Wednesday, March 25, 2009

You must live in your school

I found this quote regarding homeschool as a lifestyle and had to post it. This is what I am aiming for. Of course, this can be accomplished no matter what form of schooling your family is using. I just love the idea of a learning house. I don't know who James Neill is. Anyone else know? That shall be my first order of business...educate myself about him. Ha ha!
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You must live in your school. Your house and land you live on must be the school. You are always the teacher and always the student. You must do everything possible to educate yourself about life, the world, yourself, and most importantly, the connections between everything. You must have many people visit the school, and much solitude and silence to reflect on things. You must start this school now. It must be your life.
— James Neill, 30 June, 2001

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wednesday musings on a Thursday

First of all, I did weigh but didn't get it posted: 171. Not bad, except that later the same day, I weighed 174. I think it's just going to fluctuate a lot and I have to go with how I feel overall. And, with two weeks of consistent exercise under my belt, I feel great! Diane and I have been following a 5k training program for 2 weeks and it feels great. I painted on Tuesday for 5 1/2 hours (including the ceilings) and felt fine! Over the summer last year, I tried to paint the ceiling in Olivia's room and had to ask Max to finish it. I can feel that my health is improving dramatically. Praise God for that answered prayer!

On to my musings...I can't explain it, but I have been *really* sad about the passing of Natasha Richardson. I can't say I was a big fan of her movies...not that I disliked them, but I have seen very few of them. However, what has impressed me in her death is how little I really knew about her in her life. She was a Redgrave. Born into an acting dynasty. And, yet, I knew very little about her, other than that she was married to Liam Neeson.

And that is precisely why I feel so sad at her passing. She was born to privilege and wealth, but never flaunted it. When I think of the likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian (and all the other heiresses with their own reality shows), it nauseates me that they are the role models for kids, while someone like Natasha Richardson is comparatively unknown because she chose to live her life with dignity and (sorry Max, there's just no other word for it) class.

The more I see reality shows taking over television, and the overt sexualization of everything and every product (don't get me started on the obnoxious Burger King commercial with the mini burgers and the women throwing themselves at the guy holding them) the more I feel like getting rid of TV entirely. For every Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson, living their lives as a family, quietly out of the spotlight, there are ten Britney Spears/Kevin Federline, FlavorFlav/Brigitte Nielson train wrecks clamoring for attention. And they are getting it.

I guess I am not only sad today that a family has to bury a wife, mother, sister, daughter. I am sad that the only real media coverage she has gotten is in her death. Reading about her, and the grace with which she handled the pressures of being heiress to the Redgrave legacy, and a Tony-winning actress in her own right, I think there should have been a lot more coverage of the good she did in life, not just the tragedy of her death.

Friday, March 13, 2009

One Seventy!

That's what I weigh, right now, WITH my big hoodie on. :) just had to share.

We did it!

Diane and I set a goal for ourselves to do a run/walk 5k training program. It calls for 3 weekly run/walks and a long walk on the weekend. And we did it! Even with the 40-50 degree temps and rain, we have exercised together three mornings this week! (This morning we had to stay in because of the rain, so we did a Leslie Sansone 2-mile walk video, which was harder than the run/walk we'd been doing)

I realize many of you do this every week. Or every day. But this is of note to me because I honestly believe that the last time I worked out three times in one week was 1997. (and part of that workout was just walking around the gym to see if there were any football players there)

I have to say this has been a real faith-builder for me. If God can get me out of bed, into the cold, dark morning at 6:30 to exercise, then I know He can do anything! If you know me, and how much I dislike mornings, and exercise, then you know that, too. :)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Weigh-in Wednesday, 3/11

174. BUT! I am exercising! Finally! Diane and I started walking/running last Friday in the mornings. 6:30 to be exact, until the time change, so now it's 7:00 (too dark at 6:30, but 7:00 is the new 6:00, so I'm still tired)

I'm excited. Not doing so well with my weight goals, but exercise has been the missing component, I think. That and my inability to see cheese or butter w/o eating them.

Monday, March 9, 2009

I am still here!

It has been a while since I posted, but I'm still here. I am way off track with my goals, and haven't even weighed for a week and a half. But there's some good news! Diane and I started a run/walk program together on Friday and it was a lot of fun. Knowing she'll be up at 6:30 waiting for me really motivates me to get out of bed and go for a jog.

We also met last week to talk about goals. Here's my latest list, revised to account for my currently crazy messy home (while I'm in the middle of painting about 1/2 of the rooms):
  • Make better use of TaDa lists to keep myself organized
  • Be healthy (exercise, diet and better managing FM)
  • Finish current painting and decide what other rooms to paint, if any.
  • Power wash patio and return washer to David and Emily
Overall, my plan is to set priorities and follow them. I decided my priorities should be 1) God, 2) health, 3) homeschool and 4) house. I am currently doing them in the exact opposite order: 1) house, 2) homeschool, 3) health and 4) God. So, I'm working to shift that.

I got up today in time to start my morning with Bible Study and prayer, then some stretching and a healthy breakfast. I felt a lot better physically and mentally and was able to have a good homeschool day, a good day with Christian and Olivia AND get a lot of laundry done! We are going for a bike ride and if I still have energy when I get back, I may work on painting some this evening.

Tomorrow is another exercise morning with Diane. Wish me luck!