Am I the only person on the planet who never thought to wash her front door? I’ve been complaining about how dingy and dull my door was, to the point where I’d convinced Rob that we need to paint it bright red. Well, in preparing for the new paint – I washed it.
Wow! What a difference that makes. I’m almost tempted to not paint it now, except I really do want a bright red door. Don’t ask me why; I still can’t figure that out.
Now my door is the same color as the walls inside my house, where it used to be … gosh, I don’t know what to call the color it used to be: somewhere between volcanic ash and 12 years of fingerprints and grime. And for some reason, the inside of the door was dirtier than the outside. I really don’t understand that one, except that maybe the rain showers actually did some good out there.
I also managed to finish sanding the garage door finally today. I probably could do some more touch-up work on it, for at least another week or two – but really, I think it’s ready for the new coat of stain. Then it, too, will look so much better! At the same time, we might end up staining the front walkway and entry way while we’re at it.
And can you believe this weather! The sun is actually shining, without a single drop of rain to be felt. Rob told me I wasn’t allowed to go up on the roof myself – he seems to think I’m a klutz and will fall off and break my neck. I’m tempted to go up there anyway, just to spite him. But knowing my luck, I probably would fall and break my neck. He will be back in town on Sunday and can go up there and kill all the moss himself. I’ve got all the supplies on hand – just need to mix them all together and have it ready for him.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
A Cup of Tea
The tea I drink has different quotes printed out on the tags of each teabag. I thought I’d share some of the ones I thought were worth keeping:
When God made time, He made enough of it.
Celtic Saying
Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom.
Hugo De Groot (1583 – 1645)
If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
Moshe Dayan (1915 – 1981)
It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.
Alfred Adler (1870 – 1937)
First think, and then act.
Wise Saying from the Orient
Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste.
Saadi (1184 – 1291)
A witty saying proves nothing.
Voltaire (1694 – 1778)
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)
Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.
Herbert Henry Asquith (1852 – 1928)
All human actions have one of more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire.
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)
‘Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865)
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
Booker T. Washington (1856 – 1915)
In science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurs.
Sir Frances Darwin (1848 – 1925)
When God made time, He made enough of it.
Celtic Saying
Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom.
Hugo De Groot (1583 – 1645)
If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
Moshe Dayan (1915 – 1981)
It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.
Alfred Adler (1870 – 1937)
First think, and then act.
Wise Saying from the Orient
Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste.
Saadi (1184 – 1291)
A witty saying proves nothing.
Voltaire (1694 – 1778)
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)
Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.
Herbert Henry Asquith (1852 – 1928)
All human actions have one of more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire.
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)
‘Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865)
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
Booker T. Washington (1856 – 1915)
In science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurs.
Sir Frances Darwin (1848 – 1925)
Walking with Dinosaurs
My evening started with meeting my friend Heather at the Bear’s Tooth for, as she puts it: “the best selection of vegan burritos in town.” And I have to say, I do agree: they are quite good, even with my lack of appetite. We had a lot to catch up on, so spent a good hour talking about both of our personal roller coaster rides.
We left the restaurant with plenty of time to get to the Sullivan Sports Arena – or so we thought. Little did we know there’s be a line of cars, pilled bumper to bumper for blocks, all waiting to get into the parking lot. Man, I hate traffic. I didn’t even have my book with me. I should know better by now, and should always have it with me.
Finally, however, we made it to our seats. I am not rich so could not afford the “good” seats. Even the “not-so-good” seats were still $30 each, with a $7.50 fee tacked on for whatever reason. We ended up sitting up in the balcony section – but I didn’t mind at all. This gave us a view of the entire show!
And what a show it was! Oh My Gosh: they had flashing lights, moving sets, booming thunder, majestic music – the works. To borrow a quote from the movie Jurassic Park: “We spared no expense.”
The show opened with a paleontologist giving us the history of our planet starting back at the beginning of the Triassic period. One at a time, moving up thru the years, he introduced us to the various time periods and their respective dinosaurs. He talked about digging for bones, Plate Tectonics, volcanoes, mass extinctions, and all sorts of plants and animals. It was quite educational, assuming one actually listened to the talking.
Most people got distracted by the leading characters, however. It’s hard to listen to a boring old lecture when there is a 23 feet tall Tyrannosaurus Rex roaring at the crowd. Let me assure you, those life-size dinosaurs were incredible!
They had 8 dinosaurs recreated at life size:
1 Plateosaurus (10’ tall),
1 Stegosaurus (18.5’ tall)
1 Allosaurus (14.5’ tall)
1 Brachiosaurus (36’ tall)
1 Ornithocheirus (with a 38’ wing span)
1 Ankylosaurus (12’ tall)
1 Torosaurus (13’ tall)
1 Tyrannosaurus Rex (23’ tall).
They also had 5 dinosaurs that were “worn” by actors:
3 Utahraptors (8’ tall)
1 baby T-Rex (7’ tall)
1 Liliensternus (7.5’ tall)
To give you an idea of what was involved in the making of this show, I’m going to borrow some information from their website to share with you:
Each large dinosaur contains: (based upon the construction of a Torosaurus)
433 feet of hydraulic hose
971 feet of fabric
433 feet of foam
53 gallons of paint
7 kilowatts of power from 12 truck batteries
1094 yards of cabling in each body
24 microprocessors control movement along with
15 hydraulic rams and 6 hydraulic motors each
Each large dinosaur:
weighs 1.6 tons a piece (standard family car)
runs on 6 roller blade wheels
To operate one dinosaur, it takes:
A Team of 3 people:
1 Driver,
2 Voodoo Puppeteers -
one operates head and tail gross motion,
one in charge of minor movements: mouth, blinking and roars
If you get the chance to see this show, I highly recommend you do so! It’s worth every penny.
We left the restaurant with plenty of time to get to the Sullivan Sports Arena – or so we thought. Little did we know there’s be a line of cars, pilled bumper to bumper for blocks, all waiting to get into the parking lot. Man, I hate traffic. I didn’t even have my book with me. I should know better by now, and should always have it with me.
Finally, however, we made it to our seats. I am not rich so could not afford the “good” seats. Even the “not-so-good” seats were still $30 each, with a $7.50 fee tacked on for whatever reason. We ended up sitting up in the balcony section – but I didn’t mind at all. This gave us a view of the entire show!
And what a show it was! Oh My Gosh: they had flashing lights, moving sets, booming thunder, majestic music – the works. To borrow a quote from the movie Jurassic Park: “We spared no expense.”
The show opened with a paleontologist giving us the history of our planet starting back at the beginning of the Triassic period. One at a time, moving up thru the years, he introduced us to the various time periods and their respective dinosaurs. He talked about digging for bones, Plate Tectonics, volcanoes, mass extinctions, and all sorts of plants and animals. It was quite educational, assuming one actually listened to the talking.
Most people got distracted by the leading characters, however. It’s hard to listen to a boring old lecture when there is a 23 feet tall Tyrannosaurus Rex roaring at the crowd. Let me assure you, those life-size dinosaurs were incredible!
