Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

Halloween 2016

10/31/2016

It was a perfect day for Halloween. The rain (and ice rain) that had been forecasted did not come, and the temperature was a good ten degrees above freezing. This year we walked the main trick-or-treating route (Redoubt and Kobuk) with several families of friends. It made for an enjoyable evening.

I saw many of my students and their families, with several of my former students giving me hugs. A few more sarcastic students said that I was the scariest thing they had seen all night as I was dressed as myself. I also ran into a number of my coworkers, some with great themed costumes for their families.

The boys seemed to enjoy their time as well. Trevor did not dress up, but liked walking with the younger kids. Rowen tired after the first half of the route (which intentionally looped back to the starting point for this particular reason) and enjoyed staying at the main house giving out candy. Connor was often at the head of our pack and made a point to show us that he was entirely unafraid of any of the costumes or decorations.

The only downside of the evening is that tonight is the end of the Halloween themed Overwatch event. I didn't manage to get the Reaper "skin" that I wanted despite playing a little too late the past couple of nights. Perhaps I'll get another shot at it next year.

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

10/30/2016

The tax collector Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus and is rewarded when Jesus calls him by name and shares a meal with him. Jesus calls to each of us, asking us to share with the banquet at His table. He knows us and can call us by name. Yet so many of us avoid His presence, let alone the feast He has prepared.

For some of us, it is due to some imagined slight, some blame we have placed at His feet. Like stubborn children, we harm ourselves as a way of punishing Him. For others, it is because we feel unworthy of His love, yet it is in our moments of deepest darkness that He beckons us with His light. For even others it is a belief that we are doing well enough without Him, not realizing that He has led our way.

In my life, I find myself avoiding Him because I feel that I am too busy, that I do not have the time to fully give myself to that relationship. I need to remember that Jesus is the master of time, and that with him, all burdens become light. I should take time for Him knowing that He will not punish me for doing so. This does not mean using Him as an excuse to avoid my responsibilities, but rather keeping Him with me throughout all that I do.

Matrilineal Inheritance

10/29/2016

One of the fantasy cultures in the book that I'm currently reading [Fool's Fate] is based on a mixture of Nordic and Alaska Native cultures. In it, property is passed down from mother to daughter, and husbands are required go to their wives' "mother-houses" and take their clan names. Children always belong to the mother and receive their clan name from her.

There are still a few cultures in the world, most of them in remote locations, that follow this type of inheritance and descent. In many ways, it makes a lot of sense. There is rarely any doubt who the mother of a child is. With all property handled by women, there is less difficulty in providing for the needs of the family. Unlike many modern cultures where rules have to be put in place to provide for widows and orphans, matrilineal societies more easily incorporate them into their hierarchy.

I wonder how different our world would be if this sort of society had maintained dominance into modern times.

MIA Yesterday

10/28/2016

Yesterday, we had a morning professional development followed by parent-teacher conferences. In fact, the conferences were great. The common complaint is often that we don't get to see the parents who we really need to see, but that wasn't really the case for me this time. I had plenty of good conferences with parents who I wanted to see. The best ones also included the students.

As much as I enjoyed them, conferences always wear me out. After getting home, I did some reading for my coursework, played some Overwatch (I'm trying to get more of the Halloween-themed rewards while they're still available), and was so tired at the end that I completely forgot about posting. I even spent some time napping after work today to try and recover. Hopefully the weekend will rejuvenate me (although I do have another paper to write by Sunday night).

I haven't missed many posts since I started the daily postings. I'll try not to make this a habit.

Age-Level Education

10/26/2016

The question of social promotion vs. retention has become a mild debate currently simmering in the online discussion board for my educational leadership class. Is it better to move students along with their classmates or hold them back, if they have not reached certain benchmarks? At the high school level, students are expected to make up the credits of courses that they have failed (and thus most likely not mastered). Should the same sort of scenario apply to students in eighth grade and below?

This is a complicated issue. On one hand, it seems callous to move children to a higher level of learning when they clearly do not understand the fundamentals. On the other, do you want a fifth grade girl in the same class (and at the same recess) with a boy who is several years more physically developed and well into puberty? What about students who are successful, and maybe even advanced, in some areas, but woefully behind in others?

The research is largely split. In general, neither retention or social promotion seem to have a statistically significant effect on students' overall learning. For every case of a student success story on the side of retention, there is a case that shows the irrevocable harm done to another student in a similar situation.

