It was probably January when I decided to move a short
distance into an abandoned log cabin right on the riverbank. Now there were two
things I didn’t know. First, it was
abandoned because it’s too cold right on the river, and if that wasn’t enough,
this cabin had been lifted up in a flood and rotated so now its front door
faced north. Right into the wind. I didn’t know. I thought it looked good. It
was impossible to heat.
distance into an abandoned log cabin right on the riverbank. Now there were two
things I didn’t know. First, it was
abandoned because it’s too cold right on the river, and if that wasn’t enough,
this cabin had been lifted up in a flood and rotated so now its front door
faced north. Right into the wind. I didn’t know. I thought it looked good. It
was impossible to heat.
That night, with no warning, I got sick. Really sick. I
became very weak. I had a fever and I was burning up. I felt terrible and to
top it off I had to take a wicked shit.
became very weak. I had a fever and I was burning up. I felt terrible and to
top it off I had to take a wicked shit.
I can’t claim to have been thinking clearly but the only
thing on my mind was to make it to the little outhouse near my previous cabin.
It wasn’t far. Maybe 2 football fields away. I already had on two pairs of
thermal woven cotton long-johns. I put on sweaters. I got on my parka. I opened
the door.
thing on my mind was to make it to the little outhouse near my previous cabin.
It wasn’t far. Maybe 2 football fields away. I already had on two pairs of
thermal woven cotton long-johns. I put on sweaters. I got on my parka. I opened
the door.
It was brutal. Maybe 40 below. It was 4 am. (from Sleetmute: A True Story of Alaska, by
Stan Resnicoff)
Stan Resnicoff)
New York City. 1968. I was 24. I had
just graduated from college. I applied to VISTA (Volunteers in Service to
America) as a possible deferment from the Army and Vietnam. I was young and I
thought I knew everything. I figured if they had VISTA in any state they had to
have VISTA in every state. I requested an assignment in Hawaii.
just graduated from college. I applied to VISTA (Volunteers in Service to
America) as a possible deferment from the Army and Vietnam. I was young and I
thought I knew everything. I figured if they had VISTA in any state they had to
have VISTA in every state. I requested an assignment in Hawaii.
So naturally, six months later I’m in
the very remote, tiny Eskimo village of Sleetmute, Alaska. No streets, no
electricity, no phones, no television, no signs, no law. I’m wearing everything
I own. I’m hunting for my food. It’s fifty degrees below zero and it’s getting
colder……..
the very remote, tiny Eskimo village of Sleetmute, Alaska. No streets, no
electricity, no phones, no television, no signs, no law. I’m wearing everything
I own. I’m hunting for my food. It’s fifty degrees below zero and it’s getting
colder……..
Kirkus Reviews said Sleetmute is “incredibly
entertaining” and also “Resnicoff’s encounters fascinate not only because they
introduce readers to a world few have ever seen, but also because he’s a gifted
storyteller. He channels his 24-year-old self’s confusion and naïveté in a way
that is by turns hilarious, endearing and often quite moving.”
entertaining” and also “Resnicoff’s encounters fascinate not only because they
introduce readers to a world few have ever seen, but also because he’s a gifted
storyteller. He channels his 24-year-old self’s confusion and naïveté in a way
that is by turns hilarious, endearing and often quite moving.”
After Sleetmute, Stan spent three warmer years in Honolulu
designing creative educational materials for the children of Hawaii. He then
accepted a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at M.I.T for
work that he was doing on natural sensory playgrounds called ‘Playcanos’. While
in Boston he was also the exhibits designer for the Boston Children’s Museum,
and later he designed creative learning games and experiences for the American
Museum of Natural History (NY), the Bronx Zoo and the Smithsonian Institution.
designing creative educational materials for the children of Hawaii. He then
accepted a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at M.I.T for
work that he was doing on natural sensory playgrounds called ‘Playcanos’. While
in Boston he was also the exhibits designer for the Boston Children’s Museum,
and later he designed creative learning games and experiences for the American
Museum of Natural History (NY), the Bronx Zoo and the Smithsonian Institution.
In 1982 he joined Mattel Toys as an educational software
designer eventually becoming the Director of their ‘blue-sky’ toy research
group. He designed the award winning GeoSafari CD-ROM series. More recently,
his first children’s book, ‘Stanley, the Seal of Approval’ was published by
Random House and it, as well as several other of his children’s books and
movies are now available online. He lives in Redondo Beach, California.
designer eventually becoming the Director of their ‘blue-sky’ toy research
group. He designed the award winning GeoSafari CD-ROM series. More recently,
his first children’s book, ‘Stanley, the Seal of Approval’ was published by
Random House and it, as well as several other of his children’s books and
movies are now available online. He lives in Redondo Beach, California.
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Dear Stan,
I read your book on Kindle. I am interested in personal histories of time spent in rural Alaska, as I write in that "arena," too. I enjoyed the history of the VISTA period. You may know that some of that group, stayed, married, raised kids there and are still in rural Alaska (No implication in that, that you should have done the same more like, "Isn't that amazing?") As I recall, Chris Cooke was one – now his daughter heads a Native Corporation. I used to be more sure of all who came in that group. I learned recently that Jess Jessie, who heads the Mental Health Trust was a VISTA back then. Same years? Same decade? I am not sure, but as you pointed out the plug was pulled – so no more VISTAS, after a certain point. Your default method of functioning in the village, holds some appeal to me(i.e, don't do anything much). Much later, doing mental health village work, I'd mainly reinforce what was already happening telling people I have no answers. They were doing the right thing. They have 10,000 years experience at loss and grief in the great outback. I plan to begin to collect the documents related to rural work, publish as a collection or journal. If it's a stand alone "anthology" it will be titled, "Chop Wood, Carry Honey Buckets." You can connect with me at skleven@ak.net, if you want. ~ Sandy Kleven, editor, CIRQUE
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