http://www.stateoftheocean.org/research.cfm
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Saturday, October 12, 2013
State of the Oceans
Since I am teaching Environmental Science, I am gathering and gleaning information like this. This is grim. If I was a high school teenager, I'd be bummed seeing this kind of report.
http://www.stateoftheocean.org/research.cfm
http://www.stateoftheocean.org/research.cfm
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Viva Mi Abuela (Grandmother) [updated]
My wife's grandmother died today. She was 92.
This is the woman who raised Tania from about 3 years old. She is the one who instilled values and beliefs in Tania. She is the woman who I went to ask for Tania's hand in marriage.
According to Tania, her abuela was a strong and independent woman who didn't need any help from anyone. In the 1970s, when Tania was a little girl, they lived on a piece of land on the banks of the Orinoco River where they raised chickens and pigs, and grew a few crops. Her abuela was so fierce and strong, she could kill a pig with a single wack of a thick stick between the eyes.
When I got to know her, she was already an old lady, blind, who loved me for taking care of, and being a good husband to her favorite granddaughter. She spoke to me in Spanish like I understood it. She spoke to me about the love of Jesus, and Hugo Chavez. She loved them both. I can't fault her for loving the former, but I think the latter had her fooled.
She was a good woman who lived a long hard life. May she rest in piece.
Viva mi abuela!
[update] I went to the funeral and it was very touching and nice. The whole time I was there, of course everyone is chattering in Spanish, so I withdraw into my own little world and this song kept playing in my head. Tania loves Billy Joe Shaver so I wanted to add this.
This is the woman who raised Tania from about 3 years old. She is the one who instilled values and beliefs in Tania. She is the woman who I went to ask for Tania's hand in marriage.
According to Tania, her abuela was a strong and independent woman who didn't need any help from anyone. In the 1970s, when Tania was a little girl, they lived on a piece of land on the banks of the Orinoco River where they raised chickens and pigs, and grew a few crops. Her abuela was so fierce and strong, she could kill a pig with a single wack of a thick stick between the eyes.
When I got to know her, she was already an old lady, blind, who loved me for taking care of, and being a good husband to her favorite granddaughter. She spoke to me in Spanish like I understood it. She spoke to me about the love of Jesus, and Hugo Chavez. She loved them both. I can't fault her for loving the former, but I think the latter had her fooled.
She was a good woman who lived a long hard life. May she rest in piece.
Viva mi abuela!
[update] I went to the funeral and it was very touching and nice. The whole time I was there, of course everyone is chattering in Spanish, so I withdraw into my own little world and this song kept playing in my head. Tania loves Billy Joe Shaver so I wanted to add this.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Jose Hernandez
Jose was killed this morning on his way to work. Jose was riding a bicycle to school this morning when he was smashed and ripped to shreds by something big. It was a hit and run and there wasn't much left of Jose of what I have heard. A gruesome death.
Who was Jose? He was one of the day watchmen at our school. I didn't know him really, but he was usually the man who greeting me in the morning when I arrived to the building. He always said "Buenos dias!" and I think he meant it.
We have had somewhat of a revolving door of security guards at our school. The security company doesn't pay much, and the job is tedious. But Jose didn't seem to mind. He occupied himself by going beyond his job description and actually helped several of us teachers when we needed it. Just yesterday, he helped Daniel and I unload some sacks of soil for a campus beautification project that Daniel and his environmental science class is doing.
It seems that Jose died alone. This afternoon we went to the funeral home to pay our condolences to his family. The funeral home was empty, apparently there was a change of plans and his remains were in the morgue at the local hospital. No wake or funeral for Jose. No family member were to be found. His remains will be buried tomorrow in a local cemetery. I just want people to know that he existed and he seemed an honest and kind guy. A commodity that seems rare in these times in Venezuela.
Who was Jose? He was one of the day watchmen at our school. I didn't know him really, but he was usually the man who greeting me in the morning when I arrived to the building. He always said "Buenos dias!" and I think he meant it.
We have had somewhat of a revolving door of security guards at our school. The security company doesn't pay much, and the job is tedious. But Jose didn't seem to mind. He occupied himself by going beyond his job description and actually helped several of us teachers when we needed it. Just yesterday, he helped Daniel and I unload some sacks of soil for a campus beautification project that Daniel and his environmental science class is doing.
