Rapids Lake

On December 26, Dave went hiking with me at Rapids Lake in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Dave brought his digital camera, and I showed him one of my favorite places to climb ravines.

Dave calls the picture of me wearing the orange hat, "the orange-headed dork-bird."
I must admit it isn't my favorite hat, but they are still bow-hunting for deer in this area, and my hat shows up pretty well doesn't it?

It was a fabulous day for hiking. Thanks to Dave for the photos.

The Band Christmas Party

The Band Christmas Party took place on December 23rd. There weren't a lot of pictures, but here is one of me with my friend and drummer Pete.

Happy Holidays!

It’s the season, here in America, the land of the easily offended, to wish everyone a Happy Holiday. Political Correctness dictates that we stay away from using any particular holiday, for fear of offending someone.

Personally, whatever holiday you wish to celebrate is fine with me, and furthermore, you are welcome to wish me a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Ramadan, Kwanza, or whatever you can come up with. I promise that I won’t take offense unless you decide for some reason to toss in a blatant insult.

So have a wonderful (insert holiday of choice), and a very Happy New Year!
May 2006 bring less war, unemployment, crime and meanness. May the New Year find us all with a new spirit of cooperation and understanding.
KJC

My Cool T-Shirt

Friday night, two of my favorite women were trashing one of my favorite T-Shirts!!!
I got it when I went to Dodge City, and it is called, "The Sheriff," and it is an action picture of the sheriff jumping off of his horse (that's rearing up) and pointing his gun. Yes, it is totally cool if you are a guy! Let's face it, women aren't always sure what cool is, though they will attempt to convince us guys that we have stupid "cowboy" shirts.

I-pod, x-box 360, Brittany Spears, airline tickets, cell phone, Iraq Election, Vikings scandal, He Who Goes First

Did you know that those are the key words to the most popular searches right now???

He Who Goes First
By Kevin J. Curtis

This is the story of a Mongol warrior who lived during Jenghiz Khan’s empire. It is a new look at a frequently misunderstood culture and history. The participants are not bound by ideals of what is good or bad. Like their ancestor the wolf, they do not act out of cruelty or mercy. They live by a natural law, which has been lost on modern society. To judge them in the midst of our politically correct, industrialized world is like trying to convince a caveman of the merits of having a personal computer. Jenghiz Khan was perhaps the most brilliant uneducated man in history. He was a master of human nature. The men who helped him create his empire, like He-Who-Goes-First, were making their lives from the “raw materials” of the times they lived in. The warrior in this story struggles with his spirituality and his role as a soldier.

ISBN: 1-4137-4190-8

165 pages, 5.5 x 8.$16.95 plus $3.00 Shipping & Handling (.50 per additional copy)

Phone orders (301) 695-1707

You may mail your order to:
Publish America, LLLPP.O. Box 151 Frederick, MD 21705

http://www.publishamerica.com/books/6406

Nerd Fight

In the school where I work as a detention monitor, I have noticed that the chess club seems to be a bit too competitive. Several students have been given detentions for chess club altercations. I had no idea that chess club was such a violent place. Could they be playing full contact chess??? Perhaps they forgot that, “the first rule of chess club, is you do not talk about chess club...”

Me Band

(In plain English...)

So yesterdai I got togetha with me band for our weekly jam session. I wrote this song the otha dai, and I played it for the blokes and before you know it we were bouncin’ ideas back ‘n fouth and we played it a cuppla times and it sounds great it does!
Me band is supa!

Gorock Mania

For my friend Mark’s birthday, I got him an authentic Gorock Stick.
http://cutris.blogspot.com/2005/10/gorock-stick.html
He was always interested in the ways and deeds of Gorock. Many times we had discussed Gorock together and it seemed like a fitting gift.

Last Friday while I was with friends, John found out about Mark’s Gorock Stick. I told him that Gorock Sticks must not be decorated, and that they should be found and discarded as needed. The proper use of a Gorock Stick is to test the ground, mud or ice to see if it is safe for passage. It can also be used to support your weight on dangerous slopes and can be used as a weapon. John promised to use the stick only for Gorock sanctioned activities.

Saturday when I was hiking the wilds of West Wilkie, I found John his Gorock Stick. I will present it to him in January for his birthday. It will be a fine day for him and we will all be proud that he has joined the ranks of Gorock enthusiasts.

It seems that there is a developing Gorock Mania! Soon everyone will want Gorock Sticks, and I will have to teach classes in the proper usage of these fine implements.

What is Reality?

For the second time in my life, I am dealing with severe underemployment. As a matter-of-fact, I have probably never really been adequately employed. I do have a Liberal Arts degree (gasp) and my major was in English (Ha! Ha! Ha!), but I have had trouble finding a good job with halfway decent pay.

My first stint with this was when I finally graduated college with my BA. It had taken a long time to work my way through school. Today it would be nearly impossible, because the University of Minnesota (where I went) has made it hard to go to college part-time. Back when I went, registration order was based on credits earned. Today, part-time students are always last to register for classes.

During my first bout of underemployment, I left my job in the nursery/landscape industry when I got my college degree. About that time, a certain George Bush was President and the USA attacked a country called Iraq with a nasty guy named Saddam Hussein in charge. Now years later, the names and places are the same during my second major bout with underemployment.

Over the weekend, I received a letter from the county regarding a job I had applied for. The job was Visitor Center Supervisor at a regional park. Having significant customer service experience, experience working for government, experience as a supervisor, and the fact that I am currently a volunteer park ranger (in a Federal Wildlife Refuge); along with my skills in outdoor sports/recreation, I was found by the people of human resources –to “not meet the minimum qualifications.” Had they read my resume and application??? I wondered how they came to this conclusion.

I have a few conclusions of my own. First, employers are currently in “weed-out” mode. This means that they are not looking at what you bring to the job as much as what fine details of experience, etc., that you don’t have. Second, the people hiring often have little idea about what the job entails or what the skills are for it. Third, they don’t care to find out. Fourth, the world is being run by a lot of cowards.

Why would I say that? Because the general trend in “letting someone go” now is to fire them as they are leaving or (this recently happened to a friend of mine) after they have left on Friday. This gutless tactic is now standard procedure in many companies.

In a semi-related situation, while the president of a certain “super power” likes to say things like, “bring it on,” if he was to meet a certain dictator from a now occupied country; one-on-one in a street fight, the dictator would pummel him! Lots of people like to act like they’re tough because of their jobs. Too many of them couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag if they needed to.

Finally, once the middle-class is finally squeezed out and there are only the rich and the not rich, this country is in for a world of hurt.

'Tis the Cold Season

I ended up getting a cold. First it wasn’t bad, and then suddenly, I lost my voice. I actually feel a lot better, but my voice is just starting to make a comeback after almost a week! I hope it’s almost over and I hope I don’t get another one.

The problem is that I work at a school around kids. Hopefully my immunity will build up after I am exposed to the little buggers and their germs for awhile.

Second Chances

Once there was a man who had thought he understood what love was. He eventually was hurt so many times that he kept his feelings stowed safely behind a wall in his mind. He was good at such things. He had learned to shield himself from the white noise and all the pain that found him.

Then all at once, he found himself in love in a way that he had never felt before. He was uncharacteristically willing to take huge risks and change his life to obtain this wonderful thing. Eventually, it fell apart and he found himself alone, and knowing the true meaning of heartache. His heart hurt so badly that he was wondering if he might die.

Finally, with only himself to rely on, he found his way back home to his own land and his own people. He struggled to rebuild his life. He wondered if he could ever again, feel that feeling, that love that he once had. It seemed like it was so far away. How could that ever happen again?

Years had passed, and now he remembered how last night he sat near her in that noisy club. His shyness had finally given way to his desire to be close to her. It felt so good and so right to feel her warmth against him. They were both confused by all of this. They had both been hurt so much before.

The next morning, he woke up alone, still thinking about her. The feelings were so strong that he wasn’t quite sure where it all had come from. A single tear escaped from the corner of his eye, and rolled slowly down his cheek. He wiped it away with his hand, and an almost imperceptible smile flashed across his face. He knew, after all this time, that he could feel that way again.

Invitation

I would like to invite George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleeza Rice to resign. The American people aren’t buying it anymore.

