Alaska: Part One "Wild and Rugged"

Disclaimer: There are many slanderous, offensive remarks about Texas in the following post. Please forgive me. When I get in my "Alaska Mode," all my weakest thoughts hang out for all to read, and I just can't stop myself.

I was raised in Alaska. I left for BYU in '92 and my parents moved to the Southern Utah Desert. I didn't go back to Alaska, until last year. My best friend, Emily, flew me up for a week. We spent a few days in the "big" city of Palmer (pop. 7,000) and a few days in rural Talkeetna (pop. 772). Talkeetna is wild and rugged and reminded me of my hometown of Valdez, minus the ocean. It's a staging ground for those crazy enough to climb Mt. McKinley and it hosts a HUGE Moose Dropping Festival (MDF) in July.

Don't believe me? Look here! http://www.talkeetnachamber.org/event-moosedropping.html

Look at those haphazardly planted flowers! There aren't too many manicured lawns in Alaska, sprinklers can freeze in the winter. There is a lot of GRAVEL, lots of large hanging flower baskets, and TONS of propane tanks (notice in the background?)

Emily runs a cotton candy business in the summer. I was her assistant while at the Talkeetna MDF. Mostly I did a lot of tasting and giving the wrong change. I also did a lot of NOTICING. I will share my brainy insights in this six-part Alaska Mock-umentary. Let us begin:

1. Alaskans have an interesting personal style. Sort of messy/spazzy meets colorful/eclectic. Why would you hang one basket when you can hang them on every available inch? I think as we explore Alaska together you will understand me, THE ALASKAN, much better. Some people think I may have ADHD. No, I'm just Alaskan.

And what about antlers? Why hang one pair, when you can hang a dozen? You don't have to kill anything to get these, you just have to walk around in the woods, they're all over the place (like Moose Droppings!) Hey, FREE decorations!! And I'm talking about the droppings, here.

2. We Alaskans have a quirky, weird sense of humor (sound like anyone you know?) It comes from being cooped up too long in the winter, in the dark (kinda like solitary confinement, which leads to insanity!) Let me give you some ideas of things I've seen, made from REAL Moose Droppings (and sold in the Palmer Wal-Mart): "Moose-el-toe" (hang it at Christmas in the doorways), "Shellacked Moose Drop Earings" (big sellers on the cruise ships!) and my personal favorite, "Moose-el-Stix" (Swizzle sticks with a nice dropping on the top, what a fun way to stir your Virgin Shirley Temple!)

4. Now, let's explore the Alaskan Attitude: I've tried to explain to Damian that everything is just BIGGER in Alaska. Sorry, Texas, we're over double your size! And all our animals/fish/waterfalls/mountains/oil fields are bigger, too. We're basically just better than everybody, and we know it. For example: look at those Marigolds in the back of the planter. Those aren't grown with Steroids, that's how they do it in Texas. Those are just grown with ALASKAN SUN (22 hours-a-day worth) and ALASKAN RAIN (pure glacier fed). Here is a bigger picture for you Texans:

Yes, they look a little gangly and freakish and they are over 26" tall. Those flowers are ecking out a survival in very harsh soil, much like we Alaskans eck out our survival surrounded by all of you people from smaller, less showy states.

And now, coming back to personal style. Let us examine a typical Alaskan woman. Notice, she is being stared at by a tourist from Texas and she has a lot to say . . . to herself. She has an interesting outfit, considering it's only 62 degrees outside (that's a HOT day!) Her tank shows off her lovely breast tattoo, nicely. In her rush to get to the MDF, she didn't have time for shoes (even though everything is paved in gravel!) She did take time to braid some nice pieces of leather into her hair (stringy things hanging on right side of her head), that match her stylish purse. I don't actually like this fellow Alaskan. Not because of her sense of fashion or her obvious quirkiness. I don't like her because she bought corn, instead of cotton candy. And I was a professional candy seller, for a week, at the Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival.

My Movie-Star Kids!

Tonight we had a really fun opportunity. The local Children's Musical Theatre of Oregon performed "High School Musical" last year. Disney/ABC saw it on utube and called the director, wanting to come out and film the cast doing it again, for a reality show, this summer. In less than a week, the camera crews were here. The play was filmed tonight. The audience was encouraged to be LOUD and cheer, sing, dance, etc. There was a lot of energy and it was very fun

Emma, Josh, Rachel and I went down at 5:15 and waited in line, Emma was REALLY hoping to be interviewed on TV. The interviewer stopped at a group of people near me and asked them if they had any kids in the production (NO). He then asked if they'd seen the movie, "High School Musical" Again, the answer was NO. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he would interview my daughter. He hesitated (I must have looked LESS-"L.A." than usual) and said, "Well, is she shy?" Emma ran up and said, "No! I'm not shy! What do you want me to say?!"

We signed away the farm and took photos, so they could match us to our interview/forms and then Emma "practiced what she's say" for about 45 minutes. Finally, the camera crew came over and SHE DID GREAT! She was ready. She'd packed a purse for "Her Big Break!" She'd put on makeup, combed her hair, changed into a HS Musical Tee shirt and had some new sunglasses perched on her head (even though it was cloudy, windy and about 45 degrees outside!). I borrowed a camera from a friend (of a friend of a friend), and when I figure out how, I'll get those pictures to post!

A few minutes after her interview the man found her and said, "Your interview was GREAT! We need to find your mom and get some forms signed." (He didn't recognize her from before she broke out her make-up bag!) We assured him that we were "Legal" and Emma was on cloud nine. She keeps saying, "This might be my big break, Mom!" and "I can't wait to tell my friends I'll be on TV!" I keep assuring her she MIGHT be on TV and to keep it humble! She is so cute.

