http://blog.aragirn.net Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:37:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Alaska is many things to many people. It can be a home, a vacation spot, a place to escape, a place to work; it can be a summer wonderland or the winter doldrums. Over the last year and a half, I've experienced a lot of the different types ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2009/12/30/enjoying-the-stay-cation/ Ever since I moved up to Alaska people have been telling me the exact same thing: "You need to get a sled dog!" Well, I've got to say, it's been a year coming, but it's finally happened! Today, Thunder, from Bruce Linton's kennel arrived on Cessna a 207. Thunder ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2009/09/06/a-new-addition-to-the-family/ This past Friday morning while in Koyuk, I went for a walk out of town. (This is the part where I warn you that nothing of real interest happened on this walk.) Sadly, it was probably only a hike of a couple miles total over the course of ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/12/01/daylight-is-disappearing-fast/ Wow... it's been a month and a half since I've made a meaningful post. It is a little disturbing to think that time has flown by that fast. For Thanksgiving (yes, it is celebrated here) I headed to Koyuk for 3 days to spend time with my girlfriend. It ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/12/01/thanksgiving/ Last week the school's itinerant counselor was in and gave a lesson in problem solving and decision making to one of my classes. The basic scenario was: you're stranded in the desert and have access to a limited number of supplies that you can recover from your wrecked vehicle. ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/11/07/things-kids-say-2/ Eight weeks ago, I waited in my classroom for my first students to arrive - slightly nervous, mostly excited and completely unaware of what my students would be like. Today, I sit in an empty classroom looking back in time and setting goals for the coming quarter. Like most new ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/10/19/teaching-in-the-bush-8-weeks-in/ This little bit of gold happened yesterday and I can't help but relate it, hopefully you get to laugh half as hard as I did. Yesterday two of my students came over to visit and one of them brought their little brother (who is elementary school aged) along. We're sitting ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/10/19/because-youre-pretty-he-said/ The US Post Office holds a special place in the heart of anyone living in a remote Alaskan village. Like the bush plane, the Post Office is a major link to the outside world. (In fact, those are our two real, tangible and somewhat timely ways to get ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/10/15/on-the-post-office-in-bush-alaskan-life/ It's officially winter; the snow is falling, the air is crisp and clear and it's edging toward cold - holding at around 20 degrees now for the past few days. It's a beautiful time of year, one of my favorites in fact. This year it's still delightful, but ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/10/12/heating-an-apartment-bush-alaska-style/ One of the things you have to get used to while living in the bush is the lack of certain things you've taken for granted all your life. For example, there are no restaurants, no paved roads and no barber shops (we have phones, lights and motor cars though). ... http://blog.aragirn.net/2008/10/07/bush-teacher-or-marine-recruit-you-decide/