Well, as some of you already know, I made it to Rochester. In fairly decent shape too (though that quickly changed). It was a really long plane ride. I wasn't able to sleep at all thanks to the one-and-a-half seat guy on one side of me and the head-cheese-eating, mouth breathing, laughing-out-loud-at-Ratatoullie joker on the other side of me.
Got to town, went over to Mom's and hung out. Grabbed a whole hour of sleep. Checked into the hotel, showered and went to the Sports Page. Well, we have a mixed audience here so I'll just say that fun was had by all. Though it sure didn't take me long to fall off the wagon. I ate more carbs last night than I have in 3 weeks combined. I wasn't here for 12 freakin hours before I had my first plate. And I paid for it today at the gym.
So with a lack of sleep and a long night under my belt, I didn't wake up until after noon. Which is fine. Made the mistake of checking my e-mail. I have all these students freaking out over their grades so they're trying to turn in late work or negotiate (in the form of whining). Then there's the e-mail from a parent that my boss forwarded to me complaining about what I've been teaching. So I responded to my boss and let him decide whether to send it to the guy.
It would seem that I'm trying to indoctrinate his son. Into what I'm not sure, but I supposedly have an agenda. I guess I do... I'm trying to make his son think. Bad, Dave! Bad Dave!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The KCS Christmas Fandango
Warning: There will sports talk in this post! You may want to wear your cup while reading this.
So today was the Kihei Charter School holiday get-together. As I said before it was a softball bash. I'll consider it a success seeing as I (nor anyone else) didn't get hurt).
Actually, it was pretty cool. There wasn't enough people to go a full 9-on-9 game, but it was fun. Think of it as a PE class with beer. Before everyone was there a few of us hung out and took infield. Here's the deal: my achilles tendon actually held up well. I needed a little ice when I got home but it's way better than a few months ago. My arm is OK. The elbow's a little tender, but it was really nothing. I can make infield throws pretty well, but I can't air out anything from the outfield...yet.
The "game" was fun. It was like a PE class. One of the teachers from the high school showed up with eye black on and cletes (which fell apart and he needed tape from my bag to keep them from falling off his feet), but overall, it was just people getting together to mess around. I was told that I made the "play of the day". A slow roller that I barehanded and threw someone out. Aw shucks. I got on base every at bat but couldn't hit anything in the air. Nothing but groundballs. It was nice.
Afterwards we hung out, ate & drank. Talked about everything under the sun (or rain clouds as eventually showed up). At the end I even got to talk a little shop with the director. I didn't plan on it, but I think someone else opened the door and I busted it open.
I brought up the sign language thing (see previous post). I hadn't planned on it, but it just happened. I made sure to tell Mark that I realized that the lead teacher wasn't that up on it and that it looks like that I'm doing an "end around"...which I guess technically I was. But Mark loved the idea and it may end up happening that I get to teach it on a daily basis. I'm just going to have to make this happen very diplomatically. I didn't mean to do it this way. That's just another reason I don't normally drink while I play ball.
So it started to rain a little at the end and that's what gave everyone the excuse to call it a day, which was fine. It would have been cooler if Renee & Peggy were there (two of my co-workers), but it was a good day.
One more little anecdote. Just an example of how bad I am at small talk. I noticed that through out the day, people asked me questions and it seemed pretty natural. You know, stuff like "what are you doing for the holidays?" Relatively lame stuff like that.
Well, at today's shindig a friend of one of the teachers was there. She was a marine biologist from Ireland. She played softball, even though she had no clue what do to (I think she had 3 hits). So while we were hanging out I just started asking her questions...you know..."how long are you here?" etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. But it all seemed so awkward like I had Asperger's Sydrome. At least I wasn't a close-talker.
And I never needed my cup.
So today was the Kihei Charter School holiday get-together. As I said before it was a softball bash. I'll consider it a success seeing as I (nor anyone else) didn't get hurt).
