This is just a poem but it felt good to get down. I did my best to follow my syllabic pattern (hence the apostrophes). I'll work on iambics and/or other patterns next time I feel like writing poetry.
I can't teach the deaf with words and
I can't teach the blind with pictures.
Somehow, though, you are neither,
And I can't teach you anything
At all.
The chatter is always d'sruptive.
Since the first lesson in the caves
Elders told their young to shut it
The stupid fell and the smart, well,
Survived.
After generations, those who fell
Got back up. Standing tall like ev'ry
Other person. As though they belong
In the ranks of the geniuses and
Scholars.
"Hey! I have ideas, and opinions
that matter more than anything else!"
One cried, "Do tell," I say and
Silence fills the room yet again.
Moron.
So many people look at yard sticks
As a tool of maths, not discipline.
Yet what better way to learn than
With a stick. Learning the hard way is
still learning.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Thursday, June 15, 2017
The First Fair Wrap-Up
Yesterday was the last day of school for the kiddos. It was weird, to say the least. We started the day doing some improv and impromptu speeches. To give the kids a chance with their impromptu speeches I sent them outside while the person before them did their speech and formulate a plan. While practising, they also sign a card for our TA. Afterwards, we tidied up the classroom, took labels off of everything, then went outside for an early break and threw around some discs. It was really fun. Then the class had Arabic and went on a spree and signed each others' shirts- lots of HAGS (have a good summer) and one kid wrote POOP on another's back... Thankfully my trusty TA realised that we have an assembly fifth lesson so she got all the kids expected to be called up on stage to put on hoodies. Once Arabic ended, I brought back the last of my graded books and the kids took on the math challenge which was completing unfinished pages in the math book. It was basically a free-choice math lesson and everyone enjoyed doing something in their ability range.
While this was going on, I walked around the classroom playing the guitar. The atmosphere really calmed down until I foolishly started taking requests. My boys of 2016-17 always managed to find a way to start dancing like frat boys on the carpet. I ushered them back to their seats and got them to pack up their bags before I played them this song including the harmonica solo. This was the first time I had played this song to end the year, but I think it's a new tradition.
I sent the kids out to break and monitored the jungle gym and threw with the Grade 3s and some of my students from this year. Once the whistle went we travelled back inside and went down to the year-end assembly. It was a good celebration for the Grade 3s, 4s, and 5s. There were awards and honours handed out for academics and contributions throughout the year. The one thing I was waiting for at the end of assembly was the Prefect announcements. These are the leaders of Primary for the upcoming year. I had three from my class, it was a good feeling. I'd like to think that I helped them reach that level of responsibility.
Once the assembly ended it was already 2. By the time everyone got back to class parents were everywhere ready to get their kids. It was at that point I realised no one would be there tomorrow except the teachers. The day had evaporated. I wish I had more time! I signed t-shirts, Student of the Week posters, and yearbooks as everyone was rushing everyone else to get something signed.
This had never happened before. When I was in Qatar, Ramadan was this "school's out" code and the last day with a class was well before the actual last day. In Korea, I did my camp programs and then I was on a plane, so you never get the mutual feeling school's done. It still doesn't feel like it's over because I'm used to having a week to tidy everything up and sign off stuff and watch 5-10 kid movies.
Alas, what's done is done and I'm off to France to see Beach Worlds and Sam Roberts Band.
While this was going on, I walked around the classroom playing the guitar. The atmosphere really calmed down until I foolishly started taking requests. My boys of 2016-17 always managed to find a way to start dancing like frat boys on the carpet. I ushered them back to their seats and got them to pack up their bags before I played them this song including the harmonica solo. This was the first time I had played this song to end the year, but I think it's a new tradition.
I sent the kids out to break and monitored the jungle gym and threw with the Grade 3s and some of my students from this year. Once the whistle went we travelled back inside and went down to the year-end assembly. It was a good celebration for the Grade 3s, 4s, and 5s. There were awards and honours handed out for academics and contributions throughout the year. The one thing I was waiting for at the end of assembly was the Prefect announcements. These are the leaders of Primary for the upcoming year. I had three from my class, it was a good feeling. I'd like to think that I helped them reach that level of responsibility.
Once the assembly ended it was already 2. By the time everyone got back to class parents were everywhere ready to get their kids. It was at that point I realised no one would be there tomorrow except the teachers. The day had evaporated. I wish I had more time! I signed t-shirts, Student of the Week posters, and yearbooks as everyone was rushing everyone else to get something signed.
This had never happened before. When I was in Qatar, Ramadan was this "school's out" code and the last day with a class was well before the actual last day. In Korea, I did my camp programs and then I was on a plane, so you never get the mutual feeling school's done. It still doesn't feel like it's over because I'm used to having a week to tidy everything up and sign off stuff and watch 5-10 kid movies.
Alas, what's done is done and I'm off to France to see Beach Worlds and Sam Roberts Band.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
The Hanger, The Hanger
As some might already know, or assume, I am not always the most sensible person. I've panicked and run red lights in the middle of the night, said things I shouldn't have said, eaten things I shouldn't have eaten, several drunken "strolls" where I don't know what I've done, and proactively planned dates I knew would fail (can't blame a guy for hoping though). Never before did I go grocery shopping thirty minutes before sunset during Ramadan.
It should be noted I'm giving the cashier a hard time here and we don't get to hear his side of the story. Maybe he's a newly dumped, hungry as hell, dehydrated to the moon. Same could be said for the bag boy.
To be clear this wasn't a full-on shopping trip. I just needed some fruit, cheese, and frozen pizzas. I went in expecting to see throngs of last-minute shoppers, but only saw a few shopping carts half full. I went downstairs to the main part of the grocery store and picked up the items mentioned above and went back up to the main floor and the cashier. Looking at the bulk section, I impulsively bought chocolate chips and walnuts (I've had over ripe banana in my freezer for ages). Then I went to cash out.
What a disaster. This cashier's posture was sunk in, he could barely keep his head up. The man in front of me had three cases of yoghurt and pita bread, and this cashier didn't ring up the dude's pita bread. 75% is a pretty solid shooting percentage, but you're not playing basketball, buddy. The customer and the cashier were talking back in forth in Arabic but it seemed more constructive than aggressive.Standing there, I started to feel the heat of the afternoon and the work of the day take its toll, and now I was getting tired. The customer moved on and I walked over to the other side of the cash register to start packing up my bags.
Now Jordan is not, in any respects, green. Every store uses plastic bags to bag all the groceries, there's liminal recycling systems and some renewable energy initiatives. The first thing is the most important for this story. They also hire bag boys. So I pull out my reusable bag from my backpack and put it in front of the bag boy. The bags of fruit are scanned, I put them in the bag, then the pizzas, into the backpack, then MAXI PADS?!?!
The guy had missed the cheese, nuts and chocolate chips! I couldn't believe it. That's 5/8. He had completely bungled the transaction. It was hard to not be frustrated, so I took the easy route and yelled at him. Like a zombie, the cashier was unphased by this. Since he had started a new tab on the pads, he rung up the cheese, nuts and chocolate chips separately. He looked at both receipts and I thought to myself, you can't let this guy add then subtract. I tried to help but the numbers were printed in Arabic, and the receipt machine was running on low ink. Add my fatigue into the equation and I couldn't do it without a pen.
He handed me 21JD back which seemed fair so I walked out of there and started to reflect on how to prevent that from happening again. Here's what I came up with:
Customer Solutions:
Look for the perkiest cashier
Don't go shopping at 6 pm during Ramadan
Cashier Solutions:
Get some rest, take a break and switch back and forth with the bag boy
Everyone should win if we follow these ideas. Ramadan Kareem and do your best to avoid the worst feeling ever: hanger.
It should be noted I'm giving the cashier a hard time here and we don't get to hear his side of the story. Maybe he's a newly dumped, hungry as hell, dehydrated to the moon. Same could be said for the bag boy.
To be clear this wasn't a full-on shopping trip. I just needed some fruit, cheese, and frozen pizzas. I went in expecting to see throngs of last-minute shoppers, but only saw a few shopping carts half full. I went downstairs to the main part of the grocery store and picked up the items mentioned above and went back up to the main floor and the cashier. Looking at the bulk section, I impulsively bought chocolate chips and walnuts (I've had over ripe banana in my freezer for ages). Then I went to cash out.
What a disaster. This cashier's posture was sunk in, he could barely keep his head up. The man in front of me had three cases of yoghurt and pita bread, and this cashier didn't ring up the dude's pita bread. 75% is a pretty solid shooting percentage, but you're not playing basketball, buddy. The customer and the cashier were talking back in forth in Arabic but it seemed more constructive than aggressive.Standing there, I started to feel the heat of the afternoon and the work of the day take its toll, and now I was getting tired. The customer moved on and I walked over to the other side of the cash register to start packing up my bags.
Now Jordan is not, in any respects, green. Every store uses plastic bags to bag all the groceries, there's liminal recycling systems and some renewable energy initiatives. The first thing is the most important for this story. They also hire bag boys. So I pull out my reusable bag from my backpack and put it in front of the bag boy. The bags of fruit are scanned, I put them in the bag, then the pizzas, into the backpack, then MAXI PADS?!?!
The guy had missed the cheese, nuts and chocolate chips! I couldn't believe it. That's 5/8. He had completely bungled the transaction. It was hard to not be frustrated, so I took the easy route and yelled at him. Like a zombie, the cashier was unphased by this. Since he had started a new tab on the pads, he rung up the cheese, nuts and chocolate chips separately. He looked at both receipts and I thought to myself, you can't let this guy add then subtract. I tried to help but the numbers were printed in Arabic, and the receipt machine was running on low ink. Add my fatigue into the equation and I couldn't do it without a pen.
He handed me 21JD back which seemed fair so I walked out of there and started to reflect on how to prevent that from happening again. Here's what I came up with:
Customer Solutions:
Look for the perkiest cashier
Don't go shopping at 6 pm during Ramadan
Cashier Solutions:
Get some rest, take a break and switch back and forth with the bag boy
Everyone should win if we follow these ideas. Ramadan Kareem and do your best to avoid the worst feeling ever: hanger.
