Notes about Living in the Bachelor Pad:
In addition to the big pimpin’ baby blue carpet and orange countertops, there are a few other things that I love about the 70’s bachelor pad. First of all, the laundry machine, bathroom, shower, and closet are all within five yards of the front door. This is the perfect floor plan for someone who spends a lot of time getting dirty. I can walk in the front door, and be nekkid and showering, with clothes in the laundry machine (and no I don’t worry about sorting by color; I am embracing the dude lifestyle) within seven strides. Even better, right after the shower, I can take one step into my closet and be fully clothed within two minutes. I am telling you, the man who designed this place had no decorating sense, but he was a genius nevertheless.
Tess also loves the floor plan. In the morning, when I collapse the futon, she can quickly run and seek shelter from the freaky futon by hiding in the closet. When I am gone, she has a crate in the loft of the garage, away from scary noises. And when I am here, she can scan the street through the huge picture windows and bark at the Zoe look-a-like who poops in our yard every morning. Zoe is my ex-girlfriend’s dog. She is adorable. If any other dog pooped in my yard I would be mad, but when the Zoe look-a-like does it I just feel like running out and giving her a hug.
Special Event of the Day: I washed the sheets. I know. I know. That doesn’t seem all that exciting, but before we left Colorado my vet recommended that I don’t wash the sheets right away. She said that dogs smell “home” much more than they see “home.” She thought that taking the sheets from our house in Colorado and bringing them to Alaska, without washing them, would make Tess feel more at home. It is important to note that I didn’t sleep on the sheets that entire time, but I did leave them on the floor so that Tess would feel more at home when we first got here. Today, however, as she sat on the futon, lording over her domain, she started looking at the sheets like they were disgusting (I am sure I am projecting a bit). So we washed them! Tess didn’t seem to mind the smell of freshly laundered sheets one bit. Come to think of it, I didn't either.
Upper Body Watch: I have not been lifting weights while I am here. I think it’s safe to say that my biceps are beginning to dwindle. This *may* force me to bust out the dumbbells in the near future, but I will try to avoid it as long as possible in favor of outdoor activities.
Operation Fitness for Fear: On our run today I was sweating like a pig. I am pretty sure that Tess was too. (Like a piggy dog that is). However, when we got to our fountain for her cool down/swim time we found a landscaping guy pulling weeds in the garden next to the fountain. I reined Tess in since I am pretty sure that Tess isn’t actually supposed to be in the fountain. She was a little disappointed at first, but then she was quickly distracted and frightened by the landscaping guy’s ATV. I guess she is just used to landscapers in trucks or golf carts. Regardless, she got over her fear in about 90 seconds and then she was sniffing the tires and trying to climb up on the ATV. Confident strides like this make me think that Operation FFF might be working after all. We’re certainly feeling healthier; so that’s another point in the win column.
Observations in the Anchorage Public Library:
Today I was struck by how similar the Alaska Natives and the Hawaiians are. Their body types and tribal tattoos are very similar. In addition, a native Alaskan was playing the Ukulele in the library today. I’m used to seeing that instrument in Hawaii, but not in Alaska, and certainly not in the library. But, by now, I think we can safely say that the Anchorage Public Library is unlike any other library around.
Today a guy was reading the Anchorage newspaper in the library, and I was struck by the headline: “Yup, it’s hot. Tuesday’s high hits a record 80 degrees.” I love living in a place where the record temperature in July is 80 degrees.
On the way home from Anchorage today, I waved at the big guy on my street who sits out on his porch and drinks beer in the afternoon. He looked at me kind of funny, but I think it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Wildlife Sightings:
Dall Sheep: 2
Drag Queen: 1 (in the library)
Para gliders: 3
Big guy on the porch: 1
Our Afternoon Adventure: Today, for our afternoon adventure, I decided that it would be fun to hike up to the glacier on the ski resort. I picked out a nice traversing route that would wind up gradually through the different slopes and eventually get us fairly close to the glacier. Unfortunately, for some reason, right after I parked the car, I decided that the traversing route was going to take too much time, so I opted to go straight up the mountain instead. The fact that I led us straight up a black slope added another degree of difficulty to the ascent. Yeah. It was a beautiful view but wicked steep. After about 30 minutes of heading straight up the mountain, Tess and I decided that this operation would henceforth be known as: “Not Fit Enough for This Yet.”
Of course Tess was in an extra pissy mood because there were black flies everywhere, and I couldn’t seem to find a stream for her to drink from despite the fact that I could hear it. I applied Cutter (along with that stupid Shoo tag) to ward off the bugs while Tess rolled in the grass to try and keep them off of her face. After a couple of weeks in bug territory I think it’s safe to report that Cutter is not as effective as OFF. However, Cutter does not make me high from the smell of it, so it has that going for it. On the water front, I did try to get Tess to drink from the camel back but she kept getting squirted in the face. This pissed her off more. (But I secretly enjoyed it).
After we got to a stopping point on our ascent (we got no where near the glacier FYI), we decided that we would take a traversing route down the mountain. I figured it might take a little longer, but it would probably be safer than heading straight back down the steep, gravel path we took up. Of course, the safer route entailed whacking through some waist high brush, walking past some fresh caribou and bear tracks, and passing something in the bushes that made Tess bark like a maniac . . . so after a while I started thinking maybe it wasn’t that safe after all. This was confirmed when we came out of the brush, and found that the sign for “easiest way down” was blocked off due to construction. After I stared at the construction sign in front of me, I turned to the left and saw a sign that said “do not enter, explosives.” The sign on my right wasn’t any better; it was warning about unexploded avalanche explosives. So yeah, we climbed back up the route we had just come down 30 seconds before and ended up walking out on the exact path that we originally ascended on. So much for trying to be safe. In hindsight, I probably should have brought along a map of the ski resort. Maybe next time. By the time we got to the bottom of the mountain my shirt was soaked completely through with sweat. Yup. Definitely not fit enough for this yet.
However, despite needing a little more training before we can make it all the way to the glacier, Tess and I did have a blast by the time the hike was over. We finally found the glacier stream and Tess jumped right in for a celebratory swim. We followed the swim up with an impromptu dance party in the garage when we got home. Genie Ortega. I love that song.
After a quick dip in the shower, I chowed down on some leftover pizza and cracked open a Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Yes, I am starting to enjoy that nasty beverage now. Yes, I was still so hot that I was sweating onto my pizza as I ate it. And yes, Tess and I were so happy with our day that I couldn’t stop smiling.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Day 9, July 7th, Living in Girdwood, AK
Operation Fitness for Fear: Today we extended our run to almost 40 minutes. Admittedly some of that additional time was added on when we stopped at a port-a-potty mid-run for a quick pee break. I know, I know, that is too much information. But I mention it because it’s a prime example of how quirky Tess is. Due to her timid nature, she *will not* let me leave her outside in a scary new place. She had a wild panic attack the first time that I ever had to use a bathroom on a run and I left her outside. (This panic attack included barking and yelping so much that people thought I was beating her). I find this behavior a little odd since most people would certainly prefer to be left outside a port-a-potty rather than accompany me into it. However, Tess is unique; so today, like any other day, she had no issue jamming right into that thing with me. In a handicap port-a-potty, this isn’t really that annoying. However, in a standard size port-a-potty, it’s a little insane. But then again, that is Tess, a little crazy. She just sits there, squished up against the door, intently listening for any noises that might be coming from outside, while I precariously balance and try to pee while simultaneously trying to avoid touching anything in that place. I am sure it’s quite a sight.