Actually, it was pretty cool. There wasn't enough people to go a full 9-on-9 game, but it was fun. Think of it as a PE class with beer. Before everyone was there a few of us hung out and took infield. Here's the deal: my achilles tendon actually held up well. I needed a little ice when I got home but it's way better than a few months ago. My arm is OK. The elbow's a little tender, but it was really nothing. I can make infield throws pretty well, but I can't air out anything from the outfield...yet.
The "game" was fun. It was like a PE class. One of the teachers from the high school showed up with eye black on and cletes (which fell apart and he needed tape from my bag to keep them from falling off his feet), but overall, it was just people getting together to mess around. I was told that I made the "play of the day". A slow roller that I barehanded and threw someone out. Aw shucks. I got on base every at bat but couldn't hit anything in the air. Nothing but groundballs. It was nice.
Afterwards we hung out, ate & drank. Talked about everything under the sun (or rain clouds as eventually showed up). At the end I even got to talk a little shop with the director. I didn't plan on it, but I think someone else opened the door and I busted it open.
I brought up the sign language thing (see previous post). I hadn't planned on it, but it just happened. I made sure to tell Mark that I realized that the lead teacher wasn't that up on it and that it looks like that I'm doing an "end around"...which I guess technically I was. But Mark loved the idea and it may end up happening that I get to teach it on a daily basis. I'm just going to have to make this happen very diplomatically. I didn't mean to do it this way. That's just another reason I don't normally drink while I play ball.
So it started to rain a little at the end and that's what gave everyone the excuse to call it a day, which was fine. It would have been cooler if Renee & Peggy were there (two of my co-workers), but it was a good day.
One more little anecdote. Just an example of how bad I am at small talk. I noticed that through out the day, people asked me questions and it seemed pretty natural. You know, stuff like "what are you doing for the holidays?" Relatively lame stuff like that.
Well, at today's shindig a friend of one of the teachers was there. She was a marine biologist from Ireland. She played softball, even though she had no clue what do to (I think she had 3 hits). So while we were hanging out I just started asking her questions...you know..."how long are you here?" etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. But it all seemed so awkward like I had Asperger's Sydrome. At least I wasn't a close-talker.
And I never needed my cup.
Let's Get Ready to Rummmmmmmbullllll!!!!!
Well, yesterday was interesting.
More of the usual at school. Kids a little goofy and the adults having not much to come back with. More on that another time.
School's over and (were supposed to) have an afternoon to plan, but we had a meeting with a kid and parent. It was...uh...time of my life I'll never get back. When they were gone I made the suggestion that our kids would get a lot out of me teaching sign language a couple hours a week. They can't spell, need something more kinestetic and are getting no foreign languages. That idea seemed to go over like a lead balloon, at least for the lead teacher. More on that another time as well.
That night was our kids' school play. They were doing a play followed by the high schoolers doing one. Fortunately they were not holiday themed. So a couple of my co-workers and I went out for dinner then to the play. It was a pretty typical school play - we couldn't hear what any of the actors were saying because they didn't project their voices, but they had a good time. And I saw some potential stuff to use at school. Not a single high school teacher went. It was conspicuous.
After the show I went home. As soon as I got in I got a text from Jill. I ended up meeting her at Charlie's in Paia. Now if you've been listening to the show you've heard Jill talking about the infamous bar fights there. I had been there a few times and just wasn't picturing it...little did I know. [Oh, and if you're not listening to the show, what's wrong with you?]
So the night went well, there was some overpriced jam band from the mainland. The place was pretty full and it was a good night for people-watching. I met a few interesting people through Jill including this one young couple who as we talked to them I felt my brain getting smoother and smoother. And then there was gay, drunk and legally blind guy. He was so funny, we decided to use that as our MySpace headline.
