So Athena, I was thinking...

Who else does TOG history/literature? You can sympathize with me on the number of questions and charts for each week.

This week we read about the belief systems of Greece and Rome. We read stuff from Homer, Hesiod, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Lecretius, and Seneca (I know--fun).

Lit. question #4 asked us to write a short conversation between either Odysseus and Athena or Odysseus and Penelope in which they talk about either Sophism, Cynicism, or Skeptism (we read the entire Odyssey earlier this year). Here I had some fun.

Odysseus: Athena, I need your help on a small issue I’ve been considering lately. I’ve heard of a certain Cynic philosophy that leads to true happiness, and seeing as my life hasn’t been too great lately…

Athena: And what would your wife say about this?

Odysseus: Right…well, that’s what I was sort of hoping you could help me out with.

Athena: No. Let me guess: You’re planning on staying away from your wife and son who have been waiting for you all these years, and you just want to become some sort of hermit looking for virtue.

Odysseus: Hey, Antisthenes says we have no obligations to society, state, or family.

Athena: Yep, I never liked Antisthenes. Listen, you are the King of Ithaca. I will NOT have you turning into an old man eating bread and water mumbling on and on about “virtue” like some wacko! I’ll see to Antisthenes right away, and if you want to be one of his followers, you’d better be quick about ‘cause he’s not gonna be around for much longer. So there!

(*awkward silence*) 

Athena: …And your decision?

Odysseus: Um, yeah! Come to think of it, maybe skeptism is the better choice.

Athena: Odysseus!?

Odysseus: I…take that back.

Yeah, I gave Athena some attitude...

-gab

what happened here?

Don't get me wrong: I love snow. But it's sad when you see the branches of the cherry tree, yesterday effortlessly balancing the pink-tinged blooms, bent under the weight of the snow and the daffodils, yesterday young, healthy, and strong, forced to droop underneath their white burden. Once again the naked gray trees stand as statues against the blank white sky. Once again a cold silence settles as we all take cover indoors.


Eight hours later, spring is back. The only signs of the snow ever being here are the damp ground, wilted daffodils, and drooping cherry trees.


-gab

My friend Alex

Perhaps you know him. He lived from about 356-323 BC. He conquered Greek and Egypt and Persia and all that stuff. When he died he left his empire split into three kingdoms.

Oh, yeah. He also founded 16 Alexandrias.

Anyone else feel sorry for that poor servant guy?

the lament of one whose immune system needs improvement

I'll tell you what's definitely NOT FUN--throwing up on your birthday.

This week a stomach bug has been passed around in our family. It started with me on Tuesday (don't ask for the details, but yes, I did throw up).
Then, of all things, Bug got it. :( It was so sad...Earlier this morning Dad came down with the same thing.
Now Josie just threw up (It's not fun when you have to sit through your bday meal without eating anything 'cause you feel so bad. We also had to cancel her bday party tomorrow), and Annette and Vivi are feeling, um, not well. :P

Any and all prayers would be appreciated. ;)

-gab

Saturday Afternoon Daybook - 19 March

(hosted by Jo March at Scraps From My Workbasket)
Date... 19 March
Starting time... 3:44 pm
Mood...tired...
Outside my window...the daffodils have finally woken up.
I'm thinking...about the UVA engineering open house this morning...
I'm currently reading...I finished Oedipus the King and Antigone by Sophocles for literature.
I'm listening to...just the normal around-the-house sounds.

I'm wearing...jeans, pinkish shirt with a white tank top underneath.

I'm looking forward to...college!

I'm hoping...that I can get into UVA.

Yesterday, I...watched Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian again.
I'm hungry for...nothing really.

The song stuck inside my head is...maybe the Purim Song? :P

I love...spring!

I loathe...(I'll quote my friend Leia here and say) lip gloss on cup rims. :P

This week, my goal is...to get my tedious flute exercise things DOWN.

Did I meet last week's goal?... .....

Ending time... 3:50 pm

Happy Birthday, Josie!

Happy Birthday, 9-year-old!

Vivi already put this one on her blog, but I was the one who took it. So Copyright 2011 Gab Coulter.

stand stand for a tale so grand

Warning: Do not read any further if you are subject to a certain Maccabeats Syndrome. We will not be responsible if you're singing this song 24/7 after hearing it.

Warning 2: Maccabeats Syndrome is highly contagious. Anyone not subject to this syndrome will most likely be affected by it once exposed to the Purim Song. (In our homeschool group, after one mom discovered this song, within about 3 hours all the rest of our group was hopelessly under control of the Maccabeats Syndrome)

The same guys who wrote a parody of Dynamite, "Candelight", just wrote a song for Purim--this time a parody of "Raise Your Glass" by Pink.

{image credit}

This is such a great video. And this Queen Esther certainly beats the armless, celery Esther from Veggie Tales.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

To TBMITW:

Happy Birthday and Selamat Hari Ulang Tahun!

As Hoops and Yoyo say, Mom upside down is WOW,

and Mom sideways is EOE!! (I don't know what EOE means, but I googled it...and the best definition it came up with is "Expert on Everything".)

Thank you for homeschooling us, driving us to gators, putting up with us when we're grumpy...(the list goes on)

We <3 you!

Dear People,

PLEASE come and visit me (vivi) at my new blog, With A Smile

I'd love to here from you there!

I just had to share how ecstatic I'm feeling...

...BECAUSE MY RESEARCH PAPER IS DONE!!!

53 pages all bound up in a folder. (I put 2 rough drafts in there, because the first one I wrote all over) It's amazing. It feels so good. :)

I mean, seriously...doesn't it just make you want to dance?

