Holy Crap, Time is Flying!

I can't believe the speed with which the weeks are passing already. I jut posted on Saturday, got busy, and it is Thursday tomorrow. My life is passing by at a tremendous rate of speed, and at my age that is not the most welcome news. On the other hand, things are mostly well. The kids fluctuate from day to day, but I think that is to be expected. None of us are the same person on a daily basis. I am not sure why they should be any different. I may have mentioned before that I like this group pretty well as a whole. If I haven't, I should mention it now, and if I have, I will say it again. I plan on taking over the speech program from my wife, who has a master's to work on, and that includes the junior high speech group as well. I did a chaperone gig at the high school speech competition last year, and I guess I will actually be coaching at both this year. It will give me a chance to bond better with the kids, and I am looking forward to it.

In other important news, happy anniversary to my Mom and Dad tomorrow. On September 1, they will have been married for sixty-one years. Not bad. I will be excited to make the sixty-first anniversary of my birth. Marriage is a different creature entirely. I am enjoying it quite a bit at this time, I must say. (That is to keep me out of trouble with the little woman!)

The rain continues, and I am hoping that the trend will not continue for the long holiday weekend. My review of the weather forecast does not cause optimism. It will be nice to have a few quiet days nonetheless. And the thought of no alarm clock for a couple of days doesn't exactly break my heart. A little rest will be a nice thing.

Off to home, dogs, and hearth...another day in the record books.

Peaceful Nighttime...

The day was productive...in some direct ways and some that were more subtle. I can feel change coming on, and it feels like the right thing. I can't point to one thing, but more the combination of a lot of small things at the same time. It is a good thing, and feels very natural. I have been waiting for this for a while. We will see how it goes from here...

Saturday Work Day

Here again on the weekend...the week was a good, and busy one. I like this year's crop of kiddies pretty much, even if they have noticed some impatience on my part. They still want to come and hang around at the end of the day despite their immense suffering at my hands during the school day. How resilient!

We are doing another two-day inservice thing. We are committed to a certain number of them by contract. The idea that we are trying this year is to front-load them in the school year so as to have them finished well in advance of the late winter-early spring blues. I think that we do not have much of anything of that sort after February. It makes it nicer then, but it makes the first part of the school year pretty tiring.

The way that we do the two-day thing is to stay until 6:30 on Friday nights and then come in from 8-12:30 on Saturday. Breakfast is included, and you have to like a boss who will come in early to cook for his employees. This week we are kind of short on staff for various reasons, so we are concentrating on getting a number of necessary things done in the classroom. My problem at this particular moment is that I stayed up a little too late last night after a steam at Joe's, and I am not really feeling the motivation that I need to get things done. On top of that, my wife is in Anchorage for the next day or so, and I suspect that I am moping around feeling sorry for myself. I should get at it so that I can get all of my stuff done today and relax tomorrow. I just need to get convinced of that fact, and all will be well.

I feel that I am off to a good start this year with classes. I am really trying to focus on getting a routine set with the kids. I think that they are getting it for the most part, too. Of course, there is some goofiness, but that is to be expected, even if it has to be dealt with. Kids, after all, are kids, and will always be on some level. I doubt that all of the behavior programs in the world will change that. It still is nice to get some basic perimeters established for acceptable behavior.

In more real-world news, there are reports of moose sightings in the neighborhood recently, which is cause for much excitement. Hunting season for moose begins on the first of September, and anticipation is beginning to build. The opener will dovetail nicely with the Labor Day weekend for our kids, but I do have to remind them about getting their pass requests filled out. The district has a permission arrangement for traditional subsistence activities, but the request needs to be submitted in advance. A word to the wise is in order.

The weekend awaits, which means that I need to get busy here right now and get my work done...wish me luck!

Stuff!

Exciting news reached my ears at the end of the day-three totes have arrived from the East, and some swag got here from Amazon. Our neighbors took delivery on a new 40-inch flat screen TV last night. Yes, it is horrible to be so materialistic, but when you live this far out, new arrivals are fun things. It means that I may have fresh razor blades, and other good stuff that we shipped out to ourselves. It is hard to avoid the Amazon/Home Shopping Network mindset sometimes. I found myself thinking idly about a 4-wheeler the other day. If you had asked me about that one a year ago, I would have offered consoling remarks about your sanity. Things change.

