Socially-Altering Events February 5, 2011

We will definitely be watching.  Will it be the Budweiser, e-Trade or GoDaddy ones that wow us? Sprite, 7-Up, Coca-Cola or Mt. Dew?  Maybe it will be Taco Bell or McDonalds–but whichever one it is…..it’s sure to have us talking on Monday.  I’m referring to this year’s Super Bowl commercials.

Each year, some are flops, but some have us laughing out loud.  From years past, we had the FedEx “Castaway” one, some funny e-Trade baby ones, beer commercials, and who can forget Betty White’s appearance in the Snickers ad?  That 2010 Super Bowl clip helped launch her career resurgence at the young age of 89.

Doritos has had a few great commercials, and there’s been some good Gatorade ads. It takes just the right amount of humor, pop culture and product driven message to make them successful.  I’m sure the marketing folks spend months developing some of these.

I look forward to tomorrow to see which ones make me smile with exuberance.

Cheers Football Fans!

Raven Invasion February 2, 2011

Where are they coming from?  Are they multiplying like rabbits?  Seems like the black birds are everywhere!

If there’s a pile of trash in the road, they are pecking at it.  A commercial dumpster bin, they are there!  Spot a food wrapper in a parking lot–you can be assured there’s a group of ravens hovering.  If you drive by their huddled masses to shoo them off, you’re blinded by black feathers in front of your windshield as they take flight.

Ravens are part of the crow family, like blue-jays and magpies.  They are an intelligent bird, and known as “tricksters”, and have been known to lure other animals to prey, just so they can get a snack.  Vocalization of the birds takes on many different purposes:  a defensive sound, tenderness, a territorial noise, happiness, surprise, an angry caw, or a cry for hunger.  Apparently some even sound human like.  Known to be strong fliers, ravens can hover, or swoop down like a hawk.

It’s no wonder we see ravens everywhere, they feed on rodents, bird eggs, grain, insects and of course trash.  Because they are omnivores, almost half of their diet is live prey.  (Watch out small dogs!)

Northwest legends tell us that ravens can assume any form–human or animal. Because they are unpredictable, ravens represent magic, and are called upon by medicine men for clarity.  They say a raven’s eye brings focus when seeking the truth.  In Native culture, a raven is used for healing purposes, especially long-distance healing.  Also supposedly, ravens can interpret messages from outer space, and the world beyond.  Lore says that messages are nestled within a raven’s wings, and knowledge can only be imparted upon those worthy enough.  (Not to be confused with “sponge worthy” vis-a-vis Seinfeld.)

So, while these visitors live in deserts, forests or cliffs, we certainly have alot of them in Alaska.  Scavengers at heart, they’ll be in my way when I drive, when I get out of my car, or walking to work.  And while in Asian, European and African legends, a raven forecasts death, unless I’m allowed to shoot a few (NOT) and bring them their own untimely death, their population will likely continue to increase.  So, guess I’ll keep dodging their aerial stunts and bird of prey execution.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t link you to Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem:

http://www.poetry-online.org/poe_the_raven_sad.htm

What to Wear? November 10, 2010

It is the same decision every morning or the prior night. What will the weather be like tomorrow? Where do I have to go? Who will I meet with? And, what do I feel like wearing?

Something warm, fashionable or terribly casual? Yes, admittedly, some days I barely feel like I’m pulled together, and it’s often when I’ve gotten up really early, and have just tried to fit too many tasks in prior to getting ready for work. Take for instance this morning. I loaded the dishwasher, did a load of laundry, sent lots of work emails and wrote this blog. All in under two hours mind you.

Thank goodness today was not a day I spent much time in choosing my outfit. It is barely above single digits outside, so warmth was the key factor. Later today, snow is expected, so load the extra big godzilla-sized boots in the car, and be sure I have a shovel. Ahh, the joys of living in Alaska! Be prepared for anything.

And of course, keep water, some snacks and a blanket handy. They are right next to the jumper cables, flares, first aid kit and my tow rope. Yes, I was a Girl Scout (and daughter of a mother who was always prepared for anything).

Well, no wonder it takes me so long to get ready in the morning…by the time I organize my car, load my laptop, food for the day, window scraper, and heavy jacket, it barely leaves any room for me.