Launch

I did a lot of hiking in the wildlife refuge over the Thanksgiving holiday. I saw some pretty cool things too. One that comes to mind happened yesterday. I was on the undeveloped trail between Long Meadow Lake and the Minnesota River. I noticed a Bald Eagle across the river from me perched in a tree. The snow had been falling steadily and I was developing a nice layer of white over my coat and cap. Suddenly the bird launched itself into the wind. It sailed back around and then pumped its wings and soared off through the falling snow.

I’ve seen eagles up close many times before, but it is always a treat to watch them fly. The snow only added to the grandeur. Before I finished my hike, I had also seen an owl, a cormorant, 14 Hooded Mergansers, four deer, a Red-Tailed Hawk, and more.
Winter is such a great time to go hiking!

Talking Turkey

For Thanksgiving this year, I would like to pay tribute to the most American of birds, the Wild Turkey. Benjamin Franklin had wanted the turkey, not the Bald Eagle to be the country’s emblem. This is because the Bald Eagle is a scavenger and a thief, and he thought the turkey to be more “honest.”

I see wild turkeys in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, where I volunteer as a park ranger. There are quite a few there, even though they are hunted. I enjoy finding their feathers, as they are a unique bird with beautiful plumage.

The wild version of the turkey seems much more intelligent than the domestic turkey. More than likely, however, the domestic bird is better tasting. If I am lucky I will be able to see some wild turkeys on my sunrise hike on Thanksgiving morning. Then, later, I will enjoy dining on a roasted bird. So, I salute the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!

http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg/nature/nw98/franklinturkey.html

Loss

It hurt so badly but I held it in.
When I was finally alone, the pain slowly oozed out, and I screamed to the heavens… why?
I knew why. It was the way it had always been.
I wondered how I could grieve so… for an animal?
I knew why… because my friend had touched my soul.
I collapsed in a heap, suddenly weak.
Then, later… I found my strength. The hurt slowly ebbed, but the memories remained.

Historical Motivation

I hadn’t hiked the day before, because it was raining. It was raining again today, only now it was 15 degrees colder and much windier. I was sick of being inside and wanted to go into the woods.

I started thinking about Gorock.
http://cutris.blogspot.com/2005/10/gorock-stick.html
Would Gorock, the prehistoric man who was so skilled with the “Gorock Stick,” have sat inside his dwelling because of rain? No, he would have been out hunting for food.

Perhaps, I thought, we should not think about those such as Elliptical Jones, who preferred to sleep on his couch, rather than go out and do something. Sure that one day he did get up and he took his virtually unsinkable ship out. The fact that the ship sank later that day near the Cape of Good Mushrooms is irrelevant. The day may have ended in disaster, but Elliptical Jones had both the skill and motivation to cause that disaster.

Would it be so difficult for me to hike for a couple of hours in gale-force winds, rain and 40 degree Fahrenheit temperatures? I was starting not to think so.

I thought of the future. I remembered how on Star-date, 103103.1 Alexander Horatio Cutris would disguise himself as a Klingon and infiltrate the High Command on Kronos. He would steal the Sword of Kayless and so force the release of Federation prisoners and reestablish diplomatic relations. It would also be Alexander Horatio Cutris who would single-handedly win 11 victories at the defeat of Rumsfeld on the Dark Planet of Cheney. Yes, we must always remember the future to avoid living in the past.

I put on a sweatshirt, stocking cap, nylon shell and knee boots. I started my two-hour hike through the river bottoms. I moved at the expanse shrinking “Pace of Cutris.” I needed only to make it to the “Tree of Much Damage,” before I could turn into the woods and head back. Along the way I saw two magnificent Bald Eagles. After finally reaching the “Tree of Much Damage,” I headed into the woods, where I saw a Great Horned Owl and two White-Tail Deer.

By the time I reached my car, I was quite warm from my hike. It was definitely good that I had gone out in the rain. I had only needed to remember the past and future to influence the present, which later became the past… and the future. It was a good day to hike after all.

Parasites

Isn't it sad that there are blog-spammers now? I have to delete advertising from the comments section because there are so many pathetic people that want to sell their garbage on my blog!

Disassociation

I would like to take this moment to disassociate myself from the comments of President George W. Bush. Personally, I do not and cannot condone the use of torture to “gain information” about terrorists/terrorism.

I am proud to be an American, and I believe in certain fundamentals of human rights. I was raised, believing that my country was above such things as using torture.

I believe that these comments by the President are dangerous, embarrassing, and ignorant.
KJC

Cop-Out

I have had the opportunity over the years, to work with many diverse groups of people. I have learned a lot in these situations. There is one particular thing that I find really bothersome, so I would like to bestow some wisdom (totally free of charge) to some people out there –who apparently don’t know this.

If two (or more) people get into a disagreement; that is what it is. It is a disagreement. This occurs throughout life, and indeed, it is a necessary part of living in communities.

Here comes the important thing…

When such a disagreement occurs, it is not necessarily the case that the individual with the lighter color skin is a racist. In fact, using this skin differentiation to try to win a disagreement could be showing racism by the accuser.

Stick to the disagreement. Use logic and facts to calmly support your case. Forget the cop-out strategy, it has been way overused.

Band Naming Party

We had a band naming party on Saturday night. After the ballots were counted, it was found that more ballots existed than people at the party… Mark...

The winning name was Permanent Record.

Dave (front) Tony (back)

Pete

Kevin

Mark ("with the band") & Dean (of Shack & Pasture fame)

Don't ask...

Thanks to Jen for the pictures!

Cutris Announces Candidacy

Cutris Announces Candidacy
November 5, 2005
unAssociated Press

Today, Cutris announced his candidacy in the election for United States President in November of 2008. When asked what he thought he could bring to the country that was currently lacking, he said,
“I will try to tell the truth at least 95% of the time.”
This would be an increase of 77.31% over the Bush Administration. Cutris was asked about his platform, for which he promptly replied,
“I am currently working on the Shack Platform. I hope to have both the platform and my shack built before the election.”
A right-wing liberal asked the question about the abortion issue. Cutris responded,
“The abortion issue is not a political issue. It should be decided by individuals, their doctors and families.”
When asked about the war in Iraq, Cutris fired back.
“Why are we still there? They don’t want us there and we didn’t find weapons of mass destruction. We also removed Saddam Hussein from power. It seems the objectives were achieved.” When asked what three people he would have dinner with (living or dead) if he could, Cutris quickly replied,
“Genghis Khan, Stephen Hawking and Chief Washakie.” When asked about his party affiliation, Cutris stated,
“I am in the Shack Party.” In answer to the question of whether he thought he could win the presidential election, he said,
“I reckon we’ll just have to wait and see won’t we?”

http://cutris.blogspot.com/2005/06/story-of-kevins-shack.html

NWA?

Northwest Airlines, which has filed for bankruptcy, is both cutting its workforce and forcing employees to accept significantly less compensation. NWA owes money to the employee pension fund, Metropolitan Airports Commission, Mesaba Airlines and others.
So how come NWA has just added brand new Airbus A330’s to it’s collection of aircraft?

Shack & Pasture

Shack & Pasture

Magazine

Issue #1, Volume 1 ..................A publication of

November 2, 2005 .................Cutris Hill Farms

Northern Shack

By Kevin J. Curtis

I met up with my friend Dean in Grand Marais, Minnesota in Mid-October, for a tour of his shack in the deep woods of northeastern Minnesota. It has long been a dream of mine to live in a shack in my brother’s pasture, thus carrying on a family tradition.
http://cutris.blogspot.com/2005/06/story-of-kevins-shack.html

Dean’s shack was a good hour past Grand Marais in the arrowhead region. It isn’t finished yet, which only added to the charm in my opinion.

When I arrived on Tuesday, it was raining in the northeast of Minnesota. Later that evening it began to snow. By Wednesday morning we had a beautiful white world outside of the shack.

The shack was located way off the electrical grid, so power was available only by using a generator. Wood was used for heating in the wood stove.

There were numerous innovations at the shack, including the water heater. It consisted of a copper pipe which wound around the outside of the stove pipe.

Hauling Wood

The Water Heater

Sherman, Dudley, Dean

The scenery was incredible. We hiked up the mountain and did some fishing in a small lake near the top. One of the things to remember about shack living is location, location, location!

