What I Learned From Teaching.....

 The new school year has begun,  and that got me thinking.   I was able to chat with Billy Hinz ( the new KLA teacher and my neighbor for a brief moment this summer.) and we exchanged some small talk about the upcoming year.    My impression is that he was having the same thoughts I was a year ago.   Excitement mixed with a little bit of anxiety and fear of the unknown I think would be a fair assessment of the feelings.   ( I know that is what I felt... Only with a LOT more anxiety and self doubt)   And it got me thinking about how happy I was to not be part of that struggle this year. 

Don't get me wrong,  I LOVED certain parts of that job.   But it was a bit more stressful than I had originally imagined.    And I know I can serve God in different ways that are not in front of  a class of young adults.  But it made me realize that there were things that I learned along the way that I thought I would blog about.  

Besides,  it has been a rather slow week as far as the blog goes.   Things have to be blog-worthy to be worth investing my valuable time to write about.  And I don't want to waste time talking about my "Rule 156" Parking encounters. (Perhaps in a later blog post.... Someday.) 

I guess the first thing would be that being a teacher is HARD!  A lot more difficult than I ever thought it was from the other side of a desk.  How hard could it be to stand up there and yell at kids to do their homework?   Or tell a story about George Washington? The "Good" teachers made it look easy.   The "Bad" teachers made it look even Easier! They proved that you don't have to put forth any passion in the subject to be able to teach it.   Or add any "entertainment value" into the topic.  You could simply drone on in a boring, monotone voice and score the papers.  Easy!  Right? 

 Not so fast!   I realize how easy it was to slip into "Boring Teacher" mode simply because you are unfamiliar with the way things are run or the people who are sitting in front of you.   As much as I would have loved to have been that "cool" teacher that inspired me back when I was a student;   I discovered that the trap of just going through the motions was very seductive when there are several kids who will not behave or learn.   

And I lacked the experience or knowledge on how to deal with that pitfall. 

And that made me a bad teacher.   The "Worst!"  by my own evaluation.   In my mind, I wanted to be like all of those great teachers who inspired me from my past.   Only to discover that I was missing some key personality traits that would allow that to happen.   And looking back,  I doubt those traits would ever materialize.  

I often use this analogy:   I love music!   And listen and can appreciate all sorts of genres of music and the lyrics that songwriters create.   But...   I can't read or play  it.  And no matter how long you lock me in a small room with a piano,  I will never spend the full hour practicing scales.   And being able to read the sheet music was nearly impossible for me.   Like reading Kanji with no Japanese Dictionary!   

Meaning:  as much as I enjoy learning new things,   I apparently am not able to share or teach those things to other people the same way I learned them.   At least not in a classroom setting.   

I think my Supervisor knew this 30 years ago, when I failed to achieve excellence with my student teaching.  But rather than tell me I was a lost cause.... He left the door open and a seed of hope in my brain that "perhaps" I could come back later and finish things with a higher score.  

At least he did not tell me that "You will never be a teacher as long as I have a say in it!"   Which I actually heard one of the supervisors say to a fellow student!   This student, ( Let's call him "Bob".) was coming back for the third time to become a teacher.   He was an upperclassman when I was a freshmen, but by senior year at DMLC, we were in the same classes.   He told me that this was the Third time he was going through the courses.    I actually admired his dedication and persistence!   He was a guy who failed multiple times but continued to come back to see if he could fix whatever was holding him back.  

I apparently lacked that level of dedication.  The moment I was handed my coat and hat and told to come back later,  I never came back.  

30 years later.   God offered me an opportunity.   An opportunity to show me WHY he had not selected me 30 years ago.   Only, this time,   I had a slightly more mature brain on my shoulders.   ( I say "slightly" because I know I'm still an idiot....   But now I'm more aware of it than I was when I was a green, 22 year old idiot)  And I at least could process the information more accurately, rather than claiming "Sour Grapes" when things did not turn out the way I had wanted.  

If nothing else,   A question that has been burning in my mind for the last thirty years has finally been answered.   And I am at peace. 

It seems odd writing about this late at night, nearly a year after the experience began.   But it was a harsh lesson that helped purge those nagging thoughts from my brain once and for all.   Sometimes the  surgery to remove a cancer is painful and temporarily debilitating.   But in the end,  it will save your life.  

