Birthdays and New Kids in the Block

I'm the big 2-8 now and I'm feeling good about it. 28 feels like a solid age. I, at least sort of, have my life together. I can finally comfortably pay my bills. And I know the importance of both doctors appointments and oil changes, and that tequila shots on a Tuesday are a bad idea. Actually shots of any kind at any time are probably a bad idea.

I celebrated my birthday in Talkeetna, one of my favorite places in Alaska. Even Denali came out to play. Feelin' lucky, you guys. Feel.in.lucky.

Today's hot jam is New Kids on the Block Happy Birthday. Because it's my birthmonth and I can do what I want.

Special Edition: Adventures!

I know I've been really bad at updating the past couple weeks, but that's because I've been busy going on adventures!

Three weeks ago (already?!) I went to Unalaska, AK. Home of Dutch Harbor, the number one fishing port in the US, most famous for being the home of Deadliest Catch.

Here are somethings I learned:

That place is overrun with eagles and it's simultaneously cool and terrifying.

Throw your hands in the air

There are SUPER old wooden headstones in the cemetery and I don't know how they've lasted so long.

It's a little like being at living history museum. There's leftovers from WWII everywhere. Seriously. Everywhere.

 It's BEAUTIFUL

Two weeks ago I went flightseeing in Denali (Thanks Mom and Dad!). It's like sightseeing. But from a plane. A tiny, tiny plane.

Here are somethings I learned:


Denali is always impressive no matter how close or far you are

Far

Close

They don't call it The Great One for no reason, ya'll

Friday, I'm headed home to California for a couple days. First time home since Christmas!

Back to regularly scheduled writing and topics next week!

Cemeteries and Al Green

I've been sitting on this topic for a week- since I read/looked at this Buzzfeed article and watched a new PBS special about African American funeral traditions called Homegoings. I took both as inspiration and a sign. (A sign that I'm a total weirdo.)

One of my favorite words is macabre. Working in an art-among-other-things museum, I hear a lot of good (read: bad) descriptions for art pieces. If you say "That painting/sculpture/photo is so macabre..." you'll either sound like a genius or an idiot. I like to take the risk.

He's whispering, "Don't you think those waves are rather macabre?"

But my favorite macabre art galleries are cemeteries. Weird, I know, but just go with me for a minute. They are like really peaceful gardens, most of the visitors just happen to be dead. I don't usually find myself spending my free time wandering through a cemetery, but if I do I can't help but get sucked into the history. Especially in cemeteries with really old or interesting (or both) headstones. Sure, it's a little creepy, but that's part of what I like about it.

When my parents were visiting a few years ago, we went to the Eklutna Historical Park. One of the main features of the park is the cemetery. After the Russians came to Alaska, the Dena'ina (Alaskans native to the Anchorage-area) began to covert to Russian Orthodoxy, and with the conversion came new burial traditions. Instead of cremating their dead, they built spirit houses. (You can read more about it here. Side note - Aaron Leggett happens to be one of my coworkers.) The spirit houses are great - brightly colored, intricate, and many have features to represent the person buried there. What a fabulous way to honor your dead.

This week's hot jam is Let's Stay Together by Al Green. It's a well known-ish fact that I intend to use the lyrics to I Swear as my wedding vows. But Let's Stay Together is a close second.  I mean, it was added to the Library of Congress in 2010 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." If it's good enough for the LOC, it's good enough for me. (Fun fact: I applied for a job at the Library of Congress when I graduated from college with the sole intention of National Treasure-ing that place.)

Cabins and Creedence Clearwater Revival

This weekend a bunch of my friends are going to a tiny cabin on a lake. (I am not going because I have to work. Boo.) Alaska is great for a number of reasons, one being the Public Use Cabin System. There are cabins dotted all over Alaska that you can rent through the state for cheap. They are rustic (and even that might be a little generous) woodstoves, bunk beds, no running water, that sort of thing. Some of them are remote even by Alaska standards  (floatplane, boat, or snowmachine access only), others are right off the road and handicap accessible. It's a great deal.