Dean and his neighbors have a spring for water. It is always good to have plumbing. This leads to the next subject which is the “crapper.” It was a simple structure. Dean said he liked the wallpaper most of all. I must say that when I used it, I found the ventilation to be superior to any I had ever encountered before. It should be noted that the spring and the “crapper” were not in the same area.

The Spring

.......................................................................................The "Crapper"

For entertainment each evening, we would play guitars. I like to think that we were pretty good. Perhaps we should be called

"The Shack Trio."

Dean, John, Kevin

..........................................................................................Lake Superior

I had a wonderful time visiting with Dean at his shack. It is always nice to get up around the Lake Superior area. I want to thank Dean for allowing me to visit his shack, and for consenting to be the first cover story for my new magazine, Shack & Pasture.

Join me again in the next issue, for more incredible shack living!
KJC

Award

Award
October 30, 2005

For the second time today, Cutris has won the prestigious, annual Dude of the Week award. This award sponsored by the Women of Today, is given out once each month.

Something to think about

In our world, we are often given one side to the story… whatever the story happens to be.
The United States does not use weapons of mass destruction, though we do have them. Furthermore, the 15,000 lb. Daisy Cutter bomb, which destroys everything within a 600-yard radius, is not a weapon of mass destruction.

I have recently begun a dialogue with a man from Syria who found me on my blog. He is afraid that the USA will invade his country, because of the allegations that Syria is arming Lebanese terrorists. He had those awful pictures of the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison. This led me to wonder if the USA is also spreading terror?

http://www.nd.edu/~techrev/Archive/Spring2002/a8.html

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/iraqis_tortured/

Gorock Stick

Yesterday, as I was hiking up a muddy creek in the Wilkie Unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, I found that I needed to use a “Gorock Stick” to improve my safety. For those of you who may not know what a Gorock Stick is, it was named after a man whom I first wrote about sometime ago, who lived around 5000BC.

Mr. Gorock may not have invented the concept of using a stick to poke unstable ground in order to find safe passage, but he did in fact, perfect the art form. In a time when it was important to have the basic skills of hunting, using weapons and poking a stick in the ground to find safe passage, Mr. Gorock was the undisputed expert in the use of what would later be referred to, as the “Gorock Stick.”

Some of you may have seen the movie “Nanook of the North,” in which the lead character, Nanook, used his spear to find safe passage across dangerous ice flows. It is likely that Gorock’s stick too, may have doubled as a weapon such as a spear.

The stick that I used was a simple branch that I broke off to the correct length. I was able to use it to help support my weight as I traversed a slippery ledge. I also used it in the traditional way –of poking the mud to see if I could walk across it, or if I would be sucked down into the muddy depths to my death. Thus you can see the importance of knowing your way around a Gorock Stick.

Mr. Gorock’s great skill with the stick made him both the envy of the other men, and quite popular with the ladies. This would sometimes cause friction between him and Mrs. Gorock. No doubt, at that point in history, his skill was akin to that of a fighter pilot in our modern society.

Modern humans have less need of such skills as the use of a Gorock Stick, just as Mr. Gorock would have had little use for a laptop computer. While I could never reach the proficiency level of Mr. Gorock, I am proud that I know how to use a Gorock Stick. Such things tend to make history come alive don’t you think?

Vikings Won!

A flock of pigs was seen flying over a frozen hell on Sunday...
Yes, the Vikings had actually won a game.

Not the Job

One of the e-mails I had yesterday informed me that I didn’t get the job I had wanted. I was down to the last two applicants, and I interviewed twice for it. I could get upset, but it apparently wasn’t the right job, and I’m not going to let it ruin my day.

Off the Grid

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Providence Loses to Cutris

The city of Providence (you may remember this battle from previous posts) finally sent my refund for the excess they charged me for the (rip-off) excise tax for my car that I don’t own anymore in a city (Providence) that I don’t live in anymore.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t give up easily. I outlasted the Providence Tax Assessors office!

Liars

I went to my car dealer after my summer trip in July, and the service guy tried to talk me into all kinds of unnecessary repairs. I did decide to go with a transmission flush, since I know the transmissions on most cars are crap. The guy wanted to do a brake inspection, and I negotiated a tire rotation while they had the wheels off. The rotation wasn’t on the invoice, but when I asked, I was told it had been done. I was also told that my brakes would need to be done this fall, because they were down to 20% of original.

I called the service guy when I noticed my tires hadn’t been rotated. He said he’d “take care of me” next time I came in. I went in the next morning. He said he couldn’t help me because the mechanic who was supposed to work on my car wasn’t there. I was mad. He told me he couldn’t help me, so I backed out and backed all the way to the front where I went in and asked to speak to a manager.

I was explaining to the manager what had happened, when “Andy,” the service guy ran in and said he “called in a favor,” and had somebody who would rotate my tires. He apologized for the mishap. Then, when the mechanic (who remember, wasn’t there that day) brought my car out, he said he was sorry, but nobody had told him yesterday to rotate my tires. What is that now, at least two lies? There’s more…

I went to the same dealer in October for an oil change, and though they insisted that I needed several hundred dollars of maintenance, I told them I’d had a bad experience with them and only wanted an oil change. They put a warning in large letters that I had refused recommended services.

Then I went to my favorite Car-X in Bloomington, MN. They checked my brakes, and told me I still had 50% left! Imagine, my car added 30% to my brakes since my dealer checked them three months before! What a bunch of liars!
Car-X gets my business.

YELLOW???

This is YELLOW???

No, it's

ORANGE.

Quote of the Day

"You wouldn't think you were so smart if you had a wasp up your butt!"

Lockup

Most of the kids in detention think they are really cool and really tough. Some of them know everything. A lot of them are in detention almost daily. One decided that it would be a good idea to threaten me yesterday. He is currently serving a 5-day suspension.

No doubt, some of these kids are destined for prison someday. Even if they’ve been in juvenile detention, they have no idea what’s in store for them after age 18. I haven’t seen one of them yet that would last more than half a day in an adult lockup. I really wish that I could help them, but most of them are too stubborn and too proud.

Philbrashen

One day an ant was walking down the street when it heard its name, “Philbrashen.” Who could have been looking for a tiny ant? It thought. It looked around with its compound eyes, listened with its auditory senses and felt with its antennas, but there was no one around!

Suddenly it heard the sound again, “Philbrashen! Philbrashen! Philbrashen!
But again, there was nobody there!

Then the tiny ant heard someone say, “Damn these allergies! Philbrashen! Philbrashen!”

Suddenly feeling spooked, the little ant ran home.

I can interview AFTERNOONS

This is a "sanitized" copy of the letter that I e-mailed to an employer who is insisting that I interview in the morning...

Person, Title
Person, Title
Address

RE: SECOND INTERVIEW FOR, ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM

I received two phone calls regarding a second interview for the position that I talked with you about last Thursday (10/6/05). Each time I was asked to interview in the morning, and each time I explained that I have a job and I can only interview in the afternoon. The last call did not sound very promising, since I was not given any alternative besides this Thursday morning.

I am currently working for ISD ###, and my hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00AM until 1:30PM. I cannot in good conscience take off work to interview for any job. I respect my employer, my coworkers, and the children who I work with. While I am still interested in the job, and I am available most any afternoon (except this Wednesday when I have another second interview), I cannot interview in the morning.

If my position excludes me from the process, I believe that this is unfortunate. Were I to work for Exxx Pxxxxxx Schools, I would hope that such a regard for my employer would be appreciated.

If you can find the time to have me come in on an afternoon, evening or weekend, I will do my second interview.

