Definition of "Hero"

If you would like to read something that will bring tears to your eyes, please go to Jim Weiss' website and read the whole page! http://www.greathall.com/jimwrites.html

We first heard Jim speak last year at the CHN Expo in Southern California. We were amazed by his story-telling and were inspired to use some of his tellings in our homeschool and attempt to teach them to re-tell their favorites as well. Every time I go to his website, I come away with some new bit of inspiration. I beg you to check it out for yourself!

What Started the Vietnam War?

I know you are wondering how in the world I got stuck on studying Vietnam, but there is logic to this. My grandfather and I were debating the other day and I realized that I had absolutely no information about that subject to draw from. That is sad! Another reason to understand what happened in Vietnam is to understand why people compare what is happening today in Irag, to the war in Vietnam.

So here it goes. I read a website that gave me a basic timeline to the war.  Also, I borrowed a great book from the library called "America's Vietnam War" by Elizabeth Becker. Not being a huge history buff, I really liked reading this book cover to cover. I found it easy to read and I remembered many details just from reading it once through. Now I'm going through it and taking notes, mostly to answer questions I gave myself after reading the first time.

This was the first question. What started the Vietnam War?

The Indochina War started as a war of independence between France and the Viet Minh in Vietnam and ended with the United States fronting 80% of French war costs to stop communism from taking over Asia.

1920's & 1930's Vietnamese oppose French colonial rule (since early 1800's)

1940 WWII - Germany occupies France and sends Japanese ally to establish bases in all French Indochinese colonies.

1945 Ho Chi Minh works with United States to oust Japan, atomic bomb dropped, Japanese surrender, British allies return  Vietnam to France (pre WWII conditions), Roosevelt had condemned the idea of colonialism as a cruel and ancient practice, but Truman was more worried about communism in France. France viewed as a country mostly likely to elect a communist government, it was the most unstable after WWII.

1946 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) formed to fight Russian communism. France basically blackmails US by refusing to help NATO unless US funds their colonial war.

1950 US views Ho Chi Minh as part of Soviet Russia's attempt to expand communism all over Asia. Ho Chi Minh downplays communism ideas and stresses independence to gain support from his country.

1953 Eisenhower, now President of US, pushes France to plan a larger battle. France builds garrison at Diem Bien Phu thinking they could beat Viet Minh in a classic battle. Viet Minh don't attack head on, gain high ground, and bomb French until they surrender in May 1954.

May 1954 Geneva Conference with France, Great Britian, United States, China, Soviet Union. France agrees to leave Vietnam and split country into North and South until and election can be held in two years. Russia convinces Viet Minh to take deal and not confront United States directly. Ho Chi Minh feels cheated that his country is split in two.

So that is what I know as of now. I do know that the US helped set up a democracy in South Vietnam and helped set up elections for the whole country. That never happened because the South Vietnamese government knew that North Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh) would win elections because the whole country believed that he had rid them of the French. The US did not want another communist government in Asia so it backed up the South Vietnamese.

More to come! :)

Benjamin Franklin

Hey everybody! I just finished reading Ben Franklin's Autobiography. You have to read this! What an amazing testimony to self-reliance. The man was brilliant and taught himself from books he read (and there wasn't the local library or amazon.com), all while he worked to keep himself alive.  What amazed me most was his determination. His reputation among his fellow man was so important to him. He regretted every mistake he felt he made and tried his best to make amends each time. He listened to others when they found fault in him and tried to fix those faults. He also spent his entire life trying to make the world better, not just in his own back yard but everywhere. You have to read this book if you are homeschooler.

Skirball Cultural Center

Yesterday we went to the new Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles with Poppy. These are the days that I marvel about how wonderful it is to live in Southern California (the other days I'm grumbling about it)! The exhibit was awesome! I have few pictures because I was playing too much, sorry!

 All the animals are made out of recycled, excuse me "repurposed" materials. The kids had more fun trying to figure out what each animal used to be! Jake was in love because there was a room full of stuffed animals. And Tom spent most of his time trying to figure out how things worked and how he might be able to make it at home. Nikki just walked around making jokes. My comedian!

 If you are any where near LA, I highly recommend that you come see this place!

The Old Man and the Sea

I know this is a book most people read in High School, but I don't remember reading it. I was too interested in the theatre to do any of my homework AND what I did read on my own was mostly horror novels. So here I am catching up with the classics!

I loved this book. It only took me three nights to read. I usually read while the boys go to sleep in the evening and I can only focus on reading for about an hour before I start nodding off. This is my second Hemingway book and I think I like him. His writing is simple, but it holds my attention. I didn't want to put down the book for fear that the old man would lose that big fish while I was away!

Fahrenheit 451

My step-daughter brought a book home from the library a few weeks ago and while she was reading it she told me to read it. What hooked me what this quote, "Being with people is nice. But I don't think it's social to get a bunch of people together and then not let them talk, do you?" This a young girl talking of her school. Also this one, "You can't rid yourselves of all the odd ducks in just a few years. The home environment can undo a lot you try to do at school. That's why we've lowered the kindergarten age year after year until now we're almost snatching them from the cradle." A man talking about that same young girl after her sudden death.

So I read it. I'm sure you are probably going, "DUH! Everyone knows that book!" But I didn't. And I couldn't put it down. Crazy part, it was written in 1953 by Ray Bradbury. And it is fiction. It is a book about the future where firemen burn books because they are illegal to read. People have no personal contact. They don't talk to each other. They just sit in front of their whole wall tv's and listen to idle pratter from people they call their "family". Go check it out!

I'm IT!!

All right, here are the rules.

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

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Oh, this is so fun....NOT! “Not” jokes are hilarious to me right now because I watched "Borat" the other day.

1. Up until I met my husband....I hated kids! I never would have dreamed I'd have a house full like this.

2. Oh, I get so angry! Especially at inanimate objects like the ironing board or the washing machine. So bad after my second was born that I ended up on Effexor and now Zoloft! Oh, by the way, I got off all that stuff and have been completely successful at controlling my own temper!

3. I hate power tools! I used to work in theater, that is common knowledge, and using power tools and heavy machinery came with the territory, BUT, I hate power tools. I am afraid! Now, if anything needs more than a power screwdriver, I pass it to my MAN!

4. I love to fill out forms. You know, scan-trons, surveys, etc. It is a sickness. I love checklists too!

5. I've had the cops barge in and arrest me for attempted car-jacking and armed robbery. Not a pretty year in my life. No, I didn't do it and I would be the last one to steal anything. I was falsely accused by a crazy man and a stupid and lazy police detective. Life changing event, seriously.

6. I'm secretly in love with Thomas Jefferson. I know he's dead!

7. I love classic country music AND heavy metal!

8. I swore I must be a vampire when I was 15-16 years old. I mean I think I seriously believed it!