Another Interesting Documentary

During lunch today, I watched another Instant Netflix documentary G. said she watched last night. It was called "Kicking It." It was about a Homeless World Cup. It too has an associated website:

http://www.kickingitthefilm.com/

Montessori Homeschooling Updates and Blog Recommendation

I've been meaning to post this for some time. It is such an *amazing* resource, I just have to share:

http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/

I am hoping on Thursday of next week to start the kids' homeschool. There is so much to do to get ready! We need to rearrange bedrooms because we're converting one bedroom into our classroom. This is a much bigger project than it sounds because one of the bedrooms is still being used for unpacking. We need to finish up that unpacking. I also need to build some shelves I bought at Staples, and I need to get some art supplies for the art shelf. After that, it will be fairly simple for a little bit. I have a lot of lessons we have used in the past that I will be putting back out, but I suspect on Thursday and Friday I will introduce just one or two lessons per day, focus on "grace and courtesy," and likely have a shortened work period. The following week will get crazy, though, because I think the kids will need me to step it up a notch if I am going to keep up with their interests. I will need to work on preparing more lessons, or buying them.

After a couple weeks of settling in, I'd like to get some of the "Montessori throughout the home" straightened out. For example, we have a built-in set of drawers in the dining room that we have been planning to use for place settings. These are accessible to the children, and they can easily begin setting the table for meals. But so far, we haven't gotten that organized.

The other thing on my mind is scheduling. I'd like to have three hours of homeschooling time per day. Because M. does the Montessori Center on Wednesdays in the afternoon, we have been scheduling his therapy appointments in the afternoons, so that we can switch the kids nap schedule to mid-morning. This presents two major challenges. First, it interferes with Sunday School. I am thinking at this point that G. and the kids will attend the other UU church in town because they have an earlier worship option. This was actually our original plan, and in many ways better because they have Spirit Play for young kids (a Montessori model Sunday School), but now G. and the kids have attachments in the church I am serving, so it is hard.

The second big challenge is that I have difficulty waking up in the morning. A LOT of difficulty. But if we are going to maintain this schedule, I will need to begin work at 7am. My trouble with waking up isn't something I can "just get over." I can manage for a couple days at one time, but then it is over. My problem seems to be in relationship with my neurological issues, and I have battled it for many, many years. I've even had to quit a job over it. I kept oversleeping, and I knew I needed to quit while I was ahead because I was falling apart. It is that bad, bad enough that I lost income. If this was something I could cure myself of just by proper planning and determination, I would have done it long ago. So the question is, how can this work? I am not sure yet. I'll keep you posted.

Born Into Brothels

I just watched a documentary on instant Netflix called "Born Into Brothels." It is about a photography education project for children born into the red light district of Calcuta. I recommend it. I didn't think I'd be able to make it through, that it would be too sad. It was sad, but also hopeful in some ways, and important in many more.

See also: http://www.kids-with-cameras.org

Wow! Palin=Bush?

I haven't watched all of the RNC speeches yet, but I just watched Palin's speech. Her world view was reminding me so much of Bush, and then I started thinking about their histories as governors, her denial of the human role in environmental destruction, her attribution of the war as God's will...the list goes on. WTF?!

Reminder

And in case anyone is tempted to buy the argument that "veterans joke," and that is why a candidate for President of the United States can sing "Bomb Iran" as a joke...let's just remind ourselves of McCain's record.

Come On!

I just don't get it. I am trying to understand. Really trying. But I just don't know how a reasonable person could vote for someone who does something like this, who thinks war is a joke. This clip has been out for a long time, yet somehow folks aren't terrified of the idea of him being President?

Call me dense, but I just don't get it.


And then he says he's proud of it?


And then the most intelligent, thinking defense he can offer is "get a life"?

According to MoveOn

I had read all this before, but seeing it in a list like this is just freaking me out. I want a facts check! It is so hard to believe that McCain, who I believed to be fairly intelligent, has actually made this choice. I feel like he is trying to "commit political suicide" or something. I just am so confused.

Who is Sarah Palin?

• She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.
• She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.
• She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She does not bring an alternative perspective to the table on McCain's energy policy.
• She sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.
• How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.

Also, I have got to say that I am so very, very glad McCain has his attention fully focused on the hurricane situation. Score for sanity! As I understand it, during Katrina, he was celebrating President Bush's birthday with him. I am glad he is now setting a different standard. But I guess I am a little confused by this too. I mean, even though he is not yet president, it's unclear how much time he'll even spend at the convention, if any at all. I think touring the Gulf Coast emergency response systems is highly important for the candidates, but also, calling people to action, which is what Obama's campaign is planning to do. I guess I just worry that this has been used as a convenient opportunity for political spin and exploitation of a bad situation in order to overshadow conversations about things like Palin. I really hope this was an attentive and compassionate move, rather than a 100% self-serving (I recognize it is politics) and calculated one for the political reason that McCain feared he couldn't beat what happened at the DNC especially with the anxiety his VP choice has created.