This is my last post before I head off to Iowa on Thursday morning for the job fair. The next post will hopefully shed some light about where I will be in 6 months time. As of this moment, I truly have no idea where that will be.
I'm starting to wonder what will happen and how the interviews will go. I wonder what positions will be offered to me and which one in particular I will take. There are a few at the top of my list but will I be their top candidate as well? I know my qualifications are good and I'm a sharp teacher but sometimes administrators don't always pick up on that. I know that sometimes my current director has baffled us with some of his hiring decisions and I worry that there are more like him out there that might pass me over in search for another that they feel is more qualified. That's not to say that others may not be a better candidate than I am, I'm just hoping that I have better personal skills than the average Physics teacher out there. ;-)
All my fears are probably for not and I'll be given more offers than I can comprehend what to do with but I don't know that yet. While I am a confident person, sometimes that little voice in my head pops up from time to time and leaves that nagging thought running rampant - "what if I'm not good enough?" That voice will be gone before the weekend, I can put it out of my mind when I need to. Its just there right now as well as the curiousity of what is to come next. Trying to get any sleep over the next 3 nights ought to be interesting (the last two nights have resulted in a total of 6 hours worth of sleep).
Just have to wait and see, right? Chat with you all soon, hopefully next time I'll be able to tell you just where the next stop will be.
Cheers,
Expat
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
doubtful reader
In my last post, I had an anonymous reader post that they doubted the veracity of my story with the cold temperature being what it was. The reader noted, "The record low for whiteface in the winter is -40C and I doubt you were there on that day." The reader is probably correct - I doubt it was that cold the day that Tim and I went skiing on Whiteface Mountain. So you may think that the number of -61 C is a farce, my story is shot to hell. Its not and here's why.
Weather conditions are given in two different ways with regards to temperature - absolute temperature and with the factor of wind chill/heat index. Most people are concerned the most with the latter since it is a measure of how the temperature feels to their body - hence the reason why the number was reported. I was out in those conditions and the wind was affecting my body. Was the absolute temperature actually that cold that day? Nope, but it was darn cold.
First off, the time frame for this event is February 1993. I was stationed in Saratoga Springs, NY and our shift had just come off of "mids" - the 8pm to 8am watch. As was tradition with our group, we would rent skis from MWR and head to the mountains. Tim and I grabbed our stuff and headed for Whiteface - we always wanted to ski the "Olympic mountain". So we packed up the car and headed north, when we got there we found the mountain gloriously deserted. Once we got out of the car and headed over to the counter to buy our tickets, we understood why. It was bitter cold and there was a sign that told of the weather conditions on the mountain. The top was closed to skiing but you could ride the gondola up; it was also -79 F and closed due to high wind conditions. However, you could ski the bottom half of the mountain where the wind was slightly less and temperatures were a bit warmer (they said it as being -68 F). We saw an opportunity and took the gondola up, walked outside for a moment, then proceeded to get on the next gondola and ride it back down. We spent the rest of the day on the lower slopes, in the somewhat milder conditions...
But Expat, what were the real conditions out there? I went out and did some research about the weather conditions on that day and found some interesting results. First off, the minimum temperature on record for that day was recorded at Saranac Lake, about 20 miles (30 km) away. The coldest temp was recorded at being -31 F (- 35 C) in Saranac; by the way, the elevation of Saranac is about 1550 ft (about 500 m) above sea level. Coldest temperatures normally happen at night, right? So the odds are that when Tim and I got to that area, temperatures were higher than that. Let's say that was late morning when we got to Saranac and the sun was warming things up - let's say it was about -15 F/-26C (which means it warmed up by 15 F before noon). That's a decent warm-up if you ask me, 15 F (6 C) in a few hours of sunlight.
Umm, Expat, that's not what your story said. There's a big difference between -15 F and -35 F (temp needed to make the wind chill that cold). Absolutely correct again. Please remember that Whiteface Mountain is at elevation compared to Saranac.
The summit of Whiteface is 4650 ft (about 1500 m) and as you rise in elevation, the temperature of the air cools at an approximate rate of 5 F/1000 ft. Using my handy-dandy math skills, I find that with the 3200 ft of vertical difference that the temperature should be about 16 F colder at the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Hmm, that puts the temperature somewhere around -32F (-34 C) at the summit. This is an approximate value as the temperature of air can vary from 5-7 F per 1000 ft, I have estimated on the low side.