The second straight day of girls' open gym is going on, with musical accompaniment, in the background. I hear laughing, and it is clear that the role of the school as a beating central heart in the lives of its kids and the community is fully operational at this point. It will get busier from here...

Starting to Pick Up Momentum...

The week is beginning to pick up speed...I was just thinking how much I hate Mondays, and it is nearly Wednesday already. Before you know it, Friday will be on our doorstep. Of course, this is a long week due to inservices on Friday and Saturday, but the next week will take us into the Labor Day weekend.

My kidlets are kinda ok and kinda flaky by turns, and I associate that with junior high generally. I would like to get them into some kind of working order in the next couple of weeks, just the same. It would be nice to see some actual work getting done.

The rain has come back a little off and on, but on the whole the weather is much better than it was when we first arrived. Last night, it was windy and a little chilly, but the sun was shining and it was a great evening for a walk. It almost made up for the tub full of dishes that was waiting for me when I returned. Of course, that was the product of delicious cookies and wonderful dinners, so I can't really complain, even if I want to.

More tomorrow-sounds as if the rain is returning here to stay for a few days...

Monday, Monday...

Much as is often the case, Monday was a little ragged on the student front, especially in the afternoon. I suspect that there were a number of sleepy/silly heads in the group, and it did them no real good. They were good-natured about it, even though they clearly did not care for their punishment. Not to worry, we will start over all nice and clean in the morning.

Of course, I might have been in kind of a raggedy mood myself, too. I had some weird dreams, and I apparently was not the only one. I am not sure that Monday is my best day of the week, either. Somehow we all got through, and we will now move on to Tuesday. Hope that things go better. I still kinda like them, though...

One Down, Several To Go...

We are done with the first week of school already, and it seemed to go quickly. Many of us were here working at 11 p.m. on the night before classes started, and some were still here when we left. For my own part, I still feel as if there are some organizational bridges that I have left to cross, but many fewer than I have had in years past. I suspect that part of it can be attributed to a greater level of experience on my part. I hope that while I was learning things the hard way that I actually learned something permanently.

My kids are a combination of new and old, and I think that I am fortunate to have a pretty good bunch on the whole this year. We have spent the first several days focusing a lot on my expectations for their behavior and class organization, and I am still learning a few new wrinkles as I attempt to make 23 kids in a small room work out as a practical proposition on a daily basis.

This year marks the implementation of yet another major curriculum introduction. That means that those of us who are implementing are feeling our way around another machine with a lot of moving parts. Some of the parts work better than others, and the purpose of some of the parts is not at all clear. We are scheduled for an inservice on the subject right after the Labor Day weekend, so it is hoped that we will all have some hands-on experience with the materials and can ask intelligent questions that will help to address our needs as the year goes on. All that in mind, the system will likely take a while to work out.

I am doing my best to impress on the kids that we are taking conduct very seriously this year. There is no way to tolerate a lot of screwing around in a room this small, and we have already had a chance to learn that Mr. Hicok is real serious about this point this year. The nice thing is that my little ducklings seem to be picking up that point quickly. I know that there will be days where the focus gets fuzzy, but I think that we can actually have some fun this year with a little imagination and effort on my part. I have to say that this is the most positive frame of mind with which I have started the school year so far.

The one gray cloud on the horizon (aside from those in the consistently overcast skies) is that my smart board and my computer do not seem to be able to talk to one another. That is not going to work for me at all, and I am beseeching help this weekend in addressing the problem. I suspect in part that it may be a connection issue, so I will try a little experiment to check that question out. This classroom has become smart board-dependent in the year since it was installed. There is no going back at this point.

On the domestic front, the laundry is progressing nicely, and the breakfast dishes are done. The house is straightened up, and I can tell that we are going to enjoy the comforts of the new home. Now, all that I have to do is stop goofing around and get some grading and lesson plans done. Time to get after it...

Our Travels (cont.)

While I was getting the Boo and myself to our new home, my bride had been detoured across the country. In fact, although the counter agent at O'Hare airport said she was scheduling her on the flight to Seattle, a subsequent phone call to the Alaska Airlines reservation line showed that nothing of the kind had happened. It was a good thing that she called, and a big shame on you for the AA folks at O'Hare! Alaska Airlines apparently had a record of my wife's call to confirm our reservations, and the reservations agent immediately gave her a discount on her next airfare. Not good all around. (Except for the discount part).

