En route to China via Anchorage…

Well… since I last posted the school year ended and I left Oscarville for the summer. The year ended well. It was joyous… but that is to be expected. It was a bit sorrowful… but that is to be expected. And mostly, it was busy… and that too is probably the most expected.

As I have experienced in all five years with LKSD we had a great end of the year picnic. Unlike most years it was sunny and bright and picture perfect weather. Before the “feast” part of the picnic we had about an hour of outdoor freetime. It was used mostly for “junkyard” and “Bat”.

“Junkyard” is a game played with any number of people and a basketball. I have seen it played countless times before but this was the first time it was both named and explained in words to me. “So… he shoots and if it hits the rim the one closest to it has to defend before he can make another shot. Otherwise you're out.” That’s it. That’s the game. I understood the last part all too well. I was first “out” the three rounds I played.

I left that game and joined the much larger crowd playing “Bat”. “Bat” is a great game. The rules are similar to baseball but really… not at all. There is a team at bat and another in the field. Once you hit you can choose to run or not run. You’re out if the ball is caught in a popfly. One out and you switch sides. So let’s say the first 5 people hit the ball and don’t run. Well now you have the sixth person up to bat and a possibility of six runners. Let’s say batter #6 hits it way off in what would be a “foul” in any other field but is actually considered a GREAT HIT is bat. As the fielders scramble to retrieve the ball all six people run to the other end of the field. Once the ball is back in field it is thrown at the runners. If the ball hits a runner any of the member of that team has the opportunity to throw the ball at any other member of the team. The game becomes a free for all as everyone scrambles to get the ball and “tag” the other team. Positions change back and forth a dozen times before eventually the ball is retrieved from base or all players are off the field. At that point the last team “tagged” is in the field. As you can imagine it’s utter chaos but rarely is there a fight. You just start again hitting or fielding the ball while waiting for that perfect hit that’ll have a whole mess of batters running at once. Score is never kept and no one ever wins or loses. It’s over when people stop playing or in this case, time is called to eat.

The play deck was stocked with burgers, hotdogs, chips, Capri sun, corn cobettes, and assorted condiments. The students, staff, and community were all invited.

There was quite a crowd. One of my favorite elders in the community, Andrew Larson, came to the feast and I was able to snap these photos.

After a couple of clean up activities the school year closed and I said a “pleasure mixed with pain” goodbye to Qugcuun Memorial School year 2007-08.

In the couple of days that followed I watched Erin be a champ and clean the house and pack like it was her favorite pastime. I, rather, took part in my favorite pastime and bitched about not wanting to clean and pack. Once I got over my own sloth-like behaviors I helped out where I could but really Erin was near done with our house. I guess in Oscarville they cut power to the teacher’s housing unit in the summer. Every year, in every village, they threaten this but it never happens. I guess in Oscarville they really do it. So out refrigerator and freezer are empty and salad dressings and butter needs to be purchased at the start of the school year along with all of the other frozen vegetables and meats I end up pick up before that first trip out.

Then on Saturday I hitched a boat ride from Chris, my Site Administrator, a car ride from Faith, my Site Administrator’s daughter, and a plane ride from ERA Aviation to land here at Richard’s place in Anchorage. Richard moved from LKSD last October accepting a computer tech position in the Anchorage School District.

When his six months of probation was about to end he was called into his boss’s office and told he wasn’t really picking up stuff quick enough and that he should start looking for employment elsewhere. That was about two month ago and he’s looking a lot. His furniture-free apartment is one big ole job search. He’s submitted several applications all over the state and had several phone and face-to-face interviews but so far his search had been fruitless.

