Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

This and That

Wow, it's been more than a week since I've posted. Why do I feel the guilt? Especially when I click on blogs I like and they haven't posted in months? Oh, well.

I don't know how disciplined I've going to be this summer. The kids are home and I have some serious "classwork" to cover before next fall. The girl wants help with writing and public speaking. The boy's multiplication knowledge has more holes than Swiss cheese.

I've been wracking all my teaching knowledge to figure out a way to explain multiplication to him. We've tried everything. Memorization. Flash cards. Rote practice. Even the Russian peasant method. Did you ever hear about that? The explanation on Google is wrong (at least the one I read) but the method does work if you do it the right way. It only works for the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 times tables and only starting at 6 x 6 and higher so it is limited. But, it is a start. I'll write this out and post it since I bet I'm not the only one working on multiplication tables.

This is also my newsletter prep week. I got it done early but then I had little items to squeeze it and in almost 100 degree heat (outside, not inside) my brain was pretty slow.

Here's a summer top I didn't post on Knitting Friday (because I didn't have the picture until Do Nothing Sunday):

Whoops! Hubby took the picture but didn't upload it to the computer yet! OK, here's a picture of a groundhog. He/she looks as confused as I am.

I did get to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince this weekend. HBO had a free promotional. I had thought that I had seen this movie but I only read the book. Liked the book. Really liked the movie. Now I understand what a Horcrux is; which is important to know since Harry spends the last book hunting these items down.

My other problem with the HP series as the kids got older is that there is absolutely no sexual chemistry among any of them. Harry and Ginny? Ron and Hermione? No way. And really, it's not that important to the story; the adventure works without it. With it, it's like they're dragging large rocks; distracting and boring to watch.

There's an absurd, childish rivalry between Twilight and HP fans. Jesus H. Christ! They're only movies. You're either going to pay the exorbitant movie ticket price to see them or not.

The one question I did have watching this HP and knowing the body count which will occur in Deathly Hallows - how do they get rid of the bodies? It's obvious that wizards intermingle with muggles (ordinary people.) Doesn't Scotland Yard sort of get interested when all these bodies start piling up? Just wondering.

Got to go. I'll be back. Which may be more than what's happening at FireDogLake and TBogg. Where did he go? I miss his snark.