Our Schoolroom

Well, the new school year is quickly approaching, and it's time to get things ready!

I just recently noticed that our colorful timeline is a little less colorful...rather, some of the colors are faded now. I just hate not using wall space in the schoolroom, so I went through a history book of J's that had a timeline in it (which had everything already separated into categories!). I was inspired by the Konos timeline that I was never able to put up in the apartment when J was small--but now, we've gone condo, baby, and that wall is ours to destroy...er, decorate as we please!

The afternoon sun has faded some of the blues and purples in the room, making some categories look pink, but it's still a nice colorful addition to our room--and makes you want to read it (and learn something!).

I took the events and put them in a word file with some fairly big, bold font...a different font for each category should the colors fade (what a forward-thinking person I am--or is that "disaster-minded?"). They're printed out in black ink on colored copy paper and stapled to 2-3 foot strips of bulletin board border. Then I just tacked them up to the wall!

How Sad

A combination of two photographs shows a view of the Forbidden City in Beijing taken July 28 (L) and on August 2, 2008 (R). Beijing has vowed the Olympic Games will take place under blue skies, not the murky "sauna" haze that has shrouded the city recently, but even on apparently clear days pollution levels may not be safe for athletes.REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV

Funny how the promise of revenue will make some countries clean up their act--not the health of their own people. If they really wanted clean air, why didn't they do this a long time ago? I want to be mistaken.

Web Photo of the Day

"Now with less Hydrogen for those who wish to

reduce their atomic mass!"

Oy.

No Comprende!

No Comprende, demonstrated here by Fiver and the Tall Bald Guy, is a time-honored weekend ritual that includes lots of growling, nipping, barking, and generally running around like a ninny...sometimes Fiver joins in, too! It's the only way to wear out a puppy around here. Its name is taken from an expression the Tall Bald Guy uses often at work, as in: "I'll teach you no comprende, dangit!!"

Web Photo of the Day

Must be one of those short buses...

"I may not need oil, but I could sure use a few more

science lessons!"

...and people wonder why we homeschool.

Web Photo of the Day

In this photo provided by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, host Regis Philbin pets Powder, a 44-pound stray cat found wandering in southern New Jersey, on the set of 'Live with Regis and Kelly,' Thursday, July 31, 2008 in New York. Powder was originally known as 'Princess Chunk' until the producers brought out a veterinarian to determine it's gender. From left are Deborah Wright of the Camden County Animal Shelter, Philbin and co-host Kelly Rippa.(AP Photo/Disney-ABC Domestic Television)

Hey, something's gotta catch those New York rats!

The Modern-Day Back to School List

1) Turn in student loan papers and make absolutely sure they're filled out correctly and completely (yes, I've learned the hard way).

2) Cook and freeze meals for those loooong days on campus.

3) Take the rest of the toys out of the schoolroom and change out the year 2 history and science posters (especially since we left them up through year 3...)

4) Wait for student loan money to come in to purchase 8th grade curriculum for the boy who's just champing at the bit to get started (sorta).

5) Shell out $450 for books for three classes--yep, only three. Try not to dwell on the fact that the book for Counseling 533 is the same book you used in Psy 384 and sold back last December.

6) Clear the dining room table of all the studies and papers written during the spring semester, lest we get confused and read the wrong thing (at this point, it wouldn't surprise me).

7) Change the bulbs in the dining room overhead light to 60 watts so I don't squint my way through another semester's worth of homework and further encourage these wonderful crow's feet that are stomping across my face.

Whatever happened to crayons, paste, new shoes, and a shiny new lunchbox?