A Return to Detroit and Blog World

My blog wadn't working for about 3 weeks.  Luckily, I have a fearless co-worker who fixed it for me.  They's been a plenty going on.  Of course, some is blog-worthy and some ain't.  So much has happened in the last couple weeks that I ain't really able to remember it all.  I'll give you'uns a quick recap of everything. 

Thanksgiving was amazing.  I am not sure if I done posted about this.  I slept a good amount and then I went to eat me some awesome food.  It was so good. I think they's about 10 of us from work who got together.  I eat some oyster dressing which was right good.  Of course, I eat a plenty.  Is there ever a time when I don't?

I went on a snow-go for the first time.  It was amazingly cold, but super fun.  It wadn't a long trip, but it was fun.  I can't wait to buy a winter toy or two next year.  Winter has been so much fun except they days keep a gettin' shorter.  I think they's about 5 hours of light per day now.  Good thing that I ain't depressed.  I've went over a friend's house a few times.  It is fun to feel like I'm at home.  When I ain't gotta search for the plates no more, it sure is a good thing.  LOL!

I went to a singspiration thing at the 7th Day Church in town.  It was right close to empty when I come in and then it filled up a bit.  It was mostly boring except for when this super sweet Yu'pik guy got up there and sung his heart out to the LORD.  He did this super sweet thing where he kind of raised his arms that is a traditional singing style for Yu'piks.  I sit next to my friend's brother who drew mushrooms and atom bombs the whole time too.  We pretty much laughed to our-own-selves the whole time.  Then, they done this lame reading of some Christmas story.  It could have had a meaning, but I'z too busy laughing at other random funny things.

I carved about 5 moose legs too.  We started out getting rid of the nasty crust that had dried on the outside.  After that we separated the sinew and then decided if each of the parts was best for stew meat, ground meat, canning or steaks.  It was so cool.  However, my thumb started to hurtin' after about 4 hours of cutting.  It was fun anyhow.  I then went home with the idea that I was going to go up to the school and correct papers or everwhat I was going to do.  However, I slept a 9:15.

Today, I went to the most oddest Christmas party I ever been to.  I got a call from the owner of my inn saying that the Christmas party was next Saturday.  I said okay not remembering that I was planning on being in Anchorage then.  About 1 hour after I heard somebody a knockin' on my door. It was my friend who said that they was having a party upstairs.  I went up and opened a gift which was cool and then they give me a card.  It was a card with a note inside that said that they was a gonna give me a round trip plane ticket to Anchorage.  I was happier than you could imagine.  Super cool stuff.  So, I'm a gonna fly for free. How cool is that?  Thankfully, I'm comin' home for Christmas in 1 week for 1 week.  I can't hardly contain myself.  

The Salt of the Earth

I was so excited to find salt half off in a buggy. I snatched that up so fast. A thing of salt can be up to $5 here in the cold hard city. I went to makin' soup and I must have poured way too much into my pot. I tasted the soup and it was way past salty. Nasty! Exactly how to I correct this. I added a bunch of water. I will continue adding water to the soup until I am able to scarf it. Sure ain't a gonna be the best batch that I've come up with so far.

Here in the cold hard town, they don't never use salt on the ground. I know that it would cost so much money to ship it here, so that makes plenty of sense. However, you'd think that I would not have to think that I was a gonna take a tumble each and ever time I step outside my work door. I liketa fell 3 times this week. Luckily, I caught my-own-self rather than the ground catching me. LOL! Just put some salt just outside the door and I'd be happy. It ain't even that cold here right now. I know that most of the time it wouldn't do no good, but man..... it's annoying to almost fall of the evening when I walk out the door. I guess living on a salt mine in Detroit is worth something. Cheap salt.

My church here is awesome. We had a community meal last week. They was about 100 people who eat a good ole' Thanksgiving meal last Sunday. It was mighty cool. The food was good and the folks was better. The meal had the right amount of saltiness unlike my soup. The songs had a tint of saltiness as well. I could hear people a singin' off key with the ole' timee feeling filling the room. It was super sweet. How does salty and sweet mix? Ain't sure?

Snow's a Fallin'

I went and got me a cell phone. I like the fact that I can communicate with the outside world. It was amazing to see how fast the students got cell phones. I think 50% of the students in middle and high school got cell phones within 2 or 3 days. They love texting everyone. It is interesting to see technology in action. It is a real culture changer here. It was tossed on everyone at the same time and it has had a huge impact on many people's daily lives. Very interesting!

I went to a birthday party. I was fun I suppose. They's some cool people and that's what it is all about here. After that we went to the town bar. I had three funny experiences within 1 hour. First, I was asked to play a game of pool. By time I stood up, some random local had give my turn to someone else. I have no idea who it was. I had no interest in being there, so it didn't make no difference to me. Secondly, a middle aged local woman came up to me and introduced herself. She asked my name so I told her. She couldn't hear me, so I repeated myself. We shook hands and I thought it was strange. She went to movin her arm towards me. I figured she was going to shake my hand again. I hadn't a clue. Then she said, I already shook your hand. She lightly swiped my face and moved on. Weird!! Of course, she had been a drinkin'. Whatever. Good times. Thirdly, a guy local come down the steps and blowed smoke in my face. Totally reminds me of my Christmas parties. Good times. I totally enjoyed the situations and appreciated every bit of it. Just classic stuff. I wouldn't have changed a thing about the night. Totally funny.

Then I didn't want a ride from my friends. I figured it would be better to walk. LOL! Man was I wrong. The wind was a blowin' out of control and the wind had whipped every snowflake into my eyes. It was impossible to keep my eyes open. I could feel the snowflakes hitting me in the eyeballs. No joke. It is supposed to only snow 4 inch tonight and that's max! It looks like it's a gonna snow a foot. Who knows? My face was a hurtin' by time I got in the door. It felt HOT in my house when I got in here. I am still glad that my friend didn't give me a ride home. I enjoyed the experience of walking home. Great night and it was cold and hard, but more fun than you'd ever imagine. Good times keep a rollin' in. I'm lovin' it.

A Very Cold Hard Day

I went to work today as planned. The day was routine except a friend happened to be the sub in a class that had the same prep as me. We went to my house for lunch and eat a random meal. It was so cold, but my friend mentioned that it was 'warmer' than yesterday. I'm sure that it was about 0 both days. I ain't got a clue how people tells the difference between 0 and -10. Nope... no idea. Cold is cold to me. We walked back to school and after 4th hour we both had prep. Well, I didn't do no prep. He had drew me a picture of airplanes cuz he loves airplanes. At the bottom it said, "I done drawed you a plane." or something like that. It was funny cuz he misspelled all of the words. It cracked me up.

After school he drove me to a motel where they were selling cell phones. You have to understand something... it is a big deal to have a cell phone here. It is a bigger deal to text. Rural Alaska is becoming a bit less rural and connected to the rest of the world. It is kind of cool I guess! I was so excited to call people and then my phone died and I was too tired to plug it in. I will worry about that this weekend when I chill out. I ain't done that in too long. I'm a lookin forward to that like nobody knows.

This weekend promises to be fun even if I chill by my-own-self. I will clean and organize for the first time. This is my plan, but I know that it might could not happen. There's a chance that something new and exciting will happen this weekend, but if sitting on the phone laughing with people is all that happens, I'll be very content with that. It is after midnight and I am still on this dumb computer. I must stop writing even thought they's many a thing that needs to be wrote down.

Where in The World

I am here in this tiny town that is currently cold and dark. The sun shone today for long enough to see the clear blue skies and the mountains in the distance. I left work today determined to sleep. I had the worst sore throat one could imagine for the last 2 days. I woke up to the worst scratch feeling a hurtin my throat that I ever felt. I told myself that I will not feel bad today and I popped a pill and had a 'come to Jesus' moment. I hadn't been in that mindset for a while. I got up and realized after 3 hours that it was no longer there. Super sweet.

Where in the world have I let myself drift. I been a driftin' in so many ways. They's crazy things getting in my way. People gets on my nerves from time to time. It is sometimes impossible to do what is right in the eyes of people that wants to do me harm. I learned this on one of my TMI trips. There comes a point when what needs done is what you should do, regardless of everwho's a screamin. It is hard to get back to that point again. The point where you realize that what is best is not what feels right sometimes. Furthermore, what needs to happen for your sanity is going to be in the face of disapproval of some. Anyway, it is good to know I'm in the right. I have a friend who likes to google whatever to prove hisself. I felt that way in times gone by, but now I've done drifted to the right place. I do realize that feelings are also drifting.

They's things that I'd die to share on this here blog. Being in the cold hard town does not permit it. Some things are just so odd or funny. I soak them up. Even the odd things are positive for me. It ain't that the things are good or bad, but being sensitive to everyone is more important than sharing stuff. I keep asking myself where I've drifted. The place that I've drifted isn't nearly as far as where else I've drifted. Thank God that I have amazing people around me. I'd go plumb crazy without 'em.

Not to Long to Go, But So Far to Go!

I am so excited to get out of the cold hard town. It ain't like it is a bad place, but they's so many things that gets on my nerves. I must keep my trap closed cuz word travels fast here. Even the good things can't be said without everyone knowing. So, the trap keeps closed for now, but I've got many a story to share when I get to Taylortukey. $80 for 4 bags of groceries topped the list today.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that Christmas time's a comin'. I will celebrate Thanksgiving at the yurt with friends which will be amazing. It's fun to sit and chill and not do a whole lot. I guess that's one of the best parts of being in the cold hard town. You can just sit and chill. I never got to do that enough before. There was always the 3-5 jobs, and school that kept me busy all the time. I do not miss not working all the time. Well, I do miss getting paid for all that I did. Many times I work without pay just to keep up with all that the job requires. They ain't enough time in the day to do it all. Just doing the bare essentials requires more time than it should.

All I can say is that I want to go beyond the mountains and see what's beyond the clearing. It is so far off in time, but I like to think of it as not so long from now. The clearing is where I want to be, but the trees keep a gettin' in my way, for I cannot see well.