Sincerely,
ME
My phone number
-------------------------------
The response,

Kevin,
I appreciate your dedication to your present employer. However, we are working under a tight timeframe with our hiring process. The only time the entire interivew committee is available this week is now Thursday at 12:30. Paul and I have 2:00 open tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/12) if that would work for youto come in for the 45 minute 2nd round interview. The other 3 members of the interview team would not be there, but it would give you a chance at interivew this week. Please let me know if this will work for you.
Her Name, Ph.D.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Exxx Pxxxxxx Schools

If you read my first e-mail, the time/date offered was the only time I said that I could not interview...
----------------------------
My response,

Her name,
As I mentioned in my original e-mail, I have an interview today (Wednesday afternoon) in St. Paul. This prospective employer arranged the schedules of three people to meet with me. I cannot meet with you at that time.
Kevin

---------------------------
A week later,

Kevin, thank you for your interest in my position and in Exxx Pxxxxxx Schools.
I have offered the position to an internal candidate whose background was a closer match to my needs.
Good luck in your job search.
Her Name, Ph.D.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Exxx Pxxxxxx Schools

Translation: “We were just wasting your time calling you in here in the first place, because we already knew who we were going to hire.”

Uncomfortable PC

Within our society that pretends to be politically correct at all cost, it is difficult to address any real problems. I have personally worked with drug addicts, convicts and now I work as a detention monitor with Jr. High School students.

The interesting and perhaps sad thing about it is that certain demographic groups are disproportionately represented in all of these areas. In my experience, it has nothing to do with prejudice, and everything to do with the attitude of the individuals.

These attitudes seem to be passed from parents to their children. Wanton disregard for rules and almost complete defiance of authority is often ignored by the parents and embraced by the children. More likely, the children learn from the example of their parents. If the school continually sends discipline notices home and the parents ignore them, how will the child know to change? If the child refuses to serve detention and the parent will not intervene, what can the school do?

Street Culture seems to give status to those who behave badly. Such things as assault, robbery, theft, drug use, sexual conquest, having children out of wedlock with multiple partners, and even murder, are recognized in this “Bizarro World,” as achievements. Ironically, the same culture looks down on those who succeed academically or financially via legal means. Such persons are thought to be “sell-outs.”

No doubt it is easier to blame the entirety of society for being the cause of one’s problems. However, is it really a good thing in the 21st century, to pretend that your own bad behavior is a good thing and the resulting problems are the fault of others?
It is; however, politically and socially taboo to recognize that a particular group of people might be more inclined to such things. Those who want to prove that they are politically correct, or want to reserve the power of being a “victim,” or perhaps those with no first-hand knowledge of these cases, would ask for your resignation, or your head if you uttered such “blasphemies.”

I argue that pretending something doesn’t exist, or that it isn’t like it is, is insanity. It only keeps our society from recognizing and ultimately addressing a set of problems. I am not saying that there is any kind of deficiency going on, except for a real need to pass on a positive attitude to the next generation, and to leave the problems of the past in the past. To continually live within the confines of the past is destructive. It eliminates the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and make things better. To condone and grow such negative attitudes is incredibly destructive. The first step to fixing the problem, however, lies in the ability to identify, recognize, and admit that there is a problem. Political correctness has clouded our vision to some extent.

It is not a matter of prejudice that puts more students of a certain demographic in detention. It is the direct result of the individual's own behavior. It is the result of bad choices. It is the result of deciding to fight the system, anyone in authority, and to constantly undermine such things as kindness, academic success and the usual benefits that we all get if we follow rules, obey traffic laws and pay taxes.
KJC

Bones/Interviews

On my birthday I went hiking at Rapids Lake. I was climbing down a ravine, when I found some clothing and a bone. I looked around a bit, but wasn’t interested in digging. I don’t know what it was all about, but I put it in my ranger report.

Otherwise, I seem to be generating a lot of interviews all of a sudden. I have two so far this week and maybe another. There is one job I really would like to get, and I just found out that I have made it to the final two!

Kudos

I would like to take this moment to send kudos to President George W. Bush.
After only five years in office, he has said something that made sense.
People should drive less, in order to save gas.
Who’d a thought it?

It reminds me of President Jimmy Carter, who asked us all to conserve energy back in the 1970’s. Perhaps we should have listened.
What happened to change that?
Oh yeah… now I remember. It was Reagonomics.

That makes sense, because last time the USA financed everything, Ronald Reagan was President. Still, George W. Bush is beating Reagan at this by far. I reckon the deficit will wreck things in this country for a while. I don’t think you can give tax breaks to the wealthy, finance a war and cleanup after a hurricane without breaking the bank.

Still, that thing about using less gas is good isn’t it?

Cutting Slack

It was a beautiful day for a fire drill, and we had one at the Jr. High where I work. The bell rang, we filed out and I held the door as the students “escaped.” Then, all too quickly we were called back inside. I walked out to the fringes and called out for the kids to head inside. That was when I saw it.

A small kid, probably a 7th grader, threw a pebble… or whatever it was and I heard the “ping,” as it hit a car in the parking lot. He was busted! I told the kid he was coming to the office with me. He was bummed.

Just before we got to the door, I asked him why he was throwing rocks at cars. He mumbled something. Then I asked him, “how about if you get to class and don’t ever do that again? Without a word, he hurried in and up the stairs. I think that those few moments that he thought he was in trouble were befitting of his “crime.” I’m sure that the car has been hit by pebbles following trucks too.
KJC

Permanent Record

So, while working in detention at the school, sometimes I have to put discipline information on the kids' records. It reminded me of talking to my friend Mark about our “permanent records.”

Back in school (I went to Richfield), the teachers used to tell us that something we did (wrong) was going to go on our “permanent record!” How ominous this sounded! Mark and I were wondering where our permanent records are… now… today…

We would joke about things like seeing each other’s permanent record being moved by a forklift, or perhaps being pulled by the Budweiser Clydesdales on a wagon. It got pretty funny actually!

The truth of the matter, however, is somewhat different. It seems that when I got my new job with the school district, my permanent record (from when I was in school), was trucked down to the school district where I am now working. They had to warehouse it in the bus garage, where it accidentally tipped over and crushed three school busses.

Mark’s permanent record has to be moved by rail. It is currently being held on a couple of boxcars owned by Union Pacific.

I was lucky enough to see Dean, Mark’s brother last week. Dean is an old friend, and he insisted that his permanent record had been digitized. The truth be known, the three of us went through school prior to the digitization of permanent records. Dean’s was last seen on a ship.

With the new advances in technology, permanent records are now kept electronically. This saves both space and resources. That said, one still has to wonder if permanent records are in fact, permanent.

In the aftermath of the devastation in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina and the collapse of the dikes, Mark, Dean and I have all consented to donating our permanent records to be trucked, railed and shipped to New Orleans, and then dropped by a fleet of military cargo helicopters into the levees to plug them up. It is the least we can do.
No seriously, it is the least we can do.

Detention

So I am now working as a detention monitor at a Jr. High School.
I told the people who hired me about my experience working with drug addicts and convicts when I was with the county.
Now, it seems that the students are talking about the “prison guard” that watches detention. I never told anyone that I was a prison guard…

More Hurricane Rantings

Beyond the obvious problems with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there are a few things that I find really bothersome.

First, if you want to fix the flooding problem, it isn’t enough to create levees and dikes. The wetlands need to be reestablished. As a volunteer ranger in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, I spend lots of time hiking the wetlands and river bottoms. I know that the only reason this wonderful wilderness area isn’t being developed, is because it floods. By allowing that area to continue to exist, the cities aren’t flooded and the byproduct is that habitat is available for the wildlife.

Humans arrogantly think that they are so important, that they can destroy the habitat of other animals. What should be remembered is that what injures one often injures all. The destruction of wetlands increases the likelihood of floods.

On the topic of arrogant humans, I find it upsetting that people weren’t allowed to take their pets when they evacuated the disaster zone. I understand the concept that humans are always supposed to be more important than animals. I just don’t agree with it. If you want people to evacuate, allow them to take their pets out too. I would not want to leave my dog or cat behind to die. What a horrible thing to expect someone to do when they have already lost so much. It is a completely inhumane policy.

KJC

New Yoga Pose

I don’t do yoga, but I like how the different poses/exercises are named after animals.

I have decided to create a new pose, named in honor of the bird that messed up the kitchen window. It is called,

DOWNWARD POOPING GOOSE

Katrina

After being bombarded by horrific images of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, I have only a few things to say.

First, the fact that after four days, help is so late in arriving makes me think that too many of our resources and personnel are in other countries fighting what has now become, another country’s civil war.

Second, I remember as a child when I found out that New Orleans was both near the ocean and below sea level, that this was probably not a good place for a city. See “Atlantis.”