Winds of 45 mph can cause a wind chill of -79 F with an absolute temperature of -35 F. But we didn't ski in 45 mph winds, that would be almost impossible. However, if you look at the wind chill chart, -68 F is achieved with a gust of 20 mph, not impossible to ski.
If you doubt anything I have had to say in this post, please verify my data. I have given my sources below, check them out as you please. If there is doubt about other aspects to my story, feel free to comment and I'll address them accordingly.
- Expat Nomad
Sources
Weather Conditions for Saranac Lake, NY in Feb 1993
Stats on Saranac Lake, NY
Stats on Whiteface Mountain
Wind Chill Chart
Weather conditions are given in two different ways with regards to temperature - absolute temperature and with the factor of wind chill/heat index. Most people are concerned the most with the latter since it is a measure of how the temperature feels to their body - hence the reason why the number was reported. I was out in those conditions and the wind was affecting my body. Was the absolute temperature actually that cold that day? Nope, but it was darn cold.
First off, the time frame for this event is February 1993. I was stationed in Saratoga Springs, NY and our shift had just come off of "mids" - the 8pm to 8am watch. As was tradition with our group, we would rent skis from MWR and head to the mountains. Tim and I grabbed our stuff and headed for Whiteface - we always wanted to ski the "Olympic mountain". So we packed up the car and headed north, when we got there we found the mountain gloriously deserted. Once we got out of the car and headed over to the counter to buy our tickets, we understood why. It was bitter cold and there was a sign that told of the weather conditions on the mountain. The top was closed to skiing but you could ride the gondola up; it was also -79 F and closed due to high wind conditions. However, you could ski the bottom half of the mountain where the wind was slightly less and temperatures were a bit warmer (they said it as being -68 F). We saw an opportunity and took the gondola up, walked outside for a moment, then proceeded to get on the next gondola and ride it back down. We spent the rest of the day on the lower slopes, in the somewhat milder conditions...
But Expat, what were the real conditions out there? I went out and did some research about the weather conditions on that day and found some interesting results. First off, the minimum temperature on record for that day was recorded at Saranac Lake, about 20 miles (30 km) away. The coldest temp was recorded at being -31 F (- 35 C) in Saranac; by the way, the elevation of Saranac is about 1550 ft (about 500 m) above sea level. Coldest temperatures normally happen at night, right? So the odds are that when Tim and I got to that area, temperatures were higher than that. Let's say that was late morning when we got to Saranac and the sun was warming things up - let's say it was about -15 F/-26C (which means it warmed up by 15 F before noon). That's a decent warm-up if you ask me, 15 F (6 C) in a few hours of sunlight.
Umm, Expat, that's not what your story said. There's a big difference between -15 F and -35 F (temp needed to make the wind chill that cold). Absolutely correct again. Please remember that Whiteface Mountain is at elevation compared to Saranac.
The summit of Whiteface is 4650 ft (about 1500 m) and as you rise in elevation, the temperature of the air cools at an approximate rate of 5 F/1000 ft. Using my handy-dandy math skills, I find that with the 3200 ft of vertical difference that the temperature should be about 16 F colder at the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Hmm, that puts the temperature somewhere around -32F (-34 C) at the summit. This is an approximate value as the temperature of air can vary from 5-7 F per 1000 ft, I have estimated on the low side.
Winds of 45 mph can cause a wind chill of -79 F with an absolute temperature of -35 F. But we didn't ski in 45 mph winds, that would be almost impossible. However, if you look at the wind chill chart, -68 F is achieved with a gust of 20 mph, not impossible to ski.
If you doubt anything I have had to say in this post, please verify my data. I have given my sources below, check them out as you please. If there is doubt about other aspects to my story, feel free to comment and I'll address them accordingly.
- Expat Nomad
Sources
Weather Conditions for Saranac Lake, NY in Feb 1993
Stats on Saranac Lake, NY
Stats on Whiteface Mountain
Wind Chill Chart
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
climate adept or just plain dumb?
A typical morning here in Holland. The sun doesn't come up until sometime around 8:30 and the temperature outside is below freezing. A balmy -6 Celsius (that's 21 Fahrenheit for you Americans) greeted me on my way out the door today, which is about the same as the -5 C that whacked me in the face yesterday morning.
But I was prepared for it today. I was sure to check the thermometer before I left and bundled up for the journey to school. I put on layer after layer, not wanting to be a frozen Nomad-sicle by the time I got to work. Gloves, hat, hoodie sweatshirt (with hood up over warm hat) and so on. Even after all that, I still was only 'comfortable' on my ride to work.
