Home School Seventh Grade

Last year gave us a variety of obstacles to overcome. Learning curves, growth spurts, health dilemmas all crammed into the schedule along with academic pursuits.  Sixth grade, the year can be summed up in two words; boot camp. It did some butt kicking and yes, as I posted in the early part of our home school adventure (5th grade), we had some bruises to show for it. A great military hero helps us put 6th grade into perspective, "The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat." Marcinko, Rogue Warrior.  Goes along with that wonderfully true phrase, "no pain, no gain."

The sixth grade year put us through its training and toughened us up a bit. The effects were resounding to the point it made us re-work our strategy and make some well-planned changes for a smooth transition into the next year.

So here we are 7th grade, we have an idea of what you want and expect from us. We re-vamped our school room for operational success. We took extreme measures with our organizational tools, scouted the academic territory and came back with some helpful intel. Added a well-planned recreation outlet to de-stress and started off this year strong.

Off Topic But Still Relates 

There are some interesting topics I run across in our homeschooling adventure. I always wonder if others 'see' the same things I do or what their perspective is on these issues.

Entertainment: Reading Lists

I have noticed the reading lists for kids slant towards the topics of death and spiritism. Both of these highlighted in a manner that puts them in the realm of mysticism. These topics are breached earlier and earlier in curricula. Read Lee Duigon's findings on a few books that are popular material being pushed in the entertainment industry and some in schools.

It is so important in this day and age for parents to be aware of what their child reads and be there to teach as they maneuver through heavy material.

I can only speak from my experience, these are books I have personally run into either in the school curricula or recommended for kids and have found material that is not age appropriate or needs to be handled with wisdom as your child reads them. (Maybe substitute out and find an alternative to read as an option.)

Book 1: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
This book was required reading in Fourth grade at my daughter's public school. It is a World War II historical fiction based in Copenhagen. It depicts the life of one family dealing with separation, death and the fear that encompasses this time in history.

History is a great teaching tool, the realities of it are topics you can't dance around. It is what it is.  Children should know the truth of History. Use wisdom for your child's capacity to deal with emotional content.

My daughter felt very depressed reading this book. I also read it along with her and was uncomfortable with their focus on death.

Book 2: Paper Towns by John Green
We encountered this book this Summer. I read the summary for the book, the movie and reviews from actual readers. It was given high marks in the literary execution. We had issues with the promotion of teen sex, actions without consequences, suicide and revenge.

Life is filled with people who wrong and are wronged, yes, we can deal with it in humorous, creative ways. Life is what it is, filled with a wide range of human actions and reaction. Use wisdom for your child's capacity to deal with more adult issues involving emotional content that distracts from an academic pursuit of excellence.

I could list more books, but will refrain.

Dallas Museum of Art
Chandra and Alex
Photo: By Nathan Brown

The Question

Our family is asked quit a bit when we will be putting our daughter back in school. Or if she will be going back for high school with an air of 'won't she be missing out on life if we don't' let her go to 'school' for high school.

Read those sentences again....

My daughter IS IN school. She has a social life too, a healthy one!

I would like to clear up any misconceptions out there in the world. We know our lifestyle is different, we understand that our choice is not mainstream, we just ask for a little more respect when phrasing your question to us.

Sometimes the question is just plain curiosity but other times it is couched in thinking that somehow we are the problem, had to step out of the crowd to re-group and when we got a firm grasp of whatever it was we were lacking we'd re-enter 'normal' procedure and re-enroll our daughter to the system. We know this is not really intended but the implication comes off quite clear. I am here to say the box was meant to be stepped outside of for our family and it works for us.

For those that wonder, we do ask our daughter if she wants to re-enter the public school system at the end of every school year. We keep things open around here, we aren't totalitarian barbarians.

Her decision counts and she has chosen to HOME SCHOOL.

We appreciate it when someone doesn't ask us 'the question' but instead asks, like they do any other student, "How was your school year, are you ready for the next?"

Maybe next time someone asks when I'll be putting my daughter back in school, I'll ask when are you home schooling?


P.S.
What is it with me and bees at the beginning of the school year?  YES, I got stung by another bee today. OUCH!

Feria: Free Day

Today my sweet neighbors reminded me of what wonderful people living in a community can do for each other. They showed up at my door with gift bag in hand and wished me well on my 'free day'.  I pulled the paper tissue from the top of the bag and curiously peered inside. Stacked neatly, next to each other were bottles of beer. The labels cleverly chosen, each one a small portrayal of yours truly. A delicious chocolate brownie accompanied the arrangement with a humorous card that read, "Beer is the Answer" and when you opened it, the catch line said, "Who the hell cares what's the question."