And that is a deeper topic for another day....  (Only I and a handful of others would know how this experience "saved  my life." without a lengthy explanations.) But let's keep this post short  for the moment.   And let me take this moment to wish all of the new teachers the best of luck and the richest of blessings here in Kenosha Lutheran Academy and at the Shoreland Lutheran High school.   

And....Having walked only (I should say: "Barely!") one mile in their shoes,  I can assure you,  their job is not an easy one!   No matter how "easy" they may make it look. 

And another thing I learned from my time at Shoreland....  The Year will go by FAST!   And it is difficult, even now, to see how I could have made every second count. 

Bluegill Labor Day.

 After saying goodbye to Cheryl for the weekend,  I headed out to the private pond to do a little "trespassing" and fishing.  (Technically,  I do have some sort of permission....It's a gray area.   But better to not get called out!)  I loaded up the inflatable Kayak and headed out. 

It was a little warmer than last weekend, with the sun high in the sky and very few clouds.   And the water was cooler than last time. ( go figure)   Perhaps that is one of the reasons I did not catch as many this time. 

Not that the action was slow!   I caught plenty of the solid 9 inchers.  I even caught a nice Crappie!  ( The last fish of the day, actually...)  I did not bring the fly rod this time.   Instead, i opted for the Ultra light with 4 lbs test.   I would say the trial run was a success!   Plenty of give for the bigger fish on the light line.   And enough stiffness to cast a decent ways.  

The set up I was using was a wooly bugger fly tipped with a small imitation minnow.   I personally thought it would be too big for the bluegill's small mouth.   But the larger ones had no problem inhaling it!  There is something very satisfying about catching Bluegills on artificial baits.    They are notorious for stealing your worms and crickets no matter how deep you bury the hook.   Being able to catch them on a "tougher" plastic lure keeps them from stealing your bait... And gives you a smile when you know you were able to fool them. 

I did not stay on the lake as long as I did last time.   Christina invited me out to the bar for a chat about life and work.  And that is another reason why I might have not caught as many as last time.   Bluegills tend to begin biting just before sunset.  And I was off the lake before then.

No matter,   11 fish was plenty for me to clean.  And I still managed to get a fine mess.  ( Isn't it odd that it is called a "mess" of bluegills?   They certainly make a mess when I have to clean them.) 

Cheryl and I enjoyed a number of Bluegills on Sunday for dinner.   It was a messy ordeal, with limited cooking utensils and facilities.   But we made it work!   And I took notes on some of the things I lack so I would have an easier go of it next time.   

And that was this morning!   I ate what was left of the fish I had thawed out.   With minimal garnishing,   this is what it ended up for a presentation.  

Cheryl suggested  a Bar Basket for next time.   I do think that presenting them as "Pub Food"  has it's own artistic flair.  And would be a lot easier to clean up!

I now have another large ziplock filled with fillets in the freezer.   And there are still a few fillets soaking in the buttermilk in the fridge.  ( to get out any "weedy" flavors)  The cooking experience this afternoon was far cleaner than yesterdays.   But I can only eat so much fish before getting filled!  Perhaps I will save them for the next time Cheryl comes to visit.   Nothing says "Wisconsin" like fish, chips and beer! 

Come to think of it, it is probably more of a midwest thing.   We used to enjoy plenty of fish and chips in Michigan.   And they Grow bluegills for aquaculture in Ohio! So Wisconsin is probably not as unique as I would have you believe.

Well that is all I have at the moment.    I just got back from the Haribo with two more boxes of Gummies.   (Our Monthly Sample/ allotment)  The flavors are "fizzy Cola" and Fruit Salad.   The Fruit Salad is pretty good!  I imagine it will be even better when we can make it fresh here in the plant.   

As for the Fizzy Cola....  Not a fan.   I actually like the regular "Happy Cola" far better.   The fizzy cola is basically a regular cola gummy with sugar on the outside.  ( I think!)   But it seems to taste quite different.  At least that is my opinion.  Perhaps the folks who love the regular cola will find my take on it to be "mistaken."   But that is where I stand at the moment.   