Sunday, May 28, 2017
The Cup Finals
Well, well, well, look what we have here. All this gold in the Stanley Cup Finals, pretty fancy. There are going to be a variety of match-ups from the dot out. I think it's going to be a great series because each team has had players step up to win big games. Honestly, Chris Kunitz pulled a Kelly Olynyck and delivered a huge game for the Pens to get to the big dance, I don't think anyone saw that one coming, just like Colton Sissons getting a hat trick.
Something that will probably come up when one underperforms (or dumps the other into the boards) is the Neal-Hornqvist trade. Keep in mind this wasn't a straight swap, the Pens also got the Palmerston native Nick Spaling in the trade. The Pens seems to have won that deal: Hornqvist's hasn't lowered his production rate, and Neal hasn't been anywhere near 80 points, or the Stanley Cup, since the trade.
Defensively speaking, Nashville has a clear edge. I'd take Roman Josi over any of the blue-liners on Pittsburgh. The Pens' D does have experience, the core won the year before, however, Kris Letang is on the shelf, so Dumoulin, Cole, Maatta, Hainsey and Daley are going to have to step it up because Nashville terrorises the offensive zone when they're done by one in the third. The Pens are lacking an X-factor on defence as well: PK Subban and Co are capable of delivering on the powerplay and jumping in even-strength.
Letang's injury isn't a big deal considering how Pittsburgh has made it through the East without him. Ryan Johanson played in 14 playoff games (scoring 13 points) and now is out with a leg injury. This is a big hole for the Preds to fill with their committee. Colton Sissons didn't seem to mind though. Can he contribute consistently though for the next four to seven games? Forsberg and Arvidsson are hoping so.
Pittsburgh has a committee as well but, it would be comparable to the "committee" of scorers on the Golden State Warriors. Hockey is a completely different game from basketball, but having better players than the other team results in the same outcome. Evgeni Malkin can own the ice when he wants to. Phil Kessel is an amazing player despite all his sad-faced memes. Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust just score when it counts. Sid the Kid seems like an unstoppable force now that his concussion symptoms are gone.
Two years ago, Jonathan Toews was the best player to have in the playoffs because he had 3 rings in 6 years and did everything. Now, Sidney Crosby is that guy. Even though he's a barely minus player this year and last in the playoffs, he isn't playing regular shifts with stars or even experienced players and makes them look great. It's the Kevin Stevens theory: put a regular guy on a line with Mario Lemieux and-- Boom!-- over 100 points from someone who rarely got 40 before and after. Sherry and Guentzel are more offensively minded than Kevin Stevens, but Jake Guentzel wouldn't have blown off the doors into the playoffs if he was on a line with a B+ centre. Kudos to Sid for bringing the youth movement along in Pittsburgh.
Nashville is going to be playing match-ups the whole series, they have to capitalise on mismatches and contain Pittsburgh's two offensive lines. That will happen as much during the game as it does between the whistles. Nashville's blue-collar approach to the game is going to make this series interesting. There's a whole bunch of gritty players on the roster and if any of them can get under Crosby or Malkin's skin it gives them an edge mentally, and that's what can decide a game sometimes.
A goalie still has more impact on a game as a whole than one person's collectedness. Fatigue sets in for everyone; however, the way Matt Murray timed his injury he won't be as tired as Pekka Rinne. Rinne has never made it this far into the playoffs but is putting up a 1.70 GAA and has a 0.941 save percentage which is leaps and bounds better than his stats from Nashville's previous playoff runs. He's keeping Nashville in tight games and there will be at least four more. It seems like Matt Murray has ice in his veins, his stats are better than a year before (although the sample size is much smaller) I don't think he'll have a sophomore slump.
On paper, Pittsburgh is the clear favourite based of their offensive prowess. Yet, there's something in the back of my mind that makes me think that Nashville can steal this: the city has rallied around their team and they're confident, even after squeaking into the playoffs as the 16th seed, they've proven everyone wrong so far. This will be a series I watch fervently: the grit, the talent, the potential for an upset, it's a great matchup.
I predict the series will be back and forth series with a lot of close games: Penguins in 7.
Something that will probably come up when one underperforms (or dumps the other into the boards) is the Neal-Hornqvist trade. Keep in mind this wasn't a straight swap, the Pens also got the Palmerston native Nick Spaling in the trade. The Pens seems to have won that deal: Hornqvist's hasn't lowered his production rate, and Neal hasn't been anywhere near 80 points, or the Stanley Cup, since the trade.
Defensively speaking, Nashville has a clear edge. I'd take Roman Josi over any of the blue-liners on Pittsburgh. The Pens' D does have experience, the core won the year before, however, Kris Letang is on the shelf, so Dumoulin, Cole, Maatta, Hainsey and Daley are going to have to step it up because Nashville terrorises the offensive zone when they're done by one in the third. The Pens are lacking an X-factor on defence as well: PK Subban and Co are capable of delivering on the powerplay and jumping in even-strength.
Letang's injury isn't a big deal considering how Pittsburgh has made it through the East without him. Ryan Johanson played in 14 playoff games (scoring 13 points) and now is out with a leg injury. This is a big hole for the Preds to fill with their committee. Colton Sissons didn't seem to mind though. Can he contribute consistently though for the next four to seven games? Forsberg and Arvidsson are hoping so.
Pittsburgh has a committee as well but, it would be comparable to the "committee" of scorers on the Golden State Warriors. Hockey is a completely different game from basketball, but having better players than the other team results in the same outcome. Evgeni Malkin can own the ice when he wants to. Phil Kessel is an amazing player despite all his sad-faced memes. Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust just score when it counts. Sid the Kid seems like an unstoppable force now that his concussion symptoms are gone.
Two years ago, Jonathan Toews was the best player to have in the playoffs because he had 3 rings in 6 years and did everything. Now, Sidney Crosby is that guy. Even though he's a barely minus player this year and last in the playoffs, he isn't playing regular shifts with stars or even experienced players and makes them look great. It's the Kevin Stevens theory: put a regular guy on a line with Mario Lemieux and-- Boom!-- over 100 points from someone who rarely got 40 before and after. Sherry and Guentzel are more offensively minded than Kevin Stevens, but Jake Guentzel wouldn't have blown off the doors into the playoffs if he was on a line with a B+ centre. Kudos to Sid for bringing the youth movement along in Pittsburgh.
Nashville is going to be playing match-ups the whole series, they have to capitalise on mismatches and contain Pittsburgh's two offensive lines. That will happen as much during the game as it does between the whistles. Nashville's blue-collar approach to the game is going to make this series interesting. There's a whole bunch of gritty players on the roster and if any of them can get under Crosby or Malkin's skin it gives them an edge mentally, and that's what can decide a game sometimes.
A goalie still has more impact on a game as a whole than one person's collectedness. Fatigue sets in for everyone; however, the way Matt Murray timed his injury he won't be as tired as Pekka Rinne. Rinne has never made it this far into the playoffs but is putting up a 1.70 GAA and has a 0.941 save percentage which is leaps and bounds better than his stats from Nashville's previous playoff runs. He's keeping Nashville in tight games and there will be at least four more. It seems like Matt Murray has ice in his veins, his stats are better than a year before (although the sample size is much smaller) I don't think he'll have a sophomore slump.
On paper, Pittsburgh is the clear favourite based of their offensive prowess. Yet, there's something in the back of my mind that makes me think that Nashville can steal this: the city has rallied around their team and they're confident, even after squeaking into the playoffs as the 16th seed, they've proven everyone wrong so far. This will be a series I watch fervently: the grit, the talent, the potential for an upset, it's a great matchup.
I predict the series will be back and forth series with a lot of close games: Penguins in 7.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
A Bus
Today, walking home in the dark, I realised the end of the year is near. Last year, I posted on the school website about how I had taught dragons and how I'll never actually believe I got to teach that class and, well, I'll be chasing the same atmosphere, heroism, scrappiness, and positivity I saw in those kids for the rest of my career. I don't think I'll ever write something like that ever again.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not like a parent at all! Do you know why-- that's a rhetorical question. I'm not your parent because the second I saw you I didn't love you. I wasn't sure how I felt. I had heard stories (true and false) about you and taught kids like you which affected my perspective. Then at some point when you said something I didn't expect or respected or saw you do something the same way I did, I started to love you (pause for gasps, boos, and fake-hurling). Now, kiddos, when I say 'love' I don't mean 'marry me!' love, I just mean that there will always be a little place for you in my heart.
And because every single one of you has made it this far, I'm going to share something with you, in front of everyone, that you should know:
"Kid A/J/K, I'd be totally cool if you were my boss in 25 years. Kid B, you remind me so much of my step-brother and sometimes I think he never got a teacher that he needed, and I'm sorry I wasn't the teacher you needed but with your brilliance and good guidance, the sky's the limit for you, just like it is for him. Kids C/F/G, you've got amazing energy and if you believe in yourself you can change the world. Kid D, you're super cool, I hope you find a way to express yourself fully. Kid E you made every lesson fantastic I'd be your teacher all the way to grade 12 if I could. Kid H, never be afraid to hug somebody. Kid I/L/R, you grew so much this year, and I'm really really proud of you. Kid M, you made a lot of strides this year and I know you're going to make even more next year. Kid N, I'm really excited about you being a big part of next year's class, you're going to shine. Kid O, every day you got better at something and over the year you got better and better, I couldn't be happier with how you've grown. Kid P, you've got a lot of weight on your shoulders and the harder you work the lighter it's going to get and when it is all gone, you're going to be an amazing leader. Kid Q, you have so many great ideas and opinions to share, never shy away from speaking up. Kid R, way to go, you earned everything with your determination this year. Kid S, you're so clever and witty you're going to make a lot of people laugh with you. Kid T, every story you shared was a great one, keep practising and you'll be one of the best storytellers. Kid U, you've really come out of your shell, you've got a great sense of responsibility and leadership. Kid V, you've got a great heart and you're going to do something great it."