Annoying Internet and Annoying News

I was chatting away online when facebook told me that it was no longer able to connect. This happens all of the time at home on my personal computer. I ain't sure what is so different between this'n and my work computer. I can't play music on my personal one either. It is so annoying to only have cds. I get so lazy that I keep playing the same ones over and over again.

I love to check the news online. I get to see all different ways that people reports the news. Today a guy shot up a US military base. He was highly educated and had a certain ideology which is well known for hating freedom. I love to see the spin that the media paints. How dumb? Let's face it. He converted to Islam and he hates this country. He likely converted because in part cuz there's plenty of problems with this country. However, why skirt around the main point. He was doing what his religion often teaches. I don't want to hear the BS that it doesn't teach that at times. In many places in the Islamic world, that is the ONLY form of that religion. Here in the US we get a watered down version. What is wrong with sick people that are willing to kill lots of people at one time for a cause? It makes me so angry. First they do it and then the dumb media plays and spins it to be something other than what it is.

Nap Time

I run out of work today at 3:30. I've seen others a doin' it and I got to thinkin' that I should try it out. I mean, I run. It ain't like I didn't go back, but in the middle I took me a nap. I thought I was gonna take a quick nap. Well, time slipped by and 2 1/2 hours went by. I pulled myself out of bed and went back to work. I wadn't there long, but just long enough to accomplish some tasks. They was the tasks that needed to get done.

Nap time was amazing. I woke up to find out that the GOP had took NJ and ole' Viginiee. No surprise for the second, but the first give me a smile. I don't really matter, but the spending is out of control and maybe they gonna give us a change we truly can believe in. I don't believe in a single thing that Obamer is a doin', so hey... one more thing to smile about. LOL!

Naps can be a total waste of time. I ain't sure if this'n was or not. I do know that I was right tired and I needed to rest. Why do I wanna take me a week long nap? Well, as long as the 'crick don't rise' , I'll be back at it in the morning. Let's see what goes down!

When You Ain't Never Right On

Many decisions in life don't have a clear outcome before you make them. Prediciting what's a gonna happen when you don't people's hearts is right close to impossible. I've found myself going to others who I respect for ideas on what is best. I do believe that they give me good advice. I agree with points that they give and I carry out the plan that they give me. Then, what happens after ain't worth a pile of ole' rocks. I want to do what's right for those around me and for my-own-self, but they's so many variables a floatin' around.

I done my best to do what's best and it ain't never best. That's what I've come to realize this week. I keep a workin' and a doin' what needs done to the best of my ability and things fall into place in everwhich way other than the way I had planned. What is positive about this? Everything!! Even in the trials of life, they's a silver lining a showin' itself. Pain and grief shows us joy and good ole' times.

So, I keep a truckin' along the path of whatever. I go to yurt parties and fly to some random fishing village. I eat moose burgers and finish off jam. I walk in the cold to work and back for lunch and back again. I sing songs of joy and pain in the church house. I laugh until I can't breathe with funny people and I wanna fly farther away just to go no place. Random is the life that I lead these days.

Saturday Sleeps-Winter Keeps

I woke up today at 9:30 am and decided that I needed more sleep. So, last night I slept double what I normally sleep during the week. They's so much that needs done around here. There's just no time. I need to figure out how the heck I can get out of here for summer. Michigan has the 'dog days of summer' and they got the 'dog days of winter here'. It is a cold hard fact!

Yesterday I went to the youth center. They wadn't but 5 students who showed cuz almost the entire town was at the high school for wrestling. We all left together to go up to the school and watch a few matches. There were teams from random villages and others from towns of 2,000 or so people from all over Alaska. As I was walking out to go home, I seen two kids walk out into 15 degrees without a jacket. They stood outside in the wind wearing T-shirts. I asked them, "What's wrong with you?" One said, "I'm from India, so I don't know." The other one said, "This is warm compared to Nome." Anyway, I had two coats on and I liketa froze.

So, here I sit on a cold hard Saturday. I ain't a thinkin' about much butcept what needs done and I don't want to do none of it. My school computer is home with me, so I can listen to online classic country. This makes me very happy. I was once happy about Sirius on my TV, but the tiny speakers can't play the songs loud enough for me to hear the songs in the kitchen. Winter keeps a movin' toward me and summer is around the corner in my mind.

A Bowl of Soup

I been cooking in a slow cooker a whole lot since I got here. I ain't got time to cook real meals and it seems that if I put stuff in the cooker, it turns out good after a day or so. Beans, rice, chicken, salt, pepper and any type of 'mater' combo works right good. I just keep it a cookin' and it turns out super good. I made an onion soup by accident, but it was so good anyhow.

The soup has give me a chance to have a few people over for a snack and a meal now and then. It replaces the night out on the town in a restaurant or a stop at the Bell. It is nice to be in people's houses rather or in mine rather than in a restaurant again. It totally reminds me of when I was a young'un. We use to have neighbors over the house of the evenings all the time. Nothing big or special, but good times all the same.

While we eat the soup, my friends ask me to listen to my mom's messages on the machine. My one friend wasn't able to understand most of what my mom said. It made them laugh so hard. I just can't wait until they meet her and listen to her talk about nonsense. Her messages don't say much. I druther that she leave reasonable meaningful messages so they can really get a laugh. However, most of the messages are just a mumble here and there. So funny. No wonder my friends laugh.

My classroom is tore apart today. They just give me cabinets, but I ain't able to use them until they are approved. So, here they set and all my stuff is everwhich place you could imagine other than where it once(t) was. LOL! All I know is that I need to have me a day and a half to get myself reorganized. No big deal cuz it is much better than before. It just looks like the mixture of a soup that I made. All mixed up!

Yurt

I helped build a yurt in the cold hard town. It was super cool. I didn't know too much about how to do it, but since it was a pre-made kit, it wadn't too hard. After going to church we had a potluck. They give the pastor a special hillbilly meal for being such a great pastor. They had corn bread, beans tater salad and such things. It was awesome to eat a church meal without salmon and berries. It felt like home which made me smile. After we eat the food we went to workin' on the yurt. A yurt is a kind of structure between a hut and a house. Super fun times.

I am at work at this time. I walk across the street to work and use the faster Internet of the nights. It is not that cold. I enjoy the walk. I take me out walkin' now and then in town too. However, the cold weather is a comin' faster than I can say. I see it coming. I couldn't imagine living in a yurt in the winter having to go to the outhouse in the freezing cold. I might have to make me a 'honey bucket' and pop a squat inside when it gets right cold. Luckily I ain't got that problems in the cold hard inn, so I'll keep a living large I suppose.

So, 10 people decided to go to Anchorage just after school lets out for X-mas. Well, about 6 of them decided that they ain't a gonna go now. So, that leaves me out in the cold if you know what I mean. I'll keep a lookin' forward to seeing everyone back home, and that's what keeps my world turning at this point. I must go back to the abode cuz it's already time to go to sleep.

Funny Times: I got my first e-mail from my mom. Her e-mail address includes 'hillbilly woman', which make me roll. It is funny that she has one and she ain't able to use a computer. Who knows? I guess this computer class is helping her not be in the stone age! LOL! I guess the apple don't fall too far from the tree cuz my address includes 'hick'.

Big Wind's A Blowin'

The title of today's blog is a super sweet song. For some reason, I remember listening to it at my house when a few friends had come over to visit. It is part of my extensive record collection. My friends were annoyed while I was in my glory. LOL!

Well, I can say that winter has done arrived. The next 4 days has a forcast of snow. It ain't gonna pile up or anything, but I know winter has come if I see snow in so many forcasts in a row. The wind blows so hard here all of the time. Even back when I had just got here, I had to wear a jacket all the time cuz of the wind. The sun was a lookin' down and it wasn't cold, but there was still a bite in the air. The sun ain't up til 11 pm no more. The sun goes down at 7:30 ish which seems normal, but I know real short days are a comin'. I hope I don't get depressed. LOL!

The winds of change have blowed through too. Things are finally as close to 'normal' that they gonna get around here. I know where things are and where they ain't. I also know who is cool and who ain't for the most part. It takes time to read places and people everwhere you go. I sure have a lot of learnin' to go, but it ain't strange no more. That's all that matters for now.

I find time and distance to be interesting concepts. I been a thinkin' on them two subjects a bit in the last few days. Relationships of all kinds change based on those two things. When I was in South Korea, my sister found the need to communicate with me almost on a daily basis. Well, when I got home, she wadn't interested in talking too much no more. This time here, she ain't said more than a peep toward me. Then they's the friends who talk or don't talk to me too much and it don't make much of a difference whenever we do talk. Distance can be both physical and not. Both of 'em are the same when it comes to relating to people. If you ain't a talkin' to someone, things gonna change and they ain't much you can do about it. My pastor back home has said many times that there is no such thing as quality time spent with someone. Time is time and that time is meaningful. I fully agree with that! I need to see some real 'change that I can believe in'. LOL!

I Flew Away

I went to church today. It was one of those amazing times that couldn't be redone or replaced. I ain't sure how to explain it. I waited for a ride and rode to church with a friend. A couple of my friends that goes to the same church are out of state now, so I was thinking that I didn't know a whole lot of people. This was true. The service was right on just as if it had been wrote just for me. There was lots on my mind. A few comments from some people were a ringin in my ear as I sit there. It is interesting to put life into perspective in the cold hard town.

I was super excited this morning. I don't know why. I got up and went out the door and sit through church without expectations. In fact, I had begun to think it was a gonna be a super boring day. Why do I allow such thoughts to enter my brain? I ain't had a boring moment since I got here, so why did I begin to doubt all that life offers? I was invited to go eat some moose n' noodles with a few friends. Man was it good.

These are the kind of friends that I have back home. We share common goals and views on the world and how it turns. We view life in the same way. Feeling at ease and at home is sometimes difficult here. I make the best of it and things are a gettin' easier. However, when perfect times come, they are cherished. I am so glad that I've found a few of these people here. It sure does make life super interesting.

