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.