I'm in love

That about sums it up...

Trojan Connection

Today, I was asked to attend a campus tour/orientation for prospective students from Hawaii at APU. The students were a high level youth soccer team that competed in tournaments and was scheduled to go to Japan and then had to make alternate plans after the earthquake and tsunami disaster.

So the team found a tournament in Anchorage and away they went. The parents took the students to Denali, Seward, the glaciers, and all over to experience Alaska. Not quite Japan, but Alaska served them well.

Well anyways, they contacted APU to get a chance to visit the school to give their sons a chance to take a look at a college outside of Oahu. Since I am a recent transplant, I was invited to come chat with them and several colleagues also came to be available to make a connection with a potential future student.

I surprised a few moms with my local vernacular and knowledge of Oahu and we had a good time talking about UH-Manoa and the transition from Hawaii to the other 49. Lo and behold while I was talking, I met an older brother of one of the soccer players wearing a USC sweatshirt. I flashed the Fight on at him and let him know I was an alumni. He stated that he just graduated from the Viterbi school of Engineering and I let him know that I was an Education Grad from Rossier. I asked him if he ever stayed on campus and he said that he lived in Pardee Tower his first year. I asked him who his RA was and he said he was on the Outdoor Floor with Rohin Deb. Little did he know, that I was his RD and he was my resident, back in the day.

So it is a small world, Alaska by chance for him on a family trip, 5 years later and a Trojan connection was made..small world, fight on, and Pardee it up!

Oh and P.S. The APU president is also a Trojan Alumni...still a lot more beavers up here than trojans..but nice to see some equaling out, just a bit..

Memorial Day Weekend…on-call…..

So, the weather outside is gorgeous…I have my truck, I have my camera, I have my bike, I have to be within 15 minutes of campus…
Such is the life of Student Affairs. Luckily enough, I have a full weekend planned. I am re-uniting with Papa Murphy’s pizza…ok, I know you are like wtf? But it’s something I have missed since Colorado.
Also, I will be making Musubi this weekend…EXCITED!!
Getting to know my roommate better…3rd roommate still MIA in Fairbanks, but know he will return soon. Avocado smoothies…don’t try them…trust me…
Enjoying my new truck. Wish I could take off this weekend and camp somewhere or at least enjoy the 19+ hours of sunlight…it’s so weird to be running around at midnight and have it still be sunglass time. But knowing that 6 months from now, it will be 19 hours of darkness is a bit daunting…
No time like the present though to enjoy all that Anchorage has to offer. So many events, so many eateries to try, so much fish to be had!
Looking forward to more APU rockstar softball, more APU Cyclepaths bike team…(love riding to work almost every day). We are half as big as UAA’s team and we are right behind them!
Hangover 2 was good…not epic like the first one…but pretty darn good….could have used some better writing as it feels like they were going for gross out and some of the humor missed it’s mark or felt forced. Theater was packed and I wore my baby Carlos t-shirt..people loved it…and now that that is over…the beard is gone! No more scratchy itchy look.
Pirates 4 will be had again…this time in the theater…Makes me miss Hawaii some…some..

Pirate Hangovers are the best!

Such a whirlwind week..

Ride your Bike to Work Week around the country…I participated..even up in Anchorage. 

I only ride a few miles each day, but it is invigorating to be cruising along and taking nature in. I enjoy the aches and pains my knees give me..ok maybe not, but it is worth it.

On Thursday night, my dad and his girlfriend arrived in Anchorage after 8 long days driving up from Oregon. They had a good time seeing more of Alaska than I have seen yet…

Friday comes and I got my Alan Garner costume from the Hangover. I rode my bike to work early, through the Native Health Consortium and got bagels and water, then bacon and pancakes at APU. I won best costume…well, I was the only one who dressed up. But it was a hit. I won a bike bell and biking gloves for my efforts. At about 7:45am, my co-worker gets a call that a baby moose was just born on campus. We got to go investigate and let others know about it, as a mama moose gets very agitated and territorial when she gives birth…L3down apartment…be warned…Update…another baby moose was born over at Segelhurst the night before…2 moose calves in 2 days!

Friday afternoon meant driving to Homer..Salty Dawg Saloon, the Time Bandit, and seafood of epic proportions were had…Saturday meant Seward, Exit Glacier, and then a long drive home to eat some BBQ at the Turnagin Arm(pit)…beautiful sunset on the kenai with a rainbow in the background..

I plan on doing a float trip down the kenai this summer…anyone want to go? I really need to make this happen before it gets cold again.