It's going to be a short week this week!   And perhaps I can get back out on the lake and  catch a few more for the freezer.   They can join in on the freezer  fun with the Chanterelles I still have yet to chop up.  In fact,   Cheryl said the Bluegills actually tasted like mushrooms!  ( I did not really get that flavor at all... but it would be cool if I could somehow, accidentally combine the two passions and flavors  I have  for the outdoors.  A mushroom flavored fish dinner actually sounds kind of good.  

But for now... time to sleep.   I want to try to get a full 8 hours ( or more) of sleep each day this week.  Mostly just to see if I can do it.   Because sometimes it is tough to remember that sleep is part of making every second count. 

 

Labor Day Weekend With Cheryl and "Jones."

 "Who is Jones?"  You may be asking.   Why,  it is Cheryl's imaginary friend!   Come to life in the form of a Fugly Doll.  (I'll let you figure out why it is called "Fugly")  

And Cheryl came up to Kenosha with Jones to take some touristy pics of the local sites.   She then posts them on Instagram or something...  I'm not really sure.  

Either way!  While Cheryl was taking pics of Jones...  I was taking pictures of her taking pictures of Jones.  ( I had to do something to stay entertained....)  And figured I would have enough material to blog about it.  

And they did not disappoint.  

One of the highlights of the visit was Haribo.  

Now, you might think that since I work there, it would be a rather boring adventure.   But alas!    Seeing it through the eyes of someone who does not have to go into "Willy Wonka's" everyday allows you to appreciate where you work even more!  

I had the weekend off, but there were people there....  Mostly the cleaners, I think.    And the security guy.   We had a nice chat with him and he gave us a sample of the new product that will be coming out.   (I might be getting a box of this when I return tomorrow.   Part of the "monthly allotment" of gummies.   

They are called "Berry Clouds"  and are Fantastic! 

After sampling those and getting lots of pictures... we headed to the Cheese Castle,  and then to the Petrified Springs Beer Garden.  (because, after that... I think we all needed a beer!) 

 After a brewsky or two,  we went for a walk down the forest trails where I hunt for mushrooms. 

It looks like most of the summer mushroom season is over.    All I managed to find were some Jack-o-lanterns and a Green Laced Russula.  

And some VERY friendly deer.  

There was a moment where I thought she would come over for pets!  But, alas,   that would have been too great of a blog worthy moment.  I am happy to have captured what I did.  

Oh!  I forgot to mention the apple farm.   Where other than the pictures, there was not really much else to do.    I didn't even get a chance to pet the goats!

And with the people pouring in,  that place became very crowded very fast!   So we opted to take our pics and head out to the next adventure.  

There were other things.   Like running along the lakeshore,  sampling beer at the Lakefront Brewing. ( I had a coupon for a free appetizer that I have been holding on to for months!)   And cooked up some of the bluegills that I caught the previous weekend.  It was fun.

And over too quickly.  

Cheryl says that she might try tto come up a little more often.    That is a whole other story,  but I would welcome the "inconvenience."  

There is also a story about a ghost cat that made an appearance while she was here.   ( I never saw it!) But that is another story as well.  

As for now.   I just finished laundry,  cleaned up the mess from the fish fry,  and added 4 lbs test fishing line to my new ultra light fishing rod combo!  ( 12$ at Farm and Fleet!) 
  My "plan" is to go out fishing again this evening at the pond.    Hopefully, I will not be bothered and can catch a few more dandies for the deep fryer.   They were certainly good!   And I think I can improve upon them if I had just a few more in the freezer.    We shall see.  

In the mean time,  I have to head back to work tomorrow,   So I will try to enjoy what is left of this long weekend....  And make every second count. 

Bluegill Fishing.

 Today, I went fishing. It has been a while since I have been able to go.  In fact,  I was planning on going a lot this summer, but Haribo, a House Fire, And homelessness have gotten in the way of those dreams.   

But things are much better now.... And I had an entire day free today!   So why not go fishing?  

Technically,  I helped Dave move the HUGE grill for the Union Sunday service tomorrow.  (There will be grilling and fellowship and stuff....  It's kind of a big deal.)  And while I was helping him,  I mentioned that I would appreciate if he "called off the Dogs" for that private pond he took me too previously.  