They had 8 dinosaurs recreated at life size:
1 Plateosaurus (10’ tall),
1 Stegosaurus (18.5’ tall)
1 Allosaurus (14.5’ tall)
1 Brachiosaurus (36’ tall)
1 Ornithocheirus (with a 38’ wing span)
1 Ankylosaurus (12’ tall)
1 Torosaurus (13’ tall)
1 Tyrannosaurus Rex (23’ tall).
They also had 5 dinosaurs that were “worn” by actors:
3 Utahraptors (8’ tall)
1 baby T-Rex (7’ tall)
1 Liliensternus (7.5’ tall)
To give you an idea of what was involved in the making of this show, I’m going to borrow some information from their website to share with you:
Each large dinosaur contains: (based upon the construction of a Torosaurus)
433 feet of hydraulic hose
971 feet of fabric
433 feet of foam
53 gallons of paint
7 kilowatts of power from 12 truck batteries
1094 yards of cabling in each body
24 microprocessors control movement along with
15 hydraulic rams and 6 hydraulic motors each
Each large dinosaur:
weighs 1.6 tons a piece (standard family car)
runs on 6 roller blade wheels
To operate one dinosaur, it takes:
A Team of 3 people:
1 Driver,
2 Voodoo Puppeteers -
one operates head and tail gross motion,
one in charge of minor movements: mouth, blinking and roars
If you get the chance to see this show, I highly recommend you do so! It’s worth every penny.
Car Troubles Again
I was driving home the other day from meeting with a friend for a cup of tea. Just past International Road, I started to notice that the car was pulling to the left – pretty bad, actually. I had to work at holding it on the road. I rolled my window down but didn’t hear anything, so didn’t think it was all that bad. By the time I neared the intersection of Dimond and Minnesota, however, I started to hear the thump-thump-thump-thump sound that only a seriously flat tire can make.
As luck would have it, Rob lives right near there – so I made my way to his house and pulled in to his driveway. Thankfully he was there, having just gotten home from his daily 2-hour bike ride. He and his roommate Bill came out to assess the damage.
I have to say, I was extremely upset. These are brand new tires I’d bought not three months ago; and I got them specifically so that I wouldn’t get another flat tire. Little good that did me… this tire was definitely flat. And apparently my decision to drive to Rob’s house was a really bad one. What I should have done was pull over immediately after noticing the car was pulling to the left. By driving on, I’d ruined it beyond repair, and there was some considerable doubt as to whether I’d be able to cash in on the warrantee because of that.
Rob and Bill got the tire off in no time and put the temporary spare tire on in its place. Rob could see that I was upset about it all, so he valiantly tried to cheer me up. He can be sweet at times. The tire shop was closed by then, so we made plans to meet after work the next day to take the car in and try to convince them to give me the warrantee.
Unfortunately having that temporary on my car meant that I couldn’t attend the Green Building Council meeting the next day: I felt that I shouldn’t drive the car any more than absolutely necessary, since the tire is a tiny little thing and I’m sure my car isn’t happy about being lop-sided like that.
Eventually the day ended and I headed on home. Rob showed up not 5 minutes later, and we headed down to American Tire, off the Old Seward Highway. The guy helping us at the shop was more than a little bit preachy with me (I had run the tire flat and ruined it, after all) but did finally agree to apply the warrantee – so I got a new tire for only the cost of labor to put it on. I suppose that’s worth having to endure yet another man telling me what I’d done wrong.
And Rob continued to be really nice to me, buying me dinner and hanging out with me to cheer me up. As I said, he can be sweet at times. Thankfully – because I really needed it that day!
As luck would have it, Rob lives right near there – so I made my way to his house and pulled in to his driveway. Thankfully he was there, having just gotten home from his daily 2-hour bike ride. He and his roommate Bill came out to assess the damage.
I have to say, I was extremely upset. These are brand new tires I’d bought not three months ago; and I got them specifically so that I wouldn’t get another flat tire. Little good that did me… this tire was definitely flat. And apparently my decision to drive to Rob’s house was a really bad one. What I should have done was pull over immediately after noticing the car was pulling to the left. By driving on, I’d ruined it beyond repair, and there was some considerable doubt as to whether I’d be able to cash in on the warrantee because of that.
Rob and Bill got the tire off in no time and put the temporary spare tire on in its place. Rob could see that I was upset about it all, so he valiantly tried to cheer me up. He can be sweet at times. The tire shop was closed by then, so we made plans to meet after work the next day to take the car in and try to convince them to give me the warrantee.
Unfortunately having that temporary on my car meant that I couldn’t attend the Green Building Council meeting the next day: I felt that I shouldn’t drive the car any more than absolutely necessary, since the tire is a tiny little thing and I’m sure my car isn’t happy about being lop-sided like that.
Eventually the day ended and I headed on home. Rob showed up not 5 minutes later, and we headed down to American Tire, off the Old Seward Highway. The guy helping us at the shop was more than a little bit preachy with me (I had run the tire flat and ruined it, after all) but did finally agree to apply the warrantee – so I got a new tire for only the cost of labor to put it on. I suppose that’s worth having to endure yet another man telling me what I’d done wrong.
And Rob continued to be really nice to me, buying me dinner and hanging out with me to cheer me up. As I said, he can be sweet at times. Thankfully – because I really needed it that day!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Movie Night at the Alaska Zoo
Last night we had our first ever Movie Night at the Zoo! It wasn’t very well attended, however, and we got pushed out of the nicer room down to the classroom. But, it was still fun.
I brought my “LIFE” DVD series for us to watch: the same people that made both PLANET EARTH and BLUE PLANET (both of which I also have) made this series, too – and it’s just as wonderful. We watched the first two episodes: The Challenges of Life, and Reptiles and Amphibians.
The classroom has a nice big screen to watch presentations on with surround sound speakers, so even though it wasn’t exactly comfortable sitting on metal chairs at metal desks - and we had a spastic squirrel insanely bouncing off the walls of his cage the entire time - it was still a good evening.
Heather, our volunteer coordinator, had her friend Mindy with her; I had my friend Rob with me; and another volunteer named Desiree joined in with us. We had plenty of popcorn, too – Heather had hoped for a larger turnout. I’ll have to remember to bring something to drink to the next movie night – and maybe some chocolate, too. Can’t watch a movie without chocolate you know!
Next time, we’re hoping to be able to sit upstairs. They have 5 (count them, FIVE) big screen TVs up there, and nice cushy chairs to sit on. Heck, it might even be warmer up there – who knows. Regardless of where we end up though, we still have plenty of movies to watch.
This should keep us entertained throughout the winter months!
I brought my “LIFE” DVD series for us to watch: the same people that made both PLANET EARTH and BLUE PLANET (both of which I also have) made this series, too – and it’s just as wonderful. We watched the first two episodes: The Challenges of Life, and Reptiles and Amphibians.
The classroom has a nice big screen to watch presentations on with surround sound speakers, so even though it wasn’t exactly comfortable sitting on metal chairs at metal desks - and we had a spastic squirrel insanely bouncing off the walls of his cage the entire time - it was still a good evening.
Heather, our volunteer coordinator, had her friend Mindy with her; I had my friend Rob with me; and another volunteer named Desiree joined in with us. We had plenty of popcorn, too – Heather had hoped for a larger turnout. I’ll have to remember to bring something to drink to the next movie night – and maybe some chocolate, too. Can’t watch a movie without chocolate you know!
Next time, we’re hoping to be able to sit upstairs. They have 5 (count them, FIVE) big screen TVs up there, and nice cushy chairs to sit on. Heck, it might even be warmer up there – who knows. Regardless of where we end up though, we still have plenty of movies to watch.
