History Lesson, With A Beat

I recently discovered this song through the Just Dance 2020 game that my daughter loves to play: Rasputin by Boney M.

Not only does it have a good beat and an upbeat melody, the moves are definitely culturally appropriate. But the part I love the most is that it takes a largely forgotten historical figure of great importance of his time, around the Russian Revolution, and tells his story very succinctly. It takes a great amount of talent to do that, and it's sad that Boney M. didn't get more recognition for this marvelous work.

You, You, You Oughta Know

Ever have someone ask you to sum something up in one word?  And you really have a lot more to say than just one word?  Sometimes it's nice to have just the right word to say.  BuzzFeed has an article on 29 Obscure Words That Everybody Needs To Know.  My favorite is #28 on their list, 'hygge': they have a marvelous description, but basically it's a warm, fuzzy, safe feeling.

Nature Art for Kids

HomesteadLady has an interesting article on making Botanical Prints with kids.  It looks fairly simple, requiring only heavy artist paper, a mallet, parchment paper, and of course colorful plant material.

Little Free Libraries

Love to read?  Imagine having a box in your front yard where new books show up like magic.  It's not just a dream, it's the Little Free Library movement. 

Why internet activists are ineffective

To sum up the article on Raptitude.com, "Why most internet activists don’t change any minds", it is because the authors have a tone of arrogance and come across as blaming the reader for his or her ignorance.  If someone truly hasn't been exposed to an issue, they are less likely to be defensive if you approach it as a teaching opportunity.

Just Learn

This is my response to "Go to trade school, young man" by Patrice Lewis on World Net Daily:

In my not so humble opinion, everyone who is capable needs to get some form of post-secondary education.  The United States has one of the best systems of adult education in the world.  Of course, that is partially due to overburdening children's schooling with noneducational requirements.  The real question is what form that education should take.

If you truly want to do something which requires a college degree, by all means, go to college.  If you truly want to work in a trade, go to trade school.  If you don't know what you want, try out different things before committing.  For example, if you think you might want to work in house construction, try volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.  And don't be afraid to try new things, even things you don't like.  I hate doing my own taxes, but I took the H&R Block introductory tax course so I could do them better, and I found to my surprise that doing other people's taxes was enjoyable.

Even when you have a career, don't stop learning.  The brain is like a muscle, the more you use it, the better it works.  Studies have shown decreased rates of senility in people who keep their minds active.  You can take courses which further your career, or find something for an interest you have or a hobby you enjoy.

If money is an issue, consider taking one class at a time while you're working.  It may take longer to get your degree but not necessarily to get your degree paid off.  You also aren't taking such a big risk if you decide you don't like the field you've chosen or can't find a job in it.