Another Day, Another Eruption

It's just amazing. How can we pick the days to see our favorite erupting volcano? A couple years ago, Ben and Kelly came to visit and picked the day to visit Mt. St. Helens on the day that it chose (or was chosen) to send an ash plume 30,000 feet into the air after settling down to very little activity for about four months.

Today, because I am off for spring break and the only day Dee could take off this week, we were able to visit this no-longer-dormant-volcano on what became a mostly sunny morning and early afternoon. As we turned the corner on hwy. 505 where Helen first is visible, we noticed a plume of steam. This had not been visible when we looked at the web volcano cam earlier in the morning before heading south.



By the time we got to Coldwater Lake, the plume continued upwards. We decided to go all the way to Johnson's Point, but were stopped by an "area closed" gate about two miles along. We pulled into the Hummock Trail parking lot and hiked inwards for about a mile getting closer to Helen, but were never able to get a clear view into the caldera. Nonetheless, seeing her vent gave us a thrill. It also made us realize that anything could happen. As we were walking, I got to an area where a sound made me jump. I looked about thinking that a lizard, bird, or small mammal might have been startled. There was no sign of any little critters around. I proceeded along the path and after discussing it, we think that we may have experienced a very small earthquake.
I don't know if I'll ever know. I'll try to find out if there were tremors on the mountain which saw a lot of geologists' activity via helicopter while we were there. As we got to the hummocks trail, we noticed them carrying some piece of equipment up toward the crater. About 20 minutes later, the chopper returned sans trailing machinery.
We noted three more trips out and returns. On a couple of those trips, we spied the helicopter circling over the dome and rim of the crater. This had to be some serious developments for the scientists to be that actively busy up there. That would lend credence to the earthquake theory.

Happiness is a new name tag

It's funny how a small piece of plastic can bring happiness.

This past week I had the distinct pleasure of being a substitute at a local Jr. High School teaching 9th grade math and science in one classroom from Monday through Wednesday and Geometry on Thursday and Friday. Since I have been hired as a substitute replacement for a ninth grade math teacher on maternity leave beginning Monday the 10th (after next week's Spring Break), it was a good thing to be able to get into the Oakland Bay Jr. High School in Shelton, WA to get a feel for the place that I would be working for the next 2 1/2 months.

As you may know, the substitute teacher is a bit lower on the food chain than plankton, but takes up a good deal more space. The front office loves the substitute as the farmer loves a full corn crib. The teacher justifies having one in their room because it's better to take a sick day at the golf course and get paid for it since this is in your contract. The pieces can always be picked up later; besides, it's fashionable to complain about how bad the sub was when you get back.

"Can you believe that she just handed out the worksheets and then played solitaire for the rest of the hour while the kids dismantled three light fixtures?"
"She'll never be in MY classroom again, I assure you!"
"He was so disorganized, he made Charlie Brown's friend Pigpen look like Richard Simmons on a good hair day."

The students find them fascinating. At first they walk into the room and ask," We have ANOTHER sub?" Then they ask when their regular teacher will be back. This is to get the sub used to the idea that the students hope he or she sinks lower than her nautical namesake. They then try out a few of the tried and true tricks.

"Can I use the bathroom?"
"Can we study in the hall?"
"Can I use the phone?"
"I have to leave ten minutes early from class today because I have a doctor's or dentist's or chiropractor's appointment."

"Do you have a note or permission slip?" asks the sub.

"My teacher never makes us have one," replies the young fork-tongued teen with eyes now turned narrow and stealthy.

The state of Washington expects substitutes to be state certified. This means that they pay upwards to 60,000 dollars in government loan dollars to make $17,500 during the school year and another 3300 bucks in unemployment during the summer. The employment agency, though, will hassle them for a month before releasing any checks so that the mortgage check requires an extra $50 for the late fees. The sub gets it from all sides - Makes you wonder if they are considered middle management with a plethora of pointy-haired bosses (see your comic section for a Dilbert cartoon).

Getting back to the part about the piece of plastic: Since I am going to be teaching in the same classroom for the rest of the year, I asked if I'd get to be a real person with a nametag that had my name on it or would I have to be a "guest" teacher for two months. The secretary assured me that my name tag had already been ordered. There was a bit of a backlog at the printers but he said it'd be there in a day or two.



Skip to Friday second hour. While I was teaching, in walked a student with a message from the office. Here was my name tag. I turned to the class and said, "Look, I'm now a REAL PERSON!" They gave me an ovation. Hmmm, I think I'm going to like it here.