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Goldstream Christmas

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Twas the night before Christmas in Goldstream, Alaska. "Could it get any colder," said Papa,"I'll ask yer?" The hills were all covered with homes old and new Neat cabins and trailers, and tarps made of blue. The stockings were taped to the table with duct Hanging them by the woodstove would have pushed our luck. The children were snuggled all warm in their beds While visions of Hot Licks danced in their heads. And Papa in his long johns, and me in my fleece Had just settled down for a nip, and some peace. When out in the yard there arose such a racket, Like the dogs when they foller a rabbit to track it. Away to the doorway I went with a light Grumpy as heck and most ready to fight. The moon on the breast of the old, hard-packed snow Showed all of the places the dogs like to go. When what to my wondering eyes should appear But a dogsled, eight huskies, and a dude with a beard He looked fat and jolly tho' the dogs were a barking I saw on his bumper "Ivor...
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Out with the old

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It's New Year's Eve, 2009. I usually think of my life in school years, August to July, instead of calendar years, but this year is a bit different. I'm ready for 2009 to come to a close. A quick review of 2009... in January, my dad passed. I'll never forget the sound of my brother's voice when he called me at school that afternoon. I was about to start a Hamlet activity in AP English. My students were awesome. They realized that something was up when I got off the phone. I think I said something like, "Hey guys, I think my dad just died and I need to go make a phone call. Here's the assignment and the videos are all cued up." Two girls were awesome and assured me all would be well as they ushered me out the door. In February, I turned 40. 'Nuff said. March, April, May were busy with family. One child was really struggling with lots of school & health issues, others were just "normal" kids. My Grammie, who went from living i...
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South Dakota

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For some reason I started thinking about imagery in literature; I think it was talking with a colleague about teaching great books. After flipping through my mental roladex about great images from literature which have impacted me, I started thinking a bit about images from my life that have endured. It struck me as funny that some were in South Dakota. I supposed that South Dakota is a nice enough place. Geographically it's more interesting than North Dakota, and those other middle states that all seem to run together for me. The Badlands are really quite beautiful. The first time I drove through the Badlands, I had no idea what to expect. I'd read about them in Louis L'Amour novels and in my mind they were associated with outlaws and ambushes. My first view of their colors and almost surreal beauty is imprinted on my mind. One minute I'm driving down a road surrounded by prairie and suddenly there are gorgeous, layered landforms like I had never seen. A friend onc...
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