Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

5/17/2020

We are moved in different ways. As similar as human beings are to one another, we all find different interests, passions, and tastes. What works for one of us may not work for others. A concept of Vulcan philosophy (from Star Trek) is the idea that the universe exists harmoniously with "infinite diversity in infinite combinations." As Margaret Mead put it: "Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else."

Jesus recognizes our infinite variation, not just between one another, but even between ourselves from one day to the next. As much as I am the person I have always been, I am also quite distinct from the person I was before and the person I will become. Only an infinite God can understand, and through understanding--love, such inconstant yet stubborn people.

Today's readings talk about God's connection to individuals within multitudes through the promise and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit which is breathed into us is the true Force that surrounds us and penetrates us; that binds the universe together. We are interconnected in spiritual union despite all of the differences that we might have. Like the great melting pot which is America, we are stronger for our differences when working in harmonious effort for great causes.

This is what God's infinite love is about.

Summer Prep

5/16/2020

The boys and I spent a little while working on the yard today. First, we cleaned up the last of the deposits left in the dog yard over the winter. We also demolished what was left of the decorative well in the garden. I had done some emergency patch work on it a couple of years ago, but this winter put it beyond repair.

Later, we brought out all of the deck furniture for both the main deck and the cabin after first sweeping the deck and trying to rid it of as much moss as we had the patience for. As long as I had the wide broom in hand, I also swept out Janelle's side of the garage. From there, we set up the athletic rings, hammock swing, and decorative spherical wire candle holders (... Janelle likes them) in our carport area.

With that work done, we set up the badminton net and played a game. I have advised the boys that I want them to practice hitting the birdie for a half hour every day so we can eventually get an actual volley going. We also set up our frisbee golf goals and played a couple of rounds. Rowen got play-of-the-game by making a goal from over twenty feet away. He then proceeded to throw if frisbee off course, backwards, and into the woods to come in last that game.

Connor managed to get his frisbee caught about twenty feet up in a tree. I chose to use a metal rake to toss up and knock the frisbee down--my thought being that the heavy metal head would be more likely to weigh down the branch that had captured the frisbee. It turns out that the prongs of the rake are particularly good at getting caught in the branches themselves. Using another rake, we managed to get the first one down, but I had stand on the second to last rung of my stepladder and reach with a rake to finally snag the bottom of the offending branch and shake the frisbee loose.

It feels like we are ready for summer.

Nature

5/15/2020

At the moment, which is around 9:30 PM, I am almost staring directly into the sun. Due to the way the sun seems to circle the sky during this time of the year, we are now at the point that the sun can beam its way through the half-circle window in Janelle's art room, through the arch that leads to my office, and right at my eye level. I can dodge and weave behind my monitor to try and avoid it, but I cannot sit normally for about half an hour while the sun swings on its path.

In another natural phenomenon, the birch trees in our yard, especially the one I can see out my office window, burst their leaves open today. Just yesterday, they still looked like they were covered in a downy white fluff, but today they all have a coating of youthful green. The leaves are still small, but return of green there and in some of my lawn is invigorating.

One last bit of nature I noticed today--and I openly admit to burying the lead on this one--is my first sighting of a wolf out in the wild. The dogs were barking this morning, and I assumed that they were guarding our yard from the family of snowshoe hares who I saw in the yard when I first let the dogs out. I was surprised, then, to see the dogs barking towards the backyard and not in the direction of the bunnies. I saw some movement behind some of the trees, and first thought that one of the hares had made its way to the back, but then saw the beautiful wolf meandering its way along our back ridge.

It paused and watched the dogs as they barked at it, giving me a chance to appreciate what I was seeing. It was bigger than our dogs, but still smaller than I know wolves can get, making me think that it was probably a younger wolf. It looked healthy--probably due to a healthy diet of snowshoe hares. I was mesmerized until it started moving again. I went inside, hoping to get my phone (and thus camera) and Janelle, but it was gone by the time I got back.

I'm used to the sun's strange patterns and the blooming during this time of the year, but I did not ever expect to see a wolf on my property.