I've stayed in a lot of cabins since moving to Alaska and I consider myself a cabin connoisseur. If I'm going to stay in cabin for more than just a few days, these are some things I'm looking for:

1) Coziness

This is not a cabin:

It's a large home built in a cabin style. This is not what I'm looking for in a cabin. I want something that is maybe just a little too small. Something that encourages everyone to sit together around the fire. Furniture should be overstuffed and a little worn. Lots of snuggily fabrics. Slippers. You get the picture.

This is what I'm looking for.

2) Fireplace/Woodstove - Speaking of cozy, right? I don't care if it's just for looks or for heating, but there should be some source of fire. How else will you make s'mores and pie iron pizzas?

3) Porch - With rocking chairs, since I'm making a wish list.

4) Clawfoot tub - Okay this is not a necessity, there is one in Trapper John's cabin in Talkeetna and I'm obsessed.

5) Hammocks - Not a necessity either, but definitely an added bonus. Want to rock in something, but don't want to sit up? Then a hammock is for you. I like having rock options

The more the merrier?

This week's hot jam is Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Don't ask me why, but I love Vietnam era anti-war songs and Fortunate Son is no exception. Way to stick to The Man with rock 'n roll, CCR. I particularly like this version because it features John Fogerty and BRUCE EFFING SPRINGSTEEN. It's oddly patriotic, don't ya think?

Writer's Block and J.Cole

I've been feeling a bit (okay, a lot) of writer's block lately. Not because everything is terrible, but rather because lots of things are great! It FINALLY feels like summer here in AK- the leaves are on the trees, the grass is growing, and the snow pile in my yard has finally melted. The mosquitos are out, but at least they are still slow and stupid. I stepped on my glasses the other day (Boo) but that forced me to finally go to the eye doctor, so now I have new contacts AND glasses (Yay!) The new Arrested Development episodes are up, and last week was the first bluegrass festival of the season (where it was sunny and warm. Mostly.)  Long list short, things are good (minus the writer's block). I hope to be back soon with regular favorite thing writing.

Coolest kid at the party

One thing I'm not feeling blocked about is J.Cole. He's back with a hot new jam - Power Trip. LOVING IT, you guys.Slow jam + Rap. YES. And a twist ending!

Last Great Race and Jerry Reed

Saturday marked the start of my favorite 9ish days of the year - The Last Great Race - the Iditarod. Currently Lance Mackey is in first place. He is quite the character and one of my favorite mushers. This year my friends and I trailgated (yes, trail, that's not a typo) the ceremonial start in Anchorage. For $10 we got a koozie and all the beer we could drink and all the hot dogs we could eat. Probably the best idea ever.

Anyway, back to Lance. When he came by our trailgate, someone tried to hand him a PBR but he missed it. Lance is not one to give up a beer, so he stopped his sled (generally not done) and grabbed the beer then continued on. He nearly caused an accident, but I suspect he thought it was worth it. I assume it was that PBR that put him in first place. You're welcome, Lance.

People riding in the sled during the ceremonial start are called 'iditariders'. It's one of my goals in life.

Martin Buser caused quite the stir this year, after speed-racing to the Rohn check point, he decided to take his mandatory 24 hour rest. Normally teams wait until much later in the race before they take their layover. According to the Anchorage Daily News he's been planning this strategy for 8 months. He was in 30something place while the other mushers raced ahead. Now he's in 8th and everyone ahead of him still needs to take their 24 hour layover. Seems like his strategy might be working. The Iditarod is serious business.

Click to see it larger. Mushers take the southern route at Ophir this year.

I'm rooting for Matt Failor. He was in second place until the Rohn check point, where, like Buser, he took his 24 hour layover. During the ceremonial start Matt also got off his sled at the trailgate. But instead of stopping for a dropped PBR, he stopped to shake hands and say hello to everyone. He could have been a senate candidate - if senate candidates travel with 12 dogs and a large parka.

In the spirit of long distance racing, the hot jam of the week is Eastbound and Down by Jerry Reed. Yes, the theme to Smokey and the Bandit. I heard this song on the radio twice this week. I took it as a sign. If I was an Iditarod musher this is all I would listen to. Screw getting diphtheria serum to Nome, the boys are thirsty in Atlanta. If that's not enough to inspire you, I don't know what is.