Frankly, the current education system is neither built for nor funded enough to handle these sorts of situations adequately. In an ideal situation, students would be given scaffolded supports individually tailored to their needs to help with any educational deficiencies that they might face while still progressing normally in areas where they succeed. Students who excel would be allowed to prove their mastery of standards and moved on to higher levels, again progressing normally in areas where they are not as strong or even deficient. Various attempts have been made to meet that ideal situation, but even those that have been successful require certain social and economic conditions to be met.

There is no easy fix, but at least acknowledging the problem is a step in the right direction.

More Ice Skating

10/25/2016

Today was the boys' last session of their five week ice skating class. Both Trevor and Connor have moved past the pre-Alpha stage into the alpha level. Connor had nearly everything checked off in the alpha level, but still needs to work on his fundamentals before moving higher; it probably didn't help his cause that he spent much of his time on the ice getting up to speed and then diving and sliding on his belly across the ice (he saw the people at hockey practice do it). Rowen, meanwhile, ice still firmly in basic. Although I believe his skills are improving, he was outright ignoring his instructor at several points--a habit that I would like him to break.

All three want to go through another set of classes. The next one starts next Tuesday, goes for seven weeks instead of five, and ends in a Christmas performance. Even though these classes have eaten up a good chunk of my Tuesdays (and a Saturday), I truly feel that they've been worth it. I'm not looking for my sons to take to the ice professionally, but I'm glad that they're developing the skills to simply enjoy the experience.

Cold!

10/24/2016

Trevor and I saw the bank sign register this morning's temperature at 3 degrees. The snow from last Thursday night still coats the ground; this morning it gleamed with frost and made a satisfying crunch as I walked to the garage. The sky was clear enough that we could see a hint of the Aurora Borealis dancing to the north of us on our drive.

The clear sky tonight portents more cold temperatures. While this might not bode so well for the various Halloween-esque festivities planned for later this week, it still fills my heart with joy. I know that my opinion is not shared by many, but cold weather is comforting to me.

Today, I probably looked like a crazy man, out in the cold in my exercise clothes (shorts and t-shirt) with my large snow boots and gloves while I tried to untangle our puppies' chains. I wasn't out there long, and the heat from my earlier workout was still burning through me, but I did take a moment to appreciate the strangeness of it.

We will have to see what sort of winter this year delivers.

The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

10/23/2016

The readings for today talk about God's justice. In the Gospel, the "blameless" man talks about how much he deserves God's favor more than others while the sinner confesses his wrongdoing and promises change. Jesus says that God will exalt those who have humbled themselves and humble those exalt themselves. While I know this reading, too often do I pass judgment on others. It's been easy this political season, judging not only the candidates, but their supporters. I have to remember that, although I might not agree with their ideas, there are reasons for their beliefs. Simply because someone does not see things the way I see them does not mean they are lesser than me.

Like I said, I really struggle with that one.

Without a priest this week, our homily was delivered by our deacon, a man whose humbleness, holiness, and compassion is a model to which I find myself lacking. He spoke eloquently about his reasons for being a Catholic, and they were all thoughts that I share. I believe in the power of the sacraments. I believe that the saints who have gone before us continue to watch over us. I believe that Mary holds a special place in heaven and in our hearts. Most importantly, I believe that the cross is better represented with Jesus, just as our Eucharist is, than without.

However, I also need to remember the message from today's Gospel.

Go Cubs!

10/22/2016

As most people who know me know, I am not much of a sports fan. I know the basic rules of most sports and can enjoy playing or watching a game, but it's not a form of entertainment that I seek out. There are only three exceptions to this general lack of interest: when one of my children is competing, when the Bears have a shot at the Superbowl, and when the Cubs have a shot at the world series. For the most part, these events are all rare. Except this year the Cubs are headed to the World Series.

I still hold a grudge against the Padres for keeping the Cubs from getting to the World Series in the 80s. I was disappointed last year that they didn't fulfill the Back to the Future II prediction. This year, not only are they going to the World Series, they have a real shot at winning it.

My enthusiasm comes from my father's love of the team. Despite living in Michigan, our family cheered on Chicago teams (although not the White Socks for reasons that I still do not understand). Well do I remember listening to games through the static on the AM radio, or sitting in my grandmother's apartment watching the game on her small television, envying the people who could sit on the roofs of their apartments to look down into the field. I don't believe that I've ever seen an actual game in Wrigley Field, but it feels like my home stadium.

Due to our lack of both cable and reception for local stations, I doubt that I will see any of this year's World Series even if I had the time. However, I will be root, root, rooting for my "home" team: the Cubs.

