"Only in Alaska"

Well, after an early start and a long day last Friday, Louie and I have successfully made it to Anchorage, Alaska. Even our luggage made it, which was a pleasant surprise considering the juggle and shuffle of flights upon our arrival at Logan. Jeff and I dragged my two over-stuffed and quite heavy suitcases, my backpack of tricks and the infamous Louie to terminal A for check-in at Continental Airlines, only to find out that my flight from Newark to Seattle (flight 2 of 3) was canceled because of the pending weather forecast for the Eastern Seaboard... Instead of boring you all with the mundane details of what happened next, blah, blah, blah...suffice it to say that Jeff and I were able to get me and Louie checked in at Northwest Airlines and to the security line (running very late at this point!!) After a tearful hug and kiss goodbye, our gazes fastened upon one another for the last time for at least three months as I turned and walked away towards the (thankfully short) security line, and, to the unknown.

Jeff told me afterwards that as I reached the security line he was trying to get my attention by whistling to me...I wish I had heard him. I would have loved to have seen his face just one more time. Louie and I were the last ones on the plane.

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It is currently Monday night, or your Tuesday morning at this point. In my three full days and one half day that I have officially been "living" in Alaska, and the unknown, I have witnessed: the inaugural "Running of the Reindeer"; foxes, wolves and wolverine skins hanging up for sale or to dry (not quite sure which); coworkers of mine perform some incredible, and in some cases not-that-great, karaoke; the live operations of AMP working their magic at an Alaska Aces semi-pro (or is it pro??) hockey game; referring back to the "Running of the Reindeer", seeing near-naked men in twenty degree Alaskan weather, English women wearing over-sized red hats and scarves, and red-suited men wearing long-johns and Santa suits, as well as many, many other characters who ventured out for the race. And to top it all off, for lunch today one of the reporters bought me Reindeer...I don't know what exactly to call it - all's I know is that it was Reindeer that I ate....and it was served in a sausage roll.

I'm pretty sure I can say that those are things that I never would have experienced in Massachusetts. Perhaps in Vermont (Kristy and Justin), but certainly not on the South Shore.

"Only in Alaska..."

So I thought this past weekend it would have been fairly easy for me to return at least several of the phone calls on the long list of people I've been unintentionally neglecting, however I was invited to several social and work-related engagements and felt I could not pass up the opportunities to get to know my new co-workers; who they are as people, in social situations, and of course, what they are like when they are in "work-mode". So far, so good...

It is going to take me at least a week I think to really get a good grasp of the schedule I need to keep up as far as being able to talk to all of you at decent hours of the night, or morning. Currently it's looking like so long as I wake up early enough I can make phone calls when you all are on your lunch breaks (hopefully). It's either that or I start phoning when I get home from work, typically around 6:30p Alaska time...or 10:30p EST. Take your pick I guess. I suppose that could be part of the reason why I started this blog - because the phone calls to and from home may be limited at times.

I hope I'm able to get in touch with all of you at some point soon. I look forward to it.

At the end of the posting here are some of the pictures I took of my apartment, as well as some other goodies.

Number of phone calls I need to return: 16

Number of emails I need to respond to: 14

Temperature update: 25 degrees F and cloudy in Anchorage

Alaska trivia: Nearly one-third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle

Descending towards the Anchorage area, shot through some very dirty airplane windows

...and my apologies about the neck cramps from the sideways pictures...

The new digs:










Louie wondering, "Where has all the furniture gone?"




The view from our balcony...










Until the Volvo ships in...


Sunset. Here, the sun sets in the Southwest

Music Moves Me.

As I pack away the few belongings that mean enough to me to actually be packed, I find myself reminiscing like I never have before.

You can thank Suzy for part of that.

You can thank Jeffrey for part of that.

You can thank Tim for part of that.

...most of all, you can thank my Family for, well, most of that.

As I look at the two suitcases before me I think, "Wow, is that all it takes for me to be comfortable? Is that all it takes for me to be minimally 'happy'? Is this really just, it?? Is that all it takes for me to 'survive' according to most Americans' terms?"  ...this brings me to think of my time spent in the Dominican Republic; of what I've been fortunate enough to witness there...

What I have in these two suitcases is more than enough for me to survive.

Anywhere.

More importantly, should these two suitcases be lost amidst my two layovers. Should the two packages I mailed yesterday lose their way. Should the three packages I'll send through DHL today get damaged...  I still have my Family. I still have my Friends. I still have Tim. I still have Jeffrey. I still have Suzy.  Not sure if I'm really conveying what I'm trying to say here well, but what I'm trying to say is even though you all won't be packed up in my suitcases, or mailed 4600 miles away, you all will still be with me. In my mind and in my heart. And I'm thankful for that. Out of everything that I will need when I reach my destination, it is you all that I will need most.

Thank you for being there last Friday night. Thank you for being there the past 26+ years.  I am honored and thankful to know that you are all as much a part of this move as I am.

Thank you, sincerely. Thank you.

