The Good Life

Between polar vortexes and winter storms, Alaska has been robbed of snow and winter in general since December! I bought a snow machine in January (while weather delayed in Anchorage actually) and the weekend after I drove it down river from St. Mary's all the snow melted. I have been warm and raining while relatives in Louisiana are getting snow... 

Last weekend we got about 3 inches finally, and not a second too soon. I was chomping at the bit to ride and I've never had a new machine not broken in within a month! 

Though I would love to have more snow, I have to say this week has been stunningly beautiful. 

All this is to say, I am much happier riding than cooped up in the house all day. 

I'd still rather be on a beach, but this is the good life. 

VIDEO 

Super Bowl 2014

I can't the Super Bowl turned out as expected, but I can't say I mind the results either. I love Wes Welker and Manning on the field, but I have to go with Seattle (unless the Saints are playing, of course). The great thing about the Super Bowl, of course, is the party... not necessarily the game.

This year we had Gator, chili, queso, chips, dip and tons of desserts! The desserts included gluten free, caramel, and peanut butter brownies, tons of cookies, and candies. Homemade bread and near beer rounded out a great meal. More of an ongoing snack fest, the day was quite nice.

Penguins and Change

If you've never heard of it before Our Iceberg Is Melting is a story about responding to change. Written by Dr. John Kotter, it is a tale that helps explain change, the agents of change, and common struggles associated with change. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this story. Our Iceberg Is Melting brings a very unique perspective and tells a very meaningful story through the lives of penguins.

Being an education professional, I see all around me those who are agents of the status quo and certainly not change. I see people who will nay-say any new idea because it is not "the way we have always done it." As I read the book I identified with many characters and recognize similarities between myself and several key players. I encourage you to read the book as well and pay special attention to the characteristics of each penguin in the story.

The main characters include Buddy, Lewis, the Professor, Alice, No-No, and Fred. I will not ruin the story for you or tell you much of anything about the characters, but trust me when I say you will not look at coworkers the same again. The premise is simple. To affect change in a population try following this eight step approach:

1. Create a sense of urgency
2. Build a guiding coalition
3. Develop a vision and strategy
4. Communicate the change vision
5. Empower others for action
6. Generate short-term wins
7. Capitalize on gains and produce more change
8. Establish a culture of change

Do you need change? Have you ever thought about your life, your job, your surroundings and said, "I like things just the way they are." I don't! Born and raised in Louisiana, I hated the oppressive heat and confines of the concrete jungle. I figured out what I needed to do and moved to Alaska. I thought about my career in teaching and decided I wanted to do more, be more impactful, and touch more classrooms. I worked in the private sector seeking "better icebergs" and found them. Never one to settle, I made change a part of my lifestyle and swam out again in search of more "fish" and kept the momentum going.

In my current position I lead with humility, energetically working alongside the team. I push colleagues to act now, not later. If it is worth doing, do it now! Superficial commitment or punching in and punching out is not acceptable. I want to be better and I want them to want to be better. By empowering my team members change is multiplied exponentially. We become greater than the sum of our parts. I believe in what we do. I believe in what we could be. I trust that if given the freedom, they will make good choices. We all deserve to make micro-changes while contributing to the macro-change. How often do each of us have something to share and never get asked?

Without vision and the ability to communicate the need for change there is no purpose. Finding a model to demonstrate the need for change may be the most difficult of the eight stages of change. Sometimes what you are attempting to do (or not do) has never been done before. How do you create a model for something that's never been done? How do you demonstrate a paradigm shift? How do you express the human imagination? Once you have done all this, you must be able to communicate it to others effectively or it will never gain traction. This is the difference between good ideas and revolutionary ones. Making your idea palatable for others requires a bit of salesmanship, but the time is well spent. Creating a coalition among equals, employees, and those in authority is the only way to make a lasting impression on an organization.

You can't expect to succeed immediately, though. Be ready for opposition. Be ready for No-Nos around every corner. They will interrupt you, talk behind your back, set you up for failure, and sabotage your plans. Don't let them get the best of you though. Be a Buddy and win people over with a sincere, concise, and clear message. Don't confuse the issue with those you are trying to win over. If the No-Nos persist, be the Professor and dog them with data. Flood them with statistics, data, and resources supporting your position. Make it impossible to refute your ideas or make them too busy with sifting through the details to mount a campaign against you.

These are just thoughts, of course... I recommend the book highly for all ages, really. It is meaningful on so many levels and teaches through parable. One evening would be plenty of time to finish it. Here is the link if you are interested: Our Iceberg is Melting. Reply with who you identify with in the story or thoughts of your own.

Here are some parting thoughts...

What is your iceberg and is it melting?
What are the cracks that you see?
Are you an Alice or a Fred or do you have people like this in your group?
Do you have a bottle (model to demonstrate the need for change)?
Do you have an elevator speech (simple 30-second message for your cause)?
Do you have enough scouts in your group?
How much control do the No-Nos have?
What concerns you more: catching fish today or planning for tomorrow?