This should keep us entertained throughout the winter months!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
My House
There’s been so much going on lately that I haven’t been able to keep up on my blog here. Mostly because it’s be an emotional roller coaster lately, and I don’t want to bore you all with my personal disasters – but there are few things that I can write about without dragging you on the ride with me.
Most importantly, I’ve been working on my house. One of the perks of working for a construction company is that they have tools – and I can borrow them! So, I got their pressure washer and Rob and I set to work on the exterior of my house. We – or rather I should say He, since I mostly just stood there and watched – spent a good 2 or 3 hours getting rid of at least a decade’s worth of grit, grime, and volcanic ash off my house. While he was at it he stripped the stain off the garage door for me, with the intent of fixing the water damage to the lower left-hand corner.
Once he finished the pressure washing, he showed me how to run his sander to smooth out the garage door and prepare it for the new stain. I’ve been working on that about an hour each day after work (weather permitting, of course - rather hard to sand in the pouring rain). At the moment I have about one day’s work left to do before I call Rob back to help me with the next step. Let me assure you, sanding a garage door is not the easiest thing to do, even when most of the old stain has been already stripped off. For one thing, half of the door is way up high to where I have to stand on my tippy toes just to reach it. It’s been fun, though. And I have lots of eight-legged help, too.
The next step is to use the air compressor and blow all the dust off. I’ve already brushed it off as much as I can, but I’m sure the air compressor will do a much better job. We don’t want any dust in the stain, you know! Although Rob keeps reminding me “It’s just a garage door. It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.”
Once the garage door is finished, we’ll move on to the entry door. I’m going to thoroughly clean it with a Scotch Brite pad and some soap & water, and then we’ll paint it BRIGHT RED! I’m pretty excited about that, actually – although I can’t for the life of me figure out exactly why I want a bright red door. Once the paint is dry, Rob will then install a peep-hole for me. I have needed one of those since I bought the place 12 years ago.
Another job we have in mind is to somehow get rid of all the moss growing on my roof. Rob read on This Old House that you should get up there and spray it all down with a mixture of bleach & water to kill it, and then it can just be swept off with a broom. Of course, the trick is that you have to wait for it to dry out before you spray it with the bleach & water mixture so that it soaks it up. Those of you who live here will know that we are working on – what, 29 consecutive days of rain now? Whatever the number, its set a new record – and the entire world is sopping wet with no chance of drying out anytime soon! But as soon as it does, you’ll find me out on my roof with my spray bottle in hand!
Just pray I don’t slip and fall… that would not be good.
Most importantly, I’ve been working on my house. One of the perks of working for a construction company is that they have tools – and I can borrow them! So, I got their pressure washer and Rob and I set to work on the exterior of my house. We – or rather I should say He, since I mostly just stood there and watched – spent a good 2 or 3 hours getting rid of at least a decade’s worth of grit, grime, and volcanic ash off my house. While he was at it he stripped the stain off the garage door for me, with the intent of fixing the water damage to the lower left-hand corner.
Once he finished the pressure washing, he showed me how to run his sander to smooth out the garage door and prepare it for the new stain. I’ve been working on that about an hour each day after work (weather permitting, of course - rather hard to sand in the pouring rain). At the moment I have about one day’s work left to do before I call Rob back to help me with the next step. Let me assure you, sanding a garage door is not the easiest thing to do, even when most of the old stain has been already stripped off. For one thing, half of the door is way up high to where I have to stand on my tippy toes just to reach it. It’s been fun, though. And I have lots of eight-legged help, too.
The next step is to use the air compressor and blow all the dust off. I’ve already brushed it off as much as I can, but I’m sure the air compressor will do a much better job. We don’t want any dust in the stain, you know! Although Rob keeps reminding me “It’s just a garage door. It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.”
Once the garage door is finished, we’ll move on to the entry door. I’m going to thoroughly clean it with a Scotch Brite pad and some soap & water, and then we’ll paint it BRIGHT RED! I’m pretty excited about that, actually – although I can’t for the life of me figure out exactly why I want a bright red door. Once the paint is dry, Rob will then install a peep-hole for me. I have needed one of those since I bought the place 12 years ago.
Another job we have in mind is to somehow get rid of all the moss growing on my roof. Rob read on This Old House that you should get up there and spray it all down with a mixture of bleach & water to kill it, and then it can just be swept off with a broom. Of course, the trick is that you have to wait for it to dry out before you spray it with the bleach & water mixture so that it soaks it up. Those of you who live here will know that we are working on – what, 29 consecutive days of rain now? Whatever the number, its set a new record – and the entire world is sopping wet with no chance of drying out anytime soon! But as soon as it does, you’ll find me out on my roof with my spray bottle in hand!
Just pray I don’t slip and fall… that would not be good.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Highly Recommended
I am reading a really good book right now, called Poseidon’s Steed by Helen Scales, PH.D. I highly recommend it to you!
Below is an expert:
“What was so special about that encounter with my first seahorse? Why are seahorses different from so many other creatures I have gazed upon during hours and days underwater? It surely has something to do with their unconventional beauty, their unique combination of features, a demure down-turned snout and tightly curled tail, as sensitive and nimble as an elephant’s trunk. Was it the anticipation of seeing one and the satisfaction, after such a long wait, of finally spying one of these wily masters of disguise that can match themselves so expertly to their surroundings? Sharks are breathtaking in their nonchalant efficiency as they slice through the water like sleek torpedoes. Reef fish are instantly gratifying, colorful and brazen, flitting around like butterflies of the sea. But seahorses hold a secret intimacy, a special reward for the keen-eyed. And perhaps deep down I held on to a childhood suspicion, an irrational part of me that didn’t quite believe seahorses really do inhabit the oceans. Seeing one felt like glimpsing a unicorn trotting through my garden.”
Below is an expert:
“What was so special about that encounter with my first seahorse? Why are seahorses different from so many other creatures I have gazed upon during hours and days underwater? It surely has something to do with their unconventional beauty, their unique combination of features, a demure down-turned snout and tightly curled tail, as sensitive and nimble as an elephant’s trunk. Was it the anticipation of seeing one and the satisfaction, after such a long wait, of finally spying one of these wily masters of disguise that can match themselves so expertly to their surroundings? Sharks are breathtaking in their nonchalant efficiency as they slice through the water like sleek torpedoes. Reef fish are instantly gratifying, colorful and brazen, flitting around like butterflies of the sea. But seahorses hold a secret intimacy, a special reward for the keen-eyed. And perhaps deep down I held on to a childhood suspicion, an irrational part of me that didn’t quite believe seahorses really do inhabit the oceans. Seeing one felt like glimpsing a unicorn trotting through my garden.”
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Soup!
The place where I work now is right next door to one of the drop sites for Full Circle Farms CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Each Thursday, they leave all those boxes full of fresh organic produce for people to pick up. If by Monday there are still boxes there, we have been given permission to take them. Apparently the people at the office have been rotating each week, and last week was MY WEEK! I got to take the box home!
I got lots of really good stuff: a bunch of cherries, three nectarines, three plums, three pluots, two nice sized zucchini, 6 small turnips, a bunch of celery, a bunch of swiss chard, a small bundle of shallots, a small bundle of carrots, three nice sized potatoes, and a small bundle of parsley – and all of it organic! The only thing I had to throw away was the swiss chard – it had gotten to … squishy? Not quite moldy, but certainly not usable.
