Christmas 2012

Christmas Eve brought snow!  It reminded me of that old children's cartoon, "Frosty, the Snowman"... because in that story, Frosty was made from magical "Christmas snow", which allowed him to come to life.

There is something rather "magical" about Christmas snow.  It really makes it feel more Christmasy, if that makes any sense.

We spent Christmas Eve doing some last minute shopping, and stopping at the local sport store to rent our skis and snowboards for our annual Christmas Day ski trip.  It snowed all day.

We had a quiet, traditional Christmas Eve dinner with the kids.  Christmas morning was also pretty calm, since the kids are now at that age where we have to wake them up to open presents.  With breakfast and presents out of the way, we gathered in front of my computer to have a Christmas morning Skype call with Matt, who is living back in San Diego again.  It was really fun to get to talk to him.  After our visit with Matt, we bundled up and headed up to Brighton Ski Resort.

Helena and I at the beginning of our ski afternoon.

It was cold, cold, cold... but sunny!

Helena and Will next to the Explorer lift.

I spent most of the day on the Explorer lift/run.  Essentially, the bunny hill.  However, Brighton's bunny hill leaves the one at Sundance in shame!  Sundance's bunny hill is a tiny straight slope with a rope tow, while Brighton's has a lift and is actually a shortish green dot slope.  It took next to no time to ski down it, and as the afternoon wore on, the lift line for it got longer, and longer!  After a while, skiing it became a matter of maneuvering around all the learners sitting down on the slope, and the whole run became shadowy and cold as the sun sank.  My feet hurt like none other, because, although the boots felt like they fit when I rented them the night before, they were, in fact, too small and pinched my feet.  I mostly just tried to ignore it.

Will's heart didn't seem to be into skiing that day, and he disappeared to do his own thing after only a little while.  Meanwhile, Bill and Helena found a snowboarder dude Helena's same age who agreed to join her and give her tips and pointers on how to snowboard.  He didn't seem too put out about it, either.  I kept taking the Explorer lift and chatting with everyone I rode up with.  I never once met another local.  Everyone I met was from somewhere out of state.  I met a couple from Mexico, a group from Arizona, someone from Wisconsin, and someone from Oklahoma.  Helena's snowboard buddy was from Wyoming.

Later in the afternoon, Bill began trying to convince me to change over to the Majestic lift, which was in full sun.  I kept telling him I was happy where I was, but he eventually convinced me that there were easy slopes on the Majestic, and lots less people.

There were less people.  It was sunnier.

Bill and I at the top of the Majestic lift.

The thing about the Majestic is that it takes you to several different slope options.  Some green dot (easy), some blue square (moderate).  The ride up on the lift was FREEZING!  The wind at the top was whipping ice crystals into our faces as we got off the lift.  Bill started down the slope directly to the right of the lift and I tried to follow...

IT WAS TERRIFYING!  It was so much steeper than what I had just left!  I was so upset that I am afraid I was not very nice to Bill.  I steered myself to a lift support post and crashed into it in order to stop myself from careening down the mountain.  I think it is obvious by now that I am not alpine skiing material.  Maybe I'm more of a cross country ski type.  I took off the skis and walked down that first run.  It seemed like the slope got more gentle after that, so I put the skis back on and snow plowed down the rest of the mountain.  It seemed to take FOREVER because the Majestic takes you much further up the mountain.  My legs were shaky and very sore by the time I made it back to the lodge.

And, oh!, my feet HURT!  I hobbled inside and worked on getting those boots off my feet.  You know that feeling when you hit your funny bone?  My feet were screaming with that tingling sensation when I finally managed to get the boots off.

We joined the kids in the cafe for just a little bit before loading up the car and heading for home.

We found out later that the first slope directly to the right of the lift is a blue square (moderate), not a green dot (easy).  We should have gone farther to the right for the green dot run.  Harumph.  So now I feel like I have to go back and conquer that slope, this time actually sticking to the green dot course so I don't flip out.  I'll let you know if I ever manage it.

