Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

Janelle's Birthday 2017

1/17/2017

Janelle tends to be much more low key (and probably lower maintenance) than I am. While I use the excuse of my birthday to organize an event of some sort, hoping to see friends and family, Janelle prefers to spend as much of her birthday as possible quietly working on the art that she loves. As she didn't have to work today, she was able to spend some of the day doing just that (although there were a few errands and chores which required her attention).

It's been a few years since Janelle and I passed the point of having known each other longer than not having known each other, and only a few less that has had us married longer than not. And yet, despite all this time, I still have the privilege of being loved by this woman. Sure, I frustrate, exacerbate, and infuriate her too, but at least it shows our relationship is full of passion.

I love you, Janelle. Happy birthday!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2017

1/16/2017

I frequently feel twinges of guilt on holidays such as today. I feel that I should spend my time off doing something more meaningful, perhaps some sort of charity work, rather than playing video games, watching movies, or hanging out with friends. Thankfully, those twinges are short-lived and I can proceed with my life satisfied that I at least acknowledged, if not placated, my guilt.

Last week, I was surprised by the number of students who asked me why we had today off. They wanted to know what he did that was such a big deal to be the only person, short of Jesus, to have a school-day holiday to himself. Thankfully, I had asked that question often enough of myself to have an answer. It's not so much who Martin Luther King Jr. was, or even what he did, that we pay tribute to; it's his methods and the eventual success of those methods. In a time when so many voices were calling for violence and revolution, Dr. King organized peaceful (on his side) protests of civil disobedience as a way to show how so many laws were racist and wrong. Like Ghandi's movement to free India from British rule, Dr. King's strategy ultimate brought about an end to direct racism in the law.

We continue to celebrate his efforts partially because we are not through the fog of racism yet. Hopefully, we took time on this day of remembrance to realize that if one group of people can be marginalized, then all of us can be. Hopefully we thought about need to stand together to protect the rights of all of those who live in this grand land of ours.

... and then we played our video games.

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time [controversial]

1/15/2017

I love it when Deacon Dave gives homilies. They are always down to earth, couched in history, and include real stories from local people (often the prisoners with whom he regularly works)--with their permission, of course. Although I like his sermons, the frequency that he gives them lately is often because we are not having an actual mass due to the lack of priests in the area. Currently, the two priests in our region serve at least four different parishes (from Homer to Kenai). To deal with this inequity, they are only holding mass at our church every two out of three weekends. On the third weekend, we still gather to receive the Word and the Eucharist, but it is not a mass.

I cannot help but wonder if there would be as great of a priest shortage if priests were allowed to get married. I have read and partially understand some of the theological reasoning behind the celibacy of Catholic priests, but I don't fully agree with it. It wasn't until the Council of Trent in the mid 1500s that celibacy became the universal rule for the church, and much of the reasoning behind that was due to the feudalism of the era and the power that the Church had gained over property and politics. Many of the Apostles were married. To me it seems like the Church is making the same error as the Jedi in the second prequel: this practice is essentially culling humanity of people genetically predispositioned to a certain area of work. Not to mention that, especially with smaller family sizes around the world, there simply are not the "surplus" sons that were present in the 1500s.

I also wonder the same thing about allowing women into the priesthood. I know that this is a MUCH more controversial issue considering that even our amazingly liberal Pope Francis has flatly stated that it isn't going to happen. I also am aware of the larger number of theological reasons behind this decision, but I can't help but feel that these are reasons created through millennia of outdated, misogynistic beliefs and practices. Beliefs and practices created by humans, not God. Sure, it would be strange to have mass said by Father Jennifer (as happens in the Spider-man 2099) comic series, but I do not believe that God truly condones shunning half of the world's population from this sacred duty.

So, why then do I stick with the Catholic Church and not join a Christian denomination that supports the above ideas? For me, it's because the Catholic Church gets so much of the rest of it right. The sacraments, the layout and presentation of the mass, even the structure of the Church itself are so amazingly constructed with solid foundations that go all the way back to the beginning of our messianic faith. Moving away from that would divorce me from so much that holds true to my core beliefs and values. I suppose, in the end, no human institution (no matter how supported by God) can ever be perfect.

The Art of Teaching

1/14/2017

In general, I tend to view teaching as more of a craft than a science. The main benefit of science is that it finds results that can be duplicated over and over again. If the results cannot be duplicated, then the practice is called into question until a new answer comes forth that can be duplicated. Meanwhile, the arts may or may not follow patterns, but impressions vary from individual to individual and sometimes throughout an individual's life. Don't get me wrong, I believe that science can apply to art; however, art that only follows principles without embracing the soul of its creator is hollow. Sure, there are some beautiful paint-by-numbers pictures out there and I have been curiously intrigued by some of the grown-up coloring books, but students (and teachers) are more detailed and deserve more than "color between the lines" instruction.