It's coming up to the end of the evening. I literally had my last sip of beer ready to go when Jill said something like "Here we go." Behind me, this pretty big-ass fight started. It wasn't posturing. There were huge punches being thrown, more and more people started to get involved in it and the range of the fight swelled to take up more and more of the room - like ripples in a pond. People are backing up, trying to find a way out of the place. Then I saw bar stools starting to get swung. It wasn't cool anymore. I followed a few people out the emergency exit and noticed that it had already spilled out into the parking lot. So I waited for a few minutes, Jill caught up with me then we weaved our way out of there. I walked with her to her truck then was about to go back to my car, which was right where the fight had spilled out onto the street. I was thinking that it was going to suck if some asshole started bleeding all over my fly-ass Ford Focus.
As I started walking back I saw our little brainsmoothers walking on the other side of the street. They kind of looked like they were homeless or looking for a way to get home. Uh, no thank you, Gandalf. I wasn't looking for any more adventures. I got to the car and instead of the fight my car was surrounded by 7 cop cars. So I carefully got into my car and went home.
So that was my first real bar fight. I tend to hang at more sedate places. I was a little disappointed that Jill didn't change into her cape and tights and bust that fight up. Maybe next time.
More of the usual at school. Kids a little goofy and the adults having not much to come back with. More on that another time.
School's over and (were supposed to) have an afternoon to plan, but we had a meeting with a kid and parent. It was...uh...time of my life I'll never get back. When they were gone I made the suggestion that our kids would get a lot out of me teaching sign language a couple hours a week. They can't spell, need something more kinestetic and are getting no foreign languages. That idea seemed to go over like a lead balloon, at least for the lead teacher. More on that another time as well.
That night was our kids' school play. They were doing a play followed by the high schoolers doing one. Fortunately they were not holiday themed. So a couple of my co-workers and I went out for dinner then to the play. It was a pretty typical school play - we couldn't hear what any of the actors were saying because they didn't project their voices, but they had a good time. And I saw some potential stuff to use at school. Not a single high school teacher went. It was conspicuous.
After the show I went home. As soon as I got in I got a text from Jill. I ended up meeting her at Charlie's in Paia. Now if you've been listening to the show you've heard Jill talking about the infamous bar fights there. I had been there a few times and just wasn't picturing it...little did I know. [Oh, and if you're not listening to the show, what's wrong with you?]
So the night went well, there was some overpriced jam band from the mainland. The place was pretty full and it was a good night for people-watching. I met a few interesting people through Jill including this one young couple who as we talked to them I felt my brain getting smoother and smoother. And then there was gay, drunk and legally blind guy. He was so funny, we decided to use that as our MySpace headline.
It's coming up to the end of the evening. I literally had my last sip of beer ready to go when Jill said something like "Here we go." Behind me, this pretty big-ass fight started. It wasn't posturing. There were huge punches being thrown, more and more people started to get involved in it and the range of the fight swelled to take up more and more of the room - like ripples in a pond. People are backing up, trying to find a way out of the place. Then I saw bar stools starting to get swung. It wasn't cool anymore. I followed a few people out the emergency exit and noticed that it had already spilled out into the parking lot. So I waited for a few minutes, Jill caught up with me then we weaved our way out of there. I walked with her to her truck then was about to go back to my car, which was right where the fight had spilled out onto the street. I was thinking that it was going to suck if some asshole started bleeding all over my fly-ass Ford Focus.
As I started walking back I saw our little brainsmoothers walking on the other side of the street. They kind of looked like they were homeless or looking for a way to get home. Uh, no thank you, Gandalf. I wasn't looking for any more adventures. I got to the car and instead of the fight my car was surrounded by 7 cop cars. So I carefully got into my car and went home.
So that was my first real bar fight. I tend to hang at more sedate places. I was a little disappointed that Jill didn't change into her cape and tights and bust that fight up. Maybe next time.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Trouble in Paradise?
I don't know if this is a sign of maturity (stop laughing), but back in the day I would have this elevated sense of....mmmmm...well, kind of awe towards anyone who had a skill I admired or seemed to do a half-way decent job in a position of authority. It would usually take me a year or so to realize that the person was just as full of shit as me and everyone else. These days, the level of...uh...awe tends to be not as high and I seem to get around to that realization a bit sooner.
