The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 8 - Darkness Falls

As the title eludes, darkness is upon me. The days of darkness are growing as it dark by about 5:45 pm and is dark in the morning just past 10:30 am. We had a routine fire drill last morning at 9:00 am and it was eerily dark and unnerving. We walked to our outdoor lines through snow and ice as cell phone lights lit up the dark that surrounded us. Just something new to adjust to.

It's been quite a while since I wrote a blog entry and it feels different now. There was a lot of newness in the first seven entries and as life has settled down here, there isn't the 'wow' factor that accompanied the new adventure. Everyday is still an adventure, but the adventure becomes a part of your daily life and doesn't feel as if it would have the same luster that would peak the interest and curiosity of someone outside of Alaska. People loose interest and life goes on. Obviously everyone has their own life to live and life moves on. No different here in Alaska. I don't know, it just feels like that.

Regarding the change in darkness, honestly, I really don't think it is affecting me as I thought it would. If I didn't elude to or mention it in previous volumes, I have bipolar disorder and have been living with it for 32 years. Some people still run for the hills or change how they treat you, but I don't care anymore. Humbly speaking, there's a good guy under that label and if someone doesn't take the time to get to know the heart of a person first, then they can...(insert clever expletive or analogy here) lol. The common thread of concern from family and friends back in Wisconsin was their worry as to how I was going to handle the darkness, and how it was going to affect my mental and emotional health. So far I have to say that it hasn't been an issue for me at all. It's clear that the days of light grow shorter and shorter here, but my routine from day to day hasn't dictated a change in my mood at all. I leave for school in the dark, I come home for lunch in the light, I leave school in the afternoon in the light, I go back to school at night in the dark and I return home late in the dark.

What is probably affecting my health the most is my lack of sleep and something I admittedly have to work on. I need and am supposed to be getting 7-hours a night, but am getting on average, 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I have 100 excuses, none of which are good, but if I had to manufacture one it would be that I simply need it. Why? Because I am with kids all day, I am with adults all day and I have a roommate and neighbor-roommate, (both of whom I really like), but am around the other five hours of my day.

I'll paint the picture. I gather my things and head back over to the school about 8:30-9:00 pm. At that time, the video projector comes on, I pick some YouTube music I like and kick my boots and ice-cleats off. From that point on I truly, truly relax. In my mind and actuality, I now have the next four hours to do whatever I want without the time, pressure or expectations of others. You have to realize that there is 'always' work to do. Whether it's preparing lesson plans for the next day, correcting papers, organizing, setting up projects and the list continues, the work will always be there. And that's okay, because now I can take my time and don't feel the normal pressure that the normal hours of the day demand.

I've never been one to be a 'pedestal person', one who needs to hop on one and give everyone his/her opinion about everything. With that said, I've always wanted to make one blanket statement, and that is, I loathe - hate - despise the saying, "Those who can - do and those who can't - teach. Whomever the guy was who said that, I want to give him a firm kick in the dick! If it was a woman, well, she can take a long walk off a short pier or 'something'. Being back in teaching has reminded me, humbly speaking how hard teachers work to do what they do. I will never complain about the summers off or any other time off. Teachers have it really good in many respects, I know. I might be frustrated with some parenting, but overall I am simply grateful to have a job, grateful to be able to be a positive role model for the kids, and hopefully help them to learn a lot and grow into good people. Okay, I'm stepping down from the pedestal now, lol. As I was saying my four or five hours of alone time allows me a lot of freedom to be me and decompress from the day. As long as my work is getting done for the current and next day, there is a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of peace.

One thing I am really excited about in my quiet time is that I have time to pursue a passion that has been in hibernation for some time. For over 23 years I have had a love for acting, writing screenplays and anything to do with film. I stumbled upon some old footage one night and the light came back on. My mind raced with ideas for short films and screenplays that could be shot in Mountain Village and I am so excited to have the passion back. I have been doing a lot of writing and have been creating some fun projects. One is a horror, mystery about the ghosts here in Mountain. Yes, I said ghosts and I will tell you about that in a little bit. As far as film goes, I invested in $500 worth of film equipment and am excited to start creating. Even more exciting is that just recently, my principal Tim Sisk approached me with the incredible news that Mountain Village School received an $11,000 grant for film and recording equipment for film and music production at the school. I am in the process of putting together a film club and hope to give the students the opportunity to learn about film and show some of their hidden talents and abilities. I always hoped I could find a way to take my love of film and share it with others and now I have been given a wonderful opportunity. I am very excited to share more of this with you as it develops.