After lunch I was offered a flight to a tiny fishing village. I think it is called Ekuk. I think there might be about 50 places to live and most of those places are not lived in during the winter. The dad flew his-own-self, and I waited a few and went with a friend. It was a super tiny little yellow plane. He had to hand start the plane. I remember getting in with just enough room for the both of us and thinking how tiny it was. The plane door wasn't but a inch away from my arm and I hardly had room for my legs. We took off down a dirt road type runway. I had never flew in such a tiny plane. We flew for about 20 minutes and it was super sweet. I never dreamt that I'd have been able to do such a sweet thing for free.

The views was totally amazing as we crossed the bay and flew over the tundra. The tundra was covered with tiny ponds and little streams. It was mostly brown since the plants have died. We circled around and seen a sweet Russian Orthodox cross chillin' on the hill. We passed another tiny village and landed on the beach next to my friend's wind powered cabin. We set net for some smelt and moved some random wood. It was super sweet. I love that things happen here that are so random and unpredictable. It ain't like I could have even imagined such a sweet experience to happen today.

I'll Fly Away

Away I will fly. I am so excited to get out of here. They's things that I like and things that I don't. Mostly, I miss people like crazy. My great-aunt knows that I'm in the Cold Hard Town, and she keeps a tellin' my mom all about it. I must go there and discuss turnips and such things. I must. I got me a ticket today after talking to a few people on the phone. The phone has become a lifeline for me. Too bad that I ain't able to phone out. I'll be getting me a calling card when I am in the big D. That's for sure.

I guess that we gonna go to Anchorage for a few days before flying to DTW. They's gonna be 8 or so of us, so you can only imagine what it is gonna be like. Holy crap. So after 8 or so days in DTW, I'll fly back for New Year's. Yep, good times.

We was all at a friend's house and we smoked some salmon and sit around playing Apples to Apples. Everwho made up that game is amazing. I love it. It is so funny when you know the people that's playing. Try it out. I drunk some moonshine (sort of) from Georgia. Man, it was fun. We listened to some hard core hillbilly music. Man was it sweet. Then we went to the trashy bar in town where we played pool. They's so many funny people who sung old hillbilly songs. Don't get much better than that.

This morning I went to a COC church. Well, they was about 8 of us there. We sung some real songs. It was odd and sweet at the same time. Isn't that the cold hard town anyway? Then I spent a good portion of the day doing school work. I found out that I need to spend more time there. I have a hard time keeping up with all that needs done. My Internet ain't a workin' like it should be here at home. Whatever! My mom told me that someone back in DTW was offended by the word 'shit' that I said on facebook. This was reason for laughs between us. Man! Shit was an everyday word for me since I was 3. It is what it is. SHIT! Why does people flip their 'shit' over such meaningless things. They's people starving and they wanna talk trash. I guess my mom said 'shit' and didn't make it no better. You know that's how she rolls. Funny stuff.

The Ark

Well..., today we got an e-mail saying that we was able to leave right after classes ended. The wind was a blowin' at 75 mph with the gusts. I had a meeting with a parent, so I called him and asked if he was gonna come. They said, well.. he's on his way. He never showed. I sit there for a long time. I finally went out to eat and it was pretty fun.

Then we stopped by a friend's house. It was interesting. We sit around a plastic tub that doubles as a kitchen table. Fun times. They had their wood-burning stove going and we laughed about all things funny. Then I took me a much needed nap and got dropped off at my house at 11pm ish. Yep, I opened my door and shit water was a pourin' from my ceiling and I live in a sort of underground room. Nice! Someone had left thier toilet running and the water ended up in my room. Luckily my bed didn't get wet so I'll be able to sleep here in a few minutes. Interesting night.

Thank You Todd Palin

Today was a day that I may never forget. I went to a potluck at a bar. It was non-smoking, so that was awesome. And no..., I never drunk a drop. I made this little promise to myself. I ain't sure if I'll survive the cold hard winter without none, but I'm sure a gonna try. I done some of the most fun stuff you'd ever imagine. I'z hanging out with the elf, but she had to go back to let her dogs out. I rode with my friends and the elf rejoined me at the bar. They's many a person there to say the least. Of course, our principal represented with a shirt and tie. I sit at a table with some of the teachers. Two of them are from Georgia and they are super awesome. I took myself down to another table to sit with another friend from Georgia. She's right cool and very much from the south. She lived in the hills, but she ain't of the hills. But man..., does she appreciate them and all that they offer the world. LOL!!

After I eat a bit of a mystery meat and finished off my meal, I was offered a bit of beluga meat. I still can't believe that I eat whale. It was white and chewy on the outside and mushy on the inside. It wadn't nothing but a cube of meat on a toothpick, but it was interesting. I eat stuff like that in Korea. I mean stuff with the same texture and taste. Interesting times. They give all kinds of prizes away. Of course, I didn't win a one. However, they recognized all of the community members who contributed to the Friday fish at the school. They caught many tons of fish and donated it to the school. I think they donated it. They read off about 80 names and Todd Palin's name snuck in there with hardly no notice. I ain't even sure if most of the people paid mind to it.

I forgot my plastic bowl that I 'borrowed' from a friend to go a berry pickin'. I didn't turn around to go and get it. The week has flew by so fast. I have Friday a waitin' on me in the morning. They's so much to do and I can't believe how little and how much I've done just this week alone. I'll have a weekend of planning and correcting. I'm a bit excited to go with the elf to a study this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

What Worry Does

I had a pretty good day today overall. However, I went to bed at 9pm last night. I wadn't able to do a single thing last night. I had so many plans to do this and that. However, I done none of them. Sometimes there's things that I want to say so bad on this cold hard blog that I can't. People talks so much here. It is nuts. When I go to the store I see at least 15 people I know. They ain't much I can do about it. It just is what it is. Going to bed so early caused me to have a good start to the day and a weird finish. I don't know what else to call it.

What was so bad about today? To be honest, I don't know. I went to thinkin on stuff that I ain't able to change very easily. The number one thing is that I'm here. I love it here and I hate it too. What can one say. I love it cuz the people here are awesome and I hate it cuz the people at home and awesome too. It is hard. I look up plane tickets in my spare time knowing that I ain't able to go no place anytime soon. I drove to the airport yesterday to take my friends to the airport who were going back to Ohio/Indiana. They give me their car for three weeks and another person offered her car for a week at the end of October. So, it looks like I'll have me a car for all of October. Too bad they ain't no place to go.

Things are 'cherry' as they say here too. I can't complain at all. My life is fast and I try to control what I can't. So, why do I worry on stuff that I ain't able to change or even influence? I know that I ain't in control, but I struggle yet. I am excited that my elf is a gonna go to 'church' with me. It really ain't church. A group of friends gets together and talks about stuff related to such things. I like it, so I kept a talkin' to my elf about it and finally she give in. LOL! Perhaps this will be something positive. I worry about this to as if I am in control. Why? I have no idea.

When I was in Korea I had real things to worry about. My mom was a flippin her shit and had super serious health problems while I was lied to 'bout it. I knew, but didn't. I feel as if life at home keeps going by just like it does here, but I'm missing out on stuff. If I wadn't here, I'd be missing out too. Arrrrrrrrr. Why worry? I don't get my-own-self.

Not Sure

I am not sure what I am doing.  Another weekend has come and went just like that.  I sit here amazed at all of the cool stuff that has happened in just a short time, but then again so much remains uncertain.  What is that? I don't know.

Friday was interesting.  It was a friend's birthday.  She's from Kentucky and she likes bacon. LOL! Her friend brung her a bacon birthday cake to the restaurant where we all ate.  I spent $60 for me and my elf to eat.  Luckily the restaurant give us a free piece of chocolate cake as a bonus.  It is just so expensive here to do anything.  I got a gyro sandwich and mashed 'taters'.  It ain't like I eat something fancy.  She ate a steak of sorts that wadn't cooked to order.  We sat there and chatted.  Some of my most favorite people were there, so it was good times.  I heard that there was some sailors from Belgium who had sailed in by accident the other day.  I was excited to get to maybe speak French with them.

Saturday was interesting too.  I went to the youth center's fundraiser for breakfast.  I had a good time.  Some commercial fisherman asked me if I was in high school which sent me to laughing.  It was funny.  Um... NO!  I corrected papers for a couple of hours.  Man, did I not want to be at school doing that. I got a chance to meet the 6 people who were sailing around the world. They was actually from Cosica and had a kid with them too.  So, they were French and that was cool.  They got lost on their way to Japan after following Russia along the ocean. They ended up here and did a presentation at the university in town.  It lasted so long that I had to leave.  However, it was amazingly interesting.  After that, I went to the elf's house to watch the box. LOL!  There was no water for some reason, so we had to cook a boxed pizza.  I came home late and went to bed.

After 3 calls from the madre, I went to church and then out to eat.  Some random guy invited me and my friends out to eat.  He paid which was amazing, cuz as I had said..... it gets to be more than expensive.  We stayed for a while.  I come home and made some black bean soup and came back up to the school to correct papers.  I really did not want to be here.  I had plans to work out, but time kept a tickin' and it slipped away from me.  I'll make it up on Monday.  Now, I'm back at school at 11pm getting ready for the week.  They's so much that I ain't done.  I will try and tackle more of it in the morning.  I must go.

A Good Night to Chill

It is chilly outside now. I guess it's around 45 for a high, but at night it gets right close to 30. It is normal for now. I can just see what's around the corner. I've already seen snow and that wasn't expected. I just know that we could get feet of snow within a month. However, we could get 1 foot of snow and not get no more for a good while.

Just a side note about work. They have these things called 'chill pass' that we give students who are freaking out. The name makes me laugh. So, you get a pass for freaking out, so next time... just freak out and I'll give you a pass. I don't totally understand it, but it certainly makes me laugh and it goes along with the title of this post. So, here's a little something about my work. I hope you enjoy it.