During the show, she sat with some friends, and I sat with my sister-in-law, Tea, her daughter, Bosom BFF, and my Rachel. Bosom BFF is a dancing machine. As the numbers were performed, BBFF would stand up and sing along, dance like a rubber-band maniac and cat-call like nobodies business. She ran up to the stage, for the closing number, and she may have been filmed too. Josh and his buddies were up at the stage, too . . and of course, Miss Movie-Star, Emma, with her sunglasses still perched on her head, was front and center!

One parting thought. Right before her interview, Emma said, "Hurry Mom, give me my purse, I need it to look cool!" I am definitely enrolling her in some drama classes, and enjoying the start of her teen-age years. Heaven help us all!

Stay tuned, and don't forget to watch for MY MOVIE-STAR KIDS in July!

SOOC, Before Photoshop!

I REALLY want to get into photography.

I bought my dream camera (but it's too big to take anywhere)

I checked out 12 books on photography (and paid $12 in late fees before returning them, unopened)

But I AM learning.

For example. SOOC means Straight Out Of the Camera Then, of course, you can photoshop the image and make it look WAY better than what you started with. Before I got all "Into" photography, I had a point and shoot and these are some photos I took, of Rachel (5 years ago), at the park. I have to say, they look pretty darn good, SOOC!


I think I was a better photographer before I spent all the money and tried to learn the lingo!

She is such a cute little button!

Table Rock BIKINI

OK, Remember that photo of the Table Rock Mountain, taken from my backyard? Today I climbed it, with Rachel's 2nd grade class . . . it's only a 5 mile round trip hike, but my body feels like I hiked 10!

Yeah right, if I hiked 10, I'd be dead.

It was great, I learned a ton (we had a BLM tour guide along). Even though it snowed lightly, misted a little and Rachel forgot a jacket, so she used mine A LOT and I had none, it was fine. I'm from Alaska, remember? I really wish I would have listened to the teacher and dressed in layers, though. I'll remember next month when I hike it again with Josh's 3rd grade class. Of course, with the crazy weather we've been having, it will probably be 100 degrees for his hike! Maybe I'll make my bottom layer a bikini.

NOTE TO SELF: Buy a bikini by May 1st for Hike. Can use on my cruise to clear ships deck of innocent bystanders . . .

I enjoyed hanging with my Best Pal, Julie (in the first photo). The second is of her daughter, Rachel's cousin and Rach. . .all best friends in the same class at school.

My Music

I added music to my blog and just wanted to comment on my choices.

"Fire and Rain" by James Taylor is my all-time favorite song . . . I've put it on every mix tape I ever made . . . I downloaded it right away onto my itunes account . . . I know all the words by heart. I start dancing around the room, when it plays. I ordered an old favorite movie, "Running on Empty" with River Phoenix, from Blockbuster Online (you can find all sorts of weird 80's movies on there!) I loved watching this one, over and over, back in 1989 with my BFF, Emily. Watching it as an adult wasn't as fun, but when this song played during the movie, I realized when I first fell in love with the song. . .That's a 20 year crush, people. If you can have a crush on a song.

"Short People" by Randy Newman is so funny. My blog inspiration, Kari, put this on her blog and it cracks me up. It's a new favorite. If you listen to the words, like, "They wear platform shoes on their nasty little feet, I don't want no short people round here!" you'll laugh out loud! I think as I "age" I am getting quirky, and liking this song proves it.

"Sweetest Thing" by U2. I have to say, my all-time favorite band is U2. My before-mentioned BFF, Emily, had a VERY hot big brother, Shawn. He had great taste in music, and he looked great in his speedo, on the swim team. Sorry Emily, the truth had to come out. Don't tell your brother. I'll get even more red in the face the next time I see him, if that's even possible. I just realized, it's probably because of him that I joined the swim team and did student council . . . Wow, what an influence he had on me! OK, back to THE MUSIC, I first heard this song as a bootleg, in college, and LOVED it. Later, after I was MARRIED, it came out on an album. I've always loved it because I first heard it, ILLEGALLY!!

"For Good" by Kristin Chenoweth "Glinda" and Idina Menzel "Elphaba" (from the original cast of "Wicked") I saw this on Broadway last Feb. from a front row seat that I won on the daily lottery for $25 (the women behind me paid over $400 for their tickets!). I've never experienced anything quite as moving, as front row seats on BROADWAY, other than childbirth (And I didn't actually like childbirth, even though I kept repeatedly doing it) I wanted to put all the Wicked songs on my blog, but this one is the sweetest. "Defying Gravity" makes me cry and I didn't want to do that to you people. You should only cry during childbirth. And I didn't want those of you that aren't familiar with the Musical to get the wrong idea about me, with the song, "Popular." But it's really my favorite.

"Faithfully" by Journey is my favorite love song. In theory. I love the words, but every time Damian and I chaperone a dance, or go to an adult dance and it plays (because I always request it) I realize I have too short of an attention span to slow dance. And this song is 4:30 long. It is very boring to slow dance that long. Especially after the 3rd minute and all the Whoa, Oooh, Ooohs . . .Poor Damian. I am faithful to him, just not a faithful slow dancer.

"Que Sera Sera" by Doris Day reminds me of my Grandma Goold. She used to sing it to me, and it wasn't until I was in college that I realized it wasn't, "OK Sarah, Sarah" I think my Grandpa Prince sang it too, and my Great-Grandpa Levie . . . I come from a long line of singing fools. Too bad all they passed onto me was the fool part!

"You're Beautiful" by James Blunt reminds me of my France trip. If you know me well, you know I loved that trip for one particular reason. This song was popular on the Euro stations . . . before it was popular in THE STATES. I really love being cool and it doesn't happen often.

OK, so those are my top choices to share with you, but I have a few more up my sleeve, so I may add some at a later date . . .