5.15.2014

Week 7 - Principle problems with the Pricipal

[week 7] May 12 May 18
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(12) Monday - Len (PC IT admin) can and visited me at my site and helped reduce the problems I had with head master.
(13) Tuesday - Worked on house made a projection box and curtain door for my house.
(14) Wednesday - Went to Coral Sea restaurant with Bryan and Kate and the baby-docs and ate and sat on the doc and talked for hours.
(15) Thursday - Might go to million dollar point with the Baby-docs... they are pretty rad.
(16) Friday - Installed internet, and almost finished my bathroom sink. Got yelled at by my principle for getting internet without his permission... and slammed his fist on the desk and said don't fucking install shit in your house without my knowledge.
(17) Saturday - Movie night. We watched Captain America... need better sound system. Sam's dog was killed by a car.
(18) Sunday - Went to cruise ship area and not much else.
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Been a week... last few day of no kids at school... many days of just hanging out and meeting people. It has been entertaining. Wish I was not so broke it would be more affordable.

Got cursed at by my principle. he is not totally stable.

Welll shared my list of goals with the principle and these are it: wonder if I can achieve them all...
1) I plan to setup windows 2012 R2 server on computer and switch over to new server. This is an expensive software I purchased for use at our school. This will give all users logins and permissions. This means that we can reduce bad behavior that eat up network bandwidth, meaning we will have faster internet and people will not be goofing off watching/downloading improper material. This will also reduce damages to the computers by preventing people from installing junk software, viruses and other malicious things that damage the computers.

2) I plan to build computer containment enclosures. Thes will be large boxes that have fans and air filters on them, which will preserve the lifespan of the computers by preventing dust, smoke, bugs, small geckos and other things from getting into the computer and destroying them. These will be critical to preserving the computers. Once we build these the life span will increase from the average time of one year before a machine burns out to up to five years. Because it is not old humidity and heat that kills computer but dust and dirt. And as I sweep the lab daily I can see there is so much filth being tracked into the lab we need these urgently.

3) I plan to find sources to supply the school with 20 or more computers. As we grow our computer resources we can expand the lab space into other rooms and enable other teacher to use them for their subjects such as Biology or Chemistry or English or History. Having access to computers  does not limit the teaching to only learning basic computer skills it is a tool that can be used for teaching any subject. I want to keep the computer resources expanding to help other teachers with their subject matter.

4) I am a resource that can help fix software/hardware problems at the school. Within the first days of my work at College De Luganville I was approached with broken computers and software problems. I have fixed a few and solved several software problems. A service like this would be very expensive to hire and I plan to provide that for free.

5) I plan to teach my counterpart and any teacher that is interested how to use their computers better or by providing software their can use to fulfill their needs. Again this would be a very expensive resource to find in Luganville.

6) I plan to work with my counterpart and show him all the school lessons my fellow Peace Corps volunteers and I have developed and used in their classrooms. This will help improve the academic quality of the IT lessons.

7) I plan to improve and document the network architecture of the school, so that we can improve support and speed of the network. Such things as having access to the shared printer, having ability to scan documents from any computer, and connect to a local hosted College De Luganville website for the school.

8) Build a locally hosted College De Luganville website that will promote the school and show off the improvements and act as a means to promote enrollment. The website can be used for a number of things beyond being an advertisement. We can put information into the website for students to use, such as a wiki like wikipedia. That could be used to retain information from students such as book reports or writing assignments, things that can then be referred to by students that come next year and the year after. Everyone is moving towards as less paper reliant society. If we can retain this information much like wikipedia does the school will benefit.

5.11.2014

Week 6 - cleaning house i.e. the lab

[week 6] May 5 May 11
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(05) Monday - Cleaned lab and watched the whiteboard being made for the class rooms.
(06) Tuesday - Installed closet in house
(07) Wednesday - Installed Sink but not hooked up yet
(08) Thursday - Did not do much... read and wrote
(09) Friday - Peace corps from GAD visited for a few hours. Then French People gathered at the Library for some opening or celebration of some sort. Then I went to a Beach party with the Baby-Docs and OzAid and NewZealand aid people. Very fun.
(10) Saturday - Hungout with Peace had movie nite 1... but need speakers to make it better.
(11) Sunday - Called my mom and gave her a poem for mother's day. Sat in lab and downloaded torrents for Peace Corps Friends. Worked on setup of lab computers
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Was a interesting week not having students around... the false positive visit of Len to my site to handle the slight mis-understandings that have arisen. Then the party with the new people... it was a fun week a little bizarre but what isn't in Vanuatu.

