|
|
EV-9D9: “How many languages do you speak?”
C-3PO: “I am fluent in over six million forms of communication, and can readily…”
EV-9D9: “Splendid! We have been without an interpreter since our master got angry with our last protocol droid and disintegrated him.”
C-3PO: “Disintegrated?”
Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
Well, let’s be honest. I speak one language, English, and a smattering of Dutch. I can get around a menu, buy some groceries, read a short kids’ book, and be polite, but really speak Dutch… Nah, not so much. I’ve been at this in fits and starts for (shamefully) decades now and have pulled out all the excuses you can imagine: too little time, raising a family, working, no one nearby to speak with anymore, we’ve (not so recently) moved, the damn cat puked on the carpet again, there’s something good on Netflix, I started that new engineering-related website, the usual.
I have, however, recently acquired a commitment from Red Leader in a game of chance to move to Belgium for 3 months (the maximum stay allowed) after Padawan Learner and Wedge Antilles graduate from high school and are off on their own, making their way in the world. Gosh darn it, we’ve earned ourselves a little R&R – a little learning-for-me time – a chance to work towards something lovely and interesting and important for reasons that have nothing to do with college applications, ACT/SAT scores, core competencies, getting child X to activity Y in under Z minutes, or anything so wholly unrelated to us (to mis-quote the brilliant Elizabeth Bennet).
Since Belgium has two national languages (French – her target language) and Flemish (a dialect of Dutch – mine), sits between France and the Netherlands, and is an easy train trip into either language region, it will be ideal for our purposes. She will be able to rely on me in the Dutch-speaking regions and I on her in the French-speaking areas. While we will, of course, visit all the main tourist spots (hello again, Paris and Amsterdam) where English could be spoken if we wanted to – BUT WE WILL NOT WANT TO – learning our target languages well will allow us to visit and enjoy the non-touristy spots that are so often bypassed due to the language barrier.
Because of this travel plan and language-learning need, I am going to be using some of this space for a bit of recording keeping and public accountability. Please feel free to give me grief is I don’t update my progress regularly. I apologize in advance if you just don’t give a hoot about this goal, because you’re going to hear a lot about it.
Supreme Chancellor: “Remember back to your early teachings. ‘All who gain power are afraid to lose it.’ Even the Jedi.”
Anakin Skywalker: “The Jedi use their power for good.”
Supreme Chancellor: “Good is a point of view, Anakin.”
Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
OK, the Supreme Chancellor is a bit twisted in his interpretation of things, to be sure, but still here are a few good things I’m thankful for today:
- The weather lately has been so pleasant for walking to work in, for sitting on the patio, for roaming the neighborhood
- The school year is coming to an end again for Padawan Learner. The more he attends, the more I enjoy his breaks from the daily go-go-go of early up, early out, perpetually sleep-deprived teenager
- Padawan Learner’s land-speeder is continuing to hold it together. We just need it to get to June…
- Our tickets to visit Canada are purchased, 2 of our 3 passport renewals have been completed (last one went in today), and the time is sure to come faster than we can even expect
- We have a quickie trip back to Michigan planned in the near future. It will be wonderful to see some old friends and family again.
- We’re all healthy. This really should be first. I’m coming to realize more and more that good health is paramount.
- Dad Windu is still one of my favorite people..
- Padawan Learner is more interesting than exasperating these days. They really do grow up given enough time (and with a lot of tongue biting on everyone’s part)
- Shmi Skywalker, aka my mom, tells me that she’s making two trips out this summer, one with my brother, Plo Koon, and another with my sister, Kit Fisto. Neither have been here before.
- DW’s sister (Padme Amidala) and her son (also known as PW’s nemesis during their early years, Sebulba) are also planning a visit.
- My Fox Barrel Pacific Pear cider is utterly delicious and doesn’t give me a tummy ache.
- Padawan Learner received two awards from a couple of his classes for exceptional progress and going above and beyond in the class.
- DW and I were able to roam about a construction site nearby. That’s always a good time, and I always learn something new. This one showed several layers of historic road that was quite interesting – old tram lines still in place, filled over and covered by a brick road, covered by multiple layers of asphalt.
- Both of the cats finally seem to understand that going out on the patio means staying WITHIN the patio border and not over onto the rubber decking. This makes their excursions outside with us much more relaxing.
- I’ve finished two interesting books this week – always a highlight for me.
- Qui-Gon Jinn sent a Facebook message to say she’s heading out our way for a graduation party, so we might be able to grab a bit of time together that weekend.
- And much, much more. I could probably make an equally long list of complaints, but I choose not to focus on those so I will not.