Tree Removal

5/14/2020

Last year's spruce beetles were voracious. Just looking out of my office window, I can see plenty of evidence of their work. Honestly, it depresses me as I love our wooded lot.

Unfortunately, I am not skilled nor equipped to deal with this sort of issue, nor do we have need of the wood. Just around our house and lawn there are about a dozen dead or dying trees that need to be felled, their wood and brush taken away. Within the rest of our almost 4 acres, there are quite a few more.

I hope that I can find help before any beetles that survived the winter decide to start looking for new homes.

An Un-Squeaky Chair

5/13/2020

I like my office chair. It's a mesh chair that provides both support and airflow. Its adjustable armrests have a comfortable padding that do not irritate my skin like other types of padding have. The only issue I've with it is that, about a year ago, it started squeaking whenever I leaned back.

This became particularly noticeable once I moved to teaching online. Whether in calls or in Zoom meetings, I became quite conscious of how much noise my chair might be making. I tried to be careful about not leaning back unless I knew that I was muted.

Today, with my mother's insistence on my using, and my wife's help in finding, 3-in-1 oil, I decided to take action. It was a surprisingly simple and clean process. Now, I can finally lean back without any concern of disruption.

The thing is ... it feels like something is missing now. It's interesting how the absence of something, even an annoyance, can draw attention to itself. I'm not saying that I miss the squeak, but that it feels strange to subconsciously expect something to happen and then have that expectation unfulfilled.

It's kind of like ...

Insurance

5/12/2020

Well, that's frustrating. I was supposed to go to the AP World History Reading in Kansas City, MO, during the first week or so of June. One thing that I like about the experience is that everything is paid for by the company (ETS) that runs it, including the flights. As I would already be down in the Lower 48, I had my return flight delayed for a week and purchased tickets from Kansas City to Detroit and back so that I would get a chance to be with my family--especially my granddaughter whom I have yet to hold.

Obviously, I was disappointed to discover that the physical Reading had been cancelled (I have since accepted their request to do the online Reading later in June). I received word that Delta (the airline for the tickets that I purchased) had to reschedule my flights and would provide credit that I could use for up to two years if I cancelled.

I decided that it was time to cancel, and did so over a month before my flight would have left. I am not interested in receiving credit due to problems that both Janelle and I have had in dealing with airline credit in the past. However, I had purchased travel insurance on this flight (as I usually do), and so filed a claim to get my money refunded. The process was convoluted and involved my uploading proof of the cancelled event (an email that I turned into a pdf to upload).

Today, I received word that they denied my claim. They said that they are denying all claims made in relation to the Coronavirus as their standard policies to not cover closings or schedule changes due to an epidemic. The trip was set up in January, well before there were any restrictions or warnings made within the U.S., but the letter included a sentence that suggested this was my fault--either for booking the flight during an epidemic or for not reading the policy more closely.

I am livid. This is yet another stone on the mountain of hate (and I do not use that term lightly) which I have built for insurance corporations. I've got a good sized pile going for airlines and non-refundable tickets too.

Getting Ready

5/11/2020

I was thrilled to get to teach AP World History this year. After leaving Michigan, I was almost certain that I would never get a chance to teach the class again, especially since I originally left to take on a middle school job. It is a personal favorite of mine as I get the opportunity to take my students on a deep investigative tour of people, places, and events from around the globe.

I have a pretty good group this year too. Combined with the benefit of my skills and understanding of teaching world history that I have gained through my years at the AP Reading, I believed that this group had a fantastic chance of nearly all of them getting college credit for the course. ... Then the world went wonky while we were on spring break.

I feel really good about the online course designs that I created for all of my classes, but I've been quite happy with what I have done for my AP World class. I've been pulling material from teachers across the nation (and sharing some myself) as well as working in conjunction with the AP site to provide one of the best exam preparation units that I have ever put together. I've stayed up to date on all of the changes (and there have been many) and issues (and there have been even more) that have come up with the test this year.

And hardly any of the students are paying attention.