The biggest smile spread across my face. I immediately thought of my neighbors and was thankful for their well thought out gift. I was flooded with amiable warmth thinking of their efforts to tell me they remembered my birthday.

Note: In Ancient Roman culture, Free Days, called Ferias in Latin, are days in which the people (even the slaves) were not obligated to work. These days were usually national holidays set legally by the State. Not so different than what we do now except, I think birthdays are personal holidays and should be implemented by families under the 'free day' idea.

In the celebratory spirit of free days, friendship and beer I'll dot this page with poetry and proverb for your pleasure.

Feria

Free Day

It's your fixed date holiday

and only comes once a year.

So tell your job to hit the bricks,

you're playing hooky, go grab a beer;

put your feet up, relax

and indulge in something fun

declare your own personal holiday

your free day has begun.

Make this standard practice and celebrate to the full,

Your birthday should be enjoyable

and that my friend is no bull!

By: Chandra Brown

Barley Pop

Hot Summer day

cold aluminum can

Pop the top

Lips open wide

Taste buds sing

Quench body drought

By: Chandra Brown

Drinking a Blue Moon and toasting to my sweet neighbor friends.. Thanks for making my free day memorable.

Service Design: Refreshed Business Tools for the Modern Age

"Modernism...means integrity, it means honesty, it means the absence of sentimentality, and the absence of nostalgia." Paul Rand, IBM logo creator. Design Thinking edited by Thomas Lockwood.

I am currently furthering my education in the business realm by reading about the new approach to the modern business model through advanced systems called Service Design.

Eads Bridge

Service Design in a nutshell is common sense strategies applied to the internal and external systems of a business model by tapping into experience and manipulating outcomes through creativity with the end goal of a refined, fluid, cohesive environment.

After reading my third book on the subject, it is interesting to see the modern world of business put its definition for success on the docket. The Design aspect of business is putting its stamp on our technological age yet I find myself still looking back to some of those tried and true methods the Agricultural and Industrial Ages have stamped on the pages of business.

When I read about Service Design I can't help but think of Lee Iacocca, business guru for Ford and Chrysler or Zig Ziglar, the quintessential motivational genius or Leonardo DaVinci, the all-encompassing man who defined the Renaissance.

I'll add a little to my running definition by saying Service design is a culmination of the successful thinking style from many ages applied to our current technological age.

When I think of the whole of service design I can't help but remember the well known, culturally encompassing Golden Rule. A basic principle to ensure success and best described by Matthew 7:2, "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." In fact, all I kept thinking about was how the Bible states the tenants of Service Design. Colossians 3:12-14, Ephesians 4:25 and practically the entire book of Proverbs. The Golden Rule and many of the wise teachings listed here involve a strong human element which effects us all, the element of emotion and handling that emotion correctly.

I used Paul Rand's quote for a catalyst for this blog entry. His quote is used (by Marc Gobe author of chapter 10, Design Thinking page 110. Chapter 10 is about emotional branding.) in context of past business models and paradigms, namely, the Industrial Age with the 'production model and the effect it had on consumerism and how it created subservient masses that could easily be manipulated and consumption habits regulated to fit a business production model.'. I thought about his words for a while. Do you agree with his quote in the context used?

I agree wholeheartedly with the first two declarations. Yes, indeed we should strive for those virtues. My question lies in why the absence of sentiment and nostalgia, two icons of what makes us human and can drive our decision making process to do the things we do, be the people we are and act upon those opinions, beliefs, attitudes and feelings that have some root in the past.

We can not be so ready to throw out the past and what it has to offer in terms of emotional branding. One of the tenets of the new marketing age is creating a brand message that incorporates meeting unmet emotional needs. This type of marketing can also fall easily into a model that manipulates the masses that supports production.

What I'm trying to get at is the human emotion spectrum is quite broad. Manipulation of this for business purposes on any level can be a Pandora's box. I think there is more of a common thread between the Industrial Age and Technological Age than this quote and context may not have realized and missed.

Here is an example from a more nostalgic time in business history to express my point, we can't forget our past, use it to build for the future. The Industrial Age did meet the 'emotional' needs of consumers for their time in history. (For instance; trust is a very important human emotion, especially in business. ) (Note: The Industrial Age is fraught with business problems just as our Technological Age will find it's own to worry about in the course of history).

