Gina T's Adventures

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 6

2009-07-17T11:27:00.003-04:00

Day 6: Thursday, July 16, 2009: Road Trip to Red Squirrel Road

Fish Count:
3 – bass

New Temperature High:
At one point it got up to 22 Celsius / 70 Fahrenheit, although it was that warm most of the day. But it was sunny and warm – a good day for a road trip.

One of our traditions during our stay in Temagami is to seek out a back road we haven’t been on and go explore it. Problem is, we’ve been on most of those roads now that we’ve been coming for quite a few years. This year we decided to go back Red Squirrel Road, which we’ve been on numerous times, including two years ago when Stacy and I went on our canoe trip in Temagami. Dad drove us back to Red Squirrel Lake, our put in, and along the way we spotted a moose!

Jim recommended a series of three small lakes that are a part of the Anima Nippising River and eventually lead into Red Squirrel Lake. He has fished for rainbow trout in the third lake. We gave it a shot. He said to put a nightcrawler on the hook, let it sink to the bottom, and just wait for the fish to take it. Here’s the problem: it’s very easy to get hung up this way. And hung up we got. So we decided to just throw bobbers on and dangle the worms in the water. Really not the best method for catching fish (a suspended worm is a little unnatural), but it’s been known to work. Well, we didn’t catch any rainbow trout, but I caught two small bass. So, there’s bass in here too? Dad said next year we’ll have to come back with the minnows and fish that way because it really is a good fishing spot.

We also discovered another fishing spot along Red Squirrel Road – Thieving Bear Lake. There are some rocks there with a pretty decent drop off that we will try next year with the minnows. The rocks also were home to lots of frogs, which I spent some time trying to catch (pretty much unsuccessfully). I really should have gone into biology and wildlife studies.

Yummy fresh caught walleye and bass for dinner and then we went back to back fishing at Caribou and Temagami. While at Caribou we caught 3 (keeper) bass and lost a bunch. We sat for about an hour before we had any action, and then it only lasted about ten minutes before our bobbers were motionless again. There seems to be a pattern, but it doesn’t make fishing for them any easier. You never really know when/if they are going to bite.

We were greeted at the docks of Temagami Shores by a few tweenage kids, who were throwing the large rocks (you know, the ones that keep the lake from washing away the ground?) into the water. I decided it was WAY too early in the summer to be encountering kids again. I said to Dad that I don’t like to see kids during my summer vacation. We went out on the boat for an hour and didn’t catch anything. What happened to our great fishing spot in the bay?

Fish Count: (so far)
10 – bass
3 – walleye
3 – in the slot

Mosquito Count:
Still a lot, but Dad finally gave me the bright idea to turn the fan on while I sleep, so that the breeze keeps them away from my face. It worked! Best night’s sleep I’ve had all week!

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 5

2009-07-16T23:23:00.005-04:00

Day 5: Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Fish Count: 0

It rained. The end.

Oh, you want to know what we did? How many mosquitoes we killed in the cottage? How the fishing went?

Caribou was a bust. We fished for an hour or so before we decided to try to find the rocks that Dad & Company used to fish off of. I know of this place only by the story of my uncle falling into the lake, but not before tossing the camera to my aunt. This is a story I have replayed many times over in my head and always wished I had seen in real life.

We didn’t find the rocks. But we did bushwack through the Canadian forest a bit and became host to many mosquitoes. I tend to dwell on the bugs – I can’t help it.

At a recommendation from Jim, the guy who owns the local bait and tackle store, we drove not far from Caribou to Ping Lake. It’s on the way to the fire tower, for those of you who are familiar with Temagami. Jim said there were pike in there, and there is a nice peninsula where you can fish from and there is even a picnic table! We found the peninsula and picnic table, but we didn’t find the pike.

We ate dinner at the Orient Garden, the local Chinese restaurant. We used to go here with my grandparents, who know the owners, Terry and Helen Woo. The food is good, and the owner is a local artist. We told Helen that Clara and Bob Thompson said hello, and that they missed coming by to eat. Helen remembered who my grandparents were and said that she missed having them come by, and wished them well. It was a sad moment, because it was a remember (there have been many throughout the week) that my grandparents aren’t here with us like they have always been in the past. I still enjoy Temagami, of course, but it’s not quite the same without them here.

We just had gotten ready to go out on the boat when it started to rain. We went back to the cottage to wait it out there, and decided to watch Les Stroud do his survival thang. I love Youtube. We went out on the lake for about an hour or so, only to be skunked there as well. Just wasn’t a good night for fishing.

Fish Count: (still)
7 – bass
3 – walleye
3 – in the slot

Loon Count: 1 out on the lake tonight. I tried to lure it with a loon call, but I sounded more like an injured bird.

Low of the Day:
Did someone order a swarm of mosquitoes? Okay, I expect them up here. It’s Canada for crikeys sake, and we are situated around a lot of standing water. But I don’t expect them in the cottage, and buzzing around me while I sleep.

