I did a crazy thing this weekend: I went to a Speed Dating Event!
I don’t know what prompted me to do that, except to say that I’ve always been curious about them. The email I got announcing the event said this was to be the last one ever – so that probably had something to do with my decision to go, too. Not that I believe them; what they really meant was that the coordinator is quitting and this event was her last one. I know they will find another coordinator soon, and there will be other events after that.
But, Friday evening saw me going in the front door at Platinum Jaxx and heading up the stairs to the balcony bar promptly at 7:30. I had been a little (oh, all right, more than just a little) nervous about it all day, so had gone on a nice long 2-hour walk with my friend Elizabeth beforehand. That helped a lot, because by the time 7:30 rolled around, all I could really think about was how sore my feet were and how much I was looking forward to going home and snuggling with my kids.
The event actually wasn’t all that bad. It was smaller than I expected with only 4 guys and about 6 girls – but this is Alaska, I guess. The odds are stacked in that direction.
They had the room set up with tables along the walls, each table having a number corresponding to the name tags they handed out. Each lady was to sit at her table, and the men were to make the rounds each time a bell sounded.
The first guy to sit at my table was very nice. He spoke right up and asked questions without having to be prompted. Turns out he is retired Air Force, has 2 grown kids and a grandson. We got in to talking, actually, so when the bell sounded – he actually got an annoyed look on his face! Not a bad start, I thought.
The second guy to sit at my table was also nice, and coincidentally enough works at a company where I worked for 12 years! We had some common ground which gave us something to talk about. It wasn’t as easy going as with the first guy, but was pleasant at least.
The third guy was a complete dud. He was very soft spoken, so I could barely hear him. He wasn’t outgoing at all, so I had to ask all the questions – to which he responded with two- or three-word sentences. It was not comfortable or easy going at all.
The fourth and final guy was very nice, although about 10 years younger than I am. He introduced himself as being from Costa Rica, so we got to talking about his homeland and the vacation I took over there several years ago. He was a really fun guy, and I could actually see myself hanging out with him.
I have to laugh at myself however: the best connection I made that night was with one of the coordinators! She came over to talk to me in between guys and we ended up laughing and having a great time.
Oh well, it was a fun two hours – and then I did go home and snuggle with my kids.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Kids Day at The Alaska Zoo
The Alaska Zoo celebrated both Earth Day and Kids Day today: all the kids got in the zoo for free, and we had tables set up throughout the zoo with games they could play to learn about being a good steward for the planet. I volunteered to help out for the last half of the event.
What I had forgotten was the fact that inviting kids to come to the zoo for free meant that there would be thousands upon thousands of kids running all over the zoo all day long! It’s surprising just how many kids there are in this town – and I doubt we got them all, even though it certainly seemed like we did.
I don’t have the final numbers yet (admittance always keeps track of that) but since the weather was so nice, I’m sure we did better than past years. We certainly had a full parking lot the entire time.
In fact, parking is a problem for these events. We’ve actually gotten in trouble with the Anchorage Police before – people run out of room to park in the parking lot, so they park along the side of the road. That is such a dangerous thing to do on this road! Visibility is limited even on normal day – add rows of cars parked in the ditch on both sides up and down the hill leading to the zoo, and you can pretty much bet on accidents occurring.
We offer a shuttle bus from the Greek Orthodox Church’s parking lot down the way, running to and from the zoo every 15 minutes. We also have one that goes all the way to the Dimond Mall parking lot on a regular basis. This eases the congestion a bit, but I still saw lots of cars parked where they should not have parked.
I was assigned to the table set up right at the entrance to the zoo so I didn’t get to see any of the animals, except for the red fox right behind me. He was basking in the sun pretty much the whole time.
All I got to see were the massive crowds coming in. They just kept coming! Everybody was in a good mood, and all the kids were very well behaved (well, except for the one little girl who just insisted on kicking rocks no matter how many times she was told not to). There were a few arguments over in the popcorn line, but nothing too exciting.
The “game” we had set up was this: we had 4 stations set up throughout the zoo, and at each station the kids would learn something about how to take care of the Planet. They would get a stamp after listening to each “speech” and once they had gathered 4 stamps they could turn their pledge card into the final station at the Snow Leopard and receive a special prize.
At my table, I asked them to pledge to go home, get their parents and a group of friends, and go outside and pick up trash around their neighborhoods.
I was only there for two hours, but honestly – with that many people, I could not have stayed much longer. It was fun, though, and I did see several people I knew.
What I had forgotten was the fact that inviting kids to come to the zoo for free meant that there would be thousands upon thousands of kids running all over the zoo all day long! It’s surprising just how many kids there are in this town – and I doubt we got them all, even though it certainly seemed like we did.
I don’t have the final numbers yet (admittance always keeps track of that) but since the weather was so nice, I’m sure we did better than past years. We certainly had a full parking lot the entire time.
In fact, parking is a problem for these events. We’ve actually gotten in trouble with the Anchorage Police before – people run out of room to park in the parking lot, so they park along the side of the road. That is such a dangerous thing to do on this road! Visibility is limited even on normal day – add rows of cars parked in the ditch on both sides up and down the hill leading to the zoo, and you can pretty much bet on accidents occurring.
We offer a shuttle bus from the Greek Orthodox Church’s parking lot down the way, running to and from the zoo every 15 minutes. We also have one that goes all the way to the Dimond Mall parking lot on a regular basis. This eases the congestion a bit, but I still saw lots of cars parked where they should not have parked.
I was assigned to the table set up right at the entrance to the zoo so I didn’t get to see any of the animals, except for the red fox right behind me. He was basking in the sun pretty much the whole time.
All I got to see were the massive crowds coming in. They just kept coming! Everybody was in a good mood, and all the kids were very well behaved (well, except for the one little girl who just insisted on kicking rocks no matter how many times she was told not to). There were a few arguments over in the popcorn line, but nothing too exciting.
The “game” we had set up was this: we had 4 stations set up throughout the zoo, and at each station the kids would learn something about how to take care of the Planet. They would get a stamp after listening to each “speech” and once they had gathered 4 stamps they could turn their pledge card into the final station at the Snow Leopard and receive a special prize.
At my table, I asked them to pledge to go home, get their parents and a group of friends, and go outside and pick up trash around their neighborhoods.
I was only there for two hours, but honestly – with that many people, I could not have stayed much longer. It was fun, though, and I did see several people I knew.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Volunteer Work at The Alaska Zoo
Things are picking up, from a volunteer’s point of view. Summer sun means a lot more opportunities for getting out and enjoying the zoo!
I gave two tours last weekend: one for my hiking group and one for a birthday party.
The tour for the hiking group was a last-minute idea that I just “thru out there” to see if anybody would be interested. Several people were, but just couldn’t make it on that particular day. I ended up with only one lady! I will be offering another tour to the hiking group later on in the year, to see if I get better attendance.
I had several “shadows” with me that day = volunteers who are learning how to give a tour. Unfortunately, I had more shadows than guests, so I felt a little awkward. But my guest seemed to be ok with it, and I did give her a good tour.
The second tour was much better as far as attendance goes. It was a birthday party for a boy who had just turned 7. He had his family along with him, as well as several friends and their families – a nice big group. They were very excited to be at the zoo that day, so were very easy to work with.
The weather was cooperating with us, too. The animals were all out and about, so we got to see almost all of them; the exception being the black bears, who are not awake yet apparently.
On a sad note: the old coyote who has been with us at the zoo for many years had to be put down that day. Beth, one of the zookeepers, told me about it when she saw me with the group out on the trails. She wanted to make sure I knew what was going on so that I could tell them. She had tears in her eyes when she told me: she had been his keeper for many years, and had formed quite a bond with him. He was old, though, and had not been in the best of health lately.
The next few weekends will be busy ones, too – we have the Earth Day Celebration, the Kid’s Fun Run, and several more tours scheduled. Then the real fun begins: our summer programs kick in with our Tuesday Night at the Zoo, our Friday Night at the Zoo, and our Discovery Tours.
I’ll be working over 30 hours a month from mid-May thru to the end of August.
I gave two tours last weekend: one for my hiking group and one for a birthday party.
The tour for the hiking group was a last-minute idea that I just “thru out there” to see if anybody would be interested. Several people were, but just couldn’t make it on that particular day. I ended up with only one lady! I will be offering another tour to the hiking group later on in the year, to see if I get better attendance.
I had several “shadows” with me that day = volunteers who are learning how to give a tour. Unfortunately, I had more shadows than guests, so I felt a little awkward. But my guest seemed to be ok with it, and I did give her a good tour.
The second tour was much better as far as attendance goes. It was a birthday party for a boy who had just turned 7. He had his family along with him, as well as several friends and their families – a nice big group. They were very excited to be at the zoo that day, so were very easy to work with.
The weather was cooperating with us, too. The animals were all out and about, so we got to see almost all of them; the exception being the black bears, who are not awake yet apparently.
On a sad note: the old coyote who has been with us at the zoo for many years had to be put down that day. Beth, one of the zookeepers, told me about it when she saw me with the group out on the trails. She wanted to make sure I knew what was going on so that I could tell them. She had tears in her eyes when she told me: she had been his keeper for many years, and had formed quite a bond with him. He was old, though, and had not been in the best of health lately.
The next few weekends will be busy ones, too – we have the Earth Day Celebration, the Kid’s Fun Run, and several more tours scheduled. Then the real fun begins: our summer programs kick in with our Tuesday Night at the Zoo, our Friday Night at the Zoo, and our Discovery Tours.
I’ll be working over 30 hours a month from mid-May thru to the end of August.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Little Brothers
Back when I was growing up in the little log cabin by the river, we had this huge 25-30 cup plug-in pot that kept hot water available all the time for coffee, tea, or hot tang – whatever anybody wanted. The pot was kept on the kitchen counter, tucked back against the wall, but the chord had to be run across the floor under the table to get to the plug-in – so it was always a safety hazard that had to be minded.
One day my little brother, five years younger than me, forgot about the chord and tripped over it. That whole pot of boiling hot water came down right on top of him, scalding him really bad.
He was probably 8 years old at the time, which would put me at around 13. Mother was at work, and I don’t remember where the rest of the kids were, so that means that Reed and I were alone there that day.
Reed was, understandably, screaming in pain and shock – so I did the only thing I could think of doing. I grabbed him and thew him off the front porch into the snow bank down below, figuring he needed to be cooled off quickly. This seemed like the best way to do that.
However, just exactly at that moment, my mother happened to drive up. What she saw was Reed screaming bloody murder and me throwing him off the front porch.
“No, really Mom! I was helping him!”
Right… I’m sure she believed me.
One day my little brother, five years younger than me, forgot about the chord and tripped over it. That whole pot of boiling hot water came down right on top of him, scalding him really bad.
He was probably 8 years old at the time, which would put me at around 13. Mother was at work, and I don’t remember where the rest of the kids were, so that means that Reed and I were alone there that day.
Reed was, understandably, screaming in pain and shock – so I did the only thing I could think of doing. I grabbed him and thew him off the front porch into the snow bank down below, figuring he needed to be cooled off quickly. This seemed like the best way to do that.
However, just exactly at that moment, my mother happened to drive up. What she saw was Reed screaming bloody murder and me throwing him off the front porch.
“No, really Mom! I was helping him!”
Right… I’m sure she believed me.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Freedom Writers
www.amnestyusa.org
Each month, I get an email from Amnesty International containing information on three cases of Human Rights Abuse. They give names and addresses of government officials to whom we are to write letters to, as well as updates on past cases.
Back when I first joined the network there was no such thing as email. I received an packet of information in the mail and would write an actual letter to each government official (a copy of which goes to that country’s corresponding Embassy in Washington, DC). Today, thankfully, I can just print off the letter they provide, sign my name to the bottom, and pop it in the mail.
This month, I am sending letters to Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, and Thailand. The concerns have to do with prisoners of conscience, torture, impunity, and fear for their safety. So far this year I have sent letters to places like Honduras, Libya, Israel, Peru, Rwanda, Syria, Vietnam – even to the U.S.A. – for such concerns as death threats, health concerns of prisoners, detentions without charge or trial, and unfair trials.
The concept behind this network is to let these governments know that what they are doing is wrong, and the whole world knows they are doing it. They cannot hide their actions!
Imagine you are doing something you know to be wrong: you would obviously try to hide it from the world. Now imagine that you suddenly get hundreds of thousands of letters, from all over the world, all of them saying “I know what you are doing, and you need to stop!”
It’s pretty effective.
I use this as an opportunity to learn more about my world; geography, politics, all sorts of things. I have an atlas at home that I look at each month to locate each country. I access the CIA’s World Fact Book to read up on each country, learning all about their statistics and economies. The internet provides a wealth of information that I browse thru each time.
Slowly but surely, I am filling in the gaps of my education – one letter at a time – and at the same time, I am contributing to the overall health of the planet.
Each month, I get an email from Amnesty International containing information on three cases of Human Rights Abuse. They give names and addresses of government officials to whom we are to write letters to, as well as updates on past cases.
Back when I first joined the network there was no such thing as email. I received an packet of information in the mail and would write an actual letter to each government official (a copy of which goes to that country’s corresponding Embassy in Washington, DC). Today, thankfully, I can just print off the letter they provide, sign my name to the bottom, and pop it in the mail.
This month, I am sending letters to Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, and Thailand. The concerns have to do with prisoners of conscience, torture, impunity, and fear for their safety. So far this year I have sent letters to places like Honduras, Libya, Israel, Peru, Rwanda, Syria, Vietnam – even to the U.S.A. – for such concerns as death threats, health concerns of prisoners, detentions without charge or trial, and unfair trials.
The concept behind this network is to let these governments know that what they are doing is wrong, and the whole world knows they are doing it. They cannot hide their actions!
Imagine you are doing something you know to be wrong: you would obviously try to hide it from the world. Now imagine that you suddenly get hundreds of thousands of letters, from all over the world, all of them saying “I know what you are doing, and you need to stop!”
It’s pretty effective.
I use this as an opportunity to learn more about my world; geography, politics, all sorts of things. I have an atlas at home that I look at each month to locate each country. I access the CIA’s World Fact Book to read up on each country, learning all about their statistics and economies. The internet provides a wealth of information that I browse thru each time.
Slowly but surely, I am filling in the gaps of my education – one letter at a time – and at the same time, I am contributing to the overall health of the planet.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Young Entrepreneurs
Man what a weird April. It is snowing again, dumping yet more snow on the ground. The temperatures are down in the low 20s, and the driving conditions are not good – to say the least! The deadline to take studs off is fast approaching, and I’m afraid we’ll still have snow even then. It will be a matter of deciding: do I want to break the law but drive safely and keep my studs on, or risk diving in the ditch at every attempted stop by having them taken off?
Anyway, since my back injury some time ago, I simply cannot shovel snow. It’s too heavy. I used to have a guy who came with his snow blower to take care of things for me. He was so good: always on time, always professionally done, never a problem. And then he goes and moves out of state on me!
It’s very hard to find a snow removal service, simply because they are all over booked and under manned. I have been doing as much as I can on my own, but that’s just not good enough.
A few months ago, I was working away on my computer upstairs when the door bell rang. I opened the door to find two kids from the neighborhood standing there with shovels in their hands.
“Can we shovel your driveway for you?” they asked.
“Yes!” I replied, “Please do!”
In fact, I encouraged them to come back each time it snowed. We agreed to a price ($15.00 each time) and got the details worked out (they are to shovel the snow onto my lawn, not the neighbor’s driveway) and I’m set!
The kids are very enthusiastic about their money-making venture: I see them walking up and down the street after each snowfall, tending to their customers. They’re not as good as my guy was, but I don’t mind in the least.
More power to them!
Anyway, since my back injury some time ago, I simply cannot shovel snow. It’s too heavy. I used to have a guy who came with his snow blower to take care of things for me. He was so good: always on time, always professionally done, never a problem. And then he goes and moves out of state on me!
It’s very hard to find a snow removal service, simply because they are all over booked and under manned. I have been doing as much as I can on my own, but that’s just not good enough.
A few months ago, I was working away on my computer upstairs when the door bell rang. I opened the door to find two kids from the neighborhood standing there with shovels in their hands.
“Can we shovel your driveway for you?” they asked.
“Yes!” I replied, “Please do!”
In fact, I encouraged them to come back each time it snowed. We agreed to a price ($15.00 each time) and got the details worked out (they are to shovel the snow onto my lawn, not the neighbor’s driveway) and I’m set!
The kids are very enthusiastic about their money-making venture: I see them walking up and down the street after each snowfall, tending to their customers. They’re not as good as my guy was, but I don’t mind in the least.
More power to them!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Adicted to Learning
Steve Bettis, one of the original founders of the company I work for, recently purchased two lecture series on DVD from a company called The Teaching Company (www.thegreatcourses.com) - the first one being: The Foundations of Western Civilization, and the second one being: Great World Religions.
He was kind enough to lend me the first one while he and his family watched the second one, so I have set myself a schedule – god knows I can’t do anything without a schedule – and am settling in to learn about The Foundations of Western Civilization.
This course is a series of 48 lectures – each one lasting 30 minutes – divided onto 8 DVDs. The instructor for the series is Thomas F. X. Noble, Ph.D., from the University of Notre Dame.
Mr. Noble is standing in a room that is without a doubt merely a set, and I must say it reminds me of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood for some odd reason. There is a window thru which you can see a brick wall with a tree in front of it: these are obviously not real – you can almost see the brush strokes. The “room” is made to look as if the speaker and the audience were in somebody’s living room or den. I imagine it is to make you feel more comfortable, thereby more conducive to such heavy learning.
