Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

9/30/2018

Today's celebration was officiated by our archbishop who drove down from Anchorage last night so he could be certain to be here on time (the earliest flights were not quite soon enough). He was here for the Confirmation of six candidates. This time, I knew all of them and even have several of them as my students. It was exciting to see them commit to becoming full members of the Church, reaffirming the Baptismal vows which their parents made for them as infants.

Today's readings fit the theme perfectly, as the first reading and the Gospel talked about the Holy Spirit inspiring people to do miracles in God's name. The second reading discussed the impermanence of the wealth of this world. Thus today's homily talked about being a beacon of faith, hope, and love in today's world rather than seeking for solace in possessions. He warned about becoming too divided from other people due to political beliefs and other arguments. The archbishop also addressed the portion of the Gospel that talked about removing body parts if they cause you to sin. He said that Jesus was not condoning mutilation, but rather giving a metaphor for the things we do in our lives that put us in danger of committing sins.

I also think that Jesus was saying that we need to stop blaming exterior elements for our own sinfulness. While outside factors might tempt us towards sin, we alone are responsible for our sinful acts. Jesus was saying that if we claim that something else is causing us to sin, we are avoiding taking responsibility for our own actions. Our world is continually telling to look for blame in others when instead we need to recognize our choices are ultimately our own to make.

In Retrospect

9/29/2018

The camping trip went pretty well, but there are some things I would change the next time I decide to go camping in a tent. One is that I would dress more warmly when sleeping. Halfway through the night, I rummaged through my belongings so I could put on my winter hat (which made a significant difference in my comfort). Another is that the cot was a much harder surface (if not as hard as the ground) than I was expecting. I ended up sleeping on my back most of the night (which does not allow me to sleep well). It seems that I need a sleeping pad for my cot.

We probably need a new tent. Ours is a few decades old and is literally coming apart at the seams. That said, the heavy dew and fog from last night and this morning did not penetrate its walls. Also, we should have probably slept in the same area (and perhaps I should have avoided using the cot altogether). The boys liked the idea of having their own "rooms" in the tent, leaving me in the large center area (our tent was the largest at the site). I think that this contributed to how cold we all were last night.

We need to bring Navi (Janelle's Pilot) rather than Mera (my Prius) if we bring even one more person. As is, I would have felt a little safer in the SUV since I couldn't see out the back window. I also felt a little out-of-place as everyone else was sporting considerably larger vehicles than mine. This would have allowed me to bring items like the large water jug which would have been handy, especially for cleaning up as there was no other clean water source at the camp.

All told, it was a good trip. We had the large group campsite just for our Pack which allowed us to have plenty of space without bothering other campers. The boys had a lot of fun and are looking forward to their next camping trip.

At Camp

9/28/2018

Chili with cheese and goldfish. Dutch oven pizza “stew.” Setting up tents. Fishing. Flashlight tag. Fireside skits. Glo Stick light shows.

Camp is going well.

Going Camping

9/27/2018

Tomorrow, Connor, Rowen, and I are going camping with their Cub Scout Pack. Last night, Janelle and I purchased new sleeping bags (20 degree bags), a sleeping roll, and a cot (for me). We haven't used our tent in a number of years, but it should still be fine--although I will be bringing extra tarps just in case. It's supposed to be dry, if not sunny tomorrow, but the site might still be wet from today and tonight's rain.

Tomorrow, after school, we plan to pack up our equipment, pick up any last-minute items from the store, and head to the campground. There, we will set up our tent, have dinner (campfire calzones) with the Pack, and participate in activities. Hopefully, the night will go smoothly. The plan is to have breakfast with the Pack, clean up, and leave before noon on Saturday.

I have to admit to being a little apprehensive about the whole thing. The boys have not been camping since the summer before Katrina's senior year when she was at Interlochen for marching band (or was it the year before?). I did not enjoy the experience (which is why we haven't had the tent out for so long). I'm hoping that tomorrow night will be a positive experience for boys, but also for me. I liked camping when I was younger, and I would like to have favorable opinions about it again.