Highlight of the Day:
While we were at Caribou, a seagull began to circle us. I was getting worried he thought our bobbers were fish, because he would sort of swoop down towards the water close to where we were fishing. He landed not too far away and another seagull showed up. They hung around for a few minutes before the seagull was back circling, only this time we could see what he was after. One of our spent minnows was floating on the water, close to the rocks. Each time the seagull would circle, he would swoop down and try to grab the minnow. Around the third try he finally nabbed it. It was definitely one of those moments in nature that you don’t see very often, and Dad and I got a kick out of having witnessed it. As a reward, I threw another dead minnow out into the water, and very quickly the seagull snatched it up as well.

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 4

2009-07-16T21:54:00.003-04:00

Day 4: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Fish Count:
3 - bass

New Weather High:
20 Celsius / 68 Fahrenheit. No rain. Not a cloud in the sky.

Today was the first warm, sunny day, and the first day Dad didn’t have to wake me up. We had a glorious breakfast of peameal bacon and eggs. (For those of you who have experienced a Larry Thompson breakfast, you understand why it’s worth mentioning.) Since I’m on the subject of peameal, we’ve since bought a great deal of it, since it was on sale at the Temagami Co-op. Hopefully that’ll get us through until next year.

We decided since it was sunny that we would take the boat out on the lake for a ride. I wanted to go mouth of the Tetapaga River, which is about 8 miles from the end of the northeast arm (town). Dad said he’s gone up it when we was younger, but hasn’t been back since. People use to boat up the N. Tetapaga River and portage into Tetapaga Lake and portage again to fish in Vermillion Lake. Basically no one does this anymore because Vermillion Lake is no longer there and there aren’t fish in Tetapaga Lake.

The boat ride up the river was really beautiful. We were going pretty slow, so it reminded me a lot of my canoe trips with Stacy when we were paddling through rivers. We took one wrong turn, which took us into a bay that would be excellent for wildlife (none while we were there, of course). Only a few times did lily pads get stuck in the propeller. In that case, you have to put the boat in reverse to get them to spin off. After a few miles, we couldn’t go any further, and you could see where the inlet flows into the river from the Tetapaga Lake. Dad said there used to be a dock for people to tie up their boats, but now it’s just a little rock spit with a grown over trail that starts into the woods. I got out to take a look around and indeed the trail was grown over. You could see where it headed into the forest, but who knows after that. We headed back out at a faster clip then when we came in, mostly because we knew where the shallow and deep parts of the river were. Dad and I both wished we would have seen some wildlife, but I told him when Stacy and I paddled through the rivers on our canoe trip we never saw anything. (Moose is what you want to see, considering they like to hang out in the shallow, marshy waters.) At the mouth of the river there was a seemingly nice campsite on a tiny island. We couldn’t get to it because it was too shallow. We got the motor stuck as it was, and Dad and I had to push the boat off the rocks and paddle away a bit before we could start the motor. I had a pang when I picked up the paddle and wished that I could be out in a canoe again.

The trip back took about 30 minutes. Just riding along Temagami Lake is beautiful. You eventually get used to the hum of the motor, and it’s a nice chance to look around at the islands and any possible wildlife. I took the opportunity to scout out a few campsites that are located along the north shore, though I don’t know if I’ll be paddling the northest arm anytime soon. Even at it’s best, Lake Temagami is fairly choppy. Just about the only times I’ve seen it still is early in the morning and late in the evening – not exactly prime canoeing times.

We had an early dinner and headed out to Caribou. There were kept 3 bass (I caught 2 and Dad caught 1). I caught one of the bass on Dad’s rode while he was rigging mine because a fish had snapped the line. (Not necessarily because of his size, but more likely that the line rubbed against a rock.) We lost a bunch and caught a few little ones that we threw back. Overall, it was a decent day at Caribou. And we didn’t have to sit in the car to wait out any rain.

Trolling on Temagami:
Not much action here. Dad caught a nice “slotter” walleye, about 20 inches. We basically got skunked, otherwise.

Loon Count:
Saw 2 flying overhead, making a raucous. So that’s 9 so far.

Fish Count: (so far)
7 – bass
3 – walleye
3 – in the slot

Mosquito Count:
Thousands. And lots of bites.

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 3

2009-07-14T09:44:00.003-04:00

Day 3: Monday, July 13, 2009

Fish Count: 0

Weather: COLD and rainy. The high today was 12 C. For my American friends, that’s 54 F. Needless to say I wish I had brought more long sleeve shirts.

Breakfast was probably the highlight of the day – peameal bacon. For those of you who don’t know what peameal bacon is, check out this site: REAL Canadian Bacon. It’s only the most tasty bacon there is, and it’s very difficult to find it on the U.S. You can order it (hence the site), but it’s extremely expensive.

We ordered a red raspberry pie from the Busy Bee yesterday, so we went by to pick that up. Also stopped by the spring to get more “dump” water. (Named that because the spring is on the old dump road. The water itself is perfect.) Finally, we stopped at the bank to get some Canadian money.

