Third Year Blogiversary

Wow. Three years since I pushed "publish" on my first-ever blog post. That is so hard to believe! Blogging has become a major part of my life since that day, and has provided so many wonderful blessings and opportunities.

I remember exactly what inspired me to start a blog back in August of 2009: the release of the film Julie and Julia (which I still love). Julie Powell was launched into fame because she started a blog about cooking through Julia Child's masterpiece cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I loved to write but at the time my readership was nonexistent. Blogging seemed like the perfect way to speak and be heard, so I plunged in. 

Looking back at my first post, I can see that this blog has come a long way (I use photos and video now!). It started out as "A Different Homeschool Girl" and was meant to be a haven for other homeschooled girls like me (which I saw a great need for on the internet). For a while I posted on primarily school-oriented subjects, but then I transitioned into college work and it seemed as though it was more of the homeschooling lifestyle that I was living. So then the blog became oriented around living a life with wings. Interestingly enough, my original vision has been rebooted in the blog Altogether Separate, where I am now posting along with several coauthors. 

Out of the 272 posts on here so far, here are my top 30 favorite posts in order of publication:

Captain John Smith

Captain John Smith is my new favorite European colonizer! Call this a geeky-homeschool-girl moment, but I am fascinated with this guy.

I've learned that he is much, much more than a 2D Disney cartoon character, or just another evil English explorer out to exploit Native Americans. He was a brilliant, adventurous, out-of-the-box kind of guy I would love to have known. He was also extremely pompous, and self-absorbed. In fact, he’d probably be thrilled with his current pop-culture status. 

To be honest, he had something to be proud of. This guy started as the son of an English farmer, who was apprenticed to a shopkeeper at age 15. He wanted none of it, and may have tried to join an expedition with Sir Francis Drake, but John’s father did not approve. Mr. Smith died soon after, however, and his 16-year-old son was away as quickly as possible. He had his indenture canceled (I really wonder how he managed that), and set off to the Netherlands to fight for the Dutch. From here his list of accomplishments grows: winning prize money as a privateer in the Mediterranean, fighting with the Austrians against the Turks and becoming a captain, beheading three Turkish offers in single combat in Rumania, enduring captivity and slavery, escaping slavery by murdering his Turkish master. He was the ripe old age of 24 when he returned to England after all of these adventures. And he was just getting warmed up! Granted, most of what we know about Smith came from his own pen, but the guy couldn't have stretched the truth that much.

100 Reasons I Give Thanks

1. I have a merciful Savior who loves me, warts and all.
2. The leaves change color in the fall; they don’t have to, but they do.
3. My mother is a creative person who “gets” me on so many levels and who loves me to death.
4. My father is a humorous and loving man who provides well for our family and would do anything for us.
5. My little brother may be a twerp sometimes, but he’s my twerp and I know that he loves me…deep down.
6. I have a part-time job with my family that allows me to make a regular paycheck and have plenty of time to listen to books on my iPod.
7. I am incredibly blessed to have so much extended family living nearby; my grandparents are amazing.
8. Foggy mornings.
9. While I may not have many friendships, the ones I have are deep and full of meaning, purpose, beauty, and laughter.
10. I am in on the Goodwill Secret—and am not afraid to utilize my knowledge.
11.  I have the freedom to experiment, to explore, to create a future that’s perfectly suited to me.
12.  I have access to an awesome public library filled with thousands and thousands of books, DVDs, and audio CDs.
13.  My country grants me freedom of religion, and I need have no fear to worship.
14.  I am physically fit, capable of doing everything I want to do.
15.  There are Panini sandwiches and gallons of pesto in the world.
16.  I have been able to pursue a non-traditional education through homeschooling, CLEP and DSST tests, and online college.
17.  Despite the fact that my body does not like my fingers and frequently attempts to sever them, I have never been seriously injured.

Collegiate Adventures

A Clock - and a Remembrance of Love, a photo by Tony the Misfit on Flickr.
This clock is the symbol of my school, Thomas Edison State College

It's the time I've been working toward for years: I am officially a college student! It's probably something that every homeschool kid wonders about, "Will I be able to keep up? What will it be like working with strangers? Am I really ready for this?" It's the first time I've been responsible to a stranger for my grades, and having a strict schedule is something of a shock since I've been doing little else but taking CLEP and DSST tests for the past couple of years. Suddenly I have deadlines, grading rubrics, classmates, and reading assignments!

