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January Ends; February Begins

1/31/2016

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Another month has passed by in what has felt like a succession of fast-moving months. Again, we had some positive changes in this past month, but we've also had some depressingly static elements of our lives as well.

My biggest frustration with the month is that we are still in the same house since we first moved to Alaska. I have a feeling that the same is going to be said for February, and probably even March, but I really want to be able to say something different come April.

I suppose that the biggest frustration should be followed by my favorite part of the month, and that was that this month was bookended by visits from and to Robert and Shawna Jack. Shawna has proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Catan. Rob will be more of one once he realizes that the brick two-for-one harbor isn't the wood two-for-one harbor. Our boys get excited every time we talk about the possibility of seeing the Jacks again. Good food, good fun, and good friends make for perfect opening and endings to the month.

It was also with the Jacks that Janelle and I managed to get our first childless date here in Alaska. While we get some alone time on the weeks that the younger boys have Sunday school and Trevor has confirmation meetings, Janelle and I spend much of our time in too small of an area with our sons. It was nice to get out and spend some time without the sounds of wrestling, fighting, yelling, and crying.

On the business end of things, I received my severance check from Lincoln, which truly cemented the fact that I will not be returning to teach at my former place of employment. I also received my invitation to this year's AP World History reading which I am looking forward to even if I won't be able to directly apply what I will be learning to my middle school language arts classes.

One of the biggest successes has been with my overall health. With major changes to my eating habits, my blood sugar and blood pressure are both seeing more manageable, if still slightly high, numbers. Add in the semi-regular exercise and it's no wonder that I am twelve pounds lighter since my move to Alaska (16 pounds since the same time last year). Better yet, my belt which was at its last notch when we moved up here is now on the third notch in (I even had it at the fourth notch for a little while; although it was too uncomfortable to be more than an experiment). I still have a ways to go, but I can feel the changes.

Now we have to see what February will have in store ...
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The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1/31/2016

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Today's homily focused on the idea that God's forgiveness is for everyone. Before we ask, He is there. We don't have to search for Him, just be ready to accept His love.

The second reading today expands on what love means in the eyes of God. According to this famous passage, love trumps all. More than charisma, understanding, humility, hope, and even faith, love is the most important goal of any act in our lives.

We have to give ourselves up to this love, and allow love to flow from all of our actions. ​
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​Anchorage and Back

1/29/2016

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With a Saturday open in Janelle's schedule, we decided to make a trip up to Anchorage today to stock up at Costco (the savings really does make the trip worth it, but rather stocks our limited freezer and cupboard space) and hang out with Robert and Shawna Jack.  Amazingly, it turned out that Rob had one of his rare Saturday's off as well, so we got to spend nearly all of the day enjoying each other's company.

This meant that we managed to get in our trip to Costco, a brief visit to Gamestop to renew my Game Informer subscription (they make you go to a store rather than let you renew online), and a total of five Catan games.  In some bizarre twist of fate, each of the five players of our five games won one.  Despite Janelle's irritation with Trevor going to extreme measures to cut her off from building a settlement in not one, but two games, we had a great time that was only made better by Rob making us king crab legs for dinner.

Only Connor and Rowen were a little disappointed with the trip as Rob and Shawna's children were a bit too busy today to play with the boys as they have in the past.  Still, when asked, they both told me that they were glad that we went, just that they want to have more fun next time.

Janelle got some amazing pictures of the sunrise on the way in which she will hopefully share later.  The morning drive was gorgeous.  While the way back was well after sunset and thus dark the entire way, I was still taken aback at the beauty of the Alyeska ski hill lit up at night.

It was another fantastic day!