Oh, to be living in California……I hear Palm Desert is great this time of year…

Good Food, Great Friends November 1, 2010

Why is it that food always tastes better when shared with family or friends? We savor the moments and take in all the wonderful surroundings we are experiencing.

The sounds, the flavors, and even the smallest details are noticed when we share our meal with friends. Music fills the room, the flurry of the waite staff, and even outside noises are all part of the moment. We may notice what’s on the table, the other patrons next to us, or the smells in the air. But, sometimes, when we are so caught up in conversation, we don’t take in what’s around us.

Laughing and sharing past memories all make the meal more memorable. We linger longer, and recant all the times from the past. We talk about what’s new in our lives, and what’s good, and we talk about family, our jobs or what we want to do in the future. Sometimes the conversation steers toward travel—where we are going next or where we want to visit. It’s always wonderful to hear about trips our friends have taken, living those moments vicariously through their storytelling.

On occasion, moments with friends are to share sad news, or offer an opportunity to reach out to someone else who will listen without judgment. Those are the best friends. They will have lunch, dinner or even coffee just to be there for you during tough times. We all need each other to lean on now and then and thank goodness for friendships.

A meal can take 30 minutes or 3 hours, and no matter how long the time is, it’s really about enjoying the time spent together. Conversation can be a lot of small talk, and getting to know one another better, or it can be about one topic—covered in depth. I like the leisurely meals than span several topics. Talking about things I never had an interest in, or a sport I would never think of doing. People surprise me all the time, and I love learning something new about friends and family. For me, it is better to hear about a subject I never had knowledge about from a friend instead of reading it in a book. It’s always more fun to hear about new information face-to-face than reading text!

“Food…can look beautiful, taste exquisite, smell wonderful, make people feel good, bring them together, inspire romantic feelings….At its most basic, it is fuel for a hungry machine;….”

–Rosamond Richardson, English cookery author

So delight in the moments over a meal and relish the new memories you will be creating. Cheers to friendship!

We Were All Needing a Happy Ending October 13, 2010

 

Thirty-three all rescued safely.  What a story.  I’ve never seen so many posts in a while on Facebook, seemed like everyone was watching that story with baited breath.  We were all hoping for a successful outcome.  Well, we got it.

While two will need dental surgery, one is suffering from pneumonia, and many have skin problems, or lesions in their eyes, all in all it was a good outcome.

When I heard the news two months ago that they would be trapped there until Christmas, I couldn’t believe it.  How would they survive?  How would they cope?  Would anyone get murdered?  What was their plan for survival? 

Truly today’s news was a bright spot in everyone’s day.  The families are elated, the government proud, and all the rescue workers are to be commended.

The thought of never seeing their loved ones’ faces, and being able to hug their children must have crossed their minds over and over again.  Research tells us that people need their privacy, and psychological problems arise while in confinement.  Plenty of studies have been done about prisoners in jail cells, and remember the Biosphere?  Those folks said interpersonal relationships were the most difficult of their time placed together.  Isolated from the outside world, the Biosphere was an example of “willing confinement”, but was not without its social problems. 

For these miners the group dynamics probably were set in the beginning, but did they change much during their days, nights and months together?  Would be interesting to find out.  Stress, darkness, and lack of fresh air certainly played a role in how the miners interacted.  Rationing of food, little light, conformity and communication were large factors in their survival.  They say the miners have made a pact that, ‘what happened down there, stays down there’, which is probably a good agreement.  So much of their privacy was lost, that they likely shared things about and amongst themselves, they don’t necessarily want others to know about.  I am sure they were fearful, many probably cried, but they don’t want their families or the public to know how scared, angry or helpless they might have felt.

I can’t even imagine being trapped for 69 days.  How awful.  What would be things you’d want to say to your family, or what about all that time spent thinking about your life.  While you were accompanied by others in the same plight, it must have been a lonely journey.

Lowered oxygen rates make your performance slower and less alert.  I am sure the miners, like those in Biosphere 2, just wanted to “go somewhere.”  Probably anywhere.  Hopefully, they meditated and prayed, and listened to whoever was in charge.  Paramount was the safety and security of everyone, so someone must have been the leader and motivator, keeping everyone focused on the “mission of getting out of the mine alive”. 

