Life slipping by

I can't believe we are almost half way through 2009 already. We've finished the Spring Holy Days, and Pentecost is this month. I can't seem to keep up with life and all it entails these days. If I were juggling knives instead of responsibilities, somebody would have been maimed by now.

I love the new hope and determination that Passover brings. I read a quote online this week that reminds me of how I feel at this time of year: "Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." --Mary Anne Radmacher

Don't know who Mary Ann Radmacher is, but that's how I feel most nights before bed when my ToDo list is longer than my Done list. *sigh* Whether that means I'm courageous or just pathetically unorganized I couldn't say.

I can say I'm looking forward to this Sabbath. Another Sabbath to rest and recharge and reorient, getting ready to try again next week.

To Seed, or not to Seed

I'm dreaming of embarking on a gardening odyssey. Like any quest worth the name, there are some obstacles in my path to self-sustenance. For example, I live in a third floor apartment. And I have never in my whole life managed to keep a plant alive for any extended period.

But I want to try.

And information like this is helping me screw up my courage to take the plunge.

They really are blank slates

I read this post a while back by Melissa Wiley, an author and homeschooling mom, in which she details how she felt compelled to teach her kids to duck after an incident with a soccer ball at a park:

Suddenly a cry rang out: “DUCK!” Every person in the vicinity ducked out of the way of the large ball hurtling toward our group. Except my kids. All three of them (there were only three at the time) LOOKED UP AT THE SKY. I kid you not. “Where?” cried Jane. “Is it a mallard?”

The fact that her children had no innate knowledge to help them distinguish evasive maneuvers from birds started her thinking about what other things she was just expecting them to know without teaching them.

I keep running up against this same thing as a parent. You'd think I would learn at some point. I guess in ways I am getting better. But I still find myself expecting William to know things that I haven't taught him. And considering that he's homeschooled and spends most of every single day with me, I can't blame anyone but myself for his lack of knowledge.

Kids really do come to us as blank slates, and we're meant to teach and, yes, train them. They can figure some things out on their own, but if left to their own devices all of the time, they usually don't end up where their parents want them to.

I need to remember if William is somewhere I don't want him to be (like in Talkback-istan) to ask myself, "Did I show him another way? Is he looking for a mallard because I never taught him to duck?"

If you like books, proceed with caution

I'm one of those people who rereads books I love. But I also love finding new books to read. I used to randomly pluck books from the shelf at the library. I discovered Douglas Adams this way. But you know, when you do that, every so often you pluck a real stinker. And I have this weird hang-up whereby I am unable to not finish a book once I start it. So I am currently loving Reading Trails. It's kind of like randomly plucking a book from the library shelf. Except it's not random. And you can't get books from there, you still have to go to your library. But it's kind of like that. Somehow.

I like putting in books William or I have enjoyed and seeing what other books are linked to them. Directed randomness.

But if you really like reading, you are forewarned. It can be pretty addictive.

Bullets

--William was able to get all the way down to the floor in his middle split at gymnastics on Wednesday. I was surprised. They had a conditioning-heavy class, doing 100 pushups and situps and these inverted pullup things on the parallel bars. Crazy. All in all I'm very pleased with the new gym.

--Coaching basketball is fun so far. We have seven on our roster now, which will come in handy. At our first game our only girl couldn't come, and one of the guys got sick half way through, so we had to finish the game 4 on 5. In spite of this, we were able to rally and come from behind to win. 10 to 7. Defense appears to be our strength. It's certainly not offense.

--School is coming along nicely. Ish. I've been able to spend some time scheduling this week, which helps.

--Still haven't really gotten back in the running groove since the half-marathon. I guess my priorities are elsewhere right now. Trying to decide if I want to sign up for the race again next year.

--Already beginning to gear up for deleavening. I'm actually looking forward to using it as an opportunity to declutter William's room. And maybe mine a bit too.

--Still want to hike, but it's looking like it will be later rather than sooner.

--Sabbath's almost here. Yea for rest and renewal!

Je voudrais...

I have a hankering to travel. Not with checked baggage and free peanuts.

I want to hit the road. But not in a car. I want to embark on an adventure in self-powered travel like this one.

I've been thinking and reading about hiking a bunch recently, and planning some hikes for the not to distant future (hopefully). And the more I think about it, the more impatient I become to get out and do it. Apartment life does not suit me. I want to spend time someplace that has more trees than people. I want to sleep somewhere where road noise is not my lullaby. I want to carry all my possessions on my back like a turtle, and make my home wherever the ground is flat enough to pitch my tent. I want to spend the night somewhere with stars instead of streetlights. And I want William to experience it all with me.

I know what I want. I just haven't figured out the how of it all yet. But where there's a want, there's a way, right?

Jane Austen does facebook

I love Pride and Prejudice, so this made me smile.