Coupla pics

Here are a couple of pictures I promised. Not many, but here they are:

---

These first few are from a quick little story that myself and our Web guru did about a Hovercraft that was taking some test voyages out of the Port of Anchorage. Not great pictures, cuz it was quick trip. But hopefully you get the idea...

---

Angela Blanchard and I did a story a couple of weeks ago now for a series called "Day Trippin'". Basically the series focuses on summer activities that people can do within the Anchorage Bowl. 

This particular story was about ATV tours. The ATV trip took us out towards the Eklutna Glacier. We didn't go out as far as the glacier, but it was still a really cool experience. Winding trails, beautiful scenery, sand bars, rivers....wow. 

Neither of us had been on an ATV before, so that alone was interesting. What was even more interesting was me trying to shoot video with a 20 lb camera from behind Angela, who was driving the vehicle. Not my greatest stuff, that's for sure!!  

These pictures are the "after" pictures of the ATV trip. They don't do our filthiness justice!!!!

---

These last two pictures are the ONLY pictures I took the entire time I was in Juneau...I know, I know, I'm sorry!  I just wasn't thinking, "oh, I'm in Juneau, I should take some pictures cuz I've never been here before". I dunno, I just wasn't in the picture-taking mood I guess...too focused on work I suppose?? Not to mention the only time I was outside when I was there was when Angela and I were walking to/from the Capitol building...and occasionally when we had the time for lunch.

---

Temperature update: 57 degrees and mostly cloudy.

Alaska trivia: Anchorage's population in 1942 was 7,724, but with the war going on development was sparked and the population grew to 43,314 by 1945.

Health update: Sick. Can at least talk with a hoarse voice now, but still sick...

Juneau and more

Again it has been awhile since a post.  

Just a couple of days after my last post I was sent to Juneau to cover the Legislature's 4th Special Session. I was there Wednesday through Monday. What a trip! Covering politics has never been something that I thought I would ever get into. Alaska politics, however, is a different story. Even after working and living here after about a month or so I knew more about Alaska politics than Massachusetts politics. 

And now, after spending several days with Alaska legislatures and staff, I definitely know more about how politics "work". This place is crazy! Between caucuses and coalitions and ulterior motives and appeasing this person or that...holy cow. 

It was fascinating to observe the Legislatures. Especially because the differences between rural Alaska and urban Alaska are so vast. Bush Alaska's needs are so different from urban Alaska's needs that it takes some real compromising from the Legislatures to see that all concerns are addressed. It's hard for me to describe, but it's truly intriguing to see first-hand how it all goes down. 

Many thanks to Chris and Gary for their constant stream of informed goings-on of processes and personalities. What a help! It's a lot trying to wrap your brain around some of the issues and the procedural process of the House and Senate.

I hope I get to go back Juneau to cover the Legislature at some point...perhaps not for the regular session, because that lasts 90 days. I don't know if I could handle a steady day in and day out of politics for 90 days, but the small dosage that I received was absolutely stimulating and intriguing. 

Until yesterday, I had not had a day off in 12 days. Small feat in Red Sox world, but to my new schedule and life, that's a lot! And of course I've been wicked behind in my editing (and blogging). 

Also, I come back from Juneau to see that I'm on call. I wasn't supposed to be on call until tomorrow, but because of scheduling changes, I came back from a trip to being on call. Such is the news business. Nothing crazy for me so far with on-call. Just one false alarm and then a trip in to the station to help edit Friday night's show. 

One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm sick. I could feel it just a tad last Monday and then by Wednesday/Thursday it was a full-blown cold. Coughing, aching body. Now it's a stuffy and runny nose, lots of coughing, no voice, sore throat and I'm tired. I think I only got about four hours of sleep last night. Just couldn't stop coughing. It SUCKED. Can't wait to get over this!

I have a couple of pictures of Juneau, nothing crazy though. I can't post them yet, because I left my camera at work. There aren't many pictures, as I was indoors in the Capitol for the most part and didn't really get out to see the town. It was mostly cloudy and rainy the whole time I was there anyways. From what I could see, though, the town was pretty much built directly at the base of the mountains. Geez, it's crazy. The mountain slopes just come right down on top of the town. Avalanches are major threats to homes there in the winters. It's just amazing see how close everything is to the scenery. I'm sure I'll get back to Juneau some day so that I can take some better pictures. 

Back to my tea and honey...and editing...

Temperature update: 56 degrees and sunny!

Alaska trivia: Juneau is often described as a little San Francisco due to its hilly setting.

To my faithful readers...

...my apologies for not being as faithful a writer. 

And my apologies for the haphazard posts earlier today. They were an attempt to have something up online to appease persons back home, as my recent bloggings have been few and very far between.

It's almost 12:30a at the moment and I'm reflecting a little bit on the past few weeks that I've had. 

I have not had much alone time recently and tonight has been very nice. Instead of continuing to edit weddings (sorry T/K), I decided I would feel better about myself to just sit and veg a bit. I watched some Dateline, KTUU 10p news, and then of course, Seinfeld. Love that show... 