Well, I gave the teaser so I should probably tell you about the ghosts and little people in and around Mountain Village, and the lower Yukon Delta. Of course the second you read this, doubt will fill the minds of most of you and you'll politely dismiss anything else I say from this point on. Regardless, after having been here for over three months, I have talked to countless villagers who separate from others and alone, have shared similar and related stories of hauntings in the school as well as the stories of 'little people' who live outside of the villages, in the woods and on the tundra in the lower, Yukon Delta. As I ask more people, they immediately admit to knowing about the little people and share their story or one related to a family member of theirs. The little people are seen in the form of lights that move along the hillsides and from a distance. However they have been seen in person on several occasions according to personal encounters. People are actually afraid of them and if these small lights approach, people quickly leave. There is a consistent story that the little people took a young girl from a nearby village. She was never seen again. Another small boy was taken from the same village, told an exact account of the little people, what they looked like, the type of place they lived, and saw the little girl who went missing forty years earlier. She was still a young girl, but the little people would not let her go. The boy was let go and told of his capture and release. A villager from a neighboring village has a real picture of a 'little' looking through a door window. I saw the picture and it is scary. This sounds unbelievable, I understand, but you would not believe how many separate people know and can tell this story passed down from their previous generations.

Regarding the ghosts, it is also believed that Mountain Village School is haunted as well. Our principal, other teachers, night watchmen and several custodians have shared and reported similar encounters in the school, mostly in the evening that are paranormal and unexplainable in any logical way. Doors closing and opening unexpectedly, clear, audible footsteps being heard and furniture being moved or falling when present, and having been moved when no one is around. And God's honest truth, the room that I was assigned has had a number of reported happenings. Not kidding! Okay, I'm just going to say it, and if you believe me, great, and if not, well that's your choice. Literally, while I was typing this particular paragraph, my classroom door closed suddenly, I felt goosebumps and a tingling throughout my entire body and shortly after there were footsteps right above me. You need to know that there is no upstairs above me. It is ceiling tile and metal roof. I have heard the footsteps before late at night and finally asked the guys-custodians what they were doing up there so late at night. Were they getting equipment, putting something away, or what? They informed me that there wasn't a room up above me and I was actually hearing footsteps that other people have also heard. Holy sh#t! And again, swear to God, I have heard those footsteps a number of times.

Back to the non-paranormal. In the last blog I wrote about how life had become more routine here and that continues in a very familiar and comfortable way. Most weeknights I spend here in the classroom as I explained earlier. Weekdays we try to work out in the gym, weight room after school and I try a few times a week to get to the AC Grocery store to get necessities and spend a few hundred dollars on six items. I joke. It's very expensive though and to date, the food, sticker shock hasn't worn off. I still try to make bingo once in a while to see villagers I have been getting to know and want to say hi to. I took in my first Yupik Dance night, learning traditional dances (the only male doing it), and I also take daily trips to the post office, which are also a staple. Weekends I have stopped going into the school unless I need a getaway, want to watch a movie or Netflix on my projection screen, or have lesson plans to do. Since I stay up until 2:00-3:00 am most nights, Saturday and Sunday are 11:00 am sleep-ins. If you disturb my slumber you awaken a giant. Lol. Weightlifting is also a staple on weekends and we try to make a trip to the neighboring town of St. Mary's, one-half hour away for groceries at the bigger AC, which has a bigger and better selection of food. The St. Mary's trips will soon stop as the snow makes the roads impassible in SUVs and trucks. If you can hitch a ride on a snow machine, that's your best bet for getting there. A snow machine cuts your trip to St. Mary's down to twenty minutes. Ice fishing also picks up now and invitations to join are starting to come in. The villagers say it is one of the most fun and exciting events of the winter. I'm excited to be a part. I haven't ice fished since my father was alive and over 30 years ago. I know it will bring back a lot of fond memories.

Well, that's it for now. Quite a variety of shares and events. Thank you for reading and sharing my adventures. I'm grateful to everyone who takes the time to read these.

Until next time, stay tuned...