There's a bit of backstory involved in this one. My(Jane's) brother has a podcast radio show called Bunch of Dorks. In the past, he and his fellow dorks have struggled to come up with a radio nickname for me, so as to not reveal my secret identity. They have come up with a few I didn't like, and a few that were too awkward for them to say when they were drunk (which is sometimes the case when they are doing their show). So, in an effort to come up with a name that will work for both me and them, they have posted a quiz on their show blog and are asking for votes. http://www.bunchofdorks.com/ Mow is my brother, for those of you playing along at home.
I should point out that the option to say you are just looking for Internet Porn is not one I support, but you should vote your conscience!
While you are there, if you enjoy offbeat humor, stick around and listen to a show or two! Be aware that the Bunch of Dorks podcasts contain some adult content and language. It's not Tarantino level, but I wouldn't listen with any little kids or nuns or other sensitive persons within earshot.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Anchorage Cleans Up
I saw something today that I had never seen before in my life. Anchorage actually washes their sidewalks (via heavy equipment, true, but still)!
As I wrote earlier, we are in the time of year known as "the breakup". The snow melts and all the ick it was hiding becomes visible, and all the grit that got spread on the roads is all just laying there, looking grim. The general citizenry does a lot to clean this up on their own, and businesses clean up their parking lots and sidewalks and so. We have seen a LOT of this tidy-up activity going on. Our apartment complex had guys in to rake all the leaves and sticks and stuff from the yards, my work had guys cleaning up the sidewalks and drives, and Art's company does a clean-up day where the whole company spends half a day picking up along a road somewhere in town. So there seems to be a fair amount of civic pride involved in the clean up effort.
However, the sidewalk cleanup was on an entirely different level than this. First a big truck drove down the street spraying water on the sidewalks. Then came the sweepers. I don't really know what these things are called, but I suspect they are the same things that are used in winter to clear snow off the sidewalks. They look kind of like a forklift or a mini-steamroller. However, in this instance, instead of a solid roller out in front, it had a wire brush in the same roller shape. The brush was sweeping off the dirt, but it also seemed to be sweeping up debris as it went! A couple of us walked up the street for coffee a little later, and it looked much nicer.
It is really interesting to see this sort of civic effort to keep the city looking nice. None of the cities we lived in in PA would have expended city funds for this kind of effort, although they surely could have. It takes streets that look kind of grimy and grim to looking much brighter and spring-ier. Looking good, Anchorage!
As I wrote earlier, we are in the time of year known as "the breakup". The snow melts and all the ick it was hiding becomes visible, and all the grit that got spread on the roads is all just laying there, looking grim. The general citizenry does a lot to clean this up on their own, and businesses clean up their parking lots and sidewalks and so. We have seen a LOT of this tidy-up activity going on. Our apartment complex had guys in to rake all the leaves and sticks and stuff from the yards, my work had guys cleaning up the sidewalks and drives, and Art's company does a clean-up day where the whole company spends half a day picking up along a road somewhere in town. So there seems to be a fair amount of civic pride involved in the clean up effort.
However, the sidewalk cleanup was on an entirely different level than this. First a big truck drove down the street spraying water on the sidewalks. Then came the sweepers. I don't really know what these things are called, but I suspect they are the same things that are used in winter to clear snow off the sidewalks. They look kind of like a forklift or a mini-steamroller. However, in this instance, instead of a solid roller out in front, it had a wire brush in the same roller shape. The brush was sweeping off the dirt, but it also seemed to be sweeping up debris as it went! A couple of us walked up the street for coffee a little later, and it looked much nicer.
It is really interesting to see this sort of civic effort to keep the city looking nice. None of the cities we lived in in PA would have expended city funds for this kind of effort, although they surely could have. It takes streets that look kind of grimy and grim to looking much brighter and spring-ier. Looking good, Anchorage!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Moose Encounters
Well, we have been seeing a LOT of moose around lately. I understand from long-timers that this is the baby-having time in the moose year. The little newborns are supposed to be something to see, so we're keeping a lookout!
The next sighting came a couple of days later. Art and I were out with a coworker and her husband to hear a lecture on the Expanded Mind at UAA (!), and when we came out of the library...
You really do want to pet them and give them names and leave food out in your yard so they keep coming around. Oh, I don't do any of those thing, and I won't, because it would be wildly irresponsible. Also, I'm not trying to anthropomorphize them or pretend they are anything other than large, wild animals that are not to be trifled with. But the neat thing about moose is that they really don't seem to want naything other than lots of plant matter to eat and to be left alone. I suppose the best thing we can do for them is not harsh their mellow.
The first sighting was from my work - incidentally the same location where I had my first moose sighting, so that's one full circle made as my first year here comes to a close!