She made the flights without problem, but she got into Anchorage at about 2 am, and did not get to Napaskiak until 9 am Monday morning. I urged her to get a little sleep, but she was too wired up on insomnia and caffeine to do so. So we started unpacking more totes, and eventually some fellas showed up to deliver our furniture (in unassembled states). We did get our bed delivered, so we left in the afternoon for Bethel secure in the notion that we had a place for both of us (and the dog) to sleep upon our return on Wednesday.

Off we went, back across the river for the second time in less than 24 hours. We delivered our dogs to the sitter, and I was a little worried about my little dog in a garage with a bunch of other dogs in the cold. Of course, I was being silly, and he apparently charmed both the pet sitters and their mom. He does that sort of thing frequently.

We got through two days of inservices that I actually found to be pretty useful, and returned on Wednesday night to a nice house, but no heat. That issue was sorted out in short order on Thursday, and we were able to get on with the task of setting up house in relative comfort. More inservices were in store for Thursday and Friday here in PKA, and the weekend was divided between assembling furniture and unpacking furniture, with a little work at the school thrown in for good measure.

Now, it is the night before school begins for the 2011-2012 school year. Most of us have worked long and hard today to get ready for tomorrow, and it still doesn't seem as if I am ready. I suspect that many of my compatriots feel the same way. All over the nation, beleaguered teachers are getting ready for a new group of students descending upon them. I wish them luck. We will all need it.

What Home Looks Like These Days...

I am taking a break from the travel update to post a few photos showing what our new apartments look like. Pretty nice, eh? They are a far cry from the old digs, that is for certain. Most of the boxes and totes have been emptied and put away, and the furniture has been assembled. There was a little glitch with the heat for the first few days, but it was quickly repaired. It was fortunate that the weather has been cool, but not cold.

We will be working for the next two days to get classrooms in order and lesson plans completed for the first week of school. Another year is upon us, and it will be interesting to see how things go. I hope that I have matured as a teacher, but that will not be immediately clear. The new group of kids will be interesting to work with, and I hope to get the new 7th graders on board with the program soon.

The Odyssey...

Ok, it wasn't that dramatic. I got back to Anchorage and Bethel without incident. I took the layover time in Anchorage to hit the closest Fred Meyer and stock up on a few groceries, with the help of a list that my wife thoughtfully texted me. It was a little tense, but my faithful dog accompanied me and helped me maintain composure.

I saw a number of familiar faces on the trip to Bethel, including our superintendent of schools. I felt the pull of the delta as we got closer to landing. Joe Bavilla was waiting for me at the river with his boat. Buddha and I huddled in the boat against the wind as we flew down the river towards Napaskiak. I actually made a windscreen for the little guy with a piece of luggage, as he had recently had a haircut and didn't have a bunch of insulation against the wind and rain.

Eric and Sara Jung had thoughtfully provided me with a twin mattress so that I would have a place to sleep. Not all of the furniture had been delivered, and that which had had not been unpacked or assembled. I was excited to get into our new place, and set about to unpacking and storing some of our personal items. The apartment was cold, and I turned up the thermostat, but did not notice any change in the temperature. This was to have unintended consequences for the neighbors as the evening went on.

After a couple of hours of unpacking, I finally unboxed a recliner so that I could sit down and balance my dog on my lap. It felt good to leave the chair and crawl under some warm covers atop the mattress on the floor...

We're Back...

Although there was a fair amount of complexity involved...we began preparations for our annual migration to LKSD in the week before our actual departure. They consisted mostly of a series of trips to the post office, so that we could mail as much as possible up here. I haven't assured myself that it is cheaper than taking totes on the plane, but, given the fact that we travel with three dogs, it is likely much less stressful. The process took us until Saturday to complete, the day that we left to see my sister in Chicago.

We had a wonderful summer, getting to spend some time with family and friends. We celebrated the entry into the world of three new babies, and I got to see one of them before my wife did, which aggravated her to no end, and entertained me to no end. We rode our bikes, and I got to ride my new bike, although probably not as much as we should have.

