Kyle Berg

At one point I was really in a groove writing. Thoughts for blog posts would dance through my head as I tried to sleep. (More often than not, my best writing came between 11 PM and 3 AM.) Other times I would go through the day, observing the world and wondering how I could use those observations in a blog post. There were times when I knew it was good writing and others when I was just trying to jot down thoughts. For those few that faithfully read my blog, what often seemed to me like trivial writing was welcomed and encouraged. On more than one occasion, people told me how they missed my writing but were polite enough to leave unasked the question “What happened?”

I’ve tried to understand this myself during moments of writing apathy. They are not excuses, but I do have a few reasons. First of all, I went to photography school, focused on that, and ignored my writing. After finishing 5 intense months of classes, my mind was fried and I had no motivation to write. Simultaneous to this, Meredee and I had spent hundreds of hours on the phone, at the expense of getting sleep, and we were exhausted! Next, I was living in Missoula and frustrated by the cultural and political positions held by both Missoulians and many of my fellow students and instructors. I adamantly disagreed with them! But my goal was to learn photography, not debate people. (This may be a nice way of saying I didn’t have the guts or desire to debate others. I really don’t know.) Thus, whether correct or not, I internalized most of my frustrations so as to be amiable toward anyone and everyone.  But without a doubt, the most devastating element to my writing was the climate of the country. What I had seen in Missoula started the process and then my disbelief went national. I could not comprehend what was happening to the United States I loved and dearly missed while I had been away in Argentina. Coming back home and watching how we panicked, threw away our freedoms, and elected a complete fool was more than I could handle. Whereas before, I enjoyed commenting on political issues, I found myself paying as little attention to the news as possible and having nothing to say or write. I hid from my frustration and hurt rather than dealing with it. Strange as it may sound to some, this took away my desire to blog about anything, no matter the topic.

The most recent and important person to call me out on this writing hiatus was my wife. She told me what I had known for a while. I needed to write–for both of our sakes. Not only did I need to put my thoughts into words, I needed to share her with those I care about but are too far away to get to know her.

I’ve gotten over what I allowed to get in my way and it’s with new resolve that I begin to write again. I want writing to become a habit and part of my thought processes. Writing makes me more analytical (yes, that’s possible), interesting, and possibly, even funny. I also want to tell everyone how wonderful my wife Meredee is and how fortunate I am to have met and married such a special woman. To help with this new mindset, I am making the pledge to write at least one blog post per day for the next 30 days. After that, keeping the Berg Blog rolling should be natural once again.

I just got around to reading an email from my friend Anthony, whom I met at my language school in Buenos Aires. He quit a very nice job to pursue his teaching degree and just started in December as a high school math teacher in Washington D.C. I went to a public high school, but definitely never experienced anything like he is going through. Here’s what he wrote:

It’s been an up and down ride, but today marked my second full week as a High School Math Teacher at Spingarn Senior High School in Washington DC (a few blocks due north of RFK stadium).  Algebra I is my subject, chalk is my medium.

The first week was a total culture shock.  Before the novelty wears off and I become numb, let me share some items of note;
- At least two of my students are pregnant, two others have kids already (note, I teach mostly 9th graders)
- 50% of the students have special needs
- Several of the students are on parole, and some have ankle bracelets which monitor their whereabouts
- 35 students are registered for each of the three 90-minute classes I teach.  Two of those classes are for “repeaters”.
- Attendance is atrocious.  Yesterday, Thursday, I had three students in my first class, one in my second, and two in my third.
- So far, the most students I’ve had at one time is 12.  When that many students get together it’s difficult to keep order.
- On Wednesday we evacuated the school for a few hours as a student set fire to a locker.  This was the third time this has happened this fall.  Oh, there was also a fight.
- When not attending class, the students roam the halls, kicking doors, running into random classrooms, and shouting.
- Every once in a while the Principal comes over the loud speaker and declares a “Code Green”.  This means the teachers are not to let anyone into or out of their classrooms.  AT this point the security force and Asst Principals sweep the halls and suspend anyone they find without a pass.
- There is the obligatory metal detector at the front door.  There are quite a few security personnel on site, probably about 10.  All students and staff have photo ids.
- Many of the teachers complain about being cursed out by students and some are threatened physically.
- The school seems to be in good shape physically.  Well, except for my classroom – see attached photo’s.  Peeling paint, stained lights, missing floor tiles, and graffitti on almost any vertical surface.
- The school didn’t have a library until 3 years ago when one teacher decided to start it.  Many of the books she buys with her own money at flea markets and bookstores.
- There are about 800 students; approximately 350 in 9th grade, 250 in 10th, 150 in 11th, and 50 in 12th.  Lots of attrition.
- The staff has been unbelievably welcoming, and friendly towards me, and I really like the Principal.

