We were all LARPers at one time in our lives

I was watching some of the kids in my class play the other day.  They were playing some horse game.  Some of the kids were crawling around on the ground and were pretending to be horses.  Other kids were chasing them around and pretending to lasso them and break them.  It was very complex and really funny to watch.  I've seen the children on the playground playing the same type of game based on puppies, zombies and other various subjects.

Watching these kids play these games made me think of LARP.  LARP is Live Action Role Playing.  I learned about LARP while watching the movie Role Models a few years back.  I have to tell you that seeing people pretend to be wizards and knights and pretending to fight each other was pretty hilarious.  It was also pathetic.  I just couldn't believe that anyone could be so lame.  However, watching the children play and how they were so immersed in their roles and using their imaginations, changed my mind a bit (just a bit).  I wonder what happens to that great imagination we all had when we were kids?  Do we lose it?  Does it get submerged under adult concerns and responsibilities?  Maybe LARPers have rediscovered that childhood ability or never lost it.

It gives you something to think about.  Bottom line is they are still pretty lame.  Maybe just not as lame as before.

 Next post will be about the nerd hierarchy. ;)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White Board

Overheard in the classroom this week.

A little boy asks the little girl across from him if she will be his friend.  She pauses and very seriously says "I don't know.  I'll have to check with my lawyer."

A little boy tells another about dirty hobos.  The first boy asks what a hobo is.  Apparently a hobo is a guy without a home, who lives at the dump, eats garbage and has ratty clothes.  Beware the dirty hobo.

Those Lying Bastards

I would just like to tell you about the absolute hosing I got this weekend.  I owed my wife a movie because I drug her to see Sucker Punch.  I would have owed her more than that, but the fact that I had to sit through Sucker Punch too, was punishment enough.  So, while we were in Grande Prairie this past weekend, we went to see Brides Maids.  Jen wanted to see the movie and the trailers made it look like it was kind of The Hangover for women.  I could get down with that.

Let me tell you that the advertising campaign for Brides Maids is the worst kind of false advertising.  First, all of the funny parts are in the trailer.  If you've seen the trailers, don't pay the money to see the movie because you've seen the best parts.  Second, the trailers certainly don't lead you to the conclusion that this movie is about a 30 something woman whose life is in a death spiral throughout the movie while she attempts to keep it together while her best friend gets married.  Most of the movie is quite a downer.  I'll put it this way, I looked at my watch a lot during this movie.

Guys, don't go see this movie unless you have screwed up and owe your woman one like I did or there is guaranteed sex if you go.

Field Trip Follies

This past Wednesday, Jen and I took both of our classes on a year end field trip to town.  We had been told much earlier in the year that there was not going to be money this year for field trips, so we put it out of our minds.  Then everyone started planning field trips.  With the plans came a carnival like atmosphere of junk food sales at lunch and recess.  Classes were selling freezes, ice cream, pizza, popcorn, cookies and almost every other kind of crap you can think of.  I decided I wasn't going to make like a used car salesman to get my kids to town.  However, at the 11th hour, the PAC came through with some busing money and we were forced to admit that we would look like a couple of ogres if we didn't take the kids to town.

Luckily for me, my wife is a super organizer and planned the whole day for both our classes.  She did a great job.  We were going to the North Peace Credit Union, then walking to the RCMP station.  For lunch we would have a picnic in our back yard because we live so close to the police station.  Then in the afternoon, we would go to the public library for a tour and some programming they had a available.  The plan was perfect...until it started to rain.

Let's be clear.  It didn't just rain while we were in town.  It was a bloody monsoon.  It rained all day.  At times, it rained so hard it hurt to be out of doors.  Luckily, my class missed the worst of the downpours during our walk between venues.  When it was time to go for lunch, it was absolutely pouring, so we were lucky enough to catch the bus back to our house.  When we pulled up out front, Jen's kids were already there.  It looked like we were pulling up to the monkey house in the zoo.  There were kids piled up with their faces plastered to the picture window.  They were climbing over each other to get a peek.

When I entered the house, the first thing I noticed was the smell.  It smelled like wet dogs and stinky feet.  It turns out the Jen's class had been hiking home when the downpour started.  They were in no man's land and had to tough it out the rest of the way.  Everyone was soaked to the bone.  Jen's class was eating upstairs and I took my kids to the basement to eat.  We had 40 kids in our 1800 sq. ft. house.  It was tight, especially when the kids finished eating and got a little wild. We were fortunate enough to have the bus driver offer to take us to the library after lunch because it was still pouring.