While I have been in Anchorage I have been reading next year’s Battle of the Books books. There are 12 this year. I have read two so far. “The Graduation of Jake Moon” is the shortest of all of the books, and as such, the first one I chose to read. The second book, “Touching Spirit Bear” I read yesterday. I had heard so many good things about that book. My Aunt read it with my cousin’s son about 8 years ago. Since then it has been brought up in all conversations about good Young Adult Literature. In fact, last year, I recommended it to a collogue of mine. All the while, I myself, hadn’t read it. Well I am proud to say, yesterday, I finally read “Touching Spirit Bear.” And I totally meant all of those things I have said about it in the past. It really is a good book. Chalk full of blood and anger and self worth and everything else one would want a jr. high boy to read. Next year, I have five boys (and two girls) all lined up for a read of it. 
So yeah... when I am not looking like this…

I have seen the new Indiana Jones, been out to dinner at the Outback with Dirk and Erin, and taken walks with Richard.

I leave on Thursday morning for China. There will be a several hour layover in San Francisco before I actually am on a plane to China… but essentially… it’s Thursday morning.

And then the following Friday...

Wow am I on a blog kick or what? I can't possibly keep this up for long, I mean come on, four posts in a week? Don't I have like a job, 'en stuff? But, here we go again. Yesterday, Friday May 16, 2008, Qugcuun Memorial School hosted it's 25th annual commencement. In addition to being in charge of creating the program I also gave a couple of speeches.

The ceremony had one high school graduate and two eighth graders who walked in "promotion" to High School. As the eighth grader teacher I delivered the eighth grade promotion speech. The following is a transcript of my speech as well as a few shots taken from the performance.

Good morning Site Administrator Chris, faculty and staff, honored guests, and of course you students. I'm here to recognize and congratulate Chinace and Nicole and their advancement from the eighth grade. [directed to them] You both should be very proud. You made it! At this point, you should take a moment to think back on what you've done in these last near decade worth of schooling. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it. You haven’t gone through this alone so you should also find the time to appreciate the support of your parents and other family members who helped you to get here.

Eighth grade. You've finished "middle" school. You’re no longer stuck in the “middle.” This ceremony means that you've gone past the middle, and you're only four years, fingers crossed, from being where Grace is today...a high school graduate. [quick aside to graduate] Congratulations, Bunna. You now have written proof in the school records that, unlike many adults on TV, you really are smarter than a fifth grader.

This is a time for celebration, and also a time to ask, what happens now? Many, many years ago (before most of you students were born) I, too, graduated from the eighth grade. Looking back, I realize now, there was something I really didn't know at the time. You. At this stage… have all the power to shape your life. You need to recognize that you OWN your future, and it's up to you to make it a good one.

I didn’t take this time you have here… and really grab a hold of that power. I graduated from middle school and then high school and then entered college at UAF following the course laid out for me by the people around me. I didn’t think about it. I never questioned where I was going. It was expected. And after three years of that, I took a break.

I moved to San Diego and worked in an ice cream shop. I used the following five years to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. It turns out, what I wanted to do, was be here… with you all… today.

Do you know where you want to be five years from now? Do you know what career you want to pursue? Probably not...hardly anyone has that figured out by the time they start high school. It's time, however, to realize the possibilities before you and to ask yourself some important questions.

No, I don't mean questions of national importance, like who should win the presidential election or more important still who should win American Idol… but I mean personal questions about what your interests are. What YOU would like to do?

If you plan a career, what might it be? I still remember when I was ten years old my Aunt gave me a book to read. It is called One Child, and it is written by Torey Hayden. It’s about a teacher, and how she helped a child overcome learning disabilities. I didn't jump right up and know I would be a teacher, but I knew that the story interested me and that I admired the teacher for what she did to help that student.

That five years I took after I left UAF… and after I served all that ice cream… I reread that book I had received back when I was just a kid, younger than you are now, and it got me started on what turned out to be my career.

The same thing could happen to you. You might get a camera for a present, and decide that you want to learn more about photography. You might visit someone in the hospital and decide that you want to learn more about careers in health care. You might take an airplane trip and decide that an airline company might be a good employer. You might read a book about a boy wizard and decide that you want to become the best Quiddich player at Hogwarts. Well, maybe that last one is a bad example.