We were also able to extend the length of our run a bit because, let’s face it: I am living at sea level. After living in CO for the past three years, running at sea level is making me feel invincible.
One other note on Operation FFF, today, while we were running, we smelled why Girdwood is fondly called Girdweed by some people. Yes. Today we caught a strong whiff of marijuana. Tess wanted to investigate it further. I indicated that there would be no stopping for ganja!
Random Observations and Thoughts: I can officially report that you should not spend your money on XM radio while living in Alaska. As I said before, I am glad that I had it installed for the drive, since it was incredibly reliable until I hit the Yukon Territory. However, I would say that it comes in about 15-25% of the time in the parts of Alaska that I have travelled in so far. Make a note of that, for next summer, when you are all packing up your cars to drive to Alaska!
A friend of mine just had an encounter with a black bear on the east coast. She was apparently bluff charged by the bear, and managed to remain calm, call the bear’s bluff, and avoid peeing in her pants during the encounter. I keep wondering how Tess will react if/when we run into a bear or moose. I figure she will either embrace her heritage, (Tess is a Plott hound and they are bred to be bear hunters) or she will embrace her true nature, and bark ferociously while simultaneously peeing and hiding behind my legs. Here’s hoping we never find out the answer to this question.
Today I went to work in the library like I normally do. Within about five minutes of my arrival, a woman came in and she was wearing some very nice smelling perfume. As soon as I realized how *aware* I was of her presence, I began to think that my current hermit lifestyle may not last. What can I say? I like nice smelling women, and I have certainly made lifestyle changes for them in the past!
The Anchorage Public Library still continues to amaze me with their non-standard library behavior. People eat in there all the time, and no one seems to have a problem with someone making excessive amounts of noise. Case in point, today a guy was asleep in a chair, head tilted all the way back, snoring as loudly as I have ever heard anyone snore, for over 30 minutes. All I can say is, thank goodness for my iPod.
I read a hysterical (to me) quote today. Lady Gaga (a pop singer) said it, and I will paraphrase it: “I make soulless electric pop, but when you are high on ecstasy, in a club at 2am, with a guy grinding up against you to my music, it feels like it has soul.”
The view on the drive home today was quite beautiful. The sky is actually pretty hazy due to some forest fires that are burning in the north, but that makes the light do interesting things. In addition to that, I drove home as the tide was almost completely out, so the entire bay looked more like a desert than a bay. I’m continually impressed by how much water comes in and out of the Turnagain Arm with the tides on a daily basis. At points, the water can be deep enough for beluga whales to swim in, and then just a few hours later, when the tide has receded, you can see birds, in the exact same spot, standing on thick, almost black, mud flats, searching for food. The black mud also takes on a glistening sheen when the sun hits it just right. I find it mesmerizing.
Wildlife/Unique to Alaska Sightings:
Special truck driving on train tracks: 1 (I always thought the truck on the train tracks was the best part of the train set)
Float Plane: 1
Wrecked Plane: 1 (Seriously, this thing was in pieces on a truck bed. Kind of creepy)
Para-surfers: 3
Our Adventure for the Day: Since I was really enjoying the view of the mudflats today, I opted to take Tess for a walk down by 20 mile river, which empties in to the bay. I tend to play it safe and avoid walking on the black mud whenever possible because it can be deadly. It is said that people have lost their lives wandering out onto that black mud, which can be like quicksand in places, getting stuck in it, and then drowning when the tide swept back in. So, for this obvious reason, we chose to walk on the drier, firmer ground to the right of the mud flats. This area was covered with tall grass and flowers. It still feels a little marshy, but the ground is much firmer and less likely to be covered by the tides. Ever since I hiked with friends in Denali a few years back, I have developed a love for hiking “off trail.” Today’s walk, although short, was off trail, and it was great. I just love stepping through tall grass, feeling it brush against your thighs, as you pick and choose the next spot to place your foot. After a while you find out with type of plant is more apt to be abrasive or cushioning, which color dirt is going to give way to a bog, or support you firmly. Of course, Tess loves this “off trail” time as much as I do. She tends to alternate between obsessively smelling everything, like a crazy vacuum cleaner running on its own, and bounding through the foliage, ecstatic about the new environment, too excited to even smell.
We found a few moose tracks; one was as big as my foot. Tess was not incredibly impressed by the moose tracks. Maybe it’s an acquired taste.
In addition, we encountered a few renegade mosquitoes. I did not have any OFF or Cutter on, just that Shoo Tag in my back pocket. I got 5 bites in about 20 minutes. My ruling on the Shoo Tag is still, “eh. It’s better than nothing, but it may also be nothing.”
At the halfway point in our walk, we stopped and took a series of pictures of the view around us, in a 360 degree format. Every time I turned a few degrees, there was another range of ridges, speckled with snow and brush. Some of the ridges were close by, and others were across the bay, with gleaming black mudflats between us. It was spectacular.
On our way back to the car, we saw two people, walking hand in hand in the tall grass. As I was pulling out of my parking spot, I saw them throw down a blanket, and a few moments later they were gone, completely hidden by the grass. I thought two things when I could no longer see them:
1) Aw, that is so romantic.
2) I hope they have more than a Shoo tag to protect them out there!
We were also able to extend the length of our run a bit because, let’s face it: I am living at sea level. After living in CO for the past three years, running at sea level is making me feel invincible.
One other note on Operation FFF, today, while we were running, we smelled why Girdwood is fondly called Girdweed by some people. Yes. Today we caught a strong whiff of marijuana. Tess wanted to investigate it further. I indicated that there would be no stopping for ganja!
Random Observations and Thoughts: I can officially report that you should not spend your money on XM radio while living in Alaska. As I said before, I am glad that I had it installed for the drive, since it was incredibly reliable until I hit the Yukon Territory. However, I would say that it comes in about 15-25% of the time in the parts of Alaska that I have travelled in so far. Make a note of that, for next summer, when you are all packing up your cars to drive to Alaska!
A friend of mine just had an encounter with a black bear on the east coast. She was apparently bluff charged by the bear, and managed to remain calm, call the bear’s bluff, and avoid peeing in her pants during the encounter. I keep wondering how Tess will react if/when we run into a bear or moose. I figure she will either embrace her heritage, (Tess is a Plott hound and they are bred to be bear hunters) or she will embrace her true nature, and bark ferociously while simultaneously peeing and hiding behind my legs. Here’s hoping we never find out the answer to this question.
Today I went to work in the library like I normally do. Within about five minutes of my arrival, a woman came in and she was wearing some very nice smelling perfume. As soon as I realized how *aware* I was of her presence, I began to think that my current hermit lifestyle may not last. What can I say? I like nice smelling women, and I have certainly made lifestyle changes for them in the past!
The Anchorage Public Library still continues to amaze me with their non-standard library behavior. People eat in there all the time, and no one seems to have a problem with someone making excessive amounts of noise. Case in point, today a guy was asleep in a chair, head tilted all the way back, snoring as loudly as I have ever heard anyone snore, for over 30 minutes. All I can say is, thank goodness for my iPod.
