Hey everyone! I'm almost too excited to write this post, because next Saturday morning I'll be hitting the Portobello Road Market in London. (cheering sounds here)
Yes, our 10 years in the making trip BACK to the UK is just next week and I'm chuffed. (And brushing up on my Brit speak, obviously.)
I'll miss our kiddos like crazy. But thanks to my sister and brother-in-law I know they're going to have a great time back here too. (Last time we left the kids to go to England we only had 3 and they were 7, 4, and 2. A LOT can change in 10 years!)
Clearing out my link collection before I take off:
- In the "yikes!" category: A Brief Compendium of Medical Quackery from Messy Nessy Chic.
- In the "there's still hope for me" category: 35 Over 35 - Writers Who Got Their Start After Age 35 from The American Scholar.
- This, from Courtney Reissig, is so timely: Letting our Privilege Lead Us to Listen. I'm married to a wonderful man, I have a fantastic dad, and both my grandpas have supported and encouraged me my entire life. I'm grateful for that. And I know that's not true for everyone. (And sadly, despite being surrounded by such good men, I could still add my own #metoo story about some men who are not honorable. Because most women can.)
- Why Niceness Weakens Our Witness by Sharon Hodde Miller. Reiterating the importance of actual virtue. (I've been thinking about this for a long time, even before this article. And that is part of the reason why I exhort my children to "be kind" instead of telling them to "be nice." What does nice even mean?!)
- So much food for thought here: To Wonder, Learn, and Love: Christian Humanism in the Modern University by Brian A. Williams.
- More food for thought (and as a Sayers fan I have to say, I'm not sure I can agree. But still, a mental challenge is a good thing): Dorothy Sayers was Wrong: The Trivium and Child Development by Shawn Barnett at CiRCE.
- Those of us who struggle with sentimentality occasionally need reminders like this: Do Yourself a Favor and Just Say NO to Negative Emotional Clutter from I'm An Organizing Junkie.
- The Rise of Coffee Shaming by Amanda Mull in The Atlantic. Yep.
- This move by publishers is a troubling development in the book world: Libraries are Fighting to Preserve Your Right to Borrow E-books from CNN.
- You don't have to give up your homeschool philosophy of choice to take heed to this advice: Rewards of Following Rabbit Trails by Nadene at Practical Pages.
- This is about more than classroom walls (I think it's about Beauty): How Not to Decorate Your Classroom by Joshua Gibbs at CiRCE.
Discussions of what beauty is and why it matters aside, the above article also reminded me of my husband's first (and only) year teaching in a classroom full time.
He got in trouble for not having enough decorations in his room and not changing the bulletin boards often enough. *insert eye-roll here*
Granted, he could have been more concerned with making it beautiful but in a cinder block classroom with no windows, tacking up some owl posters exhorting kids to read more hardly seems like the solution.
- Articles like this one are catching my eye all the time now that our oldest is headed to college (she's taking the "community college for the first few years while continuing to live at home" route): As Student Debt Rises Teens Are Rethinking the College Experience from MEL Magazine.
- Somewhat related to the above: Tuition is Rising and Enrollement is Holding. So Why are Christian Colleges Struggling? from TGC. I think there are more reasons for this (and more nuance) than what's discussed in the article, honestly. For a related story closer to my home see: 'Dire Financial Straits': A Portrait of a Desperate University that Made All the Wrong Bets.
- Great insights in this article (and it definitely went a direction I didn't expect): Common Christian Myths About Happiness by Randy Alcorn.
- I don't agree with all of this, especially the last few paragraphs, and it's sure to be controversial as a whole, but a neutral pronoun isn't really the problem. (Even our beloved Jane used a singular "they"): Even A Grammar Geezer Like Me Can Get Used to Gender Neutral Pronouns from NPR.
- Ugh: How to Eat Less Plastic from Consumer Reports.
- Yes, this: Classical Education Won't Save Your Children by Kristen Rudd at CiRCE.
- I had no idea and this is fascinating: What the Heck is Crab Rangoon Anyway? from Atlas Obscura.
Well, those ought to keep you busy for a bit!
When I get back - in September - I hope to publish some of my posts backlog that I've saved in drafts but haven't published yet. And do our annual "not back to school" type post (including interviews with my kiddos).
In the meantime, cheerio!