Andrew Carnegie was contracted to build The Eads Bridge using his new, innovative product steel, there was speculation by the public whether this new concept for structures would be safe. Carnegie was brilliant in his solution to combat the mistrust towards the launch of his vision. He used an emotional context found in the form of societal gossip which had no scientific bearing to solidify trust in something scientifically proven and firm, his product. He used an 'old wives tale' involving an elephant and the factor of trust. It was said and believed, that an elephant wouldn't cross an unsafe structure. So Carnegie with his brilliant marketing mind, appealed to the emotional needs of the masses on bridge opening day with an honest to goodness, 12,000 pound elephant who strode past the threshold and over the bridge with not a even a slight vibration from the structure. The biggest emotion in successful business enterprise, trust was sealed with the public and they were ready to move on to bigger things, like skyscrapers.

Apple Computer Prototype

There is so much more to say about the 'emotional' element of business. I'll end it here with a question, can you name a modern business that has similarities to what Carnegie accomplished? I sure can.

This Texas based company sure does use nostalgia to promote its product.
TASTY! My local grocery store can't keep it on the shelves.
Yes, I think of my hometown with longing to be there with the good memories and people by just looking at the label and when I drink the well crafted liquid inside it comforts my sentimental side. AHHH!

My Stoic Cherokee

"Sometimes you have to treat yourself to the niceties in life."  Chandra Brown

Our family recently toured The Dallas Art Museum where we were all inspired by various pieces of work through many genres and periods. It was amusing to listen to why my husband liked a particular painting that I secretly found pleasing as well. As he described why he liked it, I found myself nodding in agreement and when he finished his last thought on the matter, the exact thought he was saying splurged out of my mouth about the piece too. It was one of those art pieces you wish you could take home with you because it jumped off the wall, said something to our souls that we both understood.

My husband and I have dreamily said we would buy a piece of property just for the Art value. Meaning, the wall space is what is important to us. There are pieces of art we have stacked in closets and against walls in our house, Art that needs to be framed and put in its' proper place. Art that tells a story or evokes an emotion or conveys a message. We want our walls to tell tales that provoke thought and enhance conversation.

Alas, life gets in the way of day dreaming and our gallery is in need of some help.

The Brown house is not run like your typical household; time takes you on its path and before you know it, those typical things that families tend to do to remember each other have missed their mark on the calendar. Namely, family photos. The last one we have was taken five years ago. I felt a slight pang of guilt for this neglect in memory compiling. The pang didn't last long when I saw an old friend post her artistic skills depicting two sisters in a portrait. This got my cogwheels moving and I knew I needed a portrait of my daughter to fill in my memory void.

Photo By: Nathan Brown

What makes this artistic adventure so special comes from the details involved. The original photo taken for this portrait of my daughter was clicked by my husband as we sat outside on our deck enjoying the Texas weather. We were discussing family history and the fact Cherokee blood ran in the Brown's veins. My daughter was playing with feathers she found in the yard and created the hairpiece and out of some wild fluke she let us put braids in her hair. I giggled at how cute our little squaw looked  and asked if anyone has ever seen a blond Native American before?

We told her how most antique Native American portraits hardly ever showcased a smiling figure, most were serious and it was rare that the photo was ever taken due to some superstitions.  We told her to strike her best rendition of how a distant family member in the tribe may have looked posing for a photograph. Her gaze and stature displayed in that quick photo, taken in a second that afternoon caused us to remember a not too distant past while living in the moment of family storytelling and play.

My husband and I didn't know how much that photo would grow on us over the following months. We captured more than just an image, we captured a story in that photo. The more we look at it, the more of our daughter's strong character and personality emote off the page. If one can capture a part of a personality in one pose, my husband did in this photo.  Strong and stoic, grace under pressure, all which lend meaning to her name; Alexandra.

Graphite Art By: Brook Burnaugh

I wanted to make that photo memorable, something that would last. Something that wouldn't be deleted or lost in an archive. So I contacted Brooke Burnaugh, a very talented artist who lives near us to commission the portrait that would become a working part of our 'walls filled with art' day dream.  I loved the fact she was local, talented and would be adding her style and artistic gift to a part of our life that has the most meaning.  Art should make you feel, should be lasting and make you want to keep coming back to look at it again and again, and this portrait of our daughter encompasses all of that.

If one can hit the art jackpot, I just did.

Flying By Faith

Our family has a deep respect for those who sacrifice and serve in the military. We especially love it when we happen upon a World War II Veteran and are able to thank them personally.