Saturday, August 6 was the day that we set for our exodus into the wilds of Chicago. In a former life, the challenges of the city did not require the adjustments that they do now after twenty-five years of rural life. Keep in mind that the rural life that I have been living for the past two years is especially rural by comparison with the setting in Cadillac Michigan. Our drive to Arlington Heights, Il was smooth and without incident. We got to see my sister Liz, and her new house, which is really nice. It has a park where we could walk dogs and do keen stuff like that. Our visit was very pleasant, and we look forward to future visits.

On Sunday, we made the 20-minute ride to the airport without incident. It was to be the last thing to go that smoothly for the entire day. I returned our rental car, and went to the terminal, only to find my wife still in line with a look of consternation on her face. She was being told that we did not have reservations on the airplane for the two of our dogs that travel in the cargo hold. She had previously made such a reservation, and had confirmed that a week or so before we traveled. Nonetheless, we were told that it was a no-go. She would have to take the dogs on a later flight that would take her through Seattle and into Anchorage at 2 a.m. As far as Bethel was concerned, she would not arrive there until Monday morning.

There had apparently been space reserved for Buddha, our little guy, to fly inside the cabin. We decided that I would take him, head for Anchorage, get some groceries, get to Napaskiak, get into the new house, and try to start making some headway on moving in before she got back. I managed to contact Liz, who was able to come over and pick up Chelsea before she went to work, and said that she could take her to the airport before her evening flight. Would it all work? What fate awaited the travelers on their way home? More clues will follow...

Preparations Continue...

We continue to get ready for our semi-annual sojourn back to Alaska. Packing and shipping continue, although we are mostly looking at small items, as the big stuff is gone. Word is that our apartments are ready for occupancy, with furniture assembly to be completed (we hope) by the time that we arrive Sunday night.

These last days find us focused mostly on trying to make sure that we do not forget any necessary steps in the process of closing up the house, and making sure that we see as many friends and family as is possible before we step onto the plane on Sunday morning.

As I look around town on these last few days, I am struck by how much it has become a part of my life. I came here as an adult, and have ended up living here longer than any other place during my lifetime. I will miss it, but I am looking forward to returning with cautious optimism. A new set of challenges await us, and I expect that we will be up to them. Life will take on a few more changes this year, but change in life is something that I am getting more used to...

Thunder and Lightning...

...and poor Dan is cowering in the corner. He doesn't much care for storms, and is getting to the point that he is very reluctant to even go out in the rain. I feel bad for him, as I understand that it has been raining consistently back home. He won't have much choice.

Word is that housing has been approved by the district, with a few minor corrections to be made tomorrow. Furniture will then be assembled and installed in the units, and our stored belongings will be moved in. With any luck, this can be done by Sunday, when we return. The irony of it is that we will be there less than 24 hours, and then we will return to Bethel.

At least we will have a roof over our heads that is something other than our classrooms...

The Summer Moves Towards Completion...

We have made it through another wonderful Traverse City Film Festival, which also means that our summer in Northern Michigan is nearly at an end. We saw eight movies, including the usual number of thought-provoking (and occasionally hilarious) documentaries. There was a focus this year on the challenges faced by working people in the face of continuing income centralization and inequality. It is clear to me that the world in which I lived as a child, marked by the existence of a solid American middle class, is no more. Those in this country who have the money have the power in a way that resembles most closely the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, and they are determined to use it to their maximum advantage. They no longer need American consumer spending in a "world economy," so their only concern is to make certain that the walls outside their gated compounds are high enough to keep out the troublemakers. Of course, this has been the truth for most of the rest of the world throughout the formerly halcyon age of the American middle class, so in some ways we are just catching up with the rest of the world.

Enough of my rants. We had a wonderful week between films, and managed to spend some more time with friends and family. We will keep working on that this week as we take care of the busy work that must be done to prepare for the trip to Alaska that starts on Sunday morning. There are totes to buy and pack, and some last minute dental work to get accomplished. We will be busy, but I think that we somehow enjoy being busy, even when we bitch about it. It is probably good to feel useful, and happily engaged in the world.

Looking back on the summer, I feel that I accomplished a few things that were important. I finished the classes that I need to get my professional license in Alaska, and I finished my AKT2 program, at least as I understand it. I am informed that we need to make mileage pledges for next summer's biking season, but that will take care of itself in due time. After all, vacation should include some serious leisure time in my estimation.

On to the new week and the renewed grapple with the challenges of life in the Bush...