This is the youngster of the Momma and Kid duo that we see relatively often hanging around where I work. He meandered around and snacked on some foliage for awhile. Then he came to rest at the spot on the road where the smokers at work have to go stand to smoke. He stood there for quite awhile, peacefully hanging out and the smokers were starting to worry because they needed to go smoke. No one wanted to approach the little guy because Momma was somewhere around. Finally our biggest, loudest smoker went outside and yelled at him to "Git on back to Momma!" and he (the moose) ran away. Which is nothing to be ashamed of - we all run away when this particular person yells. :)
The next sighting came a couple of days later. Art and I were out with a coworker and her husband to hear a lecture on the Expanded Mind at UAA (!), and when we came out of the library...This one was hanging around outside, again snacking on foliage. We kept a respectful distance, but didn't hang around too long - she was standing between us and and some post-lecture pie! We waited a few minutes, and she wandered across the sidewalk to get a drink, after which we judged it safe to cross. She kept an eye on us as we went past, but we didn't make any sudden moves or do anything that we thought might upset a large ruminant. And everything turned out fine.
You really do want to pet them and give them names and leave food out in your yard so they keep coming around. Oh, I don't do any of those thing, and I won't, because it would be wildly irresponsible. Also, I'm not trying to anthropomorphize them or pretend they are anything other than large, wild animals that are not to be trifled with. But the neat thing about moose is that they really don't seem to want naything other than lots of plant matter to eat and to be left alone. I suppose the best thing we can do for them is not harsh their mellow.Thursday, April 9, 2009
Earthquake!
Well, as those of you playing along from out of state may or may not know, this past Tuesday we had an earthquake! It was 4.6 or 4.7 (news reports varied) and originated roughly between here and Wasilla. I had felt slight shakes before a couple of times, but this was much more considerable in force.
It hit while we were at work, and shook us around pretty good. Later, I heard from a few people that they were scared, but I and everyone in my office found it kind of exhilarating. A second after we stopped shaking, one coworker actually let out an Anchorage cheer (Woooo!). This was kind of interesting to experience. I remember a couple of years ago, when I was still in Pa and my cousin Amie was living here (her husband is in the Army). I read on CNN that they had had an earthquake - I think it was a 2 or 3 pointer - and I sent her a panicky email checking on their safety. She responded with polite puzzlement, then said something along the lines of "Oh, yeah. I think I did feel a little shake."
When you have no experience with this type of phenomenon, you have no concept of what it really is like. At that point, I heard 3 point earthquake and pictured my loved ones trapped in the rubble of their home, bleeding into the phone as they tried desparately to get through to Emergency Services. When you are here, and you have the experience, you think to yourself. OK, 4.7. Woop!
It hit while we were at work, and shook us around pretty good. Later, I heard from a few people that they were scared, but I and everyone in my office found it kind of exhilarating. A second after we stopped shaking, one coworker actually let out an Anchorage cheer (Woooo!). This was kind of interesting to experience. I remember a couple of years ago, when I was still in Pa and my cousin Amie was living here (her husband is in the Army). I read on CNN that they had had an earthquake - I think it was a 2 or 3 pointer - and I sent her a panicky email checking on their safety. She responded with polite puzzlement, then said something along the lines of "Oh, yeah. I think I did feel a little shake."
When you have no experience with this type of phenomenon, you have no concept of what it really is like. At that point, I heard 3 point earthquake and pictured my loved ones trapped in the rubble of their home, bleeding into the phone as they tried desparately to get through to Emergency Services. When you are here, and you have the experience, you think to yourself. OK, 4.7. Woop!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Breaking up is hard to get through
Well, this is the time of year known informally as The Breakup. This is because of the general warming trend going on, which causes the ice and snow that has been building up since last October to...yes, you guessed it!... break up.
To put it bluntly, it is not a very pretty time of year. The fresh clean coat of snow we have been seeing every day is not appearing anymore. Or at least its gotten infrequent. That means all the cinders and dirt, as well as all the general garbage that's been buring under all that clean sparkly snow is starting to show. As is the fact that our apartment building neighbors have not been taking their dogs all the way to the dog peeing area that is fenced off at the end of the common area. Instead they have been just walking right off the front stoop and letting them pee away. They were counting on the yellow snow to get covered up, but not anymore! So that's kind of icky.
Now, on the plus side, we have well over 13 hours of daylight now, and it is regularly over 32F. That may not sound like much, and relatively speaking it isn't. But we are starting to walk around with just hoodies or sweaters on, and we are plenty warm. It's all what you get used to. After my brother and sister-in-law and parents moved to Florida, they would come back to PA in the height of summer and be shivering and freezing. And we'd be like "What? It's 70!" and they would say "I'm freezing! I need a sweater!"and so on. And then I'd go to Florida and be prostrate from the heat. "I'm dying!" I would say, "It's like being on the surface of the sun, only with 150% humidity! It's so hot!" and they would say "What? It's 103. This is nothing!" and so on. So anyway, I guess my point is, we're acclimated pretty well to local temperatures. It got up to the mid 30's, and I thought "what a nice balmy day!"
Also on the plus side, the inches-thick layers of ice are breaking up and melting away, so you are driving on actual asphalt some of the time, which is a welcome development.
To put it bluntly, it is not a very pretty time of year. The fresh clean coat of snow we have been seeing every day is not appearing anymore. Or at least its gotten infrequent. That means all the cinders and dirt, as well as all the general garbage that's been buring under all that clean sparkly snow is starting to show. As is the fact that our apartment building neighbors have not been taking their dogs all the way to the dog peeing area that is fenced off at the end of the common area. Instead they have been just walking right off the front stoop and letting them pee away. They were counting on the yellow snow to get covered up, but not anymore! So that's kind of icky.