4.30.2014

Week 5 - fixing da shit

Goals for the week:
1) Finish painting server room
2) Install new sink facet and mirror for house bathroom
3) Install facet bathroom
4) Make rack for kitchen 

This is what actually was done
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[week 5] April 28 May 4
(28) Monday - Painted part of my house to stop termites from eating up my kitchen separator. Was told I could not have friends over at my house, lab and that I owe money for the water bill. picked up package 3 from post office...
(29) Tuesday - Installed facet for kitchen
(30) Wednesday - waited for Edward to finish butchering a cow so we could install sink and facet for bathroom... picked up package 4 from post office.
(01) Thursday -  Avoided people all the rest of the week...
(02) Friday - Worked on short story
(03) Saturday - Avoided people, Wrote on my space Ni-Van Story "Spac-Trak Santo"
(04) Sunday - Avoided people... Drank beer and wrote.
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Something strange happened at my school and I was in an awkward position so I just sat back and waited for my Peace Corps admins to help me out. Guess things like this happen from time to time in Ni-Van Culture but it was surprising to me. I was told that I could not have friends over at my school or lab... Which basically means I am not supposed to have any fun while serving. This is an odd request. So I think it will be fixed and life will go back to normal.

4.24.2014

Week 4 - the beginning of being broke

So far the week has been productive... few days left but not likely to get them all done.

Had several goals for the week:
1) Finish painting server room
2) Install new sink facet and mirror for house bathroom
3) Start funding campaign at Wilco to get things for school (second air con, big monitor and paint for the floor and two ceiling fans)
4) Start more funding requests at big international orgs like Jira, Oz Aid, and so on
5) Install a hanger for kitchen pots and pans
6) Remove all junk from computer rooms.
7) Get bike.
8) Work on short stories.

This is what actually was done
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[week 4] April 21 -27
(21) Monday - Painted part of the server room, painted bathroom in house
(22) Tuesday - Painted server room more... wrote a bit on new space story for Van Am news paper.
(23) Wednesday - Painted server room, removed junk from server room got second haircut in Vanuatu.
(24) Thursday -  Installed new toilet in my house, bought bike Vanvatu (SPELLED wrong thanks China) cruiser, joined bike club... 
(25) Friday - Painted lab, tried to get my package from the mail but the only customs person has been sick all week so now I wait till Monday. Cruised around in the non-stop rain and sat at a bar with some Australian and his kid eating chips at 8pm waiting for the rain to stop.
(26) Saturday - Cruising on the bike with rich, brian and kate to million-dollar point to swim.
(27) Sunday - Played some LAN games with the Santo 8.
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Was denied the extra lumber to make the bed and things because the school ran out of funding for the semester... have to wait till next month to make a big that fits me.

4.21.2014

------START OF PEACE CORPS SERVICE------ Week 1 , 2 and 3 in Santo, Luganville.

Jan 23-30 March Flew to LA then New Zealand then Port Vila Vanuatu. For 2 months of training.
Starved, lost 20 pounds, Stayed on island of Moso and eFate in village called Eapu.

Week in Vila - march 26 
swear in becoming offical Peace Corps Volunteer aka Two months of training hell ends. ****

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[week 1] March 31- April 4th -
 first week at site: got items for house, ordered lumber, inquiry about PC at BanBan… ate good food.
went to rec center to help with computer for Daria… 
  hangout with crew and Abain, first Skype call, ear infection 2 began
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[week 2] April 7-11 -
(7) Monday  - removed trash computer from lab, taxes paid.
(8) Tuesday - worked on funding explored Wilco for Microwave, contact number for wilco, for coffee machine
(9) Wednesday - AC installed worked on funding, worked on story, package 3 arrived paints and projector
(10) Thursday -  started painting lab floor, made coffee table, discovered carly/genevieve is a phony.
(11) Friday - finish painting lab, make cabinet kitchen, help Daria with computer, Kava night?
(12) Saturday - Hungout with New Zealand aid people… went to fund raiser and club
(13) Sunday - mostly nothing just played games, made buyer for mike
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[week 3] april 14 -18
(14) Monday - make furniture for kitchen, met with ban ban principle. 
(15) Tuesday - made couch, bought sink and facets, worked out with richard, got laptop from principle.
(16) Wednesday - start painting walls lab outer walls and under tables
(17) Thursday -  continue with wall lab inner walls and entry
(18) Friday - continue paint walls server room - finished went to drink with people at bar
(19) Saturday - held lan-party with peace corps friends.
(20) Sunday - went to blue hole oyster bay