Time Keeps On Slipping

9/26/2018

Wednesdays are particularly tough when Trevor has practice until 5 pm (or, like today, when we think he has practice until 5). I have to pick up the boys near Sterling at 4, Trevor in Soldotna at 5, drop him at our house and eat, and be back in Soldotna for Faith Formation at 6. The back and forth (not to mention waiting as the boys don't arrive directly on the hour) cuts out a significant portion of my day.

For the past week, it has been even worse because of the construction at the intersection where we get on the Sterling Highway. They moved the construction from nights to days, with the construction allowing only one lane of traffic through at a time while following a pilot truck. Each of my trips requires going through the construction at least one way. Today, I sat at the intersection for over seven minutes while waiting to make a left turn.

I gave up trying to slip in exercise on Wednesdays when the schedule is that tight. Trying to squeeze in dissertation work just sucks out more time. Meanwhile, I still try to take some moments for myself as well.

I remember feeling like time took forever to pass, but it is now a hazy memory. Now, it feels like I'm trying to jump on a merry-go-round that keeps spinning faster and faster. I get dizzy when I think about it too much.

My Wife Plans To Leave Me

9/25/2018

It's been an ongoing conversation for over a week, but today she took the first step in finalizing her departure. Honestly, if she really thinks she should go, I also think she should too, and I have been telling her that since she first told me that she was thinking about leaving me. Considering that her friends have been telling her to leave me and our kids, I really don't think that I should get in her way. In fact, I kind of want to her to go.

After all, how often does one get a chance to take a multi-week cruise to Australia and New Zealand? While I'm hoping that she takes plenty of pictures, I'm a little concerned that she will be rubbing my nose in it a bit. "This one is from the same angle as seen in the second movie ..."

She has her plane tickets now (although we are still figuring out the flights from Kenai to Anchorage and back), so it feels more real now. The trip is not until March, but the anticipation is already building. Not only is she leaving me, she is leaving the boys with me too, so I have a bit of planning to do for that as well.

I'm envious of her trip.

Stormlight Archives

9/24/2018

At Alex's suggestion, I started reading Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. When I started, I thought that it was only a trilogy with a side book. However, despite each book being over 1,200 pages, I have a feeling that this series might be on route to follow Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series in length (of which Brandon Sanderson wrote the final three books). The most recent book came out last year, so it looks like I have another fantasy series sitting in uncreated limbo (Martin's, Rothfuss's, and now Sanderson's).

This series is not quite as good as Rothfuss's, but it's still a great read. The characters are interesting and worth rooting for. They also don't often fall into the habit of doing stupid things just for the sake of plot complication (although it still happens occasionally). What amazes me is how Sanderson interconnects every facet of the story in interesting and often unexpected ways. Every few chapters brings a revelation that makes me want to reread the series from the beginning just to see how well the various threads interweave.

The world is truly alien in its design, with surprising fantastical elements that create their own ecosystem in a world continually ravaged and replenished by a massive "highstorm" (think continual hurricane that sweeps around the world on a fairly regular basis). This highstorm charges gems which can be used for gifted or trained people to bring about magical effects. Add in a complex pantheon and world history as well as subdimensions and competing secret organizations and this series hits every note that I would want from a fantasy series.

The most recent book (which I read) is still just in hardcover, so I have a while before the next one comes out. I eagerly look forward to reading it, and am at least consoled in that Sanderson seems to be a more consistent writer than Martin or Rothfuss. In the meantime, I picked up his Mistwalker series and started on those. At least that series is currently self-contained.

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

9/23/2018

Our readings today warn us against the dangers of jealousy and selfish ambition. The first one shows that people with ambitions filled with avarice will work to tear down good and just people because they do not like how they compare. They will taunt and vilify those gentle people to satisfy their own fears and misgivings. Meanwhile, the second reading warns that it is from selfish desires that wars and conflict are bred. People will tear down the peace of others to justify the lack of peace that they have in their own lives.

Jesus brings all of this together in the Gospel. His disciples don't know what to make of His teachings, especially His predictions about His death. Fearing to look foolish if they question Him, they instead argue about who among them is the greatest. Jesus sidelines the argument by saying that the greatest among them must be the servant to all.