So, I just made a batch of really good soup! Started with a split-pea base, added a can of corn and a can of organic tomatoes, chopped up some fresh organic zucchini, carrots, shallots, celery, and turnips, threw in a few sprigs of fresh organic parsley, ground some black pepper in there, and added some lemon & orange peel and some allspice. I also added a handful of freeze-dried onions (because I only had 4 small shallots) and two heaping spoonfuls of chopped garlic. As a final touch, I put in a package of basmati rice - because apparently I felt it needed some more fiber. But really, I just like basmati rice.
I have enough soup to feed an army now for a week! Think I'll share with my new roommate, when she gets here.
I got lots of really good stuff: a bunch of cherries, three nectarines, three plums, three pluots, two nice sized zucchini, 6 small turnips, a bunch of celery, a bunch of swiss chard, a small bundle of shallots, a small bundle of carrots, three nice sized potatoes, and a small bundle of parsley – and all of it organic! The only thing I had to throw away was the swiss chard – it had gotten to … squishy? Not quite moldy, but certainly not usable.
So, I just made a batch of really good soup! Started with a split-pea base, added a can of corn and a can of organic tomatoes, chopped up some fresh organic zucchini, carrots, shallots, celery, and turnips, threw in a few sprigs of fresh organic parsley, ground some black pepper in there, and added some lemon & orange peel and some allspice. I also added a handful of freeze-dried onions (because I only had 4 small shallots) and two heaping spoonfuls of chopped garlic. As a final touch, I put in a package of basmati rice - because apparently I felt it needed some more fiber. But really, I just like basmati rice.
I have enough soup to feed an army now for a week! Think I'll share with my new roommate, when she gets here.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
It’s Actually Working!
I went to Eddie Bauer’s today to get a few more pairs of pants to wear, since my job at the construction company looks like it might actually turn in to something more permanent that what I first thought.
Last year, I couldn’t fit into a size 16. Today I found out that I now fit into a size 12. And, in men’s sizes, I fit into a size 33… I don’t even know what size I wore before because I stopped trying them on after I found that a size 36 didn’t fit.
Yay!
While checking out at the register with my size 12 pants (did I mention I fit into a size 12 now?) the store manager commented on my T-shirt, so I got to talk about Earthwatch and how awesomely cool they are. I even gave them my name and phone number along with the Earthwatch website (http://www.earthwatch.org/) so they could set up an expedition sponsored by Eddie Bauer’s for their employees.
How cool is that?
I wonder if I can go, too. I am a very loyal Eddie Bauer patron, as well as being the Alaskan Field Representative for Earthwatch.
Hmmm… something to think about.
Last year, I couldn’t fit into a size 16. Today I found out that I now fit into a size 12. And, in men’s sizes, I fit into a size 33… I don’t even know what size I wore before because I stopped trying them on after I found that a size 36 didn’t fit.
Yay!
While checking out at the register with my size 12 pants (did I mention I fit into a size 12 now?) the store manager commented on my T-shirt, so I got to talk about Earthwatch and how awesomely cool they are. I even gave them my name and phone number along with the Earthwatch website (http://www.earthwatch.org/) so they could set up an expedition sponsored by Eddie Bauer’s for their employees.
How cool is that?
I wonder if I can go, too. I am a very loyal Eddie Bauer patron, as well as being the Alaskan Field Representative for Earthwatch.
Hmmm… something to think about.
Friday, July 16, 2010
I Won!
"I filled up my car this morning, so you don't have to worry about that" I told him as he got ready to trade vehicles with me.
"I filled up my truck last night, so you don't have to worry about it either." he replied.
"I washed my car the other day." I said.
"I washed my truck last night." He laughed.
"Mine's already dirty!" I countered.
"Mine is, too!" He said.
"Oh yea, well I have a giraffe cup in my hand!" I brandished it in his face.
"Okay... I don't have a giraffe cup in my hand." he sadly shook his head.
"I filled up my truck last night, so you don't have to worry about it either." he replied.
"I washed my car the other day." I said.
"I washed my truck last night." He laughed.
"Mine's already dirty!" I countered.
"Mine is, too!" He said.
"Oh yea, well I have a giraffe cup in my hand!" I brandished it in his face.
"Okay... I don't have a giraffe cup in my hand." he sadly shook his head.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Goings On
A lot has happened lately, and I’ve been remiss in updating my blog – so once again I am reduced to clumping it all together in one post. Ah well… you get what you pay for, I guess. So, here it is: my life, condensed down to the essentials.
WORK
My job at Alaska Treeline, Inc. is going well. They like what I do, and I seem to be good at it. It’s rather hit or miss on the intensity scale: sometimes I have absolutely nothing to do, and other times I’m slammed with work. But overall I have to say I like the job, I like the people, and I really like the location. Riding my bike to work isn’t going quite as well as I’d hoped for; after the first week I had to wait another week for Rob to come fix a flat, then it rained for another week, and by that time I just got used to driving my car each day. Oh well, I’ll get back in to it eventually. I really do like my new bike, and really do need the exercise.
I am also back to work for the U.S. Census again: this time I’m to be verifying all the Vacants and Deletes that were identified in the NRFU operation (Non-Response Follow Up). My training day was today and I should have all the material I need by tomorrow so that by Wednesday I can hit the streets and get to work. The nice thing about this is that I can continue to work for Alaska Treeline, Inc. and do this after hours.
And I'm still on the lookout for a “real” job, meaning one that offers full time status and benefits as well. I’ve applied to several positions with NANA Worley Parsons and have even been called by ADT for a position with that company. We’ll see what comes of all this. In a perfect world, the “real” job would start conveniently right after my temporary job with Alaska Treeline, Inc. ended.
THE ALASKA ZOO
I haven’t been doing that much with the zoo lately. Not only does my schedule not allow for it, but I also seem to be a tad bit disgruntled with them. I can’t help but feel taken advantage of. I know, it’s not logical – because I know they’re not taking advantage of me at all… but that’s how I feel. Maybe I just need a break. I have been doing the Discovery Tour each Saturday, though. I do like that tour, and it’s a good excuse to get out there each week to keep up on what’s happening there.
They do have some cute babies now, being as it is springtime in Alaska. Maxine the musk ox gave birth to a bouncing baby boy about a month ago, and he is doing just fine. Amazingly enough, our ravens not only made another nest this year – but they also laid four eggs, and actually managed to hatch them! Who knew baby ravens could be both ugly as sin and still be cute as a button, all at the same time! And last, but most certainly not least, we have an orphaned Sitka black tailed deer fawn, conveniently named Sitka Rose. She is definitely a cutie-pie!
HIKING
I’ve really been hitting the trails this year. You all read about the hike up along Power Line Pass last Saturday. That was followed by a hike up on Potter’s Ridge on Sunday with Rob and his kids, which was then followed by a most excellent day spent hiking up at Hatcher’s Pass on Monday – again with Rob and his kids.
This weekend, I went with my friend Lorna to Alyeska and hiked the North Face Trail, which goes straight up Mt. Alyeska, all the way to the top. Whew! I can’t believe I actually did it. Next weekend is a family hike out at the Eagle River Nature Center where we plan to do the Dew Mound trail. Feel free to join us if you’re in the area; we start at 2:00 and will meet at the center.