Third, after working in a poor, depressed part of town, I know from experience that we can’t expect many of the people to behave in a civilized way, especially in light of the current conditions. Martial law will need to be established.

Fourth, had we stayed the course started by President Jimmy Carter, we would not be this dependent on fossil fuels. With gas now at over $3 per gallon, I want to “thank” Ronald Reagan for reversing that course. I can’t believe some people want his face on money!

Finally, to President George W. Bush… what the hell are you doing to this country??? I don’t think you are up to the task of leading us out of this mess.

Sky Drop

September 1, 2005
Sky Drop
By Kevin J. Curtis

It was early morning, predawn. The engines were already going as Fritz boarded the airplane. He had just emptied his guts on the tarmac not more than two minutes ago. This was his first jump into a battle zone. He had jumped several times before, but never into combat.

He sat in the airplane, still feeling nauseous. His stomach was tied into knots as he tried to imagine what was in store for him. He was one of the best of the best. He was army airborne. He had trained for this day, and now, just three days from his nineteenth birthday, he was about to jump into hostile territory on his first mission.

There were others like him… first timers. They were all in various states of nervousness, some more than Fritz and some less. The combat veterans were quiet and portrayed a calm that was foreign to the first timers. Inside, each man was dealing with his own mortality as the plane lurched forward and lifted off into the sky.

As they rose higher, the first rays of morning light filtered into the dingy plane. The cheery light contrasted with the grave situation of the soldiers. Most of them were well prepared for combat, and on some level, perhaps even anticipating the excitement. Still, it was somewhat unnerving to know that within the next few minutes or so, someone would be actively trying to kill them, and they in turn, would be seeking to do likewise against the as yet unseen enemy.

The first call came in for them to ready their equipment. It was mostly a formality, since their equipment had been readied earlier. The call made Fritz’ stomach lurch. He was afraid he might vomit again, but at this point he could only dry heave. A few minutes later, the second call came.

Fritz forced himself onto his feet with the other men and took his place in line. At the given order, they all hooked up to the line. This was it, Fritz thought. Do or die, his training would either see him through this or he would die down there. A grim thought, that didn’t do anything to improve his current condition.

The last call came, to jump. One by one, the soldiers left the relative security of the aircraft, and stepped into the dimly lit sky. Fritz felt his body being pulled downward by gravity, and the nearly 70 lbs. of equipment strapped to his back. He knew this feeling before from his training, and the familiar shock ripped through his body as the parachute opened up over his head.

The line of soldiers floated down from the sky. At first, nothing happened. Then, they noticed the tracer fire coming at them. They would be on the ground in another minute. At least then, they would have a chance. Hanging up here in the sky, they could do nothing but helplessly fall, and hope that they weren’t hit by the gunfire that was aimed at them.

Fritz looked down. The landing zone looked good. He would not end up in trees or water. He unknowingly breathed a sigh of relief. That was when a bullet angled up under his helmet near his left ear. It entered his brain, and disconnected his life force from his body. He dropped to the ground in a heap.

****

Stevens hit the ground, and quickly grabbed his parachute lines to keep from being pulled along the ground. He unhooked the buckles that fastened him to the ‘chute, and began to roll the material up in a ball so it was less able to give away his current position. Others were dropping from the sky just to the right of him.

The sergeant called, and Stevens adjusted his pack, and headed in the direction of his voice. There was a young soldier on the ground up ahead. His face was unrecognizable. The bullet had splattered pieces of his skull and brains into his helmet and on the ground. The name patch on his uniform said it was Fritz.

The sergeant reached down and removed the clip from the fallen man’s rifle. He handed it to Stevens. He quickly removed one of Fritz’ dog tags, and the rest of his ammunition. There was no ceremony. There was no time to cry. The sergeant yelled, “Move out!” and the survivors headed for the tree line up ahead.

As the troops jogged for the cover of the trees, mortars started to explode around them. It was only about 100 meters before they would be out of the open, when an explosion hit Stevens, dead center. His body and equipment were fragmented and sent flying through the air. A wad of bloody tissue hit the face of Red Deer, as he felt the shock of the concussion nearby. The blood on his face wasn’t his. It belonged to Stevens.

****

Finally in the trees, Johnny Red Deer wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins, and he heard the sergeant but couldn’t immediately respond. He felt a slap against his helmet, and when he regained his senses, he could see the enemy moving at them with guns firing. Red Deer and the others returned fire. The battle continued for only a few minutes, but inside of his head, it seemed to Red Deer like days.

The sergeant was on the radio calling for air support. Overhead there was a deafening sound and the field up ahead burst into flames. The shooting stopped. Red Deer noticed a pain in his shoulder. He looked to the side and saw the blood and the hole. The man next to him was shouting something. Someone ran over to him. That was when Red Deer passed out.

****

Larson called for the medic who came and field dressed the wounded man. The sergeant called out to the men that the choppers were on their way. Larson dropped his pack, and hoisted the fallen Red Deer onto his back. Now he had to run back into that same field that they had run through after the drop. Only now, it was burned to a crisp. Dotted here and there, were the fried corpses of the enemy who had been shooting at them just minutes before.

Larson stumbled, and he fell to the ground. His face was inches from the grimace of one of the cooked enemy soldiers. He struggled to his feet with the help of another man from his unit. With the unconscious Red Deer back over his shoulder, he held his rifle in the other hand and ran for the choppers that were just now landing.

He handed Red Deer into the open side of the helicopter, and barely jumped in before the still moving rotors pulled them skyward. Up above, the bright blue sky of the early morning belied the event that had just transpired below. Larson starred blankly as the medic worked on the now semi-conscious Red Deer. Next to the wounded man, was another fallen soldier. Much of his head was missing. Larson looked away.

As the chopper carried him away from the battle, Larson realized that he was now a combat veteran. What hadn’t occurred to him just at that moment was that he would be back in the fight tomorrow.

What's News?

Periodically I wonder about important things like whether there are “pervious” materials. It only makes sense, if we have impervious materials that there must be pervious ones too.

This morning it was raining. I had my window open, and though the temperature was comfortable, it was definitely a bit humid. I watched my Beta (fish) “Spaz,” swimming around in his bowl, darting through the roots of his plant. I started to wonder if fish feel humidity?

Have you noticed the news lately… unfortunately? Everyday seems to be the most violent day yet in Iraq. The next news story will likely be, oil prices reached a new record high today! Then they will have some really enlightening news about smoking causing cancer, or eating causing obesity. Why don’t they talk about how humidity affects fish?

I was reading the Beer News this morning, and it talked about how an official from Belgium cancelled his lunch with an Iranian official, because the Iranian insisted that beer not be served, because it is offensive to Islam. First off, what doesn’t offend Islam, and second, why does the visiting diplomat think he can pull beer off the menu in another country? If a woman visited Iran, she would be forced to wear a veil whether she found it offensive or not. As a matter-of-fact, this same Beer News story mentioned another Muslim diplomat who refused to shake the hand of another Belgian diplomat –simply because she was female. Doesn’t this sound a bit prehistoric in the 21st century? Are they afraid of “girl-germs?” Why is prejudice/discrimination legal and practiced in the “peaceful” culture of Islam? In the news media, where it is hoped not to offend anyone, an American could never be allowed to be prejudice, but as long as it is a part of someone’s religion, it is fine…Basically, it makes about as much sense as a fish feeling humidity.

Providence Sucks!

I'm fighting with Providence again. They lost my certified letter with the second round of proof that I moved and transferred my vehicle to Minnesota. I've been hung-up on, disconnected, told I'd be called back, and told they didn't know their own fax number...
Someone should really do an investigation of this. They are threatening me about taxes on a car I don't own anymore for years I didn't live there. No matter how many times I provide proof, they continue to tax me...

I’ve already paid for more than the time I lived there. It is roughly 99.5 cents per day that they charged me for the excise tax to own a car in their city of boarded up buildings, ghetto and crime.
------------------------------------------------------------
Cut to commercial…
Picture of that bearded guy from the Christian Children’s Fund…

“This is Guido. He is a mobbed-up politician from Providence, Rhode Island. Guido lives in a 19-room house in the affluent section of the city, far from the Chad Brown Housing Project. He does have a drug and prostitution business in the projects, but his only function is to receive illegally gotten monies.”