I read a hysterical (to me) quote today. Lady Gaga (a pop singer) said it, and I will paraphrase it: “I make soulless electric pop, but when you are high on ecstasy, in a club at 2am, with a guy grinding up against you to my music, it feels like it has soul.”
The view on the drive home today was quite beautiful. The sky is actually pretty hazy due to some forest fires that are burning in the north, but that makes the light do interesting things. In addition to that, I drove home as the tide was almost completely out, so the entire bay looked more like a desert than a bay. I’m continually impressed by how much water comes in and out of the Turnagain Arm with the tides on a daily basis. At points, the water can be deep enough for beluga whales to swim in, and then just a few hours later, when the tide has receded, you can see birds, in the exact same spot, standing on thick, almost black, mud flats, searching for food. The black mud also takes on a glistening sheen when the sun hits it just right. I find it mesmerizing.
Wildlife/Unique to Alaska Sightings:
Special truck driving on train tracks: 1 (I always thought the truck on the train tracks was the best part of the train set)
Float Plane: 1
Wrecked Plane: 1 (Seriously, this thing was in pieces on a truck bed. Kind of creepy)
Para-surfers: 3
Our Adventure for the Day: Since I was really enjoying the view of the mudflats today, I opted to take Tess for a walk down by 20 mile river, which empties in to the bay. I tend to play it safe and avoid walking on the black mud whenever possible because it can be deadly. It is said that people have lost their lives wandering out onto that black mud, which can be like quicksand in places, getting stuck in it, and then drowning when the tide swept back in. So, for this obvious reason, we chose to walk on the drier, firmer ground to the right of the mud flats. This area was covered with tall grass and flowers. It still feels a little marshy, but the ground is much firmer and less likely to be covered by the tides. Ever since I hiked with friends in Denali a few years back, I have developed a love for hiking “off trail.” Today’s walk, although short, was off trail, and it was great. I just love stepping through tall grass, feeling it brush against your thighs, as you pick and choose the next spot to place your foot. After a while you find out with type of plant is more apt to be abrasive or cushioning, which color dirt is going to give way to a bog, or support you firmly. Of course, Tess loves this “off trail” time as much as I do. She tends to alternate between obsessively smelling everything, like a crazy vacuum cleaner running on its own, and bounding through the foliage, ecstatic about the new environment, too excited to even smell.
We found a few moose tracks; one was as big as my foot. Tess was not incredibly impressed by the moose tracks. Maybe it’s an acquired taste.
In addition, we encountered a few renegade mosquitoes. I did not have any OFF or Cutter on, just that Shoo Tag in my back pocket. I got 5 bites in about 20 minutes. My ruling on the Shoo Tag is still, “eh. It’s better than nothing, but it may also be nothing.”
At the halfway point in our walk, we stopped and took a series of pictures of the view around us, in a 360 degree format. Every time I turned a few degrees, there was another range of ridges, speckled with snow and brush. Some of the ridges were close by, and others were across the bay, with gleaming black mudflats between us. It was spectacular.
On our way back to the car, we saw two people, walking hand in hand in the tall grass. As I was pulling out of my parking spot, I saw them throw down a blanket, and a few moments later they were gone, completely hidden by the grass. I thought two things when I could no longer see them:
1) Aw, that is so romantic.
2) I hope they have more than a Shoo tag to protect them out there!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Day 8, July 6th, Living in Girdwood, AK
Operation Fitness for Fear: It was a week day today, so Tess and I resumed Operation FFF. We have been running a similar path everyday, and today we shaved a record three minutes off of our time. I attribute this speedy time partially to the fact that we didn’t run over the weekend (opting instead for hikes and walks), and mostly to the fact that we ran later in the day. Running later in the day doesn’t usually make me run faster, however it does mean that there are more people out on the path while we are running. People and bicyclists whom Tess is afraid of when they are up close, and suddenly wants to chase after once they have passed her. Seriously, my dog likes it when you play hard to get people. Anyway, Tess isn’t a huge puller, but every little tug that she makes as she tries to chase after those people helps when you are trying to set a record. Way to go Tess.
Operation Trying Not to be a Complete Hermit:
Most people don’t think that I am shy, because once I get to know them; they can’t get me to shut up. But, I do tend to be a little shy when I first meet people. Maybe shy isn’t the right word, maybe the correct phrase is reserved and observant. I generally like to watch someone for a few minutes before I speak to them for the first time, so that I know what I am going to say, and how I am going to say it (serious, joking, monotone, ambivalent, exuberant, sarcastic . . . you get the point).
I have also always had a habit of going through periods of “hibernation.” I’ll have a flurry of social months, and then all of the sudden it seems like I have fallen off of the face of the earth for a week or two while I hole up in my neighborhood, write, read books, get tea, eat breakfast at Radda, don’t answer the phone, and watch movies alone. I think it’s my brain’s natural way of letting me recover from, and prep for, the next social events where I have to be “on” and entertaining. I’ve always been this way. At the end of the school year, my friend who lived 2 blocks away would say, “see you in three months,” because she knew that even though we lived two minutes from each other I was going to hibernate for the summer.
These patterns are not new to me. And, because of these patterns, it does not surprise me that I have yet to really make any friends in Girdwood, much less held a face to face conversation that lasted longer than five minutes over the past two weeks. I *am* talking to people via the phone and IM so I am still very connected, but I haven’t gone out of my way to introduce myself to the town of Girdwood yet.
So, today I decided that I would try to break *a little* out of my hermit lifestyle and say “hi’ to someone in Girdwood. It didn’t have to be a long conversation or a formal introduction, but I did have to, at the very least, say hello to someone I didn’t know. On the way back from Operation FFF, I saw a prime opportunity to cross this off my list of things to do today. As I was running past this older guy with a walking stick I said, “Hi” and I waved. He looked up at me, smiled through a bushy grey moustache, with all of his upper teeth missing, and said, “Hello.” As I continued running by I shouted out, “It’s a lovely day out.” (There’s nothing like saying hi on the move to help you slowly ease out of the hermit lifestyle). He replied back, “Sure is,” and I kept running. There, that wasn’t so hard was it? No it wasn’t. To make the interaction even better, as Tess and I stopped running at the top of the hill and turned back to the house, we ran in to the guy again and he uttered this charming statement; “Lil darlin’, you're gonna melt if you keep running.” So sweet! I love it when little old guys call me 1) “lil” and 2) “darlin.” I laughed and thought: Melting? I hope so! Yup. That’s the idea buddy. That’s the idea.
Other Random Notes about the Day:
I didn’t go into Anchorage today. Work didn’t send me any huge files that crashed my internet connection, so I could work successfully from home. Yea! Only a couple more days until the truly high-speed connection comes to my house. Come on DSL!
I am still in love with creamed bee pollen. I need some bread though. Then I can truly experience the love with a creamed bee pollen and peanut butter sandwich. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I think I spotted the first lesbian that may live on my street (besides me). I say *I think* because in Alaska my gaydar is a little off. All the normal rules no longer apply. However, since this girl was walking along with a buzz cut, and a stocky build, in sweats and a sweatshirt and clearly no bra of any sort on, I feel fairly certain I am correct in my assessment. Maybe I’ll say hi to her tomorrow on my run? Who knows? The sky is the limit people! And, if she calls me "lil darlin" too then my suspicions will be confirmed!