Bureaucracy

10/21/2016

Few things upset me more than having to jump through inane "hoops" that exist more for the sake of having obstacles in people's paths than serving any true purpose. This is certainly a main aspect of the conservative side of my political views. I am particularly frustrated with the heavy paperwork and delays associated with keeping my teaching certification.

Part of this is that every state wants to have its own unique stamp on their teacher certification programs, and I can respect that. I understand the reasoning behind requiring classes on Alaska and its cultures to be certified as a teacher in Alaska even though I hold a Michigan teaching certificate and have been teaching for nearly two decades. What I do not understand is why they need me to obtain original copies of my Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification from twenty years ago (and more) when I already have the Michigan Teaching Certificate which required those tests to begin with and has the endorsements from the tests labeled directly on it.

I also have to provide some sort of proof that I went through an accredited teaching certification program from the university that I attended (and transcripts are not good enough) even though, again, I would need to have attained that to have a Michigan Teaching Certificate to begin with. Even more frustrating is the fact that the link to the document that I am supposed to send to the university where I received my teaching certification training is currently broken.

All of this for a one year extension so I can apply for my five year professional certification next year (although I could always apply for another one year extension before that).

Leadership

10/20/2016

Today's post for my class was about what makes a person a great leader. With the current election cycle, this has been a question on a lot of people's minds. The fact is that different people want different things from their leaders, whether just their boss or the President of our United States.

For me, a good leader needs to be both a visionary and a manager. That leader needs to be able to deal with present situations while having goals for the future. Most importantly, a great leader needs the ability to bring people to share in a common vision.

According to one of the articles that I read to prepare for my post, the way a person can become a good leader is by reaching out. It is important to not try and go it alone, or to think of things only from one's own point of view. To be a great leader, one must form a network that one can go to for help, both to give and to receive it. It does not have to be, and should not be, lonely at the top.

Weather Forecasting

10/19/2016

I have long made fun of the prognostication powers of weather forecasters. Nor am I alone in that regard. I don't know if anyone else remembers one of the early games made for computers: Lemonade Stand. It was in a similar vein to Oregon Trail, but it was all about discovering the laws of supply and demand via a virtual lemonade stand. One strategy that I clearly remember is that one should never make lemonade on a day that forecasted a 20% chance of rain, for it would always rain on such days. Meanwhile, days with high percentage chances had less frequent downpours.

While I thought that weather forecasting was off in Michigan, here on the Kenai Peninsula it is nearly impossible to make long term plans based on the weather. That said, special weather statements like the one I saw today, saying that snow might come tomorrow night and into Friday (although not necessarily in our local area) are heartening. Many people here want a snowy winter, and I am one of them.

Long term projections say that we could have more snow than the previous few years, which would be especially nice for the cross-country skiers in the area. The last few years have not been as pleasant when it comes to snow totals. Here's to hoping that the forecasts are right this year.

Miscellaneous

10/18/2016

Yesterday, I finally managed to finish the second of my required Alaska classes to keep my teaching certification. I'm now waiting for the final grades so I can request my transcripts and send in for my certification renewal. Although there is still some work ahead, it is nice to finally have those classes finished.

In not as big of news, because of the snow yesterday I also switched to my winter coat and relaced my boots. I already appreciated the change since the wind was a bit cutting yesterday. I find the cold air refreshing.

Trevor also purchased and downloaded Overwatch yesterday. Already, he's gained several levels won a few Quick Plays. However, his favorite mode seems to be Junkenstein's Revenge, a short-term Halloween-themed scenario. It will be interesting to play this game with both him and Alex.

All of the boys were gliding more on the ice today. I've been impressed with their improvements. Next week is their final lesson for this session. Currently, I plan on them joining the next session as well, but we'll have to see what they think.

Snow!

10/17/2016

When we went to bed last night, there were a few spots of sleet mixed in the precipitation. However, I did not expect to find a snowy blanket covering my house and yard when I woke up with morning. Granted, it was a thin blanket, between an eighth and a quarter inch of snow, but it was perfect and beautiful, even more so when I realized that flakes were still dancing their way to the ground.

I had hoped to see more startled responses from my puppies' first experience with snow, but they were rather groggy and didn't do much more than sniff and eat a bit of it before coming back in. Thankfully, my sons were a good deal more excited.

I did have to remind myself that snow means slicker roads as I nearly slid past the stop sign at the end of our road. That said, the other drivers did not seem to absolutely lose their minds with snow on the road as always seemed to happen with the first snow in Michigan.

I was even happier to see that the snow stayed in my yard throughout the day. In fact, I think that even more had accumulated by the time I got home, even with some of it obviously melting. I hope that this is a good sign of a snowy winter to come.