“Things are hard for Guido and many other Mafia-Connected Politicians in Providence. With the price of hired muscle, a wife and numerous revolving girlfriends, he can barely afford a new yacht this year. How much would you be willing to give? Would a dollar be too much? How about if I told you that for an excise tax of just 99.5 cents a day, you could keep an “upstanding” citizen like Guido in new cars and booze? Are you going to tell him it’s too much? How can you resist this face? The Tax Assessor’s Office has already “lost” the certified letters with proof that you moved. You might as well pay up… and know… that Guido and others like him are far richer than you could ever hope to be.”

Train goes by, and body is seen underneath. End of commercial.

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/4448/

Gratuitous Self-Promotion of my Book

He Who Goes First
By Kevin J. Curtis

This is the story of a Mongol warrior who lived during Jenghiz Khan’s empire. It is a new look at a frequently misunderstood culture and history. The participants are not bound by ideals of what is good or bad. Like their ancestor the wolf, they do not act out of cruelty or mercy. They live by a natural law, which has been lost on modern society. To judge them in the midst of our politically correct, industrialized world is like trying to convince a caveman of the merits of having a personal computer. Jenghiz Khan was perhaps the most brilliant uneducated man in history. He was a master of human nature. The men who helped him create his empire, like He-Who-Goes-First, were making their lives from the “raw materials” of the times they lived in. The warrior in this story struggles with his spirituality and his role as a soldier.

ISBN: 1-4137-4190-8, 165 pages, 5.5 x 8.

$16.95 plus $3.00 Shipping & Handling (.50 per additional copy)

Phone orders (301) 695-1707

You may mail your order to:
Publish America, LLLP
P.O. Box 151 Frederick, MD 21705

http://www.publishamerica.com/books/6406

Interstellar Traveler, Unglip Reporting

August 17, 2005
Cycle 3, Blue Planet
Interstellar Traveler, Unglip Reporting.

I have returned to the Blue Planet in search of intelligent life. Last time, my findings were inconclusive. The temperature was lower today, below 17 helo-hectars. The bipedal beings have not changed much in the past rotation around the star. They still drive quad-rolling transport devices, and most of them are still vocalizing into small radio devices that they hold against their auditory canals. It seems that none of them are very good at both driving a quad-rolling transport and using a radio vocalizer at the same time. I would have thought that during the past solar orbit they would have improved their skills. It seems that their lack of intelligence is more so than I had first anticipated. They are still using prehistoric biotoxins to power almost everything. The residue has caused significant damage to the environmental well-being of this planet. Again, the bipedal beings seem to be too ignorant to figure this out. Hoping to go unnoticed, I changed shape and put on a pair of floppy foot protectors and baggy lower extremity coverings. I also wore a pullover upper cover made of processed plant fiber. I put a covering on the top, and then turned it around backward –the way these moronic creatures prefer to wear them. Then I entered a large construction with many transports parked outside. The front of it said, “Wal*mart.” My disguise seemed to be working perfectly, as none of the beings inside took any notice of me. I decided that I would replenish my supplies with the crude materials I found at Wal*mart. No one stopped me from picking out what I wanted. As a matter-of-fact, none of the beings wearing Wal*mart coverings ever approached me! It wasn’t until I tried to leave, that a siren of some kind went off. An aged being closed in. It was wearing numerous metal jewelry items, and it must have been a high-ranking official! Soon more beings joined in and chased me into the transport storage area outside. They were vocalizing loudly and acting threateningly toward me. I decided that I had better act quickly to save myself, so I secreted fomboorg on several of the nearby transports and they began to melt. That got their attention, and they allowed me to escape just before the aliens wearing blue clothing, with a variety of strange paraphernalia attached, drove up in their noisy, flashing transport. I still am not sure what to think of these aliens. I am going to leave this place. I do not hold much hope for finding intelligent life here. Perhaps another solar orbit will help.

GAS PRICES

It was only a month ago when I went on my road-trip and was paying more for gasoline than ever before. It was averaging about $2.35 per gallon. Today, a month later it is averaging $2.65 per gallon.

Yesterday when gas was varying between $2.45 and $2.69 per gallon, I put my car in the garage and took my bicycle for a 20-mile ride through the trails in Fort Snelling State Park. I chose not to drive somewhere to hike. I’m afraid we all need to find ways to use less gas, because the price isn’t going to come down. Our political leadership comes from families who have long made their money from petroleum profits. That could also explain why the Saudis are considered allies of the USA, even though they spawn, grow and fund more terrorists than any other country.

Oil, it seems, is the civilized world’s drug of choice. The repercussions of this can be seen in environmental damage, and slowly but surely, the downfall of our economy. The rich can’t see beyond their greed, but the cost of oil is causing everything to cost more. It is only a matter of time before people will be unable to afford the things they need.

One more thing… when I am hiking, the bicycles try to run me down. When I am bicycling, the cars try to run me down. As we begin to get off our butts and use other means of getting from place to place, we should all be conscious of sharing the roads and trails. Try putting the cell phone down…

ROBOGOAT

Check this site written by me and my friend Dave...

http://shirleyink.angelcities.com/robogoat.html

Wine-Making

I enjoy making my own beer and wine. Beer it seems is more complicated and I consider it somewhat of an art. Wine, is easy in my opinion… like finger-painting. That said, I am obviously not making wine “the right way,” because I don’t add all of those chemicals and crap. I’m quite sure that I am doing it wrong, though to me personally, I only care about how it tastes a year from now.

Wine making for me, usually involves picking the fruit out in the woods. I made a raspberry wine early in July, which is still fermenting. This past Saturday, I picked a bunch of wild grapes along the river. This involved a long bicycle ride on the trails and the lengthy process of removing the stems and sorting out any undesirable things like spiders and bugs.

If you are familiar with the small, wild, purple grapes that grow in Minnesota, they are horribly tart. I have found, however, that by adding honey, I can come up with an absolutely delicious wine!

After sterilizing, cooking, straining, adding… I finally introduce the key ingredient; the yeast. The yeast quickly wakeup from dormancy and realize that they are in a wonderful “world” full of sugars just waiting for them to eat. As the yeast gorge themselves on the sugars, they begin to “poop” carbon dioxide, and more importantly; alcohol. The CO2 goes through the bubble-lock, and the alcohol begins to turn the mixture into wine that eventually is bottled and aged.

In closing, I would like to remind any wine-snobs who are at this moment looking down on my personal wine making philosophy, process or ingredients; that in the end, we are all just drinking yeast poop.

Providence/Rhode Island; land of TAXES that won't stop

Forward: The state of Rhode Island boasts a Dept. of Motor Vehicles, that is geared to make you wait hours/days, so that you find out that you need to go to yet another place and spend more money before you can return for more hours/days to start the process again. Most Rhode Islanders seem proud of this adversarial system (on any day they don't need to go there).

The city of Providence, charges an excise tax on vehicles, above and beyond the tax imposed by the state. This is for the luxury of being able to drive in their city.
It should be noted that the City of Providence has ample ghetto, limited street signs, and it is still heavily influenced by the mob. As much as I disliked it there, they are still charging me for a car I no longer own, almost two years after I left the state...

Some personal information changed for this posting.
----------------------------------------------------------------
August 9, 2005

Office of the Tax Assessor
Providence City Hall
25 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903

RE: ACCOUNT NUMBER: “Numba”

I lived at,

Address
Providence, RI

from June until November 2003.

Then I moved back to Minnesota.
I received a bill from the Providence Tax Assessors Office approximately a year ago for my car. I returned the bill, with the information that I had moved out of the state to,

Address
MN

I was contacted by Michelle from the assessor’s office. She asked me to send her information from the Minnesota DMV, stating when I transferred my license. This I did, and I was told I would be issued a new pro-rated bill. After not receiving a bill for many months, I sent the e-mail (not included in this posting) to make sure it wasn't sent to my old address. It was already the case that my mail was being thrown away by the occupant of ADDRESS, RI, because by this time mail forwarding had expired. I was told in the e-mail that there was no bill.

On August 8, 2005, I received a letter dated August 4, 2005, from the,
Municipal Collection Agency
198 Dyer Street 2nd Floor
Providence, RI 02903.