I went and worked out at school and then went next door to laugh for a moment with my awesome neighbors. I had helped him at the youth center for a hour today after school. I had no idea that he needed my help, but I ended up there. After working out, I reminded him that he had my food at his house and he let me know that he had ate some of it. I acted as if I cared and he offered me some salmon. It was funny when he overheard me a tellin' his wife what I had said. We laughed a lot about it. Fun times.

I had a potluck again. This time it it was at lunch. I eat some really interesting stuff today. They's some stuff called aguduck or something like that. It is basically berries with crisco mixed together. It used to be made with seal oil, but I ain't tried that yet. It was mixed with tundra berries and rice this time. I hadn't eat this exact cranberry type mix yet. It was really good. I then wandered down the long counter a pickin' out stuff that looked good. There was some stew meat lookin' stuff. I figured that it was moose, so I took me some. I found out after that it was musk ox. LOL! It was not so tender, but it was right good.

It truly is time to go to bed. However, I value my quiet time more now then ever. I sit at my computer and surf, read and think of all that needs done. I do not do what needs done. I druther have a 'chill pass' from time to time. It truly is a good night to chill in the Cold Hard Town. I am lookin' at going home for X-mas just about every day. I keep a lookin' for cheap tickets and they's some real cheap ones. I'm about to buy 'em cuz I am very very very very excited to see everyone. I guess I should chill cuz it is really far away and the chill will turn to cold before I make it onto the plane.

Sick

The kids say that 'cool' stuff is 'sick' here. I am sick again. I try to stay late at school and grade papers and I often go back at night to see what needs done. I ain't got to look far. I could stay there 'til the cows come home' and I ain't a gonna see the light of day. I'm a sinkin' in work and they aint' no way around it. Just when I start to thinkin' that I'm about to get ahead I get knocked backwards a few feet. So, all in all it ain't sick. However, I'm sick. I can't kick this here cold. Meetings are draining me. If I didn't have them, I'd get ahead. I am not able to keep up with everything and do that too. I struggle of the mornings to get up and do it again.

What are you sick of? Does that thing also make your world turn? Is it a person or a job or a place? I so easily get sick of those things just to miss them when I am gone? I get annoyed so easily with this and that and I am not in control of any of it. Just when I get to thinkin' that I am in control, it all falls apart. I do not want to be in control. Nothing works out when I am in control anyway. I prefer that I not be in control.

Obamer Sucks

I can't stand a thing this guy has done except approve shooting that terrorist punk in the ship a while back. What has he done for me? Nothing! What has he done for my country? NOTHING! Oh wait... he had a shit-ton of money printed. It makes me sick to think of the false ONE. He ain't what he promised and his approval keeps a sinkin'. I just looked online and seen the most annoying thing I've seen in a while. He wants to take away my summer vacation the first year that I've gotten to get it. Keep the kids in school longer so they can 'learn'. Well, kids ain't a learnin' cuz their parents aren't keeping up with them. They want the teachers to raise their kids while they work for the mighty dollar. Of course, it is better to have money than knowledge or a 'normal' family life. Oh... excuse me, I can't say 'normal' cuz that ain't PC.

It has been a while since I last bothered with national politics cuz I'm in the great state of Alaska where it is okay to have a gun among many other things. I am not pro-gun nor anti-gun, but I've seen so many people with guns and it seems like they are responsible and use it for protection and hunting. I ain't got a gun, nor do I really want one. Just felt political today. I am not sure why. I am so glad that I don't have to be PC here. I am just myself among so many types of people. There is no edge here. I love that about here.

I guess the story about Obamer a wantin' to take my vacation from me in hopes of 'education' is a joke. First 'No Child Left Behind' from Mr. Bush and now this! Arrrrrr. I am not happy about this. Futhermore, I support babies!

Stress and Work

I am so tired right now. This week has been way too busy. I ain't able to remember all that I done and all that should have been done that wadn't. It is Friday and the week has sped by so fast. I come home with 5 folders plumb full of stuff to grade. I have dinner plans at 4pm and I am expecting a phone call at 12. I am supposed to lift at 1:30 and also serve at the youth center from 8-10. So, I have no time on Saturday to correct this huge pile of papers. I would like to scream.

Here I sit at the kitchen table trying to correct online work as I write a long overdue blog. There's so much to write about and nothing at the same time. Today I worked and then went out to eat at a restaurant. For two of us to eat it was $50. Whatever, it is 'The Cold Hard Town'. I then went to the beach for the first time. It was interesting. The cliff was awesome with the sand showing all the layers of sand. We made tidal streams flow as we kicked back the rocks from a tidal pool and found several moose legs randomly laying on the beach. They could have been from either bear or moose hunters. We then drove down a long dirt road toward a lake. We stopped to climb a hill filled with tundra cranberries and seen the most awesome view of the mountains in the background. The sunset shined off of the lake and the shadows was amazing. It was the most amazingest thing I've seen since I got here.

On the way home I stopped at the friend's house to pick him up a coke and he showed me his insect collection. He had stopped while we was a walkin' on the beach to pick him up a moth. It was funny. He also blowed snot rockets about every 5 minutes. It was very funny. For some reason he carried his gun on the tundra, but not on the beach. LOL! They's evidence of bear on the beach, but none on the tundra. Whatever, I lived.

I stopped up at the youth center after all of this for 1 1/2 hours. It is a bit of an escape for me. It is about 2 city blocks down the way. They's some super funny people who goes there. I enjoy them a ton. Who knows what that will bring?

I got a funny message on my answering machine and it was from exactly who I thought it would be from. I knew that the machine would get at least one crazy message per week. I was happy to laugh. Now I am not laughing. I must work and it is 11pm on a Friday night. I will do the least amount to where I feel as if I done my part for the night. I know that works a gonna be waitin' me in the morning. Arrr.

Lots to Do!

I've come to the point of breaking in many ways. I spend hours upon hours at the school. It is a place of peace. I can go up to my room and work for hours. I ain't able to do all that needs done. I mean never. I also have so many other things going on. I attended a meeting for the youth center grant for several hours on Sunday after correcting papers til the cows came home. Sunday must become a day of rest. That's my goal. I ain't able to do it quite yet, but that day's a rollin' 'round the corner. The snows a gonna fall soon too. I want to pick berries some more. I run out of berries for my oatmeal because I wasn't hardworking enough to gather enough for even one month let alone a winter. Arr.

I decided today that I was going to go to a friend's house to watch a football game. I don't like football too much. I prefer hockey cuz it is of the Mother Land. I ain't gonna say that too loud here cuz there's some serious hate for Canadian miners around here. I ain't got an opionion on it yet, but I do know that it is a touchy topic to say the least around here. After the game I went to unpack a huge box of food that people back home sent me. I liked many a thing in that box. It was like X-mas! I love getting boxes. I get a little yellow card in my PO box and it is super awesome. After that I went to the gym at the school across the road. They finally give me a key to the weight room. I'z a waitin' on a guy to give it to me for a month. Finally, they give it to me. I was going to go and bother a neighbor and ask him to figure out a different way to connect me to the Internet, cuz this dumb wireless ain't been a workin' in 1 week. It worked and I didn't know what to do other than get on here and write a blog. I sit here now thinking that I must go work for an hour before the morning cuz I know we have a meeting in the morning. I am never never never done.

I was planning on hanging out with my elf after school for the whole afternoon, but I realized that I commited to working at the youth center at 4:30 and she has to be at the 'Teen Tuesday" at 6. So, we gonna have to wait a bit and hang after. I was also looking forward to celebrating a friend's birthday on Wednesday, but I got open house at the school. And no, I ain't ready. I know it is two days from now, but I simply ain't ready. Needless to say, the birthday ain't gonna get celebrated until the weekend.

They's things that I'd love to say on this blog that just ain't able to be shared. They's no point in talking in 'code' cuz everyone knows everything here, so I just can't. They's part of me that wants to share funny or droll things with you, but this simply ain't the forum. I'll be happy to laugh with you'uns when I get back for X-mas. And yes....., they's been 2 mentions of X-mas (which makes 3 at this point, so I am ready to see everyone!

A Cold Hard Night

Well, it is official. Fall has come. The leafs have done turned colors. Driving down the road here makes me chill a bit. I am not chill much these days. They's work issues which are not under my control. I take the issues home and that stresses me out. Ain't that life? I have decided that I am a worker at heart. I knew that before with my 5 jobs and school, but here I really know it. I want the best and the most of the best all of the time. Why do I do this to myself when I know it isn't the best? Being busy isn't the best, but I want it anyway. I 'member when I tried to not work in the summer and I kept work 5 days a week until 3 days before I left to come here and work more. Time is gold to me and also Satan at the same time.

I've had some funny experiences here. One happened today when I talked to a student in 8th grade who told me that he likes to wake up early on the weekends and club birds on the side of the road. I guess they got a defense thing that includes holding still. Well, he just clubs them in the head and picks 'em up for food. So funny! I know of a grandma in town who carries a club in her back seat in order to do that too. I wish my grandma would have done funny things like that.

I'm going on a field trip on Friday. It is funny, cuz I am supposed to teach them what they already know. I have hardly picked berries in my life except behind my family's house with my uncle. Not exactly an expert! So, I will supervise! LOL!!!

I have not took a nap today unlike most good days. I try and take me a nap of at least 30 minutes since I never get more than 6 1/2 hours of rest per night. I know that it ain't healthy, but I keep a doin' it. My Internet ain't workin' at my house at the moment for an unknown reason and the owner of the Inn ain't super helpful with it. Wow, they's some funny stories with that place. At least I have two sets of awesome neighbors. We share food all of the time. It goes like this, "Hey, I got some extra chicken." and "Here's some pie that I ain't able to finish." It is pretty funny. Often on the way out of whomever's house, food is passed along. I stopped by a neighbor's house tonight and he said that he's a gonna give me some of his friend's moose meat. Really interesting. Sort of like a built in silo everywhere.

