What won't publish

March 13, 2014

I knew this day was coming. It's been on the calendar for two years. I really thought I'd get these ideas published, or at least some of them:

• Our family mission, and writing a mission statement resources. (We actually have a family mission now, it only took me about 8 years to write it!)
• The one thing (it's a four letter word) that has held me back from full-force, open-hearted, and abundant living over the past couple years. And what's changed in my life to break free from that, so that I don't feel held back the way I used to.
• My bucket-list. I finally have the courage to write on.
• My thoughts on:
  • the cycle of transformation
  • being an encourager
  • following in other's footsteps (be careful where you place your feet)
  • blowing the roof off our expectations, and more.
• Digital organization.
• Creative living and working cycles.
• An update on our plant-based diet.
• Making friends and creating community wherever you are.
• Mis-fit vs. misfit.
• The truth about teenagers and our goals for the teenage years - fun, adventure, social engagement, and challenging experiences.

And of course I always have ideas percolating about homeschool (and education-in-general) philosophy and practice.

Here's a few posts I have in draft mode:

• Finishing the elementary curriculum series I started three years ago. (Brienne has one more official year of elementary school, so I'm not too far behind).
• Being a resource person vs. a stay-at-home teacher.
• How we keep high school records and preparing for college/university.
• A review of The Teenage Liberation Handbook and other out-of-the-box homeschool high school resources.
• Why I don't believe in making learning fun (yes you read that right).
• A dyslexia update.
• Writing to communicate, as a means of learning how to write.
• Thoughts on foreign language learning (it's hard and it must be learner-motivated).
• Our experience homeschooling without a library.
• Scheduling for joy and freedom.
• The myth of a well-rounded education.
• Learning on a need to know basis.
• What our kids learn when we study.
• Inspire, not require. What does that really look like? Does it work?
• Family project day (if you subscribe to our video series you'll get some of this).
• Springboard science.
• Redeeming twaddle. Viewing the video games, graphic novels, and other things you might consider "twaddle" in a different light.

But as you are all well aware (or maybe you're new - welcome!) our family is set to start hiking the Appalachian Trail in mere days. I won't be publishing any of these ideas soon.

Maybe later, or maybe not.

I've noticed something in years of blog writing. My most salient ideas keeping bubbling to the surface and find expression, somehow. Those ideas that won't let me rest till they are published find ways to get out. And the ones that never do see the light of day I trust weren't meant to.

Hiking the trail is going to change me. It will change my priorities and I do believe it's going to change the course of my life, in a good way.

It goes without saying then that this experience will change my writing, as it changes me. I don't know what I will look like on the other side so there's no way to know what FIMBY will look like either.

There's a very good reason I was taking selfies in the drugstore. Ok, maybe not a good reason for the selfies, but a good reason for using the camera in the drugstore. I was taking video footage and while I was bored, waiting for Damien, I took selfies because I liked the way my pony tail popped out the top of my head. My pony tail that is no more. You'll have to watch the videos to get the goods on that story.