I hope it's maturity (I said, stop laughing) and not cynicism.
So that's kind of what's going on here on "the rock." We seem to be stuck in a non-pattern of chaos on a day-to-day basis. While I personally like the people I work with there isn't much leadership happening. We constantly react to things as opposed to prepare for things. I'm sure this is common in the business world, but it's classic - and deadly - in education.
What seems to be happening is decisions have been / are being made at the top, then we peons are given the illusion of input via some kind of meeting, but it's pretty obvious that these decisions have already been made.
Today I found out that the staffing for our program is going to be going through changes as people are going to be shuffled around. Not me, it seems, but it will have a weird effect on the program. In the meantime, I've started working on my proposal for a new way of dealing with the kiddies, starting next year. I hope to have it ready by 4th quarter to take to our newly discovered demagogues. If next year is the same chaos, then...well, my time here will be over.
Then I guess this blog can be called Dave Formerly In Maui. Or Dave in Nebraska. Or Dave in the Peace Corps. Or Dave as Keziah's Cabana Boy.
I hope it's maturity (I said, stop laughing) and not cynicism.
So that's kind of what's going on here on "the rock." We seem to be stuck in a non-pattern of chaos on a day-to-day basis. While I personally like the people I work with there isn't much leadership happening. We constantly react to things as opposed to prepare for things. I'm sure this is common in the business world, but it's classic - and deadly - in education.
What seems to be happening is decisions have been / are being made at the top, then we peons are given the illusion of input via some kind of meeting, but it's pretty obvious that these decisions have already been made.
Today I found out that the staffing for our program is going to be going through changes as people are going to be shuffled around. Not me, it seems, but it will have a weird effect on the program. In the meantime, I've started working on my proposal for a new way of dealing with the kiddies, starting next year. I hope to have it ready by 4th quarter to take to our newly discovered demagogues. If next year is the same chaos, then...well, my time here will be over.
Then I guess this blog can be called Dave Formerly In Maui. Or Dave in Nebraska. Or Dave in the Peace Corps. Or Dave as Keziah's Cabana Boy.
Monday, December 10, 2007
New Show - Name Jill's Spot
Here's a new Stuart Bedasso Show for you to enjoy.
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_December_9_2007.mp3
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_December_9_2007.mp3
Thursday, December 6, 2007
It Never Rains in Ki....Oh Crap!
Yep. I live in a desert. You can tell. The red clay/sand all over the place. Water advisories. The FOUR STRAIGHT DAYS OF RAIN!!!!
Either this global warming stuff is really going down or I bring this with me. Since I've been here I've had people tell me:
Gosh, I guess I'm honored to be witnessing such a glorious work of nature.
OK, I'm a little cranky. The power's been off for over a day, I need a shower and because the power's been off, since it's come back on, I've had to eat more meat than a human should because it all defrosted. It wasn't as fun as an evening at the International House of Meat, that's for sure.
The power went down across the island for a while though it seems as if Kihei is the second to last place to get it back. I'm not too confident about this as it is for the power went back on for an hour yesterday then we lost it again.
Today, I made the trek into Kahalui to get a cooler and some ice. There isn't a freakin ice cube on this island.
Another torrential downpour just finished and I'm waiting for the next. I still have my candles & flashlights ready and I'm hoping the electricity will stay on just long enough to make some ice (!).
I've never seen rain like this, for this long. I realize it's not Bangledesh, but I've never been to Bangledesh so I have nothing to compare it to.
I will say one thing. This rain has not deterred that freaking chicken one bit. Crazy bastard.
Either this global warming stuff is really going down or I bring this with me. Since I've been here I've had people tell me:
- It's not usually this hot this time of year.
- Gosh, allergy season's not usually this bad.
- It never rains more than a day in Kihei.
- I guess the rainy season came a month early this year.
Gosh, I guess I'm honored to be witnessing such a glorious work of nature.