My power has been off for 37 hours. I promise I'll get back to writing soon.

Visitors and Osborne Brothers

This past week I had my first non-family visitor. Megan got here on Thursday and stayed for almost a week.

  We hadn't seen each other in 3 years (since our days at Teton Science Schools) so it was extra fun to catch up (in person.)

Sometimes I forget that Alaska is a pretty cool place. I definitely take the mountains and glaciers and moose, etc for granted, so it's fun to have a guest around to remind me of all the cool things to see and do.

 Like go to Exit Glacier

Or drive on the Seward Highway

Or take a (free!) glacier cruise

This week's hot jam is Rocky Top by Osborne Brothers (But according to the video, it's been recorded over 100 times) It's been stuck in my head all week, and now it will be stuck in yours too. You're welcome.

Unalaska Police Blotter and Noah

When I go home to California, there are 3 things I read in the local newspaper, The Village News: the obituaries, the change of names, and the police blotter.

The police blotter in The Village News has fun things like "Grand theft fruit/fowl/etc" and "Annoying phone call: obscene/threatening." (It's a small town...) but I didn't know fun police blotters until I started reading the Unalaska Police Blotter. (Which also appears in the Anchorage Daily News

Unalaska is most well know for being home to Dutch Harbor, the largest fisheries port in the United States and made famous by the Discovery Channel Show Deadliest Catch

RIP Capt. Phil

Unalaska is isolated. I mean seriously isolated. It's a quarter of the way down the Aleutian Chain, so it's practically in Russia

I'm not sure if people are already crazy when they get to Dutch Harbor or if the isolation turns them into crazy people, but either way it makes for great reading. You can find the most recent police blotter here, but here are some of my favorite entries:

Caller reported a group of 5 children playing atop an old residence. Officer contacted the group and advised them not to play on the roof of residences in general and not to play on the roof of residences not their own, ever.

Caller reported an intoxicated individual causing a ruckus in the common area of a bunkhouse. Officers confirmed the presence of said sot who agreed to scram.

Caller reported his credit card had been used fraudulently at a local business. Further investigation revealed the caller had used the card after all.

Owner of a local business reported that an individual had asked to see a $70 necklace from display case. The patron grabbed the necklace and attempted to flee the store. The Darwin Award nominee was unable to operate the front door which he pushed when it required that he pull. The clodpoll returned the necklace and apologized. The business owner declined to pursue charges.

Sister asked officers to tell her brother, on behalf of her father, that brother should not have any visitors, unsavory or otherwise, while father is out of town else father might kick brother out of the home when he returns. An officer passed along this message to brother.

Request for intervention between a homeowner tired of poo piles in her yard and a pet owner whose dog apparently seeks out the homeowner’s yard in the wee hours of the night.

Caller reported a beer-toting inebriated dropping the f-bomb all over the airport terminal. The inebriate told an officer he would start using his very best behavior since his attitude and intoxication had already caught the attention of those responsible for allowing departing passengers to board their flight, and he sincerely desired to be reunited with his family this night.

Officers responded to the Small Boat Harbor regarding a report that a large man was beating on a small lock, attempting to gain entry to a sailboat. The large man was gone by the time police arrived, but the drunken man who was inside the vessel making unpleasant remarks about the officers eventually came outside and was taken home by his mother.

Last week my friend Ashley (of Oh Wells Instead of What Ifs) posted a video of a kid named Noah singing a cover of LMFAO's Sexy and I Know It. And it was AMAZING. No seriously. So amazing he ended up on the Today Show. He has an album coming out soon and I will certainly be buying it. And listening to it on repeat. I can't even pick one hot jam, so here are few.

If you like Sexy and I know It, you can download Noah's version here! For free!

Iditarod and The Hold Steady

This past weekend marked the end of the Fur Rondy festival. And Fur Rondy goes out with a bang – a 1,000 mile, trans-Alaskan bang – the Iditarod.

The Iditarod started in the 1970s to commemorate the importance of the sled dogs in the history of Alaska. Not only Balto leading the other sled dogs to Nome with the diphtheria serum, but also the dogs used in travel, mail delivery, and as part of scouting teams during World War II. Prior to airplanes and snowmobiles (or snow machines, as they are called here) dog sleds were the way to travel around rural Alaska.

