yupik dance

Yup'ik dance from Halloween in Nunapitchuk, Alaska. video taken by Shaun Przy...

6 hours 51 minutes

Yes, folks. That's how much daylight there is on the YK Delta right now. We're still loosing it (daylight, not our minds. ok, maybe a little) until the lovely Winter Solstice.

A whole new world.

We have had frozen river for about 2 weeks; It's probably 6"-10" thick now. It took longer than last year to freeze b/c it's been so warm. Rather than a weekend, it took about a week to freeze fully (near here. there are still open, very dangerous places).

This boat is driving through what seems to be all ice, but they broke it to make a path. That was kind of surreal.

They were traveling b/c of a funeral & people were traveling back & forth to visit.

Have you ever said, "I'm bored?"

Maybe I haven't written a post for more than a month because my life is fairly boring.
I wake up to music, then an annoying/cute alarm.
I putz around my houst a bit.
I go to work to prep. for class.
I have class (with wonderfully ever changing, ever challenging 7-9 year-old children).
I have been sitting in on NYO (native youth olympics)& wrestling practices. Those I have dropped due to the classes
I have been taking. The classes are Geology, which also includes teaching GIS (comp. map making system) & GPS skills to 2 Jr. High students through a science fair project.
I use my non-school time to hang out with co-workers: Peter who plays guitar or feuds with me in Stratego. Christina & Sara who play Settler's of Catan (love the game - you should play). Jenny & Christina who I am almost constantly with (Christina & I live together). We usually just hang & talk with occational flicks ('Color of Fear' & 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' are our recent ones. 'City of God' is next.). We do have a weekly writing group that meets to share works. I haven't written that much, but some. Some other teachers are Sally (our original hippie) who also sparked the writing group. S-Mac (aka Sara) is involved with the writing group & occational hangings out (she's a closet streaker). We had a craft throw down one day that school was canceled b/c we didn't have 60% of students at school (the river wasn't quite frozen & there was also a death). Those crafts of painting, beading, knitting, & drawing symetrical geometrics included Shaun, Sara's fiance.
I love the Pedersons (Eric & Sherry), but rarely get to hang out with them. Eric helped me get my snow-go ready for action last weekend (change crank case fluid, add oil, grease joints, new spark plugs). Now all I need is more snow to drive it on, instead of ice & frozen tundra. So, it's parked & propped. Sherry is beautifully pregnant creaping into her 3rd trimester. They also have an upcoming booming, dog sled team including 4 puppies & a musher (Eric) with a sprained ankle. We need snow! (Not Wed. or Sat. because I'm flying those days. Otherwise, give us a blizzard.)

I also occationally exercise (tredmill, Tues. women's night b-ball, Wed. staff v-ball), read (Eldest & Scar Tissue & various articles or interest), sleep, listen to music & care for my hydroponics plants (mainly the zuccini is the only one growing now, but it's beautiful). Yep; that's about it.
I am going to Anchorage for the Thanksgiving break with Jenny, meeting Sara & Eric there. This means organic foods, live music, a massage, a haircut, shopping at the Natural Pantry, maybe a movie in a theatre, wine & cracked crab at Jenny's aunt & uncles house for Thanksgiving dinner, seeing mountains, trees & cars. Good times.

You might think this Sounds eventful. But, you have to remember that the same things happen month after month. The weather, students, & good company keeps us on our toes. I'm perfectly happy with the simple life at the moment.




Post inspired by fellow boring teacher, Jenny, who's most frequent lines tonight have included "I can't believe you haven't heard of Kuchen!" This is unlike her usual political or environmental or phylisophical, psycholigical, anti-government or anti-America/USA rampages. We love her! (I'm surrounded by a lot of good vibe peeps. I feel lucky that we've crossed paths.)

*Disclaimer: If any of this isn't cohesive or sounds random, take it as it is. It is what it is. I wish whoever is reading this good health, positive energy, and loving company. :-)

*P.S. Stay tuned for photos or hydroponics & a boat driving through an ice crushed path across the river.

Right now...