It seems that Jose died alone. This afternoon we went to the funeral home to pay our condolences to his family. The funeral home was empty, apparently there was a change of plans and his remains were in the morgue at the local hospital. No wake or funeral for Jose. No family member were to be found. His remains will be buried tomorrow in a local cemetery. I just want people to know that he existed and he seemed an honest and kind guy. A commodity that seems rare in these times in Venezuela.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Dealing with Death (updated...photo added)
The core of this was first written as a e-mail to a friend. I liked it.
Today Sally's body was cremated. Daniel and I did a last tribute/joke/FU "Betty" today. "Betty" is the bitch who took over the school and basically ran it into the ground through her indifference and incompetence. ("Betty" was put in place by the school's new owners). "Betty" was equally disliked by teachers, students, parents, and Sally. Betty is an incompetent buffoon.
Back to the story...
We followed the hearse/van to the cemetery where the the crematorium is located. While Daniel took care of paperwork, the van driver gave me all the flowers that were at the viewing of the body yesterday. I had a large wreath of roses and ferns, a cross of chrysanthemums, and a couple of other bundles of flowers; more roses, some daisies, etc. After one last viewing and crying session, the body was taken into the crematorium, I asked Daniel what he wanted to do with the flowers since I had a trunk full of them. "Lets take them to the school!" he said.
So in a final tribute to Sally, Escuela de las Americas, and a big "F**k You 'Betty'", we wired the crucifix which was a top the casket to the front gate along with the huge (1m in diameter) flower wreath ,and the flower cross (about 75 cm long 50 cm wide). I am sure Sally was smiling down.
I had to leave to go back to work, so Tania drove by afterward and said it looks great! She said people were slowing down and checking it out. I'd love to see "Betty's" reaction in the morning.
As Nelson on The Simpsons would say, "Ha HA!"
Its been a wild weekend. Here, they don't give you much time to prepare and plan when it comes to death. When it happens, it's like, "drop everything and deal with death" time.
Today Sally's body was cremated. Daniel and I did a last tribute/joke/FU "Betty" today. "Betty" is the bitch who took over the school and basically ran it into the ground through her indifference and incompetence. ("Betty" was put in place by the school's new owners). "Betty" was equally disliked by teachers, students, parents, and Sally. Betty is an incompetent buffoon.
Back to the story...
We followed the hearse/van to the cemetery where the the crematorium is located. While Daniel took care of paperwork, the van driver gave me all the flowers that were at the viewing of the body yesterday. I had a large wreath of roses and ferns, a cross of chrysanthemums, and a couple of other bundles of flowers; more roses, some daisies, etc. After one last viewing and crying session, the body was taken into the crematorium, I asked Daniel what he wanted to do with the flowers since I had a trunk full of them. "Lets take them to the school!" he said.
So in a final tribute to Sally, Escuela de las Americas, and a big "F**k You 'Betty'", we wired the crucifix which was a top the casket to the front gate along with the huge (1m in diameter) flower wreath ,and the flower cross (about 75 cm long 50 cm wide). I am sure Sally was smiling down.
I had to leave to go back to work, so Tania drove by afterward and said it looks great! She said people were slowing down and checking it out. I'd love to see "Betty's" reaction in the morning.
As Nelson on The Simpsons would say, "Ha HA!"
Its been a wild weekend. Here, they don't give you much time to prepare and plan when it comes to death. When it happens, it's like, "drop everything and deal with death" time.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Sally
Sally Hefley passed away on the morning of June 6, 2009. She died as she lived; at peace, surrounded by people whose lives she touched, both Venezuelan and ex-patriot Americans. She is survived by her sons Daniel Hefley, granddaughter Dania, both of Lecheria, Venezuela, David Hefley of Omaha, Nebraska, and her stepdaughters…, and her whole extended ELA family (more on that later).
She was born August 3, 1938, in
The adventurous part of her life began when she married the-love-of-her-life, Riley Hefley in 1963. Riley had three daughters from a previous marriage, and they raised two sons of their own.
In 1966 Riley and Sally immigrated to
After a few years, Riley got a job in the Venezuelan oil industry in Anaco and
They eventually returned to
Eventually it was decided to return to
It was at this time, while in Anaco, Sally once again became involved in education. She was on the advisory board at Escuela Anaco, an international school.
After relocating to
By 2000, ELA-PLC had grown to nearly 100 students, ranging from prekindergarten to 12th grade, both from the local Venezuelan community as well as the global ex-patriot community. They moved into a new building in the satellite community of Lecheria.