It is really not cold or hard here at this point. They's just stuff a goin' on all of the time and no time to do anything extra. They's dirty dishes of the evening when I get home and rice that needs cooked for lunch and a shit-ton of papers a waitin' on me. I ain't but a day in advance with the planning and I ain't able to get ahead. I keep a truckin' along. I look forward to Sunday every week. I look forward to the Sunday that will not include a trip to the school for a single thing. Tonight, at 10:40.... I sit in my classroom listening to youtube and writing all of this down. I know this is random, but I love random.

A Trip

This place is a trip. I can't keep up. I know that I say that in every post, but time goes by too fast here. The amount of work that I have to do is above what I ever dreamt it would be. It is a place that is so cool and that welcomes better than most, but it still needs help more than most places. The chances to serve people here are more than there. You ain't got to look far and you see needs beyond what one can do. Tonight I was at a youth event and a teen was talking about his family history. Wow! He felt very able to tell me the details of a not so wonderful life in a way that was truly meaningful and not odd. I had never met him before. I must have this thing on my face that says come and tell me stuff about yourself. I can remember being back in Detroit and stuff like that would happen. I done this experiment with a friend once and I just sit there at a bench and waited. Within 4 minutes a foreign person ask me a question. This place is no different, but it is a trip unlike any other.

I went to a potluck for new people at the bingo hall tonight. They's lots of cool people there. That's how it goes! I eat turkey and it was super awesome. It was cool. After that a friend give me a ride to the youth center where I watched as a kid used a huge rubber band to welt hisself and others while he laughed out of control. It was amusing in the least. I laughed out of control if you could imagine that. The weather turned from rainy and in the 50s to partly sunny and in the 50s in the evening which give me a smile.

I will have an answering machine soon. I have a little helper who went to Anchorage. This elf will be bringing me some gifts and that is one of them. I am excited that you'uns who wanna leave messages can. I can't call back, but I still can laugh at the messages. I can imagine the funny ones now. I know in advance who will make funny noises and say funny things. I can't wait. That will also be a trip.

Youth

Youth have always been a part of my life since as far back as I can think. Tonight I got together to start to thinkin' about a grant for the youth center here in town. It is the only thing in the region that serves youth in the ways that I see fit. They provide everything from homework help to a place to exercise. They's not a ton to do here, so some find ways of spending their time in ways that ain't the best. I'd just like to see more stuff for kids to do here rather than get into stuff that ain't the best.

I can't believe that I am helping to write a grant. What the heck? It is just very different than anything I've ever done, but more of the same. The building needs a ton of support. First off, there is really nothing in between the walls and it gets mighty cold up here in the winter. I'm a- scared to see winter in fact. I don't have far to walk to work, but I do have to make the walk. I went to the gas station today and seen a student who had a puppy under a sweatshirt. It was funny to see. Nobody even bothered to care unless she showed them. I got a $3 huge diet pop which made my day. I drunk it like somebody could steal it or take it from me. The simple things excite me here when I get them. A pop.... for real!

It is the weekend and they's more work to do than I can imagine on my worst day. New books came for 7th and 8th grade for the first time in a LONG TIME. I just got extra training on an online reading program. Between the both of 'em, I ain't got a clue what's gonna happen in my classes in the near future. Time goes by and I just allow it to pass me by. I worked until 8ish tonight and dread the morning because I know I ain't gonna work as fast or as long as I ought to.
The grades are due on Sunday night and I don't want parents a callin' and a screamin'. I must get it done.

I just wanna sleep right now.

Why Do I Make Plans?

I make plans to go to the gym and I end up picking berries. I plan on going to this church and I end up at another. I plan on teaching this that or the other and I teach something else. Why do I have to be confused. Might could I find a path? I do have a place to lay my head.

I am excited for this weekend. They's so many papers to correct, but time's a flyin' by so fast this week cuz of Labor Day. I have so much a goin' on. Do this, copy that and correct everything. I am going out of my mind in a good way. Why did I have 5 jobs and have it easy while going to school? How was that possible? I just have a lot of questions. So many I can't imagine.

I had plans to go to the gym today, but I ended up in the forest picking wild cranberries for someone else to make jelly. What has went wrong with me? Time is my enemy here! I try to connect with people here while not being lost in what's happening back 'home'. I can't call out and I don't have an answering machine, so I ain't got no idea if people have called or not. I then get e-mails saying....., "WTF"?

Here I Sit!

There's tastes of home here now. I feel a bit like it is home. I have my own bed, shower and sink full of dishes. I come in the door too late to do all that needs done here at 'home'. I still don't know where the time goes here. The days don't drag at all. I simply wake up and go to sleep and whatever happens in between is mass chaos every day. I am so far behind and so far ahead. I am still confused of the morning when I stumble out of my door after eating a bowl of oatmeal. There's too much that needs done. Where can I turn for peace in this peaceful place?

I remember the week before I left to come here. I forgot to go to work for the first time in my life. I was in Ann Arbor helping a friend move a couch and realized that I had done missed work. I amazingly got paid. However, today after having signed up for a tech. class, I forgot to go. My head was a hurtin' beyond believe and I just walked home and took me a much needed nap. Just after getting up I went to have dinner with some friends and then to another friend's house. They just got back from a real city where they had a Taco Bell and they brung me a taco and bean burrito. I was so happy! After having eat moose today two times, a good bit of Taco Bell seems like heaven. I will eat it for supper. Or will I go to another potluck? Who knows? The days pass so fast here, but here I sit!

I have splendid music playing which brings me back to places other than this kitchen table. Things are certainly different here. I am now looking at my fouton which has two bags of food that was sent to me resting on it. I never dreamt that I'd use a fouton for some place to keep food. I never dreamt that I'd be getting in from work after 11 pm two nights in a row and still feel like I'm just a driftin' along. Where is this place that I am? The Cold Hard Town is just that, cold and hard, but it ain't that bad.

I fear the nights here. Not because it is dark or anything like that, but because I know one more day has past and not enough has got done. I labor hard, but I don't. This place brings confusion at times and great peace at others. I'm still trying to figure out if I wanna stay long. Who knows what time will bring? I do know that I truly wanna drive a car and roll down the windows, and go thru a drive-thru, and see everyone. I will have to buy a ticket soon for Christmas. I am excited to be there and affraid to leave here and reverse. Interesting things going on in my mind.

A Calm Cool Evening

I woke up and went to work. I hardly had an idea what I was doing as I rushed to school early to figure out I mostly knew what was going on. I must be early and stay late even when I am not doing much of anything there. It isn't that I have an obsession with the job, it is that I am doing something that I like. It ain't hard, but it is. I remain clueless, but the pieces are a fallin' in place. The wind was a blowin' and the rain was pourin' as I walked to school in the morning. Feeling the drops of water beat against my face was not so fun. My throat was a hurtin' like nobody's business. I guess that is what happens when I am exausted.

I took me a nap unlike most today after work. I heard somebody a knockin' on the door and ignored whoever it was. I still ain't got no idea who it was. My phone rung and woke me up and it was a friend. There was a ton to say, but I felt distant from 'home' for the first time. I guess I'm here now and not there. The idea of place is important to me. I identify with place more than other things. Places are special. I went next door to hang out with my cool neighbors. They remind me of friends back home. They are real and have a focus in life like many would only dream of. I left early cuz the weather had turned mild and sunny at 8:30 pm. I walked to the gas station where I got me a 'big gulp' like drink for $3 which is super cheap here. It was worth the walk. I went to walkin' thinking that I was simply going for a drink. As I walked down the narrow road I was amazed by the view. The boats in the harbor was covered by fog and the mountains in the background were lit by the sun as it was a shinin' off of the sea. What a cool thing. The gas station worker is a student at the school. I've seen him around school. He was super kind like most people here. They have nothing but each other here. I kind of like that simple way of life. People rely on each other here. If they have enough food, they simply give the rest to whoever is around who might not. Simple but amazing!

Three Weeks and First Sign of Stress

There's still a bit of mass confusion here. Life happens so fast sometimes that you have no idea where the days go. I can't remember the last three weeks. Everything is so fast. I am in the middle of not knowing left from right and up from down. I have found stability in some ways yet more confusion in others. Go early and stay late and go back again to figure out that I still ain't got no idea. Time's a movin' and things a goin down, but I am not so sure I can follow. Confusion rules these days.

My Days Go A Driftin' Along

So yesterday was super sweet too. I went to work where I had this crazy online training with someone the reading teachers. So I just sit there and tried to figure out what the new online stuff is all about. It is funny that I am supposed to be the specialist. OH WOW! I ain't got much of a clue. I'm a gettin there.

I finally moved into my new apt. which is about 5 times bigger than the one that I had for the first 3 weeks. After a long day of computer training, I had to move each and every single thing into this new bigger apt. Keep in mind that I only had 2 hours to do this and get ready to go to a new teacher's meal which was about 15 minutes away. I got picked up as usual and we went shopping. The prices are crazy. Just count on spending 4x the price of whatever back home. It is one of the only things that has give me a headache since I got here. We had a hillbilly meal like none other. Chili with cornbread topped with sour cream and cheese. They's right close to every hillbilly in town there. Man was it awesome. We listened to awesome music and eat together. The first group of people left and we went for a walk until other people happened in. It was sweet. They drunk theirselves into la-la-land and I laughed myself crazy. It was nuts. Good times!

Today, I slept in like a child and went to fixin' up my new appt. They's stuff all over the place. However, I can now find things that I have been a lookin' for. I went to school and done a fair bit of organizational stuff. Still ain't got no idea what's gonna happen on Monday when the students come. I just know that stuff ain't the way it should be so I'll be a workin' like crazy to get things better for a long while. My school has went from chaos to almost organized, but without a class list 2 days before school starts, they's mass confusion among many of us. More funny stuff to come.