--
That doesn't mean a class you've spent 10 months with doesn't deserve some sort of send off speech, so I walked home spouting this speech to myself: "For me, teaching is like being a big brother in a lot of ways. You're all younger than me (when you don't draw beards on your face and lie about your age) and for the most part, I know more than you. I've also lived and experienced more than you. That's where having a big brother is important. I protect you from making the same mistakes that I did."Don't get me wrong, I'm not like a parent at all! Do you know why-- that's a rhetorical question. I'm not your parent because the second I saw you I didn't love you. I wasn't sure how I felt. I had heard stories (true and false) about you and taught kids like you which affected my perspective. Then at some point when you said something I didn't expect or respected or saw you do something the same way I did, I started to love you (pause for gasps, boos, and fake-hurling). Now, kiddos, when I say 'love' I don't mean 'marry me!' love, I just mean that there will always be a little place for you in my heart.
And because every single one of you has made it this far, I'm going to share something with you, in front of everyone, that you should know:
"Kid A/J/K, I'd be totally cool if you were my boss in 25 years. Kid B, you remind me so much of my step-brother and sometimes I think he never got a teacher that he needed, and I'm sorry I wasn't the teacher you needed but with your brilliance and good guidance, the sky's the limit for you, just like it is for him. Kids C/F/G, you've got amazing energy and if you believe in yourself you can change the world. Kid D, you're super cool, I hope you find a way to express yourself fully. Kid E you made every lesson fantastic I'd be your teacher all the way to grade 12 if I could. Kid H, never be afraid to hug somebody. Kid I/L/R, you grew so much this year, and I'm really really proud of you. Kid M, you made a lot of strides this year and I know you're going to make even more next year. Kid N, I'm really excited about you being a big part of next year's class, you're going to shine. Kid O, every day you got better at something and over the year you got better and better, I couldn't be happier with how you've grown. Kid P, you've got a lot of weight on your shoulders and the harder you work the lighter it's going to get and when it is all gone, you're going to be an amazing leader. Kid Q, you have so many great ideas and opinions to share, never shy away from speaking up. Kid R, way to go, you earned everything with your determination this year. Kid S, you're so clever and witty you're going to make a lot of people laugh with you. Kid T, every story you shared was a great one, keep practising and you'll be one of the best storytellers. Kid U, you've really come out of your shell, you've got a great sense of responsibility and leadership. Kid V, you've got a great heart and you're going to do something great it."
--
I'll have to revise these a little, and, obviously, write their actual names. The other thing, to avoid putting values on what's said first and last, I'd preemptively clip them up and throw them in a hat and read them off as I pull them out. The kids that share the same thing will respect that they're in the same group together, inshallah, and know they've earned it.
After watching the last class of kids born in the 20th-century graduate high school I feel old. Couple that with the realisation that the year is over it all hits you hard like (insert title here). There are so many powerful moments from the year and from ten years out of high school and it just flashes before your eyes as caps fly into the air. Looking back, I could definitely do things differently... however, I can always live vicariously through my thousands of little brothers and sisters.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Playoffs?!
While in Sri Lanka big things happened! The Leafs made the playoffs and won a game on the road. The internet didn't really care about that one. Chicago getting swept though? That's bad... especially when you plaster this "One Goal" slogan all around town and Pekka Rinne gets two shutouts to open the series. Then JG Pageau gets four goals in a game, which is one more than Chicago had in their 4-game series. There were also other big stories (Guentzel!!) as well and stories that continue on in a team-by-team breakdown.
The Only Canadian Team in the East
Ottawa is playing great and honestly now that that ginger straw-haired man is out of that town, I can handle them being successful. I'm sure the Ontario rivalry will pick-up though now that both teams are better. This is a great team, Boucher has delivered yet again. They could easily make it to the conference finals. I can't say much else because I haven't watched a single game.
The Bruins
Considering they fired Claude Julien and picked up some guy I had never heard of before, you have to give Bergy and the Bunch a tap of the stick for even making the playoffs.
The Habs
There is no other team I love to see lose. In retrospect, firing Claude Julien might have been the right call, but so was firing Michel Therrien. Montreal just seems like it's in this weird flux. They have a chance to win every game because of Carey Price, but no one else really rises to the occasion consistently except Radulov who, SURPRISE, is in a contract year.
The Rangers
This is a team that's three years off of going to the Stanley Cup finals and losing to LA. Apart from Martin St. Louis, the rest of the roster looks generally the same. Lots of depth and no rings (Clendening and Pirri were on cup-winning rosters but didn't play in the playoffs). King Henrik can still steal a game or two but it's on the offence to score if they want to compete in this round and the next two.
The Capitals
Washington's first round series was not exactly a lock but realistically, there was no way they were going to lose it. On skill and experience alone, they had to win. They still have to get to the Stanley Cup finals, something no one on the team has done except for Justin Williams. Trotz hasn't either but he never had a team like this in Nashville. The worry is whether Ovechkin, Backstrom and Oshie are considered over the hill. Right now, the young talent is present but can that committee replace those three all-stars?
The Leafs
What a great six-game show; I can't wait for Dart Guy to come back. It really just makes me more excited about next year. Kapanen was fantastic! On the other side of the coin, Martin Marincin won't be an everyday player next year until he can live with himself. Everything else looks damn sexy though.
The Defending Champs
Holy Toledo, these guys look like they haven't lost a step. Probably because Guentzel (3 GWG) never took any steps before this season. The Pens look amazing and even better, they're winning without Matt Murray and Kris Letang. Now that Crosby could be on the shelf things get a little dicier coming out of the East, but before they were head and shoulders above everyone else.
The Blue Jackets
This team got put in a rough spot, but they didn't dig in their heels very much either which doesn't bode well for Torterella keeping his job next year. Bobrovsky didn't have a good series (one game with a save percentage above .900) and Boone Jenner can't be your leading scorer either, Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson.
The Chicago Blackhawks
I didn't even have this team making the playoffs because of their roster. Then they win the West and people just expect Chicago to go deep in the playoffs because of Toews, Kane, and Keith and their pedigree. Simply put, that didn't happen. There's a big gap between the core that won 3 championships and the rest of the group.
Nashville
This is a blue collar team. Peter Laviolette is great at his job and Ryan Ellis is so scrappy he is built for the playoffs. This is a team to be reconned with there are so many great players. James Neal isn't even on their top line anymore! If Pekka and the team defence continue to just shut it down the music city will definitely have something to sing about.
The Blues
This team tuned the Wild like a banjo. I figure Mike Yeo really wanted to stick it to his old team. St.Louis does have a very good roster even after giving Shattenkirk to the Capitals. Jake Allen is playing well, and their offensive players is scoring. Tarasenko just picked one on Rinne a couple of days ago and doesn't seem like he'll stop doing that.
Minnesota
Nothing wild about this team. Barbeque Bruce let loose with another stinker of a playoff performance. He's now 42-43 in the playoffs... that's with Superman, Batman and the Great 8, (in his prime). When Yeo got fired, some people blamed Minnesota's management; hiring Barbeque could be another reason to point the finger up at that press box.
The Ducks
Anaheim was the team that won under pressure, just like the year before when they beat Winnipeg. Every game except for the last one was a one-goal game. Ryan Getzlaf is also shooting now so that's pretty exciting. Corey Perry is in the dog house after having a terrible season, but the Ducks haven't followed suit. Everything seems in balance. This is a team that could. go. all. the. way.
The Calgary Flames
Statistically, the Flames were not blown out of the water like some other team that wears red. They're so young, give them time, it'll keep getting better. Especially when they get a goalie.The San Jose Sharks
You can blame their losses on a lot of things. Injuries. Playing injured. Maybe last year they were just lucky. Brent Burns netting 0 goals on 28 shots. Getting shut out twice. Whatever it was they lost. The biggest thing is they won Game 4 7-0 and then lost the next two, that's a back-breaker.
It must feel like the 80's again
Edmonton is in the second round of the playoffs with so many good things going on. McDavid, Draisaitl, Lucic, Eberle, the Nug are playing well and the role players are rallying the troops. This crop of high-end picks are blowing up right now and it is fantastic. McClellan demoed his old team (just like Yeo did) and has them looking good in the second round too. Get used to this youth movement... it's all over Canada.Sunday, April 30, 2017
Madhu Island and more
To wrap up the last part of Sri Lanka I took a bus from Uduwalawe to Embilipitiya, then bused to Matara. It was another scenic route down to the water. and along the coast from Tangalle to Matara. Matara had some cool stuff. The guesthouse I stayed in on the outskirts of Matara, Seasons Four, wouldn't have passed a safety expectation. The room was in a building behind the family's house. The building was slanted down towards the marshy back of the property. The bed was still comfy and the mosquito net didn't have holes. Plus it was across the road from the beach. I couldn't complain, especially when they made me dinner and breakfast.
Travelling during a country's red letter days can be problematic. Travellers rely on restaurants for food. I walked 6km in one direction searching for food. Little shops were all closed. By the time I had reached a Perrera & Sons everything had been picked over from the lunch menu. Then I found a Pizza Hut, but I couldn't bring myself to eat pizza in Sri Lanka. So I walked back to my guesthouse and asked if I could have dinner there, he said of course.
When I was called for dinner I received a 4-person meal, it was nuts. I barely made a dent in the curries and rice, and I was starving. Everything was so delicious but I was starting to fall asleep from all the walking and heat from the day.
The next day I bought fruit from a fruit stand and sat on some rocks on the beach to watch the sunset.
After that night, I packed up as I listened to the morning playoff game, then hunted for an ATM that accepted my bank card. That's one collective thing I really miss about Commercial Bank and Ooredoo: International bank card use and the 100QR Passport for international calling. Both make travel life so much easier.
Anyways, the train to Hikkaduwa was pretty nice, no Kandy to Haputale but it was still nice. I'd recommend taking the bus though because the roads are closer to the water than the train tracks.
After I arrived in Hikkaduwa I got a tuk-tuk to Balapitiya, the town I was staying in. I'm really happy I took a tuk-tuk and not a bus because the guesthouse's location on the map was wrong. 5km-off wrong. The tuk-tuk driver called the place and figured out where to go. We finally made it there, and the place I was staying was the most rustic one in the area. The gate looked like it was stripped off a shipping container but you get what you pay for. Again, mosquito net and comfy bed = happy camper.
My first full day there I got up and had a wonderful breakfast and set off for something I'd been excited about since the beginning of the trip. Madhu Island and Cinnamon Island. The island was a 40-minute walk from guest house. It was a cloudy day so it wasn't a tough trek. I didn't expect it to be such a quiet walk through a residential area. Then you get to the bridge to the island.
It was so quiet, the lake was so calm I had the moment all to myself. It was so cool. As I walked across the bridge, motorcycles passed and asked the standard questions "Where are you from?" and "You like Safari?"
Once I got the to the island it was still very quiet. There were mothers and their kids walking the opposite way, probably going to school or daycare, but they were all shy. I got to the temple which was tourist-free. A monk showed me around the area and explained the ages of all the buildings and trees.
.
We got to Cinnamon Island and they were not ready for visitors. So, in broken English, our captain said we'd come back in about 5 minutes. That was fine by me, then we picked up a random bunch of people off the mainland. They were here on holidays, most of the guys worked in Dubai at one of the five-star hotels. We went back to Cinnamon Island and they gave me some cinnamon oil to try. It works like tiger balm, don't eat it. They also explained the process of how cinnamon is made.
After Cinnamon Island, we hopped into the boat and went to a fish farm. This wasn't just your plain old fish farm though. This fish farm bred tilapia and the fish you find in the lobby of Chinese restaurants.
Each square of water had I'd guess between 100-150 fish. You could dip your feet in and the fish would eat away all your dead skin. They weren't big fans of my callouses. It starts off as a weird feeling then it starts to get relaxing until a big fish starts going at your toe hair.
Once the fish farm was ruined by the ever-so-common throng of Chinese tourists, we left and floated through a "forest" as the Sri Lankans called it.
Travelling during a country's red letter days can be problematic. Travellers rely on restaurants for food. I walked 6km in one direction searching for food. Little shops were all closed. By the time I had reached a Perrera & Sons everything had been picked over from the lunch menu. Then I found a Pizza Hut, but I couldn't bring myself to eat pizza in Sri Lanka. So I walked back to my guesthouse and asked if I could have dinner there, he said of course.
When I was called for dinner I received a 4-person meal, it was nuts. I barely made a dent in the curries and rice, and I was starving. Everything was so delicious but I was starting to fall asleep from all the walking and heat from the day.
The next day I bought fruit from a fruit stand and sat on some rocks on the beach to watch the sunset.
After that night, I packed up as I listened to the morning playoff game, then hunted for an ATM that accepted my bank card. That's one collective thing I really miss about Commercial Bank and Ooredoo: International bank card use and the 100QR Passport for international calling. Both make travel life so much easier.
Anyways, the train to Hikkaduwa was pretty nice, no Kandy to Haputale but it was still nice. I'd recommend taking the bus though because the roads are closer to the water than the train tracks.
After I arrived in Hikkaduwa I got a tuk-tuk to Balapitiya, the town I was staying in. I'm really happy I took a tuk-tuk and not a bus because the guesthouse's location on the map was wrong. 5km-off wrong. The tuk-tuk driver called the place and figured out where to go. We finally made it there, and the place I was staying was the most rustic one in the area. The gate looked like it was stripped off a shipping container but you get what you pay for. Again, mosquito net and comfy bed = happy camper.
My first full day there I got up and had a wonderful breakfast and set off for something I'd been excited about since the beginning of the trip. Madhu Island and Cinnamon Island. The island was a 40-minute walk from guest house. It was a cloudy day so it wasn't a tough trek. I didn't expect it to be such a quiet walk through a residential area. Then you get to the bridge to the island.
It was so quiet, the lake was so calm I had the moment all to myself. It was so cool. As I walked across the bridge, motorcycles passed and asked the standard questions "Where are you from?" and "You like Safari?"
Once I got the to the island it was still very quiet. There were mothers and their kids walking the opposite way, probably going to school or daycare, but they were all shy. I got to the temple which was tourist-free. A monk showed me around the area and explained the ages of all the buildings and trees.
Here's a sleeping Buddha.
The main shrine at the temple.
Monk-dolls
Growing up, my mom had a sewing machine like this in our spare room.
It was a really cool experience to just be alone in a holy place. The monk asked for a donation and gave me a bracelet (which I'm still wearing) and a delicious king coconut.
After that, I kept walking down the path and found some dudes and some boats and asked if they could take me to Cinnamon Island. They nodded and directed me into the boat. The two-man crew consisted of a one-armed driver who spoke the most English and another guy who tied the boat up when we stopped.
We got to Cinnamon Island and they were not ready for visitors. So, in broken English, our captain said we'd come back in about 5 minutes. That was fine by me, then we picked up a random bunch of people off the mainland. They were here on holidays, most of the guys worked in Dubai at one of the five-star hotels. We went back to Cinnamon Island and they gave me some cinnamon oil to try. It works like tiger balm, don't eat it. They also explained the process of how cinnamon is made.
After Cinnamon Island, we hopped into the boat and went to a fish farm. This wasn't just your plain old fish farm though. This fish farm bred tilapia and the fish you find in the lobby of Chinese restaurants.
Once the fish farm was ruined by the ever-so-common throng of Chinese tourists, we left and floated through a "forest" as the Sri Lankans called it.
Our guides, leaving the forest.
Then the locals got dropped off on an island, they just wanted to hang out and explore for a while. I was beginning to get hungry so I asked to go back to Balapitiya and these two gents above took me back. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not clarifying prices before getting into their boat so I was stuck with footing a hefty price (in Sri Lankan standards) because we didn't have enough middle ground language-wise to negotiate.
It felt bad leaving on a sour note like that but when I looked back at these photos as I wrote, I felt calm and relaxed remembering the day and holiday as a whole. This was a beautiful country with incredibly friendly and helpful people. I definitely plan on coming back to Sri Lanka again.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Uduwalawe
After starting off in Colombo, taking a private car to Dambulla, taking a bus to Kandy, then a train to Haputale, we made it to Uduwalawe, our last in-land stop. The scenery was amazing from Kandy to Uduwalawe. Before that, there was the hustle and bustle of what felt like the entire country moving around because of the New Year celebrations.
When we arrived in Uduwalawe we were greeted by another friendly guy. We talked about going on a safari the following day and set up a full day safari where we'd see a good chunk of the park. Pick-up was 5:30 am so we got up with charged cameras and phones ready for the day of adventure and ELEPHANTS!!!
We hopped in the jeep, and our guide drove off after packing up all the supplies. The jeep was actually a pick-up truck with seats and a canvas roof built into the flatbed. We had to yell so our guide Pia (sp?) could hear us.
The ride out to Uduwalawe National Park was beautiful in the pink sky. Sadly this is my best photo of that:
When we got into the admissions area, Pia went out of the cab and asked us for the money for the tickets into the safari. We paid him and then I started to worry. As he walked over to the line he walked by everyone, then shook hands with a guy and had a dart and small talked. Why isn't he in line? The line continued to get longer and longer. Then he comes back with a cardboard box, he opens our cooler and then puts two beers into the cooler. I don't even remember asking for this! Then he had another cigarette! I was getting very frustrated with this guy's decision making, but of course, his English consists of animal names and survival English, so he didn't understand my distress AT ALL. In the end, he got his tickets from some schmuck who owed him a favour and waited in line while he sat back and enjoyed himself.
With the tickets in hand, we drove off into the park itself. Pia had the tendency to just stop the truck, open the door, and just talk to us about what we could see and his plan. After the first corner, Pia swung out of the cab and said pointing behind us, "this is main road," then pointing ahead, "this is off road." At the second turn, we found our first animal.
I couldn't believe it. And in the background, you can see the outline of a peacock perched on a pole. Uduwalawe has a lot of peacocks. We continued to drive around and ran into a couple other residents at the UNR.
This is a kingfisher. He has a caught a fish in his beak that's roughly the same length as she (or he) is tall. The bird spent a good few minutes slapping the fish against the tree branch and eventually swallowed it whole with no issues at all. Very impressive, unlike the clarity of the photograph.
When we arrived in Uduwalawe we were greeted by another friendly guy. We talked about going on a safari the following day and set up a full day safari where we'd see a good chunk of the park. Pick-up was 5:30 am so we got up with charged cameras and phones ready for the day of adventure and ELEPHANTS!!!
We hopped in the jeep, and our guide drove off after packing up all the supplies. The jeep was actually a pick-up truck with seats and a canvas roof built into the flatbed. We had to yell so our guide Pia (sp?) could hear us.
The ride out to Uduwalawe National Park was beautiful in the pink sky. Sadly this is my best photo of that:
With the tickets in hand, we drove off into the park itself. Pia had the tendency to just stop the truck, open the door, and just talk to us about what we could see and his plan. After the first corner, Pia swung out of the cab and said pointing behind us, "this is main road," then pointing ahead, "this is off road." At the second turn, we found our first animal.
Here are three female elephants, the front one is pregnant.
This is a jungle fowl. I'm glad I took a picture of this guy because we never saw another one.
Here's a bird.
And another bird.
But this is a lizard.
As we drove around. I realised how unprepared I was and how unprofessional I looked taking pictures with a digital camera that's about 5 years old. Most people driving around had camera lenses the length of your hand... or children half-awake. Driving around I did see a car with just one person sitting in the flatbed and I empathised with him as a person who has travelled alone before. I'm happy I had someone to talk to for the ride.
The photo above is what most of the ride looked like. This pale dirt road with plants on the side. you run through roads like this all the time and then you uncover this irregular part (lakes and rivers, or clearings). Other times something is eating or perched just off of the path. At times it felt like we were travelling in circles.
About four hours in, we realised we had another six hours, we decided to cut our safari down to a half day. Pia got on his phone, we spoke the manager, the manager spoke to Pia and everything was cleared up.
After that, we flipped from time moving like molasses to sneering at how little time was left. The best parts were definitely saved for last.
This is a water buffalo calf.
The photo above and the one beneath are about ten meters away from the calf.
The crocodiles were nowhere near the buffalo.
This is Pia and small Sri Lankan man.
These were definitely the three biggest elephants I saw on the safari.
This is the last photo I took on the safari and I think it's one of my favourites.
I really liked this safari, it was cool seeing all these animals up close and knowing how much space they have to roam, fly and soak in. My advice would be to bring a camera with a good lens because not all of the animals get very close to the truck and just book a half-day safari, six hours in the park is all you need.
One Night in Sri Lanka
April Something, 2017
Yesterday, in Dambulla, I had a wonderful authentic dinner. One of the long-time hostel guests invited everyone to a dinner made by one of the hostel's tuk-tuk drivers. He picked up three people and drove off, saying he'd be back in 10-15 minutes. While we waited we swapped stories in the heat of the evening. The tuk-tuk driver came back for the rest of us, four total, and I got to ride in the front seat!
We drove on the main road for a bit then turned off onto a narrower road. We started getting further and further away from the lights of Dambulla. We'd been in the tuk-tuk for so long (in terms of tuk-tuk standards), every time we drove by a house I thought this would be the place. At some point, we turned onto a dirt road lit only by the headlight of the tuk-tuk. Both sides of the road were overrun with plants blowing in the wind. Eventually, we pulled up to a house all on its lonesome. Our keen tuk-tuk driver led us through his fruit trees to a grass hut on the back of his property. The other three were there drinking water and big brown bottles of Lion beer. The four of us ordered beers as well and joined the party. Our tuk-tuk driver, now host, tells us the set menu and offers some speakers to play music on (after the data of one phone floundered I played AM - it was the wrong album I'd say). He came back after a few minutes and came out with a basket of fried curry leaves and chips. While we waited for dinner, there was a beetle that fell through the roof at least 3 times, which entertained us and prolonged the small talk. It's weird how strangers can continuously talk and then it dries up, eh?
Once the food was brought out. people took out their cameras, and phones and snapped away before eating. There was salmon curry, lady finger curry, two fresh salads, dahl curry, bean curry, polos and kol sambol with rice underneath. Everything was spot on. Most people went up for seconds, and I even ordered another beer.
This guy who hosted, his goal is to convert the place into a homestay. I hope it works out for him, he's such a good guy.
Back to the evening-- as I emptied my second bottle of beer I started to yawn as did others and our host drove the first set of people home. Me and the other two lay-dees left behind knew we were in for a wait. Recalling back to what our host had said during the introduction to the meal, we decided to walk further down the property towards the ravine. One girl pulled out her phone and flashed her torch towards the other side of the river. Then, fireflies in an old tree started to light up. Ideally, there'd be a bench to sit on (especially after gorging on Sri Lankan food) and watch one of nature's marvels flicker in the dark of the tree (the sky was actually quite light). We stood and watched the tree light up until we heard the engine of our ride home.
When we had got up our host had returned with fireworks. He lit them and threw them high over a field of beans. The fireworks were disappointing, just loud, but he picked a bean out of the garden and gave it to me. I had never had a raw bean before that was sweet, it blew my mind. While I was savouring the bean, he handed me a wood apple I think he called it, then a small green star fruit which was a very unique taste. Regardless, the meal included ingredients from his home garden and that's one of my favourite things about this place. Live off the land: it's the best way to eat.
Yesterday, in Dambulla, I had a wonderful authentic dinner. One of the long-time hostel guests invited everyone to a dinner made by one of the hostel's tuk-tuk drivers. He picked up three people and drove off, saying he'd be back in 10-15 minutes. While we waited we swapped stories in the heat of the evening. The tuk-tuk driver came back for the rest of us, four total, and I got to ride in the front seat!
We drove on the main road for a bit then turned off onto a narrower road. We started getting further and further away from the lights of Dambulla. We'd been in the tuk-tuk for so long (in terms of tuk-tuk standards), every time we drove by a house I thought this would be the place. At some point, we turned onto a dirt road lit only by the headlight of the tuk-tuk. Both sides of the road were overrun with plants blowing in the wind. Eventually, we pulled up to a house all on its lonesome. Our keen tuk-tuk driver led us through his fruit trees to a grass hut on the back of his property. The other three were there drinking water and big brown bottles of Lion beer. The four of us ordered beers as well and joined the party. Our tuk-tuk driver, now host, tells us the set menu and offers some speakers to play music on (after the data of one phone floundered I played AM - it was the wrong album I'd say). He came back after a few minutes and came out with a basket of fried curry leaves and chips. While we waited for dinner, there was a beetle that fell through the roof at least 3 times, which entertained us and prolonged the small talk. It's weird how strangers can continuously talk and then it dries up, eh?
Once the food was brought out. people took out their cameras, and phones and snapped away before eating. There was salmon curry, lady finger curry, two fresh salads, dahl curry, bean curry, polos and kol sambol with rice underneath. Everything was spot on. Most people went up for seconds, and I even ordered another beer.
This guy who hosted, his goal is to convert the place into a homestay. I hope it works out for him, he's such a good guy.
Back to the evening-- as I emptied my second bottle of beer I started to yawn as did others and our host drove the first set of people home. Me and the other two lay-dees left behind knew we were in for a wait. Recalling back to what our host had said during the introduction to the meal, we decided to walk further down the property towards the ravine. One girl pulled out her phone and flashed her torch towards the other side of the river. Then, fireflies in an old tree started to light up. Ideally, there'd be a bench to sit on (especially after gorging on Sri Lankan food) and watch one of nature's marvels flicker in the dark of the tree (the sky was actually quite light). We stood and watched the tree light up until we heard the engine of our ride home.
When we had got up our host had returned with fireworks. He lit them and threw them high over a field of beans. The fireworks were disappointing, just loud, but he picked a bean out of the garden and gave it to me. I had never had a raw bean before that was sweet, it blew my mind. While I was savouring the bean, he handed me a wood apple I think he called it, then a small green star fruit which was a very unique taste. Regardless, the meal included ingredients from his home garden and that's one of my favourite things about this place. Live off the land: it's the best way to eat.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Reports
Honestly, I think too much about work. I have to write 88 comments for my upcoming report card. AND if I write 3 a day I'll be done in less than a month. I don't even know when they're due, but I love writing... even if it is report writing. What a weirdo, I know, but over time I've learned that I can't write well under pressure. So this is my solution: just chip away until it's gone. Usually by the time I'm about 40% done a class's reports I have enough Ctrl+C + Ctrl+V material to get through the rest which is also when my willingness to live tends to disappear.
This time could be different. I have already written five comments so at least one day is already down! Not to mention I haven't written a report since November. That's a four-month gap where we've had a science fair, 4 math strands (soon to be 7!), 2 literacy units, guided reading, a unit where kids created their own inventions... the list goes on, I have a plethora of things I can write about. I don't want to jinx it but this feels like if I finish this before for the shitstorm of May I'll be fine. Off the top of my head, there are some kiddos where I couldn't write 750-900 characters about their skills, talents, progressions in each subject area but they'll always get at least one. Being a frank writer, I usually come up short on my character count and that's the only frustrating part. This term I've made a list of talking points for each subject though and I'm hoping that'll get me over writer's block.
My favourite time to write reports is during another lesson when I'm not teaching. The clickety-clack of the keyboard is a B-grade David Attenborough watching a child in their natural environment:
The young mathematician puts his head down has he begins to write furiously in attempts to out-do his rival in the class to win the heart of his teacher. [Insert name here] applies his knowledge of factors and multiples to reduce a fraction to its lowest form to calculate 5/35 of 63 to complete the worksheet. In triumph, he raises his pencil into the air and screams "I'M DONE!" As the boy turns to the teacher, he sees a disapproving finger wagging in the air. He needs to honour classroom etiquette and remain silent.
I'm not a parent but I do have to proofread report comments and this is what I would want to read.
Alas, that is not report-writing etiquette yet. There is still the problem of developing unique boilerplate comments that sound professional. The key to that is staying organised (and letting Microsoft Word come up with synonyms for you). Every teacher has a document of general comments somewhere in their files within files on the cloud. Even though all kids are different there are still a bunch that are hard workers, timid, or incapable of shutting up. Eloquence is also an important aspect to keep in mind when writing reports, especially for the last two last traits. Like all professions, teachers have code words and clauses that flag students.
Do I look forward to writing reports? Not really. The process is too long. Write them. Edit them, send them off to someone else to edit them. Revise them. Recount the characters after making adjustments. Send them to admin. Make admin-recommended revisions. Revise them as a team. It's a long process. And these steps usually take an hour or longer. After a day of teaching, revising report comments is one of the worst PDs possible especially when there's no food... That first draft is always a fun challenge. Especially when you take the time to sit and ponder, not rush, and really just report how the child operates in class.
This time could be different. I have already written five comments so at least one day is already down! Not to mention I haven't written a report since November. That's a four-month gap where we've had a science fair, 4 math strands (soon to be 7!), 2 literacy units, guided reading, a unit where kids created their own inventions... the list goes on, I have a plethora of things I can write about. I don't want to jinx it but this feels like if I finish this before for the shitstorm of May I'll be fine. Off the top of my head, there are some kiddos where I couldn't write 750-900 characters about their skills, talents, progressions in each subject area but they'll always get at least one. Being a frank writer, I usually come up short on my character count and that's the only frustrating part. This term I've made a list of talking points for each subject though and I'm hoping that'll get me over writer's block.
My favourite time to write reports is during another lesson when I'm not teaching. The clickety-clack of the keyboard is a B-grade David Attenborough watching a child in their natural environment:
The young mathematician puts his head down has he begins to write furiously in attempts to out-do his rival in the class to win the heart of his teacher. [Insert name here] applies his knowledge of factors and multiples to reduce a fraction to its lowest form to calculate 5/35 of 63 to complete the worksheet. In triumph, he raises his pencil into the air and screams "I'M DONE!" As the boy turns to the teacher, he sees a disapproving finger wagging in the air. He needs to honour classroom etiquette and remain silent.
I'm not a parent but I do have to proofread report comments and this is what I would want to read.
Alas, that is not report-writing etiquette yet. There is still the problem of developing unique boilerplate comments that sound professional. The key to that is staying organised (and letting Microsoft Word come up with synonyms for you). Every teacher has a document of general comments somewhere in their files within files on the cloud. Even though all kids are different there are still a bunch that are hard workers, timid, or incapable of shutting up. Eloquence is also an important aspect to keep in mind when writing reports, especially for the last two last traits. Like all professions, teachers have code words and clauses that flag students.
Do I look forward to writing reports? Not really. The process is too long. Write them. Edit them, send them off to someone else to edit them. Revise them. Recount the characters after making adjustments. Send them to admin. Make admin-recommended revisions. Revise them as a team. It's a long process. And these steps usually take an hour or longer. After a day of teaching, revising report comments is one of the worst PDs possible especially when there's no food... That first draft is always a fun challenge. Especially when you take the time to sit and ponder, not rush, and really just report how the child operates in class.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Fiction #13
After moving to Korea in 2012, I made a New Year's resolution to play more ultimate. I fell in love again with the sport and learned so many rules of the game and the spirit that separates ultimate from every other sport.
One rule is sandbagging. I was not part of this hat tournament but there was a hat tournament where a highly-touted player signed up under a fake name and ranked himself in the middle of the pack. This is sandbagging. In the end, his team won the tournament and a lot of people in the ROK-U community labelled him as a d-bag. Rightly so. But what about the people who do the opposite and sell themselves too high? Here's a story, it’ll be like reading Chinese if you don’t play ultimate.
It’s a working title for now.
Trust
The final's hard cap was called at 6-6 and the wind had picked up. The sun was setting and the lights around the turf came on. Our captain never had a trust issue with any team, he always believed everyone on the field would make the right choice. Even if it meant playing a six-person offence. There were strong women who marked well and got open. There were two strong handlers on the field and a solid anchor, Bambi, who always got someone open. It had been a long point before. Our captain made several bids and chased the disc like no one else. He earned that point. No one would argue against that. It was a surprise when he stepped out of the game for Jonesy. We lined up across from the people we had been guarding the entire game. Off the pull, my mark, Dan, caught the disc. Trusting my teammates, I sprinted to force his forehand and he took his chance deep. Gonzo and his man were stride-for-stride chasing one of Dan's better flicks of the afternoon. It had the arc of a football. Gonzo slowed and took a step behind his man and leapt like an Olympian. He caught the disc. That's when anything could have happened. As much as I love Gonzo, he shouldn't catch a disc outside the end-zone. Usually, he'd be chilly and give a dump pass to Caps, Lo, or myself, but this was the finals.
"Toss the disc! I'm open!” Gonzo threw it to the first open man, and Ricky lucked out and looked up the field as he caught the disc one-handed. Without a lapse in the defence, a tight cup covered Ricky. He looked forward pointing. He shifted his shoulders awkwardly, trying to fake out the three-person cup. They didn't bite. He looked cross field at all the empty space. Without even glancing at a wide-open swing pass he threw up a hammer. Even with the wind in his face, he threw something over the top. You could hear hecklers on the sideline calling Ricky's name. Tommy, the mid zone, a man the size of a grizzly bear with arms like an orangutan, snatched it as the disc hooked backwards. I back-peddled knowing Ricky would have watched his throw as his man, Rockwell went deep anticipating the turnover. Tom recognised and respected my position and swung it to the middle to Ann.
"Catch your man, Ricky" I called behind me. The long points were taking their toll.
"I got it, Chip, don't worry," he panted, that's the last sound I wanted to hear.
The disc went deep again. Ricky took five hard strides and fell. Rockwell, jumped into the hair to grab what looked like the final point of our season. Then, as fate would have it, the wind gave the disc the tiniest boost. I stopped running I couldn't even believe it. Gonzo was in hot pursuit and smacked it to the ground this time and gave me the nod as we ran past each other.
I grabbed the disc and brought it up to the end zone line and tapped it on the ground, patience is not required on universe point. I faked hard to the open side, then threw a blade under my mark's arm to Lo who caught it in stride. I pushed harder than ever to get to that open side, looking at Gonzo bouncing deep off on an in-cut. As I turned to go to my up-line cut Ricky was going there as well with his man in front of him. He planted hard and winced and walked out of the lane. I reset in the middle and watched Tilley grab the disc.
I waited for Lo to make her move before deciding my route. She caught the disc again, closer to the middle. She wiped her sweaty brown hair off of her forehead and looked up the field for Gonzo. He was blanketed. She looked at Tilley, then at an open Ricky and pumped to try and shake his defender off of Gonzo. No luck. She swung it to me.
Now we were in the end zone drill. The flawless offence we practised time and time again. I put it to the break side to Lo. She tossed it up to Jonesy. He looked up, pump faked to a standing Ricky and dumped it to Lo, who swung it to Tilley who got it to me on the opposite sideline.
Ricky and I did not get along. I love this game; it is in my heart and my soul. Ricky thinks it's a great co-ed sport to meet women and show-off. I mean, the guy hasn't worn sleeves all season. Bambi found his spot and cut into the middle for a swing. Now, the wonderful, amazing thing about Bambi is he is ambidextrous. If he played it right, and he usually did, he made any throw he wanted. Gonzo was stuck in a bracket.
“Ricky, you’re poached, go deep” the sideline called.
Bambi was still holding the disc looking towards the end zone.
“Ricky, you’re poached, go deep” the sideline called.
I glanced over my shoulder at the situation. The man was gasping for air. He was stuck on the far wing. I made my cut towards Bambi, he fakes and dished off a push pass over his head. I grinned as I caught the sly pass. I looked up. Lo was running across the field over top of Ricky who was staggering along the sideline. Ricky’s man noticed and backed up.
Fuck he isn’t giving us a chance. Just call injury timeout, you can barely walk, I thought as the stall count climbed. I hit Jonesy on the open side. Looking forward on the opposite side of the field, Lo was beating her person to the side. Jonesy threw a wobbly backhand towards the end zone and the wind slowed it down enough for a turn.
I exhaled and sprinted back onto D. Checking to see where Ricky and his man were. Rockwell knew the deal. He had known the whole point: he was smoking hot every time on offence.
“No one gets beat deep,” I said. “Call for help if you need it.”
“Stall One…” Jonesy called in his fog-horn voice, “UP!!”
I looked up and saw the disc. I ran even harder than I did for the strike cut (you can always go harder than harder on universe point). The wind was taking over the game and pushed the disc out of bounds, too far for an attempt at a greatest. Lo went for it and tapped it in.
“End-zone!” she called with the heart of a lion.
We set up our system and ran it to perfection. The sideline couldn’t believe it. They started counting after 10 complete passes. We were marching up the field. The variations we had practised knocked our opponents off of their game. It wasn’t just swing passes to the outside. We opened the middle for a couple to keep them honest. Working it up in the shape of a W.
“Sixteen!” the sideline cheered.
Jonesy passed it back to Lo. She saw Gonzo’s man fall for the in-cut and Gonzo busted for the end-zone and Lo threw a backhand for the ages.
Again with that wind!
Gonzo slowed down and boxed out his man from getting the disc. He leapt and snapped the disc out of the air. He just didn't land in the end zone.
Everyone was jogging up to reset the offence.
“Chilly, Gonzo” went the sideline chorus.
He stayed chilly and rocketed it back to me. I caught it with my stomach and two hands. The middle of the end zone was a cluster of everyone. My mark was forcing my backhand, I had to respect it and didn’t throw a flick to an open Jonesy.
“Seven” my mark shouted into my ear.
I had to force it. Ricky gave me a nod as he cut in towards the cluster of people. I read the direction and placed it on the open side. Ricky’s gloves parked that disc right in his hands. He screamed as he smashed the disc on the ground, he jumped and hollered as everyone on our sideline ran to the field. I sighed and smiled and laughed as my captain put his arms around me.
“You did the right things, the whole way up, Chippy.” He said pinching my cheek. “I just didn’t think Ricky would have caught it.”
“Me neither,” I said, “I really wanted to hit Jonesy, but…”
“Don’t say it, just enjoy the night.”
We got into the group-hug and cheered and screamed overrun with exhaustion and adrenaline. We hugged and shook hands with our opponents/friends and discussed applauded the efforts of one another in a circle. I can’t remember how the night ended. I do remember that Ricky and I toasted each other several times at the bar to winning and nothing else.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
To Produce Produce
In my Junior year, I took a course called Food and Writing, which was all about the processes food is made and the way those processes are conveyed and evaluated. The main focus was on Food Security and the importance of buying local and getting the best products. We did a project that focused on raising awareness about a program devoted to providing low-income families with locally grown produce at a cheaper price than Wal-Mart and The Great Canadian Superstore. I really liked the professor and his philosophy towards both writing and food and continue to do my best to emulate him. Food's quality is hinged on its freshness and I've grown up with that ideology, carrying it along as best I can through my travels.
As a kid, I always grew up with a vegetable garden, and my mother has continued to broaden her horizons with herbs and veggies. Coming home from university or abroad for the summer was always refreshing. I always liked barbequing in the backyard picking at parsley while I waited to flip whatever was on the 'cue. When I lived in Korea I always did my best to buy local produce from the markets around my apartment and school. Obviously, I didn't get everything I wanted all the time (I was always giddy when Asian pears showed up) but you make due, it's the closest thing to living off the land when you live in a big city and/or don't have a green thumb. In Doha, there wasn't a lot of local stuff: sometimes spinach or dill but other than that everything came from somewhere off of the Arabian Peninsula. I did my best to buy KSA products but there still wasn't a lot from there either.
