eternal beating

A few things have happened since my last post:

• I reached the halfway mark of my contract.
• I ordered and received a new camera. Capital M's sister, who will be referred to as Miss Poppy, recommended the FujiFilm FinePix F200 EXR. The following pictures were taken with it.
• As of today, Inuvik tied Toronto for the time of sunset (sunrise is another story). In the past month and 5 days we have gone from no sunlight to just about 6 hours.

There's a campsite not far from the learning centre. I mention this because the weather has been a balmy -20 degrees (and sometimes even a little warmer). It feels like I could be wearing shorts, or setting up a tent. I've become acclimatized to colder temperatures and this recent warm streak feels like Spring.

Many years ago I played a game for the Playstation called 'Silent Hill.' It was probably one of the scariest gaming/movie experiences I've ever had. The story revolves around a guy searching for his daughter in a town called Silent Hill. The town is a scary and sinister place but it pales when compared to evil Silent Hill. Yes, just when it seemed like things were at their scariest, they could actually get even more scary. Evil Silent Hill was filled with rusted metal and walkways like the one pictured above. Several of the business in town (and my apartment) have something similar leading to the entrance; I'm kind of glad it's not so dark out anymore.

This is my new classroom. I'm teaching the two streams of grade 12 English this semester. So far it's been a rough week and a half. There are almost 6 times more students than I had previously and none of them like to do anything. That's not an exaggeration. One woman looks at me with pure hate and another questions everything I do. 95 classes to go.
Yep, that's my chicken scratch. So far one woman has dropped my class because she said the words I use are too big. Some of the above words come from the readings we've done in class and some are things I've said; students are supposed to give me a list of words they didn't understand. I'm still trying to figure out if 'pothole' is meant as a joke. I hope it's a joke.
There's no specific reason or assoiciation with this picture, though there can be.

Dear stubborn seed:
Rime lined trees. If I was at all poetic I could do something with that.

Ice Road Trucker

Please forgive the poor quality of the accompanying picture. The Nikon Coolpix 4600 takes fine outdoor photos when there is lots of natural light but it has a really tough time with low light conditions. Sadly, this is also the last photo that will be taken with the old Nikon. I don't know if it was the cold or age but whenever I try and turn the camera on I get a message that says "system error 1 0." Let's all take a moment and remember the little camera that only worked well in bright outdoor light.

This past Friday I had the opportunity (thanks to a kind and considerate supervisor) to travel to the nearby town of Aklavik. A coworker had been there for a week and her husband was driving to pick her up. I was told to bring extra food, clothes, and water in case the car broke down and we ended up stranded on the ice road (I brought none of those things). I think 'ice road' is an apt description but 'river' would be better still. The entire distance between the two towns is travelled (during the winter) by driving Southwest on the McKenzie river and then making a turn onto the Peel river. It's kind of like canoeing - only in a car. Riverbanks bookend the road and the waves have frozen into fun little bumps. Fun, of course, is a relative term - I feel fairly certain that Capital M would have been car sick. To my surprise there were even road signs (like the signpost picture) but no speed limits.

Though the weather was fine I could definitely foresee some issues with driving on a river. Surprisingly the snow on the ice is plowed, and in some parts the ice is even groomed, but if there was a strong wind it would turn the road invisible with blowing snow. For the most part this would be fine but we passed several tributaries that could easily be mistaken for part of the designated ice road if an unwary driver were caught in a storm.

I'll stop for now and write about Aklavik, the town with no ketchup, later.

take me back

These are for all the people who are currently in snowless conditions.

The town hospital. I've been there once; accompanying a student who had a strange lapse during math. Though it was a nice enough place I have no desire to go back.

Unsurprisingly, people like to Skidoo around here. In fact, someone's doing it right now - in total darkness at 9:30pm.

I took this while standing on the mighty McKenzie river around 1:00pm. Unfortunately, I was unable to fully capture the blowing snow (on film). While taking this I was thinking "there's no such as thing as cold - just an absence heat." That didn't make my fingers feel any warmer.

as the world turned out

Dear build up of electrons:

Please know it is never my intention to take you away from the protons you find yourselves naturally attracted to. Maybe, it's not that. Maybe you see my getting up as a chance to make a break for it - you just 'happen' to rub off the chair and hop aboard the S.S Jesse V. - the preferred cruise line for single electrons. I don't know what time is like for an atom (or subatomic particle in your case) but I'd imagine that in the brief moment before I inevitably touch something made of metal you have experienced a lifetime of longing for the protons you abandoned. I am, as always, touched by your dramatic reunion when you leave the singles cruise and go back to the life you once knew. However, I am concerned about the frequency of this pattern. No one likes mind games electrons, and you may want to seriously consider whether you want to be in a relationship or on your own. I only write this because I care and want the best for you.

With compassion,

Jesse V.

Funny feeling

I would have admonished my English students for assuming the reader knows too much as I did in yesterday's post. I did not tell why Tropicana was filming a commercial up here - it was to coincide with the Sunrise Festival. On January 6th the sun bashfully made a brief appearance before ducking down below the horizon. The following weekend the town held the Sunrise festival complete with a town feast on Friday and a bonfire the next day. The filming of the commercial happened a few hours before the fire. Unfortunately, my camera batteries died before the balloon was lit up but if you follow this link you'll see some great pictures of Tropicana's artificial sun.

In school related news, my supervisor recently told one of my students that she would rather have her at school for two days a week than drunk at home for seven. The woman has to be sober at school. Another of my students told me that her step-father died of a heart attack while they were dancing at a New Year's dance. Sweet mother of Santa Fe. Oddly, the girl didn't seem too fazed by this.

I thought I'd wrap this post up with another new word that should be included in the dictionary:

portentially - adv. a omen that signifies a possible occurrence

How is this not a real word?

best of 2009

We're only three weeks into January and I can already cross a New Year's resolution off my list - be an unseen extra in an orange juice commercial. Tropicana, maker of highly addictive orange juice, decided to shoot an ad up here and needed townspeople to stand around looking at a large inflated balloon. They had also asked the Inuvik Drum Dancers to perform and I believe some of the dancers may figure prominently in the finished commercial. It was below -40 that day and after an hour and a half of standing around I had to question how much more free orange juice (I had accumulated 6 bottles) was worth the strange absence of feeling in my toes. The shooting wasn't completely finished but I decided to go home. I had heard that toes were important for balance and learned just how true that was as I stumbled back to my apartment.

This is coming a little later than I had intended but I compiled a list for the best of 2009.

Here it is:

Best book:

It's a toss up between The Magicians by Lev Grossman and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami. Depending on the day I'd give a different answer but tonight - since I'm listening to Delerium and feeling reflective - I'll give it to Murakami. I think I have a soft spot for the book since both its main character and I were unemployed. Unlike Toru Okada I wasn't offered a job while sitting on a park bench, though I did hope I might be while I was.

Best Movie:

District 9, The Hangover, Zombieland and The Watchmen. Apparently I have trouble being decisive (this is almost every movie I saw in the theatre in 2009)

Best cd I heard:

Ghostkeeper's 'And the Children of the Great Northern Muskeg.' I came across the band while making a cd for Capital M. I don't think it would be for everyone but I would recommend listening to 'Lady of the Sky.'

Best video game:

Uncharted 2 (Naughty Dog) for the PS3. I think that if action movies were this well made there would be a lot more people going to action movies. This is the only game I own that I went through the trouble of obtaining a platinum trophy (maybe I shouldn't admit that) and I still look forward to going through it again.

Honourable mention goes to Flower (That Game Company).

Best career decision:

To leave my previous job

Best cause of shingles:

The months of unemployment that followed leaving my job

Best time to get a settlement from getting hit by a taxi in 2004:

After six months of unemployment in 2009

Best job interview:

I didn't get the job but an interview with Outward Bound was by far the most positive (and morale boosting) interview I had during an otherwise bleak time (on the employment side of life). The interviewers were genuinely interested in what I had to say and one of the interviewers gave me a lot of feedback on how I did.

Best camping moment: Seeing an ice cream boat. Honourable mention goes to the epic rainstorm that proved my tent is absolutely not waterproof. It wasn't super fun at the time but I can look back fondly now. Ha ha weather, you got me.

Best teaching moment (up North): There were a few bursaries being offered and I turned the application into a class assignment (I don't think my students had any intention of applying). Two of my students ended up winning and one of the winners entered my English class and shouted "I love English!" Next time I'm going to charge an editing fee.

Best fruit moment:

This is a category born in the Arctic Circle. One day a box of oranges was left in the Learning Centre by an upper administration person of the college. They had been intended for one of the smaller communities but the flight was cancelled due to bad weather. Those oranges surely were all that stood between that community and an epidemic of scurvy. There were probably people waiting with arms outstretched at the airport, hoping against hope that somehow the plane had managed to leave Inuvik and would arrive with its precious cargo. Sadly, it would not. On the bright side, the oranges were delicious and didn't last more than a few minutes after the students knew of their existence.

That ends my list. I guess I'm now officially back.

before and after

While saying my goodbyes a co-worker told me there was some concern as to whether or not I was returning after the Christmas break. This was mostly meant as a joke because she went on to say that the concern was due to my classroom being so clean. I could have retorted with something witty (which I still can't think of), instead I just said "to be continued, followed by an ellipses."

Later, when the plane I was on broke through the clouds and I saw the sun for the first time in weeks, there was silent yet audible emotion from every one of the other passengers. I'm sure that if Crayloa made a crayon for 'joy' its colour would be the sun.

This morning I woke up in another world. One with two cats and a Capital M. Though I have had a really positive experience up North it is wonderful to be home.

1st picture - Inuvik - Igloo church taken around 4:00pm

2nd picture - Toronto, Lake Ontario - taken around 8:30am

10 simple rules for showering in Inuvik

Following these simple rules will result in a stress free shower:

1. Close the bathroom door (if not closed the smoke detector will go off)

2. Fill your mind with peaceful thoughts

3. Check shower head position - make sure it is up and to the side

4. Turn on taps - sometimes the pressure is so great it will bypass tub faucet and come out shower head (for this reason you'll be thankful for #3)

5. Water often needs to run for awhile to get rid of excess sediment build up (you can use this time to floss teeth, read National Geographic) *Note, water shown above is not as brown as in real life

6. Reposition shower head and shower. Note that water temperature fluctuations are frequent and severe. Be prepared for the worst, this may mean turning off the taps on occasion

7. Remember this is only a small part of your day

8. When finished showering do not open the door (see #1).

9. Move shower head up and to the side.

10. Quickly close the door after leaving the bathroom (see #1)

Nemesis

This is the conclusion of my correspondence with Ms. Choyce. I would like nothing better than to respond to her e-mail but I don't think it would do any good so I'm turning the other cheek. Before posting her reply I would like to make a few things clear: 1) I don't know her or 'Allyson' 2) I've sent Ms. Choyce a total of two e-mails, both of which I have faithfully posted here 3) I'm a guy (Nature Witch comes from my hotmail address)

I've had a few nemeses in my life: my high school math teacher, a supervisor of a summer job in 1994, and a practicum supervisor in the B. Ed program. Ms. Choyce has just joined their ranks.

And now, an e-mail that manages to be patronizing, clueless and self righteous:

Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:53:31 -0300

Dear Miss Nature Witch,
Sorry you are still holding bad feelings about this.
That e-mail was intended for Allyson....and was not meant to go on the list serve.
Really you should worry about more important things...and I hope you are doing more to care about the world then just taking spelling mistakes and crazy accusations out on small projects helping kids in the DR and Africa.

Allyson never paid back what she promised.....That now her bad karma.
To do that to a small project like ours is a horrible selfish thing to do. A person meaning well does not promise things they can not do...and then leave people broke and try to ruin good projects aiding kids. I mean really.

We get tones of wonderful e-mails and thank you letter from local and international people. I work with the kids everyday...building homes, pre-schools, running programmes...
I have won the Red Cross Humanitarian Award, Worked for the UN and just been offered another UN job, plus just got a full scholarship from Yale University because of my work, sponsoring not one but 2 of our projects in South Africa.

....COLORS also gets support from some Very well known people and NGOs who have all seen our work on the ground.....leaving you looking silly for writing me this. And despite all this...I am dyslexic and have achieved way above this despite spelling mistakes..petty petty.
.

I know your a friend of Allysons so get over it and tell her that she might not feel so guilty if she pays back what she promised. It is not good to carry around such bad karma.

Hope your doing more with your life then writing ridiculous e-mails to volunteers working in Africa. You are now off my list, thank God. Please dont write again and restrain your efforts for bigger more important things.
Peace and Love

Justice

I received an e-mail asking for a donation this morning. I've been waiting for it for a long time. Here's my response and the events that lead up to it:

Ms. Choyce,

Almost two years ago you sent around an e-mail meant to shame someone into paying back some debt. The e-mail was riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes and made you look like a mean and vindictive person; hardly the sort of communication that should be coming from a respectable organization. I sent you a well meaning e-mail and received a glib and dismissive response back. Consequently, I want you to know that yours is the last organization I would ever donate to. Moreover, I would discourage anyone from doing the same due to your complete lack of integrity (and use of spell check). There are many organizations attempting to do some good in this world and I can't say that I believe, based on your personal communications, that yours is one of them.

Sincerely,

Jesse

March 31, 2008 7:23:58 AM

Subject: Allyson Invoice

Allyson,

COLORS has not recived any of the money you prommised to pay back after you made the rorary project fall through. Stan from Rotary promissed you would keep your word and pay it back since it the ethical thing to do.

I trusted you, again, ....and hoped you would pull through.

You promissed you would pay at leaset in instalments every month.???? But you have not helped at all...and I am working so hard each day keeping 5 projects running at once, and feel it should not be nesssary for me to have to follow up on this at the point. It should be done and completed,,,but we are all still waiting on you.

COLORS never would have bought you this ticket if you did not alreday promis to pull through and commit to the Rotary swazilandproject. The only reason we bought the tickets to this location was because the rotary wanted to fund the project there with your contacts.

This all left COLORS in a terrible possion, having lost the funds from your ticket once you backed out

This is issue is now larger then just us,

This is Kids and volunteers in need that this money is for....not for you to keep. The support was not inteneded for you to waist but to pay back to COLORS respctfully.

It has been over three months of waiting for you to take action...so I've been asked by my donors to writ you this letter so you can justifiy the funds and return the kids money where it belongs.

We have some fantastic programs running here. All the volunteers know that the money coming from you is what should be helping them be here too. So they are still waiting for their extra support.

Next week Lesley Choyce and the donors who sponcered the flight will be comming buy your house for the money you owe COLORS. or you can just mail a check.

Please get someone to write a check to COLORS for what you owe.

Please write your chcek out to: Project COLORS

NOte: funds owed for flight

Project COLORS attn: Lesleychoyce

83 leslie Rd,

Nova Scotia B2Z 1P8

lawrencetown

Canada

Sunyata A. Choyce
Founding Director, Project COLORS International South Africa #011-27-78-871-6939

---

Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 6:53:51 PM
Subject: RE: Allyson invoice

Dear Ms. Choyce,

I'm writing in regards to the message you sent out earlier today. I've read it over several times and am both surprised and disappointed with its content. Before I go further let me say that I have no doubt you work hard and have the best intentions of effecting a positive change. However, I think you have done more to damage your credibility with a single e-mail than the years of hard work you put forth to make that change happen.
Your choice to include the ids-list serve in a private matter is a strange one. I can only imagine that you have every dime accounted for and are in great need of the money owing to you. What's unfortunate is that you have done the opposite of what you intended - you have created sympathy for a person who would otherwise deserve none. The threatening tone at the end of the message was especially uncalled for.
You have also involved the twit who posted anonymously, the other students, and myself (which is why I'm writing this). Your message was so unprofessionally written that it makes me question what type of organization you run. There were so many spelling and grammar errors that it was almost illegible. If anything your e-mail is a lesson to everyone in how not to handle a problem situation. Most damningly, it gives no one a reason to support your efforts when there are other more credible projects that are just as in need of funding.
I do hope you receive your money and I sincerely hope this incident doesn't derail your hard work.

Sincerely,

Jesse V.

Sent April 1^st, 2008

Re: Allyson Invoice

Dont worry it wont.

