03:09 pm - Look What I Got!
Here's the story. I lost my "kitten" about a year ago to old age, (check out the story on June 2nd 2008) and Gilmore, our newer cat misses her. Not that they were friendly or anything. She would have nothing to do with him. But, she did allow him to follow her around. And that is exactly what he did. As long as he didn't get within a foot or so of her, she seemed perfectly happy to have him trailing along after her on her adventures. When she died, he seemed a little lost. It took me this long to warm up to the idea of another cat. It's SOOOO sad when they die! I think what made me turn the corner was that we have a stray female cat who steals into the laundry room every night through the cat door and eats Gilmore's food. We wouldn't mind so much if she was nice to Gilmore. But, no, she hisses and fights with him! (No appreciation whatsoever for letting her share his bowl.) So, I said to Steve, who was ready to adopt her, "We already had a cat who didn't like Gilmore. Why would we want another one?" He reluctantly agreed. So, I started visiting the local animal shelter and hanging out in the cat room. I'd sit quietly and just observe the cats interacting with each other. Here's what I was looking for: 1. a young male, because I think Gilmore is intimidating to females, and a young cat would be more adaptable to Gilmore's personality 2. a very friendly cat, because Gilmore is very friendly, and I find I like him better than most cats. You know: aloof, hands-off-please-unless-it's-my-idea and don't-even-think-about-picking-me-up kind of cats. 3. I wanted a cat who was not the least bit afraid of other cats, because I thought Gilmore might give him a hard time at first, being that he's been top-cat now for so long. 4. And I wanted a cat who wants to hang around with another cat. You know, to have a pal like Gilmore. 5. I wanted a good mouser. 6. An active, playful cat.
Well, I found him the second time I visited. I had seen him in a cage with his sibling on my first visit, but they were just sleeping affectionately together, and I passed them by. The second time he was in the "cat room" loose with the other cats because his sibling had been adopted. The lady there was trying to sell me on a big, beautiful black male cat, but he didn't seem like a good fit for us. Not active or friendly enough. But, this grey, half-grown kitten kept coming up to me, purring loudly, rubbing on me, and getting in my lap. He would go up to the other cats and rub on them, too! My goodness, I'd never seen anything like it! I threw a catnip mouse, and like lightning, he raced after it, pouncing on it. Then he carried it around in his mouth for a while. Better and better! I liked this cat! A vet once told me that grey cats have the best personalities. I wondered what a cat's color had to do with it. But, our last grey cat, Bulky, did have a stellar personality. So, I told the lady I wanted to adopt the grey kitten, his appointment to be altered was made, and I went home with a smile on my face.
I have not been disappointed. This kitten is so affectionate! I was having a hard time writing this post because he kept jumping into my lap, rubbing and purring. But, he finally took "no" for an answer, and went to lay down. We are in the process of introducing the two cats to each other. We're told it's to be done very slowly, letting Gilmore get used to the kitten's scent in his territory before throwing them together. Consequently, the kitten is living in my office for the time being. I let them peek at each other by cracking the door open a bit so they can glimpse each other and play a bit of footsie. I believe they are going to be friends. I still have to capture the stray cat and take her to the humane society. It's not an easy job because she is quite wary. She needs to be spayed soon, as she's just the age to start producing litters. These days my mind is busy with cat concerns. And at night my dreams are filled with... you guessed it... cats.
Here is the kitten (no name yet... that's Steve's job) gnawing on Maya's hand. He's definitely teething. But, he chews v-e-r-y gently, and it doesn't hurt at all. He's SO sweet!
Sep. 18th, 2009
05:47 pm - Damian and Maya-- Married Seven Years
Damian and Maya are about to celebrate their seventh anniversary. Congradulations, you two! I'm proud of you! You guys are an inspiration to other young couples. A joy to watch.
Here is what Maya has to say about it in her blog entry today:
http://flavorgirl.livejournal.com/
Sep. 17th, 2009
10:48 am - Love You, Ben!
Ben created a blog on July 7 2009, and here was his intention:
"For the purpose of further narrowing my list of academic weaknesses I have decided to begin writing daily timed essays. Timed essays are the most terrifying scholastic activity for me at the moment, and I intend to completely reverse that. So here’s the plan: a minimum of five essays per week limited to thirty minutes each. I will intentionally avoid strictly writing about topics that I have thought about extensively so that my critical thinking skills can mature and flourish. I will also attempt to remain open to suggestions from my peers as to subject matter. By my rough estimations by the time I have entered my first year of University studies I will have written around 1300 timed essays.
The essays will be limited to thirty minutes no matter how unfinished or unpolished they may seem. It is important to me that I improve not only my critical thinking and writing strategy, but also the speed and decisiveness behind those skills. In addition to the timed essays I intend to begin a course of handwriting improvement as well. Between those two courses of study I believe that my overall writing anxiety will drop significantly. I am confident that with practice on timed essays I will be able to completely overcome one of my most daunting academic challenges."
Check out Ben's blog entry for today, Sept.17th.
Unschooling at its best.
http://thefifthone.wordpress.com/
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