Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

Battle of the Books

2/14/2017

As coach for my school's Battle of the Books team, I had to have a substitute for my regular classes today as my team competed against fifteen other middle schools in the district. Normally, I dread writing lesson plans for substitutes--which might explain why I haven't taken a sick day yet this year. However, I was actually excited about doing so for today. I had fun with the Battle of the Books last year, but this year's team was even more enthusiastic going into the event ... and for good reason.

Sure, we came in fourth place overall, but we were only one correct question removed from second place (where there was a tie) and had already beaten one of the second place teams head-to-head (which doesn't really count in the competition) and in total points leading up to the final round. My team was tremendously energetic and good-spirited. Better still, all of them talked about how they can't wait until next year.

For that matter, neither can I.

Stuck

2/13/2017

I managed to slide off my driveway today as I was coming home. There is a place where our drive is a little narrow, but that wasn't where I slid. Not me. I managed to go off to the right on the spot of my drive that has a pull-over area (currently not shovelled) on the left. I was far enough off that no amount of pushing or kitty litter was getting me back on the driveway.

Thankfully, Michelle Yeager and family came to my rescue. She and her father connected a towing cable from the back of Mera to the front of her truck and pulled me back. More importantly, they did so without getting stuck themselves.

With wintry mix for the next couple of days, followed by snow for the rest of the week, I'm hoping that I won't need to call for their help again.

The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2/12/2017

Our first reading tells us that all people are presented with choices that have consequences. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel that the law of God does not change. In fact, He warns us that the law is even stricter than first glance, holding us accountable for our thoughts as well as our actions. All of this seems quite judgmental and harsh.

Yet God's laws are not meant for us to judge one another, but to serve as guidelines to help better our lives. I tend to think of this like going to the doctor. The most common advice I receive is that I need to exercise more, eat healthier, and remove excess stress from my life. These are the same sorts of laws. Following them leads me to a healthier life. Turning away from them tends to lead to more and more problems.

We so often turn away from what we know is best for us. How often have commercials even exploited the fact that we desire what is "sinful," as in we know that it is not healthy for us? We buy into that idea, literally. God has not set these laws for us like mortal lawmakers do--to give Him the means to punish us. Rather, He gives us these laws out of love as a way to help us live spiritually healthier (and thus often mentally and physically healthier) lives.

And yet I keep sneaking chocolates ...

Free At Last [temporarily]

2/11/2017

I just uploaded my final assignment for my classes this term. It took substantially longer to write than I had originally anticipated as it required that I cite discussion posts from the class as well as some of the videos I created. Yet I am now done ... for the time being.

I have a week or two (I should probably find out which) before my next classes start. I do plan on advancing a bit farther on a few of my video games during that time. A man needs to get his priorities straight afterall.

Right now, I am just tired and relieved. While it's heartening to know that I still have the skills needed to get through these sorts of courses--and that I haven't gone too crazy doing so, I am a little concerned that I still have a few years to go.

Oh well ... I'm sure it will be fine.

Family Cold

2/10/2017

Although my bout with the common cold seems to be at or near its end, both Janelle and Alex are now contending with the stuffy head and achy muscle symptoms that this particular version has. The good news is that this cold does not seem as strong or long lasting, at least in my case, as the last virus that went through our family. Still, it's no fun feeling miserable.

The boys have had some coughing and sniffles over the past week, but so far they have not been seriously hit by this bug. I hope that our luck continues to hold in that area.

Meanwhile, still not completely over it, I had to take a nap after coming home from work (and the Alyeska Tire to deal with a small leak). I would like to say it revitalized me, but I feel like I've been sleepwalking through much of the day. Hopefully, I'll have more energy tomorrow so I can crank out the final paper for this term.

Maybe just getting that done will help me feel better.

