The End.

Hi guys,

I leave Alaska tomorrow morning at 8a and head home, going through Chicago and landing at BWI at 10p.

I haven't been up to much lately which is why I didn't update last week. I've been working and hanging out with friends but not going to any new places or anything. I did see G.I. Joe, though, and it was ridiculous, especially the lines the boys had. Ugg.

I've been saying goodbye to people but I'm not really good with goodbyes. Not that I cry or anything, I just don't DO goodbyes. It doesn't ever feel like the last time I'll see someone, even if it is the last. So it's hard for me to make them feel sincere and meaningful. They usually just turn out awkwardly. Oh well.

Today/tonight I'm not sleeping. I'm going to stay up until I'm on the plane. I'm hanging out with Tuck and all my friends up here and wasting away the night. We're going to my favorite place (Knik, where we camped) and we'll hang out and skip stones (something I'm still perfecting...) and talk, etc. We're also going out to dinner and I'm baking everyone cookies so that will be an adventure as well.

Alaska has been amazing. I'm not looking forward to leaving, though I am looking forward to seeing everyone back home. I love it here, at least in the summer. I've learned here that I can make things happen--I can make whatever I want happen, the hardest part is just figuring out what I want. It's a valuable lesson to learn and I doubt I could have learned it in a better way.

Everyone asks me if I'll be back and I don't really know. The winters definitely intimidate me and I think I need to give Colorado a try first before I commit to Alaska. I did make a pro and con list, though, as I plan on doing for all places I consider living long-term. It is as follows:

Pro:
-Its wild, unrefined beauty
-Perfect weather
-The feeling of possibility that permeates
-Fun wild animals
-Higher working wages
-20 hours of daylight in the summer
-Crisp, perfect winds
-Soft, cool, black sand
-Volcanoes
-Small earthquakes
-Mountains
-Even the weeds are beautiful
-Endless hiking and camping opportunities
-Being able to drive 30 minutes away and be in the middle of the wilderness
-Makes me not want to settle
-Everyone is unbelievably nice, but not annoyingly so
-Small town feel
-Big businesses feel accessible
-Berry picking
-There is a state fossil (wooly mammoth)
-Snow
-Everyone has trucks and big dogs

Con:
-Scarcity of horses
-Cold
-Scary animals
-High cost of living (rent, food, gas, etc.)
-Far away from family and friends
-No Chik-fil-a
-9 hours of daylight in the winter
-The need for snow tires, heated garages and automatic starters
-Rate of homelessness
-Makes me not want to settle down
-Skies are usually overcast and cloudy
-Have to fly to get anywhere –> expensive
-Ridiculous fishing restrictions

Thank you everyone for supporting me (even though none of you actually thought I would follow through on this) in my endeavour. Thank you Aunt Katy for coming up North with me to make sure I got settled here. Thank you Mom for coming to visit me and take me up to Denali National Forest. Thank you Dad and Heather for your contributions and encouragement to go visit new places. Thank you Granan and Grandad for helping me pay for the credit for my internship. And thank you to everyone else that contributed to my trip or even just read along about my adventures. I love you all and I wouldn't be who I am or do what I do without you.

I'll see you guys soon!

Small Update.

Just a little update because SOME people (KT) will bug me if I don't update each week.

There isn't much to say, but Sunday the Gold exhibit at the museum closed so Mark (my boss) asked me to work even though Sunday is my day off. It was really busy and I think we did well so I'm glad I could help and I'm happy we did so well. I worked Monday, too, and it felt weird not having the Gold shop upstairs to retreat to. After work I went hiking with a friend I met at the museum. We hiked up Mt. Baldy which is in nearby Eagle River. It was almost vertical the entire climb so we were wasted at the top and I was pretty grumpy. On the way back down, however, it was much nicer (even if it was scarier--loose dirt and gravel are not fun to walk down on a 35-degree grade!) and we even stopped to pick some blueberries for electrolytes. Mmm. I didn't even hurt much the next day.

Tuesday I had a day off and I hung out with friends. We went to lunch at the mall, miraculously found the only size 14 non-slip work shoes in town for Tuck, and then played computer games until dinner. For dinner we went to a hibatchi restaurant called Kobe--it was pretty delicious. The best teriyaki sauce I've had, but they didn't use it in the vegetables so it wasn't the best hibatchi ever, just pretty good.

Yesterday I was at the Red Cross and finished the rough draft of my book. Today I actually finished it and emailed it to my advisor for revisions. It took me way too long to get the little ends finished today because every problem possible happened. Oh well, it worked out in the end.

Tonight is a barbecue for Tuck's mother who is moving down to California. I don't know much about the barbecue but I hope there is space inside since it's raining and has been for a few days. This weekend I might be going to Troy's (Christa's brother and one of my friends) cabin. I don't quite know yet, though, so don't hold me to it.

Love and miss you all! I'll be home soon, don't worry.