Gud, what are your other schooling options right now?

Well there is public school, which isn't too bad here (There's a brand new elementary school being built in our neighborhood as well). But home schooling is really important to my wife and an explosive subject. Academically, she's doing great right now and that's not entirely subjective as she is in a remote learning setup and gets graded by the remote school district. However, she is starting to slow down and I worry about social issues. OTOH my wife seems open to public school is the academics start to deteriorate. It's a tricky subject.

There is another aspect which I think about too. She has complained that her mother was too sheltering with her as a kid and I think she's carrying that even further. My wife also worries that Emaryn would just be wreck if she had to go to a regular school and it is certainly true that she would be very scared about that. I hate to say it because it sounds a bit cruel, but I think that's all the more reason why a regular school might be good. I think Emaryn needs to learn to not be scared of that.

In other words it's an area of conflict that won't be easily resolved.

I don't think that's at all cruel, Gud. Damned hard, but not cruel.

Home schooling shouldn't be to protect the kid from the big bad world--school is a sliver of reality, and I don't think it's going to get easier to adjust as time goes by.

It's September. I'm going to write off my morning migraine as perfectly normal, and go into the month as if August never really happened, not like it did.

I may get to go to the premiere of a movie featuring one of the krav instructors tonight. Not a big movie, by any account, but there will be vampires and shirtlessness. I hope it all works out.

The temptation of saying "Fuck you, I quit" is very strong, but I know in the long run it so isn't worth it.

Hm, if they don't compensate you accordingly, and you have the resources to do so, I would think that yes, it would be worth it.

When interviewing for another job, and they ask you why you left your other company, you can tell them the truth and let it be known up front that graveyard shifts are not acceptable for you. It's certainly a legitimate reason for someone to leave a job and look for another. If you were to be penalized for that by potential new companies, you probably wouldn't be happy working there anyway.

What everyone else said, Gud. I wish your wife could see that it's actually safer and better for a kid to learn about the world in a school environment than to be tossed out there as a fully grown adult. It's probably still hard for her but understandable considering her own sheltered upbringing.

I hope you two can resolve the issue to best suit the needs of your kids (and not add any more stress to your marriage).

today I am embracing my "inner" bossy. Someone just said to me, "Yes ma'am, right away, ma'am." and it made me smile.

___

Dear 3 people who need to pick up tix from me today,

CALL ME!

Emmett figured out how to slip the blade of one through the guard of the other and make a Darth Maul-ish double-blade.

Emmett is brilliant, I never thought of that.

it's actually safer and better for a kid to learn about the world in a school environment than to be tossed out there as a fully grown adult.

That's kinda how I feel about it, but my wife says she's concerned about socialization too, so we'll see if we can figure something out.

Hey Gud, you've probably already thought of this, but what about a class of some sort? Like a dance, karate, or art class on the weekends that she can go to for a couple of hours? Sort of to ease into the learning with other kids thing.

One might have thought after all the hubbub and kerfuffling that once the decision had been made, that would be it. But no - there are many that are unhappy with the decision, and some will resort to civil disobedience....

More than 300 astronomers have signed a petition denounced the IAU’s new planet definition that demotes Pluto. The petition states simply:

“We, as planetary scientists and astronomers, do not agree with the IAU’s definition of a planet, nor will we use it. A better definition is needed”

The petition, which began circulating right after last week’s vote, is one more sign that this whole debate is far from over. In another move today, the world’s largest group of planetary scientists issued a statement suggesting the definition would get worked over between now and the next IAU meeting in 2009.

While it might have seemed to the public and the press that Pluto’s demotion was a done deal (and I’m on record as saying the defintion should not be altered beyond minor tweaks to clarify) I would not bet against Pluto’s possible resurgence. Just as science promises to march forward, so too will all this bickering and posturing. And why not? It’s great fun, some of the best scientific theater of our generation.

[link]

Meanwhile Pluto's sitting there in the Underworld going, "Day-um. I haven't gotten this kinda attention since Constantine."