Thanks all! I would not really recommend On The Road to adults. I had K read it because she idolized the old hippies in our community, so I had her see how interesting and creative the founders of the movement were, but also how debauched and aimless in their pursuit of enlightenment without wanting to lift a finger or take responsibility for their lives. They read Eastern philosophy, but most used it as escapism, so I had her read Kerouac because he is a mad genius at writing, but also a prototypical lazy, irresponsible hippie. He was also insanely sexist, which K found so offensive reading the book. I am also having her read it because stylistically it is basically a 300+ page run-on poem and is this incredible stream of consciousness achievement. Also I was raised by hippies, so it's interesting talking about my childhood with her while reading this together. It's a good contrast to Siddhartha where the main character is really in search of truth and freedom from suffering, and is written in this utterly serene way, as opposed to Kerouac's crazy, frenetic writing. We are working on literary analysis this year.
Yesterday was one of those days where you blink and it's gone. I had to find a death date for my step-father for some estate stuff, and found that J did not steal all my important paperwork that I had to leave in the house when we fled. I did find the death date and a bunch of good stuff in one of the boxes in storage. We worked on K's portfolio which is due at the end of Dec. She can only submit 6 pieces, so will combine a bunch of work in one long music video that she'll create from her artwork and from filming her playing and singing an original song. I also want her to tweak a python game that she created to have her original artwork in it. She loves drawing, and it calms her, so I think this portfolio is going to be a really good thing. Plus one English assignment is to create a book of memories or a similar keepsake (webpage or whatever) and write about the memories in it in an engaging way, so that could be one of the portfolio pieces, as well.
I have actually been eating well and getting a nice amount of yoga in. K didn't want to do yoga with me, but her lower back really needed it, and she did really like doing it in the end. The stretches help uncover that she is storing stress in her body, and she doesn't like to feel all the stress, so we have her just do minimal time for the poses that feel a little overwhelming, and I think this will help in the long run with her anxiety.
Cate, I am really loving the face and neck massage that I am doing every night for my jaw. I had no idea how many ways I clench my jaw. I'll relax some muscles and find that others are still tight. So weird! Also the deer beat me to the perpetual spinach. I had a few cabbage, cilantro, parsley, and things in the garden still, and a deer broke the top of the fence and got in and had a nice little smorgasbord. I have seen her in the yard, and she is nice and fat! Little bugger!!
I love Venison.
Cate, this is the jaw massage I've been doing. I don't do the inside of the mouth, but just massage other tight places on my face while she does that part. I don't know if it would help for the chin though: