Lifestyle of Learning 2018 Edition: Volume One (AKA The Inaugural Issue of the New Year)

January 1- 20

Well, I must say that making one post for three weeks of living and learning is a slower blogging start than I had anticipated but here I am with the inaugural entry for the 2018 edition of Lifestyle of Learning.  These past three weeks have simultaneously sped by and poked along.  It was brutally cold and I have been fighting a bit of the flu which seems to have slowed life down to a crawl.  Likewise, schooly-like things have resumed post-holidays and that seems to speed life up.  Here's a recap...

Maceo ripped through the Philosophy Crash Course.  He completed it in one week (8 hours).  He is now taking a Yale Open Course on the philosophy of death.

I know that he is also listening to lectures on psychology, economics, and ethics.
We have had some fascinating conversations on these issues.

Maceo has also been playing a game called Democracy.  One day I heard him lamenting, "I did a cigarette tax and now everyone hates me."  He is realizing just how difficult it all is.
He is also playing a game called Tropico.

We celebrated Bishop's birthday twice and he is totally worth all the celebrating.

All the boys tried their hands, or feet, at hackey sack.

Bishop has been working on improving his drawing skills.  He has been using, and enjoying, his drawing tablet.

Maceo logged many hours of rehearsal for Titus Andronicus.

Bishop returned to culinary internship and scouts and Maceo returned to preprofessional acting and troupe but they all only attended once before the icky weather hit and things were cancelled.

Our science group took a field trip to a power plant.  It was a super cool field trip.  I learned so much.  We learned some physics, chemistry and even covered environmental science.

Christian, as a representative for Ozark International Outreach, gave a presentation to a homeschool history group on "The Korean War:  Exploring the Context, Causes, Events, and Outcomes of the Forgotten War."  Maceo and Bishop both attended and it was fascinating!

Maceo did a paid improv gig as well as his other improv gigs.
Maceo read The Yellow Wallpaper.
Maceo has begun to write his thoughts on the soul and mental illness.
Maceo signed up for monologue coaching and has consulted with his coach twice.
Bishop worked on his starfinder stuff.
Maceo and Bishop played Magic.
Maceo played a lot of word/mental games on computer.

Bishop went to a scouts lock-in.  I chaperoned it.
I somehow failed to get any pictures of Bishop (it's possible that I was distracted with bananagrams).
However, here are some other pics of the craziness.

This is Bishop's "protect the flag" fort.

Bishop also attended a D & D sleepover.

Maceo had a doctors appointment and a chiropractor appointment.  He learned more about his musculoskeletal system.
I read the book Station Eleven and had a great conversation with Christian regarding the genre of post-apocalyptic literature.

Maceo's show opened last night and, WOWZERS, Maceo blew me away.  Maceo has performed for half of his life but he has never done a straight play, let alone Shakespeare, but you would never know that by looking at his performance as Aaron in Titus Andronicus.  I spoke with one of the founders of the theatre company and she was stunned to hear that this was his first play.  He was onstage with professional performers, some who have trained at conservatories, others who have done Shakespeare for decades, and, even next to them, his performance didn't seem lacking or less than.  All of his hard work is paying off!  I am so proud of him!


Now, this evening, as I finish this post, Maceo is doing another performance of Titus Andronicus and Bishop is using the glazes he got for Christmas to glaze a vessel he threw.

Despite being very cold and being ill, I would say that it has been a good start to the year 2018.
I am certain we have MANY amazing adventures ahead of us!