As I rode, I took notice of the Dutch riding their bicycles to work and the various versions of cold weather gear that people were wearing. People riding without gloves, some wearing no knit caps (or any head gear), some just wearing a sweatshirt or a thin suit (jacket and tie flapping in the wind). So my question is, are these people incredibly adapted to the freezing cold (remember, its actually below freezing) or amazingly stupid for not dressing for cold weather?
I know that I will take grief for being a "Californian" even though I am not - I only lived there for a few years. I've been in cold weather before. Skiing on Whiteface Mountain (Lake Placid) in New York was chilly at -61 C (that's -79 Fahrenheit), so I know what cold is. I've also been in the exact opposite with extreme heat; driving through Death Valley in June in a truck with no A/C and the big thermometer in Baker reading a blazing 52 C (it actually said 126 F, I'm just converting for the rest of the world). So I've experienced over 100 degrees of Celsius (over 200 degrees Fahrenheit) in my life yet I still don't understand riding a bicycle in below zero temperatures with no gloves.
But I was prepared for it today. I was sure to check the thermometer before I left and bundled up for the journey to school. I put on layer after layer, not wanting to be a frozen Nomad-sicle by the time I got to work. Gloves, hat, hoodie sweatshirt (with hood up over warm hat) and so on. Even after all that, I still was only 'comfortable' on my ride to work.
As I rode, I took notice of the Dutch riding their bicycles to work and the various versions of cold weather gear that people were wearing. People riding without gloves, some wearing no knit caps (or any head gear), some just wearing a sweatshirt or a thin suit (jacket and tie flapping in the wind). So my question is, are these people incredibly adapted to the freezing cold (remember, its actually below freezing) or amazingly stupid for not dressing for cold weather?
I know that I will take grief for being a "Californian" even though I am not - I only lived there for a few years. I've been in cold weather before. Skiing on Whiteface Mountain (Lake Placid) in New York was chilly at -61 C (that's -79 Fahrenheit), so I know what cold is. I've also been in the exact opposite with extreme heat; driving through Death Valley in June in a truck with no A/C and the big thermometer in Baker reading a blazing 52 C (it actually said 126 F, I'm just converting for the rest of the world). So I've experienced over 100 degrees of Celsius (over 200 degrees Fahrenheit) in my life yet I still don't understand riding a bicycle in below zero temperatures with no gloves.
Friday, January 20, 2006
remembered friend
I was checking out some pictures on Flickr when I came across a group called "Malamute Power". Since my last dog was a Mal, I decided to take a look. There were a great number of shots that reminded of my of pride and joy, this being one of them. Flipping through the pictures brought to mind many of the stories of my friend Nanook, she was such a character and a huge part of my growth into an adult.
I was working for a tent and awning company in Ohio during the summer as a way to make money for college. The shop I worked in had a reputation for finding homes for lost animals and this dog was running the streets of Kenmore, nearly being hit by several cars throughout the day. My boss brought her in and asked if I wanted to take this dog home and give it a good home. Our family has just put a German Shepard down a few months earlier and she figured we had room.
So I met Nanook while I was out working in the 'yard' - our lot where we stored all of the poles and stakes we use to set up the tents. I was loading up the trucks for the next day when we were introduced. I still had to work but we took an instant shining to each other and she followed me around the yard for the remainder of the afternoon. When the time came to go home for the day, she gleefully jumped into the back of my car and sat down for the ride home. No whimpering or whining, no jumping around, no drooling on the windows.
We put ads in the newspaper to see if she had a family - no answer. We had her checked by a vet - pronounced to be in good health with no worms. We gave her a warm, dry place to sleep and food to fill her gaunt frame and she gave us love - absolute unconditional love.
I didn't bring home Nanook that day as much as a new family member. Throughout the years my girl would be the center of so many aspects of my life and no matter how long I was gone, she always knew who 'her buddy' was. I was sad to lose her in 2003 at the tender age of 14.
Man and Dog - nothing could be finer.
I was working for a tent and awning company in Ohio during the summer as a way to make money for college. The shop I worked in had a reputation for finding homes for lost animals and this dog was running the streets of Kenmore, nearly being hit by several cars throughout the day. My boss brought her in and asked if I wanted to take this dog home and give it a good home. Our family has just put a German Shepard down a few months earlier and she figured we had room.
So I met Nanook while I was out working in the 'yard' - our lot where we stored all of the poles and stakes we use to set up the tents. I was loading up the trucks for the next day when we were introduced. I still had to work but we took an instant shining to each other and she followed me around the yard for the remainder of the afternoon. When the time came to go home for the day, she gleefully jumped into the back of my car and sat down for the ride home. No whimpering or whining, no jumping around, no drooling on the windows.