In case you did not know it.. ( or read the previous blog post...) There is a small pond on a plot of farmland.   It is surrounded by trees and basically is able to go on with no outside influence.   And Nature has used that time to produce some Really Nice Bluegills!

The key is the Largemouth Bass population.   They eat the small fry and allow the surviving bluegills to get really big.   How big?

About 9 inches! 

That is a good bluegill, by my standards!  (Ok,  Technically, I would save something as small as 6 inches if I was in the mood for crunching down some deep fried Bluegills on a Friday...  But 9 inches is a good keeper size.) Dad would think that is a sweet spot if he was still alive....

So I fished the pond until about 8:30 tonight.   In three and a half hours I managed to catch 21 fish.  Many of them in the 8.5 to 9 inch range.   Bare in mind these are not "Copper Nose" Bluegills.   These were almost all Longear.     Which still can get to a decent size, under the right conditions.  

When I got home I spent a bit of time getting my inflatable Kayak  out of the Silver Eagle Subie so it would not smell like a Swamp tomorrow.   No one wants to sit next to a guy who smells like a swamp monster in Church!    ( And I JUST changed out the Air Freshener tree yesterday!)    One thing about that pond is that it is filled with plenty of Muck!  That smells like Skunkweed!  ( That is actually a wetland plant...  a Macro Algae that smells like skunk musk!) And I inevitable had to step in it to get out of the pond. 

FYI...  That crappy smelling silt is actually FILLED with nutrients that are great fertilizer for plants.   If they would suck it out of the bottom and spray it on the fields around the pond,  the plants would thank them!  Phosphorous being one of the main chemicals that are "trapped" at the bottom of ponds... due to the lack of Oxygen and bio-processes that help bring it into the Bio cycle.   But I digress.....

After cleaning out the car,  I set up my "Fish Cleaning Station."   Cleaning fish can be exhausting... If the conditions are not right.    Your back will hurt if the height is not right,  along with the place to put the guts and the finished fillets.   Also... it is important to have a beer close by... to refreshment, hydration, and celebration for a successful fishing venture.... This is how I set my area up.  

Take note!  It was dark outside by the time I got home.  So having plenty of lighting was essential.  Also,  I had a chair.. because I knew I was going to be there for a while. Having Lost my American Angler Fillet Knife in the fire. ( which I had for YEARS!!!!  I miss it so)  I was forced to buy a new one from Walmart this afternoon.  And it worked great!  (All Nostalgia aside...)  

Moments after taking this picture.   I moved the Cardboard cover and dropped the IKEA bowl that was supposed to catch all of the finished fillets!  And it shattered!  It was a MESS!  

And on top of all of that,  I cut my finger on the broken glass!  Picking up the Fillets I had already finished... 

And no!  The Beer was not a factor!   Honestly,   I had barely had a sip before dropping the bowl... Which I did not know was made of glass! 

But I finished the cleaning!   In the end... I have nearly 2 lbs of Bluegill fillets!  Add in that Dave dropped off a single Salmon fillet. ( also , about 2 lbs!) and I will have plenty of fish to toss into my various "dining options" in the upcoming months.   Which is good!   Since I started 2nd shift, I have been missing out on "Friday Fish Fry" at the Clubhouse.  ( And I like "Friday Fish Fry.")

I was a little concerned today if I would actually go through with the fishing agenda.   I mean, it is a lot of work getting things ready,  Hoping the weather holds, dodging the "gatekeeper" Warden of the secret fishing spot, and hoping you have success in catching anything!.  

And then you have to come home and clean the things if you want to eat them. ( which I do!) And that is messy and takes additional time.    

But I did it!   And had fun doing it.   Even though I was all alone on the pond... there was a peace that comes with communing with nature.  and as much as I would love to share that with someone... Having done it alone is still a peaceful experience.   And something that I had almost forgotten  over the years...

Perhaps I will be able to do this again in the future.  I seriously do not mind cleaning the fish... as long as I get to catch a few and end up eating them...   And I know that Fall is right around the corner.   So fishing opportunities will start to become few and far .  

 But Haribo now takes up a large portion of my time.  .So weekends might b the only time to plan another fishing expedition.  We shall see.  

In the mean time...  I will try to make every second count.