Catching Up

2/9/2017

With a day of good parent-teacher conferences and a head cold in abeyance, my day has been pretty good. It has been made even better by the fact that I've nearly completed all of my coursework for the two classes that I'm taking this term and that I've nearly caught up with the grading for the classes that I teach. Even better, I received a near-perfect score on the first of my EdD [Educational Doctorate] portfolio components.

The two classes come to an end this weekend, giving me a couple weeks of breathing space before the next session begins. Maybe then, I'll truly be able to catch my breath.

Collaborative Learning - Wikispaces

2/8/2017

The classroom wiki is a collaborative learning tool that allows students to both simultaneously and asynchronously create, edit, revise, and respond to each others ideas. With free online tools like Wikispaces available, establishing these wikis is an inexpensive proposition. There is a steep learning curve, and other learning management systems are a bit more user-friendly. Still, for educators daring enough, wikis can provide a free-form area for students to meet, share their ideas, create a product, and critique one another’s work.

These wikis work best with open-ended projects that allow for multiple solutions. They also serve well as group study guides and classroom survival kits. With the ability to quickly link to videos, audio files, and other references, these wikis help teach students how knowledge is built, layered, and interconnected. With collaborative projects becoming a norm in business and around the world, using a classroom wiki is yet one more way that schools can better prepare their students for the unknowable future.

Don't Post When Angry

2/7/2017

This was one of the first rules I read about writing a blog. In general, I have not only tried to hold to this rule with my daily posts, but when I feel the need to comment on other people's posts as well. Rarely, does anger expressed on the Internet ever lead to anything good.

I lost that objectivity a bit today. While I try to stay rather even-handed when it comes to the wide variety of political posts that my friends decide to share, every once and awhile something gets put up that sticks me the wrong way. Today, it was a pro-Devos posting that attacked teachers.

Devos wants to dismantle public education, an institution (although flawed like all human institutions) that is the saving grace for many people and for any democratic civilization. It is an institution that I believe in so deeply that I have spent my adult life working within it. However, today, a person who has regularly vilified me and my friends (as a group) and who wishes to tear this institution apart for her own selfish purposes has been put in charge of it simply because she had enough money to buy her way in.

This is like putting an arsonist in charge of not just a fire station, but all fire stations in the nation. She has no interest in making things better. She is hoping to watch it all burn.

Now, perhaps you like fire too, and have already packed your marshmallows in hopes of a tasty treat while you watch her feed the flames of ignorance. I warn you, however, that burning our public school system is a conflagration that will not stop at the confines of this one piece of our society. Rather, it will scorch its way into our businesses, churches, and homes until its Holocaust is either been stopped by brave women and men or has left our democracy in ashes.

... I really shouldn't write when angry. You won't like me when I'm angry ...

Euphoria

2/6/2017

The cold started to hit me Friday night. By Saturday, I could tell that it was settling in. Somehow, I managed to get my classwork done this weekend and both sing and play for Sunday's communion service. I was even tempted to call in sick for the first time this school year, and probably would have if Battle of the Books wasn't on the horizon. I felt like a zombie for most of the school day. It wasn't until after a lighter than normal workout at the end of school that I felt like I had any energy. Meanwhile, my nose keeps switching from Sahara Desert dry to Niagara Falls running, and my head feels like it's weighted with a helmet made out of a bowling ball.

That said, I feel great. Sure, I am tired, sore, stuffy, and sick, but my cold euphoria has been keeping me company too. I was worried when my previous lingering cold (or flu) showed no signs of bringing me the mild euphoria that accompanies these illnesses for me. I thought that I might have somehow passed the stage where I could experience the pleasurable side of a cold. I am glad to say that this cold has put those fears to rest.

For those unfamiliar with what I call a "cold euphoria," I cannot fully describe it. It sort of feels like the blissful state of waking from a pleasant dream only to discover that you still have hours left to sleep in. It has the similar sensation to staying in a warm bed after getting news that work has been called off for the day. It feels like I could close my eyes and almost immediately plunge into a deep slumber (which I need to avoid doing when working). True, it is the most pleasant when I get to indulge in the above activities, but it's a nice feeling to carry around as well, even if it makes me feel like a bit of a zombie.