He is, despite the artificial surroundings, a very good speaker. He uses no notes, rarely ever says “Uh”, and throws in just the right amount of humor. I am curious to see if his tie ever changes throughout the series: I am on lecture number 3 so far, and it is still red with blue stripes.
I do admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. This is a college level class, after all, and as I am a little too fond of pointing out constantly – I did not go to college. But it is a subject that is very interesting to me, and I am finding that it is a familiar subject as well. Somehow, over the years of reading 1-2 books a week, I have managed to cobble together a fairly cohesive understanding of the subject!
I only hope I can complete the series before Steve asks for it back. I also hope he will be kind enough to loan the Great World Religions once he has finished with it.
The titles of the lectures are:
1. “Western,” “Civilization,” and “Foundations”
2. History Begins at Sumer
3. Egypt—The Gift of the Nile
4. The Hebrews—Small States and Big Ideas
5. A Succession of Empires
6. Wide-Ruling Agamemnon
7. Dark Age and Archaic Greece
8. The Greek Polis—Sparta
9. The Greek Polis—Athens
10. Civic Culture—Architecture and Drama
11. The Birth of History
12. From Greek Religion to Socratic Philosophy
13. Plato and Aristotle
14. The Failure of the Polis and the Rise of Alexander
15. The Hellenistic World
16. The Rise of Rome
17. The Roman Republic—Government and Politics
18. Roman Imperialism
19. The Culture of the Roman Republic
20. Rome—From Republic to Empire
21. The Pax Romana
22. Rome's Golden and Silver Ages
23. Jesus and the New Testament
24. The Emergence of a Christian Church
25. Late Antiquity—Crisis and Response
26. Barbarians and Emperors
27. The Emergence of the Catholic Church
28. Christian Culture in Late Antiquity
29. Muhammad and Islam
30. The Birth of Byzantium
31. Barbarian Kingdoms in the West
32. The World of Charlemagne
33. The Carolingian Renaissance
34. The Expansion of Europe
35. The Chivalrous Society
36. Medieval Political Traditions, I
37. Medieval Political Traditions, II
38. Scholastic Culture
39. Vernacular Culture
40. The Crisis of Renaissance Europe
41. The Renaissance Problem
42. Renaissance Portraits
43. The Northern Renaissance
44. The Protestant Reformation—Martin Luther
45. The Protestant Reformation—John Calvin
46. Catholic Reforms and "Confessionalization"
47. Exploration and Empire
48. What Challenges Remain?
He was kind enough to lend me the first one while he and his family watched the second one, so I have set myself a schedule – god knows I can’t do anything without a schedule – and am settling in to learn about The Foundations of Western Civilization.
This course is a series of 48 lectures – each one lasting 30 minutes – divided onto 8 DVDs. The instructor for the series is Thomas F. X. Noble, Ph.D., from the University of Notre Dame.
Mr. Noble is standing in a room that is without a doubt merely a set, and I must say it reminds me of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood for some odd reason. There is a window thru which you can see a brick wall with a tree in front of it: these are obviously not real – you can almost see the brush strokes. The “room” is made to look as if the speaker and the audience were in somebody’s living room or den. I imagine it is to make you feel more comfortable, thereby more conducive to such heavy learning.
He is, despite the artificial surroundings, a very good speaker. He uses no notes, rarely ever says “Uh”, and throws in just the right amount of humor. I am curious to see if his tie ever changes throughout the series: I am on lecture number 3 so far, and it is still red with blue stripes.
I do admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. This is a college level class, after all, and as I am a little too fond of pointing out constantly – I did not go to college. But it is a subject that is very interesting to me, and I am finding that it is a familiar subject as well. Somehow, over the years of reading 1-2 books a week, I have managed to cobble together a fairly cohesive understanding of the subject!
I only hope I can complete the series before Steve asks for it back. I also hope he will be kind enough to loan the Great World Religions once he has finished with it.
The titles of the lectures are:
1. “Western,” “Civilization,” and “Foundations”
2. History Begins at Sumer
3. Egypt—The Gift of the Nile
4. The Hebrews—Small States and Big Ideas
5. A Succession of Empires
6. Wide-Ruling Agamemnon
7. Dark Age and Archaic Greece
8. The Greek Polis—Sparta
9. The Greek Polis—Athens
10. Civic Culture—Architecture and Drama
11. The Birth of History
12. From Greek Religion to Socratic Philosophy
13. Plato and Aristotle
14. The Failure of the Polis and the Rise of Alexander
15. The Hellenistic World
16. The Rise of Rome
17. The Roman Republic—Government and Politics
18. Roman Imperialism
19. The Culture of the Roman Republic
20. Rome—From Republic to Empire
21. The Pax Romana
22. Rome's Golden and Silver Ages
23. Jesus and the New Testament
24. The Emergence of a Christian Church
25. Late Antiquity—Crisis and Response
26. Barbarians and Emperors
27. The Emergence of the Catholic Church
28. Christian Culture in Late Antiquity
29. Muhammad and Islam
30. The Birth of Byzantium
31. Barbarian Kingdoms in the West
32. The World of Charlemagne
33. The Carolingian Renaissance
34. The Expansion of Europe
35. The Chivalrous Society
36. Medieval Political Traditions, I
37. Medieval Political Traditions, II
38. Scholastic Culture
39. Vernacular Culture
40. The Crisis of Renaissance Europe
41. The Renaissance Problem
42. Renaissance Portraits
43. The Northern Renaissance
44. The Protestant Reformation—Martin Luther
45. The Protestant Reformation—John Calvin
46. Catholic Reforms and "Confessionalization"
47. Exploration and Empire
48. What Challenges Remain?
Monday, April 07, 2008
Special Zoo Tour
I got to do my first zoo tour of the season this past weekend: for a lady from my mother’s church. She just recently moved back into the state and hadn’t been to the zoo in over 10+ years. Things have definitely changed since then!
The big surprise of the day was the weather. I woke up Saturday morning to find several inches of snow on the ground, with more coming down. It’s April, for goodness sake! I so wasn’t ready for snow again.
The tour went well enough, but we were both bundled up against the wind and horizontal snow. It wasn’t the cold so much as the wind that got to us. The animals loved it, however!
We got to watch the polar bears play – always a beautiful sight. Our polar bears are so majestic looking: big, fat, and healthy. They were certainly enjoying the last burst of winter weather.
We even got to watch the wolverine! I hadn’t seen him out and about in a long time. He is very old, and spends most of his time sleeping in his little log cabin. The snow was just to tempting, however – he was out rolling around and having fun.
Our golden eagle is finally out on exhibit. He’s been back in the infirmary for so long, I didn’t know if he’d ever be well enough to handle the stress of being out in the public. He is such a beautiful bird, I hope he does well.
I even caught a glimpse of the snowy owl actually fly around her cage! Her eyesight is poor in the extreme, which is why she is with us (she couldn’t hunt on her own), but the cool weather made her feel good enough to give a twirl around her enclosure!
No tour is complete without stopping in at both the coffee shop and the gift shop. I always include both of those because they do generate more income for taking care of the animals. Plus, the coffee shop is conveniently located in the middle of my tour and provides the perfect warm-up and bathroom break.
All in all, it was a great day – in spite of the snow!
The big surprise of the day was the weather. I woke up Saturday morning to find several inches of snow on the ground, with more coming down. It’s April, for goodness sake! I so wasn’t ready for snow again.
The tour went well enough, but we were both bundled up against the wind and horizontal snow. It wasn’t the cold so much as the wind that got to us. The animals loved it, however!
We got to watch the polar bears play – always a beautiful sight. Our polar bears are so majestic looking: big, fat, and healthy. They were certainly enjoying the last burst of winter weather.
We even got to watch the wolverine! I hadn’t seen him out and about in a long time. He is very old, and spends most of his time sleeping in his little log cabin. The snow was just to tempting, however – he was out rolling around and having fun.
Our golden eagle is finally out on exhibit. He’s been back in the infirmary for so long, I didn’t know if he’d ever be well enough to handle the stress of being out in the public. He is such a beautiful bird, I hope he does well.
I even caught a glimpse of the snowy owl actually fly around her cage! Her eyesight is poor in the extreme, which is why she is with us (she couldn’t hunt on her own), but the cool weather made her feel good enough to give a twirl around her enclosure!
No tour is complete without stopping in at both the coffee shop and the gift shop. I always include both of those because they do generate more income for taking care of the animals. Plus, the coffee shop is conveniently located in the middle of my tour and provides the perfect warm-up and bathroom break.
All in all, it was a great day – in spite of the snow!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
My Favorite Books (in no particular order)
Taiko, by Eiji Yoshikawa
Yoshikawa is one of Japan’s greatest historians who died in 1962. His work is now starting to hit American shelves, but you need to be careful of the translator. A good one makes the book an incredible read, as in this example – however, a bad one is just not worth your time, as in another readily available one called “Musashi”. Taiko tells the story of Hideyoshi, who lives in the sixteenth century and winds up becoming the ruler of Japan.
A Short History of Just About Everything, by Bill Bryson
Most of you recognize Bill as a travel writer, but he also has several other types of books under his belt. This one I would take with me to a deserted Island! It is truly about pretty much everything there is to know about, and his humorous writing style makes it a joy to read. I have given this book as birthday gifts to all of my family members, and even as a wedding gift once! There is a coffee-table version, with bright shiny pictures – but I prefer the version with just words, as the pictures tend to distract from the text.
The Chess Garden, by Brooks Hansen
This is a shining example of how the English language should be used. Reading this book was totally awe-inspiring from a grammatical point of view. The story is quite interesting, as well, in that the main character tells many stories, some of which have their main character telling stories – so there are multiple levels of stories going on all at the same time. I have read other books by this same author, but this is by far his finest.
Bully for Brontosaurus, by Stephan J. Gould
This was my first exposure to Stephan J. Gould and is still my favorite. He has an amazing ability to start his essays on one subject and, by taking you on a long and winding path thru a great many mental twists and turns, wind up on a completely different subject while still making complete logical sense!
Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
This is an incredible story of just how much impact one man (or woman!) can have, and shows that anything is possible. With no money and no experience, this one man winds up changing the lives of almost an entire country, one village and one school at a time. I took this book with me to Mongolia and passed it on to my fellow travelers, and fully intend to get it for my family members as well.
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
I have to admit that I am not fond of this author normally, but she truly outdid herself on this one. This tells the story of a Baptist missionary who takes his wife and four children to the African Congo back in the early 60’s. Their experiences are told thru the eyes of the girls, age 5 through 16 – and as each girl “steps forward” to tell her story, the style of writing changes to fit the child’s age. When the 16-year old speaks, she uses big words to sound grown-up but she doesn’t really know what they mean and ends up using them incorrectly. When the 5-year old speaks, she talks about bugs or sugar candy or how her sisters pick on her. It’s amazing to me that only one person actually wrote the book and not six (there are six main characters).
The Island of the Day Before, by Umberto Eco
This is the story of a ship-wrecked man who washes up onto a deserted ship located roughly a mile from an island that he can see but cannot get to (he can’t swim), so he spends his time trying to figure out what happened to the ship’s original crew. The book is written in a Journaling style, so you read about his life day by day as it unfolds, and the ending is just perfect! (some might disagree with me there, but I stand by my statement)
Ahab’s Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund
This is a great book, based on the wife of the fictitious main character from Moby Dick. As Ahab goes off to see to search for the white whale, his wife is left behind to make her way thru life never knowing what happened to her husband. It’s a great twist on a story everybody knows of, and is so well written it has been widely mistaken as an historical novel.
Babylon’s Arc, by Lawrence Anthony
Here is another story of how one man can make a difference. The war on Iraq has had many victims; this story talks about the animals. By the time Lawrence arrives in Baghdad to rescue the animals of the zoo, most of them have either been eaten by the locals or starved to death because they’re locked up in a cage and have no food or water. With bombs going off literally right in their back yard, Lawrence and his team of volunteers struggle to save as many as they can. I warn you: I cried.
The Book of God, by Walter Wangarin, Jr.
If any of you have ever read - or tried to read - the bible, you know that it is not easy. The language is jerky, the text can be unbearably boring, and the whole thing can be dry beyond belief. This book gives you the stories in a readable format, without losing any of the content. And you just might be surprised at how much of the bible you actually know already!
Yoshikawa is one of Japan’s greatest historians who died in 1962. His work is now starting to hit American shelves, but you need to be careful of the translator. A good one makes the book an incredible read, as in this example – however, a bad one is just not worth your time, as in another readily available one called “Musashi”. Taiko tells the story of Hideyoshi, who lives in the sixteenth century and winds up becoming the ruler of Japan.
A Short History of Just About Everything, by Bill Bryson
Most of you recognize Bill as a travel writer, but he also has several other types of books under his belt. This one I would take with me to a deserted Island! It is truly about pretty much everything there is to know about, and his humorous writing style makes it a joy to read. I have given this book as birthday gifts to all of my family members, and even as a wedding gift once! There is a coffee-table version, with bright shiny pictures – but I prefer the version with just words, as the pictures tend to distract from the text.
The Chess Garden, by Brooks Hansen
This is a shining example of how the English language should be used. Reading this book was totally awe-inspiring from a grammatical point of view. The story is quite interesting, as well, in that the main character tells many stories, some of which have their main character telling stories – so there are multiple levels of stories going on all at the same time. I have read other books by this same author, but this is by far his finest.
Bully for Brontosaurus, by Stephan J. Gould
This was my first exposure to Stephan J. Gould and is still my favorite. He has an amazing ability to start his essays on one subject and, by taking you on a long and winding path thru a great many mental twists and turns, wind up on a completely different subject while still making complete logical sense!
Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
This is an incredible story of just how much impact one man (or woman!) can have, and shows that anything is possible. With no money and no experience, this one man winds up changing the lives of almost an entire country, one village and one school at a time. I took this book with me to Mongolia and passed it on to my fellow travelers, and fully intend to get it for my family members as well.
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
I have to admit that I am not fond of this author normally, but she truly outdid herself on this one. This tells the story of a Baptist missionary who takes his wife and four children to the African Congo back in the early 60’s. Their experiences are told thru the eyes of the girls, age 5 through 16 – and as each girl “steps forward” to tell her story, the style of writing changes to fit the child’s age. When the 16-year old speaks, she uses big words to sound grown-up but she doesn’t really know what they mean and ends up using them incorrectly. When the 5-year old speaks, she talks about bugs or sugar candy or how her sisters pick on her. It’s amazing to me that only one person actually wrote the book and not six (there are six main characters).
The Island of the Day Before, by Umberto Eco
This is the story of a ship-wrecked man who washes up onto a deserted ship located roughly a mile from an island that he can see but cannot get to (he can’t swim), so he spends his time trying to figure out what happened to the ship’s original crew. The book is written in a Journaling style, so you read about his life day by day as it unfolds, and the ending is just perfect! (some might disagree with me there, but I stand by my statement)
Ahab’s Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund
This is a great book, based on the wife of the fictitious main character from Moby Dick. As Ahab goes off to see to search for the white whale, his wife is left behind to make her way thru life never knowing what happened to her husband. It’s a great twist on a story everybody knows of, and is so well written it has been widely mistaken as an historical novel.
Babylon’s Arc, by Lawrence Anthony
Here is another story of how one man can make a difference. The war on Iraq has had many victims; this story talks about the animals. By the time Lawrence arrives in Baghdad to rescue the animals of the zoo, most of them have either been eaten by the locals or starved to death because they’re locked up in a cage and have no food or water. With bombs going off literally right in their back yard, Lawrence and his team of volunteers struggle to save as many as they can. I warn you: I cried.
The Book of God, by Walter Wangarin, Jr.
If any of you have ever read - or tried to read - the bible, you know that it is not easy. The language is jerky, the text can be unbearably boring, and the whole thing can be dry beyond belief. This book gives you the stories in a readable format, without losing any of the content. And you just might be surprised at how much of the bible you actually know already!
Friday, April 04, 2008
Two Pair of Pants
About 6 months ago, I ordered two pair of pants from Eddie Bauer’s to take with me on my Mongolia trip. They arrived on time and I paid for them – just like normal.
But then, the other day, I get those same two pair of pants in a package sent from Eddie Bauer! The only thing I can think of is that they have some sort of glitch in their ordering software.
I took them back to the store here in town, and the lady at the front desk got the main office on the phone and straightened it all out for me, even making sure that my credit card was not going to be charged. She then helped me re-package them up and tape the return label on. She told me all I would have to do is drop the box off at the post office: I would not need to pay any postage or anything.
********
Guess what I got in the mail last night?
Yup, the box.
With a stamp on it that says “POSTAGE DUE”
So, now I get go back down to the store and explain the situation all over again. This time, I’m going to let THEM mail the package back.
But then, the other day, I get those same two pair of pants in a package sent from Eddie Bauer! The only thing I can think of is that they have some sort of glitch in their ordering software.
I took them back to the store here in town, and the lady at the front desk got the main office on the phone and straightened it all out for me, even making sure that my credit card was not going to be charged. She then helped me re-package them up and tape the return label on. She told me all I would have to do is drop the box off at the post office: I would not need to pay any postage or anything.
********
Guess what I got in the mail last night?
Yup, the box.
With a stamp on it that says “POSTAGE DUE”
So, now I get go back down to the store and explain the situation all over again. This time, I’m going to let THEM mail the package back.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
I had the best afternoon yesterday.
I spent about 2 hours outside after work, walking the coastal trail with my friend Elizabeth. I’ve been stuck inside all winter long due to the ice, snow, and cold weather – so it was really nice to get out. There’s still a lot of snow and ice, but the weather was definitely Spring weather!