Don't let the casual pose fool you, it was frajeezing!  My hands hurt just to have them out of the gloves during the picture!

Headed back home, all tired out!

National Guard Weekend

Last week Will asked if we would mind if he joined the local National Guard unit for a weekend drill as a guest of one of the members; a boy in his grade.  I was a little surprised that a) he was allowed to join a drill weekend as a guest, and b) that he wanted to do that rather than go skiing.  Still, I said "Of course you can" and signed the liability release form (a form some have jokingly called the 'Death Waiver').

Friday night we had tickets for the whole family to go see The Hobbit in the theaters.  Will decided not to join us, however, since the movie went late and he planned to leave the house at 6 am Saturday morning.  So, we went to the movies without him and he went to bed early.  I got up early on Saturday morning to see him off on his weekend of adventure.  I really had no idea what he'd be doing.  I just hoped that he'd enjoy whatever it was.

He got home Sunday evening.  He told stories of being issued an M-16 (unloaded) and being taught how to dismantle, clean, and reassemble it.  They had drills on speed and accuracy.  They worked as teams to dismantle, clean, and reassemble grenade launchers.  He also told of learning hand to hand combat techniques and practicing choke holds on each other.  One soldier passed out because he failed to "tap out", or let his sparring partner know when to release him.  He told us about time spent in classrooms, the 'chow hall', and PT (physical training... sit ups, pushups and the like).  He told us how the sergent and other active duty members jokingly called him "Ron Weasley" (for his long red hair) and how the sarge would say "10 points for Griffindor!" whenever Will did something well.  The joking and teasing was done in good humor, though, and he always felt welcomed by everyone there.  He told us about experiencing simulated combat using an assault riffle attached to a compressor (shooting at video projections, not real people) and how much different it was from a video game.  More sobering and scary.  He told us it was the longest weekend of his life, and he told us he wants to join.

He wants to join the National Guard when he turns 17.  That will be this coming May and he'll need a signed permission form from us to do so.  He plans to serve in the National Guard while going to college, then joining the Army once he has graduated.  He is still interested in majoring in Computer Science.  He is interested in either working with the rovers (unmanned tanks) or on developing combat training simulators.

In the meantime, he has been invited to continue participating in drill weekends with the National Guard unit, and wants to get his ACUs (training uniform) right away.  He wants to officially join in May, after his 17th birthday, and hopefully go to basic training this coming summer.

We had Will's SEOP (Student Educational Occupation Plan) with the high school counsellor today.  That's a meeting to make sure that the student is on track for high school graduation, and for making post high school plans.  Mr. Bayles, the counsellor, asked me how I felt about all of this (after Will told him his plans).  I am proud of my son and support him all the way in his desires to serve his country and go to college at the same time!

This may seem a strange post to follow my post about too much violence.  However, I can't help but feel proud of my son for wanting to do his duty for his country!  The military is the right setting for assault weapons and the military is the place to learn their proper use... in the defense of our country and our freedoms!

So, yes.  I will sign the papers in May if that is still his wish.

Aftermath

I can't let the tragedy of last Friday pass without reflecting on it.

On December 14th, at approximately 9:30 in the morning, a 20 year old young man shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT and murdered 20 first graders and 6 teachers & administrators in the school after first murdering his own mother at their home.  There doesn't seem to be any connection between the attacker and his victims at all.  Not that any connection or reason would justify such a heinous act.

The savage nature of this attack on such young and innocent victims has rocked our nation and brought grief to this holiday season.

It is eerie to me that only days before this crime, we had our school lockdown drill.  We hold one each year.  Only one.  My third graders took it in stride and asked the standard questions as we huddled in the corner of the darkened and locked room.  "What if I'm in the bathroom?"  "What if the classroom door is already locked when I get back from the bathroom?"  "Who just jiggled the handle of the door?"  But mostly they treated it like any other drill and dismissed it from their minds as they returned to their work when it was over.