I feel fortunate when, like today, I manage to get a third of the class to take part in what I have prepared for them. There were a couple of students that I did not expect to see once they found out that this quarter could not be a detriment to their grade, but most of the rest of these kids are the best of their class, imaginative, creative, and determined. I've been emailing regularly and calling occasionally to little effect. It is disheartening.

We have a week and a few days before the exam. Perhaps more will show as the deadline approaches. I feel that those who have been attending and participating are becoming more confident and capable, but I remember how overwhelmed they were we started reviewing. I worry that we do not have the time for those students who have not been reviewing to get to the same point of confidence and ability.

I will try to have them ready regardless.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

5/10/2020

In today's homily, our pastor talked about how relatable Jesus is as a God. Unlike the gods of other religions who are focused on status and power, Jesus came to us as a normal person, one who suffered greatly for us. He was not born a prince, not a mighty warrior, or not a successful merchant. Instead, He was a working human with all of our frailties.

It is for this reason that Jesus' message resonates to us so much. He understands the day-to-day life that most people in the world face because He lived one. He understands those who suffer due to the sufferings that He faced. When His disciples ask Him to show them God, He replies that He already has. Honestly, I believe that, while He was clearly referring to Himself, He was also referring to what He had said time and again: that God is in each one of us, that whatsoever we do to the least one of us, we do unto Him.

The disciples have a difficult time with these ideas, even after He had returned from the dead to continue their instruction (now, THAT'S a dedicated teacher!). They will continue to struggle after He departs from them again--which was clearly something that He had to do if they were ever going to become independent.

The times of the early Church are detailed in Luke's writing The Acts of the Apostles. Our pastor encouraged us to read this relatively short, but interesting Book of the New Testament this next week. It chronicles the foundations and development of the Church after Jesus had physically left. It shows everyday people overcoming incredible odds and facing terrible persecution in a tiny portion of a grand empire, not knowing that their efforts would create the largest religion in the world.

These weren't perfect people, and they did not find perfect solutions. They were regular people dedicated to better the world by helping one another. There is a great deal that we can learn from them.

Hard Drive

5/9/2020

I installed a new hard drive on my computer today. The process of cloning the drive that had my operating system was easier than I expected. I'm still not sure why a third drive that I have connected is not showing up, but my new one is running faster than I expected. As I was replacing another solid state drive (albeit a much smaller one), I did not think that there would be a noticeable difference in boot up speeds--I was pleasantly surprised.

Transferring some of my games to the new drive from the standard hard drive I had them on has been a bit more difficult. I've had to do some tinkering to get my Battle.net and Steam games to work without having to download them all back from scratch. The process has taken a few hours, and it looks like there is still some more work to do. Still, I've already noticed an improvement in their load times as well.

Mostly, I'm glad that I will no longer see those error messages about low disk space.

Renewed

5/8/2020

Back in March, I let my GameStop membership lapse. I had planned on renewing during my planned Costco run during spring break. I wasn't able to go during the first weekend due to the boys' Native Youth Olympics, and that week was when the world went crazy and toilet paper (one of the reasons I go on Costco runs as the Kirkland brand is by-far my favorite toilet paper) was almost universally unavailable. In the past, GameStop had required a person to visit a store in person in order to renew, so not going meant not renewing.

The main reason that I pay for the "pro" member status at GameStop is that it includes twelve issues of their gaming magazine Game Informer. Ever since Electronic Gaming Monthly disappeared, Game Informer has been my primary and most trusted source of video game information. For decades, I read its monthly issues from cover to cover.

Sometime last year, I stopped reading the entire magazine after it arrived in my PO box. The problem was that I had a backlog of great games to play (I still haven't touched Metal Gears 4 or 5, for example), and I just have not had the time. It's hard to get excited about upcoming games when I still have games I was excited about playing just collecting dust.

Today when I stopped by the Post Office, I realized that I missed getting the magazines even though I was not reading them as thoroughly as I had in the past. There's something about having something to look forward to in the mail that livens my day. I like the surprise of an issue arriving earlier than I expected. I also still like learning about video games and the people who create them.