[p.s. I should also mention my good fortune. Due to a shipping error in Rob's favor and his wonderful generosity, I'm now the proud owner of a Kylo Ren Black Series Force Effects Lightsaber. I've told the boys that we aren't taking it out of the box until we have moved to a more permanent (and larger) home ... no matter how much I beg.]
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Sound Systems and Shame

1/28/2016

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Our tiny place doesn't allow us to get the immersive sound that I love from properly recorded movies, video games, and television shows. For that matter, Janelle wouldn't even let me get anywhere near that level of immersive sound without telling me to turn it down. While a couple of houses that we've viewed have had imbedded sound systems, none of them really seem like they would be that effective of creating the home theater experience that I crave. Truthfully, it's an aspiration of mine that will most likely have to wait until I'm too deaf to actually appreciate it.

I tried to set up that kind of movie-quality sound system in our house at Burr Oak (and later in Jackson). The first attempt was with a multi-audio player (capable of playing radio, tapes--with a second deck for recording, and three CDs). Alas, it had four speakers, "synthesized" bass, and one "auxiliary" input which we used to channel the TV's sound (stereo only). It wasn't enough; I wanted "real" 5.1 dolby surround sound.

I bought such a system as a present for myself for receiving my Master's degree in 2004. I didn't go for the high-end Bose system that I wanted, but a more affordable Samsung that came with five speakers, a subwoofer, and a 5-disc DVD changer. Despite being more "affordable," I still felt guilty about the expense. Still, I was especially looking forward to playing some of my video games that were supposed to have amazing sound.

The sound from the DVDs was amazing (although Janelle frequently told me to turn it down). Jurassic Park and Star Wars never sounded better. Our episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation were particularly entertaining as the Enterprise passed from one side to the other or directly overhead.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck early. While the sound from DVDs played from the system itself was fantastic, any sound run through it from outside sources (like video game systems or the TV itself) did not sync with the video picture on the screen. The audio would be a fraction of a second ahead or behind of the action on the screen. I tried more than one type of optic cable (the only kind at the time that would transfer 5.1 information) to no avail. Since I still got the sound I wanted from the DVDs and could also create a surround sound-ish effect with normal stereo audio cables, I shrugged it off, but I was still irritated at the constraint, and the guilt of spending money on the system grated even more.

A year and a half later, the DVD player component of the system failed. Gone were the deep bass sounds and side to side, front to back effects. We still ran our sound through it using stereo cables as it was the easiest way to switch devices, but each time I turned it on, I felt mocked by the ghost of the sound that was now gone.

We brought the system with us when we moved to Jackson, and I even ran the cables under the floor in the living room to set up all of the speakers, but it wasn't long before we stopped using it altogether. It sat there, on the entertainment system, for years--unused. Each time I looked at it, I could almost hear a voice (that sounded remarkably like my father) scolding me for spending money on something so frivolous, especially considering how long it worked. When we got our new TV, I somehow hoped that it would miraculously make everything work like I wanted it to. The TV did fine, but the sound didn't.

The system sat in our living room until just before I left for Alaska. Before I left, I pulled the entire disappointing system and all of its wires out and took them to an electronic recycling center. I've had a number of purchases in my life that have haunted me, but I truly felt defeated and foolish when I finally gave up on that machine.

It's strange--the things that make me feel ashamed.
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Invitation to Salt Lake City

1/27/2016

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While there are a number of things still up in the air regarding what might or might not happen this summer (including our living arrangement), one piece fell into place today. I just received my AP Reading invitation for the World History test in Salt Lake City. It will be a little weird going since I'm not teaching AP World History now (or even in the foreseeable future), but I had a great time last year (even with all of the essay grading) and look forward to getting to go again considering that all expenses are paid for and I get a little over $1,600 for the week's worth of work. The testing agency knows about my move and teaching changes as I updated all of that information soon after the move. I had been mildly concerned that such a change would make me ineligible somehow, but was assured by other, more experienced, readers that once they know my skills they will keep calling me back (at least for a few years). Thankfully, their information was correct (not that I doubted them ... much).

I've already started to make contact with some of the friends I made last year and hope to have a few plans in the works before I get there (as opposed to blindly figuring things out like I did last year). I'm still thinking about getting a local job over the summer as well (I'm open to viable suggestions in this area, by the way), and I hope that this event won't interfere with that too much. We will have to see.