Headed over to the rocks at Caribou Lake only to be rained on. Twice we sat in the car to wait out the rain. Not a single bite, despite our very energetic minnows. Well, I spoke too soon. We did have ONE bite. I caught a small walleye. Yes, a walleye. In Caribou. Those of you who know about Temagami will understand how surprising this is. Dad said he has never, in the 50+ years he’s been fishing here, caught a walleye in Caribou. We’ve only ever caught bass, and the occasional catfish. Dad said they used to catch speckled trout here years ago, but never walleye. So we’re not sure what to make of it. Hopefully when we go back tomorrow we’ll start catching bass again.

Stopped by Temagami Outfitter, which is the outfitting company Stacy and I went through when we took our canoe trip two years ago. They’ve consolidated and moved to a smaller location – right across the street. I’d like to stop by again and pick up a few more bits of information for our next Canadian Wilderness Canoe Trip (wink, wink).

What I love about coming up here is simply how relaxing it is. I felt tired all morning, and when we got back to our cottage we both decided to take a nap. A nap in the middle of the day! It was glorious. In the evening, we went out on the Lake (Temagami) to the bay we’ve been fishing in the past two nights, only to get skunked. No fish. Barely any bites. We’re chalking it up to a change in the atmospheric pressure, which apparently can cause fish not to bite. It would make sense, anyway, seeing how we had a serious of fronts roll through yesterday.

Got back to the cottage around 9:30, and after a quick chat with Stacy, Dad and I had (warm) raspberry pie and ice cream. We spread out the Temagami Area Fishing Map and chatted a bit about places that Dad has fished and places Stacy and I canoed. It’s an amazingly beautiful area – by far my favorite place in the world. If I lived in Ontario, I would definitely be canoeing this Northern region every chance I got.

It was cold and raining all day, but as Dad put it while we were trolling by my favorite island, “Sure beats work.”

You said it, Dad.

Fish Count (so far): still…
4 – bass
3 – walleye

New Weather Low:
12 Celsius or 54 Fahrenheit and rain that drove us to sit in the car and wait it out.

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 2

2009-07-13T09:23:00.002-04:00

Day 2: Sunday, July 12, 2009

Caribou Lake (after breakfast)
3 – bass (two were 12 inches and 1 was 14)
Dad lost one because of me. I couldn’t net it, and the line kept getting tangled in the net. Eventually the fish got off. Probably around 14 inches, maybe a bit bigger. I also caught a smaller bass that we threw back. We fished off the rocks for about three hours. It was windy most of the time, but that seems to be good for keeping the minnows moving (especially if/when they are dying).

Temagami Lake
1 – walleye (15 inches)
We started at Island 4, but with the combination of it being very windy, ominous clouds, and no bites, we decided to head back up to the bay (which is right across from the Temagami Shores and Leisure Island). We figured if the clouds brought a rainstorm, we could quickly get into shore. As soon as we started trolling, I got a bite. A nice size walleye that Dad spent a lot of time measuring, hoping it was under 18 inches. Alas, it was JUST over, so we threw him back. Forgot to get a picture, too. Soon after Dad caught a walleye just off the shoal of where the gazebo is. (I always knew that island was lucky. Now if I could just scrape up $500,000 to buy it…) The walleye was another “identical twin” to the two I caught last night – about 15 inches. The reason I mention the fact that we are catching 15 inchers is that this program where you have to throw back the spawners seems to be working, which makes throwing back a 23 inch fish a little easier to swallow. Dad is still surprised that we are catching as much as we are right in the bay so close to town.

During the day we went to visit Dorothy and Verdun, who seem to be in good spirits, despite their current conditions. Dorothy has been suffering from severe back pain since they got in a car accident a little over 2 years ago. She seemed much weaker than I’ve ever seen her, but she was still smiling. Apparently she sleeps a lot and can’t move around for too long. Verdun said she hasn’t baked since the accident. Verdun has some neck pain as a result of the accident, but his condition doesn’t seem to be quite as debilitating. They were both very positive, though. We talked a bit about the economy – things seem to be slow in Temagami, and a lot of houses are going up for sale around here. We’ll go visit them again – I told them I’d show them some wedding photos. Unfortunately, we won’t be having any of Dorothy’s homemade rhubarb pie.

Fish Count (so far)
4 - bass
3 - walleye

Loon Count
7 - A group of 5 as we were heading back in from Island 4 and 2 over by the bay.

Mosquito Count
Hundreds. But not too many bites.

Annual Father/Daughter Fishing Trip to Lake Temagami 2009: Day 1

2009-07-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

Temagami 2009

Day 1: Saturday, July 11, 2009

We arrived at Temagami Shores around 2 in the afternoon, unpacked the car, and then headed out to the hardware store to pick up some forgotten items. Then a quick trip to the Co-op for groceries, Dad’s (the local bait and tackle store) for our fishing licenses and some minnows, and back to TS to get our boat squared away. Dad brought Grandma and Papa’s motor, but TS had already charged Dad for a boat with a motor, even though he told them that he brought his own motor.