Now, on the plus side, we have well over 13 hours of daylight now, and it is regularly over 32F. That may not sound like much, and relatively speaking it isn't. But we are starting to walk around with just hoodies or sweaters on, and we are plenty warm. It's all what you get used to. After my brother and sister-in-law and parents moved to Florida, they would come back to PA in the height of summer and be shivering and freezing. And we'd be like "What? It's 70!" and they would say "I'm freezing! I need a sweater!"and so on. And then I'd go to Florida and be prostrate from the heat. "I'm dying!" I would say, "It's like being on the surface of the sun, only with 150% humidity! It's so hot!" and they would say "What? It's 103. This is nothing!" and so on. So anyway, I guess my point is, we're acclimated pretty well to local temperatures. It got up to the mid 30's, and I thought "what a nice balmy day!"
Also on the plus side, the inches-thick layers of ice are breaking up and melting away, so you are driving on actual asphalt some of the time, which is a welcome development.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
New in the news
We haven't been doing much exciting, just going on with daily life - so here are some general Alaskan updates:
-Mt. Redoubt has been quiet this week in general. Apparently it is building up another lava dome, which will probably collapse and start another round of ash-spewing eruptions. The last time this happened, it went on for around 6 months. There's nothing saying that will happen this time, but that's what happened last time. For the most part, everyone just sort of gets on with their lives. Last Saturday, for example, there was light ashfall on Anchorage. How did the population deal with it? A lot of people went to the carwash the next day. A couple of people kept masks or their scarves over their faces if they were out walking around.
- Art and I went to see (and more to the point, hear) Chuck Klosterman speak at the University of Alaska Anchorage. I was a bit nervous about going to see him, though, because Art has not enjoyed his work overly much and also because whenever I actually see a famous person being themselves, they are always horrible people. I have never been in any kind of proximity to a public figure and liked them at all at the end of the experience. For the most part, I can't even watch them being interviewed. However, Chuck did a great job, and I actually like him more now than I did before I heard him speak. Art likes him better now, too. Anyway, the reason I am bringing this up is that he (CK) was commenting on getting to Anchorage, and said "I have never had plans of mine affected by, you know, pumice."
-Ted Stevens is exonerated! It turns out there was an interview with a star witness against him who had an earlier interview that totally contradicted everything he said in court. Somehow the prosecution sort of, I guess, forgot they had that, and the defense never got it. Details and play by play available, as always, on ADN. I'm glad Ted is cleared, and I hope we vote him back in next time. For those of you playing along at home, he was a very senior senator, and the state of Alaska lost a LOT of pull when he was railroaded out of office. Lying Feds!
-Spring is not here yet, but it's sure starting to look like it. We have something over 13 hours of daylight now. You can see patches of pavement poking through the deep layers of ice in parking lots. Now, I have been warned that this is not spring. In fact, this promise of spring is what suposedly pushed people over the edge. I personally feel fine - another month or so of winter is fine with me. We'll see how I feel this time next year, but I feel fine now!
-Mt. Redoubt has been quiet this week in general. Apparently it is building up another lava dome, which will probably collapse and start another round of ash-spewing eruptions. The last time this happened, it went on for around 6 months. There's nothing saying that will happen this time, but that's what happened last time. For the most part, everyone just sort of gets on with their lives. Last Saturday, for example, there was light ashfall on Anchorage. How did the population deal with it? A lot of people went to the carwash the next day. A couple of people kept masks or their scarves over their faces if they were out walking around.
- Art and I went to see (and more to the point, hear) Chuck Klosterman speak at the University of Alaska Anchorage. I was a bit nervous about going to see him, though, because Art has not enjoyed his work overly much and also because whenever I actually see a famous person being themselves, they are always horrible people. I have never been in any kind of proximity to a public figure and liked them at all at the end of the experience. For the most part, I can't even watch them being interviewed. However, Chuck did a great job, and I actually like him more now than I did before I heard him speak. Art likes him better now, too. Anyway, the reason I am bringing this up is that he (CK) was commenting on getting to Anchorage, and said "I have never had plans of mine affected by, you know, pumice."
-Ted Stevens is exonerated! It turns out there was an interview with a star witness against him who had an earlier interview that totally contradicted everything he said in court. Somehow the prosecution sort of, I guess, forgot they had that, and the defense never got it. Details and play by play available, as always, on ADN. I'm glad Ted is cleared, and I hope we vote him back in next time. For those of you playing along at home, he was a very senior senator, and the state of Alaska lost a LOT of pull when he was railroaded out of office. Lying Feds!
-Spring is not here yet, but it's sure starting to look like it. We have something over 13 hours of daylight now. You can see patches of pavement poking through the deep layers of ice in parking lots. Now, I have been warned that this is not spring. In fact, this promise of spring is what suposedly pushed people over the edge. I personally feel fine - another month or so of winter is fine with me. We'll see how I feel this time next year, but I feel fine now!
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