I must tell you, that I was pretty ragged by the time that day was done.  I have to thank the officers at the police station and Sheryl at the credit union for great tours.  The kids had great a great time and talked about it for the rest of the week.

How To Get Fired

I think if I read this story to my kids, I would get fired.  It would be funny though.

One is the Loneliest Number

One is the loneliest number.  That is how you feel when you are a male primary teacher.  When I taught in Prespatou, I was the only male teacher in the elementary end of the school.  Now that I'm at a new school there are several other male teachers, but there are none that are even within spitting distance of the primary grades.

When I go to a professional development seminar, it is very likely that the participants will include myself and a room full of women.  When you are in a staff room, it is you and a bunch of women.  Now, most men would think that was a great thing.  And normally you would be right.  You know, if it was a bar or the Playboy mansion.  However, the room is usually full of nice, middle aged women that generally are bunch of mother hens.  Not terribly erotic.

The other downer, is that discussions tend to focus on topics that are of interest to women.  Mostly children, followed closely by gardening and American Idol/Dancing with the Stars/etc.  Yawn.  If you are at an education seminar or workshop, all of the answers and activities are touchy feely.  Let's get to know each other by telling someone about a time when you really needed a hug.  Blagh!  When a topic is discussed and everyone wants the answer to by flowers and unicorns, as the dude, you feel like a major league ass when your answer is a little more factual and involves kids toughening up.

In all seriousness however, being a male primary (or even elementary) teacher can be extremely isolating.  I don't look forward to going to my workplace for social connections.  I look forward to the connections with the  kids.  I have to find my social connections elsewhere in the community, which is hard when you spend most of your time at your job.

One is the loneliest number.  And I'm number one.

Sunny Days (and Nights)

Well, it's that time of year again, when your body never really knows what time it is.  When the sun comes up at just after 4 am and goes down just shy of 10 pm you tend to lose track of time.  It is nothing to be reading, on the computer  and or working around the house and look up and be shocked that it is 9:30 when you were sure it was closer to 6:30.  It is also shocking when you get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and the sun is jabbing painfully into your retinas.

I noticed the other day that none of the ball diamonds in town have lights.  It took me a few minutes to realize that nobody plays baseball past 10:30 at night when it actually gets dark.  It takes a long time to get used to the extended daylight hours, but it sure is wonderful to have the extra time to do whatever it is you like to do.  Especially if you like doing it outdoors.

False Patriotism

I have not kept my distaste for the Vancouver Canucks a secret.  In response to my attitude I have caught a lot of flak for being unpatriotic for not cheering for the Canucks.  Quite simply, what a load of crap.  We are not talking about the Canadian national team which I ALWAYS cheer for.  We are talking about a commercial interest that is based in Canada.  I don't happen to support this particular business.

Following the logic of these "patriots" everyone that is Canadian should always choose a product produced in Canada or sold by a Canadian company over any foreign competitor.  Let me tell you that fellow Canadians are usually swiping away at their iPhones while they are chastising me.  Never once thinking about where the iPhone is made or where their money goes (to America).  Why don't these people have Blackberries if they are such patriots?  I also know that these people go to Wal-Mart and Home Depot.  If they were really patriotic they would shop at Zellers (while they can) and Rona.

Maybe the truth of it is that people like being patriotic when it's easy and convenient.  They also like being able to look down on others even if they are artificially elevated.  And of course, everyone loves a ride on the bandwagon.

Wild Weather

Last Thursday, I was happily enjoying summer.  The temperature had been in the low 20's for several days running with nary a cloud to be seen.  I had broken out the shorts and t-shirts and was not anticipating looking back.  Then Thursday evening a few thunderstorms bearing hail flowed through.  The temperature dipped a bit that evening.  On Friday I woke up to Christmas, not summer.

Yes, it's that's snow on the ground.

It had was snowing right along at 6:30 when I got up.  The weather man said rain and cold, but this was ridiculous.  I should have know though, when the furnace came on a few times in the night.  The furnace hadn't even been turned on in a week.

It proceeded to snow for the entire day without let up.  There wasn't a huge amount of snow on the ground, but there was some accumulation.  Snow on the ground in June.  Now I've seen it all.  In the three plus years we have lived up here, we have seen snow in every month but July and August.  Long time residents tell us that they have seen snow in every month of the year.  I must sincerely express my desire to never see that.

That's our deck at 4 pm.