The start of the Iditarod in Anchorage is ceremonial, but so fun. They start on 4^th Avenue in downtown Anchorage and eventually make their way 11 miles across town to the Campbell Airstrip.

The dogs are so excited to get going that they have to hook the sleds up to snow machines or the dogs will take off before it’s their turn.

While I enjoy the festivities of the start downtown, my favorite part is going out to the trail as it winds through Anchorage. You can stand right on the trail and cheer as the teams go by. There is something so amazing about knowing that in 8 or 9 days a good portion of the people and dogs are going to be 1,000 miles away, approximately the same distance as LA to Seattle, and they will have gotten there on foot (relatively speaking).

This week's hot jam is Certain Songs by The Hold Steady. The Hold Steady is a gritty indie-rock band from Minneapolis, and I love all their songs so it was really difficult to pick one to feature this week. But nevertheless, I went with Certain Songs. Lead singer, Craig Finn, has a weird talk-singing style and most of the band looks like mid-level government employees (Franz Nicolay, the former keyboardist, looks more like he should be tying ladies to train tracks) but somehow it works.

First Snow and All American Rejects

According to the National Weather Service it's supposed to snow tomorrow morning. While I'm not looking forward AT ALL to driving to work, I'm still pretty excited about the snow.

Side Note- Anchorage sees approximately 6-8 months of snow every year. It starts snowing usually around Halloween and doesn't melt until May, sometimes June. So one would think that people, on average, would have a handle on winter driving. But for some reason, every year people forget how it works. It's like that pregnancy amnesia business. Anchorage residents seem to have winter amnesia (probably to keep us here year after year.) Winter amnesia causes people to turn into idiots the instant snow hits the ground. I'm sure I'll see at least one car in the ditch tomorrow morning. Hence my lack of excitement for my morning commute across town.

First snows always see so magical. Everything is so clean and white. (Unlike snow in February when everything is gross and grey.) Snow forces you to slow down. You can't be in a hurry when you can only drive 30 mph. You have to work a little harder and plan a little more, but I think it's worth it to see a fresh blanket of snow. It's like living in a Thomas Kinkade painting.

This past weekend I was in Talkeetna, AK celebrating two of my friends' birthdays.

Happy Birthday Jim and Michaela!

We woke up Sunday morning to Talkeetna's first snow. It was beautiful. Especially since we stayed in an adorable, cuddly warm cabin and got to eat bomb.com biscuits and gravy at The Roadhouse.

This week's hot jam is The Last Song by All American Rejects. Earlier this week I heard an AAR song on the radio. I hadn't heard one in awhile and it reminded me that I kind of totally love them. Sure, they don't have spectacularly deep lyrics or intricate chord progressions. But they are poppy and fun and sometimes that's what you want. In high school I was an AAR super fan. I saw them 6 or 8 times, and even met the band twice.

I nearly died.

The emo lyrics of The Last Song are covered up by a fun pop punk arrangement and a totally unrelated video and it's just as great as I remember it.

UFC and Nicki Minaj

Apologies for the late posting this week, life got busy.

I have a now-not-so-secret passion for UFC fights. They are always violent (obviously) and sometimes gory and I love them. Modern day (well paid) gladiators in an octagon: it's a train wreck and I can't stop staring. Which brings me to Wednesday's adventure.

Last week my friend Brinna mentioned that she served (as a waitress, of course) some of the fighters from Alaska's answer to the UFC, the AFC, and they suggested she attend the fight on Wednesday. My friend Michaela and I jumped at the chance to go, we'd been talking about it for awhile but never went. So Wednesday evening (after a long day of teaching for all of us)  headed over to the Sullivan Arena for AFC 85(?).

We knew we were in for a good time when, after purchasing our $20 general admission tickets, the usher told us that we could sit in the $60 seats, but if someone came, she'd have to move us. We were three rows from the floor. No one ever came for our seats.

There were 12 fights. Some good, some bad. A couple lasted less that a minute.There was even one lady fight, which was poorly matched and way less exciting than one would think. But the real prize was the people watching. Lots of men in TapouT t-shirts, girls in short skirts, pregnant women, and a surprising number of children.