Thankfully, the shock is not too severe since I'm not attending a physical college; I'm taking my classes online. Does that sound like a cop out? I'm sure that it's not any easier than taking traditional college classes. I'm taking three courses, two of them upper-level, and since last Sunday I have read Heart of Darkness, researched photography, practiced my photography, studied postcolonialism, written numerous posts on multiple discussion forums, and read about three quarters of Pride and Prejudice as well as a study guide on that novel. 

So far I have been able to submit my assigned work on time or even early, but other areas of my life may suffer in consequence. My blogging, for example, may become less and less frequent. Some of my writing assignments are quite interesting, however, and perhaps I'll post them for your reading pleasure :)

I want to thank everyone who reads my blog, however infrequently. Your views and comments are certainly an encouragement and brighten my day!    

A Question for All of You "Different Ones"

Maybe after reading my last post you thought, "Wow, that's me!"

Maybe you're a different (living for Jesus, against the flow of the world) homeschool (have been or are being homeschooled) girl (21 years old or younger). You're confused sometimes, maybe even depressed. You wonder if there's anyone else quite like you.

Well there is.

I was listening for God the other night and this thought came to me: why don't we all find each other? Why don't we start a group, community, blog, whatever, and get in touch? Who wants to be part of an online group of likeminded girls who are living differently for the Lord, for the purpose of mutual encouragement and just plain fun? 

Do you fit that description? Would you like to help me form this group? Please leave a comment below and tell me if you're interested!

1/1/12: This group is now a reality! Check out
www.AltogetherSeparate.com

The Different Homeschool Girl

This extremely insightful and encouraging article was written by Chris Davis (www.chrisdavis.wordpress.com). If you're a homeschool girl like me, or you're a homeschooling parent, you probably want to read this, if only to know that you're not alone!

She lives in a small town in Tennessee, or in a subdivision in North Carolina, or on a ranch in Montana.

She may be 15 or she may be a college graduate. Either way, odds are not many boys have ever paid much attention to her. She may wonder if she will ever get married. She is lonely.

What’s her problem? The answer is (not so) simple: She is different.

She doesn’t particularly like being different. She may tell you she doesn’t care; but she does.

Behind her back, her peers say she is a snob. Her mom says the other girls are jealous. That doesn’t help much. So she tries to be friendly and kind but that doesn’t help much, either. She may be shunned by other girls and ignored by boys.

She is different and who wants to be different? Nobody likes others who are different and nobody likes being different, either.

I have met many homeschooled girls like her as I have traveled and spoken at conferences around the world. Each girl thinks she is the only one with these feelings. But, there are many, many just like her. If they ever found one another, there would be a huge group hug. And, yes, probably lots of tears.

THE H EFFECT

Who am I? I am 

• Introverted
• Detail-oriented
• Usually the quietest one at a party, talking only to people I know
• Easily drawn into a book, movie, or song
• A leader/dictator (depend on who you ask)
• Melodramatic/passionate
• Easily distracted when studying
• Hugely imaginative
• Earnest and conscientious to the nth degree
• The kind of person who loves doing things for people to make them happy

I started this blog as "The Different Homeschool Girl", not even sure what made me different. All I knew was that homeschooling was a part of me, it helped make me who I am. Homeschooling is still a huge part of me now; I wash it with my hair every other day, pluck it out with my eyebrows, and see the world through its eyes. For better or worse, homeschooling was not just a way to get an "education", it was (and still is, even through college) a way of life. 

If there are any parents reading this who homeschool, or are considering homeschooling, I want to be sure you know that this is a big decision. Homeschooling--with all of its advantages and hang-ups--will impact your child forever. Forever. It will be a huge part, maybe the biggest part, of their childhood (and people only have one of those). It's their history. It'll be in their hair and fingernails.  I'm not trying to scare anyone away--I would never trade my experiences for a public school, or probably even a private school, education. If you think that it's really not as big a deal as everyone thinks--that public, private, or homeschool, your child will somehow turn out the same in the end--think again.

It's the homeschooling effect. It gets everywhere. Take it seriously.

Life is Just a Portfolio

Get credit for your awesome trip to Europe!

Tourists are weird., originally uploaded by another sergio.

As a homeschooler I have the chance to build what is called a "portfolio". Now everyone has this chance, but for a homeschooler it is of special importance because they probably don't have a whole list of specific scholastic and extracurricular activities to draw from to impress a college or future employer.