This notice gives me 15 days to pay delinquent taxes. When I called this agency, I was informed that more taxes are pending for 2002, 2004, and 2005.
As I stated previously, I lived in Providence from June until November of 2003.
I will pay the excise tax for those months. I should not be taxed for any other time, since I am paying taxes in my home state of Minnesota.

My call to the collection agency this morning (August 9), gave me a number to call for Providence City Hall, which gave me a number to call for the Tax Assessor, which gave me a voice-mail, which hung-up on me.

I want to take care of this and payoff my taxes. I do not want to continue to pay taxes to Rhode Island or Providence. I am a resident of Minnesota, and have been for all of my life -outside of the months of June - November of 2003.

Please update these records and stop taxing me. I do not wish to continue to go through this every year. I do not even own the car in question anymore.
A check is in the mail for the amount of $168.77 payable to the City of Providence. Please send me a receipt.

Sincerely,


Kevin J. Curtis
Address

Bandwidth

My friend Mark (no not that Mark, the other Mark), was recently asked while we were having beers at a local bar, if he was “with the band.” His immediate reply was, “yes, we are with the band!”

He mentioned to me, that he was once at a bar and asked someone else if he was “with the band.” The other guy replied, “no.” Mark could not believe this! “Dude!” he said, “always say that you are with the band!”

This, I think, is probably the real definition for the word, “bandwidth.” Either that or it is a way of determining how big of a stage your band needs.
KJC

Wile E. (Coyote)

Yesterday I saw a coyote while I was hiking in the Black Dog Preserve. It didn’t appear to have seen me as it trotted across the trail and into the woods. I know they are around, since I see their tracks. I almost never see them though.

I know coyotes are not well liked. They are smart and opportunistic. A cat or small dog would make a good meal for them. The fact is, they live almost everywhere in Minnesota; including the cities. Those few times that I have seen one, I consider myself fortunate.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/coyote.html

Tug-O-War

While I enjoy my hikes in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, I must admit that Summer is not my favorite time in the woods. A few days ago I was off-trail, trying to find my way from one trail to the other. Once committed, I kept going though I was sometimes in brush that was over my head. Wearing shorts because of the heat, I was stung so many times by stinging nettles that my legs were bleeding by the time I made it out. Of course, the flies found the blood irresistible.

Yesterday, I decided to take a 6 or 7 mile loop around Long Meadow Lake. I was hoping to make it around before the coming rain started. There is an undeveloped trail that usually affords some good wildlife encounters. Last time I had been on it I was “charged” by a baby woodchuck. Eventually on this trek, I can link up to the Bluff Trail which is usually an easier hike, though there is some elevation and yesterday, I found that the recent storms had left fallen trees on the trail.

When I started out, I was hiking along the river under the trees when I heard the unmistakable sound of a Bald Eagle. Then I heard two. They were close, and as I walked out of the trees I looked upwards and saw them circling me.

I have had these magnificent birds “swoop” me before when I happened to walk in the vicinity of a nest, but I knew where the nest was, and I was thinking that I was far enough away. The babies were long fledged by now too. Mother eagles can get rather aggressive when they have little ones. The two raptors circled me, rising slightly higher with each revolution.

Further along on my hike, I was deep in the brush, since the undeveloped trail can get pretty grown over. I heard the familiar crashing sound of deer running past. I did manage to see two of them. One stopped a safe distance from me, and watched me as I took its picture.

The wildflowers were prominent. There was Vervain, Black-Eyed Susans, Thistle, Prairie Clover, and Jewelweed. The butterflies noticed the flowers too, and they were all around. I had wild currants to snack on, and the wild grapes were growing, though not yet ripe.

After reaching the Bluff Trail, I worked my way back to my car. Before I ended this hike, I was treated to something really special. I heard a ruckus in the brush –just off the trail. When I looked in, I saw two mink; playing tug-o-war with a large Garter snake. They were so busy with their competition, that they didn’t pay much attention to me until I took their picture. Then they took off in opposite directions. I don’t know which one got the snake, or if it managed to escape.

It was the perfect ending to a great hike. It made me forget that there were a couple of dozen deerflies circling me at the time. As I walked back to my car the rain started. Sometimes things just work perfectly.
KJC

Tunnel Vision

I am often astounded at the narrow thinking of some people. I was reading the news story that said,

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has mixed feelings about President George W. Bush's choice of John Roberts to replace her.
O'Connor said the federal appeals court judge is "first rate," but she's disappointed that the nominee isn't a woman.

Now if the idea is that hiring should be based on who is most qualified for the job, rather than what race or sex a person is, why would a female judge need to be replaced by another female; or why would a minority school superintendent need to be replaced by another minority? Isn’t this illegal and doesn’t it contradict fair hiring practices? Why is some discrimination okay while some is not? Why can’t we hire solely on qualifications? Why does society take a few steps forward, and then a few more backward again?

Until things are fair for everybody, it will never be fair.
KJC

Feathers

While I was on my trip recently, I had the opportunity to visit the graves of Sacajawea and Chief Washakie in the Wind River Indian Reservation. The experience gained more significance after returning home. The Chief and I have a connection that I won't get into right now. I will only mention the feathers.

While I was doing my project work recently, I had a turkey feather at my desk where I worked. Since it had brought me much joy, I decided to return it to the wild when the projects (and my employment) ended. I hiked into the wildlife refuge where I volunteer and found a spot to set it, in the bark of a tree. On my way back out of the woods, I found a new feather in my path.

While visiting the graves in Wind River, I left a large goose feather at Sacajawea's grave and a fine turkey feather on Chief Washakie's grave. These were nice feathers, and though I have a good collection of them, they were so nice that I would like to keep them. I could think of no better thing, however, than to put them at the graves out there in Wyoming.

This past Sunday was the first day I had gone hiking in the wildlife refuge since returning from my trip. On my way back out of the woods, I noticed a pile of feathers in a small backwater pond. There were a total of seven, four wing (flight) feathers and three tail feathers. I fished them out, convinced that the Chief had given me seven feathers for my one.

The Medicine Wheel, shows that there are actually seven directions. There is East, West, North and South. There is also Up, Down and Center. On my trip I had gone in all of these directions as I crossed prairies, mountains and deserts.

Whether you believe in such things or not, I think my world is so much more enjoyable to live in when I don't discount the magic.

Feathers are very powerful and very beautiful. They are the thing that allows the birds to fly. I can also tell you from experience, that when an eagle flies over your head... and it is so close that you can hear the sound of the air rushing through its wings... it is a quiet sound that you will never forget.
KJC

http://users.ap.net/~chenae/spirit.html

Ten States

Ten States
July 15, 2005

I’ve returned from my road-trip. I’m happy to say that I was able to follow my planned route almost exactly, and I was able to see all of the things that I had wanted to see.

July 5, 2005 (Tuesday)
I departed at a leisurely 9:30AM. I drove to Brandon, South Dakota, where I got gas and a snack. I arrived in Murdo, SD a little after 4:00PM CDT. I ate at the Star Restaurant and then there was a rather wicked lightening storm late in the afternoon. I watched the movie “Troy” in my room at the Sioux Motel. Then I decided to go get a beer so I went to the Lost Souls Bar, where I met Lyn. After talking to him, we walked over to his brother Mike’s bar, The Rusty Spur; where we hung out with his other brother Jessie. The brothers built the bar themselves, and they did a nice job too. During our conversation, I found out that there were cougars in the area, as Jessie said they were after his horses.
457.5 miles


July 6, 2005 (Wednesday)
I left just after 8:00AM CDT and fueled up in Murdo. I headed for Rapid City, then to 16A to Mount Rushmore. I drove up a mountain on hairpin turns and through single-lane bridges until I reached an overlook that was almost even with Mt. Rushmore. The Presidents were just across from me on the next mountain. There was some snow up that high, so I got a break from the rather hot temperatures. I continued west on 16 through Custer State Park, where I saw deer and buffalo. I made it to New Castle, Wyoming, and got gas and a hamburger. Then I traveled more mountain roads and saw a Turkey Vulture, deer and Pronghorn Antelope. I stopped at the Town House Motel in Worland, WY. I ate at Subway and bought tomorrow’s breakfast and some beer at the IGA. It was 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
926 miles