Brinna is trying to get us free floor seats for next month's fights. Ballin' Alaska style

This week's hot jam is Super Bass by Nicki Minaj. In general, I'm not a Nicki Minaj fan. I cannot take her Lil Kim meets Lady Gaga persona seriously, but I love this song. It plays on the radio here ALL the time and I'm not sick of it yet, so it must be a hot jam. I'm sure being a female rapper is difficult, it is a men's game, but Nicki Minaj does it well. She was the first women to be included in MTV's annual Hottest MC list, joining people like Jay-Z, Eminem and Lil Wayne (of course, that list has only been around since 2007, but still pretty impressive)

Denali National Park and Jesse and the Rippers

For those of you not up on the workings of Denali National Park, you can't just drive in like other parks, you have to go on a bus. Except for one weekend a year. Every year the NPS holds a lottery for the chance to drive into Denali and lucky for me, Maggie J entered and won! So Friday afternoon, Maggie J, me, and 8 of our friends loaded up our borrowed 15 passenger and hit the road. It was amazing.

Here are some my favorite things from the trip:
1. Friday night we got a pretty sweet, unexpected northern lights show. Gotta love solar flares!
2. Sunshine - only 30% of visitors to the park ever get to see Denali because it's almost always covered in clouds. But we had several hours of clear skies Saturday morning, meaning we got some sweet views of The Mountain.

Denali/Mt. McKinley is the beast covered in snow in the background. It's ~30 miles away in this picture.

3. Lots of animals (even though they were mostly far away.) Including moose, bears, caribou, and dall sheep. The park is 6 million acres so it's pretty amazing that animals are ever anywhere near the road.

Or on the road, like this grizzly bear.

We even got to see a bull moose trying to get the attention of a lady moose. (It's rutting season.) But she wasn't having it. Maybe because there were 20 people watching on the side of the road or maybe his rack just wasn't big enough. (Or it could have been the van of ten adults shouting things like "Yeah moose go get some!" and "Oh girl, he is not good enough for you!")

4. On our way home we stopped at 2 of the Parks Highway roadside attractions: Wal-Mike's and the Cantwell Igloo. Wal-Mike's is a super weird permanent garage sale? I'm not even really sure how to explain it, or who Mike is. But it's on the side of the road in Trapper Creek and they sell all kinds of weird stuff. For example: Musk ox pelt, old 3-wheelers, a jar of turkey feet, old Playboys, used oil filters, political yard signs, fake street signs, etc. The Cantwell Igloo is an abandoned building shaped like an igloo. It was apparently supposed to be a hotel, but because of some code violations (like no fire exits) it never got finished.

This week's hot jam is Forever by Jesse and the Rippers/John Stamos. Yes, from Full House. I realize I could have used the original version by The Beach Boys, but it just doesn't have quite the same effect. I'm presenting this without comment, because, honestly, what words could I even use to describe how amazing it is?

Actually I have one comment: how much would it cost to have John Stamos perform this at my wedding?

Fall and ICP (No, I haven't lost my mind)

So summer camp ending on Friday, which means fall is rapidly approaching. Unlike in most places that get a few weeks of summer weather after school starts, Alaska pretty much heads right into fall mid-August. But fall in Alaska is pretty great (even if it only lasts a few weeks.) Here are the top 10 things I like about fall

1. Leaves - The birch trees turn bright yellow and the fireweed turns bright red, it's beautiful

2. Wood burning stoves - A lot of people heat their houses with wood burning stoves so once fall rolls around it smells like a campfire outside
3. Abundance of fall scented candles - pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, harvest cornucopia of home-y smells (I might have made that last one up...)
4. Sweater weather - Okay, I wore sweaters pretty much all summer too, but it just feels better in the fall

Evidence of summer time sweater weather

5. Crisp air
6. AK State Fair - Beard contest, moose calling contest, giant vegetables, tractor pulls, demolition derbies, etc etc etc. What's not to love?

7. School supplies - Even if I don't need them, I still like wandering the aisles at Target
8. Pumpkin spice coffee
9. Pumpkin bread
10. Okay, all things pumpkin...

