01-06-2011

Lazy

–adjective

1.

averse or disinclined to work, activity, or exertion; indolent.

2.

causing idleness or indolence: a hot, lazy afternoon.

3.

slow-moving; sluggish: a lazy stream.

4.

(of a livestock brand) placed on its side instead of upright.

Just to set the record straight, I cut and pasted from Dictionary.com.  Well, I didn’t. I had a student do it for me.  I was going to have him also paste the word ‘apathy’, but it was……  Anyways, my vacation is over and it’s time I get back to whatever this is.

Flying in and out of here can be tricky.  When I flew out of here before Christmas, I barley made it out.  Flights were grounded because of weather, but there was a chartered flight bringing some students home from a boarding school.  My principal was also trying to get to Anchorage, so he was able to get us on the flight by knowing who to call.  One of the teachers was supposed to leave the next day for Hawaii.  She was delayed for three days, so now Aloha has yet another meaning.  But I don’t think they’ll use this one for their new brochures.

I arrived in Anchorage at 9:53pm and arrived at the first airport lounge at 9:58.  Without a word, the bartender pulled the lever and let the amber liquid flow.  Then without a word, he handed it to the waitress who walked to the other end of the room and gave it to some duffus wearing a Yankee’s cap.  Once I remembered how to order a beer (10:01), I was reacquainted with an old friend after 126 days.  At 10:09pm I had to pee.

The trip from Nunam Iqua to Wenatchee took me just under 22 hours, which included circling Wenatchee for an hour waiting for a weather window.  I do understand how lucky I was to leave on time and arrive within one hour of what my ticket said.  Monica recognized me, which made me happy.  I hadn’t had a haircut or shaved since I left, so I was looking a bit unkempt.  And I mean unkempt in a refined way. 

I had a great time during my two weeks home.  The only complaint was that the time seemed to flash by.  And that there were too many people at the Wal-Marts.  And traffic was a problem.  And I ate too much.  Wait, that’s not a complaint, that’s just normal.  I was able to see my family and friends, which is why I came down.  Everyone seemed to agree that two weeks was enough, and that I should head north. 

The trip back to Alaska was very uneventful.  I would even go as far as to say it was pleasant.  I never had more than 1 ½ hours between my three airplane changes, which is something I’ll never see again.  I also had the great fortune to sit in first class from Seattle to Bethel.  A teacher in first class is very unusual, so I thought I’d be out of place.  Turns out that crab boat people enjoy more legroom too.  Scruffy beards and flannel shirts were everywhere, sipping champagne and laughing at the poor people in coach.  Ok, we didn’t have champagne, but I did feel superior because of my proximity to the door.  For once, I got to be the jackass holding everyone up while I put my coat on and struggled to pull my oversized carryon out of the overhead.  I think I can get used to first class, if I didn’t have to pay for it.  I lucked out and only paid an $80 extra fee to upgrade.  Who knew 80 bucks could make a guy feel better than others?

The second half of my first year here is started and it will probably move at the same pace as the first half did: quickly.  It’s hard to believe that the first half is done and no students have been injured.  At least not by me.  I told those kids not to stand that close to the shore.

Absolve

verb (used with object), -solved, -solv·ing.

1.

to free from guilt or blame or their consequences: The court absolved her of guilt in his death.

2.

to set free or release, as from some duty, obligation, or responsibility (usually fol. by from ): to be absolved from one's oath.

3.

to grant pardon for.

4.

Ecclesiastical .

a.

to grant or pronounce remission of sins to.

b.

to remit (a sin) by absolution.

c.

to declare (censure, as excommunication) removed.