July 7, 2005 (Thursday)
I woke early, and the TV informed me about the London transit bombings. I left at 6:30AM MDT and got gas. I stopped in Thermopolis, WY, to see the hot spring. I saw deer and Pronghorn Antelope. When I reached the Wind River Canyon (Wind River Indian Reservation), I was amazed at how beautiful this mountain pass was. The road went along the side of the mountain, and below me was the Wind River. I was in the Shoshone Nation. I continued to Lander, WY, and then headed north into Fort Washakie. I had directions from an e-mail inquiry, so I was able to navigate on the reservation to the grave sites of both (Louis & Clark’s guide) Sacagawea and the Shoshone Chief Washakie. I left a feather at each site and then headed back to Lander. I drove along the Flaming Gorge, and stopped at the visitor center. I got a room at the Days Inn in Vernal, Utah, and took a quick swim in the pool to combat the 100 degree (F) heat. I had dinner and settled in for the night.
1,301.7 miles


July 8, 2005 (Friday)
I was up very early, since I was used to the Central Time Zone. I waited for 6:30AM to have the complimentary Continental breakfast. I had called the Dinosaur National Monument and found out it opened at 8:00AM. It was close by, so I left at 7:20AM and arrived at 7:45AM. The shack where you have to pay was unoccupied, and the sign said to continue on. I found that nothing was open, but there was an “auto tour” sign up ahead. I paid my 50 cents for a map, and found that there was a desert hike called “The Sound of Silence Hiking Route.” It was about 3 ½ miles through the Utah desert. I had to do a little climbing, but the morning offered “cooler” temperatures than what would come later. The scenery was fantastic, and I saw Jack Rabbits and a couple of different kinds of lizards. The sage filled the air with fragrance, and I thoroughly enjoyed this hike. After I drove back to the Quarry, I took the shuttle to the exhibits and of course, I bought a T-shirt. I continued on my journey and saw lots of animals including an elk, deer, vultures and magpies. I got stuck in several construction zones, where I was forced to use my air conditioner. I got stuck in a big traffic jam in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and was lost for a short time. I finally found my way out to 82E. I needed to find somewhere to stay, and the guy at the place with the $150/night cabins told me that there was camping down Avalanche Road. Calling this a “road,” was giving it immense credit! My Grand Am did its best to act like a 4-wheel-drive truck as I drove the long road wondering where-the-hell the campground was? Finally, when the creek was running over the road, I decided that I was not going to drive my car across a creek and I turned around and headed out. My attempts to find an unoccupied/unreserved campsite on this Saturday afternoon were unsuccessful. Eventually, I made my way through the mountains to Paonia, CO, where I got gas and managed to find a room at the Redwood Arms Motel. The single restaurant nearby was only open for breakfast and lunch, so while I wasn’t actually camping, I did end up eating some of my “camping food.” My room was extremely nice, however.
1,580 miles


July 9, 2005 (Saturday)
I left at 7:00AM MDT. The mountain passes were very impressive and sometimes a little intimidating to drive through. One false move, and one could easily end up at the bottom of a ravine. I saw a very impressive buck in velvet. He was small in stature, but his antlers were very large. When I made my way to Durango, CO, I decided that I had better stop for beer. Most of these states had a rather meager selection of good beer –with the exception of Colorado where there was a seeming endless variety of good local beer! I made it to New Mexico, and stopped at the welcome center in Aztec to get directions to the Aztec National Monument. I walked around the Aztec Ruins (Anasazi “Pueblo Indians”) for awhile and toured the museum. I even watched the video, which I don’t normally have the patience for. After a couple of hours at the ruins, I bought another T-shirt and drove to Cuba, NM, where I got a room at the Del Prado Motel. I ate at the Del Prado (Mexican) Restaurant. I tried to find local beer in New Mexico, but I was unsuccessful. Just after dark, about 9:30PM I heard what sounded like gunshots. Minutes later, numerous emergency vehicles went past. After more “explosions,” I wondered if there might be fireworks, so I went outside to look. I saw a “crime command post” van go by, but there were no fireworks. Finally it stopped.
1,875.2 miles



July 10, 2005 (Sunday)
I got some much needed sleep, though some of the neighborhood cats woke me up once. I left at 7:30AM MDT. I drove through Albuquerque, NM. I stopped at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. The visitor center was closed on Sunday, but I hiked around a bit anyway. I climbed up one of the bluffs, and walked through the desert. There were numerous hummingbirds at the feeders outside of the visitor center. I drove on, and made it to the White Sands National Monument by 2:00PM. I drove through the white desert and hiked the “Big Dune Trail.” It was incredibly hot in the afternoon. Even back in the town of Alamogordo, NM, it was 100 degrees (F). I got a room at the Satellite Motel. There was nowhere close by to eat, so I bought some microwaveable food and used the microwave in my motel room. This was appropriate, I thought, since I was so close to the Trinity Site, where the USA tested the first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. The site is open to the public only two days per year, and since I wasn’t there on one of the days, I “nuked” my dinner instead. Later, one of the guys who was living at the motel, knocked on my door and tried to sell me a shirt for $15. I had just bought a new T-shirt at White Sands, so I wasn’t interested.
2215.6 miles


July 11, 2005 (Monday)
I left at 6:45MDT. I started my journey by going through a mountain pass heading east, with the morning sun in my eyes. It was a bit challenging at times. Then I drove to and through Roswell, NM. I stopped for gas a few times, because there was so much… nothing. I had once gotten down to a quarter of a tank of gas with no end to the desert road in sight. I was not going to do that again. There were lots of cacti along 82E in New Mexico. When I got to west Texas, it smelled like cow crap. There was a town called Bovina, with lots of cattle. (Can you buy one cattle???) There was a stockyard in Bovina, and boy did it stink! This is why I don’t name things, because I would have probably named it “Cow Crap,” Texas; and Bovina was obviously a better name. I made it into the Oklahoma panhandle, where I got a room at the Longhorn Motel in Boise City. I ate at a little sandwich/ice cream/gift shop. The beer selection was bad again.
2,673.9 miles


July 12, 2005 (Tuesday)
I needed sleep, and I didn’t get on the road until 8:45AM CDT. It took about 2 ½ hours to drive to Dodge City, Kansas. I stopped at the welcome center and got pointed in the right direction to go to Front Street and Boot Hill. I arrived at about 11:30AM, so I was able to see a gunfight reenactment at High Noon. Then I visited the Boot Hill Cemetery and went through the museum along Front Street. I had a Sarsaparilla and a Club Sandwich while I was there, and then I left at about 2:00PM. I got gas and found that the beer selection was still really poor. I drove straight through to Concordia, KS, where I got a room at the Economy Inn. I had to drive back to downtown to get food and gas, and I did find some Colorado beer in the (Kansas) liquor store. At dusk, I noticed fireflies in the field in back of the motel. I could also hear what sounded like a woodcock and a variety of insects singing. There is a lot of grassland in this part of the world. There are lots of things living in it. I saw some of it burning in the distance as I was driving today. There was also some spectacular cloud-to-ground lightening as I was driving through central Kansas. It seems there was a storm to the north and another to the south as I was driving east. Regarding all of this grassland… it got me thinking. There is a National Forest Service… is there also a National Grassland Service? If so, I have never heard of them. Perhaps the National Grasslands fall under the jurisdiction of the National Forest Service. Somehow this seems wrong to me…
3,056.2 miles


July 13, 2005 (Wednesday) -This was the day the space shuttle was supposed to go back into space but it didn’t.
I left at 8:30AM CDT. I stopped in Adair, Iowa and got gas. I had lunch at Mikey’s Berry Sweet. The food was good, cheap and fast. Though I like Mexican food, I don’t want to eat it everyday. The southwest was dominated by Mexican restaurants, and it was nice to have some “regular” food when I got to Iowa. I stopped at a rest stop near Dow, and then continued into Minnesota and made it back home by 5:30PM CDT.
3608.2 miles
KJC
END

http://www.nps.gov/moru/

http://www.windriverhistory.org/

http://www.nps.gov/dino/

http://www.nps.gov/azru/

http://www.nps.gov/whsa/

http://www.boothill.org/