Here it is...all ready for tomorrow. ;) (I know, bad quality, but...does it matter?)

Try it out!

I made this for Leia (she said she'd take it if I made one)...see how well you do!

http://gotoquiz.com/how_well_do_you_know_vivi_coulter

I'm just glad...

...that I wasn't out in this yesterday...(sorry this is such a bad picture)

Thursday Afternoon Daybook

Outside my window...

It's raining, it's pouring (not). Ok, it's not *quite* pouring...it's just...wet. I think we even got a flood watch around here...

Mood...

Hungry (kind of), busy, energetic...

I'm thinking...

About lots of stuff...too much stuff...

I'm currently reading...

unPLANNED by (wait a minute while i google it...I don't want to go up stairs and get it) Abby Johnson. It's a really good book...it's about a lady who was a former abortion clinic director (get it? "PLANNED"??) and realizes just what they do there...you should read it!

I'm listening to...

Bug playing with toys, me typing, normal home sounds...

I'm wearing...

Jeans, green long-sleeved shirt with a black tank top under....and I'm hot.

I'm looking forward to...

This weekend, next weekend, when my research paper is OVER...

I'm hoping...

That we can go to the downtown mall again with Molly and others...:P

Yesterday, I...

Fasted, was starving, went to mass, got ashes on my forehead...sound familiar to anyone? I still haven't made up all the food I lost...;)

Around the house…

Buggy's toys are scattered. What else can you expect from an almost-2-year-old?? (Can you BELIEVE that he's almost 2?? He's getting way too big!)

I'm hungry for...

Let's see...maybe all the stuff I can't have...sweets, ice cream, frappuccino...:( Plus, Gab had to email me that Starbucks is having some kind of deal between now and Saturday...which means we can't go!! How mean is that?? :P

The song stuck inside my head is…

And orchestra song. It's called...I don't know how to spell it...

I love…

When we have a lighter week of history

I loathe...

The feeling of when your stomach's empty and you feel like you're pouring a drink right down into it...it's gross...

From the kitchen…

We tried to make Chipotle burritos for lunch...Mom had made some pork the other week that was pretty close to Chipotle's...and so today she tried to make the rice part...it was good, but I have to say the real thing is still a lot better....

School right now…

LAST WEEK OF RESEARCH PAPER!!! Which means tons of editing and lots of work...

What we’re planning for this week…

I don't really know what we're doing this weekend beside hopefully watching a movie tomorrow...

I am thankful for…

Friends that are willing to edit my VERY ROUGH draft of my research paper. ;)

Sunday Afternoon Daybook

(hosted by Miss Jo March at Scraps From My Workbasket)
Date... 6 March
Starting time... 4:16 pm
Mood...sorta tired...
Outside my window...Wet, rainy, gray...
I'm thinking...we're going to church this evening, and Annette and Josie are coming home before that...
I'm currently reading...These Were the Greeks (history...)

I'm listening to...Viola music emanating from the bonus room (LOVE that word--emanating)

I'm wearing...jeans, greenish shirt with a white tank top underneath...

I'm looking forward to...co-op (actually...)

I'm hoping...that we can get our router fixed.

Yesterday, I...had so much fun with some friends on the downtown mall!!
I'm hungry for...ice cream.

The song stuck inside my head is...I think Vivi's playing one of our orchestra pieces right now.

I love...ice skating. ;)

I loathe...routers that don't let you stream movies.

This week, my goal is...to do well on my geometry quiz.

Did I meet last week's goal?...yes, pretty much

Ending time... 4:22 pm

Thursday Afternoon Daybook

Outside my window...

Sunny...starting to feel like spring. It's been cold in the mornings, though...

Mood...

Happy. ;) That's good.

I'm thinking...

I really need to work on my research paper...

I'm currently reading...

Past Suspicion by Therese Heckenkamp. I just started it last night...I'll see how it is.

I'm listening to...

In Christ Alone...it's such a peaceful song...

I'm wearing...

VA Gators shirt, jeans...

I'm looking forward to...

On Saturday Gab and I are going ice skating with a bunch of home-schoolers...we'll get to see Molly there also (yay!)...it should be fun. :P

I'm hoping...

That my research paper will finished smoothly...

Yesterday, I...

Hmm...yesterday...I did school...and started my book...and did science. Boring and busy at the same time.

Around the house…

Annette and Josie was to switch rooms with Bug. Right now they have the smallest room and Bug's is actually bigger then theirs...it might take a while, we'll have to see.

I'm hungry for...

I'm not that hungry...but if I had to choose something I'd pick...hmm...maybe candy? After all, Lent's coming up (I'm actually really excited this year!! Other years I've dreaded it, but I can't wait ;) and we need to fill up on sweets, because that's something we always give up.

The song stuck inside my head is…

In Christ Alone

I love…

Good, Catholic, teen fiction. Often that's rare...

I loathe...

Hair that's gone wild. :P

From the kitchen…

Leftovers for lunch, Chili for dinner...

School right now…

Oh, great. Thanks for reminding me.

What we’re planning for this week…

Annette and Josie are going to Gramma's house this weekend, and we'll probably watch a movie tomorrow...then I think we might be going to Richmond and we'll be skating on Saturday. Busy day!

I am thankful for…

Singing, music...what would I do without it?

an ancient wife swap

The best part of today's online History class...

There's some show on TV where two very different families swap the wives/mothers. This video imitates that by swapping the wives of an Athenian family and a Spartan family.

They're more different than you might think, and it's quite amusing.