OK, I'm a little cranky. The power's been off for over a day, I need a shower and because the power's been off, since it's come back on, I've had to eat more meat than a human should because it all defrosted. It wasn't as fun as an evening at the International House of Meat, that's for sure.
The power went down across the island for a while though it seems as if Kihei is the second to last place to get it back. I'm not too confident about this as it is for the power went back on for an hour yesterday then we lost it again.
Today, I made the trek into Kahalui to get a cooler and some ice. There isn't a freakin ice cube on this island.
Another torrential downpour just finished and I'm waiting for the next. I still have my candles & flashlights ready and I'm hoping the electricity will stay on just long enough to make some ice (!).
I've never seen rain like this, for this long. I realize it's not Bangledesh, but I've never been to Bangledesh so I have nothing to compare it to.
I will say one thing. This rain has not deterred that freaking chicken one bit. Crazy bastard.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Ho! Ho! Wha?
Yes, it's Christmas in Maui. Sounds like an old Bob Hope TV Special, but it's not. Usually I blog some kind of holiday rant, but not this year. No, I haven't found the Christmas/Channukah/Kwaanza spirit. I'm just too tired. (more on that below)
So here a few of my Maui Holiday observations:
So it's almost 10 at night and I'm at school. No, I haven't been here all evening. I'm going through this weird thing - I don't know if it's physical, mental or both. I've been having trouble sleeping. Part of it is getting to sleep, then I'm fortunate to have either the dog next door or a renegade chicken that has infiltrated the neighborhood wake me up around 3am every night. My sleep pattern is so out of wack, I crash after school every day, wake up around now then can't back to sleep until 2 or so...then the dog/chicken show. So I'm in this bizarre cycle. Hopefully, I'll be back in a groove in a few weeks...just in time to stay up all night with some of y'all. And I may have some chicken & dog jerky to share with you.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
So here a few of my Maui Holiday observations:
- I don't care what you say, a big-ass tent with a bunch of Christmas trees for sale on a tropical island just doesn't look right. It doesn't matter if it's for a good cause or not, it's just weird.
- I'm sure it's not a surprise to you to hear that there's no snow. That's fine. It happens all over the world. But it is winter here in Hawaii so it's rained for a week. Which is cool, because it's pretty much the only rain Kihei gets all year. But have you ever tried to shovel rain? It's pretty freaking hard!
- I'm not much of a Christmas Party guy (big shocker), but I have to admit that the Kihei Charter School's holiday party is going to be REALLY strange. It'll be the first holiday party - or maybe ANY party - that I'll need to wear my cup for. I'm not making that up. It's the KCS "Lucky You Live Maui" Holiday Softball Bash. I'm serious.
Now, being the STEM Academy's Humanities teacher, I felt obligated to put up some token resistance to the grammar, but honestly, I really don't care. The potluck theme is "food from your home state". Where the hell am I going to get a Garbage Plate that feeds 40? Anyone wanna overnight a case of Genny?
Another problem is...it's winter in Maui...as I said before, that means rain. So there is the potential of having our Christmas Party rained out. In other words, I'll be standing in the rain, singing Christmas carols wearing an athletic supporter.
Sounds like just another Sunday, playing ball back home. Hell, I don't even need Kenny...I've got LIVE chickens here. (sorry for the inside joke)
So it's almost 10 at night and I'm at school. No, I haven't been here all evening. I'm going through this weird thing - I don't know if it's physical, mental or both. I've been having trouble sleeping. Part of it is getting to sleep, then I'm fortunate to have either the dog next door or a renegade chicken that has infiltrated the neighborhood wake me up around 3am every night. My sleep pattern is so out of wack, I crash after school every day, wake up around now then can't back to sleep until 2 or so...then the dog/chicken show. So I'm in this bizarre cycle. Hopefully, I'll be back in a groove in a few weeks...just in time to stay up all night with some of y'all. And I may have some chicken & dog jerky to share with you.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
New Stuart Bedasso Show
Click here to download the new Stuart Bedasso Show. Be forewarned: it's for mature audiences only.
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