Slow integration back into society, and getting back into the family dynamic will also be tough for a while.  I know husbands who work on the North Slope of Alaska, in the oil industry, and often if they are gone–even for a short time, such as two weeks, sometimes it takes a few days to get back into the “flow” of the family.  Much will be the same here.   And likely they will suffer from PTSD.  Nightmares, feeling confined or claustrophobic or just anxiety about life again, will be felt by the miners.

The gravity underground, will have left them feeling disorientd at times, and certainly lack of sleep will be a factor in getting their health back.

We are all cheering with them, and hope the media won’t hound them, nor their families.  They have a long road ahead of them, but we are really glad they are alive and have been brought to the surface safely.

Rangifer tarandus October 9, 2010

 

In different regions of Alaska you can find the Porcupine, Nelchina, Mulchatna or Forty-Mile caribou herds.  The Porcupine are up north, near Prudhoe Bay; Nelchina are in a basin just north of Anchorage; Mulchatna’s bou are near the river by the same name, southwest of Anchorage, and the Forty-Mile herd is found north of Fairbanks near Tanana up to Canada. 

Rangifer Tarandus are deer of the Arctic and Subarctic.  Commonly, reindeer are the domesticated version of caribou.  They are migratory in nature populating plain-like terrain feasting on lichens in winter and the branches of the willow and birch trees.

Large Male Caribou

Today they are found in Greenland, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Siberia.  Once living in Scotland, Russia and Mongolia, in the U.S. they are in Alaska, and across the Lower 48 from Washington to Maine.

Our neighbor brought us some caribou steaks and sausage, and we had the sausage tonight as meatloaf, mixing it with some ground beef.  It was good, but my preference is always moose meat over caribou.  Caribou is lean, like moose meat, not fatty like the marbled texture found in beef.  Since caribou can be a little dryer than moose, some prefer to make it into jerky or pepperoni.  I’ve never had the jerky, but imagine it’s pretty tasty.

Hunters pack out caribou sometimes for miles, but occasionally, like during my hunts, you can be lucky enough to trek less than 2 miles back to your camp or transport vehicle.

Caribou Hunters

Here is the nutritional value and a caribou soup recipe:

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/nutri/wic/Recipes/soups/soup_03.htm

And a caribou stew recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/caribou-stew-139190

All these can be combined with moose, pork or turkey meat, served meatless, or with beef too.  Add some homemade bread…and you have a meal!  Spice* and Enjoy!!

* (eat in Norwegian)

Caribou Stew

Let Me Have My Say October 6, 2010

 

Alright, I’m mad.  It takes alot to get me riled up, but now you’ve done it.  Who took the political sign from my yard?!!  You don’t have to agree with my opinion, however, at least grant me the decency to voice my view.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives us the right to speak freely and without limitation.  Maybe you don’t like my political stand, but, please allow me to express it!

A couple articles discuss Freedom of Speech:

1.)  Randy Lewis’ article is 10 years old, but still relevant

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-06-17/entertainment/ca-556_1_freedom-of-speech

2.)  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freedom-speech/

And one of the latest hot topics relates to the mosque in NYC:

3.)  New York Times Opinion Page

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/opinion/l04intel.html?_r=1&ref=freedom_of_speech_and_expression

Filmmaker Michael Moore doesn’t let anyone tell him to be quiet.  His movies Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, Bowling for Columbine and Capitalism:  A Love Story have all been in listed in the top nine grossing documentaries ever produced.  Nothing seems to be off limits for this self-proclaimed liberal, which has now earned him a John Steinbeck Award.  This award will be presented by John’s son, Thomas, on October 14th at San Jose State University.  “The Steinbeck award is given to writers and artists whose work captures the spirit of Steinbeck’s empathy, commitment to democratic values, and belief in the dignity of people who by circumstance are pushed to the fringes.”  Michael’s Academy Award winning style of telling stories about the powerless and exploited, his riveting writing and powerful filmmaking have definitely earned him the right to recognition by the Center for Steinbeck Studies.