Basically, a portfolio is a package of written documents (charts, or even videos) that show your extensive knowledge of a subject learned outside the classroom. For example, say you did an internship at a local preschool--you might get a few college credits if you write a nice report, include some good photos, testimonials, and are very convincing about how much you learned. 


If you really get into this, you can get college credit or a convincing résumé for tons of things, and you'll be looking everywhere for chances to learn. So this brought a thought to my mind: this is an interesting way to look at life, like a constant learning opportunity. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's an inconvenience," or, "I don't have time for that," dig deeper for the value in almost everything! The next time the chance for an activity comes up, think twice about its worth. On the surface it might just look like a fun time (example: being in a little theater production) but maybe it's more than that (a couple of credits for a drama class).


Even if you don't turn your experiences into a "flesh-and-blood" portfolio, it all goes into who you are as a person, and that's worth a lot, any way you cut it.

Follow Me Down the Rabbit Hole...

Started Way Back, originally uploaded by Jaci Berkopec.

One thing I love about the homeschooling life is that no two days are exactly the same. I usually start the day with a schedule of sorts—mapping out some study time (natural sciences at the moment, yay for bacteria!) and time to practice piano. I like to get an early start on the day, hit the blogs, then chop down my to-do list.

But what about times when the unexpected happens? What about when you're just sitting down to write an in-depth analysis of The Count of Monte Cristo and your mom says, "Let's go over to the Young's house and visit with the girls!" 

A public-schooler or private-schooler might have to decline and get their work done. But a homeschooler? We know where our priorities lie and we have the freedom to work within those priorities!

Now, does that mean I'm going to go play Dutch Blitz with my friends every day and ignore my paramecium and astronomy? Not at all. This is freedom, not license. I can take some time out of my day to relish the social and emotional parts of my life instead of being tied down strictly to education.

But when I have a dilemma I can research the answer. I can discover what that pretty flower’s name is, why the clouds do that thing in the sky, why King Henry VIII divorced Anne of Cleves. I can take a walk on a cool morning instead of plunging right into bookwork.

I love my freedom to discover and enjoy!

Work You Love

As a homeschool student I have never had a "career counselor." I never went to a job fair, or anything like that. Just like my other schooling, my foray into the work force is a self-directed, self-motivated area of life. My parents haven't really been pushing me to decide what I want to be when I grow up, but I have been wrestling with the question for many months. 


Since I started thinking about future careers I've begun to think seriously about what my passions and skills are. I don't want to end up like so many people I hear about who seem mired in a dead-end, pleasure-less career. So thank God I heard about the incomparable Dan Miller, whose amazing podcast has revolutionized the way I look at employment! 


Do you enjoy your job? Since listening to Dan I've realized that many people don't. They just get into a company when they're young, become used to the salary, try to ignore the headaches and lack of enjoyment, and concentrate on simply "earning a living." I know that it can be hard to support a family in this economy, but really, if it were possible, wouldn't you rather make money doing something you're passionate about? I would. 


Dan is always coming up with fantastic business ideas (I'll bet the guy could develop 16 business plans on the way to the Post Office.). If you're curious, here's a link to 48 of them. It is truly inspiring to hear dozens of non-traditional (and completely successful) ways of making money, all based on people's unique gifts and interests. My mom has already come up with several ideas for my future career, simply from thinking outside-the-box as a result of listening to the podcast!


Up until recently I've been extremely hesitant about plunging into a college major. I've been getting the general requirements under control before studying more specific courses, but the time is coming when I'll have to "declare my major" and officially enroll in some college. 

I've been scared of that.

Now that I'm learning more and more about what the changing job market actually looks like, though, I've become much more confident. Here are a few things that Dan has helped me discover:

• Most high schoolers do not know what they want their future career to be! 
• Ten years after graduation, 80 percent of college graduates are working in something totally unrelated to their college major. And that's OK! 
• Dan likes to say that you can do whatever you want during the first fifty years. After that, take stock, evaluate, and launch into the best two decades of your life.

I'm beginning to realize that the world doesn't depend on my college major. Maybe it will be English, maybe History, maybe Business, maybe even Hospitality. What matters is what I will learn going through these studies, not the kind of my degree printed on a diploma.

So I guess all of this goes to say that I'm growing and learning, and I want anyone who reads this to realize what I've realized - you can work at something you love! You don't have to be trapped flipping hamburgers for the sake of earning a little money. 

By doing something you are enthusiastic about, you can knock it out of the park with money, success, and joy.