Sunyata A. Choyce

Founding Director, Project COLORS International
South Africa #011-27-78-871-6939, www.projectcolors.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectcolors

making it work

Top - taken at 12:15pm (yes, that's the moon)

Next - back of elementary school

Next - taken from my window at work around 12:50pm

Last - Gazebo by College

Mr. Snowman

Well it finally happened. The sun has stopped rising and setting. When is it coming back? Not until sometime in January. Fortunately it's not totally dark all day up here. There's no direct sunlight but there is a decent amount of light for about 4 hours. It may not be much but I'll take what I can get.

Also, in the spirit of the Web 2.0 I'm going to be better about responding to comments on my blog. To Hamesy and Butterfly-Girl, I don't think my instructor appreciated my comments but it made my day to see yours.

Keep reflecting,

Jesse V.

Don't wanna behave

Here's a new student. He was tucked away in a box labelled 'Christmas.' I asked him if he was hungry and he said "no, I'm stuffed." (Ba dum pum pum)

complaint

Dear Primo Foods:

I recently tried your 'country harvest vegetable' soup. It's gross.

Cheers,
Jesse V,

pictures

bottom - Town Christmas tree in front of elementary school
next - 3:00pm sunset
2nd from top - makeshift sleds at the bottom of a small hill
top - evening colours

ninny-muggins

One of the assignments for the adult learning theory class I'm taking is to provide weekly class feedback. Here's what I said for our last class:

I know that reflection is important for educators; we need to constantly assess our practices in the never ending endeavor of improving them. As such, I understand why teacher educator programs have such a strong focus on reflection. However, I think there are limits to what we need to reflect on. For example, at the end of our class you had us reflect on the statement ‘time flies.’ In fairness we did not spend a great of time on this but I felt as though our time could have been better spent doing something else. To me, ‘time flies’ is one of those small-talk conversations you have with co-workers around this time of year or with a classmate (outside of class) at the end of a term. I truly appreciate that you make an effort to fold our feedback into class (and that you allow for feedback) but I don’t feel that conversation was worthy of our time.

I only have three more waste of time classes left.

Stays out late

Tips for Living well in Inuvik:


1. Check the expiration date of milk and other dairy products, especially during the closure of the Dempster Highway. Just because the expiry date has long since past doesn't mean that stores take the products off the shelves. Buyer beware
2. Though milk may be ridiculously expensive (at least $10.00 for two litres) don't stop drinking it, or at least take calcium pills. I've slipped and fallen four times on the road and had several other close calls. You'll need to make sure your bones are well fortified against such mishaps. Luckily for me, I'm almost invincible
3. Don't be surprised if people beg for money while you're shopping for groceries
4. People tend to overdress for the weather - don't feel like you have to follow suit
5. If you have happen to find a stray animal, and are interested in its well-being, you are better off taking it to a vet yourself. Animal Control does not check the condition of the animals they pick up
6. You may miss: loved ones, friends, fresh fruit, movie theatres, a reason to cook/bake, the sun, etc. Do your best to fill your free time with various activities.
7. Gossip extends well beyond town borders. You will probably hear stories about people living in other communities or maybe one of your own students will have been banned from a entering a nearby community. Be prepared to hear some amazing tales.
8. For the most part, the people you meet will be friendly but making deeper connections with people may be challenging.

Rest in peace little buddy. I'm sorry our paths didn't cross sooner.

Be the first one

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cut and try

This is the face of the dog that I encountered on my way home tonight. Much of the dog's body was covered in ice and when I picked it up its paws were equally ice encrusted. It's been dipping below -30 outside and I don't think this dog has the constitution to deal with these lows.
I was at loss for what to do with the dog. There was absolutely no way I could leave it outside (part of me just wanted to take it home, even though it was really smelly). With the aid of a passing couple and some helpful hotel receptionists we were able to contact animal control and shortly after a man came to take the dog to the pound. He said the dog has 3-5 days to be claimed, after that it will be put to sleep then burned. The animal control officer repeated this several times which I believe was either a ploy to encourage people (me) to adopt or they were the words of a very desensitized individual.
I guess this story is to be continued.

yours to keep

Book reviews:

Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

I’ll start by saying that I enjoyed this book but not without some serious reservations. First and foremost the 9 year old protagonist, Oskar Schell, is the most tiring character I have ever come across. I initially stopped a reading a few pages into the book because of this and had to wonder why everyone he met in his quest around New York City didn’t feel the same way. Moreover, I thought the way the other characters treated Oskar to be a little too kindly in spite of his complete lack of social graces.
I also found that the story of Oskar’s grandparents left me feeling more confused than anything. The breakdown of nothing places was hard to follow and, to me, incomprehensible in why anyone would choose to live that way. The grandmother’s acceptance of the grandfather’s decisions was equally hard to believe.
At the bottom of all of this is a story of love and loss set not long after Sept. 11, 2001. It’s an emotional tale and one that is worth reading despite the confusion and fatigue encountered along the way.