Wildlife Sightings:
Para-gliders: 2
The loudest crows I have ever heard: 4
Our Adventure for the Day: After work, I took Tess for a hike. We packed the day pack full of way too much stuff, applied copious amounts of OFF and sunscreen and set off in search of the Winner Creek Trail. Now, on the Kenai Peninsula, almost all of the trails are clearly marked, but in Girdwood, this doesn’t appear to be the case, at least not when it comes to this particular trail. We wandered around for a while searching for the trail head and then we really started moving when we thought we had found it. We rambled through some thicker brush and bushes. I started teaching Tess a new trick called “Holy crap! NO! Stay out of the bog! @#^&.” (Incidentally, we’re still going to need to work on perfecting this trick). We even ran into the river that runs through town and took the most picturesque picture of the trip so far (which is saying a lot). All in all, I was beginning to think this trail, which we had only been on for fifteen minutes, might become my favorite trail in town. And then, we rounded a corner, and ran into the Well Plant for Girdwood. Yeah. The “trail” we were on ended right there, at the chain link fence for the Well Plant. It wasn’t a trail at all; it was just a dirt road to a big brick building. Tess grabbed the leash in her mouth and expressed her frustration with a little impromptu cross training (tug of war). I stood there in disbelief and shook my head at the fact that I was currently getting high on OFF for this stupid dirt road/wanna-be-trail. What a let down.
And then . . .
I looked up, and saw the same great view that was there right before we realized this was just a dirt road to a plant. And I looked around, and I saw flowers, and glacial waters rushing by me, and my dog panting and looking up at me with bog water still dripping off of her neck. And I thought: “What the hell. This was still a totally beautiful, fun, and new hike. I got to see things that took my breath away. And I still got to chuckle at my dog. So what if this is just a dirt road? It’s a damn pretty dirt road.”
Lesson Learned: Not every adventure has to be epic. It just has to make you smile.
Operation Trying Not to be a Complete Hermit:
Most people don’t think that I am shy, because once I get to know them; they can’t get me to shut up. But, I do tend to be a little shy when I first meet people. Maybe shy isn’t the right word, maybe the correct phrase is reserved and observant. I generally like to watch someone for a few minutes before I speak to them for the first time, so that I know what I am going to say, and how I am going to say it (serious, joking, monotone, ambivalent, exuberant, sarcastic . . . you get the point).
I have also always had a habit of going through periods of “hibernation.” I’ll have a flurry of social months, and then all of the sudden it seems like I have fallen off of the face of the earth for a week or two while I hole up in my neighborhood, write, read books, get tea, eat breakfast at Radda, don’t answer the phone, and watch movies alone. I think it’s my brain’s natural way of letting me recover from, and prep for, the next social events where I have to be “on” and entertaining. I’ve always been this way. At the end of the school year, my friend who lived 2 blocks away would say, “see you in three months,” because she knew that even though we lived two minutes from each other I was going to hibernate for the summer.
These patterns are not new to me. And, because of these patterns, it does not surprise me that I have yet to really make any friends in Girdwood, much less held a face to face conversation that lasted longer than five minutes over the past two weeks. I *am* talking to people via the phone and IM so I am still very connected, but I haven’t gone out of my way to introduce myself to the town of Girdwood yet.
So, today I decided that I would try to break *a little* out of my hermit lifestyle and say “hi’ to someone in Girdwood. It didn’t have to be a long conversation or a formal introduction, but I did have to, at the very least, say hello to someone I didn’t know. On the way back from Operation FFF, I saw a prime opportunity to cross this off my list of things to do today. As I was running past this older guy with a walking stick I said, “Hi” and I waved. He looked up at me, smiled through a bushy grey moustache, with all of his upper teeth missing, and said, “Hello.” As I continued running by I shouted out, “It’s a lovely day out.” (There’s nothing like saying hi on the move to help you slowly ease out of the hermit lifestyle). He replied back, “Sure is,” and I kept running. There, that wasn’t so hard was it? No it wasn’t. To make the interaction even better, as Tess and I stopped running at the top of the hill and turned back to the house, we ran in to the guy again and he uttered this charming statement; “Lil darlin’, you're gonna melt if you keep running.” So sweet! I love it when little old guys call me 1) “lil” and 2) “darlin.” I laughed and thought: Melting? I hope so! Yup. That’s the idea buddy. That’s the idea.
Other Random Notes about the Day:
I didn’t go into Anchorage today. Work didn’t send me any huge files that crashed my internet connection, so I could work successfully from home. Yea! Only a couple more days until the truly high-speed connection comes to my house. Come on DSL!
I am still in love with creamed bee pollen. I need some bread though. Then I can truly experience the love with a creamed bee pollen and peanut butter sandwich. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I think I spotted the first lesbian that may live on my street (besides me). I say *I think* because in Alaska my gaydar is a little off. All the normal rules no longer apply. However, since this girl was walking along with a buzz cut, and a stocky build, in sweats and a sweatshirt and clearly no bra of any sort on, I feel fairly certain I am correct in my assessment. Maybe I’ll say hi to her tomorrow on my run? Who knows? The sky is the limit people! And, if she calls me "lil darlin" too then my suspicions will be confirmed!
Wildlife Sightings:
Para-gliders: 2
The loudest crows I have ever heard: 4
Our Adventure for the Day: After work, I took Tess for a hike. We packed the day pack full of way too much stuff, applied copious amounts of OFF and sunscreen and set off in search of the Winner Creek Trail. Now, on the Kenai Peninsula, almost all of the trails are clearly marked, but in Girdwood, this doesn’t appear to be the case, at least not when it comes to this particular trail. We wandered around for a while searching for the trail head and then we really started moving when we thought we had found it. We rambled through some thicker brush and bushes. I started teaching Tess a new trick called “Holy crap! NO! Stay out of the bog! @#^&.” (Incidentally, we’re still going to need to work on perfecting this trick). We even ran into the river that runs through town and took the most picturesque picture of the trip so far (which is saying a lot). All in all, I was beginning to think this trail, which we had only been on for fifteen minutes, might become my favorite trail in town. And then, we rounded a corner, and ran into the Well Plant for Girdwood. Yeah. The “trail” we were on ended right there, at the chain link fence for the Well Plant. It wasn’t a trail at all; it was just a dirt road to a big brick building. Tess grabbed the leash in her mouth and expressed her frustration with a little impromptu cross training (tug of war). I stood there in disbelief and shook my head at the fact that I was currently getting high on OFF for this stupid dirt road/wanna-be-trail. What a let down.
And then . . .
I looked up, and saw the same great view that was there right before we realized this was just a dirt road to a plant. And I looked around, and I saw flowers, and glacial waters rushing by me, and my dog panting and looking up at me with bog water still dripping off of her neck. And I thought: “What the hell. This was still a totally beautiful, fun, and new hike. I got to see things that took my breath away. And I still got to chuckle at my dog. So what if this is just a dirt road? It’s a damn pretty dirt road.”