Thus, I checked online today and discovered that I could renew online (which I assumed would be possible in our current situation). It was a little strange just clicking a button for something that had once required a trip to Anchorage. Who knows when I will set foot in one of their physical stores again--especially since that is not even an option right now? Still, I'm glad to have something to look forward to getting in the mail.

How Can I Keep from Singing?

5/7/2020

The news hit me like a punch to the heart. My home diocese of Lansing recently released guidelines for how they will reopen once the stay-out-home mandate is lifted. Among the mandates was the announcement that choral and congregational singing would no longer be a part of the mass. They believe this protocol will be in effect for at least a year and have already informed choir directors that there will not be a 2020-2021 choral season.

At issue are studies coming out of Europe where churches have been hot spots of the spread of the coronavirus, especially in choirs. They have discovered that the projection of singing can transmit the virus up to twenty feet even with a mask in place. Meanwhile, the deep, diaphragm breathing of singing pulls the virus deeper into a person's lungs, making the cases more severe.

If you know me at all, you should know that I love singing; it is part of who I am. Not getting the opportunity to sing at church these past couple of months has been a penance that I have not enjoyed. Second to receiving the Eucharist, I have most been looking forward to singing at mass once again. To find that it might not be a possibility for an entire year (perhaps more) brought me to tears today.

Certainly, Alaskan bishops might go a different route, but with more dioceses and even countries taking this step, I'm thinking that is looking less likely (not that I had even considered this possibility before). As a cantor, I might still have the chance to sing, but it pains me to think that the congregation might not be able to join with me. No sung Gloria. No joining the choirs of angels and saints in their song of praise.

I will try to lift the songs in my heart if I cannot with my voice.

Computer Keyboard

5/6/2020

My favorite computer keyboard was a Logitech ergonomics wireless keyboard that I had almost two decades ago. It was while using that keyboard that I did most of my work on my Masters. The hand-spacing and wrist cushion made typing for long periods of time rather comfortable. I didn't get the wrist fatigue that I have suffered from more traditional keyboard arrangements. Unfortunately, it stopped working for reasons unknown (although there had been a spill about a week before it stopped) and that particular type was no longer made.

The keyboard that followed was a wireless keyboard and mouse combination that was hit or miss when I was playing games. There was a clear delay when I was typing quickly as well which was not a real issue, but it was an annoyance. Also, it was not a fully ergonomic keyboard (despite its title) and was still producing hand cramps. I was glad to see that one go.

For the most part, I like my current keyboard which I've had for about a decade. It's corded, so I haven't had any latency issues, and its ergonomic setup and wrist padding (although not as nice as the old Logitech one) is better than the one I had just before. Unfortunately, the keys are a bit loud; I've been much more aware of this when I am typing while I am unmuted in a class meeting. Several of my function keys no longer work, which is not much of an issue except when playing StarCraft II. Lastly, the lettering on a handful of keys are completely worn off; this is not much of an issue for me (in fact, I hardly notice, but Janelle mentioned it when she used my computer recently).

I would like to get a nice, new keyboard in the near future. The Logitech K860 has caught my eye and topped a few review columns I've looked at, but a price of $130 makes it seem like quite the luxury. The Microsoft Sculpt is $30 less and also has a nice rating, but I don't know about the separate number pad; I'm afraid I might lose it somehow. Both are wireless, but I think that latency is not an issue with these two.

I'm glad my current keyboard is not sentient, considering that I am using it to type a post about replacing it.

FF7 vs. FF7 Remake [spoilers]

5/5/2020

Considering that the Remake ends relatively early in the story of the original Final Fantasy 7, I decided to purchase the original on Steam (Final Fantasy sale) and play through it again. I've already managed to get out of Midgar. What is now about 40 hours of gameplay in the Remake took me only about 5 hours in the original game. I was blown away by the differences between the two; I was astounded by some of the similarities.