It was also about this time when Sally tragically lost the-love-of-her-life, Riley, who was unjustly killed in a dispute at their farm. Instead of giving up, Sally put forth 100 percent of her energy into the school. She gathered the “dream-team” in teachers, and enrollment continued to grow.
At ELA, she gave students who would not normally be able to afford a high-caliber education, the opportunity to attend. She emphasized the family of ELA. All students, teachers, and staff, where part of the ELA family.
The first half of her adult life was dedicated to her husband Riley, whom she helped 110 percent. She and Riley were partners for life and in life. After Riley’s death, she channeled that same dedication into her family at Escuela de las
Because of her guidance and generosity, and forthright personality, she allowed many people to rise beyond their own expectations. Through tough love, and understanding, she brought the best out of people. Sally Hefley was a great woman and mom to everyone. She was the momma bear.
Today, the global education community has lost a great leader.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Coincidence or Something Else?
On Friday I got word that my grandmother had died. I wasn't surprised. I had been preparing myself mentally for this for a while.
Around 3:00 local time I got a phone call from my sister giving me the news. I asked what time did Grandmother die? About 11:45 MST. That puts it at 2:15 Venezuela Standard Time.
I asked for the time of death because I wanted to see if there was some kind of "message" from my grandmother.
Do you know what I was doing at that exact moment of 2:15? A few minutes before 2:15, I was showing my 5th and 6th grade science class a PowerPoint presentation on weathering and erosion. Around 2:13, I opened the file on my laptop from Christmas 2007 because there were some photos of the Mississippi River in there and I wanted them to see the meandering features of the river. BTW, I was watching the clock because the students were scheduled to go back to their regular classroom at 2:15.
We never got to those photos, instead, as I was scrolling through the photos, my students, mostly girls, saw the icon pictures of my grandmother and asked who it was. I stopped and opened the pictures and we looked at my grandmother for a few minutes. I told them she was 101 years old. They were in awe.
We then looked at photos of the rest of my family that I had taken that Christmas morning in 2007; my mom when she was crying because she opened a gift she wanted, my younger sister who made the phone call to me, my mom's husband who was close to my grandmother. It was all connected somewhat.
The little girls in my class were amazed looking at my grandmother. I'd like to think it is because my grandmother was always one of them, a sophisticated little girl deep inside.
I guess scientifically/psychologically you could say, I've been preoccupied with my grandmother's condition, I opened the file subconsciously. Or was it something else? Was it a way of my grandmother contacting me, giving me her final send off? I am not sure, but I'd like to think so.
This is the third time weird stuff like this has happened when a family member died. At least two mysterious things; almost unexplainable things associated with my dad's death, and now this.
I try to think of myself as a science person. Things that are explained supernaturally are written off as pseudo-science. Perhaps...or perhaps we haven't found a way of measuring certain things (energies??) yet. I want to believe in String Theory and how everything is connected. I would like to think we are all connected and that the connections between family members is greater since we share DNA.
I've experienced some really strange things in my life...way more strange that looking photos at a certain time. That being said...I am going to believe that my grandmother was sending me her final good-bye to me though the eyes of my 10-year old girl students.
Around 3:00 local time I got a phone call from my sister giving me the news. I asked what time did Grandmother die? About 11:45 MST. That puts it at 2:15 Venezuela Standard Time.
I asked for the time of death because I wanted to see if there was some kind of "message" from my grandmother.
Do you know what I was doing at that exact moment of 2:15? A few minutes before 2:15, I was showing my 5th and 6th grade science class a PowerPoint presentation on weathering and erosion. Around 2:13, I opened the file on my laptop from Christmas 2007 because there were some photos of the Mississippi River in there and I wanted them to see the meandering features of the river. BTW, I was watching the clock because the students were scheduled to go back to their regular classroom at 2:15.
We never got to those photos, instead, as I was scrolling through the photos, my students, mostly girls, saw the icon pictures of my grandmother and asked who it was. I stopped and opened the pictures and we looked at my grandmother for a few minutes. I told them she was 101 years old. They were in awe.
We then looked at photos of the rest of my family that I had taken that Christmas morning in 2007; my mom when she was crying because she opened a gift she wanted, my younger sister who made the phone call to me, my mom's husband who was close to my grandmother. It was all connected somewhat.