Even though it's a few months out there, I feel good just knowing that I got the invitation.
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Eating Habits

1/26/2016

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I lost it a bit today. After a breakfast of two scrambled eggs, a lunch of a P&J (low sugar) on Ezekiel (flourless, low glycemic for reduced carbs) bread and a orange, a snack bag of popcorn, a couple handfuls of peanuts, and a dinner of hamburgers on lettuce "buns" with bok choy and a small Dove chocolate as a reward, I went on a sugar/carb craze. All I wanted was one scoop--er, two scoops--make that three scoops of ice cream--and peanut butter--and strawberry jam--and dark chocolate sauce.

It was so very good.

I expected my blood sugar to shoot up past 200 (as it has been known to do too regularly), but at one hour later I was at 119, and two hours I was at 133. That might reinforce some bad habits.

For the most part, I've done a pretty good job of adjusting my diet and eating habits to try and combat my high blood sugar. The other day, Janelle made the family mashed cauliflower. While it's not a perfect substitute for the blood-sugar-raising mashed potatoes that I love, it was certainly a more palatable side dish than I expected.

I've also largely been able to control cravings, often with the help of the bulk-food bag of unsalted peanuts. Still, incidents like today's infamous ice cream splurge show me that I don't always have the self-control that I would like over my desires and actions.

It's not that I plan on giving up on the foods that I love entirely; I just need to be better about saving them for special occasions (while not making up new special occasions) instead of semi-wild binges.
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Universal Healthcare [controversial]

1/25/2016

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I​ stand by our Declaration of Independence in that the first of our "certain unalienable rights" is "life."  This, at its most basic level, means that we should be allowed to sustain that life no matter our racial, ethnic, religious, or financial situation.  We should not be denied access to healthcare because we were not fortunate enough to be born into wealth.  Parents should not have to worry about how much an emergency trip to the hospital with their children is going to cost them.  They should not need to make the choice between life-giving medication and food and shelter for their families.  The miraculous marvels that can improve and prolong lives should not be kept only for the new noble class of the wealthy.

As a public school teacher, I have too often seen my students go without glasses, dental care, and even visits to the doctor because their parents cannot afford it.  Even with my "Cadillac" health insurance, I have often avoided my own medical issues, and had to depend on the generosity of family to help pay for some of the medical costs for my family.  

I'm not talking about making certain that all people are insured, as current governmental plans claim to do, but that all people have access to healthcare, period.  One of the major complaints of such an idea is the cost, but our medical costs are already the highest in the world; meanwhile we have some of the lowest care in industrialized nations (Don't believe me? Google "us healthcare compared to other countries" for yourself).  By relying on insurance companies, all we have done is added another "middle man" with profit margins of its own.

Another concern is that fewer people will enter the medical field if such a system were in place.  This is again disproven by the facts.  The doctor to patient ratio is lower in the U.S. than most industrialized nations with universal healthcare, and the gap is growing.  Why?  Malpractice insurance and fewer governmental incentives to help such people get the education required are eating most of the pay that our system provides.

The people who have fed us the lies that universal healthcare would be bad for us are those who have profited from our current system (think Martin Shkreli but on a larger scale).  Don't believe them.  Don't even take my word for it.  Look at the numbers yourself.

We need to stop denying ourselves our own rights.
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​SG Atlantis

1/24/2016

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While waiting for the television shows that we normally watch to come back from their winter break, we finished the final season of DS9 and started looking for another sci-fi show to take its place.  That's when we noticed that the three Stargate series have become available on Netflix.  We immediately began digging into Atlantis as our primary show, and have enjoyed it immensely.