Chinace and Nicole, I know that you both are already well on the way to thinking about all this. Nicole, you want to build on your mechanical interest and aptitude. Chinace, you know that you want to explore your options at UAF (with Jackie) [smile at Jackie] and to choose a career that will be fulfilling and stimulating for you.

This here, right now, is your time to open you eyes to the things around you. The world is giving you hints all the time about who you are going to be.

There are careers in engineering, health care, education (be me! be me!), banking and finance, construction, service industries, science, military, computers, police work, retail sales, fishing, farming, entertainment, and on and on. There's plenty of opportunity to decide what you really want to do and to prepare for it.

You don't need to lock yourselves in yet. Take time to appreciate the fact that you've already accomplished so much. Then, decide just how you're going to enjoy the summer. If you have a chance, visit a college campus this Summer and see how it looks.

Oh wait… you are spending the summer with me, aren’t you? Well let’s be sure to pencil that in.

Then, continue your good work into high school. I never taught high school. So last night I went home and looked through my entire movie collection so I could figure out what you high school experience might be. I even found a movie with HIGH SCHOOL in the title. So now I know what happens there. It looks like most of your high school time will be spent dribbling basketballs in the halls while singing and dancing! SWEET! Have fun with that.

But, also, keep an eye on your future.

Watch your older friends and family and follow their lead. At the same time, you can serve as role models for those students coming along behind you. You have a strong community here in Oscarville, and you should use it to help you.
Remember, life is an adventure. In closing I want to congratulate the two of you and your families once again and to wish you both a bright future. Since I'm half Chinese, I'll put it this way, "Chen tu woo lan" With apologies, that's "Chiu-nuk-garrr-Bu-DiKKKK-nee chut Umm(theth) doot" in Yu'pik.

Thank you.

The eighth graders then accepted their certificates of promotion.

     

After that, the "real" graduation began. Each staff member was asked by our one graduate, Grace "Bunna" Joekay, to share a memory we have of her during her schooling.

The first to speak was Olga "Aanan" Mesak. Olga is the Primary/Yupik teacher here. She shared a story about Bunna's first day of school. The speech was in Yup'ik so I can't so much explain what the memory was... but the audience laughed warmly. Bunna look gleefully embarrassed so I bet it was a good one.

And then I stepped up again to deliver my second speech. This one was far shorter. AND it had visual aides.

 Although I have only been here a year, I have had the unique opportunity to get to spend about 170 hours one-on-one with Bunna in this last year. Every morning at (AROUND) 8:45 we would squeeze ourselves into the library and watched a Video Tele-Conference for Applied Math.

One of our math labs involved creating a home plan to scale. I’ve blown it up for you here to see.

*have 8th grade promoters hold up the two pages of the map*


Interestingly, in addition to the staircase she constructed, the balcony on the top floor, and the artic entryway with TWO freezers… it seems she spent the most amount of time “tricking out” or decorating her kitchen and two bathrooms.

*reflectively look at the drawing*

At 8:45 am is she both hungry and needing a trip to the potty?

Don’t worry too much about her spending all of her time in the kitchen though. It seems she forgot to put in a door to get in there.


During parent-teacher conferences her mom, Eliza, once told me that as a kid she drew her future. Her home with her boats and her snow machines and other vehicles. And now… all these years later she has achieved all of those dreams.

I thought it would be a good idea to show you all this now. Because, it seems, like her mom, Bunna is a master at getting her dreams to come true. And Alex (dad)… you better start getting money and supplies together soon because she also calculated that this dream home of hers is going to cost about 1.35 million dollars to build.

(hand home to Bunna) I hope this one comes true for you too.
Congratulations Bunna.

Thank you.