Talkeetna on Sunday…meant to go to Denali, but got a late start and it was a looooong drive anyways..went to historic West Rib and had the Seward’s Folly Burger as seen on Man vs Food. It kicked my ass…but I tried to make it respectable. The waitress complimented me and she was a cutie..my dad made me take our picture together…

By the way…I can now say it officially….You cannot see Russia from Wasilla….no way in hell…I think I might get the new book her aide put out about her last week…might get me up to speed on her shenanigans.

Lastly, went to Portage Glacier, Whittier, and the Alaska Conservation Center. Which one sucked? Whittier…that’s what sucked. A 2.5 mile tunnel one way through a mountain to an epic load of nothingness tourist traps…

Saw the Portage Glacier calve off twice..that was epic…Dad and Sandy really liked that one..then the wildlife center..I liked the brown bear cubs best…but the elk and reindeer were nice too..

Whew…a whirlwind few days…but family visit is almost over…my truck is here…and I get to be on duty…

Pirates marathon the next few nights so I can go see #4 and then the Hangover 2! I am wearing my Alan costume to the movies, then shaving finally…a little over 3 weeks and it’s super itchy..no more beard!

Anchorage in May

So it takes a little patience to sit and wait for Spring to arrive in Anchorage. The mountains still have a gorgeous coating of snow on them in the distance, but the trees are all still bare and Autumn-like. Looking out my window, one would think that it was a decent day, past Halloween, with the auspice of Thanksgiving being right around the corner. While a nice dish of turkey and cranberry sauce would be welcomed at this point, I am craving some buds on the trees, the grass to show me a hint of green, and the birds to be flying North to reclaim their humble abodes.

If you dare, shorts can be worn with caution, slippers as well too. If you can handle the bitter bite of the winds off of the Cook inlet, then throw caution to the wind and bestow upon yourself a mindset that summer is also on it’s way. After 3 years of wearing shorts, polos, and slippers to work, I am finding that shoes and socks are over-rated. Layering is a must as I find myself fighting off the bitter chill in the early mornings and the late evenings. I had to buy gloves to wear on my bike rides as my hands were frozen by the time I arrived at work or at home.

Now I am not the most fashion forward person with a sense of what’s hip and cool. A hipster I am not, but I find myself shopping for name brands ever more often now. A nice fleece from North Face keeps me much warmer than an off brand fleece that costs about a third of the price. But this makes sense, buying something of higher quality will undoubtedly make you warmer up here. I have gotten good at seeing sales up here as I am trying to find the right gear that will allow me to be presentable and to be functional. Only time will tell as the season changes to Fall and Winter. A whole new wardrobe will be in order as I will pack away all but the select few tshirts that allow me my individuality.

One more nice long sleeve light jacket, a rain jacket, a pair of waterproof trail shoes, and a nice pair of work shoes and I will be set. Throw in a new pair of jeans or two, some dress pants, and I am hoping to be set. Clothes…we need em, but I hate paying and shopping for them. If only Ross were up here..guess Old Navy will have to do and random sales at Sports Authority, REI, and Fred Meyers.

My so-called Nomadic Life

As part of my blogging experience, I was cajoled into telling some of the tales of my 10 years in Residence Life. I often recall stories when sitting at dinner parties, hanging out with staff, and in reunions with friends from my younger days. There are a few legendary stories, a few horror stories, some jovial, some a bit sad, while others will have you rolling on the floor laughing. If you are one of the subjects, please do not hesitate to comment, but I will do my best to not reveal who you are, unless you want the instant fame. Others, I will ask for permission to publish the story or ask you to write it yourself..some of them involve me so heavily that I will make sure to let it all hang out, so you get the full affect of being in my world.

I am writing down the epitomes of my past in hopes of not repeating my past mistakes, sharing my stories with others, and to reflect on this crazy journey that I have chosen to take. If you have stories that need to be told involving me, let me know and I will publish it, but I do reserve the right to defend my protagonistic self towards a brighter light…just kidding..

Here’s to my so called nomadic life in which I hope that you will enjoy the honesty, the shenanigans, and glimpse into the mind of the simple man who stands before you.

Off-Campus Living

So after leaving my hometown in 1999, I am finally in an apartment, off-campus of my own. A duplex actually...but nonetheless...off-campus. Roommates are cool. I live with a civil engineer who works at the DOT, she's pretty cool. I also live with a hopeful Olympian Cross Country skier named Reese.

Will be fun to see Spring arrive here and to be living in a house. As it warms up, shorts will be brought out and slippers will make a comeback.

Bought me some reindeer hot dogs for work this week...

Going to start swimming in the morning at the school and biking...so getting some more exercise...also moving offices this week. I have a window now!

More to come, posts will be a lot more frequent..i promise!