The little girls in my class were amazed looking at my grandmother. I'd like to think it is because my grandmother was always one of them, a sophisticated little girl deep inside.
I guess scientifically/psychologically you could say, I've been preoccupied with my grandmother's condition, I opened the file subconsciously. Or was it something else? Was it a way of my grandmother contacting me, giving me her final send off? I am not sure, but I'd like to think so.
This is the third time weird stuff like this has happened when a family member died. At least two mysterious things; almost unexplainable things associated with my dad's death, and now this.
I try to think of myself as a science person. Things that are explained supernaturally are written off as pseudo-science. Perhaps...or perhaps we haven't found a way of measuring certain things (energies??) yet. I want to believe in String Theory and how everything is connected. I would like to think we are all connected and that the connections between family members is greater since we share DNA.
I've experienced some really strange things in my life...way more strange that looking photos at a certain time. That being said...I am going to believe that my grandmother was sending me her final good-bye to me though the eyes of my 10-year old girl students.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Goodnight Grandmother
Christmas 2007I got an e-mail from my mom saying that my grandmother is in her last stages of life. She might die tonight. She said her good-byes to my mom (her primary care-giver). She's been around for 101 years! And she's had a pretty good life! Better than most.
I love my grandmother...she'll be missed, but this is a blessing; both for her and my mom. My mom is tired too. She needs a rest.
Update:
I don't want to sound morbid or anything, but as of 21 January I haven't heard if she's passed or not (kind of like the old Saturday Night Live..."Gen. Francisco Franco is still dead!"...guess you have to have been of my generation to get that joke). I am okay with this...she had her good bye with me in August and like I said above, she's had a good life...better than most people.
She's been a great influence on my life..she's the biggest reason I never did drugs, and eventually went back and finished college. She has been a terrific grandmother! A woman of class and distinction. Though once she called me a heathen for not going to church! She pulled no punches.
She enjoyed her daily afternoon toddy of Wild Turkey until about 2 years ago.
She will be missed!
I love my grandmother...she'll be missed, but this is a blessing; both for her and my mom. My mom is tired too. She needs a rest.
Update:
I don't want to sound morbid or anything, but as of 21 January I haven't heard if she's passed or not (kind of like the old Saturday Night Live..."Gen. Francisco Franco is still dead!"...guess you have to have been of my generation to get that joke). I am okay with this...she had her good bye with me in August and like I said above, she's had a good life...better than most people.
She's been a great influence on my life..she's the biggest reason I never did drugs, and eventually went back and finished college. She has been a terrific grandmother! A woman of class and distinction. Though once she called me a heathen for not going to church! She pulled no punches.
She enjoyed her daily afternoon toddy of Wild Turkey until about 2 years ago.
She will be missed!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Funk
Tomorrow is the 12th anniversary of my dad's death. He died alone at home. I am the one who found him about 12 hours later. That was really sucky! One of the worse days in my life. One of those days where everything changed for me.
I drove 6 hours down from the Rez, made a stealth raid on my brother's house where I had some of my touring and camping gear stored, made a sandwich, got out the door before anybody got home, and headed to Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Each day was an adventure. First night, I was laying on the ground in my bivy sack/sleeping bag (no tent...too heavy). I was trying to read when I heard a twig snap...I lift the hood of the bivy sack, shine my maglite outside and I was face to face, about a meter away, to a little grey fox. He kind of blinked his eyes from the light turned and pranced back into the desert.
On day 3, after a very cold day on the bike, I left my stuff at my campsite, I rode my unloaded bicycle from Ernst's Tinaja campground to the hot springs (about 10 miles one-way). When I got there, I was the only person there. I stripped off my clothes and jumped in the hot water naked. It was blowing snow flurries! It was great! I was cozy warm in the water, the Rio Grande flowing just a couple of yards away, Mexico just on the other side. It had a real romantic/rustic/adventure feel about it. I had the place to myself like that for about 1 1/2 hours, then some guy came...probably from Alpine, and he ruined the experience for me. Of course he wanted to talk. After a few minutes, I decided I better get going, so I got out, dried off quickly, got dressed in my smelly bicycle clothes, and took off. No need to warm up the muscles because of the soak in the hot spring. I got back to my camp just before the sunset. It was cold! I crawled into my sleeping bag and bivy sack, cooked some ramen noodles while laying down in my bag. Ate, then hunkered down from about 6:00 PM till 8:00 AM. It was too cold to do anything else.