EARTHWATCH
I haven’t done any presentations recently, but I have had several opportunities to speak to people who are considering their own Earthwatch Expeditions. That’s always fun: I get to share my own experiences and give them tips and advice on theirs. One gentleman called me from Canada while the other lady emailed me (I don’t know where she was from). Both were interested in the Medicinal Plants project, so I got to tell them all about my recent trip.
Several weeks ago, I got to listen to a scientist speak of her research with the Ice Worm (a totally fascinating creature!) and was fortunate enough to be able to talk to her after the lecture. It came out in our conversation that she was having difficulties finding funding for her project – so I offered to see if Earthwatch would be interested. I thought it would be a perfect match: she’s a female scientist, her project is ongoing, and it involves Climate Change issues. I’m still digging in to it for her, so will have to update you all later on the final word. Cross your fingers: you just might be able to participate in Ice Worm Research next year!
PHOTOS
I have a new tradition: each year, I plan to filter through all the photos I’ve taken and pick out the best ones to be framed and displayed on my walls here at the house. I did that last year and ended up with 9 really nice photos – this year, I chose 10 and am in the process of getting them framed and hung. One photo was so good (if I do say so myself) that I printed it out large (16x20) and will be creating a special montage to display it on my wall. The others are 8x10, just like last years – but are still quite good. There’s just something about seeing your own photos displayed on the wall. It really makes one feel almost professional.
ROOMMATE
My current roommate will be leaving at the end of this month, so I am once again searching for a new one. I’ve placed an ad on Craig’s List and am getting a lot of responses from it. I am quite hopeful that the room will not go empty and I’ll have a smooth turnover from the old one to a new one. Of course, my true preference would be to not have a roommate at all – but since I really do need the income, I can only hope to find one as good as this one has been (despite a few bumps in the road recently). If anybody knows of a college student in need of a room, I’m conveniently located right on the bus route to UAA – feel free to have them contact me!
WORK
My job at Alaska Treeline, Inc. is going well. They like what I do, and I seem to be good at it. It’s rather hit or miss on the intensity scale: sometimes I have absolutely nothing to do, and other times I’m slammed with work. But overall I have to say I like the job, I like the people, and I really like the location. Riding my bike to work isn’t going quite as well as I’d hoped for; after the first week I had to wait another week for Rob to come fix a flat, then it rained for another week, and by that time I just got used to driving my car each day. Oh well, I’ll get back in to it eventually. I really do like my new bike, and really do need the exercise.
I am also back to work for the U.S. Census again: this time I’m to be verifying all the Vacants and Deletes that were identified in the NRFU operation (Non-Response Follow Up). My training day was today and I should have all the material I need by tomorrow so that by Wednesday I can hit the streets and get to work. The nice thing about this is that I can continue to work for Alaska Treeline, Inc. and do this after hours.
And I'm still on the lookout for a “real” job, meaning one that offers full time status and benefits as well. I’ve applied to several positions with NANA Worley Parsons and have even been called by ADT for a position with that company. We’ll see what comes of all this. In a perfect world, the “real” job would start conveniently right after my temporary job with Alaska Treeline, Inc. ended.
THE ALASKA ZOO
I haven’t been doing that much with the zoo lately. Not only does my schedule not allow for it, but I also seem to be a tad bit disgruntled with them. I can’t help but feel taken advantage of. I know, it’s not logical – because I know they’re not taking advantage of me at all… but that’s how I feel. Maybe I just need a break. I have been doing the Discovery Tour each Saturday, though. I do like that tour, and it’s a good excuse to get out there each week to keep up on what’s happening there.
They do have some cute babies now, being as it is springtime in Alaska. Maxine the musk ox gave birth to a bouncing baby boy about a month ago, and he is doing just fine. Amazingly enough, our ravens not only made another nest this year – but they also laid four eggs, and actually managed to hatch them! Who knew baby ravens could be both ugly as sin and still be cute as a button, all at the same time! And last, but most certainly not least, we have an orphaned Sitka black tailed deer fawn, conveniently named Sitka Rose. She is definitely a cutie-pie!
HIKING
I’ve really been hitting the trails this year. You all read about the hike up along Power Line Pass last Saturday. That was followed by a hike up on Potter’s Ridge on Sunday with Rob and his kids, which was then followed by a most excellent day spent hiking up at Hatcher’s Pass on Monday – again with Rob and his kids.
This weekend, I went with my friend Lorna to Alyeska and hiked the North Face Trail, which goes straight up Mt. Alyeska, all the way to the top. Whew! I can’t believe I actually did it. Next weekend is a family hike out at the Eagle River Nature Center where we plan to do the Dew Mound trail. Feel free to join us if you’re in the area; we start at 2:00 and will meet at the center.
EARTHWATCH
I haven’t done any presentations recently, but I have had several opportunities to speak to people who are considering their own Earthwatch Expeditions. That’s always fun: I get to share my own experiences and give them tips and advice on theirs. One gentleman called me from Canada while the other lady emailed me (I don’t know where she was from). Both were interested in the Medicinal Plants project, so I got to tell them all about my recent trip.
Several weeks ago, I got to listen to a scientist speak of her research with the Ice Worm (a totally fascinating creature!) and was fortunate enough to be able to talk to her after the lecture. It came out in our conversation that she was having difficulties finding funding for her project – so I offered to see if Earthwatch would be interested. I thought it would be a perfect match: she’s a female scientist, her project is ongoing, and it involves Climate Change issues. I’m still digging in to it for her, so will have to update you all later on the final word. Cross your fingers: you just might be able to participate in Ice Worm Research next year!
PHOTOS
I have a new tradition: each year, I plan to filter through all the photos I’ve taken and pick out the best ones to be framed and displayed on my walls here at the house. I did that last year and ended up with 9 really nice photos – this year, I chose 10 and am in the process of getting them framed and hung. One photo was so good (if I do say so myself) that I printed it out large (16x20) and will be creating a special montage to display it on my wall. The others are 8x10, just like last years – but are still quite good. There’s just something about seeing your own photos displayed on the wall. It really makes one feel almost professional.
ROOMMATE
My current roommate will be leaving at the end of this month, so I am once again searching for a new one. I’ve placed an ad on Craig’s List and am getting a lot of responses from it. I am quite hopeful that the room will not go empty and I’ll have a smooth turnover from the old one to a new one. Of course, my true preference would be to not have a roommate at all – but since I really do need the income, I can only hope to find one as good as this one has been (despite a few bumps in the road recently). If anybody knows of a college student in need of a room, I’m conveniently located right on the bus route to UAA – feel free to have them contact me!
Do You Know The Answers?
Can you identify these famous first lines?
1. Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.
2. Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.
3. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
4. Call me Ishmael.
5. Nihilism stands at the door: whence comes this uncanniest of all guests?
6. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.
7. I am a sick man… I am a spiteful man. I am an unpleasant man.
8. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
9. In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.
1. Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.
2. Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.
3. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
4. Call me Ishmael.
5. Nihilism stands at the door: whence comes this uncanniest of all guests?
6. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.