Chaos

Chaos is what you could call my life at this moment among so many things that are so calmly happening. I am fixin' to move for the 3rd time in 2 weeks to an upstairs appt. that is bigger. I am really glad to get out of this tiny little place. It is just enough room to exist. I must admit that this is my first thing to tackle. However, my classroom still has a plenty to keep me busy. They's still piles of books on the floor and I ain't made real plans for next week. I have a very general idea, which ain't what I need. I need to have a crystal clear idea of my lessons. Each and every day, they's so much going on. I can't focus on all that's going on.

Today was a work in the classroom day. I done my part, but trying to put together a whole school while setting up an new teacher with a new principal is not so easy. The teachers as a whole are amazing. I could not have asked for a better place to work. Of course, they's negative stuff here too, but it ain't blog material. Overall, it rocks. I guess there is another new teacher welcome party/potluck in the evening again. I'll be there with bells a ringin'. FOOD! I will certainly be excited to get through this weekend even with the extra day of semi-manditory work and working Sunday. I just don't think it's a way around it.

No Punches

Yes, I done started working out in a funny place. You have to understand that this place can no longer be used for certain things, but it has been decided that living in this building is okay. So, they's a few people who lives there and in the basement they's a weight room. I walk a short distance and lift either alone or with everwho wants. There is mold a growin' up the walls and it smells of somethin' not so good. I was informed today that it floods in the winter and the wall is coming in. So, I might could have to find me a place to get fat! (according to certain people)

I am not punched in the stomach like some funny people does back home. I am certainly happy to note that it won't be happening here. I remember when my stomach was bruised cuz I'm so fat. LOL! No, actually it is cuz I was stupid enough to let people punch me in the stomach. It still makes me laugh until I almost fall on the ground. K-dogg also makes me laugh about it whenever he mentions it.

So, I have to pull out the punches this week and get everything lined up in my classroom. They's so much more that needs done. For example, I ain't got a phone or a clock that works. So, them things need some work. Who knows what this week will bring. Berry picking is around the corner for Tuesday and moving to my final destination upstairs will also be interesting. I'll have a phone which makes me super happy. Cell phones might could come in October, but I ain't holding my breath.

The Right Place

I've went to right places and wrong places. You know, the type of places that makes you feel either good or bad as soon as you grace their doors. Each new place gives you a feeling of sorts. Ain't sure how to explain it. The sort of 'spirit' that the people give off or the feeling of feeling welcome. They's been many a time when I've felt like I was in the right place here in Alaska. Not too much yet has given me the feeling of wanting to just jet 'home'. However, for the last bit of time I've been thinking I've been blown away. I couldn't have planned this life. When I do plan, it don't work out.

I went to a church today that was unlike the one I went to last week. I was taken off guard. Remember that I went to Korea and never felt as if I was in the right place. Church was a building and one in which I felt like I was on a different planet. I couldn't have planned today. In fact, I tried to go to a different church and whoever picked me up took me to a different church than I had thought I was going to. I contacted someone online and they sent me back a email saying that someone would pick me up. No time was given. I just got into the car like I so often do in the Cold Hard Town. Feelings are fleeting, but I have confidence that this is where I'll spend a fair amount of time. One more element of life has fallen into place here. I've been a waitin' on a few things and here they are showing up in abundance.

I may feel differently here in a few days or weeks, but now that I have been showed Sirius on my TV, my computer times are filled with joy listening to my music. Things are splendid at worst today.

Alaskan Flagger

Today I took a free Alaskan roadside flagger class. I guess my friend works at a place where I help out so she was able to get me a $75 class. I took it and it was certainly strange. I won't get into too many details, but let's say that it was different. Only in Alaska type situations everywhere. Anyway, they gonna put in a new road or two next year up here and if they pay what I hear, I'll be a doin' that in the summer. We'll see how that goes. I can just see myself a standin' there when flagging a road when a moose comes wandering past and scares the shit out of me. LOL!

Silver and Sliver

Well I decided to really write a blog is crazy AE just for you, rather than typical stuff that I think, say and write. I feel as if there's a sliver in my hand that bothers me just a little when you mock. So here goes it.

They's a plenty of stuff goin' on. First, my classroom is mighty messy. I goed there on my day off and worked myself plumb crazy. They's so many books that needs sorted and they's so much stuff to figure out. I hain't able to organize it fast enough. My friends went to huntin' mooses this weekend. I wadn't able to go, but I set out to thinkin' that I'll be able to go for Labor Day. I'm a scared that we'll get us a moose cuz it is right difficult to bring 'em back to town and process 'em. Tonight I goed to a co-worker's house and cut up so many fishes. They's so many. With 10ish people it still took us about 1 1/2 hour to seal and label all that fish. WOW! My hands is stinkin' somethin' terrible. I guess we'z a gonna go out and take care of then nets that we done set in the morn'.

Now, are you people happy. I wrote something so nuts. Here's what's really a goin' on. I worked in my classroom all day a movin' stuff here and there. It was nutty. The entire school was empty just a few days ago for a remodel, so everything was brung into my classroom recently. All the technology and books and desks and everything else was just chaos until I went there and worked the last 2 days. It is far from ready at this point, but it's getting better every hour I spend. I have loads of books and book sets to look through and figure out what's going on for each of my preps. It sucks at this point, but I think it is going to get better soon.

We set the nets last night on the beach. The tide come's a rollin' in and the fish swim right into the nets. Then when the tide rolls out we go and pick through the nets. We got 25 silver salmon and split it among the new teachers. We reset the nets to get more overnight. It is a lot of work, but splitting the work among all of us is fun. I'd hate to do it all alone. So, for the most part I just go and get my food when I'm hungry. LOL! No, I went to a co-worker's house and she made me some food. It was my favorite Big Boy special. LOL! Now, I'm in my tiny room a thinkin' about when I will be in a reasonable room. I got to wake up in the morning and go pull in the nets again. Friday and Monday are days off, so I'll try and finish up as much this weekend as possible on my crazy classroom. Ain't even thought about the lesson plans.

A Berry or Two

So, I've made it through right close to one week here in the Cold Hard Town. It ain't bad so far. I'm in my class but I ain't sure what's a goin' on with it or in it. I got things in my class at the floor that ain't mine mixed with stuff that is. Who knows? Time off the next few weeks is gonna give me some time to work things out.

Yesterday I went out a bit and did a bit of berry picking. It was awesome! Never thought that I'd say that! Today the first thing I done was separate the berries that I picked and got online. It was so slow even with two computers this afternoon, but this morning it was a movin' along just fine. Ain't sure what makes a difference. It still makes me laugh that I have 2 computers side by side and I hear that they's others that do the same thing. Interesting. Tonight I'll go a pickin' wild berries again and get ready for my 'work day' at work. I have to get things squared away in my classroom and have a good idea what I'll be a doin in terms of classwork. I can't move in too much to my inn cuz I'll be moving again soon.

So, now that my life's starting to seem more normal they's a gonna be some more changes 'round the bend. Let's see what they are.

Church and Randomness

I got up today and turned on some hillbilly gospel music. I ain't fond of the box, but they's a cd/dvd player that does the trick of the morning. I listened a bit and then a friend come and got me and drove me to church. She decided to not go in which was okay, so she dropped me off and I got a ride back from a couple who also teaches at the school. I growed up in a Lutheran church so I thought that I was just goin to church as usual. Well, I was greeted by some older lady with an interesting something on that looks like something we'd see on the Catholic channel at home. I guess she's the pastor. Um.. Then I sit down and she preached about some old songs and we sung those songs. I had no idea when to stand or sit or repeat random stuff. Then came communion. I just sit there again. I hadn't a clue what was going on and since I don't think that Jesus truly transfigures hisself inside my stomach, I thought that it might be disrespectful to 'take of His body and blood'. I ate some sheep stew after the service. We just stood around the back of the sanctuary and ate. Interesting. I'll be a lookin' for a new place to go, but it wasn't bad. I may visit. The people was nice and all, but it just wadn't my thing.

I then rode back to those people's house and was given a dead salmon. Some lady just give it to me on a plastic bag and I took it and said thank you. However, I give it back and told her that I hadn't a clue what to do with it. I was entertained with a machine that makes pop with water and syrup. Then I eat me some dried smoked salmon which was pretty good. I was unable to go a pickin' wild berries cuz I had planned to go eat dinner with some of the teachers. We eat steak and it was super good. We played a train board game that I thought was a gonna be lame but it turned out to be good. I stopped by the harbor at low tide to see it since the sun was still out a bit. I dread the dark winters, but hey... that comes with the territory.

Now... here I sit at my computer in my tiny room with bags spread around my room. We have district in services in the morning. So, I ain't too sure what school will be like. I will only give you'uns good details of course.

The Cold Hard Town

Well, I'm here. There's so much to say that it ain't possible to post about everything to explain clearly what's been a goin on. I guess I'll break it up into parts and then you can start to understanding what's happening. From the start of this trip until now, I can't possibly figure out everything has actually happened to me. Good and bad. However, many details will not be expressed here as blogs are not appropriate for such issues. LOL!

Well, I got in two nights ago. First of all the airport in Detroit thru here is a trip. Notice the name of the city won't be mentioned. LOL! Just call it a cold hard place from now on, as the cold hard place is a gonna be right cold soon. The brakes on my plane were very much not in good condition over in Detroit. I remember sitting there just a thinkin', "Is this guy really gonna take off." We sit there for 2 hours until they fixed the brakes. It was not pleasant. There was a very big woman next to me with fat woman stench. I ain't sure how else to express it. So, I missed my connection to Denver. They put me up in the Crown Royale Hotel. It was just okay. I had 4 hours of sort of sleep. I was terrified that I was gonna miss my flight in the morning. I made it to the flight and had to add another stop onto my trip. So I went through Washington state and then on to Anchorage were I got to waitin. I checked in at the counter and was told to sit and wait. They said my bags was gonna be in the cold hard city. When they was boarding, I went up to the gate and they seen my ticket and said that it wadn't what they wanted or something. They asked me to step aside and they then told them to close the door on me. I had to go back up and update something on my ticket and wait 2 more hours. Not good. I flew out on the next flight that was also delayed. Then I arrived in the cold hard city where someone took me to where I stayed the night. At the airport was super funny. It is very very small and a Chinese lady randomly got off at the wrong stop and they almost took off without her. I felt bad, but it was still mighty funny.