Maybe we are not all crusaders to the level of Mr. Moore, but we have the ability to express our opinion and be heard.  Moore has been dubbed “the new Thomas Paine”, who was not only a radical, revolutionary intellectual, but also one of our Founding Fathers.  One of Paine’s best known pamphlets was “Common Sense”, which presented a powerful argument for independence from British rule, and another work, “The Age of Reason”, criticized institutionalized religion and challenged the legitimacy of the Bible, eventually landing him in jail for such outlandish thinking.

Courage is needed to buck the establishment, but one Alaskan Senatorial Candidate, Joe Miller, takes it too far when he wants little to no Federal subsidies for our state, and is against unemployment payments.  Keep in mind, however, that Joe once received farm subsidies (FEDERAL HANDOUT) and his wife received unemployment payments (ANOTHER HANDOUT).  Say it ain’t so, Joe.  Well, apparently true.  You can’t be for something, then run for office and then be against it.  Oh wait, we had a Vice-Presidential candidate that did that.  How’s that working for you now, Sarah?

Okay, you get my drift.  Freedom of Speech is a right, and if I want to place a political sign on my lawn, let me.  Freedom of the Press, Free Exercise of Religion, and the Right to Peaceably Assemble are all covered by the First Amendment.  So, please quit stealing my yard signs!!

Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom, and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt and control the right of another: and this is the only check it ought to suffer, and the only bounds it ought to know. –Benjamin Franklin, 1722 (at age 16)

Don’t Worry, Be Happy October 5, 2010

 

Dwelling in the negative.  Sometimes it’s easy to do when there is so much going on around us that keeps dragging us down.  “Keep your chin up” or “That which does not kill me, will make me stronger” are often used to inspire confidence or keep us plugging along in a positive manner.

It does get tough sometimes to keep going uphill.  So much of life can pull you down.  Sad news in the media, loss of employment or a loved one or Mother Nature taking her toll on humanity.  All of these events can challenge even those with the best attitudes.

So what can keep us motivated and positive?  Some cope through prayer, meditation, going to a movie, gathering with friends, exercise,  or yoga; whatever helps us clear our mind and breathe out the negative vibes. 

With our world on a 24-hour news cycle, it is easy to get wrapped up in the dispair, mistreatment and pain of others.  We hear and see so much of the world in an instant, sometimes we forget we really can’t save the world, only a few souls. 

I used work in a negative office environment.  While I attribute that atmosphere to its ground floor, windowless location, maybe it was also just their personalities.  You know the ones, the “Negative Nellies” of the world.  Nothing is ever good enough.  Someone brings in chocolate chip cookies and they complain because they weren’t coconut or they had too many chips in them.  The sun is out, but they are too hot and remind you of it all day, because they are stuck inside working.  Yes, and most of us would say, “Be glad you have food to eat and have a job!  Alot of people are unemployed these days!  Don’t complain!”

I like to collect quotes or sayings and keep them in my phone or print them out and post them near my workspace–it keeps me on the right course when meeting a deadline or facing a tough situation.  What are your favorites?  Here are a few of mine:

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”                 -Winston Churchill

“The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”
-Allan K. Chalmers

“I honestly think is it better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.”
-George Burns

And finally……”The door to happiness opens outward.”

Little Campbell Lake

Can You Park Any Closer? September 30, 2010

 

I don’t know about you, but when I happen to find a parking spot that is away from anyone else I like to pull in there.  It just makes it easier to get out of my car without having to worry about dinging anyone else’s door.  Not everyone feels that way.  Pet peeve unleashed!

Who are these people that with 6 or 8 parking spots available, clearly available, they feel the need to park right next to you?!  Could you not leave at least ONE space open between me and YOU?!

It’s not that I drive a super expensive sports convertible or luxury car that set me back $100k, but I just like to get out of my vehicle without having to carefully squeeze between my door and theirs. 

With an average $18.63 service shop charge per hour for labor, costs have skyrocketed over the last decade.  But, if you get your car fixed at a dealership, expect to pay $40 per hour, despite the recent pressure from insurance companies to decrease their rates.  Even small “Mom and Pop” operations can charge $25 per hour, so that is why I try to be careful–and take precautionary measures to prevent damage. 