We’ve got free WiFi in the cottage, so I’ve already spent a good part of time online, mostly talking to Stacy and video chatting with Megg. I love technology, and more to the point, I love my new Mac. I’m a little pissed that I forgot my camera cord, so I’ll just have to wait until I get back to post pictures.

While I was online with Stacy and Megg I made homemade potato chips with Les’s (my father-in-law) soon to be patented potoato-chippper. It slices potatoes paper-thin and makes perfect potato chips. One of the many highlights of the trip, I am sure.

After a light dinner of sandwiches (and potato chips), we headed out onto Temagami Lake. It had stormed earlier, a quick heavy downpour with some hail involved. When we got out on the lake it was still overcast and a bit drizzly. By the time we got our poles in the water it was clearing up and the sun was coming back out. Whenever we used to fish with my grandparents, we would go down the lake a bit to Island 4, a nice fishing spot that many of the locals and old timers know about. Instead we stayed close to TS, and trolled around some of the islands in close to town. Right away we had bites. Not sure if it was because of the rain, but that certainly is a theory. The first catch was mine: a 15-inch walleye that we kept. Walleye that are between 18 and 24.6 inches must be thrown back. The reason is that they are trying to keep the spawners in the lake so they can do their thing and create a larger fish population. Soon after Dad caught a nice size walleye – around 20 inches. He was big enough to “oh and ahh” over, and then we put him back. Who wants to clean a fish that big anyway? I caught another 15-inch (“they were identical twins,” Dad said later when he was cleaning them). Dad caught a “keeper” bass (13 Inches) and we caught a few more little fish. Overall it was a very successful first night of fishing. Looking forward to a good nights sleep. I think we are heading over to Caribou after breakfast tomorrow.

Fish Count Day 1:
2 – walleye (both 15 inch)
1 – bass (13 inches)

where i am on the web

2008-09-14T21:19:00.002-04:00

My new blog
Our Wedding Page
Facebook
Photos

.titled by poetic license.

2007-08-20T17:58:00.000-04:00

.....>>>come over here.

while i was in canada...

2007-08-14T18:10:00.001-04:00

Stacy was playing some tunes with friends...

... but then he came to Temagami...

And we went canoeing in the Northern Ontario wilderness...

.pictures to come.

.and a surprise!.

Where is Gina???

2007-08-09T22:19:00.001-04:00

No one is certain, but she was spotted last week buying raspberry jam at the local farmer's market and sipping a frappachino at the local Barnes and Noble.

Consider this her official "away" message, even though, according to this blog, she's been away since June.

It's not over... things are just starting to get good!

because everyone needs a good laugh...

2007-06-29T22:16:00.001-04:00

email, call, or leave a comment for directions...

2007-06-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

“JUST BECAUSE IT’S JUNE… JUNE, JUNE, JUNE!” PARTY

Saturday, June 30, 4:00 PM - ??

Food and drink will be provided.
Stacy will do the famous grilled Chicken Gretl, and other things.
OK to bring your kids, a date, etc. VERY casual.
A side dish would be welcome, but isn’t necessary.

Bring: A musical instrument, if you play –
as usual, we might slip into live music later on.
Cheers! RSVP not necessary -- come if you can!!

~ Stacy and Gina ~

I'm out paddling in the Adirondacks

2007-06-10T22:04:00.000-04:00

This will serve as my Official Blog Away Message. Stacy and I are headed on a canoe trip to the Saranac Lake area for a four day canoe paddle in the smaller lakes up there. But first, we'll spend a day visiting friends at Schroonawarra.

We leave tomorrow after work. I'm subbing a half day at Bellefonte and Stacy is presenting at the Penn State Web Conference. We'll be back Sunday, June 17, missing my cousin's graduation party, a friend's kegger yay-we're-done-with-school party, and helping our friends move into a new house. So, okay, our planning wasn't the greatest. But there was no other week. I begin work at the Y(MCA) the following Monday. This was our only chance to get away. And given the (depressive) winter we both had, it's a long awaited break from the day-to-day grind.

Though it goes without saying, I won't be accessing the internet until the Sunday when I return. But I promise to have pictures for your viewing pleasures. And a post about the trip. That is, of course, if the canoe doesn't capsize and I suddenly forget how to swim. But we won't speak of such nonsense. I will return safely to you all soon.

And then they'll be a party! I'll post an official announcement when I get back, but it will look very similar to this. Locals, mark your calenders. Saturday, June 30. The usual: Chicken-Gretl on the grill, good beer, good company, and most certainly good music. If you play, bring your instrument. They evening always ends with a Stacy & Friends Jam Session.

It's not a spot on the top of your head. It's an AHA moment

2007-06-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

The seniors at Bellefonte are going to Krislund today for a community service project. They need 30 hours to graduate, and some have 0. They graduate in a week. Stacy and I were at Krislund a couple of weekends ago. The Christian camp was founded in 1963 and has gone through some dramatic changes since. I've been told by a bias party (ahem, my boyfriend) that the best days Krislund has seen were the early 80's. I wouldn't know -- I was in diapers at the time. You can read about the history here, but word on the street is that it's gone a bit fundamental. A friend of ours from Boston who was a C.I.T. (Counselor-in-training) with Stacy still sends here kids there, though. She drops them off at the camp, kisses their faces, and says, "Have fun! Remember, it's not the same as it used to be!"