Motivation and Homeschooling

Here's a question from one of my readers:

"I'd love to see how you manage homeschooling. For me, also a high school homeschooler, I have lots of work and its sometimes just as hard as going to regular school...."

A big problem I had as a high school homeschooler was being an older girl with a younger brother. I'm good at school and like most of my studies, and Aaron hates school (how many 14 year old boys don't?). Guess who got pressured to study? Guess who was monitored and constantly reminded not to dawdle? It certainly wasn't me! It was easy for  me to slack off. I was still regarded as a great student even if I took a few liberties with how much effort I put into my work. And I did take some liberties. 

I'm ashamed to admit that.

I think that some people have the idea that homeschooling must be easier than public schooling (as suggested by the question above). It's true that it can take a lot less time than traditional schooling and you can work in the comfort of your own home, but the study is definitely not easier! I can sympathize with having a heavy workload and trying to manage my time and effort. 

As I said, sometimes I lacked drive, which is something you've got to have if you're going to be educated at home. You might not have  a teacher, or even a mother, looking over your shoulder making sure that you're doing what you should be, which means you have to step up to the plate and motivate yourself.

It's tough, but that is actually one of the most rewarding aspects of  homeschooling!  It makes education personal. You're not just ingesting textbook language and regurgitating it on a page. It's all about learning for the sake of learning, not because "everybody has to do it." It's a challenge and a benefit.

Shouldn't that be how we always live our lives, no matter whether we're in school, or past school?  If we don't internalize our learning, if we don't take it seriously and motivate ourselves, if we just go with the flow because of everyone else then what have we gained? A mediocre life. To be successful, one must be self-motivated. That's true in life as it is in school. If you're only motivated by outside circumstances then you'll be forever tossed on the waves of chance and fortune. Your influences vary daily and so can your actions. But if you are internally driven, you can accomplish much.

How do I manage homeschooling? Very badly sometimes. But when it comes right down to it, it's about drive. No one made me do well in English, no one made me tear my hair out over the third hour of staring at my algebra book. No one but myself. My family had expectations, I had a reputation, it was something I had to do, but when it comes right down to it we have the power to decide whether we hit it seriously or wimp out and do a half-baked job. 

I decided that I wanted to finish my REA book on US History II in one week. I could read just a few pages a day and accomplish that goal, or I could hit it harder and finish sooner. Now, no one is going to beat me over the head if I take it leisurely and spend a week on something that could be easily done in few days. But what would that say about me? 

Tata for now,

Abby

Keep It Up Sign Card Motivation 2012 ..., a photo by stevendepolo on Flickr.

Classic Reading Revolution

Last week I became convicted. After picking up a wonderful book, The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer, I realized that I have been reading the Great Books all wrong, all this time. I'm not even finished reading through TWEM and I've already revolutionized the way I approach deep literature.


I have read many classic and non-fiction books, and I honestly believe that I am better for it. My large vocabulary and ability to comprehend complex and esoteric subjects is largely due to reading every tome I could get my hands on - the older the better.


Unfortunately, I had no system whereby I committed the contents of that great literature to memory, for future use and reference. I'm being totally honest: my memory is one of the worst there is. And the fact that I listen to most of the books I read doesn't improve my retention capacity.


But Bauer has given me the answer: keep a literary journal. It will be a little awkward to carry around a notebook in my back pocket and scribble notes as I listen to the book on CD, but I've already tried this out on C.S. Lewis' The Abolition of Man and it worked splendidly! I was able to see the logical progression of his arguments and retain so much more of what I learned.


Something else Bauer suggests is to read a book several times over, going deeper with each subsequent reading, and this brings me to the revolution part of this whole post.


I'm going back on my new year's resolution.


It pains me to do it, but why keep doing the wrong thing just because you've made it a commitment and goal? I said that I wanted to read 40 classic/nonfiction books by the end of the year. I now realize that this is the wrong way to go about it. I need quality, not quantity. It would be nice to read that much, but I now think that it would be so much better to read each book more than once, take notes and take my time, read articles and critical essays concerning it, and really try to find out what point the author is trying to get across. Then I can write a concise, well-informed blog post about the book.


Do you agree?


So this day marks a difference in how I approach classic literature. It's not a race against time, it's a race against ignorance. I would love to have solid paper versions of every book and turn down page corners, mark up paragraphs, and scribble notes in the margins, but I'll try to do the best with what I've got. Hopefully by the end of the year I will have a much better idea of the best way to read, and get a lot more out of my reading list.


Tata for now,
Abby