Sometimes adult life can become repetitive or dull. I find that when that happens I am often stuck in a loop of output without exciting input. My theme for September has been “delightful education”.
I have discovered that as a homeschool mom (and simply as an adult bringing up children) it is my job to continue to learn alongside them. It is my duty to continue my education so that I can be an excellent example for them.
Lately I have been feeling worn down and so my theme for September became “education”.
Something that has reawakened in me this fall has been deeper learning and fun rabbit holes of information on whatever topics I am teaching in our homeschool. As we come upon something in literature or history, and even in math, I do my own learning in greater detail. I read books associated with the topic or do some online research to understand it further.
“As internet users, we all understand the expression ‘Going Down a Rabbit Hole’, which comes from the much-loved book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book famously begins when the main character, Alice, follows a white rabbit underground, and finds herself going deeper and deeper into a strange world – somewhere in which normal social rules, and even laws of physics, are suspended.” – James Payne
🌸 Learning and education for the pursuit of enjoyment is delightful.
I feel alive when I am gathering information and learning new things. Especially if that learning has been sparked by my own interest (and not thrust upon me by others). Here are some of the topics I have dove into in the past month.
[I share this to encourage you to find your own areas of random learning.]
My September Rabbit Holes:
Ada Lovelace
I have enjoyed learning about her life, her work in mathematics, as well as the people in her life (Lord Byron the poet, Charles Babbage, and her family)
I read several biographies, watched YouTube videos, and then saw a theater production on her life. She had a tragic and yet fascinating life.
-my fav YouTube video was: Ada Lovelace: The First Computer Programmer
Alice in Wonderland & Lewis Carroll
Did you know that Lewis Carroll is a pen name? His name was actually Charles Lutwidge and he was a mathematician, minister, and professor. Those facts had totally escaped me in the past!
Inspired by his Literature lessons, my son and I had fun diving into the world of Wonderland with his books. We also discovered the artistry of Arthur Rackham and John Tenniel who have become famous for illustrations of his books. My son is memorizing Carroll’s poem: Jabberwocky and we really enjoyed the explanation of Carroll’s other nonsense poem: The Hunting of the Snark. We also had two movie nights and watched the recent live action Disney movies with Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway. So much fun!
Here is a quick rabbit hole: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Great Books Explained
The tragedy of the Titanic
My daughter’s literature lessons included the history and a historical fiction piece from the Titanic. We got a stack of library books to dive into and gathered some YouTube videos on the history of that sad event.
I took my learning a step further and read a historical novel just for my enjoyment. Check out The Titanic Survivors Book Club: A Novel by Timothy Schaffert.
Productivity & Communication
I just finished the book Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg and I am reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. I have also enjoyed the audiobook: Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter. Something in this genre used to be a constant on my side table but I took a break over the spring season. It feels good to be reading productivity books again.
Home Design: Nancy Myers Movie Sets
I also discovered the Nancy Myers style inspiration for home ascetic on TikTok and then went down a deep rabbit hole on Pinterest. This is what has been missing from my home decor style. The photos and descriptions instantly drew me in! Books and plants as decor, the muted color pallet, layered pieces of art, cozy touches of throw blankets and wreaths, woven baskets, black frames, cozy but not cluttered, and lived in but functional. I love the comfortable 90’s style feel to it, but I will not be getting white slip covers for my couches anytime soon!
I am now figuring out how much I can do to shift my farmhouse style into Nancy Myers / Cozy Cottage / Comfortable 90’s. We have lived in this house for about 9 years and I am feeling the need for an update and refresh. Mostly visual decor and rearranging furniture – not expensive renovation or anything. I am on a very small budget and will be using what I already have. So we shall see.
…’common information’ and this I take to mean and acquaintance with the facts about us, whether of nature or of society. It’s a shameful thing to be unable to answer such questions [from our children]… Everyone should know something about such facts of nature as a child is likely to come across.” – Charlotte Mason (Vol V p.123 )
What kind of random learning have you done lately?
What are you reading this week?
Sometimes adult life can become repetitive or dull.
I find that when that happens I am often stuck in a loop of output without exciting input. The best way to refresh my brain and my attitude is often to tackle a new topic or an exciting learning curve. I hope that these examples encourage you to do the same.
Try it out and let me know. What rabbit holes have caught your attention?
📖Happy Learning – April
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[cover photo for post by Z Graphica on Unsplash]