The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

This is Davidson’s first novel and, according the book flap, the product of seven years composition and research. I have no difficulty in believing this. Davidson’s nameless protagonist suffers horrible burns at the beginning of the novel and everything from the burning of his flesh to his brutal rehabilitation is described in meticulous detail. Despite the grim and often unpleasant specifics this is where the book excels. Unfortunately the novel isn’t able to sustain this momentum or believability. Ultimately, The Gargoyle is a story about love and redemption but its meaning gets muddled when folded into Dante’s Inferno and when mixed with some heavy handed Christianity.
There is an unfortunate comparison on the back of this novel to Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It’s possible to see how a comparison could be made (though a weak one) and in the end it doesn’t do Davidson any favours. Martel’s book holds up long after the last page has been read but the more I think about Davidson’s the more I think about what didn’t work, rather than what did.

Team Canada

I don't believe I've ever seen my next door neighbours. I do, however, hear the couple on a regular basis. By all indications, and there are many, the man is not only very adroit but he seems to possess a great deal of stamina and vigour. I'm not sure what his day job is but he could probably supplement his income by producing a series of 'how to' videos. Or, if there was such an Olympic category, I'd say he'd be Canada's best hope for a gold medal in the long program. Go Team Canada.

kickstart

I had a pleasant surprise at school today. There was a knock on my door while I was trying to explain how to find the lowest common denominator as a product of prime numbers. A delivery man walked in with a box containing one cake and a package of cookies. It seems my mom had arranged for these to be sent from the local North Mart. I had told no one it was my birthday but soon found myself handing out pieces of cake to my students and the other staff. All in all, it was a very nice surprise and one that was enjoyed by many people.
I'm copying an interesting article from Norbert Ispin's website. I don't agree with it entirely though I say bring on the cylons:

Tezuka Osamu, the creator of Astor Boy, envisioned a future in which racism extended to the machines that humanity had created. This resulted in a lot of conflict and allowed Astro the chance to fly, fight and laser blast his way into the hearts of millions of people around the world. However, it seems that maybe a real life Astro Boy wouldn't have it so easy. A recent article on the National Geographic website talks about the 'uncanny valley,' or the unsettled feeling that people get when they see a robot or image that looks too human. According to the article, it's possible that even monkeys feel this way. I cannot but help but wonder then where our efforts at creating artificial intelligence will lead us. Will we feel contempt for what we have created if it looks too much like us? Sadly, I fear the answer will be yes.

changin'

waffer thin

A little over 120 ago Frans Boas conducted a field study of the Indigenous peoples of Baffin Island. His research and methodology forever changed the Anthropological process. Though I don't talk much of Boas in my day to day life he is something of a hero of mine (if I were to have an academic hero). I mention this only because I felt a little like an anthropologist tonight - though one without a)a research question b) credentials.
The Olympic torch made its way to town today and in celebration there were speeches, a town feast, and traditional dances. Pictured above are only some of the fine foods available for consumption. Other dishes included muskox chili, muskox stirfry (which was more like meat and gravy), and muk tuk (beluga blubber). Anyone who knows me is probably saying, "Jesse's an adventuresome sort, he probably loaded up on the blubber and chili." It is true that I was sorely tempted to expand my epicurean horizons but I didn't want anyone else to go without at my expense. (That, of course, is a total lie - c) I'm worse than a spoiled child when it comes to trying new foods, especially ones that come from the sea and/or were primarily used for insulation).
I met with two of my coworkers at the dinner. Both took the opportunity to comment that I need a warmer jacket. This is becoming a regular saying and one that I dislike (do ever I look cold?). Even my students have told me that I need a 'parkee'. (And d) I dislike other people telling me how to dress).
In fairness, it was -33 degrees Celsius tonight. I think Wasiata, the North Wind, has done its best to drive out the last remaining currents of warm air. However, I know this isn't true because it's only November; there's still plenty of time for the weather to get even colder.

