Pseud, I love the idea of incorporating literature into history. I know of a local private school that does this, at least in middle school. I interviewed for a position there that included sixth grade history/ literature.   What an amazing opportunity. Alas, they did not call me back after the initial conversation with me. 

Thanks for the spoiler warning--I have not read this yet.  But I'll "Follow" it so I can come back and read as soon as Ihaveseen it.  It will probably be a week or so . . .

Powerful post, KC, with your usual lucid prose.  I admit, however, that it was your opening with its wider application that caught me.  It got me thinking about my own life.  I can be tempted with corruption, or guilty of it. It's an expression of my sin nature.

No editing button in sight.  Please forgive my wordiness; I will address it when I have access to my draft.

Update: This post has been clipped and tamed.  Maybe I should have left it wild . . . to illustrate our need.  

I followed it for about three years back in the days of Carrie Underwood, and Fantasia Barrino knocking me over with "Summertime," but I tried to start watching again several years back and just couldn't get through the cheap exploitation of the tryouts.

If the judges actually offered consistent, substantive advice, it might be different. And if the public voting was merit-based instead of controlled by teenagers who make bewildering choices.  And if we didn't have a gauntlet of contrived drama in the tryouts to endure.  And if the producers didn't trot out people, some of whom are clearly simple and/or needy, for America's entertainment.

Then I might watch.

This sounds like fun!

I was too distracted to watch the President in the first video; Biden's facial expression was too entertaining.

I had to look this up, and finally there you were, WC. Congratulations.

There are some helpful aspects to the Language Arts standards. And no, they do not a.) focus on reading of government manuals; and b.) rip novels out of students' hands.

We do harm when we see this development as a sinister shadow falling over our country.

Here is just one of the entries over at Hirsch's Core Knowledge blog that gives a different perspective.  Core Knowledge has been a steady, practical voice in education for years.  I trust Hirsch and what he advocates.

Not that districts can't bend these new standards in the direction of their teaching philosophies, but there is potential for good here.

I'm not the expert, though.  Linguaphile and Matthew K. Tabor: please chime in! 

R.F., you've said this before, and you made me think.  Thanks for the reminder.  One can expend a lot of emotional energy being negative and resentful. 

Richard, I hope it was clear that I was quoting a commenter from the link WC provided.

I do agree that if both spouses are working full time, the husband needs to do more in the way of providing for basic things.  Not dust cruets, necessarily, unless he's one of those guys with an eye for detail and can't stand dirty, smudged items.  But he should for example cook a meal once or twice a week, help organize the family for housecleaning (i.e., on Saturday morning), support the training of the kids to work so they don't view Mom as a nag, and maybe take on one other major task such as keeping the floors clean or doing the grocery shopping.  This approach would make a tremendous difference to her. 

It also goes a long way toward lightening her burden and demonstrates love when he recognizes the enormous load his wife is carrying and voices appreciation.

My husband has begun to arrange family cleaning hours on Saturday morning. We also made the joint decision to assign meal-cooking to the girls twice a month.

Whatadifferencethesesmallthingscanmake.

[Quote:]

 I found the exact same thing to be true for me.  I have a degree in gender studies (like she talks about) and thought I knew everything about everything.  Then (whoops!) along came my precious little one.  Now things like defecit spending do worry me, because I wonder what will happen to my kid.  Now things like studies of ducks mating habits and the protection of the wolf/moose balance on some island mean a lot less to me.  Now I do think that people on welfare need to pick themselves up and work, like I do.  Now I realize that most of what we studied in the university means nothing in the real world.  I see that grabbing a sign and shouting stupid phrases at "The Man" is not putting food in my baby's mouth.  Now the things that used to be so important to me . . . just aren't.  It's like a religious conversion.  I was blind but now I see.  I voted for Obama the first time, but not the second time.  I could not bring myself to pull the lever for RMoney, but I wonder how far my transformtation is going to take me

What wisdom for young women, WC. Thanks for writing this.

I clicked on over to the essay you linked. I think much of it was tongue-in-cheek, with a lament for what the author wished was true.  There is disillusionment with feminist ideals there.

To be continued: I'm pasting an interesting comment from below the linked article that shows, I think, the transition that the author of the piece is fighting.

I did have a dream a couple of years ago that my daughter hurt her tooth in gym class.  The next morning, I related the dream to my family (I think?). My daughter did indeed hurt her tooth in gym class that day.

Coincidence; suggestion. But weird.

My husband was inexplicably annoyed at me for having this dream.

I'm getting an ad for a psychic now.  Thanks a lot, Paules.