I met Elizabeth at the Bioneers Conference this past year. She and I were both taking a workshop on how to make your home more energy efficient. We got to talking and discovered we had something in common: She is the girlfriend of the owner of my favorite sandwich shop downtown!
After running in to her several times down at the café, we finally decided to get together for a walk, once weather permitted. That day finally came yesterday.
We started out at the trailhead off of 3rd Avenue and H Street, and made our way from there. I think all told we ended up walking about 3 miles, maybe more. As mentioned earlier, there is still a lot of snow and ice on the trail, so I had to be very careful as I had forgotten to bring my ice cleats with me.
As most Alaskans know, spring time means that all the dog poop is thawing out, so the aroma is at times overpowering. It also means all the trash is starting to surface out of the snowbanks.
Anchorage has a Spring Clean-up Week where concerned citizens get out and clean up the place – but until that happens, you have to put up with the mess. And it’s pretty messy, let me tell you.
If you can look over the poop and trash, Anchorage really is a beautiful place. The birds are coming back in on their migratory paths – a bit early this year, actually. The ice out in the ocean is breaking up. The sunlight is lasting longer and longer each day. Soon enough, the green will start to happen: almost overnight it sometimes seems!
It’s a wonderful thing!
I met Elizabeth at the Bioneers Conference this past year. She and I were both taking a workshop on how to make your home more energy efficient. We got to talking and discovered we had something in common: She is the girlfriend of the owner of my favorite sandwich shop downtown!
After running in to her several times down at the café, we finally decided to get together for a walk, once weather permitted. That day finally came yesterday.
We started out at the trailhead off of 3rd Avenue and H Street, and made our way from there. I think all told we ended up walking about 3 miles, maybe more. As mentioned earlier, there is still a lot of snow and ice on the trail, so I had to be very careful as I had forgotten to bring my ice cleats with me.
As most Alaskans know, spring time means that all the dog poop is thawing out, so the aroma is at times overpowering. It also means all the trash is starting to surface out of the snowbanks.
Anchorage has a Spring Clean-up Week where concerned citizens get out and clean up the place – but until that happens, you have to put up with the mess. And it’s pretty messy, let me tell you.
If you can look over the poop and trash, Anchorage really is a beautiful place. The birds are coming back in on their migratory paths – a bit early this year, actually. The ice out in the ocean is breaking up. The sunlight is lasting longer and longer each day. Soon enough, the green will start to happen: almost overnight it sometimes seems!
It’s a wonderful thing!
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
My Children
I have two kids: a 17 year old girl named Elena Margarita Lopez Angulo and an 8 year old boy named Axel Ariel Ixcoy Balan. Elena is from Colombia, and Axel is from Guatemala.
Both of these children participate in the Children International program, and I am their sponsor. I get a photo of them each year, several letters throughout the year, and quarterly updates about the programs in their areas. All for the monthly fee of $18 per child.
I have been a sponsor for the past 15 years or so, so these are the second (or third, even) pair assigned to me. Once a child has grown up and is considered an adult, they are no longer eligible for the program. I take pride in the fact that both my original children are healthy, happy adults now.
www.children.org
As a nonprofit humanitarian organization, Children International focuses on easing the burdens placed on impoverished children. Caring sponsors and donors give poor children from around the world an opportunity at a better life.
Children International’s unique set of life-changing benefits and services has been delivered to over 1,000,000 poor children. They currently serve over 300,000 children in 11 countries.
Children International’s sponsorship program is designed to impact every aspect of a child’s life. Sponsored children receive life-changing assistance in areas such as:
Health: access to a doctor, dentist, vaccines and medicine
Education: uniforms and school supplies, tuition assistance, access to libraries and tutoring
Nutrition: malnutrition screenings, feeding programs, supplements and educational programs
Youth: peer education, leadership and vocational training, civic responsibility and scholarships
Community: clean-water initiatives, sanitary latrines and micro-enterprise programs and grants
Family: household items, income-generation programs, educational opportunities and housing and home-repair assistance
Both of these children participate in the Children International program, and I am their sponsor. I get a photo of them each year, several letters throughout the year, and quarterly updates about the programs in their areas. All for the monthly fee of $18 per child.
I have been a sponsor for the past 15 years or so, so these are the second (or third, even) pair assigned to me. Once a child has grown up and is considered an adult, they are no longer eligible for the program. I take pride in the fact that both my original children are healthy, happy adults now.
www.children.org
As a nonprofit humanitarian organization, Children International focuses on easing the burdens placed on impoverished children. Caring sponsors and donors give poor children from around the world an opportunity at a better life.
Children International’s unique set of life-changing benefits and services has been delivered to over 1,000,000 poor children. They currently serve over 300,000 children in 11 countries.
Children International’s sponsorship program is designed to impact every aspect of a child’s life. Sponsored children receive life-changing assistance in areas such as:
Health: access to a doctor, dentist, vaccines and medicine
Education: uniforms and school supplies, tuition assistance, access to libraries and tutoring
Nutrition: malnutrition screenings, feeding programs, supplements and educational programs
Youth: peer education, leadership and vocational training, civic responsibility and scholarships
Community: clean-water initiatives, sanitary latrines and micro-enterprise programs and grants
Family: household items, income-generation programs, educational opportunities and housing and home-repair assistance
Monday, March 31, 2008
Homemade Cards
In honor of March being National Craft Month, I decided to try something new. Those of you who know me well know that I have not one single creative bone in my body! My sisters all got that particular gene – not me. But I am a letter writer, so I thought perhaps I could try my hand at making my own cards.
I went to the Paper Wishes web-site (www.paperwishes.com) and signed up for their Cardmaking Personal Shopper program. For the low monthly fee of $19.99 (plus shipping and handling) I get a package in the mail each month that contains every thing I need to make 20 cards: all the supplies, blank cards, and instructions.
They also have a page in their website catering specifically to cardmakers that gives tips, special deals, and more patterns to follow each month.
Since I have never done this sort of thing before, I invited my sister to come over for an evening of crafting, since she is a veteran scrap-booker and has tons of supplies, tools, and ideas. She helped me thru the agonizing process of making my first card – which honestly didn’t turn out that bad! My second card, made on my own with minimal help from her, was much worse. But – I had fun!
I was only able to make the two cards that night, so invited a friend from work to come over on a different night to make some more. She is, again, a veteran scrap-booker – and, again, had all kinds of goodies with her. She worked on her project while I worked on mine, and we had a nice evening of chatting, crafting, and admiring my girls (the cats).
I think I’m going to like this crafting thing…
I went to the Paper Wishes web-site (www.paperwishes.com) and signed up for their Cardmaking Personal Shopper program. For the low monthly fee of $19.99 (plus shipping and handling) I get a package in the mail each month that contains every thing I need to make 20 cards: all the supplies, blank cards, and instructions.
They also have a page in their website catering specifically to cardmakers that gives tips, special deals, and more patterns to follow each month.
Since I have never done this sort of thing before, I invited my sister to come over for an evening of crafting, since she is a veteran scrap-booker and has tons of supplies, tools, and ideas. She helped me thru the agonizing process of making my first card – which honestly didn’t turn out that bad! My second card, made on my own with minimal help from her, was much worse. But – I had fun!
I was only able to make the two cards that night, so invited a friend from work to come over on a different night to make some more. She is, again, a veteran scrap-booker – and, again, had all kinds of goodies with her. She worked on her project while I worked on mine, and we had a nice evening of chatting, crafting, and admiring my girls (the cats).
I think I’m going to like this crafting thing…
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Formula
My brother called the other day with a problem.
He had a 1” pipe (that’s the inside diameter) that was 280 feet long, and he needed to know how much antifreeze to buy to fill it completely.
I told him I had no idea, but did happen to know somebody who would be able to figure it out. John is a guy I work with who always seems to know the answer, so I asked him.
This is what he figured out:
Take the diameter of the pipe, squared: .5 x .5 = .25
Multiply that by Pi: .25 x 3.413 = .85325
Take the length of the pipe and turn it into inches: 280 x 12 = 3360
Multiply that by the result of the above calculations: 3360 x .85325 = 2866.92
That answer is in cubic inches.
Convert that to gallons = 12.41104
Therefore, you need 13 gallons of antifreeze!
I called my brother back and gave him the results, and sure enough = it was dead on.
Way to go, John!
He had a 1” pipe (that’s the inside diameter) that was 280 feet long, and he needed to know how much antifreeze to buy to fill it completely.
I told him I had no idea, but did happen to know somebody who would be able to figure it out. John is a guy I work with who always seems to know the answer, so I asked him.
This is what he figured out:
Take the diameter of the pipe, squared: .5 x .5 = .25
Multiply that by Pi: .25 x 3.413 = .85325
Take the length of the pipe and turn it into inches: 280 x 12 = 3360
Multiply that by the result of the above calculations: 3360 x .85325 = 2866.92
That answer is in cubic inches.
Convert that to gallons = 12.41104
Therefore, you need 13 gallons of antifreeze!
I called my brother back and gave him the results, and sure enough = it was dead on.
Way to go, John!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Women for Women International
I can’t remember where I first heard about this organization, but somehow I ended up at their web site one day (www.womenforwomen.org).
“Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. We envision a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalized; where members of communities have full and equal participation in the processes that ensure their health, well-being and economic independence; and where everyone has the freedom to define the scope of their lives, their futures and to strive to achieve their full potential.”
Since I had just received my tax refund and felt extravagantly rich, I decided I should help out. Just the other day I received my information packet: I now have a new sister! Her name is Joseline Muhawinimana and she lives in Rwanda. She is 23 years old and is single. She lives in a house with 2 other people (I assume they are family members) with no electricity or running water, and states that her general health is poor.
“The situation of the Rwandan women who participate in our program is extremely difficult. The disastrous consequences of the 1994 genocide have weighed heavily on the women of Rwanda. Many have witnessed the murder of their loved ones, and some have been raped and brutalized. Through years of fighting, destruction and displacement, Rwandan women have struggled to support and sustain their families. Injury, death and the loss of family breadwinners have forced women to assume a greater role in providing for their dependents, a role which has become increasingly more difficult with the slow pace of reconstruction efforts, waning international aid, loss and destruction of homes, and high unemployment rates.”
My commitment to Joseline includes a monthly donation of $27.00 (I am assured that 82% of that money will go towards supporting my sister and her participation in the program), writing letters to and receiving letters from my sister (letters are translated in the field; if my sister is illiterate they will be read to her and she can then dictate her response), and getting regular updates on her progress.
“As a sponsor, you will be the hope your sister needs as she rebuilds her life after war. Each month, your funds will help your sister provide for basic needs for her family. You and your sister are encouraged to write letters to each other. The letters you write to your sister can be the most important possessions in her life. Many women in our program carry their tattered letters or pictures from their sponsors in their pockets everywhere. While participating in our trainings, women often have to arrange alternative care for their children and still perform their normal day-to-day activities of caring for their families. Some are suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It may be difficult for your sister to write, but we encourage you to continue writing to her, as your letters provide an incredible source of support as your sister embarks on this enormous commitment and journey.”
I am looking forward to a long relationship with Joseline!
“Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. We envision a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalized; where members of communities have full and equal participation in the processes that ensure their health, well-being and economic independence; and where everyone has the freedom to define the scope of their lives, their futures and to strive to achieve their full potential.”
Since I had just received my tax refund and felt extravagantly rich, I decided I should help out. Just the other day I received my information packet: I now have a new sister! Her name is Joseline Muhawinimana and she lives in Rwanda. She is 23 years old and is single. She lives in a house with 2 other people (I assume they are family members) with no electricity or running water, and states that her general health is poor.
“The situation of the Rwandan women who participate in our program is extremely difficult. The disastrous consequences of the 1994 genocide have weighed heavily on the women of Rwanda. Many have witnessed the murder of their loved ones, and some have been raped and brutalized. Through years of fighting, destruction and displacement, Rwandan women have struggled to support and sustain their families. Injury, death and the loss of family breadwinners have forced women to assume a greater role in providing for their dependents, a role which has become increasingly more difficult with the slow pace of reconstruction efforts, waning international aid, loss and destruction of homes, and high unemployment rates.”
My commitment to Joseline includes a monthly donation of $27.00 (I am assured that 82% of that money will go towards supporting my sister and her participation in the program), writing letters to and receiving letters from my sister (letters are translated in the field; if my sister is illiterate they will be read to her and she can then dictate her response), and getting regular updates on her progress.
“As a sponsor, you will be the hope your sister needs as she rebuilds her life after war. Each month, your funds will help your sister provide for basic needs for her family. You and your sister are encouraged to write letters to each other. The letters you write to your sister can be the most important possessions in her life. Many women in our program carry their tattered letters or pictures from their sponsors in their pockets everywhere. While participating in our trainings, women often have to arrange alternative care for their children and still perform their normal day-to-day activities of caring for their families. Some are suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It may be difficult for your sister to write, but we encourage you to continue writing to her, as your letters provide an incredible source of support as your sister embarks on this enormous commitment and journey.”
I am looking forward to a long relationship with Joseline!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Recycling
Mother and Kelly came out to Anchorage on Saturday to help me deal with 5+ years of back-log on my recycling efforts. I am so thankful they did. I could never have gotten thru the pile without them - and not just because Mother has a truck and I don’t!
First, we went thru the house and picked up all the magazines I had stacked up all over the place. It’s truly amazing how much junk you can store in the corners! As long as it’s stacked neatly, I don’t seem to notice the piles…
At the same time, I gathered up all the glass and plastic I could find. I’m a water bottle collector, apparently. I have water bottles all over the place, in various levels of “empty” (as in: half-full, nearly half-full, mostly empty, etc…).
The boxes piled up in the garage was definitely the bulk of the load, however. The recycling center requires them to be broken down prior to being put into their bins, so Mother was stomping on them and Kelly was wielding her pocket knife while I ran around picking up the trash and thousands of Styrofoam peanuts.
We finally got the truck loaded up just in time for lunch, so washed our hands and headed out to the Thai place near my house. I don’t know if it was the company, the hard labor, or just the cook’s talent = but lunch was really good that day!
At the recycling center, we found that most of Anchorage had the same idea scheduled for Saturday = there were more people there than I’ve ever seen before! But, we shouldered our way in and got it all in the right bins eventually.
All in all, it took about 3 hours of work – but I feel much better now. And I have a clean garage, just waiting for some bins to be put in place!
First, we went thru the house and picked up all the magazines I had stacked up all over the place. It’s truly amazing how much junk you can store in the corners! As long as it’s stacked neatly, I don’t seem to notice the piles…
At the same time, I gathered up all the glass and plastic I could find. I’m a water bottle collector, apparently. I have water bottles all over the place, in various levels of “empty” (as in: half-full, nearly half-full, mostly empty, etc…).
The boxes piled up in the garage was definitely the bulk of the load, however. The recycling center requires them to be broken down prior to being put into their bins, so Mother was stomping on them and Kelly was wielding her pocket knife while I ran around picking up the trash and thousands of Styrofoam peanuts.
We finally got the truck loaded up just in time for lunch, so washed our hands and headed out to the Thai place near my house. I don’t know if it was the company, the hard labor, or just the cook’s talent = but lunch was really good that day!
At the recycling center, we found that most of Anchorage had the same idea scheduled for Saturday = there were more people there than I’ve ever seen before! But, we shouldered our way in and got it all in the right bins eventually.
All in all, it took about 3 hours of work – but I feel much better now. And I have a clean garage, just waiting for some bins to be put in place!
Happy Easter!
Easter this year was quite the event. Mother organized the whole thing, and ended up inviting 32 people to join us! Well, actually she invited more than that, but that’s how many showed up.
Dinner was at a new restaurant in Palmer called The Red Beet. I highly recommend this place! I think it might even be an Inn where you can stay over. For sure it is a very nice place to eat. The cook makes excellent dishes with unusual combinations of food, and uses mostly local produce.
We had 8 tables set up with 4 place setting each. The tables & chairs had an antique look to them – whether they were actually antiques or not, I don’t know – but it was a very nice presentation. They had tiny little vases on each table, with sprigs of pussy willows cut from the trees right outside the window. Makes for a nice local touch!
At the first table, we had Mr. & Mrs. Guinotte = my sister Noel’s in-laws. Sitting with them was my brother Stewart and his friend Tucker. At the table behind them sat Mr. & Mrs. Pollock = my sister Kelly’s in-laws. We were very happy to see them both, as they are both getting on in age and don’t get out very often. My niece Tara and her cousin Ben sat with them. The table behind them had my high-school friend Rachel and her husband David and their daughter Ellie. We sat our new friend Chris there, and they had a good time talking about hiking and whatnot. The next table had my sister Kelly, her husband Danny, their daughter Laurel – who is 7 months pregnant with their first grandson! – and her partner TJ.
Starting over again at the head of the room but one row over, we had Lisa and her husband Mark and their little girl Mabel. My sister Noel and her husband Hank joined them. Behind that table, we had a special guest: Carmen Kern, a lady from church, joined us this year with her friend Anne. Carmen is in her 90’s we think: she is a retired teacher and probably had each of us kids in one of her classes at one point in time or another! My nephew Robin and his wife Jamie sat with them, along with Jamie’s father Jim. (I know: they broke the 4-people to a table rule there) the next table is where I sat, with my friend Anne from Germany, my brother Reed and Stan, my mother’s partner. Behind up sat Mother, keeping my nieces Lauren & Madelyne company. The girls were doing Sudoku puzzles throughout dinner, which kept them quite occupied.
