Good Things Come In Threes

Blast From The Past
This one goes out to childhood memories. My students love hearing stories about my life. I often edit them to some extent. Usually I will tell one or two stories a day, depending on how much we need to get done. It's a nice calming down activity. As I was telling my ma earlier this week, my earliest memory of my entire life came at the hands of my sister. It happened something like this, author's liberties taken.

"It was a quiet spring day. The sun was shining bright on the old stucco house in the rural town of Frazee. Birds chirping the arrival spring, squirrels carousing for the early treasure of nuts, and motorcycles whizzing by in the spirit of the coming summer. In a nearby house a young toddler and his sister were anxiously awaiting the new season.

Now the younger of the two was cautiously searching for a way to impress his elder sibling. Wheeling around in his four wheel wagon he enjoyed the thrill of spinning against the wind and gaining his grips against the perilous momentum. The more dominant of the two decided it was not in the young one's fortunes to stay in the wagon and thus took a belt/rope, put it around his upper chest, and drug him around without the aid of the wagon. Herein lies the problem... no wagon, no protection from carpet burns."

It's not a great or typically memorable memory, but it is one that sticks with me for a certain reason.

This is my earliest memory, ever. It's not meant to be a burn/dig against said older sibling (Elizabeth), but more a thankfulness to her. I could not be where I am without her. She did so much to make the tough SOB I am, yet keeping a compassionate heart.

The lesson I teach to my students after this story (which I try to every time after my stories) is that even though something may hurt like hell, in the end it will make you a stronger person.

Word Of The Week
Kass'aq - Cuss-Uq - White Person
Mr. Young is a kass'aq who speaks kassatun (English) While in Hawaii I was a "howlie" now I'm a kass'aq. I like kass'aq much better. It can be used it a demeaning way, but most of the time it's not. Howlie was literally translated as "White Intruder". It would be used in such phrases as, "Get off my island you effin howlie." I'm reading this great book about my principal's father where he mentions the kass'aq and the impact they made (both good and bad) on his life. It's an incredible book, I'm going to try to sneak it out of here so I can share it with ya'll when I get back.

Weather in Bethel
Well I'm laying in bed- the walls feel cold and it sounds windy. How's that for a weather report? Actually let me google this real quick. Ok - 15, sunny, windy. To me this is about the perfect time here. I played basketball for a while yesterday in 25 degree temps. With the recent snow melt there are no snow machines whizzing by and it has become a very peaceful place. I am going for a long walk up to Tundra Ridge today and am just trying to find the motivation to get out of bed (long poker game last night).

The days are getting long. Sunlight when I wake up, sunshine when I go to bed. I think it's up around 6:30 and down around 10:30. This might get brutal.

Heartbeat Alaska
I realized this week how similar Alaska seems to be to Minnesota. On the same day Minnesota got socked with the huge snowfall, Anchorage got the same. 24 inches in most of the city. Like Minnesota I'm sure, they had the snow plows put away. The snow started coming down in the morning and it wasn't until 7:00 pm that they got the plows out. It seems peculiar that someone couldn't forecast this whopper of a storm coming, or even figure it would be 12 inches and that they should maybe get the plows ready. Also in news related to Minnesota, they are attempting to enact a law against abortion, similar to the attempts of South Dakota's pro-lifers. Lawmakers tried to add it to the special session they have coming up to discuss the natural gas line, but Palin wouldn't go for it. And lastly, the first mauling of the year. Doesn't really have a similarities to Minnesota, but any time someone gets their head gnawed on in a place that I am attempting to move to it makes me stop and think... this is going to be awesome!

Wanted
Well, last week I wanted a job. Didn't get it. I got a call from a private school in Anchorage. I haven't called them back. I don't think I could bring myself to work for a private school after so many years of rooting against them and their recruting in the Minnesota State Basketball Tournament. I have a feeling it will be nearing the end of May before I know where I will be next year. I'm pretty comfortable with that. I know wherever I am will be the right place for me.

What I want this week is what has come to be one of my favorite meals of all time. Our Christmas meal this last year was steak, salad, potatoes, and an incredible red wine. Sounds simple, but all put together like it was made it a meal I have been craving for quite some time. I have a box of wine here, but it's just not the same as having the bottle right at the table with you. Enough... I can't write about it. I am craving it too bad.

Finally... A Quiz
What do most of the the people here prefer to be called?
a. Yupiks - As in, "The Yupiks speak Yupik."
b. Eskimos- As in, "My Auntie Janet thinks all the eskimos live in igloos."
c. Indians- As in, "The Indians crossed the Bering Sea and ended up in the Y-K Delta."
d. Natives- As in, "The Natives are proud of their heritage."

Good luck, and as always, past winners must wait til Tuesday to vote.