The 1995 ACCS (Association of Classical and Christian Schools) conference was our initial introduction to classical education; by the final session, “Educating Yourself” both my husband and I had a severe case of “brain bulge.”  A young man in his late twenties hoisted a stack of books on the front table.  He introduced The Question: how can we give our children the kind of education that we never received?  The Answer: educate yourself.  He handed out “Top 100 must read books”. I thrive on reading lists.

I eagerly scanned it and was dismayed to realize that the first book I had read was number 63 on the list! Oy vey.  With weary resignation we listened as the speaker enthusiastically talked about fifth century BC Greece, his current reading, and the motivation to be an autodidact. 

Afterwards, I approached him and asked, “What don’t you do?” 

He gave me a quizzical look. “You have a family, you have a job, you have duties: how do you get it all done?  What do you choose NOT to do?” 

Ah, the lines in his face disappeared and he replied,  “I found out that I can get by with about four or five hours of sleep.” Although I was amazed at his stamina, I needed more.

“What else?” I prompted.

“Let’s see,” he thought, “I don’t read the daily newspaper, I don’t watch TV…”  His voice trailed off.  I think his secret was staying up to 1:00 in the morning and rising at 5:00.  Wow.

                   ~            ~            ~            ~         ~
It’s good to both affirm and deny.  It is good to be deliberate both in what I choose to do and in what I choose not to do.

When it comes to getting things done, efficiency is important, but even more so are the choices to include or exclude an activity.  Mental multi-vitamin (scroll to 8.03.2006) writes about making time and included a list of don’ts.  On her list is answering the phone (she turns the ringer off), mall shopping, reading junk mail, elaborate cooking, and wasting time on doubt. 

Right now I’m working towards balance, searching for order, and pursuing proper priorities.  What stays?  What goes? Where shall I say no? What can I prune from my life in order to say yes to the things I desperately want?  I watch little TV, but will that resolve hold when American Idol starts a new season?  I don’t play Spider Solitaire on the computer because it somehow disappeared a few months ago. That was a huge time waster in my life.  Computer time is another time eater, but I really enjoy and I think I truly benefit from my online reading. 

How do you manage your computer time?

Any ideas out there?  What do you say no to?  I’d love to hear.

 

One of my son’s favorite college professors taught geography.   “He would come into class with a newspaper, read a short news story, and tell you all the geographical background of that story,” Carson enthused. 

I remember the “aha” moment when the significance of  Hannibal crossing the alps with elephants sunk in.  It sure helps to know his starting point and destination.

Here’s a great teaching (and learning!) tool:  Google Earth.  If you google “Google Earth” in Google you will see the link for a free download.   Then you will  be able to see satellite images of any place on the planet.  Metropolitan areas have sharper pictures that you can zoom in on.  Rural areas tend to be fuzzier. 

When you read a book with geographical references, you could type the town in Google Earth and see a bird’s-eye view of it.  You can see obstacles that confronted someone going from point A to point B. 

I’ve had the most fun with friends looking at the places where they grew up.  We would type in their address and see what it looks like today.  Collin typed in Yankee Stadium just for kicks. Too much fun!