We put ads in the newspaper to see if she had a family - no answer. We had her checked by a vet - pronounced to be in good health with no worms. We gave her a warm, dry place to sleep and food to fill her gaunt frame and she gave us love - absolute unconditional love.
I didn't bring home Nanook that day as much as a new family member. Throughout the years my girl would be the center of so many aspects of my life and no matter how long I was gone, she always knew who 'her buddy' was. I was sad to lose her in 2003 at the tender age of 14.
Man and Dog - nothing could be finer.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
another day in history
Hmm, I wonder what happened today? Let me fill ya in...
1795 Democratic revolution in Amsterdam ends oligarchy.
1808 Louis Napoleon signs 1st Dutch aviation law.
1898 Brown defeats Harvard 6-0 in 1st intercollegiate hockey game.
1935 KLM begins flight path between Curaçao & Aruba.
1966 Indira Gandhi elected India's 3rd prime minister.
1970 Dutch bishop says he is in favor of married priest.
Seems as though the Dutch really enjoy doing things on January 19th!
1795 Democratic revolution in Amsterdam ends oligarchy.
1808 Louis Napoleon signs 1st Dutch aviation law.
1898 Brown defeats Harvard 6-0 in 1st intercollegiate hockey game.
1935 KLM begins flight path between Curaçao & Aruba.
1966 Indira Gandhi elected India's 3rd prime minister.
1970 Dutch bishop says he is in favor of married priest.
Seems as though the Dutch really enjoy doing things on January 19th!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
triplets
Some days you just get lucky and have your camera just when you need it. These three are in different years (one freshman, one junior, one senior), none have the same classes together, and really don't have much in common with the exception of having me as a teacher.
Until yesterday.
They all happened to be wearing approximately the same outfit and I had managed to put it together throughout the course of the day. I couldn't resist and had to put them all together for this photo. My thanks to them for tolerating me in my photo excursion and smiling. They all just kinda rolled their eyes (playfully) when I got them to pose for this shot.
What can I say, I am an evil teacher who makes his students do peculiar and unusual things like have their picture taken for happy circumstances. Maybe that's why my kids love me so... ;-)
Until yesterday.
They all happened to be wearing approximately the same outfit and I had managed to put it together throughout the course of the day. I couldn't resist and had to put them all together for this photo. My thanks to them for tolerating me in my photo excursion and smiling. They all just kinda rolled their eyes (playfully) when I got them to pose for this shot.
What can I say, I am an evil teacher who makes his students do peculiar and unusual things like have their picture taken for happy circumstances. Maybe that's why my kids love me so... ;-)
Monday, January 16, 2006
greco roman basketball
While back in the US for the winter holidays, I bought myself a nice new camera - a Nikon D50. I've been shooting with a little E2100 point-and-shoot and began missing my SLR and the functions it had. So I decided to get back into photography with this new purchase. I'll be adding pictures to the flickr site that I have as I get out there and shoot away.
Here's one of my favorites from last week's basketball game. Our Lady Sharks (in white) took on the girls from the British School of the Netherlands. As you can see, it was a physical match. The girls didn't win in the end but made a strong go at it.
Here's one of my favorites from last week's basketball game. Our Lady Sharks (in white) took on the girls from the British School of the Netherlands. As you can see, it was a physical match. The girls didn't win in the end but made a strong go at it.
turn it on
Ok, so I'm sitting here at home today with the remnants of the flu, courtesy of someone (a teacher) at school. I got it because she didn't think of what might happen if she kissed me when she was still sick. Flat out - she didn't think.
And that bugs me. I know that perhaps I tend to analyze stuff too much but at least it can be said that I think of the ramifications of my actions. Its not just that she didn't think but there are a lot of people out there who don't think before they do. They just act on their impulse and don't think that there will be a consequence.
I'm not just ranting because I got sick this time but I merely have the time to sit down and convey my thoughts since I am not at work. Usually I just get pissed and let it slide but I'm alone at home and have a bone to pick with non-thinking people. I'm not referring to people who don't have a brain but rather the people who aren't smart enough to use it.
You know who they are. They work with you, they are in the press, they are everywhere! People who have functional gray matter between their ears but don't seem to know how to use it. What do we have to do to get them to think? Should we enact laws to provide 'incentives' against non-thinkers? Maybe then people would think a bit more before they do something stupid, like drown their children (severe example) or drive a car without insurance (because they 'didn't plan on getting into an accident').