Lesson Learned: Not every adventure has to be epic. It just has to make you smile.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Day 7, July 5th, Living in Girdwood, AK
Does It Ever Get Dark: A couple of people have asked me if it ever gets dark here, and up until last night I haven’t been able to answer yes or no to that question because I am asleep by the time that it *might* be getting dark. Well, last night, due to a lot of hydrating after the hike, I woke up at 1am and discovered the answer to this question. The answer, at least in July, is “No.” The sky does seem to change from light blue to a darker blue (kind of like the sky would look before a big thunderstorm in Colorado), but it doesn’t appear to ever get pitch black. Again, this is in July. I will update you again in August, as long as my pain in the butt, I mean *challenging,* deal closes in Q3.
My Adventure for the Day: Today was a pretty mellow day. Tess and I slept in. These 5am work days have really made me appreciate the mornings that I can sleep in until 7 or 8am. After a nice breakfast, I left Tess at home (don’t worry, she’s still plenty tuckered out from our hike yesterday) and I meandered down to Forest Fair. Forest Fair is the annual fair held in Girdwood over the 4th of July weekend. Since Girdwood is a *bit* like Boulder, this led to the inevitable mix of tourists, locals, and hippies all gathering in the forest near the Girdwood city park. After I photographed a picture of the Girdwood mini-golf course, which was a bunch of cups buried in the ground with mulch barriers and logs strewn about, I headed into the throng of people milling around the booths. The booths had everything from funnel cake to pottery; tie dyed cloth, knit goods, wildlife photographs, and woodworking, honey, and hula hoops. Aside from the fresh food, almost all of the booths contained items that most of the artists probably made during the dark and cold Alaskan winter months. I picked up a jar of creamed bee pollen by accident (I thought it was creamed honey). Most people know that I have a tiny honey addiction. Well, when I got home, my initial reaction to the pollen was, “hmm. I’m not sure I should have spent money on that.” It has the consistency of runny peanut butter and almost a green tinge to it. I know. I am not making it sound very appealing. However, after a few more samplings, I can tell you that I have changed my tune. It grows on you. As a matter of fact, I am currently experiencing a small, but significant, love affair with creamed bee pollen. Get some today!
Operation DILIH: Of course, because we had an off day from Operation Fitness for Fear, Tess still hadn’t pooped by the time that I got back from Forest Fair. I know this is because she is not so secretly trying to get me to run her every day, despite my firm belief in incorporating rest days into our training regimen. Instead of giving into her bullying I stood my ground, and was a lazy SOB. Sure enough, at 5pm, she finally gave in and dropped it like it was hot. Still, you have to admire her dedication to Operation FFF.
Training Tess: I am beginning to think that I should train Tess, who is a hound dog, how to track. However, since I don’t have a book on that, today I opted to train her on the fine art of “no sticks in the house.” We don’t have a garage in Boulder, but we do here. And in that garage, Tess found a stick. Now, in the afternoons, I tend to open the door between the garage and the house because the garage is cooler than the house and lately the house has been wicked hot. So, sure enough, yesterday afternoon, Tess comes sauntering into the house, sits down on the baby blue carpet and starts munching on that stick. Adorable, but dirty. I picked the stick up, said, “No sticks in the house,” and carried it back to the garage. Five minutes later Tess trotted back inside the house with it. I picked it up again and took it back out to the garage saying, “no sticks in the house,” while she looked at me like I was drunk. Finally, after we repeated this process four times, Tess demonstrated what a pure genius she is. She plopped down, in the garage, right next to the door to the house, and chewed on that stick until it was mulch. Good dog! Mommy is so proud!
Eating like a Dude: The eating like a dude streak continues. Today I had pizza from the pizza place down the street. Over-priced, but delicious. Oh, and you know I dipped that crust in creamed bee pollen!
Wildlife Sightings:
Bald Eagle: 1
Shoeless Hippies with Dreads: 7
My Adventure for the Day: Today was a pretty mellow day. Tess and I slept in. These 5am work days have really made me appreciate the mornings that I can sleep in until 7 or 8am. After a nice breakfast, I left Tess at home (don’t worry, she’s still plenty tuckered out from our hike yesterday) and I meandered down to Forest Fair. Forest Fair is the annual fair held in Girdwood over the 4th of July weekend. Since Girdwood is a *bit* like Boulder, this led to the inevitable mix of tourists, locals, and hippies all gathering in the forest near the Girdwood city park. After I photographed a picture of the Girdwood mini-golf course, which was a bunch of cups buried in the ground with mulch barriers and logs strewn about, I headed into the throng of people milling around the booths. The booths had everything from funnel cake to pottery; tie dyed cloth, knit goods, wildlife photographs, and woodworking, honey, and hula hoops. Aside from the fresh food, almost all of the booths contained items that most of the artists probably made during the dark and cold Alaskan winter months. I picked up a jar of creamed bee pollen by accident (I thought it was creamed honey). Most people know that I have a tiny honey addiction. Well, when I got home, my initial reaction to the pollen was, “hmm. I’m not sure I should have spent money on that.” It has the consistency of runny peanut butter and almost a green tinge to it. I know. I am not making it sound very appealing. However, after a few more samplings, I can tell you that I have changed my tune. It grows on you. As a matter of fact, I am currently experiencing a small, but significant, love affair with creamed bee pollen. Get some today!
Operation DILIH: Of course, because we had an off day from Operation Fitness for Fear, Tess still hadn’t pooped by the time that I got back from Forest Fair. I know this is because she is not so secretly trying to get me to run her every day, despite my firm belief in incorporating rest days into our training regimen. Instead of giving into her bullying I stood my ground, and was a lazy SOB. Sure enough, at 5pm, she finally gave in and dropped it like it was hot. Still, you have to admire her dedication to Operation FFF.
Training Tess: I am beginning to think that I should train Tess, who is a hound dog, how to track. However, since I don’t have a book on that, today I opted to train her on the fine art of “no sticks in the house.” We don’t have a garage in Boulder, but we do here. And in that garage, Tess found a stick. Now, in the afternoons, I tend to open the door between the garage and the house because the garage is cooler than the house and lately the house has been wicked hot. So, sure enough, yesterday afternoon, Tess comes sauntering into the house, sits down on the baby blue carpet and starts munching on that stick. Adorable, but dirty. I picked the stick up, said, “No sticks in the house,” and carried it back to the garage. Five minutes later Tess trotted back inside the house with it. I picked it up again and took it back out to the garage saying, “no sticks in the house,” while she looked at me like I was drunk. Finally, after we repeated this process four times, Tess demonstrated what a pure genius she is. She plopped down, in the garage, right next to the door to the house, and chewed on that stick until it was mulch. Good dog! Mommy is so proud!
Eating like a Dude: The eating like a dude streak continues. Today I had pizza from the pizza place down the street. Over-priced, but delicious. Oh, and you know I dipped that crust in creamed bee pollen!
Wildlife Sightings:
Bald Eagle: 1
Shoeless Hippies with Dreads: 7
Monday, July 6, 2009
Day 6, July 4th, Living in Girdwood, AK
I got another GREAT night of sleep last night. Seriously. The perpetual sunlight holds no power over my sleep cycle anymore. I am kicking its butt.