7. I am a sick man… I am a spiteful man. I am an unpleasant man.
8. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
9. In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The Rose
A single rose
Stood all alone
Surrounded by a wall of stone
Behind the wall
Were roses, too
Yet neither knew the other grew
So often we,
Like flowers, dwell
So deep within our human shell
We pass thru life
Misunderstood
Nor making all the friends we should
by: unknown
Stood all alone
Surrounded by a wall of stone
Behind the wall
Were roses, too
Yet neither knew the other grew
So often we,
Like flowers, dwell
So deep within our human shell
We pass thru life
Misunderstood
Nor making all the friends we should
by: unknown
If You Should Leave Me
If you should leave me
I shall not die
Nor make grief a trumpet
To shatter the sky
I shall not ask
For anything more
Than to walk according
To natural lore
One foot behind
The other before
I shall use my brain
To earn my bread
Snarl when hungry
Smile well fed
If you should leave me
I shall not die
I shall be dead
by: unknown
I shall not die
Nor make grief a trumpet
To shatter the sky
I shall not ask
For anything more
Than to walk according
To natural lore
One foot behind
The other before
I shall use my brain
To earn my bread
Snarl when hungry
Smile well fed
If you should leave me
I shall not die
I shall be dead
by: unknown
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Saturday
A nice easy day today.
Didn’t sleep well at all last night, though. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with insomnia lately. I’m actually taking over-the-counter sleeping pills during the week so I can work through the day without crashing – but on the weekends, I’m trying to wean myself off of them. It’s not really working.
So, I finally fell asleep around 4:00 in the morning, only to get up around 8:00 four hours later. I poked around in my computer for a while and then headed out at 10:00 to run some errands: go to the bank, go to the post office, go to the Saturday Market. I got 4 really nice big turnips and a bundle of organic kale for my soup this time!
Noon saw me at the zoo, ready to give my weekly tour. No one signed up for it, though – probably because it was raining. Honestly, though – that’s the best time to go to the zoo. The animals LOVE the rain!
I love the rain, too, so took the opportunity to head up to Power Line Pass for a nice little hike. Of course, up there it was pouring down rain. I started out the hike with my coat and hat on. By the time I was on the return trip, I’d taken both the hat and the coat off because even though it was raining, it was actually quite warm.
It’s so beautiful up there. I went quite a bit farther than I’d ever been before, making it all the way to the bridge that crosses over Hidden Lake Creek – which I think is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead. I had my newly fixed camera with me so got all kinds of cool photographs of the plants I found along the way. Most of them I could identify, but some of them were a mystery to me. I’ve posted them all on my facebook page in hopes that somebody will tell me what they are.
Once I finally made it back home, I started in on my Weekly Pot O’ Soup. I began with a potato soup base, and added in a can of tomatoes and a can of black beans, threw in a few handfuls of the freeze-dried soup mix (10 different vegetables) and one handful of freeze dried chopped onions, added two heaping tablespoons of chopped garlic, twisted my pepper grinder for several minutes over it all, chopped up the turnips and kale, and threw in a 5-Grain Rice blend for good measure.
I’m going to be eating good this week!
Didn’t sleep well at all last night, though. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with insomnia lately. I’m actually taking over-the-counter sleeping pills during the week so I can work through the day without crashing – but on the weekends, I’m trying to wean myself off of them. It’s not really working.
So, I finally fell asleep around 4:00 in the morning, only to get up around 8:00 four hours later. I poked around in my computer for a while and then headed out at 10:00 to run some errands: go to the bank, go to the post office, go to the Saturday Market. I got 4 really nice big turnips and a bundle of organic kale for my soup this time!
Noon saw me at the zoo, ready to give my weekly tour. No one signed up for it, though – probably because it was raining. Honestly, though – that’s the best time to go to the zoo. The animals LOVE the rain!
I love the rain, too, so took the opportunity to head up to Power Line Pass for a nice little hike. Of course, up there it was pouring down rain. I started out the hike with my coat and hat on. By the time I was on the return trip, I’d taken both the hat and the coat off because even though it was raining, it was actually quite warm.
It’s so beautiful up there. I went quite a bit farther than I’d ever been before, making it all the way to the bridge that crosses over Hidden Lake Creek – which I think is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead. I had my newly fixed camera with me so got all kinds of cool photographs of the plants I found along the way. Most of them I could identify, but some of them were a mystery to me. I’ve posted them all on my facebook page in hopes that somebody will tell me what they are.
Once I finally made it back home, I started in on my Weekly Pot O’ Soup. I began with a potato soup base, and added in a can of tomatoes and a can of black beans, threw in a few handfuls of the freeze-dried soup mix (10 different vegetables) and one handful of freeze dried chopped onions, added two heaping tablespoons of chopped garlic, twisted my pepper grinder for several minutes over it all, chopped up the turnips and kale, and threw in a 5-Grain Rice blend for good measure.
I’m going to be eating good this week!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
A Great Unexpected Surprise
I was all prepared to spend my weekend alone.– Rob and the kids would be off doing whatever, and my other friend Lorna was up on the slope working her regular rotation, so I planned to just take it easy and relax the days away.
Saturday morning, I didn’t even get dressed until around 11:00, and that was only because I had a tour scheduled at the zoo. That tour turned out to be so much fun – I’m so glad I do them.
When I first got there the admissions booth hadn’t sold any tickets yet, so I thought it would be another day where I go home again – but with about 5 minutes to spare, they sold two and I had somebody to give a tour to after all. They were the nicest couple: a bit older than me and vacationing from New York. They had been all over Alaska in the two weeks they’d been here, and were spending their last day with us at The Alaska Zoo. They were actually interested in plants, too – always a bonus since I am so in to them myself.
You have to check this out: when they were in Seward, they took one of those whale watching cruises out in the fjords and saw a humpback whale breaching multiple times RIGHT NEXT TO THE BOAT! They got video of it and posted it on YouTube even. I was so jealous! In all my years of living here and taking numerous cruises just like that, I’ve yet to see even one breach… and they saw well over 15!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOAGiYATK0
Sunday afternoon found me sitting in my usual corner table at The Perfect Cup, writing letters and eating lunch. I was just finishing up the last few bites when I heard somebody banging at the window behind me. Surprise! It was Trey, with his father and sister along with him. I had invited them to join me, but really did not think they would.
That was such a great, unexpected surprise!
After they all had a drink and we sat and talked for a while, we headed over to Toys R Us so Trey could get himself the Lego’s he’s been saving up for, only to discover that they cost $150.00. His father told him there was no way he was going to spend that much money for a box of Lego’s, so we went back to my house to see if perhaps Craig’s List had any for sale. Trey was not too happy about it all, but he’s such an easy going kid he soon moved on.
From there, we headed on in to town to the Imaginarium where we hoped to be able to see their new Planetarium. Unfortunately the show was sold out for that day, but we got to see everything else at least. And as an added bonus, I ran in to my friend Kristen (she and I used to walk the camel together at the zoo last year) who now works at the Imaginarium. She was kind enough to give us a behind-the-scenes tour where we got to meet all her critters that she’s in charge of. She has lizards, snakes, frogs, turtles, cockroaches, and spiders, as well as jelly fish, sea stars, sea squirts, sea urchins, and all sorts of things for the touch tanks. I thought it was really cool back there, but I don’t think Rob and the kids were as excited as I was. Some people just don’t have their priorities in order, you know?
Anyway, it was a great day topped off with dinner at the Burrito King.