After I spoke, Erin Kavanaugh, the high school teacher stood to deliver her speech. Erin is a rockstar of a teacher and a pretty kickass roommate to boot. Bunna is the first student she has carried all the way through High School to graduation. I tend to think this ceremony meant as much to her as it did to Bunna. Maybe more. Erin understandably got a little choked up at the start of her speech. The stress of all the hours getting the writing course work completed... the sleepless nights... the struggles of work undone... the triumphs of work completed. It all culminated in this bitter sweet, proud, moment of goodbye.

  

After Erin's speech, Bunna's mom, Eliza spoke. Eliza helps out with our pull out programs for Special Ed. She also runs an after school program. Eliza and her husband Alex (who is also employed by the school) have six kids. The eldest is Bunna. As you can imagine, they were very proud of their eldest daughter making it through to graduation. I heard that Bunna's graduation is the 4th in over a decade. With a school as small as ours, I am sorry to report, it is quite a triumph (and not necessarily the norm) that a student meet all the requirements of graduation. 

      

Like Erin, Eliza's speech started out with quite a few tears. Tears from the speaker, the graduate, and over half of the adult audience in attendance.

After Eliza's heartfelt speech Chris introduced our guest speaker, and the only remaining member of our teaching staff, Barbara Ulroan.  Barbara was a graduate of Qugcuun Memorial having graduating in Oscarville in 1996 before attending UAF mostly through audio conference in Bethel, AK. By the time she finished getting her teaching credential she also was married and had two kids. She moved to the village of Atmautluk before moving back to Oscarville to teach in 2005. She teaches the Elementary School here.


Since her move to Oscarville she has had her third child. An energetic, strong willed, girl named AnnaLayne. Can you spot her in this picture on the left taken in the middle of Barbara's speech?

Peek-a-boo

Oh, and just because we're on the subject... here's another picture I snapped of AnnaLayne and Erin after the graduation ceremony was over.

After Barbara spoke, our valedictorian of the senior class spoke.   Bunna's speech spoke briefly on her struggles in school and then highlighted some of the reading she has enjoyed and some of her favorite papers she has written.  She offered to the younger students her opinion as to the importance of sticking it out in school and making your dreams come true.  For someone who has never seen a peer graduate, never had to really write anything like this, it was a pretty good speech. I am ridiculously pleased in our graduate.

      

After Bunna's speech, Chris, our Site Administrator, gave the short but important Principal's  Address. Effectively wrapping up the ceremony. Nothing left after that but the traditional stuff that concludes all graduations.

           

And just in case you haven't had enough yet... here are some other random pictures taken from the day's festivities.

And for our final two pictures... 

here we have the entire Oscarville Staff along side the honorees. 

And... 

presenting... 

the crew I gush about far too often... 

the entire Oscarville Jr. High... 

P.S. One member of our household was noticeably unhappy with all of this time we have been spending away from home.

P.P.S. Before you feel too sorry for her, Macy was able to come to the slumber party that took place the following evening. Does this really look like a dog deprived of attention?

Not that I am political. But...

To quote Rent...

"You teach?"
"I teach. Computer age philosophy. But my students would rather watch TV."
"America."
"America!"

I am going to be in China in 15 days.

I just read my first news article about the earthquake.

When I got down to the bottom of the article I saw this...

... I am embarrassed and apologetic for my country.

Heal China.

Heel America!

From the vaults...

Erin and her ELD (English Language Development) class inspired me! They are working on a Poetry Unit. Today's format was "odes".

Unfortunately my inspiration can only take me so far. We are down to two "real" school days left and then five sort of half-day, limited learning days. It's crunch time. Papers to edit at lightning speed. Grades to enter in our snail-paced, online system.

So rather than writing new odes, I scrounged through my email account and found the only two odes I have written in the last ten years.

The first is a silly sort of a poem I wrote in my college poetry class. I liked it and took the time to turn it in and all... but again... it was silly. I was really surprised to find my instructor thought it was a publishable piece of work.

