Saturday, January 31, 2004

I'm experiencing an american version of ennui today. I'm trying cleaning but the place isn't messy/dirty enough to warrant a full scale attack. Yes, the snow falling outside is nice and needed but not absorbing enough attention. Sweetie took me to Homestar Runner and yes, it's always funny. Did that. Watched the Charlie Brown/Outkast video but can't figure how to link to it. Now we're listening to White Stripes on iTunes. Cowboy Cultural Society's stream was skipping.
Today my world is like a car that won't start and I'm not a mechanic. All I can do is check the oil. Thanks to Sweetie for loaning me his universe.



Thursday, January 29, 2004

We're between snow storms this week with weather in the 50's. It all feels like Spring is in the air and soon it'll be time to save earthworms from sidewalk drying. Living in this dry climate, I've come to cherish any wet, sloppy weather we get. Everything is changing with Honey and Sweetie who are no longer kids and Sugar who is off to LA with his Project. And me chillaxin' in the blogging world.

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

CNN did a piece yesterday about homeschoolers going to college. Sweetie had no trouble going from the relative ease and freedom of homeschooling to the college schedule. In fact, it seems easier sometimes than the grind that is imposed on Honey at government high school. Many homeschoolers have the opportunity to be outside more and see what life is all about rather than sit in age/zip code segregated, adult manipulated flourescence all day long. Getting our kids outdoors and giving them access to the world worked very well for us.

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Ok, it took a while but I got my chuckle for the day at I Used to Believe.

Sunday, January 25, 2004

A zip code locater is the find for the day. Not that I need it a lot, but it's fun. There's a busker who performs on the Pearl Street Mall who can identify the location of any zip code the audience throws at him. Last time I saw him, he was
here on the Mall, not in the store).

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Sheesh. I just read that New Hampshire leads the world in per capita use of Ritalin in schools. I'm surprised since I associate kid-drugging with metropolitan areas for some reason. Though a news story comes to mind about rural people getting more funding for their kids if they are labeled psychologically "disabled" in some way. Such a pity.

For parents who want to help their kids who are struggling, there are so many options these days. A change of environment for the child can do wonders. Homeschooling, a change of schools or teachers - whatever it takes. A change of diet can help. Making sure the child understands the words he is reading and can apply the information he learns. There are so many options to explore before making a child drug-dependent in order to live life.

I found this alternative mental health site for people who think there really is a mental health problem that needs to be addressed.

Here's hoping that the drug manufacturers won't be the ones who will be running the planet in the next decade.

Friday, January 23, 2004

Water on Mars!

Thursday, January 22, 2004

George F Will wrote a good enough column recently in the Washington Post reviewing "The Progress Paradox" which made some good points. Can't vouch for the book since I haven't read it, but here is part of the article:

"American life expectancy has dramatically increased in a century, from 47 to 77 years. Our great-great-grandparents all knew someone who died of some disease we never fear; as recently as 1952, polio killed 3,300 Americans. Our largest public health problems arise from unlimited supplies of affordable food.

The typical American has twice the purchasing power his mother or father had in 1960. A third of America's families own at least three cars. In 2001 Americans spent $25 billion -- more than North Korea's GDP -- on recreational watercraft.

Factor out immigration -- a huge benefit to the immigrants -- and statistical evidence of widening income inequality disappears. The statistic that household incomes are only moderately higher than 25 years ago is misleading: Households today average fewer people, so real dollar incomes in middle-class households are about 50 percent higher today. Since 1970 the number of cars has increased 68 percent and the number of miles driven has increased even more, yet smog has declined by a third and traffic fatalities have declined from 52,627 to 42,815 last year. In 2003 we spent much wealth on things unavailable in 1953 -- a cleaner environment, reduced mortality through new medical marvels ($5.2 billion a year just for artificial knees, which did not exist a generation ago), the ability to fly anywhere or talk to anyone anywhere. The incidence of heart disease, stroke and cancer, when adjusted for population growth, is declining.

The rate of child poverty is down in a decade. America soon will be the first society in which a majority of adults are college graduates.

And so it goes. But Easterbrook says that such is today's "discontinuity between prosperity and happiness," the "surge of national good news" scares people, vexes the news media and does not even nudge up measurements of happiness."

Monday, January 19, 2004

Back to civilization. No internet, no tv, no heat besides the woodstove so Tom Cruise in "Minority Report" came in handy. I had no idea what a good movie it is so we watched it twice over the weekend. Last week I saw TC on Bravo's "Inside the Actors Studio" which was a special 2 hour interview celebrating (I think) 10 years on air for the show. It was a great interview about TC and his life and his approach to acting. In the last minute of the show, he leaned forward and shared this great quote:"A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamt by artists.". It was really very moving. Great interview, great movie. "The Last Samurai" was really good but it took a few minutes for me to see the character instead of TC. Not so with "Minority Report" or "Far and Away", by the way.
Nice to be back to civilization, though.

Friday, January 16, 2004

Sweetie and I decided to take off for the San Luis Valley tomorrow for the long weekend. We have some land in Crestone but we stay at some friends' house while we're there. It's an interesting tiny little town where several spiritual groups have landed and made retreats for their members. Colorado College has a remote campus there and Naropa will be building there soon. It sits right on the northern end of the Sand Dunes National Monument (soon to be National Park). Last time we drove out to an amazing
stupa built right on the edge of the mountains overlooking that vast expanse of a valley. It's one place on earth where quiet is in abundance, except for the sound of an occasional breeze or bird singing.