The desert was kind to me...on day 4, I was riding down the River Road when a couple from Austin in Toyota 4-Runner stopped to talk to me. They gave me a smoked salmon that they had got for Christmas. That was great! That evening I camped with a couple from Albuquerque where we shared the salmon, they made spaghetti and had a bottle of wine.
Eventually I crossed the river (paid $1.00 for an old man to paddle me across in his boat) rode into Mexico for a couple of days where I eventually met a nice family. I stayed in touch with that family until I moved overseas. I still think of them from time to time, but I doubt I'll ever see them again due to 9-11.
My point of my rambling story is, this is how I finally got over my dad's death. It was all very personal and internal. Going to places like Big Bend is way better than going to any church or cathedral. I am not a churchy or religous person, but I enjoy beautiful places and feel a real connection to certain places. Shiprock, the Rez, and Big Bend are places I love and feel a connection to.
I went into a weird funk, and it took me nearly the year to get over it. This funk included hiding from creditors in L.A., shutting down my business after filling out my largest, final, glorious purchase order...from R.E.I. no less! Escaping L.A....circumnavigating the shiprock in NW New Mexico by mountain bike (my Merlin...maybe one of the few people to do such as journey around that volcanic neck) and seeing an eagle (I took it as a positive sign that I needed to return to the Rez)...living in a 1972 VW Westfalia van because I had no money for rent...got back on my feet financially by landing a new job on the Navajo Indian Reservation...having the worst Thanksgiving ever (completely orphaned...mom left town without a word, dead dad, brother out of town and sisters live out of state)...Christmas rolls around and I finally say fuck it about family time and commitment, I am going to do something that makes me happy.
I drove 6 hours down from the Rez, made a stealth raid on my brother's house where I had some of my touring and camping gear stored, made a sandwich, got out the door before anybody got home, and headed to Big Bend National Park in Texas.
****
I finally started feeling better about everything after 7 days alone in the chihuahuan desert. My funk began to disappear. I toured on my Merlin from Christmas day (1997) till New Years Day (1998). An arctic cold front swept across the west and reached far down into Big Bend territory. It was really cold!Each day was an adventure. First night, I was laying on the ground in my bivy sack/sleeping bag (no tent...too heavy). I was trying to read when I heard a twig snap...I lift the hood of the bivy sack, shine my maglite outside and I was face to face, about a meter away, to a little grey fox. He kind of blinked his eyes from the light turned and pranced back into the desert.
On day 3, after a very cold day on the bike, I left my stuff at my campsite, I rode my unloaded bicycle from Ernst's Tinaja campground to the hot springs (about 10 miles one-way). When I got there, I was the only person there. I stripped off my clothes and jumped in the hot water naked. It was blowing snow flurries! It was great! I was cozy warm in the water, the Rio Grande flowing just a couple of yards away, Mexico just on the other side. It had a real romantic/rustic/adventure feel about it. I had the place to myself like that for about 1 1/2 hours, then some guy came...probably from Alpine, and he ruined the experience for me. Of course he wanted to talk. After a few minutes, I decided I better get going, so I got out, dried off quickly, got dressed in my smelly bicycle clothes, and took off. No need to warm up the muscles because of the soak in the hot spring. I got back to my camp just before the sunset. It was cold! I crawled into my sleeping bag and bivy sack, cooked some ramen noodles while laying down in my bag. Ate, then hunkered down from about 6:00 PM till 8:00 AM. It was too cold to do anything else.
The desert was kind to me...on day 4, I was riding down the River Road when a couple from Austin in Toyota 4-Runner stopped to talk to me. They gave me a smoked salmon that they had got for Christmas. That was great! That evening I camped with a couple from Albuquerque where we shared the salmon, they made spaghetti and had a bottle of wine.
Eventually I crossed the river (paid $1.00 for an old man to paddle me across in his boat) rode into Mexico for a couple of days where I eventually met a nice family. I stayed in touch with that family until I moved overseas. I still think of them from time to time, but I doubt I'll ever see them again due to 9-11.
My point of my rambling story is, this is how I finally got over my dad's death. It was all very personal and internal. Going to places like Big Bend is way better than going to any church or cathedral. I am not a churchy or religous person, but I enjoy beautiful places and feel a real connection to certain places. Shiprock, the Rez, and Big Bend are places I love and feel a connection to.
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