Oh Good Times

This post goes out to everyone who has emailed, phoned and text messaged me to express their congratulatory messages, well-wishes, questions, and comments.  

Firstly, my apologies to all who I've not been able to respond to yet.  I will get back to each and everyone of you....soon....not sure how soon, but I will.  If it seems like I may have forgotten, please do send me another message gently reminding me of my forgetfulness. I have much going on at the moment, struggling to keep straight whether I've covered myself in transportation, expenses, food to consume or shelter above my head for the next two+ years of my life. 

Second, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to all who have been in touch with me, in some way, in some respect, regarding this chapter of my life. 

Third, THANK YOU, again.

The past six days have been a complete blur. My mind is a jumbled jelly of what-to-do, when-to-do-it and what-to-prepare-for mess.  

So far I've had my taxes done, gone to the RMV to get my Drivers Record, had oodles of repairs and "just in cases" done to my car (many thanks to Gary and his entire crew at Gary Rondeau's Automotive in Hooksett, NH), tied up loose ends with my employers, booked the flight for myself and Louie, secured an apartment to move in to and the shipping company transporting my car has picked it up at my house to haul it off to Washington State, where consequently it will be put on a ship bound for Anchorage.

I've also had the pleasure of spending a little bit of time with Alyssa, Marianne, both of my Parents, some extended family, Jeff, Roisin, Scott, Suzy, Tracy, and Deanna. In the coming week I have to pick up my bridesmaid dress for Alyssa's wedding, take Louie to the vet, figure out the necessities to pack (bare minimum stuff!), sort out my banking and finances for AK, go to Town Hall to square away a couple of things, pack up and prepare my computer for shipping, and sort out my belongings in the bungalow. Speaking of the infamous bungalow, it has just recently been painted  -  check out these "before and after" pictures. 

What a difference!!

Too bad I'm not going to be able to enjoy the fresh coat. Next week my Mom and I will be cleaning out everything, sorting through my post-collegiate life and either scrapping or scrapbooking what is left, and all that will be left behind...that's a daunting task but it will be good quality Mother-Daughter bonding time. Especially good because when I do make a trip or two home, they will be so brief that I'm sure we will not be having much time to spend together. That's quite different from the lifestyle we are both accustomed to at the moment. So with the current state of the bungalow, I have to move before I move...there are more "before and after" pictures at the end of this posting...

Last night my Mother organized a small gathering of family at the house. It was a great time seeing everyone. We ordered some quality pizza from Venus (pickle pizza - amazing! Thanks Roisin!) We also had a few other eclectic delectables. Boy, I'm going to miss Venus... I wonder if the Moose's Tooth has pickle, baked bean or fried dough pizza...?  Many, many "thank you's" to my family members who stopped by for a few hours. It was wonderful seeing you all and being able to share some time with you before my departure. I look forward to seeing you all again on June 7th.

Today's goings-on included interviewing my grandmother, who lives in Halifax. She is my Father's Mother, and he went with me. It was interesting to hear what she had to say about growing up in the depression and the couple of places she's lived in her life. She lead a completely different life than many people I know today. Makes me wonder how I would've made out, had I been born in 1922 instead of 1981. There's a lot to think about right there. Much hypothesizing and contemplation and appreciation for where I am today...and why...?

Tonight Jeff and I are going out for dinner. His parents gave us a gift card to a restaurant for Valentine's Day; that was super sweet of them. I'm sure we will have a great time tonight and have lots to talk about with the move.

Jeff has decided that he wants to make the move with me.  It will be a great chapter of our relationship and a great challenge, as well.  The first few months are going to be difficult for us, as the distance will truly test us. Also, there is a lot he has to think about: where to finish his last classes for school and what to do for work being two of the big things. Then there is the figuring out of all the logistics - things that I've been dealing with lately. It can be stressful at times, but adventurous most. Differences between our moves are that I know that I have a job there, another step for my career. Jeff has quite the task of answering the question: "What do I want to do". I know that's one that I still have difficulty answering precisely. I have a solid idea of what I want to do and how to accomplish it, but it took me quite awhile just to get to that point. Jeff, I know that you can do it and I'll be waiting for you in Anchorage with a smile on my face and patience in my heart. 

For those interested, here's a look at the floorplan of our new 1 bedroom apartment in the midtown section of Anchorage. Decent size for just the two of us. 

And having a balcony is pretty cool too. The windows are on the side of the building that receives the most amount of sunlight, which will be good for the winter considering it will be dark most of the days and will help with keeping a "sunny 'tude". From what I've been hearing from the Alaska-ites, everyone's moods tend to dip in the winter months.  Hopefully having this extra sunlight will help us with that.  I'm willing to sacrifice and make adjustments for the extra sunny summer's light shining in late into the evening, over the despair of the dark winter. If anyone would like the new address, please email me and I'll gladly pass it on to you. As for my other contact information, everything will be staying the same.

I believe I've taken up enough of your time for this post. It's a long one.  Keep scrolling down for those "before and after" pictures of the bungalow...

