Reposted because my host misinterpreted: “Fix the php installation please” to mean “delete my database and replace with an older copy”.
You might have noticed that the website was down yesterday. Apparently it’s server fried. Not all is fixed…I’m waiting for word that they have finished installing php. Then the RSS from 78 Images Later will be back.
Yesterday was a surprise day. I pounded out words for Without Honor like crazy. I think I found the missing dimension to chapter 5 (remember it was chapter six) that was blocking me from finishing it. It’s funny how you forget to have the characters talk to each other.
I’ve come to realize a few things about the world I’ve created. I can put magic in it. I can have dwarves. The world is my steampunk fantasy. There’s no mary sue about it. The main character embodies my concerns as a person. Who decides what is right? When some one goes mad…does everyone always know?
Trees in the forest and all that.
Since last Christmas Aia has been asking for the Junie B. Jones books. Now we have a lot of kids books in our household. J. and I keep books. My mother tries to convince me to get rid of the books every chance she gets.
As Aia transitions from picture books to chapter books several of my favorite authors have died. Most recently: Madeleine L’Engle. I will never forget the scene with the multiplication tables. It is quite possible that that ruined math for me for life. The intensity by which the character survives in that scene spoiled me to the point that I abandon books without any of that intensity. It reminds me now that life is pain. But back then…it scared the shit out of me.
I have a fully realized vision of the boogey man. He is silent for when he talks you are his. Did you every see the the Buffy episode Hush. Those are my boogey men….they eat children…they don’t like garlic…they wear all black…they smile…they want quiet from children. When that episode came on I screamed. My ex thought I was nuts. They don’t hid in your room they come through the window or through a mirror.
Aia is reading chapter books now. For family time we read them together alternating pages. I know she can read the whole thing…but she likes to brag and pretend stupid. We have lots of conversations about how pretending to be stupid is a bad thing.
So last night…instead of going to Japanese study…I found myself in a meeting for applying to the gifted child program. Aia had a note from school…and our school meeting was right then!
It was crazy. Some of the teachers talked down to us…which just pissed me off. Others avoided us or tried to use the old Superior Language crutch. (Thanks, I have an English degree…the art of using big words to sound important is my bread and butter, but I don’t respect it at all.) It took us a half hour to get out of them that their word Portfolio really meant standard application. Jokers.
We are going to apply and test Aia. Even if she’s accepted they might not have room for her as she’s consider a late entry into the program. Stupid Denver schools…they had no such program for kids.
Either way I’m not too worried. I like Thompson…it’s worlds above where she was, and they concentrate on art and music. But if I have these scores I can gear things towards Aia that will help her out. Out of her 17 classmates…she’s the only one that can solidly read. I can keep that going.
But back to Junie B. Jones. This girl is stupid, and mean. Not a role model. As we read the books Aia can’t understand why all the children in the book are stupid. She even says it. As soon as I find them we’re going to start reading Lloyd Alexander. He has no equal in the kids writing world…even J. K. Rowling can’t hold a finger to him.
Of course I’m still going to buy her Junie B. Jones. Got to show her what not to do. Then maybe some Super Fudge.
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