Visible repairs diminish resale values. Small dents can be hammered out without affecting resale value. But large damaged areas (a very noticable dent to your driver’s door or fender for instance) should be replaced to make the repair less visible at resale.

Here’s some advice I found online:

Deciding to repair Or Replace? Determine the clean, adjusted-for-mileage value of the car according to a recognized wholesale guide (such as the Automotive Market Report, or AMR, Automotive Action Publishing Co., Pittsburgh, PA).  Divide the repair estimates (made by at least two reliable garages) by the adjusted wholesale value. Result: The replacement percentage. Example: Average repair estimate: $1,600. Clean, adjusted-for-mileage value according to AMR, $3,212. Replacement percentage= 49.8% ($1,6007$3,212).  If replacement percentage runs 25% or less, repair the unit. 40% or more, replace the unit. Between 25% and 40%, make a repair-or-replace decision.  Also take into account:  Economic cost of extensive downtime for major repairs. (Remember, parts for current model-year cars are usually in short supply early in the model year.) Include cost of a rental car, availability of a pool car (least expensive alternative), or cost of reimbursing the driver or using his personal car.

So, in the end, I am still going to look for those solitary parking spots that are easy to pull in to.  I really don’t want any dings to my car!

Do I Know You? September 16, 2010

 

Seems like not a day goes by now when I can’t remember someone’s name or that item I was going to add to my grocery list.  It is annoying.  The simplest of tasks take longer now because I have to remember everything I need in order to leave the house!  Do I have my keys, purse, phone, items to drop off and glasses?  If not, where are they?!!

More often than not these days I will be talking to someone, and don’t have a clue who they are.  I know they are familiar, but I can’t always place them in the proper context.  Was it from a prior job?  Did our kids go to school together?  Do you work someplace I frequent, or was it from school?  Sometimes I walk away and have no inkling of who it was.  Sad situation indeed…

Research says we start to lose a few memory cells in our 20’s.  Seems early to me.  I thought you weren’t even fully grown to adult height until 17 or 18, so how in your 20’s can you already be losing your faculties!  Keeping your mind sharp and active certainly helps you remember.  Making lists and using word associations helps too.  I always try putting my keys in the same place or I lose track of them.  Guess routines are a good thing as you age.

For improved memory retention, it’s said that vitamin B-12 helps your cognitive ability, however, for more serious neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis; even nutritional supplements won’t regain loss or damage of nerve cells.  It’s also reported that if someone is depressed, has epilepsy or is addicted to drugs or alcohol, memory loss is a result of those illnesses.  Also if a person is bipolar or suffers from schizophrenia, head trauma, malnutrition, or thyroid disease that also causes a lack of recall.

Amnesia is an abnormal loss of forgetfulness or inability to recall people, places or events.  This serious condition can have a sudden or gradual onset, and can be temporary or permanent.  While this is quite out of the ordinary, drastic lack of remembering can be caused by trauma, psychological, physiological, chronic causes, or medication, drug or alcohol abuse, which occurs slowly over time.

So, keep your mind active, do puzzles, work crosswords, play board games, and participate in actions that force you to engage your brain.  And, when all seems lost remember this poem:

“Just a line to say I’m living
That I’m not among the dead.
Though I’m getting more forgetful
And so mixed up in the head.

I got used to my arthritis
To my dentures I’m resigned.
I can manage my bifocals,
But, Oh God, I miss my mind.

For sometimes I can’t remember
When I stand at the foot of the stairs,
If I must go up for something
Or I just came down from there.

And before the fridge so often
My poor mind is filled with doubt.
Have I just put food away, or
Have I come to take some out?

And there’s times when it is darkened
With my night cap on my head.
I don’t know if I’m retiring,
Or just getting out of bed.

So, if it’s my turn to write you
There’s no need for getting sore.
I may think that I have written,
And don’t want to be a bore.

So remember that I love you,
And I wish that you were near.
Now it’s time to post this letter
So must say goodbye, my dear.

Here I stand beside the mail box
With a face so very red,
Instead of mailing you my letter,
I have opened it instead!”