Temperature update: it is currently 11 degrees F, with light snow in Anchorage (feels like 3 degrees)

Alaska trivia:  The state of Rhode Island could fit into Alaska 425 times.

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The Before... and The After...

 

Phew!!

My head is currently a never-ending spiral of appointments, things to do, people to call, emails to send, taxes to prepare for, car repairs and on and on.  I've had days in the past where I've felt that there have not been enough hours in the day, but the past three days have been ridiculous. I'm in a mode right now where I just want to crank through everything, get it all done and call it a day. Unfortunately real life is not working that way.  Tying up these loose ends is much more time-consuming than I ever thought.  It's tough because I want to try and kill as many birds with as few stones as possible, as soon as possible....I want to see as many people as I possibly can before I leave, as well as making sure that I am as prepared as possible for this.  Not to mention that on top of this I still have to put in some time at work. 

Time to run for another day of errands, work, phone calls and hopefully quality Jeff time.

Temperature update: it is currently 19 degrees F in Anchorage, cloudy (feels like 11 degrees F - not bad!!)

Alaska trivia: this one technically precedes the trivia from the last posting - In 1867 United States Secretary of State William H. Seward offered Russia $7,200,000, or two cents per acre, for Alaska.

Hours of sleep since Sunday, the 10th: 13 hours

Number of times I used the word "possible(y)": 4....not as many as it sounds based on the second to last sentence of the first paragraph.

quick clarification

To clarify, if it was not well-explained in the last posting:

I have not moved yet to Anchorage - I believe my departure date will be around the 21st-22nd of February.  I am currently on my return trip to Whitman after spending two and a half days in Anchorage.  I'm sitting in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport for the second time in four days.

Temperature update in Anchorage: currently 7 degrees, feels like -5 degrees F - Mostly cloudy

Alaska trivia (many of you may already know this one): On October 18, 1867 Alaska officially became the property of the United States. Many Americans called the purchase "Seward's Folly". Come to find out during my trip, "Seward" is pronounced sue-ward. Maybe that one was just me...

Post numero UNO - so THIS is a blog...

Never done this before, but I hope it becomes a recurrence, as my future geographic location may be of some hindrance to the occurrences I am used to for seeing my family, friends and colleagues in New England.   

So, here I am typing away at 8 minutes into the eighth hour of the 8th day of February 2008.

As some of you may (or may not) have heard, I am moving to Anchorage, Alaska.  

Alaska: 

49th state of the United States, roughly 20% the size of the United States at 663,267 square miles, population ranked 47th in the United States at 626,932 (for those mathematically inclined that is roughly 1.09 people per square mile), has more coastline than all of the other states combined, and is 4,586.42 miles from Washington Street, Whitman, Massachusetts.

i.e. it's a long way from home.

And I'm going to be very lonely. So that means that all of you have a cheap vacation opportunity in beautiful, scenic and culturally diverse Alaska....

Allow me to explain my reason for moving to Anchorage...  So there's this station, called KTUU (www.ktuu.com). It's award-winning up the whazoo. It was the NPPA's 2005 Small Market Station of the Year - that's a big deal, not to mention they've won the Murrow Award for excellence in journalism (that's pretty much the pulitzer prize for broadcast journalism). Anyways, I met their Director of Photogaphy, Scott Jensen, at a conference in 2006. I was lucky enough to connect with him when he critiqued some of my work from the Red Sox at that conference. Over the past year and a half Scott has periodically kept me updated with photographer positions opening up at KTUU. Fast-forward to four and a half weeks ago... Scott emails me to let me know that a position has become available at the station, and after many, many hours of spending too much time inside Carolyn's mind, and after many thought provoking conversations with my family...and a couple of convincing emails from Scott, I decided this was the creme de la creme of possible opportunities that could have possibly come my way. An award-winning staff of co-workers, the opportunity to finally work in broadcast journalism, to be a daily storyteller, to experience life outside of Massachusetts (very far outside Massachusetts, in fact, closer to Russia than to the United States), and just the adventure of the "wild" Alaska - "The Last Frontier".

So here I sit in my hotel room in Anchorage, Alaska, still feeling the slight stings of jet lag. It is currently 12:50am EST...it's 9pm Alaska time....yes, Alaska has it's own timezone...

So if you happen to read this blog before I have the opportunity to tell you in-person of this new chapter of my life, I apologize.  I hope to see most of you before I shove-off for Southcentral Alaska, which will be sometime within the next two weeks.

I have never been known for my writing capabilities, hence my behind-the-camera tv and video work, no reporter jobs for this gal. I'm sure that a lot of you will not understand the reasons I've explained for me wanting to make such a major move.  If I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity to further explain my decisions to you in person, I would love to do so. I really do have a convincing explanation that is better described in the spoken word.

Adios Pantalones,

Carolyn

P.S. NO - this is not the after effects of watching "Into the Wild" with Jeff and Sean several months ago....nice try, though.

Temperature update: it is currently 6 degrees F in Anchorage (feels like -7F).

Alaska trivia: Juneau, the capital of Alaska has no roads connecting itself to the North American highway system.