"Ode to My Muse"

Silver parka pulled back to reveal you
The flexible powdered 2X4
I fold you in half
With my thumb and forefinger
Toss you carelessly to my cave of communication.

Like a cat’s Mickey (or Minnie)
My teeth
My tongue
Beat you into a misshapen mess

I tinker and toy with you
(But I mean you no pain)
Truth is
You challenge and motivate me

You were there for me when I tripped into love
(You were there for me when love tripped me back.)
You were there for me when I grew out of school
(You were there for me when I grew into school)

It’s been you and me, kid
More times that I can calculate
(even with your company in my math tests)

This poem is for you,
My sweet inspiration.
(I could not have done it without you.)

Can you guess it? Do you know what my muse in college really was?

The second ode I wrote after living in Quinhagak for three weeks. Those of you living out here on the delta, familiar with what the term "honeybucket" means, will probably understand this piece right away. For the rest of you... mwhaaa haaa haaa. Try to research your way into understanding. I dare you!

"Ode to my Honey"

It is around 6:30 am and I'm
taking a stroll with my honey.
In my left hand, naked without
its watch, is a flashlight
that unsteadily illuminates the
gravel path. My time piece
battery went dead and the town
store doesn't stock them. I'm
adapting.

My right hand busies itself
with my pale, pure companion.
Their sweet, firey familiar
scent will remain with me after
we part. I know this because
this is the morning ritual we
share, everyday, at the
pre-dawn-break.

In all honesty it's the only
time we have together worth
reflecting upon.

Neither of us hardly speaks
and when we do it's silly
triflings, a song stuck in my
head, my do-not-forget plans
for the school day. These
words are not for my partner,
the one so much a part of me,
but rather for myself.

For when one spends such
intimate time together with
their honey, sometimes... words
are needed to break the
uncomfortableness of the drop.

"They say that break(ing) up is hard to do"

Oscarville is nearly perfect. When I look back on my last five years of teaching, I definitely think this one... this one's the keeper. Small class size and proximity to Bethel aside, it's just been an amazing year.

But to honest, I wasn't so sure about this move. Last year I left Nunapitchuk a little worried. I had heard mostly positive things. But one thing that kept being said every time I bought up the word, "Oscarville" was "watch out for break up". "Break up" is a special time of year around here where the solid frozen roads turn back into the flowing Kuskokwim River and all of it's countless slough and tributaries. "Break up" is the time of year where I finally get some answers about that saying we've all heard about Eskimos having 20 different words for snow. Happen on in to any feast or maqivik at this time of year and your hear fervent discussions about needle ice and overflow and chunks and black water and white ice and clear ice... and if your lucky you'll even be treated to the "whooooshhhhh" or the "cruchuggggek" or the "plink plink plink" as the ice's break down is explained.

It's break up here in Oscarville. The view out my classroom window looks like this... Note the icebergs just sitting (or floating) in the middle of a slough that may or may not have ice below the surface.

We stopped traveling last Tuesday. It just wasn't safe anymore.

This time when the "roads" are somewhere in between ice and water is a dark time for the village. Pike, Seal, and Geese are here. Salmon and other birds will be here soon. But... it's not safe to travel.

I had been warned that THIS is the time when everyone just stays at home nit picking at one another bitterly. All year long we prepare for this. "Save that art project for break up, there won't be anything else to do." "Saturday work day? How about during break up, no one can get anywhere anyway." "Stock up on food for break up." "Could be weeks until there's mail because of break up."

Bah Humbug.

Now... if you know me at all you'll know I wouldn't bother to spend the time on a post that remained bitter cookies about break up. Oh no! Let me tell YOU how I battled the nefarious (thank you Moonlighting) break up this weekend.