Operation Drop It Like It’s Hot Update: Tess continues to have problems sticking to her morning routine. This morning her efforts were thwarted by a blue tarp. That’s right, she was in mid-squat when a blue tarp rattled in the wind and startled her. Blue tarps are pretty common up here. People use them to cover up all kinds of stuff. But Tess doesn’t know that yet. Luckily Operation DILIH was a success later on in the afternoon when we were on our hike, so no one needs to worry too much about Tess’s health!
Wildlife Sightings:
Bald Eagles: 2
Para-surfers: 2 (These guys were cool; they were surfing the tides on our way home from our hike)
Our Big Adventure for the Day:
Instead of fighting over a camping spot with the hordes of 4th of July campers this weekend, Tess and I opted for a long day hike instead. We tackled the Johnson Pass Trail on the Kenai Peninsula at about 11am. I applied plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent, hooked the bear bell on Tess’s collar and away we went. In total, we hiked about 10 miles in about 4 hours (2hrs out and 2hrs back). The hike was a gradual uphill through forests and marshes, with lovely views of neighboring mountains and a couple of bridge crossings over some larger sections of the river. (The trail follows the river all the way up the pass). Every corner I turned (after yelling “Hey Bear”) held another perfectly frame shot. Tess wanted to give up on the picture taking and just get back to smelling all the new scents, but I made her focus for a couple of truly breathtaking views.
Since the Johnson Pass Trail is one of the longer trails that is close to Anchorage it is fairly popular with mountain bikers and backpackers. I didn’t mind the 10-15 people that I ran into on the trail. The bikers were all courteous and gave plenty of warning with their bear bells ringing from 40 yards away, and the hikers were all cordial and in control of their dogs. I will say this though, seeing all those mountain bikers made me wish I had brought my bike. Next time!
I don’t mention the Alaskan flowers very often on this blog, because I tend to enjoy the vibrant colors produced by a whole field of them, rather than analyzing one lone flower. But, I will say this, the flowers are quite beautiful. There are purple-red stalks of flowers (which I think are called fireweeds), and big white puffs of flowers with leaves that look like rhubarb plants. There are also little purple, blue, and white flowers speckled throughout the forest. Despite all of those flowers, I have to say that my favorite flower is the red columbine. If you’ve ever tried to grow a columbine from seed it will make you appreciate the wild ones that much more. This hike had hundreds of red columbines lining the trail. They are so pretty with their clover-like leaves and their spiky red flowers with yellow centers. They look like little fairy crowns.
Tess seemed to enjoy the hike as much as I did. She was bounding around in the brush along the trail, nose to the ground, with her tail wagging constantly. She also sampled just about every type of poop that she could find (before I could stop her). She’s a scat magnet. She found some horse, bear, and moose poop. It was gross and interesting all at once. Tess was mildly afraid of the two bridges that we had to cross on the hike, but she had no problem whatsoever with the small creeks that we had to walk through. At the beginning of the hike she would just wade through the creeks and drink some water. However, by the end of the hike, after 4 hours in the sun, and with a cloud of black flies surrounding her (she looked like Pig Pen from the Charlie Brown cartoons) she started using the streams as a fly-deterrent and a cooling bathtub all in one. She’d jump straight into the water, regardless of whether it was muddy or clear and try to submerge as much of her body in it as possible (despite the fact that most of the streams were 2-4 inches deep). She’d emerge from the creek a few moments later with water streaming out of her big ol’ hound dog jowls and give me a look that said, “Where are we headed next Mom?” She is frickin adorable.
The bugs were a little intense during the last 30 minutes of the hike, but they seem to make up for their annoying presence by being slower than the bugs in the Lower 48. So yes, I don’t like the fact that they were buzzing around my face, but there was something satisfying about being able to successfully swat so many of them.
After the hike, Tess and I hopped in the truck and drove back to Girdwood. We were tired, but we were satisfied!
Observations Post-Hike:
I have a couple of blisters. It will be fine, but apparently my body is still adjusting to my more “active” lifestyle. My take: a couple of blisters are a small price to pay for feeling alive.
Tess is sleeping like a baby. Actually, maybe she’s more like a passed out drunk. Yup. She’s definitely a passed out happy puppy.
When I got home, I had the urge for two things, a shower and some food. So, after showering I opened up a celebratory cider, a can of steak and potatoes soup, and a can of mushrooms. Why? Because I am apparently turning into a complete and total dude living in this 70’s bachelor pad. This is me shaking my head, at myself.
Operation Fit Enough to Do Whatever I Want:
Here’s the honest truth you guys: I know I am fairly cute, but my weight has fluctuated significantly over the years. You just have to look at the pictures over the years to see it. I was fit during crew, and then I gained some weight when I stopped rowing. Then I lost it again in a concerted effort, and then I gained it back after I stopped landscaping 10hrs a day, got a computer job, and started eating crap. I know how to lose it, but willpower has been lacking over the past couple of years. I also hate that I’ve become a little obsessed with the scale setting my overall mood for the day. So, when I came on this trip, I decided I would change my mindset regarding weight. I am going to stop measuring myself by numbers, but instead by my smile in the mirror every morning. I didn’t pack the scale, or the tape measure. I decided that I would just eat relatively healthy and do the activities that I want to do. If some weight comes off while I am up here, that is great. If I stay the exact same size but I can climb more mountains and feel confident in my strength again, then I will be happy. So, I’ve stopped obsessively logging calories in some black book that I have to tear every 4th page out of when I break down and eat crap and I’ve just started moving more and eating a *little* better. Oh, and I check my smile in the mirror at the beginning and end of every day. As long as it is still there, then I am happy. Then I am winning.
Here’s the only kicker: I don’t really want to *gain* weight. So, imagine my surprise, when after a 4 hour hike today, I came home, put on my favorite Popeye shirt and it was tight? WTF. This did not make me happy. I sat there. Looked at the cider in my hand, cursed it for a second, and then told myself, “Whatever, you had a great hike; who cares if you didn’t lose 50 lbs on it.” It wasn’t until I was folding laundry later on in the night that I realized I wasn’t wearing my normal, large Popeye shirt, I was wearing my backup, medium Popeye shirt (yes I have two)! Wahoo! No need to worry after all! Now I can keep acting all Zen about my approach to fitness.
Lesson Learned: I could do almost all of this stuff in Boulder. Admittedly the views wouldn’t be quite as vast, and the wildlife wouldn’t be quite so impressive, but I could hike and fish and run and have adventures like this in Boulder if I wanted to. I’ve thought about that a lot this week: why don’t I do this stuff in Boulder anymore? I think it’s because in Boulder I have become a bit complacent. I let day to day life get in the way, instead of prioritizing and making this kind of thing my day to day life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life in Boulder. I love my friends, heck I even kind of like my job. What I mean is I don’t prioritize having “adventures” in Boulder like I do here. In the end, I think it comes down to the fact that I know that the clock is ticking on my time here. I know that on September 15th, or possibly July 31st, I have to come back. So everyday, instead of just rambling through it, I make myself do something special, something memorable. It’s kind of silly that I have to do something like this every few years to remind me of that fact, but now that I am once again aware of the difference between my life here and my life in Colorado, I am going to do my best to keep that same mindset when I return to my life in the Lower 48. I want to live my life in a manner where everyday is memorable, maybe not earth-shaking, but memorable.