Today's euphoria was heightened when I completed a six game winning streak on Overwatch, finally earning platinum level placement. I know that video game achievements do not mean much to many people, but this was a goal that I have been working towards for months and I had almost despaired of achieving. Meeting that goal, with a cold euphoria to top it, has made for a very pleasant evening.

The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2/5/2017

"Hide it under a bush? Oh, no! I'm going to let it shine!" This refrain has been running through my head after hearing today's Gospel. Jesus asks us to share the light of His presence with others. As we are so used to people looking out for their own self interests, this idea of sharing a valuable gift (the greatest gift we can receive) with others requires us to turn against many of the social norms of our time. This isn't about forcing others to believe what we believe, but to demonstrate the greatness of this gift by sharing our joy with the world.

Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!

Creative Overload

2/4/2017

I have my paper completed for my field research project. I have my slides ready so I can record my presentation tomorrow for my other class (I still need to record some video, stitch it all together, and add some music and sound effects). And I have practiced tomorrow's hymns on the guitar just in case our accompanist is too sick to show. Meanwhile, I am entertaining a full head cold. I think that I'm a bit tapped out right now.

Kid/Pet Training

2/3/2017

Honestly, training our puppies would work much better if we could get our kids trained as well. Today, I caught Rowen feeding some of his dinner to our puppies. I remember the girls taking similar tactics with food they didn't like when we had Annie. Today's scenario confirms my theory of why the puppies have started begging more frequently while we are at dinner. Occasionally, I've had to put them in their crates when they get particularly pushy.

Rowen and I had a talk about both the begging problem and the fact that not all "people" food is good for dogs to eat--no matter how much they might think otherwise. I reminded him of several recent incidents of the dogs making messes because they ate something that they shouldn't have. He seemed receptive and repentant, but we've had this conversation before so I'm sure he'll be sneaking them food again in the future.

Groundhog Day 2017

2/2/2017

According to Punxsutawney Phil, we are in for six more weeks of winter. I have always looked forward to that little guy seeing his shadow. Granted, being in Alaska, I was pretty certain we were going to have winter for a while anyway. Even though I love winter and snow, I do not participate in many exclusively winter activities--aside from shoveling. Sure, I enjoy relaxing inside with a warm drink and a good book more during the winter, but otherwise I have some difficulty putting my finger on why I like winter so much. I just do.

Connor is not of the same mind as me. He told me today that he doesn't want any more snow until next winter. This surprises me a bit since he seems to enjoy playing out in the snow. I wonder if it's due to his eagerness to ride his bicycle again. Well, he has a while to wait.

Six more weeks will have us near the end of our "spring" break and just about to the vernal equinox. I know that people here would like more sunlight. Our pastor told me that this time of year always finds more people dealing with depression than any other season.

I don't want to rush through these weeks. Time flies by all too quickly on its own. Still, I should probably take some of that time to enjoy the winter we have.

Roof Snow

2/1/2017

With the warmer temperatures, I have a better appreciation for why we don't have gutters on our metal roofs. The foot and a half of condensed snow that has been slowly growing on our roofs (house, garage, and cabin), has started to slowly slide off while it's above freezing. This snow pile will stay together, curling because of gravity's pull, not breaking off the roof until several feet in length are no longer supported. Our cabin has a steep enough of a roof that all of the snow has come off, our house has only seen a slow slide of about a third of its snow, and our garage is moving at a glacial pace of less than an inch of movement.

It has been an entertaining phenomenon to watch--and to listen to. The first time one of the big curls of snow fell off the house, I thought that our dogs had crashed into and broken some of our furniture. It took us a while to realize what had made the noise. We've admonished the boys to not play under them just in case another section decides to slide down even though it's supposed to get colder for the next few weeks. We are still a little concerned about the side that hangs over the dogs' area as they like staying under the overhang.