Seeing how the staff stretch their resources, made me think of the piles of old binders we would throw away from time to time at Hines.  If there is ever a stack of binders that are reuseable, please let me know and I’ll come get them to take to the school.
Also, if there is any furniture left behind by vacating tenants, the school could use that as well.  Specifically desks (mine is a sturdy small wooden one circa 1930), bookcases, filing cabinets, and whiteboards.  I’ve been going through so much chalk that I start coughing from all the chalk dust at the board.  In Feb., I intend to perform a “Classroom Makeover” and overhaul the room, after I get rid of all the old junk that is cluttering it up.

There’s more, but I’ll save that for another time.  But know that the students that do come to class but forth good ffort.  I’ve already taken them through an entire chapter on solving equations.

Thank you for your support, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

Anthony “Algebra” Priest

For our second session of premarital counseling, Meredee and I were asked to come up with a list of 25 things we appreciated about the other person. Needless to say, it took me only a few minutes to come up with my list and I could have easily written another fifty without having to strain. Meredee is an incredible woman and I’d like to share with you the first 25 characteristics that came to mind. They are not in any particular order and the ommission of any characteristic does not imply a lacking on Meredee’s part.

1. Honesty – she will always speak her mind and does not make me guess what she’s thinking or feeling
2. Communicates well – this is one of Mer’s best qualities and it comes shining through in her interactions with just about anyone
3. Sense of humor – she makes me laugh and is one of the wittiest people I’ve met
4. Ability to understand me – she gets me in a way no one ever has. I do not have to preface my statements, ever.
5. Shared values – similar backgrounds and share faith
6. Share politics – every bit as conservative as I am
7. Outgoing – she’s not shy and I don’t have to come up with conversation
8. Understands a woman’s role & respects a man’s – she wants to be a wife and wants me to lead the relationship and take charge
9. Intellect – Meredee is very bright and fills in the gaps where I fail to understand or see things
10. Patience – she does not get angry or rush to judgment
11. Calm demeanor – one of the most laid back women I’ve ever met, yet is not shy
12. Femininity – carries herself like a woman
13. Openness – she is an open book and tells me what’s going on without expecting me to read her mind
14. Appearance – I think she’s beautiful
15. Family relationship – comes from a loving & supportive family whom she cares about
16. Builds me up & inspires confidence – she does not belittle me and helps me see my good traits
17. Passionate – very affectionate and not reserved in sharing this with me
18. Thriftiness – she has a 6th sense for deals and will be responsible with money
19. Maturity – wisdom beyond her years and her peers
20. Style – we agree on clothing, household items, etc.
21. Desire to do what is right & serve God – even when she fails, her heart is to love and serve God
22. Analytical – she can dissect & understand a situation very quickly
23. Trusting – she trusts me implicitly
24. Positive & optimistic – she does not complain or gossip and is almost always cheerful
25. Content – she expects me to love and care for her and everything else is gravy

Somehow I found a way to do it. Sigh. Last Friday I was setting up a separate blog for my photography Web site. As I was doing that, I deleted what I thought were some old, out of place files. I didn’t realize that I was actually deleting my entire blog. This was due to a restructuring of the files that I had done earlier in the year with my Web host. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when I realized what had happened. I emailed the hosting company’s outstanding technical support and they restored my files for a fee of $75. Paying that much frustrated me, but it was preferrable to losing everything I had written over the last year or more. But even with the files restored, the blog was still broken. Yesterday afternoon I figured out that my writings were stored somewhere else on their servers and not within the files they had restored. This scared me a little and I thought maybe they had been lost permanently. I emailed technical support again and, fortunately, they restored the blog this morning. I’m missing some writing from July through September, but I can get over that–especially since I haven’t written much this summer. Some pictures will have to be restored, but I’m grateful to have my writings from Argentina. Needless to say, I have installed a backup solution and now have it set up to email me a backup file once a day. I look forward to getting back into writing, having a fresh mind, and being able to think again. I’ve been so tired the last few months and it will be nice to be thought provoking and maybe even a little witty at some point in the future.

Rodeos are great! I’m somewhat of a city slicker and had never been to one before, but I really enjoyed myself. I don’t have time to write much right now because I’m headed to Glacier National Park in the morning and need to get some sleep. But here are some photos for now.