MOTHER’S DAY FUNNIES. I’m posting these fun pics up to liven up your day. I’m taking the day off from blogging tomorrow…I’ll see you back here bright and early Monday morning. Enjoy your day Mamas! 
Reasons for why people run in different countries
My daughter wrote this..please read it and pay attention to the youth because they are way more in tune with life’s events than most people will give them credit for.
I am a senior in highschool…YAY CLASS OF 2012! I am proud to proclaim that I have been homeschooled all my life. Throughout my years of learning, my mother has instilled in me the skill and love of reading. And not just reading regular writings, but literature. And all through highschool, my mom has had me read to her. I have read and discovered all sorts of works, like that of Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, John Bunyan and so forth. I have even read literature from Ye Ol’ English, dating back to the infamous Beowulf.
Though I have read some bad things, along with the good works, I have grown to love literature. It’s become my favorite subject. You learn about yourself when read things like these. You learn and find where your morals, and views stand…you self-discover essentially. I have grown to love poetry a great deal. It has inspired me to write some of my own. Through reading literature, you gain culture, knowledge, and a well-rounded vocabulary, which you use in turn to write works of art. My mother always taught me the value of communicating well. Not sounding like an idiot when you’re speaking to somebody…whether it be for a job interview, or in a social setting among educated people. It’s important to have this…because you never really know where you’ll be, or when you’ll need it.
I hope you enjoy!
Bleeding Sacrifice
Your body, feels good next
To mine,
As I run my fingers down your Spine.
Your body, feels like it’s in its
Place,
Everyone questions
They think us a disgrace
Forget them Love,
Live a little.
All we have is the now,
There’s no turnin’ back.
I see you,You see me.
They think us Crazy.
We’re each other’s baby.
We see each other as
BEAUTY!
No one can see our
Pain,
See our veins,
Dripping with the blood
They make us.
We come together now
Healing each other’s
Wounds.
In our weakness,we gain strength.
In our fight to save
Each other.
We fall,
Joining another paradise.
Elena Brincat
I was journaling earlier today and I did a little exercise called a gazillion questions day. I allowed myself to write down all the questions swimming around in my head. Some I answered. Others, I had no answer for and I just left blank.There is something very freeing about writing down those questions even if you don’t have an answer or if the answer is something you don’t want to accept. At least it’s out of my head and I anchored it down on pen and paper. Or in my case, hammered them down with each strike of the keys on my key board. So now that I’ve told you what helps me clear my head, I feel a nap coming on . Chao for now!
SWEET SPIRIT
I drew this horse for my daughter a while ago. She wanted to know if I could draw her a horse and I took out some butcher paper I had lying around the house. I wasn’t going to color it because I didn’t think she’d like it. Once she saw my finished sketch she squealed in delight and begged me to finish it. So I used Prismacolor pencils and markers. It’s now framed hanging in her bedroom. When your child believes in you more than you believe in yourself, that’s the BEST feeling in the world! Happy Sunday to all!!!
FIESTA!
The flamenco dancer
her name was Penelope,
stepped up on the dance floor
and lost herself in ecstasy.
Her voluptuous body
covered in violet and magenta,
taffeta with silk organza.
Her feet in black heels.
Her hands clicking the castanets.
All the men there spinning their wheels.
Penelope’s chocolate tresses,
flowed in the wind in gentle caresses.
Penelope the flamenco warrior,
used her fan as her shield,
warding away male impetuous stares.
She arched her sensual body,
dainty hands wove intricate patterns
throwing away all of her cares.
Eva Santiago © 2012
I discovered how much I enjoy painting when my kids were toddlers. One frigid winter afternoon in Georgia I took out some finger paint and construction paper and they spent the next few hours delving into the paint with such enthusiasm that after a little while I joined them. I did a little picture and I put it on the fridge next to theirs. When their dad came home from work that evening, he noticed mine right away and he was as surprised as I was at how good it turned out. Ever since, I enjoy experimenting with different mediums. One day I am going to get the nerve up to use oil paints. So I leave you with this picture I did in water-color. Happy week-end everyone!
Lonesome Coyote
Tell me what you see lonesome coyote,
the moon is your lover,
bathes you gently with light,
you respond in a howl- haunting Don Quixote.
-Eva Santiago copyright 2012
10 Things and then Some…
10 Things I have learned in 17 years of home schooling:
1. Children are children until they grow up so let them be kids for as long as they can get away with it. You are training them to BECOME adults. So don’t treat them as “little adults”; they’ll be there soon enough.