The food was, as mentioned earlier, quite wonderful – and very different. The appetizer consisted of the absolute best chocolate! Now, that right there told me I was going to like this restaurant – they know how to treat a guest! The chocolate was followed by a salad of some unusual greens topped with slivered beets, sliced strawberries and asparagus tips. The main course was a herb-crusted pork loin along side a generous piece of potato pie. I’m told the pork was quite good, but of course I did not have any myself. I can say the potato pie was excellent. The cook used purple potatoes, so it did look a bit strange: but the taste was superb! The whole meal was wrapped up with a small pastry in the shape of a cross, drizzled with a chocolate sauce and topped off with some cream. Tea & Coffee was served throughout the meal.
Dinner was at a new restaurant in Palmer called The Red Beet. I highly recommend this place! I think it might even be an Inn where you can stay over. For sure it is a very nice place to eat. The cook makes excellent dishes with unusual combinations of food, and uses mostly local produce.
We had 8 tables set up with 4 place setting each. The tables & chairs had an antique look to them – whether they were actually antiques or not, I don’t know – but it was a very nice presentation. They had tiny little vases on each table, with sprigs of pussy willows cut from the trees right outside the window. Makes for a nice local touch!
At the first table, we had Mr. & Mrs. Guinotte = my sister Noel’s in-laws. Sitting with them was my brother Stewart and his friend Tucker. At the table behind them sat Mr. & Mrs. Pollock = my sister Kelly’s in-laws. We were very happy to see them both, as they are both getting on in age and don’t get out very often. My niece Tara and her cousin Ben sat with them. The table behind them had my high-school friend Rachel and her husband David and their daughter Ellie. We sat our new friend Chris there, and they had a good time talking about hiking and whatnot. The next table had my sister Kelly, her husband Danny, their daughter Laurel – who is 7 months pregnant with their first grandson! – and her partner TJ.
Starting over again at the head of the room but one row over, we had Lisa and her husband Mark and their little girl Mabel. My sister Noel and her husband Hank joined them. Behind that table, we had a special guest: Carmen Kern, a lady from church, joined us this year with her friend Anne. Carmen is in her 90’s we think: she is a retired teacher and probably had each of us kids in one of her classes at one point in time or another! My nephew Robin and his wife Jamie sat with them, along with Jamie’s father Jim. (I know: they broke the 4-people to a table rule there) the next table is where I sat, with my friend Anne from Germany, my brother Reed and Stan, my mother’s partner. Behind up sat Mother, keeping my nieces Lauren & Madelyne company. The girls were doing Sudoku puzzles throughout dinner, which kept them quite occupied.
The food was, as mentioned earlier, quite wonderful – and very different. The appetizer consisted of the absolute best chocolate! Now, that right there told me I was going to like this restaurant – they know how to treat a guest! The chocolate was followed by a salad of some unusual greens topped with slivered beets, sliced strawberries and asparagus tips. The main course was a herb-crusted pork loin along side a generous piece of potato pie. I’m told the pork was quite good, but of course I did not have any myself. I can say the potato pie was excellent. The cook used purple potatoes, so it did look a bit strange: but the taste was superb! The whole meal was wrapped up with a small pastry in the shape of a cross, drizzled with a chocolate sauce and topped off with some cream. Tea & Coffee was served throughout the meal.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The End
Our final Family Movie Night was this past weekend: we had a record turnout, too! I think I counted around 20+ people at one point, but may well have missed a few heads.
Lets see if I can name them all: Mother, Myself, Heather, Reed, Gleo, Pam and her friend, Stewart, Julie, Tucker, Noel, Hank, Kelly, Tara, Laurel & Baby (still in the oven), TJ, Gareth & his girlfriend, Robin & Jamie… I think that’s all…
As usual, a lot of people did their craftwork while watching. Julie is starting a blanket with her crochet, Tara is working on a tote bag (she’s crocheting it out of plastic bags!), Noel had some knitting…
We did a Taco Bar this time, and had all sorts of yummy fillings for the taco shells. There was halibut or ground beef to start out with, and then all the toppings you can imagine to top it off.
The movie itself, I have to admit, was not as good as the previous ones have been. This one was mostly talking: interviews with leading scientists in whatever field they are in, dignitaries from all over the world, Big Oil was even represented with the guy’s ideas on what is going on and how to deal with it.
There was a lot of talk about getting another series of movies going, to continue the Family Movie Night theme, but I am kinda looking forward to spending a Sunday afternoon lounging around my own home for a change. Maybe in a week or two, I’ll be ready to do it again.
Reed was talking about showing the Firefly series (that’s a Sci-Fi Channel series), or maybe I can get The Body Atlas on DVD and show it. It costs a pretty penny ($150.00) but would be so cool.
We’ll see…
Lets see if I can name them all: Mother, Myself, Heather, Reed, Gleo, Pam and her friend, Stewart, Julie, Tucker, Noel, Hank, Kelly, Tara, Laurel & Baby (still in the oven), TJ, Gareth & his girlfriend, Robin & Jamie… I think that’s all…
As usual, a lot of people did their craftwork while watching. Julie is starting a blanket with her crochet, Tara is working on a tote bag (she’s crocheting it out of plastic bags!), Noel had some knitting…
We did a Taco Bar this time, and had all sorts of yummy fillings for the taco shells. There was halibut or ground beef to start out with, and then all the toppings you can imagine to top it off.
The movie itself, I have to admit, was not as good as the previous ones have been. This one was mostly talking: interviews with leading scientists in whatever field they are in, dignitaries from all over the world, Big Oil was even represented with the guy’s ideas on what is going on and how to deal with it.
There was a lot of talk about getting another series of movies going, to continue the Family Movie Night theme, but I am kinda looking forward to spending a Sunday afternoon lounging around my own home for a change. Maybe in a week or two, I’ll be ready to do it again.
Reed was talking about showing the Firefly series (that’s a Sci-Fi Channel series), or maybe I can get The Body Atlas on DVD and show it. It costs a pretty penny ($150.00) but would be so cool.
We’ll see…
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Hallucinations
It started out as just a regular bout of the flu: achy joints, runny nose, a slight temperature. Uncomfortable and inconvenient, yes, but certainly nothing to worry about.
I was in my mid-20’s: young enough to still consider myself to be immortal so I really didn’t think much of it, except to note that my hips really hurt. That’s typical for me: sickness finds the weak spot and settles in right there. At that time of my life, the weak spot was my hips.
It was a couple days later that I saw them: three big tabby cats standing at least seven feet tall and dressed like Rambo, each one with a machine gun in their hands, ammo belts across their chests, bowie knives hanging at their hips, and camouflage bandanas tied around their foreheads. They were waging a war in my library. I somehow knew there were more than just those three, but they were “hiding in the bushes” waiting to kill the enemy.
I was, understandably, a little bit concerned. Having 7-foot tall Rambo Cats fighting guerilla warfare in one’s library is not an everyday occurrence.
Thankfully they weren’t paying any attention to me, so I was able to hobble around them and make my way down the stairs, each step causing a considerable amount of pain in my hips. I made it to the phone finally and called Jack, my boyfriend at the time. I told him I needed to go to the hospital. When he asked me what was wrong, I told him about the Rambo Cats in my library. He agreed that I did, indeed, need to go to the hospital right away and assured me that he would be right over as soon as he could find someone to watch his kids.
Things start to get a little fuzzy from here on out. I think the fever was starting to soar, and consciousness was becoming a tenuous thing, at best.
The next thing I remember was being at the Emergency room. The nurse was standing across the room waiting for me to follow her into the exam room. My hips, by this time, were excruciatingly painful so walking was very difficult. I had Jack at my side to help, but even so it was not easy. I made it to the exam room, where the doctor had me lay down on the exam table. He lifted my shirt up so he could palpate my stomach area, but just paused and stared at me for a moment.
“…um… You, ah… You have a Band-Aid… on your bellybutton.” he said.
“Yes, I do.” I agreed.
“…um… Why?” he asked.
“Because it’s leaking. I didn’t want my clothes to get stained.” I replied.
“Okay….” He said, with his eyebrows raised in amazement. He very gently put my shirt back in place without disturbing anything.
Once again, things go fuzzy on me. The next thing I remember is standing in an elevator. The doors opened to reveal a long hallway stretching out in front of me, with windows on the left and a row of doors on the right. My friend Willow was beside me, and as we stepped out into the hallway she apologized for the fact that her apartment was all the way down at the very end. She assured me that she would help me to walk down there as my hips were still very painful.
I faded out once again, and came to later on to find myself in the shower. By that time I was apparently so weak I could not stand on my own, so Willow was in there with me. I don’t know how she managed it, but somehow she held me up while at the same time washing my hair for me. I remember thinking that it was pure heaven, to be clean again and to have warm water cascading down my body.
Consciousness faded one last time, and I came to this time to find myself lying on the couch in my mother’s house, out in Palmer. She was in the process of feeding me a few spoonfuls of watered-down oatmeal.
My fever must have finally broken by then, because I no longer lost hold of reality. Even though I spent most of my time sleeping and recovering, I remember each time I woke up. Mother would feed me a few more spoonfuls of my oatmeal each time, and I would go back to sleep a few minutes later.
Once I recovered from whatever it was that hit me so hard, I started trying to piece together what had happened. Jack told me that before he came over to pick me up, he had called Willow. He knew that she had been concerned about me missing so much work (unusual for me) and also knew that if it turned out that I would need some TLC he would not be able to do so.
Willow met us at the Emergency Room and took me home to her place from there. I spent a couple days at her place before she decided that I needed around-the-clock care, which she was unable to give as she had to go to work each day. She called Mother who sent my little brother Reed in to town to pick me up. I was out in Palmer for 3 days before my fever finally broke.
I don’t remember what the doctor had to say. I don’t know what the diagnosis was, or what – if any – medications he prescribed. I don’t even know who paid for the visit!
I do know that I totally believed, at the time, that my bellybutton was leaking. I realize now that that was probably another hallucination. Bellybuttons are not hooked up to anything, and therefore cannot actually “leak”.
I don’t know who took care of my cats for me while I was “gone” either. It was over two weeks, all told, so somebody must have been feeding them for me. The only food I remember eating myself was the oatmeal Mother spooned into me, a bite at a time, but that was only after the fever broke.
I also don’t know why Mother didn’t take me to the hospital once she realized how sick I actually was. I can only surmise that it was a hold-over from our shared past. Growing up, my first 15 years were spent in abject poverty, with barely enough money to keep food on the table. We certainly didn’t have enough money for the luxury of hospital stays, and so we learned to get by on home-remedies and prayers.
I eventually recovered fully from the sickness, and it never came back again. It is very strange to have “lost” that week; it’s just a big blank spot in my memory. Even though I know what happened to me, it’s like reading an article about somebody else – there’s no connection to me in it at all.
I was in my mid-20’s: young enough to still consider myself to be immortal so I really didn’t think much of it, except to note that my hips really hurt. That’s typical for me: sickness finds the weak spot and settles in right there. At that time of my life, the weak spot was my hips.
It was a couple days later that I saw them: three big tabby cats standing at least seven feet tall and dressed like Rambo, each one with a machine gun in their hands, ammo belts across their chests, bowie knives hanging at their hips, and camouflage bandanas tied around their foreheads. They were waging a war in my library. I somehow knew there were more than just those three, but they were “hiding in the bushes” waiting to kill the enemy.
I was, understandably, a little bit concerned. Having 7-foot tall Rambo Cats fighting guerilla warfare in one’s library is not an everyday occurrence.
Thankfully they weren’t paying any attention to me, so I was able to hobble around them and make my way down the stairs, each step causing a considerable amount of pain in my hips. I made it to the phone finally and called Jack, my boyfriend at the time. I told him I needed to go to the hospital. When he asked me what was wrong, I told him about the Rambo Cats in my library. He agreed that I did, indeed, need to go to the hospital right away and assured me that he would be right over as soon as he could find someone to watch his kids.
Things start to get a little fuzzy from here on out. I think the fever was starting to soar, and consciousness was becoming a tenuous thing, at best.
The next thing I remember was being at the Emergency room. The nurse was standing across the room waiting for me to follow her into the exam room. My hips, by this time, were excruciatingly painful so walking was very difficult. I had Jack at my side to help, but even so it was not easy. I made it to the exam room, where the doctor had me lay down on the exam table. He lifted my shirt up so he could palpate my stomach area, but just paused and stared at me for a moment.
“…um… You, ah… You have a Band-Aid… on your bellybutton.” he said.
“Yes, I do.” I agreed.
“…um… Why?” he asked.
“Because it’s leaking. I didn’t want my clothes to get stained.” I replied.
“Okay….” He said, with his eyebrows raised in amazement. He very gently put my shirt back in place without disturbing anything.
Once again, things go fuzzy on me. The next thing I remember is standing in an elevator. The doors opened to reveal a long hallway stretching out in front of me, with windows on the left and a row of doors on the right. My friend Willow was beside me, and as we stepped out into the hallway she apologized for the fact that her apartment was all the way down at the very end. She assured me that she would help me to walk down there as my hips were still very painful.
I faded out once again, and came to later on to find myself in the shower. By that time I was apparently so weak I could not stand on my own, so Willow was in there with me. I don’t know how she managed it, but somehow she held me up while at the same time washing my hair for me. I remember thinking that it was pure heaven, to be clean again and to have warm water cascading down my body.
Consciousness faded one last time, and I came to this time to find myself lying on the couch in my mother’s house, out in Palmer. She was in the process of feeding me a few spoonfuls of watered-down oatmeal.
My fever must have finally broken by then, because I no longer lost hold of reality. Even though I spent most of my time sleeping and recovering, I remember each time I woke up. Mother would feed me a few more spoonfuls of my oatmeal each time, and I would go back to sleep a few minutes later.
Once I recovered from whatever it was that hit me so hard, I started trying to piece together what had happened. Jack told me that before he came over to pick me up, he had called Willow. He knew that she had been concerned about me missing so much work (unusual for me) and also knew that if it turned out that I would need some TLC he would not be able to do so.
Willow met us at the Emergency Room and took me home to her place from there. I spent a couple days at her place before she decided that I needed around-the-clock care, which she was unable to give as she had to go to work each day. She called Mother who sent my little brother Reed in to town to pick me up. I was out in Palmer for 3 days before my fever finally broke.
I don’t remember what the doctor had to say. I don’t know what the diagnosis was, or what – if any – medications he prescribed. I don’t even know who paid for the visit!
I do know that I totally believed, at the time, that my bellybutton was leaking. I realize now that that was probably another hallucination. Bellybuttons are not hooked up to anything, and therefore cannot actually “leak”.
I don’t know who took care of my cats for me while I was “gone” either. It was over two weeks, all told, so somebody must have been feeding them for me. The only food I remember eating myself was the oatmeal Mother spooned into me, a bite at a time, but that was only after the fever broke.
I also don’t know why Mother didn’t take me to the hospital once she realized how sick I actually was. I can only surmise that it was a hold-over from our shared past. Growing up, my first 15 years were spent in abject poverty, with barely enough money to keep food on the table. We certainly didn’t have enough money for the luxury of hospital stays, and so we learned to get by on home-remedies and prayers.
I eventually recovered fully from the sickness, and it never came back again. It is very strange to have “lost” that week; it’s just a big blank spot in my memory. Even though I know what happened to me, it’s like reading an article about somebody else – there’s no connection to me in it at all.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Flu
As Robert Burns said, “The best laid plans of mice and men…”
I fully intended to start my weight loss program this week. I bought some SlimQuick pills to help jump-start the process – my thinking is that since medications put the weight on me, medications can help take it off – and even hired a personal trainer to get me going at the gym.
Three days later, I find myself barely able to walk from the bedroom to the computer room. This flu bug has got me down, but good.
It all started Friday morning, although I didn’t realize it at the time. That’s when my joints started aching. I thought it was either “that time of the month” or the fact that my new little girl insists on sleeping directly on top of my hips at night.
By Monday, I knew I was in trouble – but still didn’t recognize it as the flue. That night I called mother, because, as everybody knows, when you don’t feel good you want your mother on hand to take care of you! Well, she’s the one that told me I had the flu. By then I was freezing cold – I had on my polartec socks, sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a Pia’s sweater (those of you from around here will know exactly what that is!) and a wool blanket wrapped around me.
I had to call in sick Tuesday, even though I’ve got a big deadline on the job and there’s no one else to get the work done. I just could not get up. The body aches had gotten much worse, the chills alternated with a burning fever, and the coughing had turned my throat raw to where I could no longer talk.
Some advice: when you’re down with the flu, you might not want to read about the big flu pandemic of 1918… I was really starting to freak out a little bit there, picturing my dead body being found weeks later, lying in bed with my 3 cats feeding off me for lack of anything else to eat.
Today, the symptoms have moved along rather quickly. I no longer ache nearly as much, my nose is now running non-stop, the coughing has subsided a little bit (which is a good thing, since I don’t know if I have a throat left) and I’m actually starting to get a little bored.
I don’t know if I’m up to going to work tomorrow – but I know I really should, if only for half a day.
We’ll see.
I fully intended to start my weight loss program this week. I bought some SlimQuick pills to help jump-start the process – my thinking is that since medications put the weight on me, medications can help take it off – and even hired a personal trainer to get me going at the gym.
Three days later, I find myself barely able to walk from the bedroom to the computer room. This flu bug has got me down, but good.
It all started Friday morning, although I didn’t realize it at the time. That’s when my joints started aching. I thought it was either “that time of the month” or the fact that my new little girl insists on sleeping directly on top of my hips at night.