Oscarville was invited to Napaskiak's prom. Hooray! Only... cepting' there's break up. So while the river was "good enough" for us to get our invitations a week prior we couldn't possibly get across the river by boat or snow machine last Friday. Our site administrator came up with an idea to charter a helicopter to prom. Only it was looking at costing a good $1,200 to get there. Twelve hundred bucks for prom?!! Images of MTV's My Super-Sweet 16 and multiple woman who charge by the hour come to my mind. Neither of which I am interested in for myself or for Oscarville's High School students.

The fact of the matter is we just couldn't afford it. Our site administrator called up Yukon Helicopters and said it was just too pricey. At that point Tom, the co-owner (with wife Cindy) and pilot, agreed to donate their services to get our kids to prom. Super-sweet, huh?

From that cushy helicopter ride (I know like we're friggin' rock stars!) we took a four wheeler ride to the school.

Riding a four wheeler is significantly less glamorous. Especially when there are about eight of us (and luggage) all on one four wheeler (with a wagon).

But beggars can't be choosers and damn did we clean up nice for being beggars!

This here is the whole group of Oscarvillers who made it over for Prom. There are six kids in the High School but only four of them are considered to be either a Junior or Senior. Because of this division the two remaining High School students had to be "dates" of the four legitimate invitees.

These stand as record of the official "couples."


We in Oscarville are showing just how current and politically correct we are by having a girl/girl couple readily accepted by the general public. The fact that they are also sisters may make this look more like a big move backwards. But let's just not go there...

A truly good time was had by all. In fact, I even snapped a photo that reminded me of my own Senior Ball. Mind you, I'm not showing the "leg" I showed when I stood with Michelle, Nicole, and Alexis. But still... it was reminiscent.

We spent the night at the school eating popcorn, drinking kool-aid, and watching "The Princess Bride" which I must point out reminded me EVEN MORE of my own prom. Not that I actually watched THAT movie... but for Junior Prom the after prom movie "The Lost Boys" was enjoyed with popcorn and pop I recall at Michelle's house. So... you know... certainly in the same vein.

The next day we woke up casually and heading to the airport to catch the 11:30ish helicopter ride back to Oscarville. No big party to see us off. Helicopters are so passe.

Once safely back on the ground Erin confirmed that the student council was still going to host a volleyball get together at 2:00. I was surprised but elated to see that these prom-goers were still raring to host an event for the younger less (helicopter-)traveled folks of Oscarville.

So after a few short feet up moments in front of so American Idol Rewind (I loved Frenchie but I LOVE Syesha too) I headed out to the "play deck" for some nice sun-in-your-eyes volleyball playing. The rules to the game are far better explained by Erin but essentially it was play to play. And while score was "kept" it was... negotiable.

A fairly tall fence surrounds the play deck so every time the (MUCH LIGHTER then regulation) volleyball caught wind it took a few minutes for someone to climb down from the play deck and run around to the ball. What can I say... several of the pictures taken didn't exactly contain a volleyball. As you can see here...

So yeah, they say break up in Oscarville is hard. But I don't know... I certainly didn't feel all that trapped this weekend.

Rumor has it the river here will "flush" by the weekend.

Shhheeesh! Break up is a breeze.

Summer plans

Okay... so this is more for me than you... but here's my plan for the summer...