Right now I'm coming off of an NYO (native youth olympics) slumber party. It's almost noon, yikes! I came back to school about 11pm last night. Most of the 20+ (10-19 y-o) kids stayed up all night. I went down after 4 & I was up off & on until 8:45 when I actually got up. They play basketball, volleyball, go on the Internet, watch scarey movies, play tag, eat junk food, ... We had a community dance last night too, which ended at 11, when the slumber began. Today @ 2 we have a community potluck with guest speakers, including a state school board member.

I'm trying to keep the balance & some days I think I have it. Then there are other days when I neglect my friends/family & don't get the things done that I need to or don't take care of myself (food & exercise). I've been feeling successful in the classroom. Though, I need to bring some of the things with more freedom back to being more structured. Science is in transition right now & I always feel kind of unsure of things to plan next. I don't want to just throw out random things. We've been learning about plants for about 5 weeks now & I'm going to spin off from that. What I need to do is finish my curriculm map so that I can look at the big picture. (I'm taking a class on curriculum mapping, which was supposed to be this simple 4 assignment class. Then, I found out those 4 assignments aren't so simple.)

I've been stressed about this GIS (mapmaking/geology) class I'm taking. It was more about the study part of it with 6 assignments in a week, but I e-mailed my instructor & she backed off this week, just giving us the ch. to read & a quiz to take. Now, I'm getting stressed about the project bit with students. It's only 2 Jr. High students, but still. They have to learn a computer program on top of doing research for a science fair project utilizing a GPS & the GIS mapmaking system. I don't know the 1st thing about a science fair project, questions to ask, resources... I'm learning by fire, I guess. I just don't want to frustrate the girls by not being a reliable resource.

The sports practices are going fine, but the wrestling coach was calling me every night to talk aka complain about something or other. We've butted heads on a couple occasions. I'm hoping that irons out. We're hosting a wrestling tournament this upcoming weekend & the ball hasn't started rolling yet. Fingers crossed!

I need to sort of train teachers with FTL (a computer program to help with test scores), but that doesn't have to happen until our extended day gets closer.

I went to church Sunday for the first time ever here. They were having some sort of singing thing. I went when there weren't many people. But, it was kind of nice; no Quin. though :-(.

I'll be really sad if Jenny AND Peter AND Kathy leave next year (with Christina AND the Pedersons)!!! They are all so dear to me now. I expect Sara & Shaun to stay unless Shaun just can't take it anymore; S-Mac doesn't like to move. I can't believe I'm thinking about next year already! But, I would like to see what it's like to teach in the same community for 3 years instead of hopping every two; not the best record to start. But, I'll just have to see how this year plays out & come March 31st, I'll deside where I'll be next year.

The hydroponics are a go since labor day. I just transplanted a tomatoe plant to soil to see if that will do better this year. I have 4-season lettuce, buttercrunch lettuce, black beauty zuccini, sage, basil, and roma tomatoes. I just ordered a new light, which should be better than my full-spec flouresent one now. Does anyone need a HPS 175W light? I can sell it for a discount. It should be used after things start to bloom (mostly red & orange spectrum). I've only used it Once & the place where I bought it won't do returns on Any light systems. I couldn't find the hydroponics store in Asheville to see if they buy used either. So, it's just at my dad's house, all $160 of it.

I had my first steam this year last weekend with Jenny. It was way overdue & way hot. sszszszszszzzzsssss... It's a lovely chatting time.

Our winter is a little later this year than last. I remember that our first snow was in Sept. last year. We've just started getting more rain & it's been frosty a few mornings on the boardwalk. Right now, it's 33 outside. I expect snow to be just around the corner. Yippie! I can't wait to learn how to ski.

The full moon was so bright last night! It just glowed in the pitch black sky. After leaving school we went down to the boat dock to see the plethra of stars blanketing the sky. I didn't know the Milky Way could be seen from here.

I'm trying to balance all of my plates on the twirling sticks, while walking the tightrope, backwards. Ok, that's melodramatic. So far I haven't dropped any plates though (fingers crossed).

I love you! You know who you are (everyone ;-).

xo