Actually, we didn't go to the camp, but instead took a hike to the famous "Bald Spot" that he's camped at since I've been in diapers. It's your typical Pennsylvania rock face, but it comes with a great view of the Nittany Mountains. It's always very spiritual for me to be there. It's being surrounded and protected by nature that moves me. When I'm at the Bald Spot, I can understand why some people believe so strongly in God. How can such a hauntingly beautiful place just evolve? Surely the detail and beauty of nature is not just left to chance. Or more dreadful - science. It must be God who has taken the time to create and perfect each detail - the curve of the ridge, the meandering of the stream. And as a token of appreciation, the Children of God have erected crosses at the Bald Spot, so as all of us can be reminded of His glory while we are there, enjoying His great creation.

While I am grateful for my skepticism and find comfort in that I don't find comfort in faith -- I can understand it. The Bald Spot is indeed mystical. Some greater force is at work here. To me, the Bald Spot represents peace. Not the hippie-give-me-a-two-finger-salute kind of peace, but the meditative and magical kind. Peace that makes you stop and say, "Oh, this is it." It's the AHA moment of spirituality. And though I haven't yet decided where my soul will go when I die, I do believe I have one. I know I do, because when I have those AHA moments of spirituality, my soul tells me how much she has appreciated it. And I thank her for reminding me that I am alive.

I cannot speak for Stacy, but I reckon the Bald Spot conjures different thoughts for him. Maybe it's the memories of a time in his life that now only appear in whispers and daydreams. Occasional visit or email. Stories to his girlfriend about the Krislund Days. (I, of course, love to hear those stories, even if it makes me a bit envious.)

For Stacy, the crosses dug into the rocks may actually represent something, even if only memories of his youth. He has a special connection to this place that I will never have. And for that I am a bit jealous.

if nervousness is an illustration of desire

2007-06-04T17:43:00.000-04:00

Life is busy at the moment, and I want nothing more than to tell you all about the wondrous little ditties I've been experiencing. Unfortunately, I am out of time. (I have a meeting in 10 minutes.) Until I get my act together, complete with pictures, I invite you all to head over to Dave's, where he's blogging about Fred Woods, where I was with Stac and the fam only a month ago. (I never did get around to blogging about it, but I have plenty of pictures!)

And I'll leave you with this -- today I had a job interview to teach at my dream school.

If only you knew....

2007-05-31T10:01:00.001-04:00

Group 2k at HOBY 2007
Originally uploaded by poeticallychallanged.

What did these nine teenagers do to me? They changed my life. In less than four days. They were among the 200-some (all told including tators, ass-tators, ta's, staff, etc.) people who also changed my life. It's called HOBY, and you have no idea unless you've experienced it.

I was the Facilitator for Group 2k - pictured here. What does being a TATOR mean? These are my kids. I take care of them. And love them. And pamper them. I give them candy, make them dance and cheer, and generally tease them at all opportunities.

The chick with the hat and the peace sign is Sam, my Associate Facilitator. (Affectionately referred to as "Ass-Face" in the HOBY world.) She was the fuel and fire of the group. She kept our engine running. I've never met anyone, save for my mother (maybe) who was more mentally insane and just all around crazy. I love her. She was an ambassador last year (the high school sophomores that get picked to come) and couldn't resist coming back again. Thank Buddha she did, because I couldn't have lead this group without her.

It's been a couple weeks since HOBY, but I never did get a chance to blog about it. There are a few pictures (most are private) if you want to check 'em out. It’s hard to describe HOBY, and the best I’ve found is just to say that, simply put, it changed my life. It reinstated my love for kids, especially teenagers, and my passion for education. My belief that this generation can and will change the world. That there is more to them than just iPods and rap music. HOBY made me see that we are all the same, in our own unique individual way. We want to use enthusiasm to lead this world into a better quality of life.

“Reflection is the business of man; a sense of his state is his first duty..." ~ Willy Shakespeare

2007-05-14T18:35:00.000-04:00

I do most of my reflecting in the car. That is where all Profound Thoughts of Gina Marie take place. Unfortunately, seeing as I am driving, and seeing as I have a horrible memory – these thoughts often escape me by the time I get home. When I was in high school I bought a tape recorder to tape these Profound Thoughts that I had (yes, even at such a young age!), but that tape recorder is outdated and I have only two tapes to it – a recording of me and my friends on our AP American History and our AP European History field trips. I would love to digitize those because they are some of the most frackin hilarious stuff I’ve ever heard. Among the many embarrassing comments about our teachers (we had crushes – obvious crushes), there is also a point on the tape in which we all simultaneously moo because we have just seen cows in a field. I’d love to go back to being 17, just for a day.