Saturday morning, I didn’t even get dressed until around 11:00, and that was only because I had a tour scheduled at the zoo. That tour turned out to be so much fun – I’m so glad I do them.
When I first got there the admissions booth hadn’t sold any tickets yet, so I thought it would be another day where I go home again – but with about 5 minutes to spare, they sold two and I had somebody to give a tour to after all. They were the nicest couple: a bit older than me and vacationing from New York. They had been all over Alaska in the two weeks they’d been here, and were spending their last day with us at The Alaska Zoo. They were actually interested in plants, too – always a bonus since I am so in to them myself.
You have to check this out: when they were in Seward, they took one of those whale watching cruises out in the fjords and saw a humpback whale breaching multiple times RIGHT NEXT TO THE BOAT! They got video of it and posted it on YouTube even. I was so jealous! In all my years of living here and taking numerous cruises just like that, I’ve yet to see even one breach… and they saw well over 15!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOAGiYATK0
Sunday afternoon found me sitting in my usual corner table at The Perfect Cup, writing letters and eating lunch. I was just finishing up the last few bites when I heard somebody banging at the window behind me. Surprise! It was Trey, with his father and sister along with him. I had invited them to join me, but really did not think they would.
That was such a great, unexpected surprise!
After they all had a drink and we sat and talked for a while, we headed over to Toys R Us so Trey could get himself the Lego’s he’s been saving up for, only to discover that they cost $150.00. His father told him there was no way he was going to spend that much money for a box of Lego’s, so we went back to my house to see if perhaps Craig’s List had any for sale. Trey was not too happy about it all, but he’s such an easy going kid he soon moved on.
From there, we headed on in to town to the Imaginarium where we hoped to be able to see their new Planetarium. Unfortunately the show was sold out for that day, but we got to see everything else at least. And as an added bonus, I ran in to my friend Kristen (she and I used to walk the camel together at the zoo last year) who now works at the Imaginarium. She was kind enough to give us a behind-the-scenes tour where we got to meet all her critters that she’s in charge of. She has lizards, snakes, frogs, turtles, cockroaches, and spiders, as well as jelly fish, sea stars, sea squirts, sea urchins, and all sorts of things for the touch tanks. I thought it was really cool back there, but I don’t think Rob and the kids were as excited as I was. Some people just don’t have their priorities in order, you know?
Anyway, it was a great day topped off with dinner at the Burrito King.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Winner Creek Trail
We had another fabulous hike this weekend, as part of our annual Family Hiking Series, going on the Winner Creek Trail all the way up to the river gorge – about a 5-mile round trip. We had Mother and Lauren, Me and Rob and his two kids Sierra and Trey, as well as Tina and her daughter & son (I’m so sorry, Tina… I’ve forgotten their names again!) with us this time.
The weather forecast was not so good that day: according to the weather channel it was supposed to be rainy and cold. Rob and his kids had been up near Moose Pass Friday and Saturday, and reported winter-like weather conditions - and not two days prior to the hike I’d overheard some people at the softball game talking about how they actually had to deal with snow up there.
So, we were all rather concerned and bundled up in sweatshirts, windbreakers, and wool socks for the hike - only to find clear blue skies and perfect weather once we got there! Every one of us kept trying to get somebody else to carry our coats for us: poor Rob ended up with his coat, his kid’s coats, three water bottles, and my bag of snacks & other essential items needed on a hike.
Mother and Lauren turned around after about a mile and a half, pleading the 2-hour drive back home. They still had a good hike, and got to see some beautiful scenery along the way. The rest of us went on up to the gorge, where we got to ride the “bucket” that swings out across the sheer 100’ drop-off with gallons and gallons of water gushing through at 100’s of miles per minute. What a spectacular sight that is!
Rob and Trey were the first to cross over, and then had fun working the rope & pulley system to get the “bucket” across for other people (I say that in a half-way sarcastic tone, since it’s a lot of REALLY HARD WORK to get that thing across). Sierra was a little apprehensive about crossing over, but she bravely stepped in with me and went across. The way back was easier for her, since she was an “experienced traveler” by then.
After that we sat for a while and recuperated from all the hard work, then slowly made our way back down to the car. We went at a very easy pace, stopping mid-way to eat our snack and investigate the nearby meadow. The whole hike took us about 4 hours, but as I said - we went very slowly and took our time.
The weather forecast was not so good that day: according to the weather channel it was supposed to be rainy and cold. Rob and his kids had been up near Moose Pass Friday and Saturday, and reported winter-like weather conditions - and not two days prior to the hike I’d overheard some people at the softball game talking about how they actually had to deal with snow up there.
So, we were all rather concerned and bundled up in sweatshirts, windbreakers, and wool socks for the hike - only to find clear blue skies and perfect weather once we got there! Every one of us kept trying to get somebody else to carry our coats for us: poor Rob ended up with his coat, his kid’s coats, three water bottles, and my bag of snacks & other essential items needed on a hike.
Mother and Lauren turned around after about a mile and a half, pleading the 2-hour drive back home. They still had a good hike, and got to see some beautiful scenery along the way. The rest of us went on up to the gorge, where we got to ride the “bucket” that swings out across the sheer 100’ drop-off with gallons and gallons of water gushing through at 100’s of miles per minute. What a spectacular sight that is!
Rob and Trey were the first to cross over, and then had fun working the rope & pulley system to get the “bucket” across for other people (I say that in a half-way sarcastic tone, since it’s a lot of REALLY HARD WORK to get that thing across). Sierra was a little apprehensive about crossing over, but she bravely stepped in with me and went across. The way back was easier for her, since she was an “experienced traveler” by then.
After that we sat for a while and recuperated from all the hard work, then slowly made our way back down to the car. We went at a very easy pace, stopping mid-way to eat our snack and investigate the nearby meadow. The whole hike took us about 4 hours, but as I said - we went very slowly and took our time.
Giving Blood
A comment was made on an earlier posting stating now that I have this eyebrow piercing I won’t be able to give blood for a whole year. This had me worried enough that I actually went down to the local blood bank and talked to them about it.
Turns out I’m safe. The place I had the work done is on their “good” list, which means I only have to wait one month. I would have had to wait one whole year if it had NOT been on that list.
I have to wait whole year anyway, after my trip to Africa. I’m half way though it right now, and would really have been bummed if I had to tack on another year to that. Thankfully, the moth’s waiting period fits right nicely inside the year from Africa, so it won’t make even the slightest bit of difference.
December 1st will see me laying down in those horrible chairs down at the blood bank, giving my bi-monthly pint – just you wait and see!
Turns out I’m safe. The place I had the work done is on their “good” list, which means I only have to wait one month. I would have had to wait one whole year if it had NOT been on that list.
I have to wait whole year anyway, after my trip to Africa. I’m half way though it right now, and would really have been bummed if I had to tack on another year to that. Thankfully, the moth’s waiting period fits right nicely inside the year from Africa, so it won’t make even the slightest bit of difference.
December 1st will see me laying down in those horrible chairs down at the blood bank, giving my bi-monthly pint – just you wait and see!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Getting My Eyebrow Pierced
I found myself eating lunch all by myself last Sunday and decided that I needed to do something exciting for once. Getting my eyebrow pierced seemed to fit the bill quite nicely.