2. Nobody is perfect so don’t expect perfection from your kids. Instill in them a sense of excellence instead.
3. Practice what you preach. Kids see right through their superiors and if you’re phony they’ll call you out on it.
4. When your child does her best, accept it.
5. Don’t even think that you’re going to pretend that you know everything. We don’t and kids learn that soon enough.
6. Sometimes kids ask questions not because they want an answer, they want to see how much you know.
7. DO NOT lie, especially to kids, in the guise that you’re trying to protect them. As they get older, they’ll see right through the BS.
8. Kids are honest as long as you’re honest with them.
9. The home schooling journey tends to get lonely at times for both parents and children.
10. Now a days education is a big money-making business. It doesn’t take a lot of cash to give your children a good education.
This is just a VERY brief over view of some of the things I have learned in this amazing, challenging and at times frustrating journey. I had never stopped to think about it until now. If you were to ask me 25 years ago when I graduated from high school what I’d be doing 25 years later, this would have never popped into my head. I was headed to live out a completely self-absorbed life style and then what happened? Faith took over and led me here. I’m so glad I listened to her instead of following my way. My 25th class reunion is coming up this summer. I dare say I’m pretty sure I’m not going to hear too many of my fellow classmates of the class of ‘87 saying they are in my profession. I’d probably get the usual bewildered looks that I’ve grown accustomed to over the years. But alas, I don’t see the point in going to a reunion where I hardly knew anyone back then and I’m certainly not going to know any of those people now. It’s time to celebrate my daughter’s accomplishment and that’s what I’m going to do this summer!!!
ROOSTER
Along time ago I was going through a rough time and I had a great friend from Texas. Rooster was his name and he had a bigger than life personality. I wondered a lot back in those day when my ship was going to come in. Rooster was a man who had lived live fully and now at the twilight of his life, he was doing his best to love people right where they were. One afternoon I visited him at his RV which was parked across the street from mine. He was having a tough time breathing because the Santa Ana winds were blowing the desert sand everywhere and this was messing with his very bad lungs. “Rooster,” I asked,” when is my ship going to come in?” He paused, letting my question sink in for a few minutes then he starts laughing. I looked at him laughing with him not sure why but he had a contagious laugh so I couldn’t help it, Then he said,” Well darlin’ I’ve had several come in during my life time only they all ship wrecked later on.” That set us both off and we couldn’t stop laughing for several minutes. Then he stood up, his over 6 ft frame filled the 30 ft. trailer he called his home on wheels. He pulled me to him and gave me a big bear hug. I never had gotten hugged from my father so I closed my eyes and imagined that if my own papi was still with me, I’m sure that’s what it would feel like. I dedicate this post to my dear friend Rufus Maxwell AKA ROOSTER. I know you’re in heaven my dear friend and we miss your cock-a-doodle-doos you used to do every morning from your trailer. That seems like a whole other life time ago. Happy Saturday blog world
Have you ever felt like you’re the one everyone depends on for seemingly everything? You’re the one people try out their best and worst lines on. You’re the one they leap, twirl, tip-toe, prance and dance on. You’re covered will all sorts of scuff-marks and scratches. There are days you don’t feel special; in fact you have days when you’re so exhausted that you just lay there.
Welcome to that part of life I’ve come to embrace and dubbed “The Stage”.
If you’re a parent you’re acquainted with being the stage for your kids. You’re the one they try their best and worst lines on. You’re the one they try their firsts on; from crawling, to first steps, then jumping, running and eventually dancing. You’re covered with all sorts of scuff-marks and scratches but you keep going nonetheless because out of those, you know dreams are launched. And, as parents we all have days when we feel overlooked, ignored and forgotten. The activity continues though because you know the show must go on.
You know that at the end of the performance you’ll get no credit. The actors will be lauded. The director and his crew will receive pats on their backs. The lights will shine but you’re underneath it all. Still you don’t care because when you’re called to be the stage, you know that without you, they won’t have a place to stand on. Without you dreams won’t come true. Much is said about great performances; little is ever mentioned about the stages they played on. It takes great confidence to be a stage. You must have a firm grasp on yourself; a knowing that you are a vital part of the show’s success.
When the lights go out and the audience goes home, you’ll just lay there, quietly fulfilled, resting for the next performance.
-Eva Santiago 2012
ON RESPONSIBILITY
“Education is too important to be left solely to the educators.” – Francis Keppel
This note was written by a home schooling parent who lives in my area. I had to post it here because it’s refreshing to hear from homeschooling fathers for a change.
There are times when things hit you. And I mean ton of bricks from the sky, Mike Tyson in his glory days, knock you flat on your ass. This evening is one of those times. The, for lack of a better word, rant, I am about to unleash is one of those times. It will offend some, enlighten others, and confuse some more of you. And some of you will applaud it. I think very few will applaud it.
