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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Update:

I actually did some stuff recently and I have the day off so I thought I'd update rather than waiting until next week (next Wed, actually) to write a new entry. Plus, I'd probably forget about what I did today and yesterday if I waited that long.

First off, Michelle, the girl I know from college who is oddly and coincidentally also up here for the summer, invited me to the movies with her housemates last night. We saw Up and it was really good, definitely a move into adult-oriented animated movies. I had a lot of fun, even if it was sort of expensive ($24 for the movie, 3D glasses and cab fare!).

Today I had the day off and I started it off by walking on the treadmill while watching the Sex and the City movie. I walked for 30 minutes of it and then just watched. Yesterday one of the girls at the ARC dropped my camera and it stopped working, giving me an error message, so I went on the Internet today to see what the error meant and how to fix it, etc. I found a site detailing the steps to fix it, got the tiny, tiny screwdriver and fixed my camera! I rock. Also, I painted the downstairs unit bathroom for Rob (the contractor). He gave me ice cream and money but I had fun so all that was just extra! I like to paint.

Just thought I'd share! Love you guys and miss you even more!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Week 4 (I think)

First off, the movie with Laura on Monday night last week was a lot of fun. It was called Outrage and was a little art house documentary for Pride Week about how closeted gays in the government are preventing gay rights bills from going through and, thus, basically hurting everyone including themselves. It was really interesting.

The rest of the week was pretty normal, I worked at the Red Cross and at the museum. I've started on my project at the Red Cross which I have to do to get credit for the internship through my school. It was going to be a 15-page paper but now I think I'm going to be making a history book of the ARC's history in Alaska. It'll be a lot of work but a lot of fun, too. I like doing that sort of writing/designing work.

Christa left on Thursday to go to fish camp, as I said she would in my last entry so the house was kind of lonely but I wasn't home much. The wedding was Saturday and it was too cold to wear my dress so I wore a blazer of Mom's and nice, black dress pants. It ended up being really cold at the actual wedding because it was outside and on the water so the wind was really cold. Other than that, though, it was a lot of fun. The music was great and so was the food (though I wish there had been more!).

I didn't do anything else last weekend or yesterday to write home about but I might be going to Whittier tomorrow. I have the day off (weird, yes) and I've befriended Christa's contractor (Christa is remodeling the basement unit) and he's going to Whittier to look at a job and offered to let me come along. I think Whittier has the longest tunnel in the US so that will be fun/scary (tunnels sort of scare me, especially ones that go underwater--I prefer bridges). I might stay home to do laundry and relax, though. I also have Friday off and I have no idea what I'm going to do. Might try to hang out with someone but we'll see. I'm working for the rest of the weekend, though, because I have Wednesday and Friday off.

Not much more to say--sorry! Hope this is enough to tide you over.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Week 3.5

Yeah, that's right, I'm doing another update! A lot happened this weekend so I thought an update was in store, though I hope I still have something to write about later this week...

First off, I got a bike! Georgia (my boss's boss at the Museum [she actually just left us...]) gave it to me to borrow for the summer. She was so sweet in doing this for me and she's been great the whole time I've been here. I'm sorry to see her go but it's a new chapter in her life and she's excited. She's opening a gallery of her own and I wish her the best of luck!

Saturday morning I went into work early because I hadn't seen the museum yet. I went through and took pictures. Not of the Gold exhibit, though, because a) I've already seen it and b) we don't allow pictures of the exhibit (didn't get the rights to it). It's a really nice museum though there doesn't seem to be as much stuff as I'm used to but we're still under construction and there will be a lot more to see next year.


One of the paintings in the Alaska Art exhibit. This painting is of the "American Reindeer" and is painted by James Audobon, a famous naturalist-scientific painter.


I don't know who painted this one but I really like it. We have postcards of it, too, so it must be popular. It's a nice, modern take on landscape painting.


Moose!


The museum shop! Well, part of it. The girl on the left is Carolyn (my buddy) and on the right is Ali.

Saturday night I went out to dinner with business associates of Aunt Katy's. It was SO much fun. They were really nice, welcoming, and fun to hang out with. I met them at the Captain Cook hotel (nicest hotel in town) after work and we went to Moose's Tooth where I went with Aunt Katy when we first got to Anchorage. It took a while to be seated but we filled the time getting to know each other (me and them, that is. They know each other). We eventually got seated and ordered tons of food, even dessert! They let me take everything home with me since they don't have fridges in their rooms. It was a really great night and they'll be back in town in July so maybe we'll do it again!