Too often do I look for my own comfort without considering the comfort of others. I often envy the attention that others receive, and dream of receiving praise and laurels for my achievements. I should not expect rewards for doing what is right. Rather, I should try to do what is right despite the hardships that it might cause simply because it is the right thing to do. This is a challenge that will require a great deal more effort on my part.

Homecoming 2018

9/22/2018

Today's Autumnal Equinox fell on Homecoming here in Soldotna. Not only were the trees decked out in their festive colors, so to were the students at tonight's dance. All-in-all, it was quite a display of pageantry.

There is an odd trend regarding dancing at this school compared to other school dances that I have chaperoned. The students tend to glom together in what they call a "mosh pit." However, unlike other mosh pits that I have seen, this heavy concentration of bodies (leaving large areas of the dance floor almost completely empty) stays together even during slow songs or songs which have generally known dance moves to them. It reminds me of some sort of science experiment where liquid metal pools together, as though a viscosity or gravitational force draws them closer and closer together. Another chaperone mentioned that the students were clumping like kitty litter.

Dancing aside, most of the students seemed to have a good time. It is nice to see them outside of the normal school day, even if we were still in the school. The same is true for interacting with the other staff members who come for the event.

I spent most of my time at the coat check. Although I did not get to mingle much, I prefer having a specific duty during these sorts of events. It also put me in a position to see most of the students--at least while they were leaving.

Trevor seemed to enjoy himself, and I didn't see much in the way of dramatic crying or fighting. While some students complained about the music, lack of dancing, or overstimulation, I think that most of them had a good time. It was a good way to ring in autumn.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom [mild spoilers]

9/21/2018

I had read negative reviews about this movie and so I watched with a sense of dread. In particular, I was concerned about reports that the movie had a darker tone, returning to the horror form of the first film. However, I'm glad that I ended up enjoying it.

It is scarier than any of the movies since the first one, often relying on jump scares and scenes cut directly from the nightmares of any youth who read dinosaur books. As such, we were a little concerned about Rowen, especially after Connor sent him into a screaming fit by goosing him during the opening suspenseful scene. However, I told Rowen that I think of the dinosaurs as the good guys (like Batman hunting down criminals), and that the scenes aren't as scary if you root for them. I may have made a monster, as Rowen then giggled throughout the portions when dinosaurs got loose around people.

This movie was my least favorite of the Jurassic movies (I still haven't seen the third one), but it had enough heart and humor to keep me engaged throughout. Sure, many of the characters were unrealistic (especially the villains, who were evil in a Bond villain sort of way), the situations unbelievable (pyroclastic flows aren't just a dust cloud that a person can walk out of), and the plot mediocre (clearly two plots mashed into one movie), but it still makes for a good popcorn movie. It certainly makes me interested to see how the third movie wraps this story together.

I also got a kick out of watching Chris Pratt's video journals in the bonus features section. I know that not everyone likes him as an actor since he generally plays the same character in every movie; however, I like that character and I enjoy watching a person who seems to genuinely enjoy his work.

If you like watching dinosaurs, can handle some suspenseful moments taken directly from the horror movie playbook, and don't mind a little heavy-handed social commentary, this movie is worth the look. It's a fun popcorn action/suspense ride that will hopefully bring a solid payoff when the third movie in this second trilogy comes out in 2021. Just bring a healthy suspension of disbelief with your popcorn.

Willful Ignorance

9/20/2018

One of the problems about learning more about the world is that you begin to understand the interconnectedness of everything. Once you learn to look at problems from multiple perspectives, it can sometimes be difficult to take a decisive action. This concept came up recently in a book series that I'm reading where a warrior becomes paralyzed with indecision because he recognizes friends on both sides of a bloody conflict. It's also been an ongoing trait of Chidi from the TV show The Good Place, a character who gets stomach aches every time he has to make a decision.