When the 3rd graders returned to their classroom and a class of 5th graders arrived for art, their core teacher told me that they joked and laughed about the drill and did not take it seriously at all.  So I spent the first several minutes of class sobering them up about the seriousness of lockdown situations.  Once they realized it was no joking matter, they asked the million "What if" questions that could only come from upper elementary aged students.  "What if it is the FBI with assault weapons coming in the school?  Would we lock down, then?"  "What is the percentage of probability that this will really happen?"  "What if I hide and the bad person finds me?"  One girl suggested that if you are caught outside of a classroom, you should just run outside.  After her suggestion, I told them the story of the only time I have been in an actual lockdown situation.

I can't remember how many years ago it was.  Maybe seven?  I was working as the art teacher at Aspen Elementary School at the time.  The afternoon release bell had just rung and students were flooding out into the hallways when the Principal suddenly came over the intercom shouting "Lockdown!  Lockdown!"  I looked with dismay at all the children in the hallway as each teacher quickly gathered every child within reach and shepherded them back into classrooms and locked the doors.  I remember running the hallway with a fellow teacher to make sure we had everyone in sight, then locking myself into my classroom with an assorted group of children of all ages.  No one was with the correct teacher and no one was certain if every child had been accounted for.  We had no idea why lockdown had been called for, but I knew it wasn't a drill, because no one in their right mind would do a drill at that moment in time!

I had students in tears because they didn't know where siblings were.  Someone needed to go to the bathroom.  They all wanted to know what was going on and I had no answers for them.  All I could do was assure them that we were safe and we would have to wait for the all clear signal.  After 20 minutes, that signal was given.

We found out the reason for the lockdown after the fact.  The police were in an armed standoff with a man who had barricaded himself into a house just a block from the school.  When the release bell rang, the police realized that children were about to start walking through the neighborhood and ordered our lockdown to keep that from happening.  So, we were never in danger within the school after all.

Still.  Lockdown is a scary situation.  What a world we live in that such a thing is necessary!

So, last week when I had students in my classroom asking questions during the lockdown drill, I emphasized the importance of taking lockdown very seriously, but I assured them that elementary schools are very safe and that the chances of a bad person coming in to harm them are very, very remote.

And then came Friday.




In the aftermath, there is a firestorm of commentary and opinions about everything from gun control to mental heath sweeping the nation.  There are calls for higher security in schools.  People are polarized particularly on the issue of guns.  Some insist that guns should be outlawed all together.  Others claim that this wouldn't have even happened if teachers and other adults in schools were allowed concealed carry on school grounds.

I don't see how higher security in schools could have stopped this madman.  He shot through the locked doors with a powerful assault riffle.  Sandy Hook actually had higher security than most elementary schools I've ever heard of.  You had to be buzzed into the building.  Most schools can be walked right into.

Do I think guns should be outlawed?  No.  I think rapid fire assault weapons should be regulated more strictly, though.  I see no problem with people owning riffles for hunting and hand guns for defense.  But I see no reason for machine guns to be in homes.  Those are war machines.  I know there are those who would disagree with me.  Freedom to keep and bear arms and all that.  But it is how I feel.

Do I think mental illness needs better coverage within the system?  Absolutely.  Do I think it will happen?  Not with the crappy setup we have now.  Obamacare has worsened the health care climate overall, so I don't see an improvement coming for any one aspect of it.

However, I do think there is one dialogue that deserves more attention.

Raising a civilized generation.

Some have brought up the point that we are bringing this violence upon ourselves by raising a generation on glorified violence.  It is everywhere and it is gratuitous.  Movies and video games are awash in it.  How can we justify allowing our young people to desensitize themselves at so young an age?  There are ratings in place to protect the young from experiencing the graphic violence, you say?  The ratings system is a JOKE!  I have young students (8-11 years old) who play Halo and other violent video games all the time!  The "M" rating (mature) on the box didn't seem to stop their parents from buying it for them!  No ratings system will replace the common sense and discipline that should be in place amongst the adults of the world who should be putting their proverbial foot down and saying "NO" to violent games for the young.

