2016...The Year of NOW

As some may remember, I don't do resolutions.  They are wasted on me as I'm more of a 'big picture' person.  At the end of 2011 I realized that my life was too hectic and busy.  I was allowing myself to be pulled into too many directions.  I decided that I need to change that for the coming year and so I picked a theme for the year.  One word that I could focus on that would help guide me, focus me, on how I lived and to fulfill my goals for that year.  Simplify was the word then.  In the years since I've continued to select a one word theme for each new year as I've found it really helps me.  It's a way of letting go of what didn't work in the previous year but not getting bogged down with a lot of 'have tos and shoulds'.  Through the years I've embraced "Authentic", "Peace", and "Transformation" as well as the original "Simplify".

I must admit that surprising results are netted from doing this.  Sometimes, throughout any given year, I'm reminded of something my mother always said, "Careful what you ask for." 

What the Hell Is Wrong With People?

There is something seriously wrong with people when they get angry - filled with RAGE - when someone else believes differently, acts differently, celebrates differently, lives differently than they do.  Seriously.  If someone else's actions have no real impact on you - they aren't stopping you from life, liberty, or your pursuit of happiness - and you feel anger toward them you need to seek professional help.  No human being should be so angry at the world that differences cause them to react in anger.  It is NOT normal for you to feel enraged because someone isn't a Christian.  It is not normal to feel enraged because someone is gay.  It is NOT normal for you to feel enraged because someone doesn't celebrate Christmas, either at all or what you deem as the 'right way' (your way).  It's NOT normal for you to be so filled with hate and anger that you won't even speak to a person who has a different color of skin,  wears an item of clothing you wouldn't, or is holding hands with a person of the same sex, etc.  When anger and hate fill your heart so that anyone, anywhere, anytime that is DIFFERENT than you makes your blood boil, you see red, or you envision committing a violent act against them......YOU have the PROBLEM:  an emotional, mental, spiritual crisis that should have YOU seeking guidance, counseling .....maybe even medication.  THAT is the conversation we should be having in this country. 

WHY are so many Americans SO angry and filled with SO much hate? 

Homeschool Kids are Weird

So, a funny thing happened at lunch last week.  An acquaintance made the comment to me, "Homeschool kids are weird," followed quickly by....."Oh, not YOUR daughter, she's perfectly normal....but you know, ok...well you know, usually, homeschool kids are weird."  I literally said nothing in return but merely stared at her until she changed the subject.  Since then I've given this a lot of thought.  She's right.  Homeschooled kids are weird.

Yep, I'm saying it.....homeschool kids are weird - in hundreds of different ways.  They are weird for hundreds of different reasons, but being homeschooled isn't one of them.  It's a casual fallacy to put forth the argument that homeschooling causes children to be weird.  In order for an effect to be correctly linked to a cause certain "rules" have to be followed. 

1. Generally, if C occurs, then E will occur, and
2. Generally, if C does not occur, then E will not occur ether.

What has happened, in my opinion, that results in homeschooling being thought to make kids weird is known as a Post Hoc casual fallacy - Because one thing follows another, it is held to cause the other.

Why do I believe that?  Well let's look again at what is required to link a cause to an effect.  If homeschooling (C) occurs, then a child will be weird (E occurs) **and** if homeschooling (C) does not occur then a child will not be weird (E will not occur).  So what this means, at least as I understand it, is that generally if homeschooling occurs, children will be weird.  Well homeschooled kids are weird so there's that.  Now, if homeschooling doesn't occur then children will not be weird.  Wait, hold up....so if children aren't homeschooled they aren't weird?  Well - and here's where saying homeschooling causes kids to be weird derails - children who aren't homeschooled are in fact .....weird.  Just spend a day at your child's daycare, public/private school for proof that kids are weird.

Ah, ha!  That's it!  There's the answer.  Kids are weird.  Period.  All kids, every kid, in some way, can be labeled 'weird'.  This meets the 'rule' that if "C" occurs (you're a kid) then "E" will occur (you're weird) and if you aren't a kid (never born) then you aren't weird.  We can't say that once you aren't a kid you are no longer weird because truth be told ALL people are weird.  I'm weird, you're weird, she's weird, he's weird, your mom was weird, your dad was too and let's not get started on how weird your siblings are!

Why Do I Vaccinate My Child and Secularly Homeschool?

Science!  Yes, the questions was posed:  "If you vaccinate your child then why do you homeschool?"  I admit it, I was stunned for a bit.  I never thought the two issues linked, until recently, as the topic of vaccinations is 'hot' at this time.  No, I have learned that a lot of secular homeschoolers do not vaccinate.  I have to admit, this surprised me a lot.  Secular homeschoolers are set apart from other homeschoolers due to their acceptance of and adherence to real science.  Yet, I didn't think anyone would think that pro-vaxers are NOT in the homeschooling community.  I'm here to tell you WE'RE HERE!  Just as there are secular homechoolers in the homeschooling community and even Inappropriate Homeschoolers, there are pro-vaxers in the homeschooling community and our answer to why we vaccinate is: science.  It just so happens that is also one of the answers to why we are SECULAR homeschoolers.  Science.  Real science.