Now I'm sipping on a martini feeling guilty for not writing a "real" post on my blog. Thanks to this weekend, I finally feel like I'm getting back into the groove of life here in Alaska. The past couple of months have been filled with traveling and hosting. Now that things have calmed down a bit, and that it's been a couple of weeks of rearranging my life back to comfort, I feel more inclined to write. 

Now all I need to do is hit the gym again. Haven't done that in at least two months...and I hate that! 

...especially since I was having to suck it in for my alterations yesterday of the bridesmaid dress for Kristy's wedding.  Oh my goodness, I cannot believe it is almost here!!! I am so excited to see Kristy and Justin finally get married...it's wonderful!! After 11 years they are finally getting married. And it's going to be AWESOME. Kristy, you are going to look so beautiful!! I can't wait to see you again - it is going to be so much fun!!  :)

I know in recent posts I've talked about playing on a couple of softball teams. Several weeks ago, I played in a softball tournament in Seward, which is about two, two and half hours away from Anchorage. Luckily a friend of mine was able to attend a couple of games, and took some pictures. I know I'm not in great form, nor am I in any type of "good" shape to be playing again, but it still feels good to be out on a diamond again. It has been so long. And even though it isn't fast pitch softball, slow pitch is a good time. I've discovered that I have long left my fast pitch competitive days behind me and now I'm sincerely playing for the true fun of the game. Wow. It feels really good, and it's exciting. I don't care if we win or lose, and about 98% of the time I have no idea what the score is. I'm just out there hootin' and hollerin' havin' fun...oh yah, and drinkin' beer, too. There's a lot of beer drinkin' in slow pitch softball, for those of you who didn't know....Doug, you know what I'm talkin' about. Although you wouldn't believe it: here there's no rule that if you strike out you owe the team a 30 rack. Come to find out (a couple of months ago actually) they don't SELL 30 racks here in Alaska!! The biggest they come is 24!!!! Unbelievable!! They're jippin' you outta 6 beers at the same price for a 30!! 

...welcome to Alaska...

I think this is all I got for now...there's more I want to talk about, but I'm tired and my mahtini is gone...how'd that happen?!?!?!  

Don't forget to check out our photographers' blog at work. A week or two ago there was an hilarious incident involving myself and this trucker who let go of a load of gravel out on the Glenn Highway, stopping traffic for two hours. He was pissed that I was shooting video of his truck...and he let me know it too!! The raw video of what he said/did is on that website and boy did he make a fool of himself...I just kept on rolling the whole time.

I miss you all!

Temperature update: 51 degrees and crappy out.

On a Saturday

Last weekend I went for a nice walk along the Coastal Trail. Here are some of the pictures that I took. It was a relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon, especially since it was sunny for part of the day and we have not had many of those this summer!! 

I ended my day by heading to Point Woronzof for the sunset. It was so beautiful!

A Special Visit

A couple of weeks ago now my Mom and Jan visited me in Anchorage. It was a pleasure having them around. It was kind of hectic at times, with all of the things we wanted to see and do. Unfortunately I don't have paid vacation at the station yet so I only had one day off, abutted with my weekend, for their visit. 

These slideshows show some of the things we saw and did, including but not limited to: a train ride, sightseeing along the Seward Highway, a trip to Girdwood, seeing a moose UP CLOSE and VERY personal, the tram up Mt. Alyeska, a glacier tour, Portage's Wildlife Conservatory, a trip to Moose's Tooth, and a turkey dinner(!!).

I've been pretty busy socially lately so I've been neglecting the blog. I'm sorry!! I want to devote more time to it so that I can keep you all updated with my goings-on. I have a ton more pictures that I want to post, and several topics of conversation that I want to write about. One in particular that I want to write about, but know that I'm not able to get into it for probably some time. 

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!! Thank you to all of our soldiers, home and abroad, for risking everything for our freedom. Your sacrifices are the reason why our nation is what it is today. And of course, thank you to their families, oft quietly resilient in the shadows of their soldier(s).

---

I'm headed to work soon, and then off to Seward, about two and a half hours away, to play in a softball tournament this weekend. My first one as a member of the co-ed team that I am on. Should be a lot of fun! My accommodations down there will be a campsite to be determined...

I am, yet again, falling behind on subjects I want to post about. I'll get to everything eventually. Expect some new photos up soon, especially ones from my softball extravaganza! 

The photos here are from a sunset several days ago. The weather here has been really cloudy and kinda crummy lately. We've had only two nice days in the past two weeks or so. And I believe it's going to be rainy off and on throughout the weekend.

I have plenty of things to post about, but if there is anything that you, the reader, would like for me to talk about, please leave a comment with your suggestion and I'll do my best to write about it. 

Temperature update: 55 degrees and mostly cloudy in Anchorage; 49 degrees and cloudy in Seward.

Alaska trivia: today is the 81st running of the Mt. Marathon race. A pretty spectacular and ridiculous race...