By Monday, I knew I was in trouble – but still didn’t recognize it as the flue. That night I called mother, because, as everybody knows, when you don’t feel good you want your mother on hand to take care of you! Well, she’s the one that told me I had the flu. By then I was freezing cold – I had on my polartec socks, sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a Pia’s sweater (those of you from around here will know exactly what that is!) and a wool blanket wrapped around me.
I had to call in sick Tuesday, even though I’ve got a big deadline on the job and there’s no one else to get the work done. I just could not get up. The body aches had gotten much worse, the chills alternated with a burning fever, and the coughing had turned my throat raw to where I could no longer talk.
Some advice: when you’re down with the flu, you might not want to read about the big flu pandemic of 1918… I was really starting to freak out a little bit there, picturing my dead body being found weeks later, lying in bed with my 3 cats feeding off me for lack of anything else to eat.
Today, the symptoms have moved along rather quickly. I no longer ache nearly as much, my nose is now running non-stop, the coughing has subsided a little bit (which is a good thing, since I don’t know if I have a throat left) and I’m actually starting to get a little bored.
I don’t know if I’m up to going to work tomorrow – but I know I really should, if only for half a day.
We’ll see.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy!
I have been so busy lately, I haven’t had time to post anything on my blog! I’ll try to get caught up here, and do better in the future – if at all possible.
Nature Writing Class: the class is going well. I like the people in it, and the stories submitted have all been interesting. I’m still not comfortable picking things apart, but in the long run I think it is helpful to listen to everybody’s comments. Twelve weeks sure is a long time, though. We’re just over half way thru! I really should work on a re-write…
Work: my job is going well. We’re busy as ever trying to get this clinic out to permitting. I worked about 20 hours overtime last week, and will likely do the same again this week. That’s good for my pocket book – not so good for my health. I am coming down with something: my joints ache, my nose is running, and my lungs are coughing.
Winter Trails Day: I volunteered at the BLM a few weeks ago for their winter trails day celebration. The table where I worked for 3 hours had information on the BLM as well as some actual snow flakes that had been preserved onto black paper that people could look at under a microscope. It was so cool; apparently, if you catch the snowflake and immediately spray it with a light coating of acrylic, it actually does preserve it in tact!
Earthwatch: I gave a presentation to The Forum, a group of about 52 people. I had put together a slide-show of photographs sent to me by the headquarters, put verbiage taken from the website on top, and ended up with a pretty neat presentation. I even added two of my own photos at the end, to represent my two expeditions. I had all my brochures and catalogs displayed on a table so that afterwards people could come and talk to me some more, and take whatever they wanted. Hopefully, this will generate some actual volunteers!
Family Movie Night: we had our third movie night a few weekends ago. The movies are spectacular, and are perfectly suited to my brother’s big screen TV. Our family does love get-togethers, and are thinking ahead to what we can watch once The Planet Earth is finished. We’ve discovered a new series that I am particularly interested in, called The Body Atlas. If I can figure out how to afford it (it costs $150 for the 6 DVD set) I will definitely get it.
USGBC: I have been nominated as Secretary for the local USGBC group. That’s the United States Green Building Council, and technically we just merged with another group so what I should be calling our group is the CRGBC, or the Cascadia Regional Green Building Council. Anyway, I attend the meetings, take notes, and then later – in my spare time (yeah, right) type up and distribute the minutes.
Cats: I adopted a new cat! I’m very excited about her, even though I really though I only wanted two cats. She’s another Devon, just like my first two, and she’s 5 years old. Her name is Djuna, but I call her Junie. She’s such a tiny little one with black curly hair, a short tail, and surprisingly big feet. She’s also quite bossy, and has no manners as of yet. I just love her.
Zoo Volunteer Work: I’ve been doing quite a bit at the zoo. We had two girl scouts camps just this weekend, focusing on Dog Mushing and the Iditarod race. I’ve helped out with planning for this summer’s Tuesday Night lecture program = I’m excited to announce that Dr. Richard Reading, from the Denver Zoo, is coming this year to talk about the Bactrian Camel. He’s the scientist I worked with in Mongolia last year. I’ve also helped out with the zoo’s quarterly newsletter a bit, collaborating with the education director on some ideas to incorporate some Green issued into the final product.
Creek Monitoring: this past Sunday was my creek monitoring day, and my creek was actually flowing so I was able to do it this time. Last month it had been frozen solid. My partner and I are getting along very well, and I am enjoying my duties. We’ll see how it goes over the summer months, when I have to do it twice a month. Hopefully, it wont interfere with my zoo duties too much.
INCPA: I had let my paperwork slide on this goal (Interpretive Naturalist Certification Program for Alaska) so I set aside a few hours yesterday to attempt to catch up. I got a lot done, and am motivated now to finish it up. I just don’t know when I’ll be able to do that!
Working out at the Gym: speaking of motivation, I’ve also gone ahead and hired a personal trainer to try and get me going on my weight-loss goals. I meet with her tonight to begin the program, and will hopefully go at least twice a week for the next few months.
Nature Writing Class: the class is going well. I like the people in it, and the stories submitted have all been interesting. I’m still not comfortable picking things apart, but in the long run I think it is helpful to listen to everybody’s comments. Twelve weeks sure is a long time, though. We’re just over half way thru! I really should work on a re-write…
Work: my job is going well. We’re busy as ever trying to get this clinic out to permitting. I worked about 20 hours overtime last week, and will likely do the same again this week. That’s good for my pocket book – not so good for my health. I am coming down with something: my joints ache, my nose is running, and my lungs are coughing.
Winter Trails Day: I volunteered at the BLM a few weeks ago for their winter trails day celebration. The table where I worked for 3 hours had information on the BLM as well as some actual snow flakes that had been preserved onto black paper that people could look at under a microscope. It was so cool; apparently, if you catch the snowflake and immediately spray it with a light coating of acrylic, it actually does preserve it in tact!
Earthwatch: I gave a presentation to The Forum, a group of about 52 people. I had put together a slide-show of photographs sent to me by the headquarters, put verbiage taken from the website on top, and ended up with a pretty neat presentation. I even added two of my own photos at the end, to represent my two expeditions. I had all my brochures and catalogs displayed on a table so that afterwards people could come and talk to me some more, and take whatever they wanted. Hopefully, this will generate some actual volunteers!
Family Movie Night: we had our third movie night a few weekends ago. The movies are spectacular, and are perfectly suited to my brother’s big screen TV. Our family does love get-togethers, and are thinking ahead to what we can watch once The Planet Earth is finished. We’ve discovered a new series that I am particularly interested in, called The Body Atlas. If I can figure out how to afford it (it costs $150 for the 6 DVD set) I will definitely get it.
USGBC: I have been nominated as Secretary for the local USGBC group. That’s the United States Green Building Council, and technically we just merged with another group so what I should be calling our group is the CRGBC, or the Cascadia Regional Green Building Council. Anyway, I attend the meetings, take notes, and then later – in my spare time (yeah, right) type up and distribute the minutes.
Cats: I adopted a new cat! I’m very excited about her, even though I really though I only wanted two cats. She’s another Devon, just like my first two, and she’s 5 years old. Her name is Djuna, but I call her Junie. She’s such a tiny little one with black curly hair, a short tail, and surprisingly big feet. She’s also quite bossy, and has no manners as of yet. I just love her.
Zoo Volunteer Work: I’ve been doing quite a bit at the zoo. We had two girl scouts camps just this weekend, focusing on Dog Mushing and the Iditarod race. I’ve helped out with planning for this summer’s Tuesday Night lecture program = I’m excited to announce that Dr. Richard Reading, from the Denver Zoo, is coming this year to talk about the Bactrian Camel. He’s the scientist I worked with in Mongolia last year. I’ve also helped out with the zoo’s quarterly newsletter a bit, collaborating with the education director on some ideas to incorporate some Green issued into the final product.
Creek Monitoring: this past Sunday was my creek monitoring day, and my creek was actually flowing so I was able to do it this time. Last month it had been frozen solid. My partner and I are getting along very well, and I am enjoying my duties. We’ll see how it goes over the summer months, when I have to do it twice a month. Hopefully, it wont interfere with my zoo duties too much.
INCPA: I had let my paperwork slide on this goal (Interpretive Naturalist Certification Program for Alaska) so I set aside a few hours yesterday to attempt to catch up. I got a lot done, and am motivated now to finish it up. I just don’t know when I’ll be able to do that!
Working out at the Gym: speaking of motivation, I’ve also gone ahead and hired a personal trainer to try and get me going on my weight-loss goals. I meet with her tonight to begin the program, and will hopefully go at least twice a week for the next few months.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
My Progress So Far
So - how am I doing so far this year on my New Year's Resolutions?
Not too bad if you take in to account that I have a whole year to accomplish these things. Not so good if you take in to account that there are several things I should be doing already but aren't.
Resolution #1: Ride the Bus to work at least once a week during the summer months---possibly extend into the winter months, too
= Nope, I'm not doing that one yet. Realistically I did say "during the summer months" and it most definitely is NOT summer around here. But there really is no reason why I should wait till then.
Resolution #2: Work out at the gym at least 3 times a week---loose a pound a week---improve my lower back
= Nope, I'm not doing that one yet either. I really do need to loose about 30 pounds, and I'm giving myself till next year to do it. What I'm thinking now is that I will hire a personal trainer to work with me at the gym.
Resolution #3: Organize my recycling efforts better---get bins set up in garage---set a regularly scheduled recycling day, perhaps quarterly
= I've had some progress on this one, but I still have a long way to go. I need to borrow somebody with a truck to take the load of cardboard I have waiting for me in the garage out to the recycling center. Then I will have them come with me to the store to buy some actual bins to put in the garage to organize things better.
Resolution #4: Be more aware of where my food comes from and the actual cost to our environment---buy from local Farmer's Markets---buy Organic
= this one isn't really quantifiable, but I am reading up on the topic, and as they say "education is the first step" so...
Resolution #5: Take a load of unnecessary "stuff" to Goodwill
= Now, this one I've done. I went thru the house and gathered up several large bags full of unnecessary stuff and hauled it all out to Goodwill. I feel pretty good about that!
Resolution #6: Vote
= I definitely put the ball in motion for this one. I registered, and located my polling station. I am trying to keep up on the presidential campaigns to be sure I pick the right one. When the time actually comes to vote, I will be right there waiting in line with the rest of the world!
Not too bad if you take in to account that I have a whole year to accomplish these things. Not so good if you take in to account that there are several things I should be doing already but aren't.
Resolution #1: Ride the Bus to work at least once a week during the summer months---possibly extend into the winter months, too
= Nope, I'm not doing that one yet. Realistically I did say "during the summer months" and it most definitely is NOT summer around here. But there really is no reason why I should wait till then.
Resolution #2: Work out at the gym at least 3 times a week---loose a pound a week---improve my lower back
= Nope, I'm not doing that one yet either. I really do need to loose about 30 pounds, and I'm giving myself till next year to do it. What I'm thinking now is that I will hire a personal trainer to work with me at the gym.
Resolution #3: Organize my recycling efforts better---get bins set up in garage---set a regularly scheduled recycling day, perhaps quarterly
= I've had some progress on this one, but I still have a long way to go. I need to borrow somebody with a truck to take the load of cardboard I have waiting for me in the garage out to the recycling center. Then I will have them come with me to the store to buy some actual bins to put in the garage to organize things better.
Resolution #4: Be more aware of where my food comes from and the actual cost to our environment---buy from local Farmer's Markets---buy Organic
= this one isn't really quantifiable, but I am reading up on the topic, and as they say "education is the first step" so...
Resolution #5: Take a load of unnecessary "stuff" to Goodwill
= Now, this one I've done. I went thru the house and gathered up several large bags full of unnecessary stuff and hauled it all out to Goodwill. I feel pretty good about that!
Resolution #6: Vote
= I definitely put the ball in motion for this one. I registered, and located my polling station. I am trying to keep up on the presidential campaigns to be sure I pick the right one. When the time actually comes to vote, I will be right there waiting in line with the rest of the world!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A Red Headed Blonde Moment
I was at the office the other day, working away at my computer. I had a spare moment while the computer crunched some numbers I had just fed it, so I thought that would be a good time to check on my bank account.
I called the bank and got one of those messages saying “For checking information, press 1; for savings information, press 2” and so on. I pressed the number 1, since I wanted to deal with some check-book issues.
I was perplexed, however, when the voice on the line just kept going, “for escrow information, press 3; for the loan department, press 4” and so on. I kept pressing number 1, but the voice just kept going.
It actually took me several minutes to realize that I’d been pressing the number 1 key – on my computer!
Duh!
I called the bank and got one of those messages saying “For checking information, press 1; for savings information, press 2” and so on. I pressed the number 1, since I wanted to deal with some check-book issues.
I was perplexed, however, when the voice on the line just kept going, “for escrow information, press 3; for the loan department, press 4” and so on. I kept pressing number 1, but the voice just kept going.
It actually took me several minutes to realize that I’d been pressing the number 1 key – on my computer!
Duh!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Universal Laws
Law of Mechanical Repair:
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee.
Law of the Workshop:
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of probability:
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Law of the Telephone:
When you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal.
Law of the Alibi:
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.
Variation Law:
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now.
Bath Theorem:
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters:
The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the Result:
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.
Law of Biomechanics:
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Theatre Rule:
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.
Law of Coffee:
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
Murphy's Law of Lockers:
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Dirty Rugs/Carpets:
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering...are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.
Law of Location:
No matter where you go, there you are.
Law of Logical Argument:
Anything is possible... if you don't know what you are talking about.
Brown's Law:
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.
Oliver's Law:
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Wilson's Law:
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee.
Law of the Workshop:
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of probability:
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Law of the Telephone:
When you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal.
Law of the Alibi:
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.
Variation Law:
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now.
Bath Theorem:
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters:
The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the Result:
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.
Law of Biomechanics:
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Theatre Rule:
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.
Law of Coffee:
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
Murphy's Law of Lockers:
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Dirty Rugs/Carpets:
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering...are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.
Law of Location:
No matter where you go, there you are.
Law of Logical Argument:
Anything is possible... if you don't know what you are talking about.
Brown's Law:
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.
Oliver's Law:
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Wilson's Law:
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Professional Writing
I’m half way thru my Nature Writing Workshop now, and I have discovered something about myself: I am not cut out to be a professional writer.
Let me clarify that statement a little bit.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy writing; I do. It’s not that I think I’m bad at it; I believe I’m just as good as the next guy at getting my thoughts down onto paper. And it’s not that I “can’t take the criticism” that comes with putting yourself out there for everybody to read; as long as it is constructive criticism, it helps me to grow and expand – and that’s a good thing, even if it’s not always a comfortable thing.
I just find that I am not as driven as it seems necessary to be for a writer. I don’t seem to “feel” things as strongly as the others in the group.
The class has been an eye-opener for me. We take home the essays handed in by the other members of the class, read thru them and edit them for grammar, spelling, and content. We write comments along the sidelines, stating what we felt while reading the piece, or what we thought we should have felt but didn’t. We make suggestions as to how we thing the piece could be made better. We highlight the parts that really stood out for us. Things of that nature.
During class, we openly discuss our findings – sometimes finding that other people had the same comments and at other times finding that nobody else had a problem with that particular part.
The person who’s piece is being discussed does not to have a say in the discussion, but is given time afterwards to make comments, answer particular questions, and agree/disagree with the final consensus.
This has been a very interesting learning experience for me. I have found that I am not given to being quite that analytical: if I like a piece, I like it. I don’t pare it down to the infinitesimal bits and pieces to try to determine exactly WHY I like it. I simply like it. The same goes for if I do not like a piece.
Others in the group, however, seem to enjoy the process. They imagine that they know exactly what the author was trying to convey and believe that if you simply followed their suggestions, the piece would be absolutely perfect. They strongly argue their points (all the while being as polite as possible) and fell quite pleased with themselves for having converted the author over to their side.
I think that’s what I have the most objections to: the part where they all seem to know what I was trying to say. They all want “tension and action” and feel that I should play those parts up more in order to be “more interesting”.
I don’t feel that way at all. I get enough tension and action in my life, and use my writing to get away from those stressful feelings.
I guess I’m just whining. I will continue my class (I did pay for it, after all), and will garner as much useful information out of it as I can – but will leave behind my burgeoning aspirations towards journalism. I’m just not made for that life.
Let me clarify that statement a little bit.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy writing; I do. It’s not that I think I’m bad at it; I believe I’m just as good as the next guy at getting my thoughts down onto paper. And it’s not that I “can’t take the criticism” that comes with putting yourself out there for everybody to read; as long as it is constructive criticism, it helps me to grow and expand – and that’s a good thing, even if it’s not always a comfortable thing.
I just find that I am not as driven as it seems necessary to be for a writer. I don’t seem to “feel” things as strongly as the others in the group.
The class has been an eye-opener for me. We take home the essays handed in by the other members of the class, read thru them and edit them for grammar, spelling, and content. We write comments along the sidelines, stating what we felt while reading the piece, or what we thought we should have felt but didn’t. We make suggestions as to how we thing the piece could be made better. We highlight the parts that really stood out for us. Things of that nature.
During class, we openly discuss our findings – sometimes finding that other people had the same comments and at other times finding that nobody else had a problem with that particular part.
The person who’s piece is being discussed does not to have a say in the discussion, but is given time afterwards to make comments, answer particular questions, and agree/disagree with the final consensus.
This has been a very interesting learning experience for me. I have found that I am not given to being quite that analytical: if I like a piece, I like it. I don’t pare it down to the infinitesimal bits and pieces to try to determine exactly WHY I like it. I simply like it. The same goes for if I do not like a piece.