What to do? I dunno. I just wish others would turn their brains on and stop punishing those of us who do.
And that bugs me. I know that perhaps I tend to analyze stuff too much but at least it can be said that I think of the ramifications of my actions. Its not just that she didn't think but there are a lot of people out there who don't think before they do. They just act on their impulse and don't think that there will be a consequence.
I'm not just ranting because I got sick this time but I merely have the time to sit down and convey my thoughts since I am not at work. Usually I just get pissed and let it slide but I'm alone at home and have a bone to pick with non-thinking people. I'm not referring to people who don't have a brain but rather the people who aren't smart enough to use it.
You know who they are. They work with you, they are in the press, they are everywhere! People who have functional gray matter between their ears but don't seem to know how to use it. What do we have to do to get them to think? Should we enact laws to provide 'incentives' against non-thinkers? Maybe then people would think a bit more before they do something stupid, like drown their children (severe example) or drive a car without insurance (because they 'didn't plan on getting into an accident').
What to do? I dunno. I just wish others would turn their brains on and stop punishing those of us who do.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Alex the Formula One Golden Retriever
From the splash page of flickr comes Alex the F1 dog. A great shot and one that I think is totally cool. Photography can be used as a medium in so many ways and convey a wide variety of emotions. While I don't know exactly what was going on when Andrew Morrell took this shot, it makes me think of all the dogs I have had over the years and the joy they have brought to my life. It makes me nostalgic (even though I never had a Golden Retriever) for those furry creatures that bring such comfort to my life.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
new year
Well, I'm back from the States and much 'healthier' around the midsection as a result. I live for Mexican food... My jeans do not however.
And I'm in the final part of my journey in the Netherlands. 2006 sees a lot going on in my life and my stint in Zuid-Holland is drawing to its conclusion. I'll be going to a job fair in about a month to find that next locale and its going to be another international school. Not that I don't have other options but I choose to stay an expat. Heck, they'd take away my blogger name if I wasn't!
I really enjoyed my time in the US. It was very easy and the appeal was there. I could take a job back in California with no problem and get back into my old lifestyle without missing a heartbeat. I had two former prinicipals of mine offer me a job while I was back but I couldn't see my way to saying yes. As difficult as it is being an expat, it is something that I cherish and enjoy. Yes it would be easier and less stressful to live in my native land and get on with my life. Yes it would make sense to find a home and set up shop for the rest of my career. But what fun would a life be without a challenge? Anyone who has been a military kid or expat of any kind can tell you that living away from your native culture is a challenge.
So why not take the easy road? Lotsa reasons. And not a one of them makes sense to someone who isn't a traveller. Its kinda hard to say but once ya start, its so hard to stop. Life would be simpler someplace else but sometimes simpler translates into boring and at this point in my life I'm just not ready to settle down and be domesticated. At least not yet.
So in less than a month I fly back to the US but this time its not for vacation; its for another international job. I don't know what I'll end up with or where it will be but unless something dramatic happens, it will be some place where the native language isn't English, the American dollar isn't the main currency, and the people are all a bit different than me.
And I'm in the final part of my journey in the Netherlands. 2006 sees a lot going on in my life and my stint in Zuid-Holland is drawing to its conclusion. I'll be going to a job fair in about a month to find that next locale and its going to be another international school. Not that I don't have other options but I choose to stay an expat. Heck, they'd take away my blogger name if I wasn't!
I really enjoyed my time in the US. It was very easy and the appeal was there. I could take a job back in California with no problem and get back into my old lifestyle without missing a heartbeat. I had two former prinicipals of mine offer me a job while I was back but I couldn't see my way to saying yes. As difficult as it is being an expat, it is something that I cherish and enjoy. Yes it would be easier and less stressful to live in my native land and get on with my life. Yes it would make sense to find a home and set up shop for the rest of my career. But what fun would a life be without a challenge? Anyone who has been a military kid or expat of any kind can tell you that living away from your native culture is a challenge.
So why not take the easy road? Lotsa reasons. And not a one of them makes sense to someone who isn't a traveller. Its kinda hard to say but once ya start, its so hard to stop. Life would be simpler someplace else but sometimes simpler translates into boring and at this point in my life I'm just not ready to settle down and be domesticated. At least not yet.
So in less than a month I fly back to the US but this time its not for vacation; its for another international job. I don't know what I'll end up with or where it will be but unless something dramatic happens, it will be some place where the native language isn't English, the American dollar isn't the main currency, and the people are all a bit different than me.
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