In an effort to do a blog on an actual homeschool type subject I would like to suggest the following:

The Modern West

It may surprise some of you to know that I have actually met people who think that those of us who live in Oregon still fight indians.  I suppose some do at the local bars after a few to many, but on the whole we are really a civilized society.  Typically speaking.

Many years ago I was in boot camp in Orlando, Florida.  During my incarceration, I was asked where I lived.  I replied, "Oregon."  Without batting an eye, my fellow shipmate asked, "What state is that in?"  Now I may not be able to place all those puny states in the right place in the Northeast, but I can at least name 50 states, and put them in their proper region.  I wondered how this person had managed to get a decent score on her ASVAB test. 

During my time in the military I met several other people who asked me stupid questions.  Yes, I do believe in such a thing as the stupid question.  One husky Marine had a fascination with Big Foot and would ask me information about it constantly. 

Here is where some geography comes into play.  I live in the half of Oregon that is called a desert.  Not all of Oregon is lush and green.  In fact, only half of it is.  Big Foot does not live in the desert.  I  have never seen him.

One gentleman coming from the midwest for a job he had accepted here, actually came with a truck load of food.  He really, honestly thought that it was hard to get food here.  Imagine his surprise when he reached his new home!  It has more than 8 grocery stores, has three McDonalds as well as a plethora of other fast food restaurants, and mini-marts to beat the band.  This was in the 21'st century!  The company that hired him must have been desperate.

To date the only thing you won't find in the west is a toll booth.  Praise the Lord! 

It may sound like I am being a little hard on people.  To be fair I will turn the tables on myself.  After we had moved to Hawaii, we drove by a field of prickly looking plants.  I asked Dear Man what they were because he had grown up in Hawaii.  He told me it was pineapple.  Pineapple!  I thought that grew on trees. 

I too thought we would be without much, living on a tropical island.  Why else would people want to travel there?  To me a vacation is a place without people, and a lack of convenience.  I was deeply disappointed with Oahu.  Quite frankly it looked like home.  Getting to know the people was the only thing that saved that experience for me.  You don't know love until a massive Samoan gives you a hug as a greeting in church wearing only shorts, a tank top and flip flops.  (They're called slippers in Hawaii.  I never could get used to that, slippers are furry!)

My point here is, before you go somewhere you might want to learn a little something about it first, and to make sure your children are caught up with history.  Please don't leave for the west until you've brougt it up to date!  I really think that was the problem with the people I  had met.  The public school taught them about the Oregon trail, the Indian wars, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition and that was where they left it. 

Oh yes, one more thing.  Just the other day Dear Man met three men from back east.  They had just flown into town and they asked what part of Oreegone they were in.  Dear Man responded, "We aren't gone, we're still here."  He then explained that Oregon is pronounced, "Oragun." 

Just so you know.