Others in the group, however, seem to enjoy the process. They imagine that they know exactly what the author was trying to convey and believe that if you simply followed their suggestions, the piece would be absolutely perfect. They strongly argue their points (all the while being as polite as possible) and fell quite pleased with themselves for having converted the author over to their side.
I think that’s what I have the most objections to: the part where they all seem to know what I was trying to say. They all want “tension and action” and feel that I should play those parts up more in order to be “more interesting”.
I don’t feel that way at all. I get enough tension and action in my life, and use my writing to get away from those stressful feelings.
I guess I’m just whining. I will continue my class (I did pay for it, after all), and will garner as much useful information out of it as I can – but will leave behind my burgeoning aspirations towards journalism. I’m just not made for that life.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Dinner with a Friend
I got to have dinner with my friend Alison last night. Her fiancé was even able to join us! We met after work at her favorite Thai place, called Siam Cuisine. It was a very tasty meal: fresh spring rolls and corn cakes for appetizers, followed by the main course of glass noodles stir-fried with veggies and tofu.
Well, that’s what I had at least – the other two had their own main courses, which I’m sure were just as good as mine was. No one had any leftovers, at least: that’s always a good indication.
I haven’t seen Alison in a while so it was good to catch up on events. She and Ken are planning their wedding, which is coming up really soon. Stress levels are a little high, as you might expect. They have the added hurdle of planning for a wedding out of state – everything has to be done by phone and/or email.
It sounds like its going to be quite beautiful, with good food to follow at the reception. His family is from San Francisco, where the wedding is to be held, but her's is from New York. Added to which are all their friends from various other states. I haven’t heard any final numbers yet, but it sounds like it will be well attended.
I will not be able to attend, unfortunately. My last vacation ate up all my leave time, and I am now trying to save up for my next big vacation (to Africa: more about that later). I’m hopeful that they will have some sort of gathering her in Anchorage once they return from their honeymoon.
All in all, our dinner was a very pleasant 2 hours. It was good to laugh with a friend - sometimes work just gets so all-consuming, you know?
Well, that’s what I had at least – the other two had their own main courses, which I’m sure were just as good as mine was. No one had any leftovers, at least: that’s always a good indication.
I haven’t seen Alison in a while so it was good to catch up on events. She and Ken are planning their wedding, which is coming up really soon. Stress levels are a little high, as you might expect. They have the added hurdle of planning for a wedding out of state – everything has to be done by phone and/or email.
It sounds like its going to be quite beautiful, with good food to follow at the reception. His family is from San Francisco, where the wedding is to be held, but her's is from New York. Added to which are all their friends from various other states. I haven’t heard any final numbers yet, but it sounds like it will be well attended.
I will not be able to attend, unfortunately. My last vacation ate up all my leave time, and I am now trying to save up for my next big vacation (to Africa: more about that later). I’m hopeful that they will have some sort of gathering her in Anchorage once they return from their honeymoon.
All in all, our dinner was a very pleasant 2 hours. It was good to laugh with a friend - sometimes work just gets so all-consuming, you know?
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Another Great Book
A Sense of the World
by Jason Roberts
Here's what it says on the back:
He was known simply as the Blind Traveler. A solitary, sightless adventurer, James Holman (1786-1857) fought the slave trade in Africa, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, helped chart the Australian outback – and, astonishingly, circumnavigated the globe, becoming one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored.
A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history’s most epic lives – a story to awaken our own sense of awe and wonder.
by Jason Roberts
Here's what it says on the back:
He was known simply as the Blind Traveler. A solitary, sightless adventurer, James Holman (1786-1857) fought the slave trade in Africa, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, helped chart the Australian outback – and, astonishingly, circumnavigated the globe, becoming one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored.
A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history’s most epic lives – a story to awaken our own sense of awe and wonder.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Gas Usage After Winterization
I went on-line to the gas company's website and got the numbers for my gas meter. Here are the results (so far) of my winterization efforts this past month:
Usage for January 2008: 208.00
33 days = average per day: 6.30
Usage for January 2007: 293.00
35 days = average per day: 8.37
Usage for January 2006: 233.00
34 days = average per day: 6.85
Usage for January 2005: 254.00
35 days = average per day: 7.26
Usage for January 2008: 208.00
33 days = average per day: 6.30
Usage for January 2007: 293.00
35 days = average per day: 8.37
Usage for January 2006: 233.00
34 days = average per day: 6.85
Usage for January 2005: 254.00
35 days = average per day: 7.26
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Confessions of a Killer
I bought my house about 11 years ago as a HUD-Repossession; which, of course, means you get it in “as is” conditions. The first thing I did once I moved in was hire a home inspector to come out and tell me what needed to be fixed and how urgent it was that I do it. Turns out, I actually got a really good deal; the house was in fairly good shape for being 20 years old, and had been well maintained.
One of the items on the list of things to fix to was the exterior paint. Paint is really only good for maybe 5 years, and the inspector told me that my paint looked to be around 10 years old.
It took me a couple more years to save up the money, but finally I was able to afford to have a contractor come and paint my house. Since he was going to be up on ladders all over the house anyway, I told him to go ahead and replace all the rain gutters while he was at it.
The contractor I hired was an innovative sort of fellow who suggested a slight change in plan on the gutters. Instead of coming down the right side of the house and draining off down the driveway into the city’s storm drain system, he suggested that I should have the gutters come down on the left side of the house. He would then bury the gutter under my lawn, using a perforated pipe that runs about 4 feet underground for about 10 feet in length, thereby using the rainwater to hydrate the lawn more effectively.
Well, I just thought that was a super idea! I eagerly agreed to his plan, and within a week I not only had a beautiful “new” house (the new paint job freshened up the place wonderfully) but also a new “green” gutter system!
What I did not realize was that I had just become… an Earthworm Killer.
The first good rain of the season showed me soon enough, though. It had the evidence displayed out in the open, right where the whole neighborhood could see.
When I opened the garage door that morning, a horrific sight greeted my eyes. Hundreds of dead and dying earthworms were all over my driveway! They had been flooded out of the yard and crawled up to the perceived safety of the concrete – only to be killed by the hot, burning sun.
Frantically I ran up and down my driveway, trying to rescue as many as I could. I’m positive my neighbors think I’m that “weird old lady,” the one with too many cats, the one that all the children are afraid of and dare each other to run up and knock on the door, who must surely be senile to be running around crying each morning, frantically picking up earthworms and re-depositing them on the up-hill side of her front lawn.
And wouldn’t you know it – that year was a wet one. I am ashamed to say I killed many an earthworm that summer. I tried so hard not to, even going so far as to park down at the bottom of the hill on the side of the road so that the tires of my car would not add to the death toll.
Heck, I even transported a load of earthworms out to Mother’s farm, in Palmer. Surely they would be much happier out there with the chickens, the horses, and the gardens; and I would feel less guilty knowing that at least some of my precious earthworms had been saved.
Thankfully, after a year or so, the lawn got used to the influx of water and I saw less evidence of my killing ways. Either that or all the earthworms moved on to the relative safety of the next door neighbor’s yard.
Either way, I am proud to say that I have not purposely killed an earthworm in many years. The whole event has scarred me for life, though. Never again will I look at my rain gutters with pride. They will forever be the instrument of my unintentional killing spree that summer.
One of the items on the list of things to fix to was the exterior paint. Paint is really only good for maybe 5 years, and the inspector told me that my paint looked to be around 10 years old.
It took me a couple more years to save up the money, but finally I was able to afford to have a contractor come and paint my house. Since he was going to be up on ladders all over the house anyway, I told him to go ahead and replace all the rain gutters while he was at it.
The contractor I hired was an innovative sort of fellow who suggested a slight change in plan on the gutters. Instead of coming down the right side of the house and draining off down the driveway into the city’s storm drain system, he suggested that I should have the gutters come down on the left side of the house. He would then bury the gutter under my lawn, using a perforated pipe that runs about 4 feet underground for about 10 feet in length, thereby using the rainwater to hydrate the lawn more effectively.
Well, I just thought that was a super idea! I eagerly agreed to his plan, and within a week I not only had a beautiful “new” house (the new paint job freshened up the place wonderfully) but also a new “green” gutter system!
What I did not realize was that I had just become… an Earthworm Killer.
The first good rain of the season showed me soon enough, though. It had the evidence displayed out in the open, right where the whole neighborhood could see.
When I opened the garage door that morning, a horrific sight greeted my eyes. Hundreds of dead and dying earthworms were all over my driveway! They had been flooded out of the yard and crawled up to the perceived safety of the concrete – only to be killed by the hot, burning sun.
Frantically I ran up and down my driveway, trying to rescue as many as I could. I’m positive my neighbors think I’m that “weird old lady,” the one with too many cats, the one that all the children are afraid of and dare each other to run up and knock on the door, who must surely be senile to be running around crying each morning, frantically picking up earthworms and re-depositing them on the up-hill side of her front lawn.
And wouldn’t you know it – that year was a wet one. I am ashamed to say I killed many an earthworm that summer. I tried so hard not to, even going so far as to park down at the bottom of the hill on the side of the road so that the tires of my car would not add to the death toll.
Heck, I even transported a load of earthworms out to Mother’s farm, in Palmer. Surely they would be much happier out there with the chickens, the horses, and the gardens; and I would feel less guilty knowing that at least some of my precious earthworms had been saved.
Thankfully, after a year or so, the lawn got used to the influx of water and I saw less evidence of my killing ways. Either that or all the earthworms moved on to the relative safety of the next door neighbor’s yard.
Either way, I am proud to say that I have not purposely killed an earthworm in many years. The whole event has scarred me for life, though. Never again will I look at my rain gutters with pride. They will forever be the instrument of my unintentional killing spree that summer.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Adoption
I found him at a homeless shelter in Seattle. Without traveling to Seattle in person, I contacted the shelter via email to arrange the adoption. The shelter told me they were desperate to find him a home, so all I had to do was pass the home inspection and pay for his ticket up to Alaska. My instincts told me this was the right thing to do, so I basically took him sight-unseen.
The home inspection went extraordinarily well. The lady told me she knew I’d provide the perfect home for him from the moment she walked in the door. The next hour was basically just a formality; she gave tips on what I could do to ensure his comfort and make the transition as smooth as possible, and shared stories of other adoptions that she had facilitated.
When the big day finally arrived, I nervously drove down to the airport to pick him up. The flight attendant handed him off to me, all bundled up against the cold. I quickly got him into my car and took him home. When I showed him to his new room, he immediately ran and hid behind the couch before I got a chance to have a good look at him.
I knew he was frightened. He didn’t know where he was and couldn’t understand why he’d been taken from his home and sent off to God knows where. So, I simply sat down on the floor and talked to him in a soothing voice, introducing myself and assuring him that he was in a safe place. I told him that I’d always wanted a little boy just like him, and that I really hoped he would one day learn to love me – just like I immediately knew I would love him in return.
Eventually, he slowly crept out from behind the couch and came over to sit in my lap. That’s when I discovered two things about him.
The first thing I realized was that this boy is a snuggle-bunny. He absolutely loves to be held, and the tighter the better. I assumed it’s was due to a lack of hugs in his past, and vowed right then to never deny him a hug again.
The second thing I noticed was that he had to be the strangest looking cat I’d ever in my life seen!
Yes, my new little boy is a cat. At least, I think he is.
Mother came over a few days later to meet him. She took one look at him and said “My God – What is that? It looks like E.T.!” So, that’s how he earned his name: the Alien.
After getting to know the Alien over the next few weeks, I came to realize just why the homeless shelter was so desperate to find him a home = I’m sure no one else would have him! Anybody coming in to the shelter would have taken one look at him and run in the opposite direction!
He is old; most people want a cute fuzzy kitten to adopt. He is also extremely over weight, with wrinkles everywhere. On top of which, he’s bald. And orange. And toothless. And have I mentioned the asthma?
Mother is right – he does look like ET.
He also drools, but I didn’t learn that little tid-bit until later. Apparently, that’s a trait that all Devons share as a breed. The happier a Devon gets, the more a Devon drools. Buckets of drool come out of that kid sometimes. It doesn’t help that he has had so many teeth pulled that his tongue sometimes falls out.
I spend a lot of time defending him from the people who come to visit me. “He is NOT ugly! He’s very handsome, in an Alien sort of way. And, well, yes… maybe he does smell funny. I’m not sure what causes that exactly.”
In spite of all the weirdness he embodies – I have to say he is the sweetest cat I have ever had, and I will continue to defend him with the fierceness of any mother protecting her child. In fact, I have even gone so far as to adopt another one of these fascinating creatures: this one is a girl whom I’ve named Thing.
This one even has hair!
The home inspection went extraordinarily well. The lady told me she knew I’d provide the perfect home for him from the moment she walked in the door. The next hour was basically just a formality; she gave tips on what I could do to ensure his comfort and make the transition as smooth as possible, and shared stories of other adoptions that she had facilitated.
When the big day finally arrived, I nervously drove down to the airport to pick him up. The flight attendant handed him off to me, all bundled up against the cold. I quickly got him into my car and took him home. When I showed him to his new room, he immediately ran and hid behind the couch before I got a chance to have a good look at him.
I knew he was frightened. He didn’t know where he was and couldn’t understand why he’d been taken from his home and sent off to God knows where. So, I simply sat down on the floor and talked to him in a soothing voice, introducing myself and assuring him that he was in a safe place. I told him that I’d always wanted a little boy just like him, and that I really hoped he would one day learn to love me – just like I immediately knew I would love him in return.
Eventually, he slowly crept out from behind the couch and came over to sit in my lap. That’s when I discovered two things about him.
The first thing I realized was that this boy is a snuggle-bunny. He absolutely loves to be held, and the tighter the better. I assumed it’s was due to a lack of hugs in his past, and vowed right then to never deny him a hug again.
The second thing I noticed was that he had to be the strangest looking cat I’d ever in my life seen!
Yes, my new little boy is a cat. At least, I think he is.
Mother came over a few days later to meet him. She took one look at him and said “My God – What is that? It looks like E.T.!” So, that’s how he earned his name: the Alien.
After getting to know the Alien over the next few weeks, I came to realize just why the homeless shelter was so desperate to find him a home = I’m sure no one else would have him! Anybody coming in to the shelter would have taken one look at him and run in the opposite direction!
He is old; most people want a cute fuzzy kitten to adopt. He is also extremely over weight, with wrinkles everywhere. On top of which, he’s bald. And orange. And toothless. And have I mentioned the asthma?
Mother is right – he does look like ET.
He also drools, but I didn’t learn that little tid-bit until later. Apparently, that’s a trait that all Devons share as a breed. The happier a Devon gets, the more a Devon drools. Buckets of drool come out of that kid sometimes. It doesn’t help that he has had so many teeth pulled that his tongue sometimes falls out.
I spend a lot of time defending him from the people who come to visit me. “He is NOT ugly! He’s very handsome, in an Alien sort of way. And, well, yes… maybe he does smell funny. I’m not sure what causes that exactly.”
In spite of all the weirdness he embodies – I have to say he is the sweetest cat I have ever had, and I will continue to defend him with the fierceness of any mother protecting her child. In fact, I have even gone so far as to adopt another one of these fascinating creatures: this one is a girl whom I’ve named Thing.
This one even has hair!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Yesterday was a Good Day
I had a lunch meeting with the AIA150 group; we met at The City Diner to discuss a potential project for the rural communities of Alaska. We want to come up with a way to get the architectural population more connected to the rest of the world. Should be interesting, especially if they pick the proposal I like best. There is a little community named Georgetown, located off the Kuskokwim River, that is looking at a very real economic boom coming at them from the gold mine that will be built in their town. They need to have a master plan in place to be able to handle the influx of money & people without loosing their identity as a native people. They don’t even have power right now and soon will be overwhelmed by “progress”.
After work I met up with a couple girls from the Alaska Zoo for dinner at our favorite restaurant, Orso’s. Katie is the Education Director and Heather is the Volunteer Coordinator. It was a great dinner, full of laughs and lots of girl talk.
After that I walked across town to my writing class. I turned in a little piece I wrote a while ago that will be offered out to the class for critique = it will be interesting to see the results. I’m working on another piece now that will be turned in once I get a good feel for what the class expects from me. Maybe I’ll even post it here on my Blog – who knows!
I got home finally around 9:45 or so, but spent about half an hour on the computer getting some thoughts down. The drive home after class seems to be a very productive time for me: I come up with all sorts of story ideas that just have to be written down before I loose them again.
After work I met up with a couple girls from the Alaska Zoo for dinner at our favorite restaurant, Orso’s. Katie is the Education Director and Heather is the Volunteer Coordinator. It was a great dinner, full of laughs and lots of girl talk.
After that I walked across town to my writing class. I turned in a little piece I wrote a while ago that will be offered out to the class for critique = it will be interesting to see the results. I’m working on another piece now that will be turned in once I get a good feel for what the class expects from me. Maybe I’ll even post it here on my Blog – who knows!
I got home finally around 9:45 or so, but spent about half an hour on the computer getting some thoughts down. The drive home after class seems to be a very productive time for me: I come up with all sorts of story ideas that just have to be written down before I loose them again.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Donating Blood
I gave blood last weekend. I used to give quite regularly, but with all the exotic travel I’ve been doing lately, it just got set aside for a couple years. And since the local blood bank has an office in the mall where I go write letters each Sunday morning, it really should become a regular thing again.