My reflections today were centered around music, and my unfair judgment on the people who listen to certain types of music. For instance, I will judge you if you tell me you like rap or hip-hop. It’s not fair, I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. But more severe of a judgment happens upon the topic of Dave Matthews Band. I tend to stereotype those who don’t like DMB into soulless, shallow people. I think that anyone who doesn’t like DMB must not be able to go deep. I mean deep within themselves and deep with other people. DMB is deep, soulful music. If you don’t like DMB you are admitting you like simple music – simple harmonies, simple lyrics, simple rhythms. Because DMB is anything but simple. And it’s important, at least in my opinion, to not be a simple person. Complexity is the way to go in life.

So I know this is wrong. I shouldn’t judge people’s character based on the music they listen to. But at the same time, I expect people to judge me by similar qualities. If someone said, “she listens to Dave Matthews Band, she must be a hippie liberal chick,” well, they’d be right. Same goes for the way I dress. Long skirts, lots of bracelets, earthy colors. I don’t not except to be judged by that – and I’m okay with it as well. If I wasn’t an earthy hippie who is hell bent on saving the world and would rather munch on cockroaches than give George W. Bush an ounce of support than I imagine I would dress differently and probably listen to different music. But now I’ve brought in politics, which is a whole ‘nother set of stereotypes!

My point is – I know I’m wrong to judge. And, I’m working on that. I think it’s important to not judge. First impressions are what they are, and I can’t change what I might think from a first impression. But I’m willing to go beyond the first meeting. In fact, if people will allow, I’d love to go deep with them. Give me a fifth or sixth impression. Show me your soul, I’ll show you mine. Problem with me is – I tend to see souls even if they’re not willingly shown.

On my journeys through Wegmans and Target I also thought a lot about my job. Substitute teaching. It’s getting better. Part of that is I’m becoming more comfortable with the faculty – particularly at Bellefonte. I’m also becoming more comfortable with the kids. Again, I’m thinking more of Bellefonte than State College (and definitely not Penns Valley – I barely sub there). I’m starting recognize the students. Repeats are showing up in my teaching assignments. And they like me (they really really like me!) because I’m chill, cool, the “rebel” sub – the one who makes compromises and allows them to talk while they do their work. I tried to be a hardass, but I didn’t like what it did to me and how I came off to the students. But, students make good arguments, and sometimes I just have to agree with them. I can’t wait to have students of my own. I want to joke with them. Harass and tease them. Isn’t that what teaching is about? The more students I can love, the better.

and now for a little bit of off-roading fun

2007-05-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my mom for giving me 50% of Italian blood

2007-05-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

Mom, I sent you a card! But it might not get there until Monday. Flickr's blog post this morning made me think of this photograph I have of me as a monkey-face with my mom, her mom (my nunnie) and her grandma (my gramma bucci). Four generations of beautiful Italian women here. Two dead, two alive. I'm only 50% Italian, a result of my dad's "mutt" heritage not including any Italian blood (thanks, dad), but I still feel a strong Italian presence in my physical appearance and in my mentality. Or, I should say, lack of sanity. Irrational behavior. Highly emotional. A searing desire to kiss and hug everyone I see. (Well, not everyone. Just those that look incredibly cuddly.)

I had a discussion with Stacy over pizza and a beer buzz about my dreams. Downtown on a Friday night, half of the people walking around were wearing shirts that described whatever bar tour they happened to be on. Discussion about this bar and that bar, this drink special and that drink special. Most were celebrating their graduation from college, and I felt sorry for them. They are happy now. Let them be happy. A few weeks from now they'll be sitting in the middle of their parents living room floor, eyes glossy, wondering what to do with the rest of their lives. Been there, done that. (Except my breakdown took place in the comfort of my own home on my own dusty area rug.)

So our discussion about my dreams and their intensity. I have many reoccurring dreams and many reoccurring characters. Ex-lovers. Never-lovers. Never-friends. Mostly, the reoccurring people are those that I didn't get to have a successful relationship/friendship with. It was obvious by my description of the dreams why I was having them -- in my dreams I get to have these friendships. I had a dream last night I wrapped my arms around the body of one of those never-to-be friendships. I can still feel the hug. I can feel my hands, resting on the back, right hand grabbing the wrist of the left. Squuuuueeeeeze. It was a good hug. And I'm not ashamed of it.

Stacy and I concluded that these dreams were probably good for me. They were a way for me to have the friendships that I can't otherwise have in "real life". My philosophy is to love and care for all those that will let me. And it hurts when I can't do that. I'm coming around to that reality, and I've accepted it. But in my dreams, I can be friends with whoever I damn well please -- and I like it that way.

- - - - - - - -

Speaking of friendships and loving people -- Stacy and I went to a fabulous shindig last night. Our friends Chris and Lisa had a Just For the Hell of It party. My observations during the party led me to conclude it was more of a Celebration of Friendship party. I got to meet so many wonderful people! And of course, there was music, provided by yours-truly's truly and his friends:

Not to mention, barnyard animals! (Nicola - I was not lying when I called you and told you I was looking at a chicken.) Folks, only in Central Pennsylvania can you be at a party, sippin good beer, and watching chickens poke around the yard.