Ironically, we were only watching the series as current television was on hiatus, but now that they've returned, we're still watching Atlantis.  Even though I believe we are in a platinum age of television, with actually too many amazing shows, dazzling plot lines, and fantastic characters to follow, Atlantis really hit a sweet spot for us.  It managed to walk that fine line between being campy and intense while giving interesting characters (after Ford disappears) and some thought-provoking science fiction.  Better still, even the younger boys are hooked (despite some occasionally scary bad guys).  Sadly, at the pace that we're going, we will probably run through the entire show pretty soon as it only went for five season with each season set at twenty episodes.

After Firefly, I think I place it as my second-favorite sci-fi show.  Both Battlestar and DS9 get a little too weird near the end of their runs which keep them at 3rd and 4th (respectively).  Granted, there's a lot of sci-fi that I haven't seen, and some of the newer shows have had amazing concepts, so mine should not be counted as a definitive ranking.  Still, if you haven't seen the show, it's worth the time.
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​Today's Earthquake

1/23/2016

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I've felt a couple of small earthquakes since I first arrived here last summer, but most of the times the cause for the house shaking has not been the primal forces of nature but some of our overly enthusiastic neighbors in massive pickup trucks driving well above the speed limit and sounding like they need muffler adjustment.  One in particular also has been known to share his love for music with heavy bass even into the early morning hours of the night.

Thus, when I was abruptly brought to wakefulness by Janelle​'s insistent shaking (well, she grabbed me and the earth was doing the shaking), I first thought that one of them was the cause.  My fuzzy-headed logic quickly sobered when it felt like our rather solid bed turned to water and the entire room rolled like it was on the high seas.  My mind still didn't register danger, but rather an almost scientific curiosity about the phenomenon.  I immediately began to mentally compare it to the only other sizable earthquake that I've experienced.  Rather than run for cover, or to gather my children, I was trying to look at the floor and walls for the wave-like signs I had seen so many years ago.  Meanwhile, Janelle and I were discussing how strong of an earthquake it was and what steps we might take, but I have no real memory of the actual words that we said.

The sound of something falling brought me out of my reverie, springing me out of the bed to drunkenly run towards my sons' shared bedroom.  I only got as far as our door before I had to steady myself as the house continued to rock.  I managed to open the door and was greeted by black furry lightning as Satin bolted through the open door and immediately under the bed.  Gripping both sides of the doorframe, I pushed myself laterally a few feet to the next open doorway (the bathroom) and gripped its molding to steady myself again.

By this time the waving had subsided to mere tremors.  Ranger had fiercely attached himself to the top of the loveseat with his claws.  He gave me a bewildered look that seemed to say, "What the hell did you do this time?" and moved his mouth like a meow, but no sound came out.  I gave him one comforting stroke (which may not have been the wisest idea) and he immediately rubbed into my hand rather than bite it (which I appreciated as my own nerves needed calming).

With the practiced steps of a man who often must blindly negotiate presents left behind by his pets, I made it the next few feet to the boys room and opened the door.  All of the boys were soundly sleeping.  As the tremors had faded and my mind was still too foggy to think of the concept of aftershocks (which we thankfully didn't feel), I decided that I didn't want to wake them.

I returned to bed and reported the condition of the boys to Janelle.  I then laid back down and tried to fall back to sleep.  My heart was pounding for a little while, but I felt more tired than anything else and was able to fall asleep soon enough to not notice Rowen get into my bed an hour later--at least, not until Janelle started pushing into my side of the mattress (he ended up claiming about half of the bed for himself).

Our morning inspection showed no cracks or issues with plumbing or gas.  As we have nothing really hanging on our walls or on display, the only fallen objects were the pieces of Janelle's as-yet-unassembled desk and a plastic bucket that we use for Carcassonne.  Considering that the earthquake registered 7.1 and was under 70 miles away, we were pretty fortunate.  All told, I kind of enjoyed the experience in a rollercoaster-esque fashion, but I wouldn't want to do it again anytime soon.
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Winter Games in Soldotna

1/23/2016

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While Janelle​ was at work (getting trained as a gas station attendant) today, the boys and I supplemented our normal Saturday trip (dump, post office, and sometimes library and shopping) by going to the Winter Games held at the Soldotna Sports Center. The event was created to give children something to celebrate in the middle of winter.