It was a lot easier than I remembered. They have stream-lined the paperwork process now, so it only takes a few minutes rather than the half hour it used to take. I had a few questions concerning all the inoculations I’ve had recently, and a few about some places I’m planning on going to – but other than that, I breezed thru the process with no problems at all.
The actual draw was fast and easy, too. The nurse who “stuck” me was very good at it, and got the vein on the first try. I’ve had some bad experiences in the past that almost convinced me to stop donating, so I was glad to get a good one this time.
I have been making a conscious effort to drink more water, just for the overall health benefits – but that also helps in donating blood as well, since you are depleting your body of liquids. The more hydrated you are, the faster the draw takes. I learned that the hard way: one time, it too what felt like hours just to get a pint of blood out of me and I felt so awful I wished I could die.
It also helps immensely if you eat a good meal beforehand. I always eat lunch at the café while I write my letters, so I was good to go.
Here are a few facts about donating blood:
- By the age of 72, nearly 95% of the population will need blood or a blood product
- Each year more than four million Americans need blood transfusions
- 40,000 blood donors are needed each day throughout the United States
- The Blood Bank of Alaska provides blood to 21 of the 23 hospitals in Alaska
- One blood donation can help up to three hospital patients
- In Alaska fewer than 5% of the eligible donors give blood
- There is no substitute for human blood
- The Blood Bank of Alaska needs 2,200 donations monthly to serve the hospital patients in Alaska
It was a lot easier than I remembered. They have stream-lined the paperwork process now, so it only takes a few minutes rather than the half hour it used to take. I had a few questions concerning all the inoculations I’ve had recently, and a few about some places I’m planning on going to – but other than that, I breezed thru the process with no problems at all.
The actual draw was fast and easy, too. The nurse who “stuck” me was very good at it, and got the vein on the first try. I’ve had some bad experiences in the past that almost convinced me to stop donating, so I was glad to get a good one this time.
I have been making a conscious effort to drink more water, just for the overall health benefits – but that also helps in donating blood as well, since you are depleting your body of liquids. The more hydrated you are, the faster the draw takes. I learned that the hard way: one time, it too what felt like hours just to get a pint of blood out of me and I felt so awful I wished I could die.
It also helps immensely if you eat a good meal beforehand. I always eat lunch at the café while I write my letters, so I was good to go.
Here are a few facts about donating blood:
- By the age of 72, nearly 95% of the population will need blood or a blood product
- Each year more than four million Americans need blood transfusions
- 40,000 blood donors are needed each day throughout the United States
- The Blood Bank of Alaska provides blood to 21 of the 23 hospitals in Alaska
- One blood donation can help up to three hospital patients
- In Alaska fewer than 5% of the eligible donors give blood
- There is no substitute for human blood
- The Blood Bank of Alaska needs 2,200 donations monthly to serve the hospital patients in Alaska
Monday, January 21, 2008
Family Movie Night - Part 2
Our second Family Movie Night was a big hit, just as the first one was. We’re on our second disc of the Planet Earth Series: this time we watched “Caves” “Deserts” and “Ice Worlds”
The first section, Caves, was a really cool one that highlighted the odd creatures to be found under our feet. At one point they were filming this huge 90 foot high pile of bat guano that was literally crawling with millions of cockroaches! Oh, it just made you squirm to watch it.
The second section, Deserts, was particularly interesting to me because they filmed most of it in the Gobi desert which is where I spent my vacation last year! I got to show my family what Ulaanbaatar looks like, and how desolate the place really is. Of course, I wasn’t quite as remote as they were, but it was still very similar.
The third one, Ice Worlds, wasn’t that “new” to us living as we do up here in the arctic. Working at the zoo and dealing with Earthwatch has elevated my awareness of some of the issues at hand out there, so the information they presented was more of an overview for me – but not any less interesting. It’s always a beautiful thing to watch a polar bear in its natural environment.
For food this time we made Chinese Egg Rolls; always a favorite, although a bit labor intensive. Mother had the whole assembly line going, using several people to put together the chopped veggies that Stewart provided while she fried them. Kelly brought some jasmine rice and I brought the sauces to dip them in. Noel brought the fruit plate for desert, added to which I had some store-bought cookies.
I had several people ask why we don’t do this every weekend, but I had originally made the schedule out thinking I should give people time to have a life outside of the family. Who knew that there is no life outside of the family!
The first section, Caves, was a really cool one that highlighted the odd creatures to be found under our feet. At one point they were filming this huge 90 foot high pile of bat guano that was literally crawling with millions of cockroaches! Oh, it just made you squirm to watch it.
The second section, Deserts, was particularly interesting to me because they filmed most of it in the Gobi desert which is where I spent my vacation last year! I got to show my family what Ulaanbaatar looks like, and how desolate the place really is. Of course, I wasn’t quite as remote as they were, but it was still very similar.
The third one, Ice Worlds, wasn’t that “new” to us living as we do up here in the arctic. Working at the zoo and dealing with Earthwatch has elevated my awareness of some of the issues at hand out there, so the information they presented was more of an overview for me – but not any less interesting. It’s always a beautiful thing to watch a polar bear in its natural environment.
For food this time we made Chinese Egg Rolls; always a favorite, although a bit labor intensive. Mother had the whole assembly line going, using several people to put together the chopped veggies that Stewart provided while she fried them. Kelly brought some jasmine rice and I brought the sauces to dip them in. Noel brought the fruit plate for desert, added to which I had some store-bought cookies.
I had several people ask why we don’t do this every weekend, but I had originally made the schedule out thinking I should give people time to have a life outside of the family. Who knew that there is no life outside of the family!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Happy Birthday Ahpun & Lyutyik!
The Alaska Zoo held its annual birthday party for their polar bears today, and I was there working at the critter table. The weather was cooperative, for once; being a mere 20 degrees rather than the 14 below it was at their last event. That certainly makes my volunteer work easier.
Ahpun and Lyutyik (affectionately known as Louie) had a huge 8’ tall 3-tiered snow-cake built in the center of their exhibit, decorated with colored sugar water and fruit. As always, a few toys were hidden inside the cake = the bears enjoy digging in to find whatever is hidden in there.
When they were let out of their dens, promptly at noon, they knew just what to do. Ahpun zeroed in on the cake decorations, very carefully picking off the apples and oranges first, followed by the frozen fish and washed down with a few carrots - not her favorite treat, but if she didn’t eat them he would have. Oddly enough, she wouldn’t eat the orange peel: she very carefully broke each one open and scraped the pulp out with her lips, leaving the rinds scattered on the ground around her.
Louie, however, had his eye on the big huge box balanced precariously on top. He stood up on his hind legs, showing off his impressive size, and got hold of the box with his teeth and dragged it off and over to a corner, away from Ahpun. There he methodically worked at it until he got it open. Inside was a bit of popcorn, but he ignored that and went right for the brand new 5-gallon bucket! The peanut butter smeared on the inside was a bonus – once that has been licked clean, the bucket itself will provide hours upon hours of fun for both the bears (assuming they share).
Our critter table had an information board with pictures, maps, and a few news articles all illustrating the recent plight of the polar bears, giving tips on how to do your part to try to mitigate the problem. We had a polar bear skull and a piece of hid with the claws attached for the kids to investigate. The zoo’s photographer had donated a couple of his prints that had been turned into puzzles for the children to try to assemble – one cut to an easy format, the other more difficult.
We also had the cutest polar bear hand puppet that was offered as a raffle: $1.00 per ticket or 6 for $5.00. I had the puppet on my hand as I walked around the crowd talking to people. I’m rather proud to say I personally sold about $56 worth of tickets! That more than made up for the cost of the puppet.
Unfortunately I had absentmindedly locked the keys in my car when I arrived for my shift, so I was a bit distracted wondering how I was going to retrieve them. The maintenance guy on duty that day, James, tried to help but my car is firmly resistant to being broken in to so he was not successful. After several attempts I suddenly remembered that I had a spare key at the house, so I got a ride home with one of the other volunteers and finally got my car back.
Ahpun and Lyutyik (affectionately known as Louie) had a huge 8’ tall 3-tiered snow-cake built in the center of their exhibit, decorated with colored sugar water and fruit. As always, a few toys were hidden inside the cake = the bears enjoy digging in to find whatever is hidden in there.
When they were let out of their dens, promptly at noon, they knew just what to do. Ahpun zeroed in on the cake decorations, very carefully picking off the apples and oranges first, followed by the frozen fish and washed down with a few carrots - not her favorite treat, but if she didn’t eat them he would have. Oddly enough, she wouldn’t eat the orange peel: she very carefully broke each one open and scraped the pulp out with her lips, leaving the rinds scattered on the ground around her.
Louie, however, had his eye on the big huge box balanced precariously on top. He stood up on his hind legs, showing off his impressive size, and got hold of the box with his teeth and dragged it off and over to a corner, away from Ahpun. There he methodically worked at it until he got it open. Inside was a bit of popcorn, but he ignored that and went right for the brand new 5-gallon bucket! The peanut butter smeared on the inside was a bonus – once that has been licked clean, the bucket itself will provide hours upon hours of fun for both the bears (assuming they share).
Our critter table had an information board with pictures, maps, and a few news articles all illustrating the recent plight of the polar bears, giving tips on how to do your part to try to mitigate the problem. We had a polar bear skull and a piece of hid with the claws attached for the kids to investigate. The zoo’s photographer had donated a couple of his prints that had been turned into puzzles for the children to try to assemble – one cut to an easy format, the other more difficult.
We also had the cutest polar bear hand puppet that was offered as a raffle: $1.00 per ticket or 6 for $5.00. I had the puppet on my hand as I walked around the crowd talking to people. I’m rather proud to say I personally sold about $56 worth of tickets! That more than made up for the cost of the puppet.
Unfortunately I had absentmindedly locked the keys in my car when I arrived for my shift, so I was a bit distracted wondering how I was going to retrieve them. The maintenance guy on duty that day, James, tried to help but my car is firmly resistant to being broken in to so he was not successful. After several attempts I suddenly remembered that I had a spare key at the house, so I got a ride home with one of the other volunteers and finally got my car back.
Friday, January 18, 2008
INCPA Tea
I met up with some girls in my INCPA (Interpretive Naturalist Certification Program of Alaska) group today; we get together about once a month for some girl-talk. They are both married with children, and I know from my sister’s lives that sometime you just really crave adult conversation. Me: I just like these girls. I sit back and listen to them talk while drinking a nice hot cup of organic chai tea. It’s a very pleasant way to spend a Friday after noon, particularly after a long week at work.
I first ran in to these girls, Lisa and Susanne, while on a Mushroom walk out at the Campbell Creek Science Center, during a particularly good time of year for mushroom hunting. The lady leading the talk knew all about mushrooms, so as we were walking down the trails we’d occasionally scamper off to pick an interesting looking one and bring it back to her. She would then hold it up for the group and talk about its features, telling stories of past encounters with that particular type of mushroom.
I next ran in to Lisa and Susanne at our CEMP orientations (Citizen’s Environmental Monitoring Program). That was two days of 5-hour training sessions each, so we had ample time to get to know one another.
One day shortly after our training, I picked their emails out from the mass-emailing sent by the Anchorage Waterways Council and contacted them both to see if they’d be interested in getting together for tea one afternoon. Thankfully, they both thought that was a great idea, and we’ve been doing it ever since.
The place we meet is a really nice organic coffee shop called The Terra Bella, although I must admit that none of us drink coffee. That’s ok, thought, they have organic teas as well, along with all kinds of organic muffins, brownies, bagels, and the like. The Terra Bella takes part in Anchorage's First Friday Art Shows, so always has something interesting up on the walls. I had to admit I did not care for the art this month: too cold and frightening for my tastes.
Susanne just had her little girl 3 months ago (yes, she was 8 months pregnant while learning to monitor our city’s creeks!), and little Willa Jane is just the cutest little girl ever! I got to hold her today: she was looking around and smiling at every body the whole time.
I first ran in to these girls, Lisa and Susanne, while on a Mushroom walk out at the Campbell Creek Science Center, during a particularly good time of year for mushroom hunting. The lady leading the talk knew all about mushrooms, so as we were walking down the trails we’d occasionally scamper off to pick an interesting looking one and bring it back to her. She would then hold it up for the group and talk about its features, telling stories of past encounters with that particular type of mushroom.
I next ran in to Lisa and Susanne at our CEMP orientations (Citizen’s Environmental Monitoring Program). That was two days of 5-hour training sessions each, so we had ample time to get to know one another.
One day shortly after our training, I picked their emails out from the mass-emailing sent by the Anchorage Waterways Council and contacted them both to see if they’d be interested in getting together for tea one afternoon. Thankfully, they both thought that was a great idea, and we’ve been doing it ever since.
The place we meet is a really nice organic coffee shop called The Terra Bella, although I must admit that none of us drink coffee. That’s ok, thought, they have organic teas as well, along with all kinds of organic muffins, brownies, bagels, and the like. The Terra Bella takes part in Anchorage's First Friday Art Shows, so always has something interesting up on the walls. I had to admit I did not care for the art this month: too cold and frightening for my tastes.
Susanne just had her little girl 3 months ago (yes, she was 8 months pregnant while learning to monitor our city’s creeks!), and little Willa Jane is just the cutest little girl ever! I got to hold her today: she was looking around and smiling at every body the whole time.
Nature Writing Workshop
My first writing class was last night; I’m all fired up now to go out and write a bunch of stuff. We’ll see if I can hold on to that feeling for any length of time. Hopefully at least till the end of class, 12 weeks from now.
The class went very well. There were 10 people not including the teacher. At least 4 others will be joining us later; for whatever reason, they were not able to make the first class.
We all sat around a table and talked for a little while, then we did a “free writing” session: he gave us a couple ideas to write about (why I took this class – or – what I want to get out of this class, things like that) and gave us 12 minutes to write whatever came to mind. We then read each piece aloud and talked about them.
Writing at the spur of the moment for 12 minutes about a random subject is a bit harder than you’d expect. For one thing, I was using a pen instead of a computer. Typing what you think is so much easier and faster than writing what you think – my brain thinks so much faster than my hand can make that pen go, you know! I ended up with cramps all night (boo-hoo!). My brain tends to wander, too. He told us to just go wherever your thoughts take you, so my “piece” was all over the map. I tried to keep it somewhatly on track…
After our free-writing session, he handed out some essays written by various authors and told us to go home and critique them, and to write our own pieces to bring to class to be critiqued. The pieces are, as one would expect in a Nature Writing Class, about nature and the outdoors.
One of the authors is a favorite of mine, David Quaman, and is about a favorite subject of mine, to boot: spiders! Black Widow Spiders, to be specific. Those of you who know me know that I have an affinity towards that particular spider, having met more than my fair share down in Arizona when I was in college. I can tell you from experience that to be bit by a Black Widow Spider involves at least 3-4 days in the hospital and leaves you with a “dead spot” that lasts for over 6 months.
As for writing a piece, I’m thinking that I will turn in a piece I wrote last year to see how well it is received. After I get the feedback and get a feel for what the class expects from me, I will be able to come up with new material.
Should be interesting!
The class went very well. There were 10 people not including the teacher. At least 4 others will be joining us later; for whatever reason, they were not able to make the first class.
We all sat around a table and talked for a little while, then we did a “free writing” session: he gave us a couple ideas to write about (why I took this class – or – what I want to get out of this class, things like that) and gave us 12 minutes to write whatever came to mind. We then read each piece aloud and talked about them.
Writing at the spur of the moment for 12 minutes about a random subject is a bit harder than you’d expect. For one thing, I was using a pen instead of a computer. Typing what you think is so much easier and faster than writing what you think – my brain thinks so much faster than my hand can make that pen go, you know! I ended up with cramps all night (boo-hoo!). My brain tends to wander, too. He told us to just go wherever your thoughts take you, so my “piece” was all over the map. I tried to keep it somewhatly on track…
After our free-writing session, he handed out some essays written by various authors and told us to go home and critique them, and to write our own pieces to bring to class to be critiqued. The pieces are, as one would expect in a Nature Writing Class, about nature and the outdoors.
One of the authors is a favorite of mine, David Quaman, and is about a favorite subject of mine, to boot: spiders! Black Widow Spiders, to be specific. Those of you who know me know that I have an affinity towards that particular spider, having met more than my fair share down in Arizona when I was in college. I can tell you from experience that to be bit by a Black Widow Spider involves at least 3-4 days in the hospital and leaves you with a “dead spot” that lasts for over 6 months.
As for writing a piece, I’m thinking that I will turn in a piece I wrote last year to see how well it is received. After I get the feedback and get a feel for what the class expects from me, I will be able to come up with new material.
Should be interesting!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
African Footprint
Mother came in to town yesterday. We had a very nice dinner at Little Italy and then went over to the Performing Arts Center for the most incredible show: African Footprint
Boy, was that GREAT! I highly recommend this show - if you have a chance, definitely go see it.
Here's what the papers have to say about it:
The hypnotic heartbeat of the African drum, the soulful saxophone, and the haunting pennywhistle meld Afro- and Euro-centric music and dance – Kwela-jive, traditional gumboot, tap, contemporary ballet, hip-hop pantsula – into an ‘explosive stampede of song and dance’ that tells the vibrant and diverse history of South Africa.
A cast of 30 energetic performers has created a show so exciting and entertaining that critics have dubbed AFRICAN FOOTPRINT “The Riverdance of South Africa ”
Boy, was that GREAT! I highly recommend this show - if you have a chance, definitely go see it.
Here's what the papers have to say about it:
The hypnotic heartbeat of the African drum, the soulful saxophone, and the haunting pennywhistle meld Afro- and Euro-centric music and dance – Kwela-jive, traditional gumboot, tap, contemporary ballet, hip-hop pantsula – into an ‘explosive stampede of song and dance’ that tells the vibrant and diverse history of South Africa.
