school + thoughts

so, preschool. i just got the call today that sebastian was accepted into the neighborhood preschool. he'll start in august and go five days a week from nine until noon. at one time, this was not an option because i was very attached to my idea of how i wanted to raise my sons, an idea that certainly did not include the catholic preschool three blocks away. and yet there was this (small) voice that kept echoing school, school, school. those big yellow buses and plastic lunch boxes would trigger the voice but if a gaggle of small children was spied, then the nagging became insistent: "i want to go to school, mom". so, i am listening to my son. this is his path. i support him. i also know that i was damn lucky because the school we chose due to practicality (you know, the whole not having a car thing) uses the montessori method for its preschool classes. and since florida now has voluntary preschool (aka it's free) this means the school gets government money (and thus separation of church and state meaning the preschool can't teach religion) and i don't have to worry about explaining god and such until i think sebastian is ready (the registration form had a question "are you catholic ___ non-catholic___." i checked the latter.). and if he doesn't like it? then he can stay at home. the foundation of unschooling has been laid; school is merely supplementary at this point. sebastian gets his kids ("my kids, my kids are at the park/school/museum") and we can have four hours a day with just nico. it doesn't hurt that nico will probably nap for half of that time and thus giving whomever is home a chance to, um, i don't know. what do people do with two hours of quiet? probably something exciting like the dishes. ( franny, i don't have a way to respond to your comments so if you want to email me, there is a link in my profile...:))

and now spring cleaning is complete. such a relief. i can focus on other aspects of my life.


discovered aleksandro kasuba through dwell magazine. the article on the tokyo home in this issue was also captivating. we are subscribers to this fantastic magazine and have just renewed for two more years. it is one of the few things we are willing to commit to.
checked out zorba the greek from the library and borrowed birth. i saw zorba a long time ago but that was before i read the book countless times while i was in japan. so much is missing in the movie but it is still an amazing film. birth had the quality of a good short story; a dynamic yet subtle way of demonstrating the fragility of perspective.

today's playlist: archer prewitt wilderness, beth orton comfort of strangers, isobel campell & mark lanegan ballad of the broken seas, bright eyes collection of songs 1995-1997, mum finally we are no one

(picture taken by sebastian while we were filming finger puppet t.v. with sancho and hand)
i've been reading the path is the goal by Chogyam Trungpa and this book has really clarified so, so much for me. i am actually considering doing this MFA program instead of the applied linguistics program. my natural impulse is to avoid more institutional educational experiences but i have kept naropa at the back of my mind for many years and since i believe i will need a masters to do the work i want and support my familiy, this might be a way to go. but it is just a way. one of many.
p.s. i will be updating papermoon throughout the week