Browsing all posts in September, 2009.
Volcanic Eruptions
It starts insidiously. A rumble, a grumble, a puff of steam.
But, like the residents of Pompeii, you’ve seen it before. Happens all the time. Not something to worry about.
Without the seismograph readings, it’s really hard to tell.
This can go on for days. Weeks even. It’s so much like normal teenager, that you just sit back [...]
Karma is a Bitch
I have just returned from the annual comeuppance of the Goth’s debate tournament.
There may be only one universally useful subject being taught in high school today. Not that math and science and English skills are not useful, but no matter what you are going to do for a living, you have to be able to [...]
The Great Obstetrician of Antiquity
Soranus, the Great Obstetrician of Antiquity, lived and worked in Roman territory in the second century CE.
[Yes, his name is terribly unfortunate. Yet, let us remember that he and his contemporaries would have spoken Latin and Greek. So it may have been a very pleasing name. Let us hope so, for his patients' sakes.]
Soranus, like [...]
Kids and Phone Etiquette
If you ever want to find out the age of a child in a household, make a phone call. You can peg a child’s age by how he deals with a phone. Really.
Here is my guide:
Newborn to fifteen months: Every time the phone rings, the child wakes up. Mother dashes to phone, answers within a [...]
So Much for Teaching Responsibility
Once upon a time, an organization was born which was dedicated to helping young men learn the tools necessary to lead a successful life. It took off, rapidly. There are now chapters in virtually every country.
No organization is perfect, and I know that fellow non-theists will turn over in their seats when I admit that [...]
The Apparatus for Facilitating Childbirth by Centrifugal Force
No, no one can make this stuff up. Not even me.
I did promise at the beginning of this journey that I might not be doing the entire history of childbirth in order. You see, some things are just so funny that you have to share them when you find them.
The Engineer was doing some research [...]
Why I Love Homeschooling
Last week’s post, I realized (after hubby pointed it out), was a bit of a bummer.
You are probably asking yourselves why I do it at all, given the requisite addiction to Pepcid and Hyzaar (anti-hypertensive, for those of you who don’t speak medical).
So, why I love homeschooling:
1) Field trips. I get to see every new [...]
And the Stupid Award Goes to…
I have harped on this topic before.
But apparently, more harping is in order.
Last week, the Houston Chronicle ran a feature article on a nursery. No problem so far. Who doesn’t love babies? The piece extolled over the niceties, like the fact that the moms were encouraged to come eat lunch with their little ones.
AT A [...]
We Interrupt This Program…
Your scheduled dose of the follies of medicine past has been temporarily interrupted by the follies of medicine present.
The Goth fell off his bike on the way to school today. He and the bike have a contentious relationship, starting the day he gave himself a tib-fib fracture when Stretch pushed him into a door when [...]
The ABCs of Homeschooling, or Why I Have an Ulcer
By popular request, I will now expound on secular homeschooling.
The short answer: DON’T, unless you really like Pepcid, have a burning desire to have your kids hate you for four hours a day, and LOVE to spend every evening pouring through physics and pre-cal textbooks.
The long answer: It is the hardest, most rewarding thing I [...]