A cast of 30 energetic performers has created a show so exciting and entertaining that critics have dubbed AFRICAN FOOTPRINT “The Riverdance of South Africa ”
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I'm reading a great book
It’s called “Intelligence in Nature” by Jeremy Narby
I got to see Jeremy speak at my first Bioneers conference a few years ago, and he’s very interesting. I’ve been meaning to read this book ever since but am only just now getting around to it.
It’s kind of like two books in one, actually. He has notes on each chapter in the back – I’ve been reading a chapter, then going to the back and reading all the notes about that chapter. Both sections are extremely interesting and very readable.
Here’s what the internet has to say about his book:
Continuing the journey begun in his acclaimed book The Cosmic Serpent, the noted anthropologist ventures firsthand into both traditional cultures and the most up-to date discoveries of contemporary science to determine nature's secret ways of knowing.
Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has altered how we understand the Shamanic cultures and traditions that have undergone a worldwide revival in recent years. Now, in one of his most extraordinary journeys, Narby travels the globe-from the Amazon Basin to the Far East-to probe what traditional healers and pioneering researchers understand about the intelligence present in all forms of life.
Intelligence in Nature presents overwhelming illustrative evidence that independent intelligence is not unique to humanity alone. Indeed, bacteria, plants, animals, and other forms of nonhuman life display an uncanny penchant for self-deterministic decisions, patterns, and actions.
Narby presents the first in-depth anthropological study of this concept in the West. He not only uncovers a mysterious thread of intelligent behavior within the natural world but also probes the question of what humanity can learn from nature's economy and knowingness in its own search for a saner and more sustainable way of life.
About the Author:
Jeremy Narby, Ph.D., studied history at the University of Canterbury, and received his doctorate in anthropology from Stanford University.
I got to see Jeremy speak at my first Bioneers conference a few years ago, and he’s very interesting. I’ve been meaning to read this book ever since but am only just now getting around to it.
It’s kind of like two books in one, actually. He has notes on each chapter in the back – I’ve been reading a chapter, then going to the back and reading all the notes about that chapter. Both sections are extremely interesting and very readable.
Here’s what the internet has to say about his book:
Continuing the journey begun in his acclaimed book The Cosmic Serpent, the noted anthropologist ventures firsthand into both traditional cultures and the most up-to date discoveries of contemporary science to determine nature's secret ways of knowing.
Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has altered how we understand the Shamanic cultures and traditions that have undergone a worldwide revival in recent years. Now, in one of his most extraordinary journeys, Narby travels the globe-from the Amazon Basin to the Far East-to probe what traditional healers and pioneering researchers understand about the intelligence present in all forms of life.
Intelligence in Nature presents overwhelming illustrative evidence that independent intelligence is not unique to humanity alone. Indeed, bacteria, plants, animals, and other forms of nonhuman life display an uncanny penchant for self-deterministic decisions, patterns, and actions.
Narby presents the first in-depth anthropological study of this concept in the West. He not only uncovers a mysterious thread of intelligent behavior within the natural world but also probes the question of what humanity can learn from nature's economy and knowingness in its own search for a saner and more sustainable way of life.
About the Author:
Jeremy Narby, Ph.D., studied history at the University of Canterbury, and received his doctorate in anthropology from Stanford University.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Fun Facts About Caterpillars
Worldwide there are probably about 300,000 species of Lepidoptera, of which only an estimated 14,500 – or 5% - are butterflies.
A few caterpillars of the family Pyralidae are aquatic and have gills that let them breath underwater.
Caterpillars have 4,000 muscles - 248 of which are in their head. Humans only have 629 muscles.
The most potent defensive chemical found in any animal is produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia. It is an anticoagulant powerful enough to cause a human to hemorrhage to death. This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications.
Lepidoptera, derived from the Greek works “lepido” for scale and “ptera” for wings, is the second largest order in the class Insecta.
As a rule, most butterflies are diurnal, brightly colored, and have knobs or hooks at the tip of the antennae. Most moths are nocturnal, are typically drab in color, and have thread-like, spindle-like, or comb-like antennae.
A moth pupa (caterpillar) transforms inside a cocoon and a butterfly pupa transforms inside a chrysalis.
A few caterpillars of the family Pyralidae are aquatic and have gills that let them breath underwater.
Caterpillars have 4,000 muscles - 248 of which are in their head. Humans only have 629 muscles.
The most potent defensive chemical found in any animal is produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia. It is an anticoagulant powerful enough to cause a human to hemorrhage to death. This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications.
Lepidoptera, derived from the Greek works “lepido” for scale and “ptera” for wings, is the second largest order in the class Insecta.
As a rule, most butterflies are diurnal, brightly colored, and have knobs or hooks at the tip of the antennae. Most moths are nocturnal, are typically drab in color, and have thread-like, spindle-like, or comb-like antennae.
A moth pupa (caterpillar) transforms inside a cocoon and a butterfly pupa transforms inside a chrysalis.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Family Movie Night
We had our first Family Movie Night this weekend out at my brother’s house. We showed the first disc in the Planet Earth collection on his big screen TV.
And when I say it’s a big screen TV – I do mean it’s a BIG SCREEN TV. That thing is about 50” long by around 38” tall.
It’s the perfect place to watch Planet Earth, though; spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife shots. We watched 3 sections that night = From Pole to Pole, Mountains, and Fresh Water.
The first one, From Pole to Pole, was so good. Aerial shots of the caribou migration were truly awe-inspiring.
The second one, Mountains, was very cool with shots of the Snow Leopards and a mountain goats with long spiral horns.
The third one, Fresh Water, was also very good. The opening shot takes you over the top of Angel Falls. That got my brother very excited: it’s one of his life goals to base-jump off of those falls, so he had us play that scene over several times.
We had a very good turn-out, amazingly enough. It was a VERY cold day, but I guess that’s the perfect time to have a movie night since you really can’t do anything else. Here’s the official list of attendees: Reed, Heather, Mother, Kelly, Myself, Noel, Hank, Tara, Laurel, Stewart, Julie, Gareth, Laurel, Gleo, Myra, and Pam.
Kelly brought her knitting. Noel brought her embroidery. Tara brought her crochet. Julie brought her beadwork to hand out: she made me a beautiful necklace!
And of course, we had food. You simply cannot have a family gathering without plenty of food! Heather cooked a turkey and we brought all the fixin’s to go with it. Mashed potatoes & gravy, homemade bread rolls & apple jam, lots of veggies and salads, and to top it off we had homemade cinnamon rolls.
Mmm!
And when I say it’s a big screen TV – I do mean it’s a BIG SCREEN TV. That thing is about 50” long by around 38” tall.
It’s the perfect place to watch Planet Earth, though; spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife shots. We watched 3 sections that night = From Pole to Pole, Mountains, and Fresh Water.
The first one, From Pole to Pole, was so good. Aerial shots of the caribou migration were truly awe-inspiring.
The second one, Mountains, was very cool with shots of the Snow Leopards and a mountain goats with long spiral horns.
The third one, Fresh Water, was also very good. The opening shot takes you over the top of Angel Falls. That got my brother very excited: it’s one of his life goals to base-jump off of those falls, so he had us play that scene over several times.
We had a very good turn-out, amazingly enough. It was a VERY cold day, but I guess that’s the perfect time to have a movie night since you really can’t do anything else. Here’s the official list of attendees: Reed, Heather, Mother, Kelly, Myself, Noel, Hank, Tara, Laurel, Stewart, Julie, Gareth, Laurel, Gleo, Myra, and Pam.
Kelly brought her knitting. Noel brought her embroidery. Tara brought her crochet. Julie brought her beadwork to hand out: she made me a beautiful necklace!
And of course, we had food. You simply cannot have a family gathering without plenty of food! Heather cooked a turkey and we brought all the fixin’s to go with it. Mashed potatoes & gravy, homemade bread rolls & apple jam, lots of veggies and salads, and to top it off we had homemade cinnamon rolls.
Mmm!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Grand Opening
The Grand Opening for the Seal & Otter exhibit at the zoo was yesterday. There were all sorts of activities planned for the day: a ribbon cutting ceremony, a critter table, story time in the Greenhouse, Sketch-n-Safari, and three very large celebratory cakes. I volunteered to work at the critter table.
The biggest problem for the day was the weather. That morning was bitter cold: I’m guessing it was about 4 degrees. Not only is that miserable weather to be working in, but it also tends to cut down on the number of people coming to enjoy the event. I was supposed to have sat out there with my critter table the entire 3 hours, but was just freezing to death so they let me close up early.
But it was so nice to see that exhibit up and running again. We started work on it over two years ago, sending our harbor seal off to the SeaLife center in Seward for the duration. The otters were able to make due in a temporary exhibit off of the wolverine’s habitat.
The new building has all new plumbing & filtration systems, a brand new furnace, and a completely remodeled exhibit area. The seal’s half got doubled in size so they have lots of room to swim around now. The otter’s side was made to look a lot more realistic, and is just perfect for them.
We modified the viewing area up on top so that people can no longer toss coins into the water; that’s why we had to shut the old one down so long ago. The seals ate the coins and so, of course, one died. I’ll never understand why some people seem to have this overwhelming need to toss coins into every body of water they come across.
We still have the underwater viewing down below, as well, but it no longer feels so claustrophobic down there, and might actually be a nice place to go. I always hated that old exhibit.
The animals seemed to be enjoying their new surroundings. Chloe and her son Tongas (he was born over at the SeaLife center and is now 6 months old) were both playing follow the leader thru the rock tunnel and around the exhibit. She seems to have taught her son to do her favorite trick with her: she loves to swim upside-down and he does it too, right behind her!
The otters were sliding down the mountains of snow and gliding into the water, only to jump out and do it all over again. They would occasionally stop and stand up on their hind feet to view the crowds, as if to say “Are you watching?”
The biggest problem for the day was the weather. That morning was bitter cold: I’m guessing it was about 4 degrees. Not only is that miserable weather to be working in, but it also tends to cut down on the number of people coming to enjoy the event. I was supposed to have sat out there with my critter table the entire 3 hours, but was just freezing to death so they let me close up early.
But it was so nice to see that exhibit up and running again. We started work on it over two years ago, sending our harbor seal off to the SeaLife center in Seward for the duration. The otters were able to make due in a temporary exhibit off of the wolverine’s habitat.
The new building has all new plumbing & filtration systems, a brand new furnace, and a completely remodeled exhibit area. The seal’s half got doubled in size so they have lots of room to swim around now. The otter’s side was made to look a lot more realistic, and is just perfect for them.
We modified the viewing area up on top so that people can no longer toss coins into the water; that’s why we had to shut the old one down so long ago. The seals ate the coins and so, of course, one died. I’ll never understand why some people seem to have this overwhelming need to toss coins into every body of water they come across.
We still have the underwater viewing down below, as well, but it no longer feels so claustrophobic down there, and might actually be a nice place to go. I always hated that old exhibit.
The animals seemed to be enjoying their new surroundings. Chloe and her son Tongas (he was born over at the SeaLife center and is now 6 months old) were both playing follow the leader thru the rock tunnel and around the exhibit. She seems to have taught her son to do her favorite trick with her: she loves to swim upside-down and he does it too, right behind her!
The otters were sliding down the mountains of snow and gliding into the water, only to jump out and do it all over again. They would occasionally stop and stand up on their hind feet to view the crowds, as if to say “Are you watching?”
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Pizza and Beer
I met up with an old friend of mine for dinner tonight. She and I worked together back in my Pipeline days (meaning we both worked Big Oil on the Alyeska Pipeline together). She is back at it, up in Prudhoe Bay working a 2-and-2 schedule (2 weeks on, 2 weeks off). I had thought it would be just me and her, but she ended up bringing her whole crew with her! When all was said and done, we stuffed 11 people into a table meant to hold maybe 8.
The place we went to, called The Moose’s Tooth (www.moosestooth.net), is known for having the best pizza in town, and the parking lot reflected that reputation. I had to drive around several times before finding a spot just recently vacated. Inside, the wait for our table wasn’t that bad: I barely had time to read a chapter in my book (I always carry my book with me – you never know when you’ll be presented with the opportunity to get some reading in) before they set off our “vibrator” thingy.
The place is also known for their beer: made in-house and famous the world over. For those of you who don’t drink beer (there actually are some who don't) they also make their own Root Beer, Cream Soda, and Ginger Ale. All of which are sold by the glass, by the pitcher, or by the barrel.
With that many people at the table, we ended up ordering 3 large pizzas – and I do mean LARGE – with one small personal-sized one for me (vegetarian). Several people ordered salads and/or appetizers also, and there still wasn’t anything left over.
The big surprise of the night was seeing a particular man walk in. Way, way, way back when – I actually had dated him! Hadn’t seen him in about 14 years; it was a little strange. Couldn’t help but remember the reason why we broke up, if you know what I mean.
The place we went to, called The Moose’s Tooth (www.moosestooth.net), is known for having the best pizza in town, and the parking lot reflected that reputation. I had to drive around several times before finding a spot just recently vacated. Inside, the wait for our table wasn’t that bad: I barely had time to read a chapter in my book (I always carry my book with me – you never know when you’ll be presented with the opportunity to get some reading in) before they set off our “vibrator” thingy.
The place is also known for their beer: made in-house and famous the world over. For those of you who don’t drink beer (there actually are some who don't) they also make their own Root Beer, Cream Soda, and Ginger Ale. All of which are sold by the glass, by the pitcher, or by the barrel.
With that many people at the table, we ended up ordering 3 large pizzas – and I do mean LARGE – with one small personal-sized one for me (vegetarian). Several people ordered salads and/or appetizers also, and there still wasn’t anything left over.
The big surprise of the night was seeing a particular man walk in. Way, way, way back when – I actually had dated him! Hadn’t seen him in about 14 years; it was a little strange. Couldn’t help but remember the reason why we broke up, if you know what I mean.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Ringing In The New Year
They say that the way a person spends New Year’s Eve is a precursor to how they will spend the coming year.
If that is true, I will be spending the year alone.
Again.
Honestly, it wasn’t all that bad. The office gave us an unexpected half-day off, allowing me to spend a few hours at the zoo. Wintertime usually means I don’t get to go to the zoo that often, what with the shorter hours of daylight and all that, so it was nice to revisit all the animals. I walked around the zoo for several hours talking to the other patrons and having a hot cup of cider.
At home, I curled up on my chair with my Thing, some Copper River Red Salmon my cousin gave me, a glass of White Merlot, and some Law & Order on the television. I was in bed by 10:30, but I did wake up at 12:30 and acknowledged the passing of the old year.
New Year’s Day was an exciting day, but not exactly in a good way. I had planned on getting a start on one of my New Year’s Resolutions – the one that says I’ll work out three times a week – but ended up not going. I had Zoo Camp at noon, so went over early instead, to grab a bite to eat for lunch. I figured I could locate the ongoing camp somewhere on zoo grounds after I ate.
Unfortunately, the camp had been cancelled for that day – and no one bothered to tell anyone!
The three volunteers who had signed up for the afternoon session (me and two others) ended up spending an over hour trying to figure out what was going on: we combed the entire zoo, talked to every zookeeper we came across, and tried to figure out who to call (the Education Director was not answering her phone, the Volunteer Coordinator was rumored to be out of state, and the Education Director’s Assistant was MIA). I have no idea what the three volunteers who signed up for the morning session did.
Finally, somebody got a hold of the Volunteer Coordinator (the rumor was thus proven to be wrong) who eventually located the Education Director’s Assistant and discovered what had happened. I have a feeling “somebody” is going to get a rather stern talking to come the Education Director’s return from vacation!
After all that, I just went back to my chair and the Law & Order marathon on television. I just hope the saying is not true…
If that is true, I will be spending the year alone.
Again.
Honestly, it wasn’t all that bad. The office gave us an unexpected half-day off, allowing me to spend a few hours at the zoo. Wintertime usually means I don’t get to go to the zoo that often, what with the shorter hours of daylight and all that, so it was nice to revisit all the animals. I walked around the zoo for several hours talking to the other patrons and having a hot cup of cider.
At home, I curled up on my chair with my Thing, some Copper River Red Salmon my cousin gave me, a glass of White Merlot, and some Law & Order on the television. I was in bed by 10:30, but I did wake up at 12:30 and acknowledged the passing of the old year.
New Year’s Day was an exciting day, but not exactly in a good way. I had planned on getting a start on one of my New Year’s Resolutions – the one that says I’ll work out three times a week – but ended up not going. I had Zoo Camp at noon, so went over early instead, to grab a bite to eat for lunch. I figured I could locate the ongoing camp somewhere on zoo grounds after I ate.
Unfortunately, the camp had been cancelled for that day – and no one bothered to tell anyone!
The three volunteers who had signed up for the afternoon session (me and two others) ended up spending an over hour trying to figure out what was going on: we combed the entire zoo, talked to every zookeeper we came across, and tried to figure out who to call (the Education Director was not answering her phone, the Volunteer Coordinator was rumored to be out of state, and the Education Director’s Assistant was MIA). I have no idea what the three volunteers who signed up for the morning session did.
Finally, somebody got a hold of the Volunteer Coordinator (the rumor was thus proven to be wrong) who eventually located the Education Director’s Assistant and discovered what had happened. I have a feeling “somebody” is going to get a rather stern talking to come the Education Director’s return from vacation!
After all that, I just went back to my chair and the Law & Order marathon on television. I just hope the saying is not true…
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