I emailed a friend and asked if she knew anyplace to recommend: she told me about The Hole Look. I called them and got the basic information (such as how much it would cost - $45 – and where they’re located – on Dawson Street, between Benson and Northern Lights) and headed out the door.
When I got there, I found the shop to be very clean – almost sterile, and smelling cleaner than a hospital almost. I was the only customer, so got to spend some time talking to the lady at the front desk. She went over the particulars and made sure to answer any questions I had.
I had a few: How do I take care of it after it’s pierced? (I have a saline solution that I spray on it 6 times a day to help it heal and keep it clean) How long will it take to heal? (Up to 6 months) Will I get any diseases from your shop? (No - they sterilize everything according to medical standards to ensure no blood-borne diseases get passed on) That sort of thing. She was more than happy to assuage all my fears, and soon enough I had signed the paperwork and was ready to be pierced.
My piercer for the day was Blake, a very nice man with several piercings and tattoos on his own body. He led me back to a room that was set up just like an exam room might be at the doctor’s office. Again, it was very clean and sterile, and again smelled very strongly of bleach or some other cleaning solution. He had all his tools laid out and ready for me, and was very thorough in explaining exactly what he was going to do.
First he had me sit up on the table so he could clean the area to be pierced. He had a q-tip covered in the cleaning solution that he swabbed me with, making sure to get every possible contamination off.
Then he took a sharpie (yes, a sharpie!) and made dots where he would be piercing me. He was very particular about the placement, erasing the dots several times till he was satisfied with the results.
Next came the measurements to determine what size ring I need. Apparently some people have fatter eyebrows than others do. Which only makes sense, since people come in all sizes: I just had never really considered that before.
Once he had the ring ready and all his tools on hand, he then had me lay down so he could do the actual piercing. He told me, “I want you to take a deep breath in through your nose and then blow it out through your mouth. When you breathe out, that’s when I’ll do it.”
So, I took a deep breath in and slowly blew it out my mouth – and he stuck the needle in. It hurt, of course. It actually hurt a lot, and it wasn’t a quick poke either. In fact, he eventually had to tell me to “Keep breathing!” because I had apparently stopped.
Once he had the needle all the way through he then had to back it out while at the same time threading the ring through. I just kept on breathing very consciously: in through the nose, out through the mouth – in through the nose, out through the mouth. Once the needle was out and the ring was in, he closed the ring.
And then he was done. I lay on the table a while, to make sure my body adjusted itself to its new pierced condition before attempting to stand up. I’ve feinted before, and don’t enjoy it!
Now, here’s a very interesting side effect that I totally did not expect. When I finally sat up to see if a vertical position was at all possible yet, I discovered that my toe had turned completely black! (Yes, I was barefoot) What in the world would cause my toe to turn black from getting my eyebrow pierced? It was the toe right next to the big toe, and it took a good 10-15 minutes for color to come back to it.
Very strange.
I emailed a friend and asked if she knew anyplace to recommend: she told me about The Hole Look. I called them and got the basic information (such as how much it would cost - $45 – and where they’re located – on Dawson Street, between Benson and Northern Lights) and headed out the door.
When I got there, I found the shop to be very clean – almost sterile, and smelling cleaner than a hospital almost. I was the only customer, so got to spend some time talking to the lady at the front desk. She went over the particulars and made sure to answer any questions I had.
I had a few: How do I take care of it after it’s pierced? (I have a saline solution that I spray on it 6 times a day to help it heal and keep it clean) How long will it take to heal? (Up to 6 months) Will I get any diseases from your shop? (No - they sterilize everything according to medical standards to ensure no blood-borne diseases get passed on) That sort of thing. She was more than happy to assuage all my fears, and soon enough I had signed the paperwork and was ready to be pierced.
My piercer for the day was Blake, a very nice man with several piercings and tattoos on his own body. He led me back to a room that was set up just like an exam room might be at the doctor’s office. Again, it was very clean and sterile, and again smelled very strongly of bleach or some other cleaning solution. He had all his tools laid out and ready for me, and was very thorough in explaining exactly what he was going to do.
First he had me sit up on the table so he could clean the area to be pierced. He had a q-tip covered in the cleaning solution that he swabbed me with, making sure to get every possible contamination off.
Then he took a sharpie (yes, a sharpie!) and made dots where he would be piercing me. He was very particular about the placement, erasing the dots several times till he was satisfied with the results.
Next came the measurements to determine what size ring I need. Apparently some people have fatter eyebrows than others do. Which only makes sense, since people come in all sizes: I just had never really considered that before.
Once he had the ring ready and all his tools on hand, he then had me lay down so he could do the actual piercing. He told me, “I want you to take a deep breath in through your nose and then blow it out through your mouth. When you breathe out, that’s when I’ll do it.”
So, I took a deep breath in and slowly blew it out my mouth – and he stuck the needle in. It hurt, of course. It actually hurt a lot, and it wasn’t a quick poke either. In fact, he eventually had to tell me to “Keep breathing!” because I had apparently stopped.
Once he had the needle all the way through he then had to back it out while at the same time threading the ring through. I just kept on breathing very consciously: in through the nose, out through the mouth – in through the nose, out through the mouth. Once the needle was out and the ring was in, he closed the ring.
And then he was done. I lay on the table a while, to make sure my body adjusted itself to its new pierced condition before attempting to stand up. I’ve feinted before, and don’t enjoy it!
Now, here’s a very interesting side effect that I totally did not expect. When I finally sat up to see if a vertical position was at all possible yet, I discovered that my toe had turned completely black! (Yes, I was barefoot) What in the world would cause my toe to turn black from getting my eyebrow pierced? It was the toe right next to the big toe, and it took a good 10-15 minutes for color to come back to it.
Very strange.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Impulse Buying
I did something today that rather shocks me. I'm usually way more conservative and reserved... definitely NOT the type to do something like this without having thoroughly weighed every option and researched every tiny detail of it first.
Not that I haven't ever thought about doing this: I have. Every time I see somebody else who’s done it, I always think "Oh, I want to do that." But to think that I'd actually go and do it - now, that's something a bit out of the ordinary for me.
What did I do, you ask? I got my eyebrow pierced!
Yes, you read correctly: I got my eyebrow pierced. I walked in to The Hole Look after lunch and simply got it done.
I feel so… so… so rebellious!
They are very nice over there, by the way. If you ever are in the mood for a piercing (they will pierce just about any body part you can think of) I do recommend them. Their shop is nice and clean; the people are very friendly and understanding of nerves & anxieties; and they made the whole ordeal as pleasant as possible.
They even do tattoos! I am seriously considering having them do my Black Widow, whenever I decide to get it done.
Not that I haven't ever thought about doing this: I have. Every time I see somebody else who’s done it, I always think "Oh, I want to do that." But to think that I'd actually go and do it - now, that's something a bit out of the ordinary for me.
What did I do, you ask? I got my eyebrow pierced!
Yes, you read correctly: I got my eyebrow pierced. I walked in to The Hole Look after lunch and simply got it done.
I feel so… so… so rebellious!
They are very nice over there, by the way. If you ever are in the mood for a piercing (they will pierce just about any body part you can think of) I do recommend them. Their shop is nice and clean; the people are very friendly and understanding of nerves & anxieties; and they made the whole ordeal as pleasant as possible.
They even do tattoos! I am seriously considering having them do my Black Widow, whenever I decide to get it done.
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