Tuesday, May 20, 2008

My life consists of...

My stay in Juneau, Alaska has definitely had its unique and defining characteristics. For one, right before I got here an avalanche destroyed most of one of the cities power plants or where ever they get their power from, and we are now running on diesel, so there has been some serious power saving action happening. Our dryer puts holes in our clothes anyway, so whenever we do laundry we lay stuff all over our rooms and bathrooms to dry.Juneau is actually quite a rainy and foggy town so I get cold a lot when I work, but I still love my job. I just haven’t had a chance to go hiking or anything yet.I like to walk around town a lot, it’s really pretty. It’s funny because during the day the town is such a touristy place, but then at night when they all leave it becomes just your regular small town again-only tucked between a bunch of snowy mountains and a channel from the ocean.The boys in my house aren't your typical boys; they like to play 4 hour games of chess. We prefer it stay that way.Most shops and restaurants close at 6pm, so Kayla and I don’t really have any where to go in the evenings since all that is open are the bars. But we try and make our own fun. We like to go on walks around town, take lots of pictures, and when we get our first pay check, perhaps we will go to some restaurants.There is a "homeless" man that sits in a wheelchair on the main street every day and asks for money. However, many a time I have seen him on his cell phone, in a taxi, and walking. I know that the whole town must see it too because it’s a small town.


Whenever we go grocery shopping we either go to the one in town and carry our bags all across town, or we take the bus 45 minutes to the valley and shop at wall-mart (L) or Fred Meyers (J) and then carry $50 worth of groceries on the bus and then through town once again.

Today during work a homeless man started talking to me while I was trying to depart a tour and was asking if I really got paid to hold a sign and talk to people.

I get hit on by old men ALL the time!!!!

One of our favorite passed times is to either sit in our living room in the “carpeted area” or go bowling.

I went to church (finally) and, wouldn’t you know it, there is someone here that knows my family! A Hinds even- they are everywhere!!

I see bald eagles at least 2 or 3 times a week. Last night I watched one swoop down on the water to catch some food.

Watching the cruise ships leave at night has become a hobby, and on nice nights I like to go out and sit on the dock. The lights on the water are beautiful!

Kayla and I really enjoy to watch some Gilmore Girls if we need a time filler.

People continue to keep randomly coming over, but we are getting to know them better now. We had a lot of group dinners with some guitar accompaniment almost as a must.

I still miss my family and even my home church; it has something really going for it that a lot of churches are missing.

Friday, May 2, 2008

bears on stairs 2

also we have been told that soon, when the bears wake up, that since our house is on a big mountain, they may be on our stairs when we get home from work or wake up in the morning.

bears on stairs

i am working in Alaska this summer, in Juneau. it has been so fabulous so far! i have only been here for 5 days but it seems like a year already. i get along great with all my housemates so far and everyday is an adventure.
there is kayla, who came with me from school. we met in the seattle airport where we had the same connecting flight to alaska. so far it has been her first plane ride, bus ride, zip line, living outside of the texas/oklahoma area, and perhaps seeing mountains of such a sort. also boat ride i think.
there is angie, who went to OC too actually, but she graduated quite before my time. she is 28. she is super fun and we both love a fine frenzy and ingrid michaelson- kindrid spirits we call her. she is a dock rep like myself and so we go to work together in the mornings and are currently practicing mock trials of our speal that we will give for work.
morris (technically jeremy morris, but he just goes by morris) is also 28 and formerly from tenessee, but he recently lived 4 years in hawaii and then traveled for 4 months in central america. he was a biology major and recently got a big box of books from his library about animals in north america. he also just became the proud owner of a free station wagon that only holds 2 gallons of gas at a time. so when he got it we went on a "family excursion" to fred meyers (which they have in ALASKA!!!), and it was quite the adventure. he eats a lot of natural boxed indian food and has beautiful blue eyes.
travis is from texas through and through. he is 24 and was a philosophy major, enjoys playing the guitar and drinking bear. also world of warcraft occupies a lot of his free time, that is when he is not zipping, hiking, buying bear, or listening to music on our new speakers. he is really funny and is now the proud owner of an 18 pack of corn dogs and huge box of macaroni.

we all like to swap books, have dance parties in our kitchen, random deep conversations about religion, panting when we get up our 141 stairs to our house, doing the dishes in our dish washer and sharing our food. we often share youtube videos and sit around together in our living room, spending only enough time in our rooms to sleep and get ready for the day. our jobs are great and we all enjoy them. people are constantly popping into our home and i dont even know any of them, but i enjoy their random visits. we like it here in alaska.