Now here in Jordan, the farmer's market has opened up and although it's small it's got some great stuff. This is my second time going there and it continues to grow. This week they had strawberries! The farmer's market is the only place I've seen zucchinis too. So besides supporting farm-to-table, there are just certain things that are unique to the market. The atmosphere is very cool. It's set up in a park and each food-selling-human has their booth set up with a chalkboard over top stating where they're from. All the booths are local businesses of one kind or another, but I really just go for the produce.
Apart from buying strawberries I also picked up some kohlrabi (I googled what I can do with that), heirloom tomatoes, broad beans, a multigrain loaf, and kale.
Here are some photos:
Price isn't really a big deal for me but the loaf was 2JD, the bundle of kale was 1JD, the pint of broad beans was a half JD, the strawberries were 5JD (which is steep), and the heirlooms and zucchini were 3JD together. I don't think I'm saving heaps but it's the principle of cutting off the middleman.
While I prep all this goodness I watch this show called Chef's Table on Netflix. It's pretty awesome and inspiring if you like cooking. Everything's over the top because these are some of the best chef's in the world but it's just cool to listen to their ideas on food.
As a kid, I always grew up with a vegetable garden, and my mother has continued to broaden her horizons with herbs and veggies. Coming home from university or abroad for the summer was always refreshing. I always liked barbequing in the backyard picking at parsley while I waited to flip whatever was on the 'cue. When I lived in Korea I always did my best to buy local produce from the markets around my apartment and school. Obviously, I didn't get everything I wanted all the time (I was always giddy when Asian pears showed up) but you make due, it's the closest thing to living off the land when you live in a big city and/or don't have a green thumb. In Doha, there wasn't a lot of local stuff: sometimes spinach or dill but other than that everything came from somewhere off of the Arabian Peninsula. I did my best to buy KSA products but there still wasn't a lot from there either.
Now here in Jordan, the farmer's market has opened up and although it's small it's got some great stuff. This is my second time going there and it continues to grow. This week they had strawberries! The farmer's market is the only place I've seen zucchinis too. So besides supporting farm-to-table, there are just certain things that are unique to the market. The atmosphere is very cool. It's set up in a park and each food-selling-human has their booth set up with a chalkboard over top stating where they're from. All the booths are local businesses of one kind or another, but I really just go for the produce.
Apart from buying strawberries I also picked up some kohlrabi (I googled what I can do with that), heirloom tomatoes, broad beans, a multigrain loaf, and kale.
Here are some photos:
Price isn't really a big deal for me but the loaf was 2JD, the bundle of kale was 1JD, the pint of broad beans was a half JD, the strawberries were 5JD (which is steep), and the heirlooms and zucchini were 3JD together. I don't think I'm saving heaps but it's the principle of cutting off the middleman.
While I prep all this goodness I watch this show called Chef's Table on Netflix. It's pretty awesome and inspiring if you like cooking. Everything's over the top because these are some of the best chef's in the world but it's just cool to listen to their ideas on food.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Third time's the Charm! Asshole / President #11
I know, I know you were waiting for this for a long long time. I apologize. I didn't wait a sleep to revise I'm just dishing it ASAP. Here you go.
I have tried to write a blog about Dead to Red but it's too all over the place. Then I actually wrote a poem! Yes, a poem. Then I read it over and realised that it's pretty offensive if you read it in the wrong light, so it'll rear its ugly head in the summer or after someone has read it and given me their two cents.
Now, this is the third blog and as I type I still don't know what I'm going to write about...
Dating abroad!
Here we go. I was thinking about this while I was walking somewhere.
I love games. Board games, card games, video games, riddles, puzzles, whatever you've got I'll play it. So long as there are rules. Rules make games what they are. The rules confine you to this box and then when you win the game you're out of the box (shitty metaphor). But from clique to clique rules change. The best example I can think of is President, or Asshole. You can match, you can burn, you can play poker hands, you have 4 nukes, no jokers, one-eyed jacks, the suicide king and even the three of clubs in one circle of people. Regardless of the over-the-top or minimalistic approach of President/ Asshole you still want to get rid of all your cards first. The goal is the same but there are just different maps on how to get there.
Eventually, you just adjust to the game itself and the way to get to the finish line. The toughest one though was playing any game with Will Red Beard. Playing Settlers of Catan he'd trade resources to dodge the robber and act like a mobster when he had it in his hand. Apart from nights camping and playing 'chel, that was the only board game I was willing to play with him. He's a great guy and never claimed to not be competitive. He didn't bat his eyelashes and giggle as he did it. He treated it like business.
Dating is different. It isn't even dating abroad. Hell, macking abroad (what a pun!) but the rules are ever changing. I thought I had it figured out in Korea, then I moved to the Middle East and that crippled me. No PDAs? That's a damper on everything. There was one girl who got away because of that stupid rule and an incredibly creepy taxi driver. Everything involves second guessing yourself. There's the problem. Now hopefully every girl won't be a red beard.
Thanks.
I have tried to write a blog about Dead to Red but it's too all over the place. Then I actually wrote a poem! Yes, a poem. Then I read it over and realised that it's pretty offensive if you read it in the wrong light, so it'll rear its ugly head in the summer or after someone has read it and given me their two cents.
Now, this is the third blog and as I type I still don't know what I'm going to write about...
Dating abroad!
Here we go. I was thinking about this while I was walking somewhere.
I love games. Board games, card games, video games, riddles, puzzles, whatever you've got I'll play it. So long as there are rules. Rules make games what they are. The rules confine you to this box and then when you win the game you're out of the box (shitty metaphor). But from clique to clique rules change. The best example I can think of is President, or Asshole. You can match, you can burn, you can play poker hands, you have 4 nukes, no jokers, one-eyed jacks, the suicide king and even the three of clubs in one circle of people. Regardless of the over-the-top or minimalistic approach of President/ Asshole you still want to get rid of all your cards first. The goal is the same but there are just different maps on how to get there.
Eventually, you just adjust to the game itself and the way to get to the finish line. The toughest one though was playing any game with Will Red Beard. Playing Settlers of Catan he'd trade resources to dodge the robber and act like a mobster when he had it in his hand. Apart from nights camping and playing 'chel, that was the only board game I was willing to play with him. He's a great guy and never claimed to not be competitive. He didn't bat his eyelashes and giggle as he did it. He treated it like business.
Dating is different. It isn't even dating abroad. Hell, macking abroad (what a pun!) but the rules are ever changing. I thought I had it figured out in Korea, then I moved to the Middle East and that crippled me. No PDAs? That's a damper on everything. There was one girl who got away because of that stupid rule and an incredibly creepy taxi driver. Everything involves second guessing yourself. There's the problem. Now hopefully every girl won't be a red beard.
Thanks.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Sports Talk#10
The NBA and the NHL's trade deadlines have come and gone leaving the sports world talking about who has become a contender, who's tanking the rest of the season, and who is committing to a playoff run. I'll be honest, besides listening to PTI, I have no exposure to any NBA news so some of my insights might be dated. I was thinking this would be my topic for the week before it even started but I'll rant about the NBA at one point. I do follow the NHL religiously and I have lots of things to say about the goings on in the hockey world.
Les Habitants
The worst goes first. The moves made in Montreal bolster the line-up and give it some depth. I think Jordie Benn solidifies their defence if any injuries occur, hopefully Jamie doesn't miss him too much in Dallas. I had never heard of Andreas Martinsen before probably because he plays for the Avalanche. He's big though and that will be an asset for a team that plans to go deep in playoffs. The Habs went big again by trading for 2-time Stanley Cup champ Dwight King. That's a big win no matter how you look at it. This team is built to win, but I hope they don't, ever. To top it all off, Steve Ott will probably centre the two new bruisers. On paper that's a formidable line when they get the puck in the zone. Barring a catastrophe, the Canadiens will finish at the top of the Atlantic and will probably play either the Blue Jackets or the Rangers. Both of those teams have a physical presence that Montreal couldn't match until the trade deadline.
Boyle and Fehr
I mentioned before that I thought the Leafs would stand pat at the deadline but the opportunity presented itself and Lou landed Brian Boyle and Eric Fehr. Fehr hasn't played a game but this is a sign that Gauthier might not be the guy they wanted him to be when they drafted him four years ago. Ergo, Brian Boyle comes to town for the rest of the season. Will they decide to re-sign him? I'll email Bob McKenzie. For now, Boyle is on a line with Matt Martin and Nik Soshnikov (who plays like he's the size of his linemates) and that's going to have the same role as that Martinsen-Ott-King line with more of a scoring touch with Soshnikov's shot. Eric Fehr won a cup last year and was picked up for Frankie Corrado, so I think we'll come out of this deal unscathed. Apart from getting defensively-minded players, the Leafs also have loaded up on experience: Fehr been in the first round of the playoffs several times and Boyle has to the finals twice.
Vanek to Florida
Jagr is making another push for a cup. With the Eastern Conference champ being such a toss-up every team who has a chance at the playoffs levelled up in at least one way. Vanek is the consistent secondary scoring boost that the Panthers yearn for. He'll probably get powerplay time with Jagr and the kids (Barkov, Huberdeau, and Ekblad). 5-on-5 he'll be with some young talent too and provide some creativity in the offensive zone. Hopefully, the trade they made for Reece Scarlett will cover the back-end after losing Dylan McIlrath. I think instead of growing beards for the playoffs the whole team should just grow mullets.
Lazar to the Flames
Every Canadian loves Curtis Lazar. To me, he'll always be that happy-go-lucky kid from the World Juniors who just couldn't stop smiling. His pro career never really took off in Ottawa and he struggled to crack the line-up with a couple of coaches. A change of scenery will be good for him especially now that he's surrounded by a young core to grow with.