We've had a few great opportunities to do this, while checking out at a Costco in Colorado my husband noticed an elderly man wearing a cap stating he served in WWII, he made a bee line for the gentleman before he exited the building to make sure he shook his hand and thanked him.

I recently had a client who won a Purple Heart in World War II and I made sure and brought my daughter to my last meeting with him to make sure she was able to hear his story and meet a real life hero.

Make sure to take time to thank someone who has served or is serving this Memorial Day in honor of those who have sacrificed for our country. This National Holiday always make me think of my Grandpa Jack. I wrote about him previously and he certainly was an entertaining figure, a family legend we all end up talking about with a gleam in our eye.

So here is the finger-biting account of the night it took a community acting together to help save Jack from a perilous disaster.

Jack Koch with his 2 eldest sons, Jim and Bill

Jack seemed to run on his own clock. You would often here the double tap honk of his car horn announcing it was time to go while long goodbyes were dolled out by others. He was a speed demon, peddle to the metal kind of guy, even when others didn't feel the need to rush.

Jack liked the draw of adventure, he grew up rollerskating the hills of Seattle Washington, daring his friends to enter haunted houses, riding Harley Davidson motorcycles and flying airplanes. It seems Jack looked for the fun in life, caution was cast to the wind more than a few times in his lifetime. We all liked to tease that Jack scared his own guardian angels on a regular basis.

One fateful September night in 1949 Jack not only scared his guardian angels, he, and I quote from the newspaper article, "scared the wits out of Osceola" (a small town in Wisconsin).  Jack was enjoying his latest pastime, flying his small prop plane, putting in air time hopping from small town to small town that dotted the countryside. Jack must have forgotten to wind his clock correctly because he miscalculated daylight time and arrived in the town as the sun was setting and the landing strip had no landing lights installed.

How does a pilot get the help he needs when there is no radio contact and he is literally flying by the seat of his pants? Well, Jack was a smart whippersnapper, he had crazy wit at his side not to mention guardian angels that were in dire need of a break when the thought to incessantly buzz the town square where business keepers were locking up for the night may get him the attention he needed.

As miracles often happen, the right people at the right time noticed and heard the low flying distress call  as Jack repeatedly passed back and forth like an annoying fly. Enter good Dr. Simenstad who was also the Secretary of the State Aeronautics Commission and an experienced pilot who knew exactly what his fellow flier needed. He promptly gathered available townsfolk who owned cars and lead them like gang busters to the airport landing strip where he lined them up opposite each other down the strip, told them to flick on their headlights and create their own landing lights.

Needless to say Jack landed with a "sigh of relief"gave his guardian angels a much needed break, thanked God for a community that was alert and ready to act in a critical situation and called it a good day.

Ahh, Grandpa Jack, you've been gone for some time now, but you are a legend that still lives in our families' heart!

Jock Koch's Memory of Service in the Armed Forces

1949 Newspaper Article by: Linda Jensen Gordon

Synopsis No More

Thinking seems to be disjointed in this day and age of industrialism, technology inspired- consumer oriented, go-go paced lifestyle. It's a world of people wearing many hats. These hats are usually displayed with pride and one defines their life by them. We tend to see people by the hat they like showing the most. In our categorized system of dealing with life, we tend to leave out the space needed for nuances. How do we define our closest friends or loved ones to others? We usually start off by telling the unknowing soul about their work status, sometimes but not always followed by their domestic status. Does anyone else in this wide world see a problem with this?

Rene Magritte; Self Portrait, Son of Man
Also known as Faceless Business Man in a Bowler Hat

Why do we allow ourselves to be defined by these industrial terms, display ourselves as a marketed product with images to be sold for acceptance? When did human virtues, character and quality take a back seat to these definitions? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

I hear people describe themselves all to often like a synopsis for a movie. "Hi, my name is Joe, I work for Dell as a computer analyst and I enjoy riding bicycles." The only information I gleaned from this is what Joe likes to do, not the why or where the inspiration comes from for his life decisions or why these experiences shape Joe into who he is. This quick definition is good for resumes and that's about it, so why do people seem to heavily rely on this 'pat and dry' method in relationships? Come on Joe, I know you're not as boring as you made yourself sound, will the real Joe please step forward? Maybe Joe doesn't even know who that is?