This is my Heaven.

Thanks to Chris, Lisa, Cedric and Sarah for hosting a great bash.

Upcoming Events: HOBY Seminar and Stacy's 40th (shhhhhh!) birFday!

Stripped Maple bud

2007-05-11T11:45:00.001-04:00

maple_bud
Originally uploaded by poeticallychallanged.

I love spring!

wildflower walk through Plummer's Hollow

2007-05-08T09:23:00.000-04:00

Before Saturday, I had never seen a purple trillium. At least I don't think so. But I wonder how, after all the years playing in the forest, I might have missed them.

Stacy and I went on a saunter through Plummer's Hollow on Saturday, guided by its resident botanist, Dave Bonta. It was a long time in coming, since I've been reading Dave's blog for almost a year, and also keeping up with the Plummer's Hollow posts by Dave and his mother. On our way there, traveling 550 from Bellefonte to Tyrone, I wondered aloud to Stacy if there was a lot of foot traffic in the Hollow. A lot of the area is open to the public, but somehow I think it remains the unknown gem of Central Pennsylvania.

Dave pointed out wildflowers and I ooooed and aaahhhed. Stacy did the good job of asking all the intelligent questions, while offering a bit of his knowledge of Pennsylvania forest history. I, the youngin', knew the forest only as a place for play. Hiding under fallen hemlocks. Picking buds off mayapple plants to make homemade "stew" from it. (Including any other number of ingredients you might find on the forest ground, except bugs. And of course, mud and water for the broth.)

I enjoyed the new perspective on the forest. Understanding the forest not just as a place to play, but a place where life begins and ends, where land disputes take place and big bad loggers try and take the trees. And also where Nature illustrates her power, collapsing trees with a wind gusts and snow blankets. (And after viewing these lifeless trees, I considered the comments in this post, but I ultimately agree with Dave on the issue of dead trees -- "decay is a beautiful thing!")

I learned that I should never assume all butterflies are monarchs. Here's a Tiger Swallowtail that was catching a tan as we were trying to catch some good photographs. He was unusually still for a butterfly, and I wondered if he was a bit vain and enjoyed the attention. He knew he was beautiful.

The names of most of the flowers are escaping me now, as does much of the information that I learn on a day to day basis. My brain does not retain facts well, but the experiences and memories seemed superglued in there. So sure, I can't remember what the name of that flower was that the the stem grew up through the leaves. But I do remember the smell of the forest, the inflection in Dave's voice as he described flowers to us, and the beauty of an (almost) untouched forest area. And even if I had had an awful time, which I did not, it would have been worth it just to see the train go by just as we pulled in!

For more pictures of our wildflower walk through Plummer's Hollow, go here.

something interesting to come soon!

2007-05-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

I promise. I am dodadling with pictures now and tonight I should have an opportunity to write.

20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

2007-05-02T09:32:00.000-04:00

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label it "In".

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Smuggling Diamonds".

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy".

8. Don't use any punctuation.

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital. And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?

14. Put Mosquito netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity ..
Its Called ... therapy.

Penn State students to further honor Virginia Tech community

2007-04-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

Virginia Tech Tributes Set for Blue-White Game
Maroon and Orange Clad Students to Form "VT" Symbol

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State students and Intercollegiate Athletics will honor the victims of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, their families and the Virginia Tech community at Saturday's Blue-White football game in Beaver Stadium.

Soon after Monday's tragedy, Penn State students began organizing responses of support and compassion for the Virginia Tech community. Penn State has purchased 800 maroon and orange T-shirts, Virginia Tech's school colors, that will be worn by students to form a huge "VT" symbol in the student seating section at the Blue-White Game.

In addition to the "VT Zone at Blue-White Game" group, additional students will be wearing maroon and orange shirts to the Blue-White Game. This afternoon, local retailer, The Family Clothesline, sold 1,000 maroon and 1,000 orange shirts in approximately 30 minutes. The store expects to have an additional 10,000 shirts available around 12 p.m. on Friday. All proceeds from the shirt sales will be distributed to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, established by Virginia Tech.

The Penn State Bookstore will have maroon and orange T-shirts on sale at its campus and Beaver Stadium locations, with all proceeds being sent to Virginia Tech.

Prior to the 2 p.m. kick for the Blue-White Game, a moment of silence will be observed and the Penn State Blue Band will play a special tribute to the Virginia Tech community. Blue Band members will be wearing orange T-shirts. The cheerleaders will then lead the crowd in a "Let's Go Hokies!" cheer.

Penn State students have been proactive in organizing efforts throughout the week.

- This afternoon, a memorial service, organized by Penn Students, to honor the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy was held at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the University Park campus. More than 550 members of the Penn State and local community attended and listened to music, inspirational readings and several speakers.