The first day of work was the next morning. They's just new people there, so it was interesting. I hadn't done much sleeping compared to the 30 or so hours I was up or barely sleeping. It wadn't enough. I sit there all day and tried to soak it up. Then I went on a tour of the town. The banks just up the road and so is the town for that matter. They ain't much here. However, it ain't too small at the same time. The only thing that really really sucks here is the price of food. I can't believe it each time I think of it. Try $16 for 1/2 of a watermelon and $18 bucks for a pair of work gloves and $30 for a carry out Chinese. WTF? So, if you don't buy stuff here, it seems fine. However, if you do you are SOL. The Internet is right close to slow, but it still ain't that bad. I have a computer from work so until I get mine, I'll use this'n. I druther use my own. Anyways, that's a summary of some of the random stuff. Other stuff is better said in person. Y'uns know that I like to tell stories. LOL

A co-worker took me 'round town and to her house where she give me some stew. I didn't ask what type of meat it was. She's from Palin's home town. LOL! After that she took me to her friend's house. Hard to say!! More on them to come. I got home at 9 and all of my stuff had done been moved into a TINY room. I barely can fit on the bed. I'll be here til the end of the month and then to another room at this 'inn'. Today I woke up and randomly took a tour of the rest of my choices here in the 'inn' and settled on one. I met a new teacher who lived upstream in a village of 500. He come in on a boat last night and he said he seen a ton of beluga whales in the bay. Sounds cool. He invited me to go back to his village on Labor Day and hunt and fish. He said the village is super cool but down as 2 people have killed theirselves in the last few months. Who knows how that will go.

Now, I'm in my room surfing on the Web thinkin' about what's next. I might go down to a potluck at the ball field or wander down into town. The sun's a shinin' so I don't wanna waste today. It was raining the last 2 days. I do have an address now. If you wanna know it, just email me. I'd be happy to let you know what it is.

Conversation

I picked up a 'document' from WC3 today that was left there for the teachers to share with their students. It was all about people skills. I was annoyed at it in general so I picked it up and read it. You might ask why I care. Well... I love conversation so I thought that it might be interesting. Instead it was mighty lame.

Here is what was suggested:
1. Never interrupt: (studys of conversations prove that a good conversation always has overlapping communication, aka. 2 or more people talking at one time)
2. Confidential information: (I guess you should not share your SSN, but this really isn't common anyway.
3. Your health: If you can't talk about your health with your friends, what's the point of the friendship. How can people pray for you or help you if you don't talk about it?
4. Other people's health: If the other person has already brung it up..., what's the big deal?
5. Controversial subjects: This one killed me. Everything is controversial. These are the things that allow you to get to know the other person anyway. Why avoid them if you are really interested in having a good conversation? It is funny how the 'diversity club' does not want diversity of views just acceptance of the PC norm. LOL
6. How much things cost: Again, what's the big deal. If your friend got a good deal, you should be happy for them. I like deals! If they got ripped off the person should know about it and without conversation, this will never be known. Totally not important one way or the other.
7. Personal misfortunes: As long as it isn't a bunch of complaining, a story or two of this sort is always funny in a converstaion. Everyone likes to hear stories about bad/strange things that happened to their friends as long as nobody got hurt.
8. The final two I agree with. Stories in questionable taste and harmful gossip ain't really cool. I totally agree with these.

So all in all, my school wants conversations to be about nothing important. It is just a sad reminder of how society wants people to become more and more distant. Without sharing what's really going on in our lives, more and more people will feel left out and depressed.

I Liked to Forget

Some days just are so cool for so many reasons. I had a super sweet day yesterday. First I helped my friend move a fouton and then I went to a little restaurant and ate the most wonderfulest of sandwiches. I guess my friend was sleeping on the floor which must have been horrible. I couldn't imagine not sleeping on at least a mat. When I was living in a tent I still had a mat. Sleeping is one of the best things ever created.

Yeah, I also went to the doctor for the first time in about 3 years. He had nothing to say other than everything was fine. I sort of knew that, but on the other hand it ain't like he really looked for anything wrong. It was a super dumb clinic where I paid the least possible to get a real doctor to sign a sheet saying that I was okay to teach. I'm sure that the limited horrible health care that Bomber is a lookin' to 'give us' is gonna be at least as bad. LOL

While in Ann Arbor we seen this guy holding a sign as we pulled off the freeway. I was thinking, "instead of holding a sign for money, go work". It was sort of a jerk thing to think, but then I actually read the sign. It said, "ALL OF US HAS STARS AND STRIPES, BUT ONLY DOLLY PARTON CAN MAKE US RAISE OUR FLAG POLES". I almost crashed while laughing. We dropped off the fouton and went downtown. Fun times. I got a 8 dollar caramel apple which was stupid, but among the best buys I ever made. While walking around the city we passed a group of Quebeckers which also made my day. I decided to randomly say something in French with a Quebecker accent which stunned them. The look on their faces was priceless. We went to the library and I checked my e-mail and realized that I forgot to go to work. I couldn't never make that up. I never have forgot to go to work in all of my life. I was so mad at myself and then I realized that it don't make one bit of difference. I picked the best day in the world to forget to go to work. I guess I shouldn't have thought that the bum shouldn't went to work rather than holding a sign. LOL

Time's a Tickin!

I can't keep everything in order that needs done before I go. I try to see everyone and buy everything and fill out this and that paper and every other thing. Time is passing so fast before I have to go. I am sure that most everything will not get done when I get to Alaska. I have no idea what I'm taking or what I'm leaving. Am I taking this or that cd? I know that I can't do everything that should be done. Obligations are sometimes dumb. For example, I have to do things that are very boring/annoying just to keep certain family members happy. I know that when I get right close to the very last days here in Michigan other things will pop up which will push back packing. I will forget stuff and whatever and in the end I'll be there a livin' large. LOL! Not really.

Um... This Makes No Sense!

They's been a few thing's that have been going on that get on my nerves. First, my appartment in Alaska has been so messed up. I guess there was some sort of handover of the building in June. I give them my deposit which ended up not being a normal thing to do. I had no idea, but the guy who took my money charged me the maximum amount for any unit at that complex without asking questions about my needs. He took to runnin' with my money clear across town. Keep in mind that he's about 2 miles from where he once run the business. Now he's doing something else. This guy and his girlfriend have been in town for 1 year and have done went through a bunch of deals with a bunch of townspeople. He offered me a new place a mile from school for $1,100. How funny is that? I had no idea which to take since the current owner first told me that I'd have to get the money from the original guy. The school advised me to stay where I was planning on staying. It is so hard to navigate through small town politics! LOL! Regardless, I'm a gonna get my money back and that's all that matters at this point.

Secondly, my student from last semester is claiming that he/she deserves a B. However, he/she got an E. They's no doubt about it. He/she refused to take the oral part of the French final and never once passed a test. I guess it's the culture requires handouts is what gets on my nerves so much. This student clearly ain't learned much and certainly don't deserve a B. Why not ask for a D- at the most. Mabye I'd feel sorry for the humble student. When you ain't passed a single test, one could argue that you could only fail. I bet they will side with him/her cuz that's how the big "D" rolls. LOL!

How funny is it that Obamer took back his comments about the police officer acting 'stupidly' when the police officer arrested the 'civil rights' activist? If you are breaking into a house and refuse to show ID, you'd better expect to say more than, "You don't know who I am." No wonder he was arrested. Today, Bomber took back his comments when he realized how STUPID he was. I believe that he took back the comments that he flippantly spoke. Those are his true feelings, but those are not accepted by the majority of Americans. In the process we got another insight into his true belief system. Maybe he'll make fun of cognitively impaired people again too. Who knows what types of bluders he's a gonna do!!?

A Quick Look at the News

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1429265720090714?rpc=77
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a4.kYDWV9erc
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1199714/A-9-month-wait-arthritis-treatment-Delay-mean-lifetime-agony-victims.html
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D99F2JU80&show_article=1


There is just so much going on in this country. I am starting to not identify with what this country is doing. We are taking from people who have accomplished great things and giving to lazy people and those who do not work hard. Then the health care service or care that hard working people get will be below what they have worked for in order to provide for themselves. We are supposed to give freely WITHOUT being forced.

Why does 'Bomber' want to control/have all of the houses in America that are not being paid for and force the former owners to pay the government rent. What the hell is that? I am so angry. He done stole most of the banking industry, owns much of GM and now he wants our houses. What a nut job. He ain't a givin' crap. No, he is going to steal from the rich to pay for shit-pot health care without choices. Grandma won't get her care and she'll be told that she ain't worth it. Just take a pain pill. What?????? I no longer feel the need to pretend that I'm indifferent. I hate what is happening in this country.

Thirdly, this wonderful woman being appointed to the highest court in the land is a sham. She can't even say if she thinks killing a baby is okay or not. Is that above her pay grade. It seems like 'Bomber' can pick 'em. Those who are rich and not payed their taxes and idiots who ain't even got a clue about human life. I am proud that this woman has been able to become what she has become. However, if she got there by getting extra bonus points on a test cuz she ain't white, it is alll crap. Who cares that she was poor? Who cares her parents were immigrants? Nearly everyone in the USA once had family who came from somewhere else!! Arrr. This country is soon going to be much worse. Just tax and spend and take from the rich. After all, they are the problem because they have shown success. They make the jobs, so take away their money so they can't make any. That makes sense!

