The Life of a Gypsy

I moved again. Let me take a minute to count them up....... 8. I have moved 8 times since May. More like bounced. Because you can't really call taking a laundry basket and a bathroom box "moving." My belongings are being whittled away and I have really changed my consumer habits in the quest to de-clutter. Most days I'm really proud of the fact that I can live with so little. Some days though it's a teensy depressing to think of my life in the back of a car. It's good for my tendency to loose things though!
So now I'm in a cabin at the Bachelor Paradise until mid-December when I go home for Christmas. I don't know yet where I'll be living when I get back in January until April but in April I go back to my favorite house until I leave Alaska. Let's start brainstorming on my next adventure, shall we?!
So the point of this post is to let you know that the internet at the new place isn't working. Hopefully it won't be a permanent thing because I can't live without the tubes for 3 months but be patient and I'll figure it out.

Just another Saturday

Some opportunities are unique to Alaska. Like shooting a machine gun without experience, a permit, ID check, etc. This Saturday we went out to the gun range where the radio station and a local gun shop were putting on a "shoot an automatic weapon" event. I got to shoot an AR-15. First the guy asked me if I had ever shot one before. Somehow I missed that experience in all my years of suburban living in California. Then he asked if I had ever shot a rifle. Yeah. So he handed a machine gun to me and started to walk away. You might want to stick a little closer, dude.
I got a few single shots in and then clicked over to automatic. Shot a few times before I got intimidated by the large crowd watching me and handed it over. Next time, I'll force myself to go longer but at least I can say I did it.
I know you worry that I'm turning into a huge redneck up here but if opportunity knocks I gotta answer, right?

Best Birthday Present

Little Sister got together with the rest of the Crazies and made me a scrapbook for my birthday.
They made an almost lifesize cardboard me and took it around to my favorite haunts in the old 'hood.
The Tedda Hughes boutique and my beloved apartment.
Lunch with the sisters at Aquatic Park
Tommy's Joint with the sibs, eating my fave, bbq brisket.
Hanging with my BFF, having more of my favorite snacks.
Watching a movie with Little Sister, just like when we were roommates.
Partyin hardy with the fam and my bro for my 31st birthday, couldn't get any better when you're actually 3,500 miles away. I laughed and cried at the same time for a good 20 minutes when I first looked at it. Can't wait for winter break to get home and do it all for real!

I Always Feel Like....

somebody's watchin' me. And, The Tao of Pooh ..... house sitting adventures in Alaska.

It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”
"Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about."
"Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it."
When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.

Hello?

Is it me you're looking for?

I'll post very soon. Need to tell you about the most awesomest birthday present and the places I've been staying. The photo above is only a slight preview.

Alaskan Tobacco Festival

I do not support regular tobacco consumption. I'm a speech pathologist for crap's sake. But, I can get behind the occasional drink and cigar. As I've pointed out many times, there's not much to do around here and a cigar pairing event sounded quite cultured considering the normal options (like squirrel shooting). So, we decided to check it out. The cigar reps and bartender were friendly, the food was decent and free and the fashion was (as always) eyebrow raising. We got to smoke flavored tobacco from giant hookahs, try a couple different cigars and get advice on the best beverages to pair them with. Might have gone a little overboard though since I think there's still 4 or 5 cigars still floating around here somewhere. We're so cool.

Halibut Trip

Here's what a halibut boat out on the Cook Inlet looks like. Looks pretty calm, right? Not so much. I had my head in the trash can the whole trip and I NEVER get motion sick.

As the boat rocked, I feared for my life. The railing went to about lower thigh on me. Just high enough to be completely ineffective. This little shorty could even put a foot up and still be confident she wouldn't go overboard. I could barely keep my hands on the pole and off the railing.

The guys working hard at getting a fish on so I could reel it in and say I caught a halibut. Thank you.

End of the trip. The conditions were so rough we had to go in early and take whatever we got. Keepers are usually around 60 lbs and I've met people who have caught 2 and 3 hundred pounders. Actually, these little guys produced a lot more meat than I imagined. Who's coming over for a fish fry?
I was so exhausted from the week with the girls and getting up at an ungodly hour to get to the boat, my shirt is totally on backwards and I didn't have a clue. Too busy heaving I guess.