One of the problems that we educators face is that most of our own training in lesson planning and classroom management was (and is) based on instructional theory that was researched and designed for almost laboratory-perfect classrooms. They do not take the reality of our situations into account. More beneficial to me have always been those programs that have been through the rigors of actual classrooms and are based on real teachers' experiences. The same, too, is true for the overly test-focused environment that our schools are currently in. It assumes a one-size-fits-all model and pressures teachers to "teach to the data" rather than teach what the students really need at that moment. That is not good enough for me. My best moments in the classroom have been when I've gone "off script" and reached deeply into my student's lives. Then again, as an art, my method of teaching is not appreciated by everyone ...

Philistines.

Winter Wonderland

1/13/2017

The past few days, although we have been at near and sub zero temperatures, a heavy fog has drifted in and out of the area. In its wake, everything has been covered with an even thicker layer of frost than had been there before. Even the piles of snow have been covered in these crystalline displays.

Today, the temperature rose and snow coated everything again. I am hoping for even more snow over the course of this weekend before the next cold snap hits. If fortune holds, we should be able to play in this winter wonderland these next few days.

These Boys

1/12/2017

Today, I was waiting for the boys at the bus stop only to watch the bus leave without either of them coming off the bus. Usually, they are the last two off the bus, so I wasn't worried at first, until the bus doors closed and I saw no sign of anyone standing in the aisle. I usually stand a ways up the road from the bus, blocking traffic (if there is any), so I didn't recover soon enough to get up to the bus before it left. I watched as the bus went up to its next stop on the highway, squinting to see if my boys got off there. When there was no sign of them, I called the school. The secretary immediately contacted the bus garage and they informed her that the bus was already on the way back to our stop. It turns out that Connor was day-dreaming and Rowen was completely asleep, but Connor realized something was wrong when only two other kids were left on the bus with them.

Yesterday, both boys had eye appointments. Rowen found a pair of 3D glasses that we brought home a while back and was wearing them around the house, according to him, until he got his real glasses. He was disappointed when the eye doctor told him that he didn't need glasses. Meanwhile, Connor was mischievous during his exam as well as fascinated by a large poster that showed various eye disorders. As we left, he told the doctor that he hopes to never have one of those disorders because "when I die, I want to be able to see in heaven."

Until Tuesday, Rowen did not want to go to ice skating classes any more. The only thing that changed his mind was when he discovered that one of his friends was going to be there too. He then joined his brothers in convincing me that I should sign them up again (it was the start of a new session and we had not planned on continuing the lessons due to time, money, and Rowen's lack of interest). When there, Rowen was initially placed in the lowest level class again, but was thankfully moved up to the next group. Connor also was moved up from the group he initially started with. Once the lesson was over, I asked if Rowen was happy that we signed up again. His eyes got big and he nodded vigorously, exclaiming that he was happy to get put into a new group especially because it had his friend in it who, according to Rowen, "even falls down more than me."

Windshield Crack

1/11/2017

Monday morning, Trevor and I packed into Mera (my Prius) for the first day back to school after winter break. Trevor immediately asked me, "What's that?" and pointed at a lazy line that trailed up from the driver's side windshield wiper. Thinking it was some long tree needle or maybe an odd stray thread, I turned on the wiper only to see the line remain completely unfazed. I shifted my view a bit and saw the line reflect the light from the garage and realized that my windshield had a crack.

I am entirely flummoxed by this event. I was the last person to drive Mera, and there wasn't a crack in her windshield when I parked her in our heated garage. Later inspection showed no hint of any impact that might have been the source of the crack; it's a simple line that meanders its way about eight inches up my windshield. That's it.

Most likely, it's due to the cold snap we've been in, and perhaps even the temperature difference that Mera's exposed to when leaving the heated garage. The windshield has been hit by a few stray shards of gravel over its lifetime. While none have left a mark, I'm certain that one or more of them weakened the area enough for the cold to finally crack it.

That said, it's still pretty strange.

Batman: Arkham Knight

1/10/2017

One of my Christmas gifts was the PS4 version of Batman: Arkham Knight. Once I finished Ratchet and Clank, I devoted a good deal of my video game time to fighting crime in Gotham City. I did not finish the game until yesterday evening.

For the most part, I enjoyed playing Arkham Knight. It fixed some of the errors of Arkham Origins and provided a number of epic Batman moments. Batman's abilities and gadgets were on excellent display. I may even play the game again some time in the future. That said, I leave the game feeling disappointed.

My biggest frustration is the Batmobile. Because this was the first game that incorporated the Batmobile into the actual gameplay, I was looking forward to getting behind the wheel of this iconic vehicle. I was quickly disappointed. As a car, the driving was floaty and often unresponsive. Racing sections of the game were by far the most frustrating as they often required rote memorization of the courses and multiple deaths to find the correct path to victory (and this does not even count the optional trials). While I eventually adjusted to the learning curve and controls, I never enjoyed driving the vehicle. This almost is an unforgivable sin for a Batman game: to make the player hate the Batmobile.