Inuvik Post

My inbox has been flooded recently with people asking me about Northern etiquette. I don't think I've been here long enough to know all the ins and outs of proper social decorum but I have learned a few things. For starters, it's often mandatory to remove your shoes when entering a building. My place of work requires students and staff to leave outdoor footwear in the lobby. Yesterday I went to the health clinic for the H1N1 vaccination and the same rule applied. As such, it's not uncommon to see people walking around with bare feet or to spy a lone toe sticking out of a sock. This custom makes sense as peoples' shoes often leave an unsightly slurry regardless of the time of year. However, I don't think I'll ever get used to, or enjoy, walking around in my socks when I would normally be wearing shoes.


Some recent inexcusable excuses:
- hungover
- sister going into delivery (this happened on Monday, the student missed the rest of the week)
- student took son to get H1N1 shot, doctor told student she had to stay home because she could be a carrier

Easy E don't come for free

Dear Sun,

I know we've both been really busy lately but I feel like we're seeing less and less of each other. I won't argue that we've had our share of ups and downs (like that time you burnt my ear, or the time, when I was younger, that I suggested we should send you all of our garbage) but I know that we have a good thing going and that our past only makes us stronger. I'm committed to doing whatever I can to see more of you; I hope you feel the same.

Yours faithfully,

Jesse V.

Sunrise: 10:20am

Sunset: 7:00pm

Odyssey

I leave town for one week and:

• I lose three students (1 was removed from my class list because she stopped showing up after the first week, another was kicked out of my morning class because she never attends (she is still in her afternoon classes (for now)), and another decided she's moving to the capital city)
• my English class now has 6 students (I started with 10)
• no less than 85 work e-mails were sent to me (only three of them were actually for me(see 1st point))
• the town seems to have run out of milk. Conclusion - the Dempster highway is closed
• the milk I had bought, and froze, for this occasion has turned an unsightly and somewhat unpleasant yellow colour. Under normal circumstances I would 'forget' about the milk in the freezer but now it's the last bastion of hope for maintaining my morning routine
• the fruit section of the supermarket could be used in film about the early days of exploration; the ones where sailors try to stave off scurvy by preserving fruits for as long as possible. The produce I saw today would work well for the tail end of a long journey
• My place of employment had an open house. I was told it was happening in early November
• My computer at work looked as though it 'threw up' all of the documents I had put into specific folders. The documents were splattered all over the desktop.
• (the above photograph is a garbage can in Yellowknife)

ps - I had an awesome week with Capital M

I still apologize

I am truly grateful that M chose to brave the cold and come visit me in Yellowknife this week. Today we explored Old Town and walked up to the the top of "Pilot's Point." Unfortunately, we were at a double disadvantage with it being a statutory holiday and well past the summer tourism season. Pretty much every store and coffee shop was closed (some for the next month) and we weren't left with much to do but come back to our hotel after taking in the quiet sights of Old Town. (The weather was also cold enough to limit unnecessary outdoor exposure).

Yellowknife seems like a nice enough city. We discovered they have a unique drinking law on Sundays that states your food bill has to exceed your drink bill by $1.99. We were both doubtful that the rule was being enforced on the diners at a table next to us last night (there may be a few too many prepositions in that sentence).

The above picture comes from the outside of a place called 'Bullock's Bistro.'

every thing's the same

Success! I am in Yellowknife and so is Capital M. It's funny how much can change in a short two hour flight: Buildings aren't supported by stilts, the absence of utilidors, food prices that seem entirely reasonable, and an age demographic that doesn't seem to be comprised mainly of older middle aged people. All in all, it's really nice to be out of Inuvik and even better to be back with M.

On the Sly

My blog posts are coming a little more infrequently as my days rarely warrant writing about. I spend a large part of my day at school and the rest of it at home. Tuesday evenings are the exception - I'm doing a class by teleconference. If anyone out there is thinking of doing something similar I would advise you not to. There is something about silent reading on the phone (with other people that are also silently reading) that seems utterly ridiculous. It doesn't help that it's an education class with a very strong emphasis on reflection.