May 22nd... school ends
May 25th... fly to anchorage
May 29th... fly from anchorage to san francisco
May 29th... fly from san fran to china
((insert very intense travel plans with the fam))
June 16th... fly from china to san fran then drive to sacramento
((insert some time for a deep breath, dinners, shopping, drinking, and so on... with friends))
July 3 Pick up kids
July 4 Celebrate 4th--Cal Expo and/or front yard
July 5 Music Circus tickets @2:00 Sound of Music
July 6 Gibson Ranch picnic
July 7 Big Trees picnic, see caves on the way
July 8 State Capitol building tour, Old Sac
July 9 Tai Chi class (7:00 AM), Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World)
July 10-11 Little Canyon Creek, Downieville, to Citrus Heights late Friday
July 12 Folsom boat ride, Picnic (if is OK with Kellie)
July 13 Santa Cruz, stay overnight
July 14 San Francisco, Exploratorium, maybe killer tiger zoo
July 15 Mellow day, get ready for NM trip
July 16 Drive to Needles
July 17 Drive to Williams, see Grand Canyon, overnight in Williams
July 18 Cowboy show, then on to Denise's house
July 19 Visit Denise and Andy
July 20 Say good bye to The Gutierrez then drive back to Needles or Barstow
July 21 parents...Home Sweet Home
July 22 mellow day
July 23 San Francisco for Jelly Belly Factory, Chinatown, Pier 39
July 24 Packing, Last minute whatevers, Birthday Cake?
July 25 Oscarville kids fly home happy
July 26... fly from sacramento to juneau
July 27-Aug 6... attend BASIC Arts Institute
Aug 7... fly from juneau to anchorage
((insert TBD hike somewhere with some people))
Aug 12... fly from anchorage to bethel
Aug 13 first day of work in oscarville
Aug 18 edgeumecating begins... first day with students

Oh... and Sept 11-15 I'm shooting to be back in CA for Michelle's wedding. :)

sounds simple enough, huh?

Today's myspace post (pasted here)

So, I am working on a real blog entry. One that addresses the Roxy situation and my current reasons for contemplation, etc.

But today I had a chat with a student. It was a quick reminder for why I do live, and love to work, here in Oscarville. Names have been edited of course. Here’s the set up... the High School boys basketball team in a neighboring village made it to State and left today for Anchorage. One of our high school boys here plays with their team and left today too.

Me: did you hear about the ball team? the HS boys? there was drama
Her: the high school boys? nope.
Me: you know how there is one senior? (name of senior boy from neighboring village)
Her: yeah
Me: he was caught drinking Friday night
Her: OMG... so hes not going?
Me: so the VPO (village peace officer--like local police here) stopped them on the way to the airport and told them he couldn’t go. It JUST happened. I can’t believe no one said anything earlier then when they were ON their way to the airport
Her: hmm... thats kind of... you know dumb. i never even heard
Me: TOTALLY dumb in my opinion
Her: hehe... yeah mine TOO
Me: it was his younger brother who got caught chewing earlier this year (and was not eligible for travel earlier this season). you would think he would be smart enough to AT LEAST wait until the season was over
Her: so they aren’t going? or what?
Me: no everyone went. but he came back with (name of teacher who drove players to the airport). the whole rest of the team went. just he had to come back.
Her: ooh i see now. so duh! lol
Me: yeah... what was he thinking?
Her: yup. i dunno. he just missed a chance to play AT STATE! you know?
Me: totally. big time
Her: lol
Me: now the teachers over there are kind of worried about him
Her: naklleng (Yup’ik word loosely means like... wow, that’s too bad)
Me: like what is going on in his life to make him make sure poor decisions, you know? like we hope he’s going to be okay. not more depressed, etc
Her: mmhm. yeah i get you

We ended the conversation shortly after that. But really. I ask you all. How great is it that my 13 year old student, all sorts of caught up in her own wanting to be popular and socially accepted by those older kids... just sort of... GETS IT? You know? I have no doubt at all that the boys on the team are all bitching and moaning about how mean it was of the VPO to "not let him go." And here... on the other side of the river. In a town of less than 100 people. We’ve got kids that just GET IT.


I promise the real post soon. :)

Okay okay okay

Okay... so I created this account ages ago.

And really, the only reason behind it was to post comments on others' blogs and to fill a day of assignments in my computers class in Nunap.

But here it sits. Poor neglected blogless blog spot.

So... rather than post my website comments, my preblog emails, and myspace musings... I'll just start from now.

Here now one will be able to read my post March 16, 2008 blog-like stuff.

Enjoy. If that's your sort of thing.

Or feel free to bash. You know... if that's your thing.

No judgment.