Thankfully, the Batmobile also has a "tank" mode. Even though many critics hated this mode, I found it was the only saving grace of the Batmobile. While this mode also had a learning curve and its missions stretched my suspension of disbelief to its limits (Really, all of the vehicles it fights are remote drones? Where did all of them come from? And I'm sorry, but $3 billion might pay for one of them, not hundreds), the controls were much easier to handle and the gameplay was more interesting. This mode also made for some interesting puzzles and challenges that worked in unique and entertaining ways. However, it also had some terrible "stealth" sections and did tend to get a bit repetitive.

I am of two minds about the story. Without giving any spoilers, I feel that the first couple of acts were some of the most powerful moments I have experienced in any Batman title (video game, movie, or comic). Unfortunately, the middle section felt overstretched with only a few well done moments that unfortunately came after I expected them. By the time the story reached the last couple of acts, its "big reveals" were predictable (bothering me that I would figure them out before the "world's greatest detective"), a bit too unbelievable, and left too many plot gaps unanswered. In a way, it reminded me of the TV series Lost which began with such amazing potential only to squander it on an ambiguous (if clearly a conclusion) ending.

I am also disturbed that they decided to make this game a mature rated, rather than a teen rated game. This series has always pushed that line, but I never wanted them to cross it. While some of the reason for the rating is directly related to some of the more powerful moments in the story, I would gladly do without them to have a Batman game that I didn't have to shoo my boys out of the room for.

All told, I still recommend the game, just not as heartily as Arkham or especially Arkham City.

Cold Snap

1/9/2017

It looks like the next few weeks are going to be hovering around zero and dipping into the negatives. I have to say that I'm not excited to see the gas bill for our heating after this month. One thing that I've certainly learned is that there are a number of areas that need better seals (especially our bedroom window and door). Another surprise is just how unaligned our heating system is with the thermostats.

One benefit of this cold (and actually the cause of it) is the amazingly clear sky. It's been clear enough that I've even watched hints of the aurora whisper to the north. I have only seen one truly spectacular display since I've moved up here, but even the thin, gauze-like waves can be quite hypnotic.

Still, even though we still have snow on the ground, it's all from a while back. I would like to see more snow. For me, it makes the cold worth it.

Epiphany 2017

1/8/2017

With today's celebration, our Christmas season comes to an end and our "ordinary time" with Jesus begins. There were two aspects from today's homily that stuck with me. The first is that the Magi represent the people outside of the Jewish culture whom God has now included as part of His promise. These Magi did not seek God in a traditional way, but followed a star to be guided to Him. Are accepting of others who find different pathways to God than the one that we have chosen. Who knows what "stars" might guide a person to His presence?

The second is that "epiphany" is the manifestation of the divine in our lives. Often, when we figure out something that has bothered us, we think of that moment as an epiphany. While many of my own personal epiphanies have come through careful thought and consideration, my favorite ones are those that are (or at least seem to be) divinely inspired. So often, these epiphanies help me reorganize my view of the universe and my place in it. I sometimes wish that I could bottle the feeling of those moments so that I could experience them again during times when I feel downtrodden.

The Catch-Up Post

1/3/2017

I've been away from posting for a few days not because I haven't had the time, but because the enormity of trying to sum up 2016 and then write about the promises of 2017 seemed to be too daunting of a task every time I looked at my computer screen. While some of the issue is that we spent a few of the days with company and that I also spent a larger number of hours than I wanted completing homework for my online courses, the sad truth is that most of the time that I turned on my computer to start writing a post, I ended up playing hours more of Overwatch than I had planned ... and not only did I not get the Torbjorn Santa suit, I'm still not platinum ranked ...

Anyway, let me then give a quick recap. Katrina arrived safely home in Michigan about the same time that friends of ours came over to our house for New Year's Eve. We started by playing Apple-to-Apples. Then, the kids stayed home and had pizza, while the parents, and the adult-beverage-drinking-age Alex, went out to dinner. On returning home, we played Catan and Carcassonne and introduced some of our friends to the pilot episode of Firefly (which led one of them to borrow the series).

New Year's day started by my playing guitar (a bit groggily) at church, having a wonderful brunch made by Rob and Shawna, and then playing some more Catan before they headed off to go snowboarding and I started work on the aforementioned homework. I also set up my yearly resolution spreadsheet (found here: http://thelandoftheweird.weebly.com/resolutions.html).

Yesterday would have been a rather uneventful day had I not needed to replace the battery on the van and go to the dentist, where I discovered that I have a small cavity (which is getting filled tomorrow).

The main events for today included taking the trash, which has been accumulating for a few weeks, to the dump and finishing a video game other than Overwatch (the reboot of Ratchet and Clank).

I'm sure I missed some events, but that mostly catches us up. I might still do a recap of 2016 at some point in the future, but I'm more willing to move on with my posts from here.