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.

November 29, 2006

My first day on Blogger.