[to Wicket the Ewok]
“You’re a jittery little thing, aren’t you?” – Princess Leia, Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
Of course I am, I’ve had about 17 cups of coffee and half a carton of chocolate covered almonds since waking up at 8am this morning. This is not, just so you know, a recipe for steady hands. It is, however, a recipe for happy taste buds. Small victories.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a perpetual dreamer. I ask annoying questions like, “Do you ever wonder if we’re making the right choice by saving as much as we can for retirement, owning our house/having a mortgage, working full-time instead of traveling while we can, since there’s no guarantee that we’ll a) live to retirement, b) be healthy enough to travel and learn/do all the things we want to by then, or c) not have all our retirement funds go belly up in a huge stock market crash by that time?” or “What types of things do you want to learn, and is it really a want (aka, you’d be willing to really work for it) or just a wish (wouldn’t it be cool if I could…)?”
We had one of our oldest friends out this weekend. We didn’t do much, but it was great to see her and she seemed to enjoy the downtime in a different locale. Being the nice person I am, I even put her to work in the backroom at the store during my short shift yesterday. That’s right, come visit me and I’ll make you look for rips, stains and excess wear in piles of used clothing. Good times, good times. (But as a volunteer, she got 50% off her purchases, so everyone wins.) Now it’s time for her husband to come visit so we can visit with him, too!
On an unrelated note, Padawan Learner gets to go to Catalina Island during spring break as part of a volunteer effort to remove invasive species, help get the island ready for summer tourists, and learn about the island’s biodiversity. How cool is that? He even gets 2 hours of Field Studies college credit for it. I am jealous beyond words.
Darth Vader: “What is thy bidding, my master?”
Emperor: “There is a great disturbance in the Force.”
Darth Vader: “I have felt it.”
Emperor: “We have a new enemy, Luke Skywalker.”
Darth Vader: “Yes, my master.”
Emperor: “He could destroy us.”
Darth Vader: “He’s just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him.”
Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
Ah, but the Emperor knew what Darth Vader had not yet fully begun to grasp. The acquisition of knowledge is a powerful ally against the Dark Side of life.
Padawan Learner’s first year of high school is moving along, and I find that I need to cull the homeschooling shelves again. That can only mean one thing, a few more additions to the Watto’s Junk Shop page. If you see anything you’d like to claim, please just leave me a comment on that page and I’ll forward it to you promptly.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have received cheap and free curriculum from other homeschoolers over the years, and I’m glad to keep the generousity humming along. With this many books involved, a little help with shipping would be appreciated – if you can swing it. If you’re in a bit of a tight spot though, just let me know. I’ve been in that boat before and remember the relief that came when our curriculum needs fell into place.
Note: Comments have been re-opened on that page. Sorry for the mix-up.
“You and the Naboo form a symbiont circle. What happens to one of you will affect the other. You must understand this.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace
There are so many wonderful homeschooling moms that I rely on for homeschooling ideas, crazy kid commiserating, humor, and the occasionally much-needed kick in the pants reality check. I want to give a big and public thank you out to all the homeschoolers and homeschooling supporters that have helped to smooth the way along this sometimes Belgium Block bumpy road that Padawan Learner, Dad Windu and I are traveling.
Sometimes you just need to know that there are others out there that have been there, done that, and lived to tell about it – people that you can call on (or type at) when you’re most feeling like you’re a) on the brink of tossing it all in; b) about to make either the best or worst decision of your life; or c) absolutely over-joyed at the complete un-spectacular-ness of the day. I know some of your faces, many of your names, and even a couple of your kitchens. You mean the world to me.
“It’s very dangerous, putting them together. I don’t think the boy can handle it. I don’t trust him.” – Mace Windu, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
Padawan Learner and his loyal neighborhood buddy, Chewbacca, hit the neighborhood garage sales this morning with a vengeance. It took all he had to get through his piano lesson before hitting the streets. They scootered from one house to another picking up other people’s crap undiscovered treasure for pennies on the pound. Put an Abe Lincoln in your pocket and the garage sale world is your oyster.
About once an hour, he and she would come back and show off their treasures before heading back out for rounds 2-4. The highlight of PL’s day was finding a tiki lamp; don’t ask me why. The lowlight was the complete and total lack of broken electronic equipment for dismantling. Seems our neighbors don’t save and then attempt to sell or give away broken items. Oooh, aren’t we hoity-toity.
Isn’t there some kind of unwritten garage sale law that requires all broken motors, yard machines and consumer electronics to be stored in an old cardboard box until the next garage sale date? How’s a boy supposed to learn how stuff works if he can’t take stuff apart?
“What’s all this? A battle? There must be some mistake! I’m programmed for etiquette, not destruction!” - C-3PO, Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
As heard on the ride home from Padawan Learner’s bookclub with Padawan Learner’s friend, R2-D2 (who rarely says much, but notices everything), and his mom, Yoda.
Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.Click.
R2-D2: ”That’s a cool one. We’re almost to my house. Can I use that one?”
PL: (reluctant hesitation)
Obi-Mom: ”Share your guns with your friend, honey.”
Yoda: ”Now that’s not something you hear everyday. ‘Share your weapons.’”
Etiquette before destruction.
|
|