On the days where I make it to the post office I am greeted by numerous posters saying "Puppies, free to good home" or "Dorothy needs a forever home" (Dorothy is a really cute found puppy). I steel my resolve before looking at the wall but I think it crumbles a little bit every time. It's probably a good thing I don't make it there every day. (I could give Dorothy a good home. Surely she would get a long with two cats, and vice versa. Not only that, I'd be doing a service to the town of Inuvik, one less stray dog - in fact it's something any good citizen should do).

The last thing I wanted to mention was a small time scam that may have claimed $10.00 of my hard earned dollars. A few weeks ago some girls came by the school to raise money for the Terry Fox run. I pledged $10.00 and when the girl came back I only had a $20.00 and she had no change (or so she said). Class was starting soon so I told the girl that I was counting on her to be a good person and change my pledge to twenty dollars. I gave her the money and thought nothing more of it until I received this e-mail at work:

Two high school girls were here a few weeks ago fund-raising for the Terry Fox run. My wife and I both donated cash and filled out the form - I on the last line of the actual form and my wife on a form they had drawn up themselves, due to the actual form being full. After they left we both questioned whether it was legitimate and my wife followed up by calling the school. It turned out the girls had not turned in any cash and denied receiving any and they did not turn in the form they had drawn up, just the actual form, for which they said they had only received cheques which they said they had turned in. The school may now be turning it over to the RCMP. (End of e-mail)

I think we can all agree that even Bernie Madoff would be proud of their enterprising nature.

forever feels about right

Though everything has long since frozen over, I thought I'd mention the town's lack of drainage systems. Rain water and melted snow pool in depressions along the road and either evaporate or freeze over. This creates watery obstacles for those walking down the town's main street. This picture may not show it clearly but a large part of the sidewalk is totally swamped and pedestrians have to veer into the road to avoid getting wet feet. Fortunately, there isn't much traffic so it doesn't create any hardship for an able bodied person. The same cannot be said for those who have mobility issues.

Also, it seems that businesses and the town do not shovel snow or salt side walks. This has resulted in some amazingly slippery walking conditions.

On a totally unrelated note, there is a chance that I may be able to see Capital M next week. If all goes well I'll be attending a conference in Yellowknife. A chance to see the capital city sounded exciting, same with attending my first conference. This has now been totally eclipsed by the prospect of meeting up M. My hopes are already high so I hope I get the go ahead.

gateway

I've been fairly busy this week so I contracted Josie C. to write a review of Lev Grossmans The Magicians. Some of you may be familiar with the reviewer's work, as seen in the little known,'Underfunded Publications.'

The Magicians by Lev Grossman- Review

by Josie C. Staff Writer for 'Underfunded Publications'

It wasn't so long ago that J.K. Rowling's avid fans could mitigate their desire to find out what happened to 'the boy who lived' by knowing that in a year's time an answer would be provided. Since the series ended there has been a vacuum in the world of wizardry. Almost. Lev Grossman has stepped up with his own coming of age story centering on a young man who, like Harry Potter, gains acceptance to a school of magic. However, that's where the comparisons end. Grossman makes a few references to Hogwarts in his novel but the story is entirely his own; it's darker and tackles tougher issues than found in Rowlings'. His protagonist, Quentin Coldwater, is described as "ridiculously brilliant" but this one of the story's shortcomings. At no point do his actions or thoughts set him apart from the rest of society. This doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story but some of the novel's conflicts would probably have been handled differently by someone with an almost unrivaled intellect.

The story itself moves along at a brisk pace and some readers may find it difficult to stop reading parts of the novel. Grossman also isn't afraid to embroil his protagonist in messy situations, which provide another layer of conflict beyond Coldwater's internal struggle to find happiness and his place in the world.

Though there are a few things that seemed out of place, in particular some of Coldwater's dialogue during an intense fight, the story is always enjoyable. Anyone looking for a little magic to brighten their day may find Grossman's novel does the trick.

Thanks Josie. And now to wrap up this post, this week's Inexcusable excuses:

-hungover

-back hurts, but will be better by ten