Weekend Update

What a weekend (or lack there of). I made the NYO trip was pretty good, more on that later, but lets get to the update.

Musical Artist of the Week:
Brazilian Girls from their new album "New York City" I first saw this band at Bumbershoot in Seattle and they were incredible, the lead singer is an eclectic raving beauty who dresses to the tilt when on stage (her eyes are always covered with something), along with a keyboard/tech wiz, a live drummer and a bass player they make for a real dance a thon live. The lead singer often sings in spanish, french, portuguese, german and english (her voice is exotic and sexy) and they have a house, electronic, funky, jazzy circus feel to most of their songs that makes you bop your head and move your booty. This new album is their second full length effort since coming together playing improvisational jams in New York Clubs and it is a very sound. Its not everyone's cup of tea (but who is this everyone anyway?) But its upbeat mostly, with some great slower tracks. The single "Good Time" is by far the highlight of the album and completely exemplifies the feeling they have live. Give em a shot if you want to expand your world a little.
Old Person Phrase of the Week: "Well I'll Be.." You can add whatever you want to the end of this "I'll be a monkey's uncle" or "I'll be tarred and feathered" or "I'll be damned" but in my opinion the best way to use it is just to say it reeeeeeal slow like "Weeeeeell Iiiiiiiii'll Beeeee"

Weather On Nunivak: Now this is what I call winter, 30 mph winds 8 degrees F after windchill, sideway blowing snow, deep deep gray skies and a nasty lil' chill than run up under ya e'er time you step out there. Thats right, Fall is done and over, we are froze up good and solid and its f***ing cold.

Yoga Fitness Update: I Tried to spread the news of Yoga around the island. Unfortunately "Adult Open Gym" Basketball started and just so happens to want to do it at the same exact time as yoga club. So for our little club to compete for health and fitness affections I will have to move our time to a more enticing time and days of the week. Thanks to Erin from O'ville I now have 4 different yoga DVD classes to offer which can service a wide range of interests and skill levels. It dawned on me this weekend at Native Youth Olympics that almost all of the events that they compete in are directly in line with many of the yoga poses we do and I have a lead on possibly getting a couple of males to come yoga. One of the adults who regularly attends ditched our group for open gym basketball. I said, "Don't you want to come get your body, mind and soul right?" The person said, "Thats what Jesus is for..." I thought in my mind, "Can jesus do the splits?"

Personal Art Update: As promised my newest song, "Standin' Still" is ready for upload, but the internet is really slow so I'll try again tomorrow.
I tried a higher pitch to my voice and also tried to embrace my natural singing which is much more nasally then I'd like. I think the song works though and I threw in some hair cut pictures at the beginning for you all to laugh at (but please don't forget to listen to the song).

Lack of Political Update: I seem to remember a time in America where we experienced something similar to what has been happening right now. Economic woes, a bullshit overseas war, a cultural youth movement, a youthful charismatic progressive president elect. I have talked to a lot of people about the election of Obama this week and the same topic keeps coming up, "God I hope nobody tries to assassinate that man" or "Every time I turn on the TV I just hope he's still alive." or "I just hope he survives the attempts" I really truly hope (If I prayed I'd pray) that America makes the right decision and lets this man try to do what is right for America without any violent attempts on his life. He made it this far, just let him be to do his thing you psycho redneck freaks.

This Weekend: I went to Akula for NYO (Native Youth Olympics). I wish I could report on the experience more, but it really wasn't that eventful (minus a tragic house fire raging nearby in town). Some of our students put their best footies forward and competed in many events with determination, some of our students only competed in 2 out of 12 events (and due to "tummy aches" some not in any events at all) and instead competed for the affections of the opposite sex, not impressed. I was, however, impressed with Akula's town store with its fruits, breads and cash machine, the school's full sized gym, and the staff's complete disregard for NYO travel rules as they sold cotton candy, soda, candy bars, and slush puppies well into the late evening making sleeping with the little sugar cracked out monsters a real peach of time. I tried to buy a bottle of water and one of the teacher's working there said, "That sounds healthy, we don't do healthy here, just sugar, pure sugar's all we got, how about a diet Coke?" I did however get some time bond with some of my students a lot and really appreciated the laughs and inside jokes that were made. I will post pictures after I ask the students for their permission.

Lasting Impression of the week:

"I used to think it was the bad things that you do,
that you pay for in the end.
More than that it is the good you could have done,
but you did something else instead"

-from "I Finally Saw the Light" written by Ben Kauffman from Yonder Mountain String Band.

Do the good that you can. -Kale