Day 5, July 3rd, Living in Girdwood, AK
Activities for and Observations about the Day:
I had today completely off of work due to the holiday weekend. I opted to sleep in (as I really hadn’t slept well all week because I was adjusting to the new surroundings). Once I got up, I unpacked the rest of the truck. You know you are gay and living in Alaska when three quarters of the stuff that you packed for three months can be dumped directly onto the storage bench in the garage.
I also assembled the army cot that my Dad had loaned me in case I got up here and my rental didn’t have a bed. All I can say is: Wow. Major Glover, you are a strong son of a bitch. It took me a good 15 minutes to wrestle that cot into submission. Thank goodness I had a full night’s sleep to fall back on, or I might have started out the day in defeat.
After the cot assembly, I noticed that I had a couple more grey hairs coming in. I don’t mind them because I kind of want my hair to be a little lighter again, but I wonder if they were a direct result of the cot wrestling.
As I was getting the rest of the house organized, Tess was just chilling out on the carpet, watching me unpack. It was only as she started to chew on this blue rubber bone that I started to laugh. There she was, sitting on the baby blue carpet, with a blue sheet on the futon behind her, with blue window shades drawn behind the futon, in her blue collar, chewing on a blue bone. I realized right then and there that I was in some sort of crazy Dr. Seuss House.
Operation Fitness for Fear: Tess and I went for our standard run today, but we opted for a slightly different route after the fountain. We decided to try running in the field right next to the fountain. The field is a little marshy and dotted throughout with red, mossy plants. Running on that stuff was like running on a wet trampoline. It was delightful. Of course, Tess went bat sh*t crazy as soon as she felt the consistency of the ground. She started circling me very quickly and growling and leaping and generally expressing, what I assume was, her overwhelming glee. After a few moments I calmed her down and we returned to our more regimented run, but as I looked up, I noticed a woman doubled over laughing at us. It’s nice to know that Tess makes multiple people crack up on a daily basis, not just me.
Wildlife Sightings:
Bald Eagles: 3 (I can’t help it, I think they are cool)
Moth: 1 (Tess was mesmerized by this thing for about 2 hours today)
A Note of Thanks: Thanks to everyone who has been emailing about, reading, and commenting on the blog and the posted pictures! I know I can be long-winded, but it’s been really fun to write down some of the events that happen each day and share them with you. Ideally I’ll have pictures directly on this blog in the near future, but I’ve got to wait for the faster internets to come in this week before my computer can handle that task! Take care and play safe. You are in my thoughts.
I had today completely off of work due to the holiday weekend. I opted to sleep in (as I really hadn’t slept well all week because I was adjusting to the new surroundings). Once I got up, I unpacked the rest of the truck. You know you are gay and living in Alaska when three quarters of the stuff that you packed for three months can be dumped directly onto the storage bench in the garage.
I also assembled the army cot that my Dad had loaned me in case I got up here and my rental didn’t have a bed. All I can say is: Wow. Major Glover, you are a strong son of a bitch. It took me a good 15 minutes to wrestle that cot into submission. Thank goodness I had a full night’s sleep to fall back on, or I might have started out the day in defeat.
After the cot assembly, I noticed that I had a couple more grey hairs coming in. I don’t mind them because I kind of want my hair to be a little lighter again, but I wonder if they were a direct result of the cot wrestling.
As I was getting the rest of the house organized, Tess was just chilling out on the carpet, watching me unpack. It was only as she started to chew on this blue rubber bone that I started to laugh. There she was, sitting on the baby blue carpet, with a blue sheet on the futon behind her, with blue window shades drawn behind the futon, in her blue collar, chewing on a blue bone. I realized right then and there that I was in some sort of crazy Dr. Seuss House.
Operation Fitness for Fear: Tess and I went for our standard run today, but we opted for a slightly different route after the fountain. We decided to try running in the field right next to the fountain. The field is a little marshy and dotted throughout with red, mossy plants. Running on that stuff was like running on a wet trampoline. It was delightful. Of course, Tess went bat sh*t crazy as soon as she felt the consistency of the ground. She started circling me very quickly and growling and leaping and generally expressing, what I assume was, her overwhelming glee. After a few moments I calmed her down and we returned to our more regimented run, but as I looked up, I noticed a woman doubled over laughing at us. It’s nice to know that Tess makes multiple people crack up on a daily basis, not just me.
Wildlife Sightings:
Bald Eagles: 3 (I can’t help it, I think they are cool)
Moth: 1 (Tess was mesmerized by this thing for about 2 hours today)
A Note of Thanks: Thanks to everyone who has been emailing about, reading, and commenting on the blog and the posted pictures! I know I can be long-winded, but it’s been really fun to write down some of the events that happen each day and share them with you. Ideally I’ll have pictures directly on this blog in the near future, but I’ve got to wait for the faster internets to come in this week before my computer can handle that task! Take care and play safe. You are in my thoughts.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Day 4, July 2nd, Living in Girdwood, AK
Walking Tess in the Morning (otherwise known as Operation Drop It Like It’s Hot): In an attempt to get Tess to fall into the same schedule that I am now on, I have started walking her down to the end of the street in the morning before I start working. We do this in Boulder in the morning and she generally poops within 50 feet of our house. Unfortunately she hasn’t fallen into that same routine here. I think it probably has something to do with the constant sunlight and new surroundings. Yesterday morning our little pre-work jaunt resulted in a positive outcome, so this morning I figured that we would have a similar experience. Sadly, that was not the case. No, instead of dropping it like it was hot, Tess got about 20 yards from our house and started growling, whining, and glancing over her shoulder at a bunch of bushes that we had just passed. Now, with a skittish dog, this is fairly disconcerting. On one hand, she could be afraid of a piece of trash she saw stuck in the bushes. On the other hand, she could be afraid of a bear or moose that she saw and I didn’t. You can never tell. Of course at 5am, it is entirely possible that it is a moose so I did the only thing that I could think of. I kept walking and started making noise. After about five minutes Tess stopped glancing over her shoulder like the crazy dog that she is and I gave up on my attempt to get her to poop. We returned home defeated and about two minutes later, we saw a very friendly dog emerge from the mysterious bushes. Yup. That’s my dog. Incredibly sound and sight sensitive but totally unable to discern what is actually a threat. In some ways, this may be a LONG summer.
Random Events in the Day:
Before I left on this trip a couple of people asked me if I was going to get a webcam so that I could keep in touch. I generally avoided answering the question because the answer would have been a very blunt “that is highly unlikely.” The truth of the matter is I already feel WAY more connected than I did the last time that I was up here without a cell phone in 2004. Between IM, Facebook, email, almost constant cell phone reception, and this blog I feel very in touch with my friends in the lower 48. In addition, my family is the kind of family where we may go about two weeks without checking in over the phone, or when my parents go abroad, it is perfectly normal to not hear from them for a month. Don’t get me wrong, of course I still miss the regular physical interactions with my friends and family, but a webcam isn’t a substitute for that anyway. On top of all of that, the visual stimulation of the webcam is a little overwhelming to me for some reason. Of course, I love hearing from people, but I have a hard time processing all the images and sounds coming out of a webcam. I prefer to chat over the phone, in my camo shorts with crazy spikey dykey hair, while the person on the other end of the phone pictures me in a cute t-shirt, nicely showered, and looking adorable. So, as I said, I assumed that I would not be communicating with anyone via webcam while I was here. Well despite that fact, it seems that someone out there wants me to have one. Lo and behold, when I logged onto email this morning I discovered that I had won a free webcam via a contest at work. Now, I still have to get a PO Box in order to receive it, but I may have to rethink my approach to webcams after all. Who knows? Soon, you may be able to see me in my camo shorts on a webcam near you!