And see what a hypocrite I am.  We have violent video games in our house.  I am not on a soap box preaching at others that they need to be more like me.  No.  I am also to blame.  We all are.  I am saying that as a society we have veered sharply off course.  You cannot raise a civilized society on violence.

I do not know if media violence had a part to play in this young man's decision to carry out his unspeakable act, and if this was an isolated incidence of violence...

...but it wasn't.  The mall shooting in Oregon.  The movie theater shooting in Colorado.  The college campus shootings in California and Virginia.  The DC sniper.  Columbine.  The list goes on and on.

So, what is to be done?  How can we be more safe?  How can our young be more protected?

For now, you will see a sharp increase in security in all the schools across the nation.  But will we take a stand and start protecting their minds as well as their bodies?

Fitocracy and the 100 Day Challenge

Last spring, I joined a web site called Fitocracy.  It is a social network for people who like to exercise, or are struggling to build a healthy lifestyle and are looking for motivation and support.  On Fitocracy, you build a profile and track your workouts.  Fitocracy awards points based on the difficulty level of the exercise done, and awards points accordingly.  You can also win points for completing "quests".  For instance, when I completed the half ironman, Fitocracy awarded me an additional 2,500 points for the "Half Ironman" quest on top of the points I earned for the exercise involved.  As you earn points, you "level up".

All of this seems kinda cheesy, and it is.  But the cheesiness is part of what I like about it.  Most workout tracking sites/apps are just so BORING.  This is a fun way to score when I exercise.  The site recognizes and rewards new personal bests.  And then, there is the social aspect to it.

Other Fitocrats can choose to "follow" you.  And you can choose to follow others.  You can join groups and find other site members with similar interests.  I joined several triathlon, running, biking, and swimming groups and found other people doing similar workouts.  People from all across the globe.  Fifty seven people are currently "following" me.  They cheer me on when I track a workout, and I cheer other people on, too.  There was a young high school graduate heading off to college and planning to join the college swim team, wondering if there were any body weight workouts she could do because she couldn't afford a gym membership.  I gave her a link to a workout pdf I found online that was just what she needed.  I've had other swimmers say they want to 'steal' my swim workouts.  I've gotten ideas for workouts from them.  I've cheered new runners as they faced their first ever 5K, and I had a dedicated cheering section when I faced the half ironman.  I watched a young man ride his bike across the country all summer long as part of a group that was building humanitarian houses while riding from sea to shining sea.  I'm cheering someone in the Cozumel Ironman.

There is a doctor in Colorado who started a 100 day sugar challenge.  He started following me sometime in the late summer.  He was several levels below me, at first, but he quickly caught up because he was doing monster-high-point workouts.  Before long, we were at the same level... then he passed me.  I simply can't rack up the points like that.  But the point earning rivalry that sprung up drove me to get to the gym on days when I would otherwise have talked myself into staying home.

His 100 day no added sugar challenge got me thinking.  I am not willing to go sugar free (especially not for the holidays!), but I realized that maybe this was just the challenge I needed to get off of soda for real.  I have quit soda many times in the past, always short lived.  Right now, I am addicted yet again.  I can tell I am addicted when I stop on my way home from work to get a soda on almost a daily basis... and when I can't fall asleep at night because there is too much caffeine in my system.  And when the scale starts to creep back up to ugly numbers I never wanted to see again.

So, I accepted the challenge.  Rather than 100 days sugar free, I am striving for 100 days soda free.  Yesterday, December first, was the first day.  March 10th will mark the 100th day.  Hopefully when I reach that mark, I will be a much more lean and fit version of myself and I will have mastered my cravings and desires.  By then I will be in full marathon training mode and a soda free body will be just what I need to succeed!

So, day two.  I know the first 21 days will be the worst.  It will take a week or two for the caffeine in my system to work its way out, and the cravings will take a while to subside.  Right now, I am facing headaches and fatigue, but I won't let that stop me.  Day 3, here I come!