Today I had off and Christa and I woke up late then hung around until 12. We went to Home Depot and the grocery store because she's renovating her basement unit (we're in a duplex) and because we decided we needed to start eating better so we bought yogurt and fruit and salad, etc. Then we went on a LONG walk with the dogs. It was a good day. Now we're eating a healthy dinner of grilled chicken salad.

This week looks pretty basic but next weekend I've got the wedding to go to so that will be a lot of fun and something to look forward to.

OH! I'm going to a movie with my friend Laura tomorrow (met her through a friend from SP who goes to school with her) at the dinner theatre called Bear's Tooth (owned by Moose's Tooth people). My life is getting social! Haha.

Love you guys and, for those of you who were at the Father's Day/Birthday party today, I miss you and I wish I could have been there!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Week 3?

It's been a lot of the same this week. There were a couple of things of note, though.

I made a factsheet/brochure for the ARC which will be a great addition to my portfolio. Now I'm working on developing the slogan, logo, and scheme for the Penny Campaign which is a fundraiser we do in elementary and middle schools. Also a nice addition once it's done.

A co-worker at the Red Cross named Krista (she's actually one of my bosses) is getting married on the 20th and invited me so I'm looking forward to that. I went shopping after work last Friday and found a dress (as well as some other things I needed). It's a simple sundress. Black with white, green, and red flowers. I like weddings because I love to get dressed up.

Sunday I had off and went grocery shopping and did laundry. Then Christa (my roommate) invited me over to her parents for dinner. They have a Sunday night dinner with friends, etc. She and her mom made Thai food and it was ok. I'm not a Thai food person. Peanuts are NOT supposed to be hot.

Last night Christa and I went to her office (Prudential) softball game which was really fun to go to. It was SUCH a nice day (it hit 80!) and it was really great to be outside and enjoy the nice day even though I worked until 6. That's the beauty of summer here in Alaska--you still have daytime after work to go out and do stuff (I know, I know, I should be doing more, then, right? Harder than you'd think without a car.)

I get Sunday off again this weekend and it looks like a business associate of Aunt Katy's is in town to open a Walgreens in Wasilla (home of Palin and about 30 min. North) and he offered to take me out to dinner so we'll probably go out Saturday or Sunday night which will be a nice highlight of my week. There are so many restaurants around here that I want to try out but they're a little pricey so it's always great to have someone else pick up the bill! Also, I think one of my friends at the museum (Carolyn) is having a house-warming party this weekend so I'll try to go to that (hopefully it doesn't conflict with the dinner!).

I hope everyone is having a great summer--sorry that it's so rainy on the Coast! Maybe you should take a trip up here and visit me!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Week 2

Hi everyone!

It's been a while, but I've been really busy at work.

I've totally figured out the bus system and it has stopped being as stressful as it was the first few times when I thought I would miss the bus or get on the wrong one. Now it's pretty easy and I've gone grocery shopping using the bus. I also bought a bus pass which makes it more convenient to take small trips than before.

We had a couple of donor receptions on Thursday and Friday nights at the museum so I came in at 4 and left late around 10 but it was fun to see people dressed up and nice to get some experience with the registers before the swarm of people on Saturday. On Friday we even got to have some of the leftover hors ouevres. Cream puffs!!

Saturday was the museum's opening day and we had over 10,000 people come through! The Museum Store itself made over $10,000 (breaking its sales record) and the Museum got over 300 new memberships. It was really exciting to be a part of it and now things are settling down. The learning curve is finished and I can answer most questions people have about the Museum and the store. It's been hard to restrain from buying a lot of stuff in the Store. There are a lot of really cool pieces of art and jewelry and it's getting harder and harder to resist--I have a 20% discount so why not buy the whole Store?!

Yesterday and today I've been at the Red Cross (Mon-Tues: Red Cross, Wed-Sat: Museum, Sun: Off) doing a bunch of things. I researched and added to the archives, did data entry for donations, mailed out thank you letters to donors, and today I started writing summaries for next year's hero nominees (the RC does a breakfast in April each year to thank heros who have gone above and beyond over the year to save people's lives).

I don't have much more to report since most of my time has been spent working. Last night I did have moose meatloaf, though. Christa made it for me and Mike (her friend) and I didn't even know it was moose until after I ate it (they told me). It was delicious. I get Sunday off this week and already plan to go to WalMart--not sure what else I'll do.

I'll try to write every week so until next week, have a great one!