Feeling really unsettled lately...like there's a big change coming on. A unplugging the TV, clearing out basement & giving it away, taking long-term fast from FB & Twitter kind of change.
And, it's a combo of things:
1. This article which refers to going out and living my life instead of staying inside and Twittering about it. I LOVE my online friends and the way they challenge me, open my mind to new ideas, and make me laugh but no one here can participate in that. Facebooking and Twittering are technically solitary pursues. Online lives are deceptively cozy - there is a false sense of community. The only community I technically should be building is here around me. I've been toying with the idea for a block party for the last few years - and why don't I do it?
My blogging started as a writing outlet that morphed into a kind of online documentation of our family life - like a family-sized baby book! LOL Blogging led to Bloglines which led to Twittering which led to Facebooking. It's like blogging was my "gateway drug" to this online life! LOL
2. A book on scheduling for h-school moms (prioritizing what's really important to us and dropping the rest).
3. A book one and book two on the failure of public schools & their tendency to drive out inspiration, creativity, & critical thinking w/ their "herd" mentality. Gatto's books have taken my teacher training, my own school experience, and that of my teaching experience and turned it on its head. As a former/continuing student, I'm furious. As a semi-retired teacher, I'm shaking my head in agreement at the things he accuses public schooling of. As a parent, I'm turning into a huge "momma bear" wanting to protect the Vikings from it all. It's official - I've become the parent I used to make fun of. LOL "Unschooling" is sounding better and better to me. LOL
4. Our change to the Dave Ramsey mindset - whjich I've written about here several times
5. My endless ADD & Momma frustration of the constant clutter (electronic & physical) & cleaning around things we never use.
6. If we have to move for DaHubby's new career *I* don't want to pack all this crud up.
7. In a way the kids and I need fewer choices. Too many things to watch and to play with keeps us from actually going OUT and LEARNING something and/or getting some EXERCISE! And, I don't mean starting the lesson/team sport merry-go-round either. Just "unorganized", creative, investigative, self-realizing discovery. Stuff we can do together as opposed to me dropping them off at yet another activity.
8. Tired of finding new things I want to try and having no time and/or resources to do them. We love our garden - but have no time to try new seed pots I saw the other day. We *really* want to do a compost bin (maybe something like this) and a rain barrel for water conservation but no time and no money. I'd like to find something beautiful and useful to grow on the arbor DaHubby built for our wedding. (We had the ceremony under it.)
DaHubby wants to finish his boats. I want more time for solitude, reading, exercising and crafting. I want time ffor actually *doing* things with the Vikings as opposed to telling them "go watch/play/do whatever while I get housework done." Activites we can do as a family as opposed to dropping off the Vikings at yet another activity. More time for Bible reading - for all of us.
Random thoughts from a random mind this morning...
Monday, March 16, 2009
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2 comments:
Wow, this is really thought provoking. Right now this sense of community I'm receiving online is a lifeline for me while I'm unemployed. It has given me a sense of belonging. It has added a new dimension to life. One my husband thinks is nuts and my daughter thinks I shouldn't trust. I am an isolator. When I was in my addiction to pills, I isolated, but in a bad way. Now, in recovery, it is still a hard habit to break. I feel I have a routine of checking tweets (I used to go back all night, but don't anymore), checking blogs, checking fb, reading the paper, etc.
I have met some amazing people (like you) in my journey since November. I'm going to the Roadshow in Dallas (6 hours away) & meeting 2 tweeps there. I think that is exciting & it brings a little reality to this new community. You have made amazing changes in your life & your lifestyle. I think it is important that you continue to voice your opinion (good & bad) through whatever medium available. I have learned from you. I haven't stepped into action yet, but I think of your tips & wonder at 51, how do I make the change.
I think you are vital to more people than you realize. People near AND far. Keeping you in my prayers, that whatever your decision, YOU are comfortable.
Baby, you're singing my song about all of it.
A public school teacher friend of mine (was in NYC for years, now in Connecticut) was told after a recent observation/evaluation, that her expectations for the children were too high - in spite of the fact that the children "got" the lesson.
We're doing NEW Square Foot gardening this year. We have a little bit of a compost bin but hope to really get going with it big time soon. I'm getting pretty excited about it. :)
Do you think you'll continue to blog?
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