This type of interaction is all too common in our society. Stop and think about it, how many people do you really know? I don't mean the amount of people, such as how many friends on Facebook you've accumulated, I don't mean what they do for most of their time during the day but what makes up their passions for doing what they do. This usually involves multi-dimensional experiences that have meaning and usually involves one or more other individuals. There are stories to be told here. Are we that disinterested in others or so self preoccupied the norm is to readily accept the edit and cut-out short answer a person gives as a new term for relationship? Not only that, are we so pounded and conformed into functional cogs in the wheel we ourselves don't even know how to articulate who we are to others?

I find myself caught in this crazy thinking web and like an insect struggling to free myself from this entanglement it seems to take all the energy I have to cut free. The impending doom of this unnatural relational cycle grates at the very gut of my being. We are not put on this earth to pass each other on the road with little signs stating a few words that supposedly describe your entire being, say nice to know you and keep going on our way. We need to stop, look at these pathetic signs, look the traveler in the eye and say, I've read your synopsis, but now lets sit down on the by way for a foot rest and tell me who you really are and not be afraid to tell the story. (and I want the good, the bad the ugly, it all mixes to make us who we are).

There is accountability, responsibility, community in this act of quiet listening and telling of personal stories. It makes us human, in fact, I believe it makes us want to be the best we can be. It is looking at a person in the flesh but seeing character, passion, emotion; the make-up of a soul, the true person.

The hardest part is this act takes vulnerability and the chance of running into someone along the path who is still pre-occupied with self interests and doesn't understand the art of relationship. This shouldn't stop us from trying to see people for who they really are, these bumps give us opportunity to forgive, to teach, to be an example.

I've recently experienced a little more depth in a relationship because the individual stepped outside their comfort zone and started to tell more of their story. It has been WONDERFUL for me.

If you take anything from this post, please take this: Talking about your story to those you trust is like rain in the desert. It is not selfish or prideful but a sharing and giving that is unique and can only come from you.

Note:
These thoughts are inspired by the recent reading of "The Art of the Commonplace, Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry."

Where have you been all my life Wendell?

Mother's Day

Well, another marketed Holiday is upon us and I am not prepared, per my usual Holiday habit. I really don't like these regulated, consumer oriented, go out and buy things because it's on a calendar celebrations. Although, I will admit, this upcoming one makes me want to milk it a little.  So I will, in the form of a slightly peevish poem (to come later) but first, I want to turn my thoughts from the marketing aspect and focus on the real important stuff, the people and why we celebrate Mother's Day.

Mom, Mother, Mum, Mommy. These are some of the endearments we use to beckon the one with whom we are timelessly attached too our entire lives.  We come up with variations in our endearments that have meaning and depth. I teasingly call my Mom, 'Mudder'. It's a fun story on how we decided to call her by her 'Mom' nickname. It involves family story telling and a piece of a cake but that is another story for another blog post.

The picture posted is of my beautiful Mom, but oh, she is so much more than her apparent good looks. This woman is multi-dimensional and a ton o' fun packed into her 5' 4" frame. There is never a dull moment when in the presence of 'Susie-Q' Debee. Growing up with her always had a laugh or an adventure twist that made for some wonderful memories.

Highschool Graduation Photo: Susie Koch

I dedicate the following true words about Mothers Day to this iconic woman who keeps on her toes, works whirls around the young folk, still brings home the bacon, fries it up too, jumps out of airplanes for the hell of it and whose firecracker wit is all her own. I just have to stop, stare at her picture and the thought spills out of me, "What a WOMAN!" 

Mother's Day

If you have a child, every day is Mother's Day

You don't ever get a break

It is the real, full time job, twenty-four-seven reality

and it's not always a piece of cake.

It takes a strong willed woman

to take the challenge in stride

this job isn't for pansies, the weak or unqualified.

Too many dreamers step up to this role

uneducated about its' requirements

they find themselves enrolled in boot camp

that reorganizes their sentiment.

Every woman should know the truth,

the required self sacrifice

Honest details discussed between

Mother and Daughter should suffice.

If oral history is passed down and

potential Mothers are in the know

when blessing happen in their life

they'll be prepared and ready to go.

It's proven if you work hard and 

apply the lessons you have gleaned

the rewards keep multiplying in ways

you couldn't have dreamed.

The day in May to honor Mom

is great for showing your heart

so pamper, spoil and hug them

it's a good place to start.

Don't forget to tell them that you love them

the other three hundred and sixty- four days

It will only cause Mom to beam with pride

at the sound of her child's praise.

Chandra Brown

OH YA, My Mom's THE WOMAN!