Kings add the old King of Calgary
It feels like a solid decade since Iggy played for the Flames, and it has been five years, which is a long time, but he'll always be a hero there. Now he's on the Kings. I don't really know what to think about this because I don't see the Kings making a move in the standings even with adding Ben Bishop. The West is simply too good and that core of the Kings is softer now: Brown was never very good, Kopitar (a fantasy disappointment outside of the faceoff dot) is underwhelming, Toffoli hasn't transformed into a great player, while Carter and Gaborik are getting too old to go through the regular season and the playoffs. I get to watch this team a lot because they start at 5 am in Jordan and I just can't see them outdoing Minnesota, Anaheim, San Jose, Nashville, Chicago, Edmonton, Calgary, or St. Louis for a playoff spot. Maybe a coaching change will change that but since they just picked up Iggy, who has played years for Sutter in Calgary, Sutter's job is safe for the rest of the season.
Oduya back to Chicago
This a team that is en route back to that dynasty level of play they had when they won cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. The fact Stan Bowman brought back Johnny O solidifies the idea the 'hawks are making a push. I remember in 2015 when the Blackhawks were playing in the playoffs up a goal with less than 2 minutes to go. Whatever the series score was it didn't matter but when the opposition pulled their goalie Oduya got the puck in his zone and intentionally flicked it out of the rink. That's the confidence that team has in itself, "We can play 2 men down for a minute and change, and not give up a goal. So long as we can ice the puck." Just on their resume alone, I like Chicago making it to the Conference Finals to play San Jose.
The Senators
Trading Lazar away for an older defenseman, Jyrki Jokipakka, was a good idea (because you never know when Phaneuf will start laying eggs again). But before that, they picked up Alex Burrows, who is a symbol of what the Ottawa Senators stand for. This team doesn't have a lot of role players. As a whole, they're a great two-way team and it's a win by committee philosophy and Burrows can definitely fit in with that committee. Like most of the team, he'll provide 50-60 points and will kill penalties. He also adds the playoff experience this team needs to get deeper into the playoffs. It's a big addition, along with Stalberg who can work as part of that committee as well, but in a lesser capacity.
Boogie in Nawlins
DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins has been finally traded away. The Sacremento Kings are free (targets) for the rest of the season. Now with Boogie out of the way they can start rebuilding with what they have (a bunch of guards). On the other side of the Southwest, Anthony Davis has someone to play with. Unfortunately, they are still 4 players away from being Golden State or even relevant as a playoff threat. That's all I have to say off the top of my head.
Shattenkirk to the Capitals
This is a big one! Kevin Shattenkirk, a highly touted offensive defenseman, has joined forces with the number one team in the league. I figure, Holtby can let in 3 goals a game and they'll still win 80% of them. Their line-up is amazing now. That's the only way you can describe it. But, this is the Washington Capitals we're talking about. We've seen this movie before: Amazing team beats the lowest seed in the first round and then loses in 6 or 7 games in the second because they run out of gas. The team doesn't have to lean on Ovechkin as much now with the young guns and Mr Game 7 on the roster along with Oshie (who has played with Shattenkirk before) and Backstrom too. For the sake of the city, it'd be nice for them to make it all the way this year.
Hansen to The Sharks
Now, this team was a formidable one before the deadline. Brent Burns is going to win the Hart Trophy if he keeps up this pace and takes his team to the finals, the two Joe's are playing well, the secondary scoring is blossoming after Hertl's return, and the defence is stable as always. Adding Hansen a very speedy forward the Sharks are in a difficult spot with Mikael Boedker who has been placed in a similar role to Hansen over the years. My prediction is Couture centres Hansen and Boedker and Marleau adds some more scoring depth on the third line with Hertl (who will return to centre) and Ward. Subsequently, Tierney moves down to the fourth line with Melker Karlsson and Sorensen while Michael Haley gets to drop in for some games to drop the gloves.
The Rangers Land Smith
When a good player is on a bad team, they don't really get noticed unless they're invited to play for the all-star team then have a great game there. Brendan Smith didn't make it to the all-star game but has quietly had an alright season thus far. Granted, he only has five points (three on the PP) but he's +1 on a team with a goal differential of -27 which is frankly much better than I thought Detroit would be. Now he's on a team where he isn't expected to match up with the best players he'll find a niche in the lineup where he can contribute like past years in Detroit.
Well, I guess that's all the big things. Eaves went to the Ducks but I can't see them making a big charge unless Gibson or, dare I say, Bernier turn it up a notch. That is the beauty, and also the pinnacle of frustration, in this game; a goalie can win a game for a team with very little help. I don't' think there's much else I felt like discussing. I'll be curious to see what happens to the Avalanche's stars in the offseason since they didn't get traded at the deadline. It was an exciting deadline, but there can always be more trades.
The Wild Wild
Finally, the team with the second biggest catch at the deadline. The Minnesota Wild have picked up Martin Hanzal and Ryan White. Now, Minnesota has four great centres: Mikko Koivu, Martin Hanzal, Eric Staal, and Erik Haula. Like the Senators, the Wild are a committee with some fading and up and coming stars. White has contributed offensively as well and that is just a pleasant surprise for this team. The biggest question is if Barbecue Bruce can keep it together and get this team into the third round of the playoffs (something he's never done). If they stay at the top of the West they should have an easy path.
Well, I guess that's all the big things. Eaves went to the Ducks but I can't see them making a big charge unless Gibson or, dare I say, Bernier turn it up a notch. That is the beauty, and also the pinnacle of frustration, in this game; a goalie can win a game for a team with very little help. I don't' think there's much else I felt like discussing. I'll be curious to see what happens to the Avalanche's stars in the offseason since they didn't get traded at the deadline. It was an exciting deadline, but there can always be more trades.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Petra: Go and See It! #9
Petra is beautiful. I loved every moment exploring and that's what separates this site from museums: you can explore! I got lost at least 3 times and uncovered some really cool things. Then, of course, the paths most travelled yield some pretty amazing things too.
Walking through the Siq was cool, a great walkway towards the city. Especially in the morning when it's so quiet. There's this sense of enormity as you walk in the valley of the canyon.
You get over the poop smell once you see the Treasury. Seeing it from up top is also really cool too. The funny thing is seeing the hordes of people taking pictures while I, an early riser, walk back home, appreciating the silence I had at 5-8 hours before. Here's the token camel shot:
On the right side, off a cliff, you can look down at the Treasury. There's a friendly duo up there who've got great tea and offer plenty of conversation. Of course, it isn't a straight shot up to the top: you need to go to the right of the Treasury, pass the amphitheatre, head up some stairs on the right and follow the carved rock walls until you get to some stairs.
On that path, you also get to look out over the path back to the monastery and the main road.
Walking down then up to the monastery is a rough one. Lots of stairs, and just about as many shopkeepers. I caved in and bought a Jordanian scarf, I'm a nice guy that way. The journey for me was more fruitful than the monastery itself... it was just a bigger Treasury I'd say. BUT if you stretch out your legs and keep marching on you find a beautiful canyon that reminded me of one I saw in Oman. We met a bedouin who looked like Jack Sparrow. He was very passive and welcoming, offering food and tea. We shared some motabel (eggplant dip) and hummus with him and his kids. While we drank tea he told us about his nephew, the government, the other bedouins, and his general way of life.
 |
| The Monastery |
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| A shot of the canyon, it wasn't a clear day but, with the human eye, you can see snow in the distance. |
On the way to the Monastery, I ran into some kids too :)
This is a shot of them running up to me, it was like watching puppies run. They didn't get too close, probably because I didn't have food. I just really like animals. I think they'll be a big part of my second or third career. On the second day, I had a different experience with goats. It was very sad looking up at something that was eventually going to die.
This goat couldn't move forward or backwards. I don't know how this animal got into this situation. but as I wandered through the valley you could hear the cries for help. After walking up to a familiar post in a different way I started walking down again hoping that that goat would be walking back to flat rock. Unfortunately, he wasn't and the rest of his flock stood at the foot of the cliff calling up to him. I wish I could have understood what they were saying-- there are so many directions advice can go in that situation. I got to a rest spot where a bedouin was sitting watching the episode. I asked if the goat would fall, she said yes. Part of me wanted to stay until it happened just so I knew its story was over.
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| It's hard to see, but the black speck in the middle of the shot is the goat. |
Before that, I got lost on the way to this temple. I travelled along with a boy who should have been in school. His English was poor and we walked past the site and he pointed off into the distance at something that looked too far for the trip I had in mind. Eventually, he realised he wasn't getting any money and rode off on his mule. Leaving me in the middle of nowhere. I managed to walk back to the nameless site below.
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| You can see three remaining tiled pieces of the description in the metal frame. The rest were on the ground, but I couldn't find anything with a title. I'm sure they've been picked up long ago. |
On the way back to this site I found these smooth rocks waiting for water to guide. The Earth changes so much and looking down these paths you can almost imagine the rivers flowing between the rocky walls thousands of years ago. The shadows make the path harder to see, but take that as the incentive to see it with your own eyes.
This last little blurb is something a little embarrassing. The first thing I wanted to do on my second day was to find the High Place of Sacrifice. It was the first thing I did (the steps leading up were really close to the Treasury) so I was climbing at about 7:30 which is before most bedouins make it to their shops along the way. I figured the HPS would be easy to find. It wasn't. I kept walking straight when I should have done a u-turn and ended up in this green space plotted with shrubs and leafy plants.
In hindsight, not seeing any more donkey poop on the trail was a telltale sign that I was off track. Frustrated by the lack directions, I went down and started journeying towards the nameless site. Once I got back to the main area and the base of the stairs with plenty of time before my bus was leaving, I decided to try my luck again. Once I reached the junction where I went straight before, a bedouin pointed me in the right direction. I kept walking up steps, sipping water, until I reached the HPS. The panorama was amazing. You could see so much, photos don't do it justice.
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| A platform at the top of the High Place of Sacrifice. |
Overall, this is a trip I'd definitely go on again, there are lots of great things to see and the exercise feels great too. Bonus: People with Jordanian Residency can go into Petra for 1JD, foreigners are charged 50JD. There isn't a lot of hassling from the people. If you decline politely, they leave you alone. Make sure you stop for tea, it's divine. This was a lot like Ephesus but there's a lot more space to roam and explore. Plus, you'll see herds of goats, healthy stray cats and dogs, and even some wild camels.
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