I discovered a patch of chives growing by my front steps. I know they are chives because I used to feast on them when I was a kid. I would play down in the garden all afternoon and eat chives like they were candy. At the end of the day I would give my mom a hug and she would say, “Have you been eating chives again?” I thought she was a frickin genius. I mean how could she tell I had been eating chives?! It was only later on that I realized that I reeked of chives for the majority of the summers between 5th and 7th grade.
Operation Fitness for Fear: Due to the fact that I only had to work a half day today, I was also going to be a slacker on the workout front and skip out on Operation FFF. However, since Operation Drop It Like It’s Hot failed this morning, Operation FFF has taken on a secondary purpose. That’s right. It was 2pm and Tess still hadn’t pooped. Damn dog. She was going to make me run it out of her. Of course, the run ended up being lovely so I am amending my prior nickname for Tess from Damn Dog to Delightful Dog. Within five minutes Tess had dropped off her needless baggage and we were on our way for a picturesque run. Tess had her normal swim in the fountain at the halfway point and then she ambitiously opted for a little cross-training (tug of war) after that. All in all, the run was a great event, aside from the momentary fear Tess experienced when a para-glider came down in the field next to us. I keep telling Tess that she doesn’t need to worry about things falling from the sky (birds, suspension bridges, noises from the upstairs neighbor all scare her). But, things like para-gliders don’t help my case people!
Spending a Little Time in Anchorage: Despite the fact that I had the afternoon off today, I still had to go into Anchorage so that I could get the electric bill changed into my name. On the way in to town I saw a guy with a drum set, just playing next to the highway. Quirky. But Cute. Once I was in Anchorage I went immediately to the Chugach Electric Association and stood in line waiting for a customer service rep to set me up with an account. While I was in line, I believe that I had my first encounter with a guy trying to hit on me (in a long time). I was flattered, but I am also very aware that Alaskan men outnumber Alaskan women by a fair amount, so I didn’t feel like I was anything uber special. He made that abundantly clear when I heard him talking to a female customer service rep approximately five minutes later . . . and he was using the exact same lines! The last thing that I did while I was in Anchorage was check out the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Wow. That place is huge. AND it had more Carharts in it than I have ever seen. It looks like I’ve found the perfect place for a fall shopping spree before I head back south in a couple of months.
Night Time: I got some very disturbing news about a friend today and it finally hit me in the evening. When I got home, I cracked open a cider (purchased in Anchorage during the day), and sat down and wallowed in it. The lesson to be learned from the news I heard today is that you have to live each day to the fullest because you never know which day will be your last. I feel like I am trying to do that with this trip. But, I’m not going to lie. Tonight I just felt incredibly sad for my friend.
Random Events in the Day:
Before I left on this trip a couple of people asked me if I was going to get a webcam so that I could keep in touch. I generally avoided answering the question because the answer would have been a very blunt “that is highly unlikely.” The truth of the matter is I already feel WAY more connected than I did the last time that I was up here without a cell phone in 2004. Between IM, Facebook, email, almost constant cell phone reception, and this blog I feel very in touch with my friends in the lower 48. In addition, my family is the kind of family where we may go about two weeks without checking in over the phone, or when my parents go abroad, it is perfectly normal to not hear from them for a month. Don’t get me wrong, of course I still miss the regular physical interactions with my friends and family, but a webcam isn’t a substitute for that anyway. On top of all of that, the visual stimulation of the webcam is a little overwhelming to me for some reason. Of course, I love hearing from people, but I have a hard time processing all the images and sounds coming out of a webcam. I prefer to chat over the phone, in my camo shorts with crazy spikey dykey hair, while the person on the other end of the phone pictures me in a cute t-shirt, nicely showered, and looking adorable. So, as I said, I assumed that I would not be communicating with anyone via webcam while I was here. Well despite that fact, it seems that someone out there wants me to have one. Lo and behold, when I logged onto email this morning I discovered that I had won a free webcam via a contest at work. Now, I still have to get a PO Box in order to receive it, but I may have to rethink my approach to webcams after all. Who knows? Soon, you may be able to see me in my camo shorts on a webcam near you!
I discovered a patch of chives growing by my front steps. I know they are chives because I used to feast on them when I was a kid. I would play down in the garden all afternoon and eat chives like they were candy. At the end of the day I would give my mom a hug and she would say, “Have you been eating chives again?” I thought she was a frickin genius. I mean how could she tell I had been eating chives?! It was only later on that I realized that I reeked of chives for the majority of the summers between 5th and 7th grade.
Operation Fitness for Fear: Due to the fact that I only had to work a half day today, I was also going to be a slacker on the workout front and skip out on Operation FFF. However, since Operation Drop It Like It’s Hot failed this morning, Operation FFF has taken on a secondary purpose. That’s right. It was 2pm and Tess still hadn’t pooped. Damn dog. She was going to make me run it out of her. Of course, the run ended up being lovely so I am amending my prior nickname for Tess from Damn Dog to Delightful Dog. Within five minutes Tess had dropped off her needless baggage and we were on our way for a picturesque run. Tess had her normal swim in the fountain at the halfway point and then she ambitiously opted for a little cross-training (tug of war) after that. All in all, the run was a great event, aside from the momentary fear Tess experienced when a para-glider came down in the field next to us. I keep telling Tess that she doesn’t need to worry about things falling from the sky (birds, suspension bridges, noises from the upstairs neighbor all scare her). But, things like para-gliders don’t help my case people!
Spending a Little Time in Anchorage: Despite the fact that I had the afternoon off today, I still had to go into Anchorage so that I could get the electric bill changed into my name. On the way in to town I saw a guy with a drum set, just playing next to the highway. Quirky. But Cute. Once I was in Anchorage I went immediately to the Chugach Electric Association and stood in line waiting for a customer service rep to set me up with an account. While I was in line, I believe that I had my first encounter with a guy trying to hit on me (in a long time). I was flattered, but I am also very aware that Alaskan men outnumber Alaskan women by a fair amount, so I didn’t feel like I was anything uber special. He made that abundantly clear when I heard him talking to a female customer service rep approximately five minutes later . . . and he was using the exact same lines! The last thing that I did while I was in Anchorage was check out the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Wow. That place is huge. AND it had more Carharts in it than I have ever seen. It looks like I’ve found the perfect place for a fall shopping spree before I head back south in a couple of months.
Night Time: I got some very disturbing news about a friend today and it finally hit me in the evening. When I got home, I cracked open a cider (purchased in Anchorage during the day), and sat down and wallowed in it. The lesson to be learned from the news I heard today is that you have to live each day to the fullest because you never know which day will be your last. I feel like I am trying to do that with this trip. But, I’m not going to lie. Tonight I just felt incredibly sad for my friend.
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