Speaking of which, the next thought for the day: Low Man on the Totem Pole. This idea has been distant to me. I have been at Kiski for 14 years and have comfortably built myself a nice niche. I am the boss in the classroom and the dorm (when I'm on duty, no offense Mr. Kapustik). Here I am nobody. Worse, I don't have the sailoring skills of many many...well any, of the other people here, even the new crew - they are all sailors, just not on the Niagara. I have messed up A LOT. Believe it or not the biggest thing I have been forgetting to do is keep my hands on a line when it is not "working". Seems simple, right? I just can't remember it, well at least until today I think I finally started to get it through my thick skull. Maybe it will make me more patient toward the students when I get back to Kiski...
On the other hand it has been a humbling, and sort of refreshing experience, even (especially?) at 45 years old, to have absolutely ZERO authority. I do what I am told. In sailoring that means no questions asked. It was difficult at first but now it is sort of freeing in a metaphysical sense. Getting whisked away from my comfort zone. Teamwork. Right? It is the ultimately important thing on a ship on the water (even though we are still just in the slip but you know what I mean).
Wow, that was probably a bit too deep. How about a word for the day? Spar. A spar is any piece(s) of wood that has been turned into a stout rounded beam, like the mast or a yard (the thing the sails hang from).
To go along with the word for the day is a photo for the day:
This is a long shot of "spar alley". It is where we store all the masts and yards. Look for tomorrows word-o-the-day for the orange suits hanging on the right.
This is a closer up shot of some of the spars in stowed for the winter. These are the pieces the various sails hang from.
Well internet cuts off here at 6 - public library - so I have to get this posted. If you have questions or words of encouragement you can post them in the comments section or email me! If you want to give me money cause I'm such a hep cat, just give it to my wife and she can put it in my piggy bank.
Thanks for reading dudes,
Ahoy.
This was my favorite post so far. It always nice being in a humbling situation, almost relieving as you said. Any student of yours surely appreciates your authority in the classroom, with it comes respect, but also builds on the leadership skills that the classroom of today needs for the team building atmosphere. Thanks for continuing to write about this learning experience. This is awesome!
ReplyDelete