Education, Research, and Development

Working in Western Alaska as an educator and technologist I have learned a lot about educational issues in the Bush and across Alaska in general over the past 8 years. One thing is constant: the complaints that the system is broken and that there are unique difficulties in every school and student population.

We all realize that there are things that need to be fixed. We all agree on the existence of half a dozen issues at least. Legislators, Governors, Mayors, and administrators come and go, all well meaning, but nothing changes.

When was the last major educational upheaval in the Bush? When was the last time we tried something truly, fundamentally different? Molly Hootch, RUS grants and VTC deployments statewide bridging geographical gaps in the late 90's?

I personally have had my educational philosophy altered irrevocably by the one-to-one initiative of the early 2000's. My ideal classroom will never be the same again. My students had voices in the learning and experienced being the teacher to their peers as much as I did. Multimedia projects offered ever-present opportunities to succeed. With culture, language, and place-based standards infused with the content I presented from text and online resources, the students formed their own opinions. The joy of exploratory learning and satisfaction of self discovery made every theme, date, and name "sticky" (as Seth Godin would put it).

Leveraging academic concepts in organic solutions is what problem solving in the real world boils down to. Complex issues, like Bush education (or American education in a broader sense), require complex solutions. There is no blanket to cover all. There is no silver bullet to win every battle. 

The cure for polio was not a happenstance. Interstate highways are not America's oldest roads. Trails were blazed and it cost blood, sweat, and tears. Risk and reward built American industry and created the one great Superpower.

What experiments are we trying to affect learning outcomes in early childhood education? 

How many risks are we taking "flipping" classrooms and districts nation-wide? 

Defense budgets through the 80's and 2000's were nothing short of disgusting to the average American. R&D projects led to (relatively) positive outcomes for our troops, though. Predator drones, laser guidance systems, body armor...

Energy independence in the US is a noted priority of both parties. Though rarely agreed upon in form and function, this goal is funded by billions annually. We now supplement power in the village of Alakanuk through wind energy. Solar cells in the siding of the new schools offset a percentage of the heating costs during winter, however small...

What cutting-edge educational RESEARCH is being done in Bush Alaska? 

How many dollars are we spending on DEVELOPING Alaska's future... our children? 

Art Therapy

Living in the Bush can be a struggle sometimes. Working in a town with no restaurants, movie theaters, or source of entertainment outside ball games at the school, life can be a bit drab. We have game nights, dinner parties, movie nights, and fiddle dances every now and again, but most of the winter is spent inside avoiding the bitter cold. This year, my 5th or 6th Bush winter, I thought I would try something new. 

While last in Anchorage I purchased a few paints, brushes, pastels, sketch books, charcoals, and canvases. This passed week instead of TV or video games friends and I practiced a little art therapy! 

Some of us beaded others drew. I sketched a bit and then tried my hand at acrylics on canvas for the first time.  I was inspired by the 1869 painting by painter William Rimmer called “Evening” or “The Fall of Day”,  featuring a picture of the Greek god Apollo. Of course, the colorful version is more likely recognizable on the Swan Song album by Led Zepplin. 

I also tried out pastels for the first time, drawing up a scene from Kauai, Hawaii. I camped on the beach for a week in October and hoped to capture a bit of the majesty that is dawn on the Pacific.  

The following are the works my wonderfully talented friends created! I won't identify them without permission, but I will show off their work... 

I can only get better, as you can tell, so expect more pictures soon. 

Straight Talk, not Small Talk

Lately people have been asking me "how is your year going?" or "how do you like the new job?" and the response is always the same. It's almost like the question "how are you?" or "how was your day?" Is the answer ever anything but "good" or "very well, thank you"? The truth is my days, just like the rest of my life, are up-and-down. 

My question then is: do I, they, or anyone actually care?

I have found myself pondering my resolution for the school year lately. I told myself that this year I would talk less and say more. I want to be a man of my word. I want to be a man of straight talk and concise/meaningful answers. I want my no's to be no's and my yes's to be yes's. I don't intend to be rude, short, or terse with anyone in this regard, only forthright and direct. Honesty, truth, and trustworthiness will be my goals.

All this is to set the stage for what I believe to be my current struggle in life. I love to ask myself questions, reflect on my choices, challenge myself daily, and create standards worth meeting. Recently I took a trip to Kauai. This was undoubtedly the most significant of vacations/experiences in my life. I came back refreshed and re-centered. I tried to re-create this trip recently by traveling to Las Vegas last week. You might think that's a funny place to be alone but the truth is we can sometimes hide in large groups. Becoming nameless and faceless allowed me to be invisible temporarily. Reading, lounging by the pool, walking the streets at night, seeing Cirque productions: these were all refreshing experiences, especially alone. The trouble is I still don't know myself. I failed in a number of ways to recreate Kauai. I didn't read what I wanted to, nor as much as I wanted to. 