Almost 4 years ago Keri and I decided to remove our oldest 2 children from public education. We wrestled with the decision and sought the council of educators, homeschoolers, family and friends. At the time they were our only 2 children and quite frankly, we were done. So I thought. I was becoming increasingly displeased with the system as a whole but I was not on board fully with the decision and I have second guessed myself since we did it. We have used various homeschool groups, online courses and co-ops. And every time we shift we go over the same argument. What are they supposed to know, how do I teach that, etc. etc. Then this evening I found clarity.
ALMOST EVERYTHING I LEARNED IN SCHOOL WAS, OR IS NOW, “WRONG”
Pluto is not a planet, eggs are good for me (aren’t they), immunizations don’t prevent disease, my desk won’t protect me in the event of a nuclear attack, JFK may or may not have been killed by a lone gunmen or the mafia on behalf of Cuba, the founding fathers were racist, and sexist and they may or may not have meant “All” People. The government is not my friend, and neither are the police. The IRS (a non government agency that has better black ops teams than most third world countries) is not above the law. We did send weapons to the Middle East and funded terrorists. We did enslave the Chinese in World War II while we fought against a guy for enslaving people (but he killed them). I can start a sentence with the word “Because”. It really doesn’t matter what kind of shoes, hat, shirt, or car I own and no one cares how many cassettes I have because now they are paperweights. There is no cure for cancer, or any other disease since 1950 and politicians are not to be trusted. Period. These cannot be disputed and they were all part of my schooling. I will not subject my children to that.
There are constants, yes. 2+2 = 4 and 2 x 4 = 8. Unless you work for Wall Street in which case 2 +2 only equals 4 when I deduct the principle interest over the long term….whatever. 2+2 = 4 ALWAYS.
My children learn life skills that they need, such as how to work in society and interact with people. How to earn a dollar, how to coexist in a 1200 sf house peacefully with 4 siblings and 2 parents who love each other (been married 14 years). Recycling their school lunch of pink slime will not save the environment; learning to live with less and appreciate the very fact that you have something, instead of constantly pining for more will instill the character that will have my children, as adults, leading yours. They learn all day, every day, and they learn things that no school can teach them. They build stuff, create, DO things with their own two hands and from the intuitive thoughts in their own mind. Not following your watered down directions. There is nothing that is not at their disposal. You Tube, Khan Academy, Family in City Government, Family who went to wars, iTunes U where hundreds of k-12 to University courses are available for free. Holy Shit, they are free thinkers!?!? And they are dangerous. This causes me as much pride and satisfaction as it does cause for frustration. And sometimes they screw up. They don’t fail. Because failure means quitting. If you never quit moving forward you cannot fail. They are not A or D students. They are simply students. As I am, my wife is, and my three toddlers are.
“But homeschooling is hard.” Yep! It’s probably the most personally challenged I have ever been. These are my children, my legacy, I want them to do better than me (ego). Until now I have allowed outside influences to cause me to second guess myself and my children’s intelligence. No more. “I can’t homeschool, I don’t have time” Bulshit! you have time for pinterest and facebook and time to know whatever bullshit the Kardashians are into this week? Then you have time to balance your checkbook with your kid. You have time to help them make dinner (not let them help you). Have them watch an hour of the Khan Academy for every hour of Dora. ”Homeschool kids are weird” Yep! They don’t know how to relate with your child who only wants to talk about video games/cartoons/jersey shore/sex or whatever other poison MTV and Disney are spoonfeeding them this month. I am perfectly ok with that.
I used to think that people thought we were lazy for homeschooling. In reality it is the antithesis of lazy to say I will be solely responsible for your well being. I will educate you and clothe you and feed you and protect you and discipline you. I will not send you to an institution designed on the principles of the prison system that segregates and demeans you and tells you what you can or cannot do, how to dress, what to read or say, and that will reduce you to the lowest common denominator. Unless you live in a wealthy neighborhood of course, or some philanthropist builds a charter school in your area. All children have a right to a quality, open, free education. And if you have the internet then you have all the resources you need. Lazy is letting your momma lay out your clothes for you every morning.
I say this with the utmost respect for those working in the teaching field. Because without you there would be millions of students without a place to learn. You pick up where parents have left off. You give tirelessly of your time and your energy to raise other people’s kids. And you are underpaid and undervalued. Please don’t think because I have chosen not to use your services that they are not of great value. Some of my greatest inspiration are teachers, John Taylor Gatto and Howard Zinn among them.
So if this rant has offended you, I aplogize, as that was not my intent. I needed to put this on paper (and I mean needed) so that when someone asks me why I homeschool, I can simply refer them here. We all have our paths to follow, and their are no right or wrong ones to choose if that is where your heart takes you. And finally, I know where mine is taking me.