Hunger

For all of the people that knows me, you know that I love food. I plan it and think about it way more than a person ought to. There's kinds I like and kinds I don't. Sometimes I overdo food to the point that it gets in the way of life. Show me a $15 dollar shirt that I can wear for years and a $15 dollar plate of food and I will most often take the food. It's the things in life that we hunger for that sometimes don't make us content. Eat that big ole' steak and taters and you'll be sure to feel sick for an hour or two. I look forward to the day when I have young'ns a runnin' the halls and when I have a tiny house someplace. I have to question if them things are what's important. I strive for new and better everything all of the time. I take the food rather than the shirt all of the time.

I've hungered for sleep the last couple nights. I lay there and turn this way and that. I'm not sure why I haven't been able to sleep, but it sure is annoying. The clock strikes 4am just as I start to slippin' off to sleep. I have much to do before I go to Alaska. I am right ready to go. It just makes me sick how much stupid crap they make you do in order to wrap up a hiring process. I'll be doing all this crap for weeks to come. Arrr. Could it be that I run until almost 1:15 in the morning with 10 random people that I couldn't sleep. Up and down random appartment complex roads and in circles. Good times, but random!! When I got home, I couldn't sleep.

Who We Are & What We Do

I guess I have a hard time to figure out why those around me define others by what they do rather than who they are. I can't understand why someone's job is so important. I guess if someone's interests and talents are considered 'cool' to someone, it might lead them to think that a person is 'cool' based on their job. I don't think of myself as a teacher and would prefer others do the same. I force my college students to call me Ray cuz it is weird for me to have someone call me Mr. anything. I do not allow my job to define anything about me. I like stuff and it led me towards a job and that's cool. However, a job ain't me. I am me.

Therefore, I don't understand why the hell people are so crazy about Mr. Jackson. He is being praised as if he was God or something. His job as a singer did not make him a person. Let's face it...., he was an odd dude with serious issues. No one cared 1 week ago. Now that he is dead, everyone seems to 'feel bad' and everwhat else they can come up with to say in order to praise him. It is awesome to appreciate his talents and his music. Fine enough! I don't like it, but more power to you if you do. However, it is not him. He was a freak in many respects who gained the world, but lost everything in the process. His life makes me realize how little of importance money is fame are. It ain't even considered shit to me. I just don't want to live a crazy life like that and see no reason why a sane person would.

I never want what I do to define who I am. If I serve donuts, fish, lead a Bible study, run, teach or whatever, it ain't me. I also find it hard to believe that people look at others and judge them by their job. It is a job and they are working. That is cool all alone. They might like their job cleaning bathrooms. A jerk told me that I was never going to amount to anything at Tim Horton's cuz I had worked there for 10 years. What? How could you say that someone is worthless cuz of where they work? Just sayin...., jobs don't make people!

Many Things

I have thought many a thing in the last week that could have been a post worthy, but today I'll try and fit a few of them into one post. You know...., politics, religion and fun times is the best!

I can certainly believe that North Korea is about to do something dumb. Send a rocket our way and we'll wipe you off the face of the planet. The only problem with that is tons of people will certainly die and I'm sure that other groups will join in. Don't forget that Iran is a waitin' to rage too. You got the educated people and young people showing that living without freedom is against their idea of a good life. Lots of people hate Isreal there, so hey..., seems like a combo of bad stuff getting itself into a nice little line. I can't help but think that times are getting to be worse and worse. Forget the jobless rate in the states. People have been convinced that they need the One to provide for them. He can pay house payments and even give health care for everyone. I can see the praise and worship a rollin' in now. Arrr.... I guess if you kill people before they are borned, you ain't got to provide for them!

When I was a drivin' down the road the other day I seen a bug holding on for dear life on my window. I was going something like 45 mph when he finally fell off and done whatever. I wonder if he died. Who knows? I just kept looking over to see if he was still there. I sorta felt bad for the little guy for some reason. I guess I should have killed him like the One did to that fly. PETA would certainly like to write me a letter. LOL!

I'm so excited that my weekend class got cut in July. I was not too happy that I was gonna have to miss church for the last few weeks that I was going to be in Detroit before moving to Alaska. I'm totally goin' camping for a weekend and would love to fit in any amount of fun times on the weekends. I feel as if I'm on vacation only working 4 days a week. I ain't done that since high school. FUN TIMES!

The Cage

My mom has been asking for a dog for about six months. You have to understand that she flipped her shit about two years ago, so anything that might bring germs isn't the best of ideas. I said that I wouldn't get one for her, but I I finally did. We went to the pet store and got us a little puppy. He rocks. I generally hate dogs. However, this'n is sweet. He can hardly walk and he sounds more like a rabbit than a dog. Before I bought the puppy I got him a cage. I never thought that buying this stupid cage would cause me so much thought.

The little guy has to take him a pee about every 2 or 3 hours. He just ain't that big, so he can't hold hisself long. So me or my mom brings him outside to do his stuff and he mostly just jumps on us or 'runs' after us until he forgets that he is supposed to be taking a pee. While he is in the cage, he wants to pee. However, when he gets outside he'd rather play and forgets to pee. As soon as he stops playing, he takes a little leak.

I hate putting him in his cage. I feel so bad for him. He whines like a hurt pup. I do not like to hear him fuss and moan but leaving him out of his cage allows him to chew on tables and pee at everwhich place he wants. So, he'd probably hurt hisself and turd everywhere. So it helps him and us that he's in his cage when we are not at home. However, he hates it while it is happening. I went to thinkin' that sometimes life is like a cage. We don't even know what is out there that will hurt us, but those around us can see it from a mile away. It irks us that others tell us that certain things are not good for us, but we are blind to it. We want out of the cage of protection, but the grass is certainly not greener on the other side. I remember when I was a teen my family would warn me of stuff that I should not do. I done as I seen fit, then I paid for the consequences then or 5 years after. Our perspectives are always just as wide as our experiences and they ain't much compared to all of the knowledge in the universe.

Sweet Pictures

http://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q=Dillingham+alaska

Search this title and you can see all types of sweet pictures of my future home. Some teacher took these pictures when he was there. I wonder if he is still there. I guess lots of people traver to this spot to take some sweet pictures, hunt and fish. I suppose that I'm a gonna know each and every one of the 2,500 people after a few months. I will likely work with half of them in some way, so that leaves just the other half for me to find and get to know.

8 Years Ago

Eight years ago, I was certainly at a different place in life. I know that everybody was also at a different place in life. I been a thinkin' about all this and all of that. I guess what's crazy is that I could have never predicted what I would have done. 8 years ago was different. I thought different about nearly everything. I wonder if I'll think differently in 8 more years. You might could ask....., "Why is 8 so important today?"

Last Wednesday I went to a church gathering at a pretty huge church with a friend. I mostly like it besides the fact that during prayer they mumble in some unknown language in my ear. Not really, but it sounds like a low rolling mess of random sounds. I guess everyone speaks a different language when they get into it. I put up with it since it only lasts about 4 minutes out of the entire time I'm there. 8 years ago, I would have never enjoyed it based on the 4 minutes of lameness.

After the group, I decided to go down and see the youth area with my friend just for laughs. It was funny to see hundreds of funny kids running around doing random stuff. They had tons of different stuff for them to do. I guess it is possible when you have a huge building with lots of kids and lots of adults to lead stuff to get cool stuff going for the kids. 8 years ago, I would have called it chaos, but today I just trust that God is in control of the randomness that I seen.

I walked into the skate area and some guy came up to me and shook my name as if he knew me. To be honest, I hadn't a clue who he was. Finally he said, "You don't even know who I am!" What is funny is I didn't until I heard his voice. I am better at remembering people's voice than their face or whatever. Luckily he give me a second to process and I was like, "Yeah, I know you. I used to talk to you about God at the gym." Some of you may remember a long time ago when I used to tell you about when people would ask me questions out to the blue about Jesus. Well, this guy was pretty curious about Jesus. Actually I was a bit annoyed when he would talk to me. I felt obligated to talk to him because it was what I thought I was supposed to do. That was 8 years ago. We must have talked for 4 or 5 hours total over a long period of time. Since then he has decided to follow Jesus and he leads the skate ministry. 8 years ago I would have never dreamt that it would happen. I was shocked that he wasn't just attending but leading 8 years after our last conversation. I guess the moral of the story you never know what a conversation is going to lead to 8 years in the future. 8 years ago I never had perspective on that sort of stuff.

Fun or Lame

Why do I see things as A or B? An idea is lame or awesome and I see no central ground. For example, hillbilly music is just great while some other kinds are just like a turd dropped from a bird and landed on my head. Music that I sorta like is mostly bad with just a hint of something good. I feel the same way about TV and movies.

I also feel this way about certain people. However, these people will be great one day and then dumb the next. People are never in between either. I either think, heck yes! or hell no! to the idea of spending an extended period of time with whoever. I need to traver to the center a bit on stuff. Some things may not be discussed. I am pro-life and killing a baby is never okay. Sorry on that one.

Store Crap

I've had a stupid experience with amazon.com. I suppose that since it says in fine print that I can't complain until the 22nd of May about the order that I placed 2 weeks ago, I should not write this. But.... why does it take so long to get a stupid book. Besides, I was dumb and give them 10ish dollars for the same book that others in my small group paid $5 for. Arrr. I wonder if I'll get this book in time to use it at all for the small group. It is quite the awesome small group. It ain't really small with 20ish people that's been coming. Anyway, it is sweet.

My crazy mom has decided that she needs a shed to store her crap. Why does she need this thing? It allows her to accumulate more stuff that she don't need. She has decided to call people to lay the foundation or everwhat needs to be done to get one. Storing stuff is useless unless you use it. (funny sentence)

I also want to go to buy my stuff for Alaska. I want super sweet balled out cold weather gear. I guess that they approved my contract, so that rocks. Perhaps, I'm gonna get me a snowsuit unlike all others and take me out a walkin just to find out that my snowsuit ain't what I thought it was. I will die from the cold when I walk outside of the nights all alone. No, a pack of wolfs might surround me and eat me. I heard from Zombie that a walrus might stick its tusk into my head and kill me. Who knows what might happen. It will indeed be sweet.