- Members of Phi Sigma Rho, a social sorority for women in engineering and engineering technology, will be canning outside the Beaver Stadium gates on Saturday, with all proceeds going to the "We Are...All Hokies" Memorial Fund. The group also will be hosting a spaghetti dinner on Monday, April 23 from 5-9 p.m. at at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in downtown State College, with all proceeds going to the fund.

- Students are also organizing the signing of a banner, which will be sent to Virginia Tech, in the HUB-Robeson Center throughout the week. Additionally, a Penn State student-led group on Facebook.com is encouraging members of the Penn State community to wear maroon and orange on Friday, April 20 in honor of Virginia Tech. Maroon and orange T-shirts will be on sale at McLanahan's in downtown State College, with money from the sale being donated to the family of recent Penn State graduate and native of nearby Bellefonte Jeremy Herbstritt, a victim of the tragedy who was a graduate student at Virginia Tech.

The Office of Physical Plant, Centre County United Way and Nittany Bank have organized a special fund, "The United Way Memorial Fund for Jeremy Herbstritt." Contributions can be mailed to: Lloyd Rhoades, 149 Physical Plant Building, University Park, PA 16802. Anyone wishing to donate by credit card can go to the United Way Web site http://www.ccunitedway.org/index.html online. Make sure to state that the donation is to go to "The Jeremy Herbstritt Memorial Fund."

Tuesday morning internet browsing led me this case

2007-04-17T10:48:00.000-04:00

Today is a day off. I was not called in to sub this morning, and most (not all) of my job applications are complete. I have spent the morning reading about the unsolved murder of Betsy Aardsma. For those of you unfamiliar with this story, she was the 22-year-old graduate student killed in the stacks at Pattee Library. Until this morning, I had thought this story to be a mere urban legend. I thought it was untrue. The events of the Virginia Tech shooting led me here, though at this point, hours into my research, I cannot recall how or which site.

I am drawn to this story. Perhaps it’s because of its mystery. An unsolved murder of a good, church-going girl. Perhaps it is because I have frequented the stacks, been both frightened and enchanted by its emptiness. Level 2 Core, where the old old poetry sits, collecting dusts in metal shelves. I have been there, searching for something I wasn’t sure existed. Comfort in rhythmic lines. Great poets before me offering conseling for my broken heart. I never found what I was looking for. I was not visited by Aardsma ghost as others have. I am not so special after all.

But Betsy Aardsma was. Special enough that she had to die. Premeditated and killed with precision. No one knows why she was killed. The articles I have found are speculation mixed with a bit if good journalism. Among them is Sascha Skucek’s c.1999 article, Who Killed Betsy Aardsma?, in the State College Magazine. Skucek's well-written piece offers no answers to the murder, but does negate some of the rumors of who did it. A professor? A classmate? I have my own speculations, after doing a bit of my own research. Skucek also offers us these bits of information, which I can only offer you as cached.

She was from Michigan, and graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in Spring 1969. But she is not the only person from Ann Arbor that ends up at Penn State. Robert Durgy taught at Ann Arbor and moved to Bellefonte in August 1969. Aardsma followed suit soon after. Was this premeditated? Is there a connection between Aardsma and Durgy's migrations to Penn State? Well, according to Skucek's article there was, and for a while Durgy was a lead suspect in the case. There had been a series of murders at Ann Arbor, and Lieutenant Kimmel was hoping to find a connection between those murders and Durgy. But one was never made because shortly after Aardsma murder, Durgy also was killed in a car crash, though the details are unknown.

The morning research I have done did not give me much on Robert Durgy. In fact, the only website that mentions his name with Aardsma's is Skucek's. I tried to find information on his death, but to no avail. It remains a mystery. I am not big on coincidences, and I don't believe that Durgy's death shortly after Aardsma is one. I believe they are connected. Keep in mind that I have no conclusive evidence for what I will share -- just my own speculation formed from the articles I've read.

Aardsma and Durgy both came from Ann Arbor -- Aardsma a student, Durgy a instructor. Whomever decided first to go to Penn State is unclear, but both relocated there around the same time. Durgy was married with two kids. Durgy admitted to another professor he was distressed and could not handle his classes. Distressed from what, we don't know. Soon after Aardsma was killed. A day before the murder, Durgy and his family packed up and moved back to Ann Arbor. A couple weeks later, Durgy is dead. A car crash that, to my knowledge does not involve anyone else and does not involve alcohol or drugs. So here is my theory. I reiterate, this is mere speculation, and probably the result of an otherwise boring morning. I believe that Durgy was having an affair with Aardsma. This has been considered before. It was dismissed, however, after Durgy died. Why, I'm not sure. They were having an affair. It either ended badly, one decided to move on -- transition to Penn State. The other follows for whatever reason. Obsession. Or maybe they were still together, and things were getting to risky in Ann Arbor. Or maybe Aardsma finished up her degree, got accepted to Penn State for grad school, and Durgy just couldn't live without her.

In short, Stacy and I both think that Durgy hired someone to kill her. He couldn't deal with the guilt, so he killed himself. But hopefully we'll hear more from Skucek on this in the future. I feel as though this case is not yet closed.