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

lol - I just realized that the llama herd link wasn't all llama. Oh well. I am itching to get out of town but still have to work a couple of more days. Here's a video blog I like to follow but you have to have Quicktime to view them:
Daily Experience. This link is my favorite followed by a close second called, "It's cold, cold, cold". I don't know this guy, but he also runs a blogging service that I might go with if I stop being so cheap. The urge to post pictures is growing....




Tuesday, January 13, 2004

On busy days, I have to go out of my way sometimes to recognize the life force throughout. Today was all retailing work, getting errands done, making sure connections were being made. Sweetie and I took the back roads home from the dentist where I got my "aahhhh" moments. Just off the road over a rise, there was the herd of bison with a mama and baby. Then a few miles down the hill I did a double take to see llama herd. Ok, that was what I needed to get my mind out of flourescent lights, tiled floors and muzak.
The first blog I ever heard of was Where is Raed? but these days, when I want to read Iraqi writings I start with Healing Iraq and follow those links.

The person who told me how to start a blog was Homeschool Mum so I was very pleased to see she had linked to this blog! I have arrived!

JM actually moved me to the point of asking for advice in beginning blogging by posting a message to a list I'm on. I think JM was the 1st person who viewed my 1st attempt when I was a shy newbie.

Now I'm trying to get my friends to join us.

Sunday, January 11, 2004

I finally saw Lord of the Rings today with Sweetie. I enjoyed the whole trilogy but especially enjoyed sharing his pleasure. The sense of purpose conveyed in LOTR was utterly convincing and reminded me of this Code of Honor. And yes, Sam IS the Man.

I've never read the books but have heard hubby reading them to Sweetie over and over and over through the years. The Tolkien book I enjoyed is
The Father Christmas Letters. I'm just a sucker for mischevous North Polar Bears.


Saturday, January 10, 2004

Today was just gorgeous, in the true sense of the word. Oh, heck - it was dazzlingly beautiful. We dropped by our mission, had a bite with Hubby and Honey at Nick and Willy's, headed off for the Boulder Creek Path, then wound our way back to the mission on the Pearl Street Mall. Then I found this great streaming cam of the mall. There are some great cams of the area but this one probably rules over the other ones. I wish everyone in the world had dsl or cable internet (I have it but still don't know what the correct name for it is.) Everyone would probably be happier if they did.
Oh, 65ยบ today. Finally got the Xmas tree down, 6 weeks up, and that was a record.

Friday, January 09, 2004

Driving out to DIA to pick up my guys, I saw flocks and flocks of geese in multiple "Vee" formations. Breathtaking. I hadn't been out to the airport for a while so the magnitude of the sky and endless plains captured me flat out.

The birds reminded me of a trip to the San Luis Valley to see the Sandhill cranes. We got up before dawn on a freezing March morning and took off to the fields to find the birds. When light barely started to appear above the Sangre de Cristo Mtns, we saw some motion and pulled over. It was dark but we could hear the rustling and a sort of burbling - some constant liquid sounds the birds were making. As the sun came up we could see there were hundreds of cranes resting in the fields and more flying in from the south and east. It was breathtaking and unforgettable.

Thursday, January 08, 2004

My new blogging music is Slim Gaillard on MacVooty Radio. Lotta fun!

Monday, January 05, 2004

We are headed back to that life sucking schedule of public high school today but I think I have found a position to handle this. My son has the option of going or not, homeschooling, or going part time or whatever but he chooses to try out this venue. He is making noises about cutting back to part-time so he can re-claim his life. One of my favorite societal labels has been "homeschooling mom" so I would be very pleased if he backed out part or all the way.

This homeschooling site has been a mainstay for me over the last 18 years. This one: unschooling ,is a good visit, though not quite the fit the other one is for me.

Yes, I would be very happy to be making entries about homeschooling and my son living outside the boundaries of middle class existence again.

Sunday, January 04, 2004

I just had to look up the word "sake" after noticing that I use it quiet a bit but didn't have a real understanding of the word. This online dictionary is a great resource.

Understanding the words you read and hear and use makes a real difference in life. Here's a good article about that. Cute animation, too.

Saturday, January 03, 2004

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." Edith Wharton, novelist. I like being the mirror more often, I suppose. Sometimes the problem is finding the candles but they do exist.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...." That quote is attributed to Nelson Mandela but he was quoting : this lady

"The hardest task one can have is to continue to love his fellows despite all reasons he should not..." this is one I have to work at instead of just thinking about it

"The ideas that have lighted my way have been kindness, beauty and truth." Can you guess who said this? Here's the answer

Well, that has inspired me to do some chores.
Snow! Yippee!!!

Snowy Boulder

Friday, January 02, 2004

The best thing about the day so far is that I was able to get back to work and make some money and that makes me feel really good. Holidays are great but enough is enough. I read
this book about work a while back and found some good stuff to use to make it more of a game. That book's probably at the library.

Meanwhile, here's a great beach cam of Hermosa Beach which is one of my daydreaming locations. There are some beautiful still photos of the area. Looks like it's rainy in So Cal.

Thursday, January 01, 2004

Today I took a walk around Wonderland Lake for the first time in a while and found my neighborhood again. I forgot that sheets of melting ice make a soft crackling noise when the little wind-produced waves push them around. I forgot that when a flock of birds takes off you can hear the flutter of their wings from across the water. I forgot what a great effect looking east from a rise in Colorado produces.
Here's a link to an article about taking walks:
Take a Walk