Year 2013 in review

January - Work begins on the former "Vote No Campaign" now the "Vote Yes" for 
Constitution amendment allowing anyone to marry who they want...
             
February -  1st - Contract with Best Buy ended as funding ran out.
 3rd helped with drill holes for new bathrooms at the Soap Factory.
  20th - Big rally at the Capital...Continued work on Vote Yes.
             
#
Smashed concrete walls in the Soap Factory basement and hauled out  50 Wheel barrows of debris.

March - Continued work on Vote Yes.

April - Continued work on Vote Yes.
            20th Landed short term contract at BI World Wide.

May - 5th Worked the Mayday parade as one of the Big puppets, helped build and paint many of them.
           On May 9, 2013, the House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize same-sex 
            marriage on a vote of 75 to 59. Victory.

June - 16th  Worked Northern Spark as a crew leader at the Bedlam Location in St. Paul.
           25th Saw the YYY's at First ave.

July - 11th Went to See Bob Dylan with Mary at the Old St. Paul Saints stadium at Midway.
          20th got my Peace corps invite to go to the island nation of Vanuatu.
           22nd worked Paper darts event at Soo Vac.
          July 31st Did the Mississippi river challenge and stay at Fort Snelling
                        and the temperature dipped to 35 degree on. It could have almost snowed.

August - 17th got 5 stitches in arm from injury during construction at Soap Factory.
               23rd, went to see Dessa play. She is so rad.
               25th Haunted Basement Soap Factory work kicked into full swing.
               27th Left BI World Wide contract. Silliest company I ever worked for.

September - Started art install of 8 new works of mine at Dunn Brothers near Loring Park Minneapolis

October - Haunted basement 100 hours of work (80 building, 20 acting)

November - First art show I had work publicly shown Soap Factory biennial.
                     Joined flash mod performance at Mall of America with Bedlam troop: 
                     
                     Emptied apartment to ready for reanter, painted all walls and 
                   moved out and lived with Mary for a month.

December - Completed art show at Jungle Red sold one painting.
                      Was lucky enough to hangout with The Laurie Walker. She's so cool.
                      Packed bags and readied for leaving the country.
                      Logged 501 + volunteer hours at the soap factory new personal record and I think the most
                      any volunteer ever has done in a single year.

12.05.2012

As shimmering derivatives become clarified

What a year.

January - Had a girl thought was a best friend living with me. Finished my BA in English.
February - Best friend dies from brain cancer.
                Girl friend, starts screwing everyone in town.
March - Recovering from stressful death of friend... Road trip to Chicago and helped moved a ton of clay for a show at the soap factory demonstrating WWI bomb making.
April - Landed new contract at Best Buy, became less broke.
May - Fourth publish work in print. MayDay Parade was a Tree. Graduation ceremony at St. Thomas.
June - Northern spark / 10 second film fest
July - Dropped back stabber friend Sam like bad habit. Also broke off all contact with Ya-ya that girl. Helped with Friends of the Mississippi River challenge.
August - Music Festivals. Painting and volunteering Soap Factory.
September - Helped build Andy Decett's "Why we do this" Show 60 hours. Brother getting divorced. Fringe Fest volunteered.
October - Haunted basement 60 hour of work (40 building 20 acting)
               Vote No campaign 3 nights a week.
November - 4 days of training and door knocking and we Won Vote no Campaign. WooHoo!
                  First art show I had work publicly shown Soap Factory biennial.
December - Acting in Union Depot grand opening 12/8... huge hit: 20,000 people, 45 actors, 15 mini shows and a lot of people so happy they cried when they saw us perform. Huge night. Made lots of new friends and hope to act with them again. Refi of my home and dropping Wells Fargo... and using my Credit Union YEAH... dropping crap-ass bank for a humane bank.

Next year... Peace Corps... so much to look forward to.