The Greeks persist

It's a struggle for me to let my kids learn in a freewheeling fashion; how many hours of watching Pokemon on YouTube can one permit?

It's a struggle for them to learn some of the things I deem appropriate; how many handwriting practice sheets must one do before the handwriting is good enough?

When our subject interests merge? It's glorious family fun.


Nate and I began reading Percy Jackson, Book One (The Lightning Thief)*, about a month ago. We took turns reading it to one another. Despite his reluctance to read aloud, he'll do it to progress in the story. I got to hear how well he reads and navigates new words. To my relief, he does *fine*. He ran into a tricky word once or twice a chapter--about the amount I hope to encounter in my own reading. (If I never pick up a dictionary while reading a book, it feels I've read something too easy--like popcorn for the mind.)

*We began Book Two this week, so the reading continues.

The Lightning Thief initiated talks about which Greek God we like the most and to which one we would want to be related. (If you were a demi-god, who would you be?) I pulled down Don't Know Much About Mythology many times to remind us who-does-what. (Athena and Artemis are two I still get confused.)



To celebrate our return to the virtual world after having our TV/Internet disconnected for a week, I rented "The Wrath of the Titans." Characters come onscreen, and Nate and I know who they are, who the father or mother is of this demi-god, and who inhabits the labyrinth (no suspense there, duh--Minotaur!). We discuss how the Underworld doesn't look the way we pictured it in The Lightning Thief, and how dialogue references to Hell are a misplaced:

Elysian Fields -- in the underworld

"The Underworld, is not entirely unlike Heaven/Hell, but it's not the same, either. The Underworld has the glorious area known as the Elysian Fields, which is similar to Heaven. Some Romans tried to make the area around the burial site of prominent wealthy citizens resemble the Elysian Fields ["Burial Customs of the Romans," by John L. Heller; The Classical Weekly (1932), pp.193-197]."

Saying something is "going to be Hell" doesn't play. It's "going to be Tartarus." However, that sounds like "Tartar Sauce," which sounds rather nice.

Tartarus -- for the worst of the worst, and for the Father of Zeus

After the movie, I asked Nate if he liked it. There was action from start to finish. Of course he liked it.

Me: "I did, too, especially the side effects."

Wait. Side effects?

I meant special effects. The mix up had us howling-laughing in the kitchen late in the night:

"If you're experiencing bleeding eyeballs and a twitching butt, please discontinue viewing The Wrath of the Titans."