 I haven't suddenly developed a horrible taste is music, it will all make sense, I promise. This week's hot jam was inspired by this article, a ridiculous news story from my hometown newspaper. The hot jam is Miracles by Insane Clown Posse. No, I'm not an ICP fan, but Miracles is the most ridiculous song in the history of the world and it's so bad it's good. It could have easily been written for Saturday Night Live (in fact they did a spoof) but no, it was legitimately written and produced by ICP.

NSFW due to language

Fireworks and Doobie Brothers

Thank you 10th century China for inventing fireworks, they are amazing. Fireworks turn everyone into a kid. It doesn't matter how old you are, as soon as the fireworks start everyone stares slack jawed up into the night sky.

4th of July 2009 - Jackson, WY

Here in Alaska we have fireworks in the summer, but they are somewhat of a disappointment, it doesn't ever get dark enough to make them look really cool and, for at least the past 2 summers, it's been raining on the 4th of July so they get lost in the clouds anyway. Not that that stops me from watching them.  We also have winter time fireworks, obviously, and according to my reports, (I'm always out of town) they are much cooler. No pun intended. Last winter the city lifted the fireworks ban (for the public) in Anchorage and apparently everyone and their brother went out and got fireworks. They city was lit up like...well, the 4th of July (in places it gets dark enough to be lit up)

Midnight 4th of July  2010 - Seward, AK

There is one instance of fireworks that I particularly remember. It was 4th of July, I was 10ish and my family and I went to watch the fireworks. At that time, they would shoot the fireworks off barges in the river, so we were down on the riverfront somewhere in Aurora. For those of you not lucky enough to have ever been in the Midwest in the middle of summer, there are a lot of thunderstorms. As the storm was rolling in the fireworks were just starting. It was an amazing mix of lightning and pyrotechnics. Everyone knows you shouldn't be out in an open field when there is lightning afoot, but it was so cool looking that nobody left.

The hot jam of the week is Black Water by the Doobie Brothers. I've always had a little bit of a hard time taking the Doobie Brothers seriously. Mostly because they chose to call themselves the Doobie Brothers. In 1970. A little cliche, if you ask me.

There is one reason I love this song: the a capella part at the end. I'm a sucker for a good a capella sing along and this one is great. AND it's good to clap along with. Clapping and a capella sing alongs? Hot jam for sure.

This video is from February 2011 when Doobie Brothers made their Grand Ole Opry debut. Not the best example of the sweet a capella section but it's still pretty great. If you want to listen to the original version, you can hear it here

Small Towns and 3Oh!3

Apologies for the delayed post, summer time is busy around here!

This week's favorite thing was inspired by my recent trip to Seldovia, AK for 4th of July. I love small towns and Seldovia definitely fits the bill. The year-round population is a little over 250 and it's only accessible by boat (although it's not an island, there just aren't any roads that go there.) I had a fabulous time. There are no stoplights, people mostly get around by 4-wheeler and everyone waves at everyone.

Did I mention it's also beautiful?

I think holidays in small towns are particularly amazing. Seldovia's 4th of July celebration included events such as a hula hoop contest (where I took 3rd place), fish toss, pie eating, rubber ducky races, canoe jousting, log rolling, tug of war, and a survival suit relay (which my team won!)

Canoe Jousting

This is a survival suit

Speaking of small town celebrations, my grandparents live in a small town in central IL and it features an amazing summer time festival called Old Settlers. There's carnival rides and games and pie and elephant ears and music and a parade and all sorts of other amazing things. When I was little we always went down to visit for Old Settlers and one of my favorite parts (besides the carnival) was the parade. My family would go claim a good spot along the parade route, watch the whole thing, then as soon as the last candy-tossing float went by, my sister and I would take off through the backyards and meet the beginning of the parade on the next block. Double parade viewing = double candy. Pure genius.

This week's hot jam is I'm Not Your Boyfriend Baby by 3Oh!3. 3Oh!3 manages to combine 3 genres of music into one song and still make it sound amazing. There's a little something for everyone. You like rap? Got it. Emo? That too. Techno? It's in there. Okay, maybe not something for everyone, but at least a lot of people.

This song is probably NSFW, unless your boss is down with some F-bombs.