I discussed this also with my U.S. history classes recently. Students had expressed confusion about why businesses in slave-free states would still profit from slavery. Northern textile companies would buy their cotton at the lowest price that they could, which was generally from plantations which used slave labor. I mentioned that it's not unlike any of us who buy nearly anything in today's day and age.

I just purchased an iPhone (the X), which uses a rare earth metals that come from regions of the world with high poverty and questionable ethics and is assembled in countries that do not have the same work standards that I would want for myself or my children. Similar stories are behind nearly all of the clothes that we wear. Yet we often ignore that knowledge so we can move on with our lives.

This reminds me of a cartoon by the erudite philosopher Bill Watterson:

Nearly Certified

9/19/2018

I finally got the last of my paperwork. I then took an online training whose rules had changed in the past two years (when I last took it). I've filled out all of the forms, attached all of the transcripts, test scores, and verification forms. I paid the $200 and included the receipt. All I need to do is get the last page notarized and then mail (insured) this hefty package to Juneau. Once approved, I will receive my professional teaching certificate for Alaska.

Honestly, I feel a real sense of accomplishment right now. Sure, I'm frustrated at the number of hoops that were thrown at me, but I dove right through every one and emerged unscathed (if $200 poorer). Thankfully, the renewal process (which needs to be done every five years) is not nearly as cumbersome.

I'm eager to finally get the actual certificate in hand.

Kickball

9/18/2018

Due to a schedule conflict, the little boys' Cub Scout Pack could not meet in their normal location. Instead, we had our meeting at Soldotna Creek Park. Although cloudy and cool, the weather cooperated and did not downpour on us.

The main event was playing kickball, a sport from my youth that I enjoyed. However, I was surprised to discover that my sons didn't seem to know anything about it. Once again, I found that I have woefully underprepared my sons for any sports-like activities.

That said, Connor really threw himself into the game and even ended up "pitching" during the later innings. Rowen wasn't feeling well and took a lot of coaxing to get to kick at the ball ... only to have it pop up and get caught (making him "out"). He was furious and refused to try again at that "dumb game." Meanwhile, even Trevor (who had to be at the meeting due to a schedule collision) jumped into the game when the teams started losing players.

It was fun to watch the scouts start to figure out strategies for getting runners out, which then led to runners using strategies avoid outs. I was sorely tempted to get into the game myself as other parents did when the teams started thinning, but I decided that I wanted to keep it more about the kids. Still, I wouldn't mind playing a game of kickball now.

Cell Phones in Classrooms

9/17/2018

I feel like I have already written on this topic before, but I have not been able to find it (I have not yet cataloged by blogs from 2017, let alone 2018 into an easily searchable format). My apologies to anyone who's currently thinking "Oh, no! Not this rant again."

This summer, a study was released demonstrating that cell phones are not only a detriment to the learning of the students using them, but also to students who are within an area around them (like second-hand smoke). Whether due to that study or the number of teachers complaining about the distraction that cell phones can cause, France banned the use of cell phones in all of its public schools. Other schools, districts, and teachers have taken similar stances on the use of cell phones within classrooms.

Me? I believe that banning cell phones is a categorically bad idea. Don't get me wrong; I believe that they cause distraction and that students who misuse them should receive consequences. However, that should not be done as a blanket proclamation against all students. Instead, students need to learn how to use this technology appropriately and responsibly. Schools are the safe environments where they should be able to learn how to use technology with minimal risk.

Smart phones (and whatever replaces them in the near future) are not going away. Instead of pretending that cell phones do not exist, educators should see them as the marvelous learning tool that they can be. Banning them removes schools yet one more degree from the reality that students are going to face. Rather, educators should leverage this technology and demonstrate to students how they can use smart phones on their journeys as lifelong learners.

I'm not saying that this will be easy. It requires educators to move out of their comfort zones and continually learn more about this rapidly changing technology and how they can use it. Those educators and schools who have managed to do so are often lauded for the amount of learning their students have achieved.

We are in an age of wonders. It has its difficulties and growing pains, but it also has the potential to make the world a better place. Schools cannot afford to stick their heads in the sand and hope that it will go away for they are more likely to be replaced than cell phones are.