Sponsored by local businesses, families are provided with free corn dogs, chips, apples, oranges, pop or water, hot cocoa, and icy pops. I personally avoided the cocoa, pop, and icy pops, but still heaped a few too many carbs into my daily diet (I didn't succeed in resisting the second corn dog or the sour cream and onion chips). Events included a hayride (which Rowen originally resisted, but then gave his "thumbs up" approval), ice sleds, archery, a bouncy house (which only Rowen could enter, and he did so hesitantly), bingo, a scavenger hunt, engineering with spaghetti and marshmallows, and toy helicopter building. They didn't have enough hammers for the last, so we took the kits home to complete them (mine was the only thumb injured in the process). The boys also each received gift bags with a variety kid-appropriate goodies.

We ran into no fewer than four of my coworkers as well as a couple families from church and a number of my students, so I got to show off my boys several times. I also received my severance check from Lincoln this week, and was kissed by a beautiful gas station attendant. So I had a pretty good day too.
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Goodnight

1/21/2016

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I've made a couple of attempts at a variety of different types of posts today, but all of them have fallen flat. I've also noticed an increase in spelling and grammatical errors. My sentences just aren't going where I want them to go, so I've decided to call it a night.
​
Thank the unions it's Friday! I really need to catch up on some sleep tonight.
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​Responsibility? 

1/20/2016

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I'm happy with my post from yesterday because it generally says what I believe and doesn't get into mud slinging.  However, I partially wonder if I'm fulfilling the aphorism "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good [people] do nothing."   Also, as an educator, aren't I responsible to stop the spread of ignorance?

Then again, it's not like my posting on social media is really the equivalent to doing something.  Generally, when I try to comment or correct, it tends to explode into a series of more ignorant comments (some of them made by me) that only get me more angry than the original post did.  In the end, the exercise only seems to further entrench the person I was trying to enlighten as well as lead to me getting unfriended by people whom I (perhaps sadly) still care about.  Getting blocked by people certainly doesn't let me guide them in the future.

I generally try to stay silent.  When I come across a post that makes my blood boil, I often quickly research the subject to confirm that my position has backing, write a scathing (and often insulting) reply ... and then delete it.  Sometimes I then write a more measured response, but more often I leave it at nothing.  Unfortunately, on rare occasions I "accidently" hit the "post" button; although, I have been better about deleting my comments after the fact.  If it's something particularly upsetting, I might write about it as one of my own posts.

There's too much hatred out on the Interwebs as is.  I really shouldn't add to it.  
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Politics

1/19/2016

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I've really struggled to keep my views of certain political candidates off social media. I've watched as friends, loved ones, relatives, and numerous acquaintances have posted their support for one candidate or another while demonizing anyone who disagrees with them. As we approach this coming primary voting season and the level of partisan venom continues to grow, I really only have one thing that I want to say:
​
Don't vote in anger, out of fear, or because of hatred ... the dark side are they.
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​What a Realtor!  

1/18/2016

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I sent my new realtor an email this evening thanking for her suggestions and letting her know a bit about some of my concerns from the past.  With the four hour time difference, she would have received the email at about 12:20 A.M. Michigan time. 

I received her reply five minutes later!

I now feel bad for having sent the email so late as I didn't think that she would see it until business hours tomorrow.  Considering the pictures, write-up, suggestions, as well as this kind of immediate response well outside of wakeful (let alone business) hours, I'm absolutely floored by this new realtor.  

I tend to want to put a damper on my enthusiasm so that I don't suffer too much disappointment from unmet expectations, but everything these past couple of weeks has been fueling my optimism to almost unquenchable levels.

Calm down, Paul.  Calm down.

WE'RE GOING TO SELL OUR HOUSE!

[I blew it ...]
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