I know what I want to be. I know how to get there. I just don't know who will do it with me. Who will challenge me? Who will be my support? Who will bring me down? Who will lift me up? 

I have met several wonderful people lately. My mind soars at the possibilities! I have many concerned and supportive friends. My family will continue to encourage and love me unconditionally. 

Will this be enough though? I think not. I will need strength and guidance from above. I will need grace and mercy for what I do. I will need wisdom and insight and sound judgment to discern His will for my life. I will need Straight Talk, not Small Talk. Please feel free, after reading this, to give me some Straight Talk. Challenge me.

I am not yet the man I wish to be. I am working progress. I am willing to learn and change. I am His. 

Beach Bums and Introspection

Going off of a hunch I had that I didn't need a resort to have a blast in Hawaii I booked my flights and came down prepared to wing it for a week. The results were nothing short of amazing! 

Day one I arrived in Lihu'e and made my way to Costco. Picking up lunch meat, bread, and a few other staples I popped into a fast food restaurant for utensils, then the drug store for $30 worth of smaller items. A nearby Starbucks got me wifi to find my campsite and off I went.

Anini Park Campsite

The day was hot and beautiful. The tent went up quickly and I realized how silly I looked with a six person tent on the beach. I'm a big guy, though, so I guess it works. With the screens all open and my front porch facing the ocean, I knew immediately I had made a good choice. A few beers and a sandwich later, I was in the cool Pacific and happier than the fish that surrounded me. 

Anini Park, first night.

That night it rained pretty hard and the wind howled. Waking up enough to close the screens, I fell fast asleep to the sound of the rain on my nylon roof. When the sun rose I joined it and lie there in bliss. There are some that may entertain notions of stalking the flocks of wild chickens and roosters with a 12 gauge, but I find their morning welcome peaceful. The campsite is literally covered with these birds. The scratch and peck constantly, which I assume means fewer insects to bother me... 

The second day was a hit and miss kind of day. My dedication to work and more so to ASTE forced me to drive in to town and score some wifi. Scouting out a Starbucks ahead of time I then focused on the day at hand. The Canyons in the center of the island were appealing so I set out to meet them before lunch. Listening to the local island radio I heard a flash flood watch was in effect but I pressed on. Thankfully someone knew what I was up to and answered the question I wanted to ask: the park trail was closed due to high water. Turning back around I figured the Kapa'a beach was as good as any and spent the next four hours listening to the ocean and reading.

Kapa'a, waiting for ASTE Board Meeting

Heading home after my ASTE board meeting, sponsored by Starbucks, I stopped for a sandwich on the beach and departed when the rain began. What seemed like a passing shower turned out to be much more. I had just enough time to get to my campsite, open a beer, and settle in for the evening before all hell broke loose. The wind ripped up and lost three stakes, blew my tent sideways, and forced me to lie on the side of the shelter the storm's main thrust was focused on. I clumsily rolled to the right side of the tent to hold the floor flat. Not to under exaggerate this storm, I had to literally hold it to the ground by grasping the outside poles through the tent's nylon in both hands for fear they would uproot the remaining stakes and send me rolling down the campsite. All the while I got wetter and wetter as the wind simply forced water through nylon or rained vertically up and under the lid of my tent.

Waking up early on the third day I broke camp and headed a few miles down the highway to Haena beach to meet my dive master. The beach was empty and quiet at 7:30. The scene was picturesque, pristine compared to the night before. I dove twice for about 45 minutes each and saw eels, sharks, and countless fish. One shark must have been at least 10 feet long! 

The afternoon wound down as I made camp, hung my sleeping bag and wet gear out to dry and cracked a few cold ones. Trying to cover my interest in sketchy homeless, bums, and general safety, I socialized with a few neighbors. They told me that they had been camping for a few weeks and that the local beach bums were harmless. I ending up staying up with these pleasant fellows the next night and chatted late into the night about Hawaiian sovereignty, the American Dream, and how to survive off the grid. The lives they lead were not ones I envied, but there were attractive points I discovered. Surfing all day, foraging/begging for food and beer, and sleeping in the wild was tempting to a certain part of me...

Haena Campsite, Honalae Bay

Thursday was time to head to the airport so when I woke, without an alarm I might add (perhaps my favorite detail of the trip), I began packing soon after breakfast. I managed to buy way too much food, so I ended up with extra chips, peanut butter, and water. I had the pleasure of saying goodbye to the acquaintances I made in the last week and left them a mahalo of food for keeping an eye on my camp. Much aloha overall as this was certainly a trip to remember. 

In case you are wondering, the total cost was about $1500. The flight to Anchorage was 10000  miles ($12 booking fee), to Lihu'e was $1100, the car was $140, and gas was $38. Food was about $250 including a mixed plate from a food truck, boxes of macadamia nuts for friends, and beer!