The strange thing is that I didn't notice these differences while playing the Remake. Sure, some things seemed more fleshed out, but I was certain that I kept seeing echoes of people and events from the original that I now know didn't exist at all. More surprisingly, there were a few characters and story elements that I thought were made up to flesh out the Remake, but were actually in the original. I'm going to go into detail for a few of the changes, so if you don't want spoilers, you might want to stop now. However, there is no way that I can give a comprehensive list; I'm just going to mention a few highlights.

Many of the changes are just in the overall size and scope of the game. The sewers are a maze of interconnecting passages in the Remake, but only two small screens in the original. The same is true for the destroyed area between the slums in sectors 5 and 7; in this case, it's only one screen in the original. In the remake, there are mechanical hand puzzles which I could have sworn were from the original, but the original only has a static robot hand in the background of one of the scenes. Oddly, Shinra tower--while it still has the conference room scene and the choice between elevator or stairs--has entirely different areas when comparing the remake to the original.

The biggest change in the Remake is the inclusion of the Whispers, Dementor-looking ghosts that interact with the main characters from time to time. They usually show up around the iconic moments from the first game to make sure destiny stays on course, but they also appear when events start to diverge. They stay to make certain that some characters die, but also save some characters (one in particular) from an unexpected death.

The greatest surprise for me was that Cloud does not get to see the Avalanche hideout in the Remake. I thought that I somehow missed something or made a mistake when I was playing. However, Cloud in the Remake is not as much a part of Avalanche as he was in the original. It's clear that Barret really doesn't trust him, and so Cloud is not only not invited into the hideout, but he isn't even invited on the second reactor mission. Here is where the Whispers come in and injure one of the other Avalanche members to ensure Cloud's participation. It was an interesting tonal shift between the games, but it actually made the shift of animosity to grudging trust to eventual friendship between Cloud and Barret make a great deal more sense.

I was also surprised to find Johnny in the original game. He's an annoying, but often amusing, pest in the Remake that I thought was added in like many of the other characters, yet there he was in the original, standing outside the Honey Bee. Which brings me to another change: I thought I remembered seeing the inside of the Honey Bee in the original; I was wrong, but some lines said inside it in the Remake are said outside in the original.

Wow! I could really go on: the addition of Jesse's family, the consistency with Aerith's mother's story and house, Cloud's new flashbacks, Cloud's consistency with some flashbacks, the difference in Red XIII's introduction and Hojo's lab, the new role of Midgar's mayor, Shinra's plot to implicate a Wutai connection to Avalanche ... and so much more. I am amazed at what they did with the connections and yet the subtle (and not so subtle) differences. In the end, I feel that the changes make for a better story, one that is closer to my memory of the original than the original itself actually is.

Star Wars Day

5/4/2020

I find it highly amusing that May the 4th has become Star Wars Day due to the pun it creates. As such, I don't put a lot of effort into "celebrating" the day. Instead of a Star Wars movie, we watched a couple of Doctor Who episodes. Rather than play a Star Wars game, we seemed to focus on Final Fantasy today. I did, however, wear one of my few Star Wars shirts today.

I also realized just how much many pieces Star Wars memorabilia I have hanging around within easy reach of where I am currently sitting. The final moments of original Death Star trench run is recreated above my head. A selection of Star Wars themed Hot Wheels cars are directly in front of me. Several figures (Vader, Yoda, and Luminara Unduli [who reminds me of a character I created for my own Star Wars script]) are just to my left. The series of commemorative silver starships are at the top of my bookshelf. A MicroMachines Death Star playset (which transforms into a Tatooine playset) is on the shelf beside me. No fewer than three sizes of Millenium Falcons are within arm reach. The Chewbacca doll my student teacher recently made and gifted to me is just off to the side. Most importantly, Vader's saber is within easy reach, hanging from a hook on my bookcase (Ren's saber is around the corner).

Sure, I have some Doctor Who and Harry Potter LEGOs hanging about. There's a tiny Enterprise D and a decent group of Transformers in the near area as well. However, it is clear that Star Wars is the dominant theme. I even have a micro figure duel between Luke and Vader set under one of my monitors with a larger scale one on top the bookcase (a bit past the silver Death Star).

In short, every day is Star Wars Day for me.