Psst... Oregon? I miss you! List Three
A. List three things on your desk:
1. Crayons
2. A little orange matchbox car my brother gave me a loooong time ago
3. A thunderegg from Oregon that I dug up and sliced open and polished myself at this place
B. List three things you are wearing:
1. Wrist braces
2. Red shoes
3. My Goddess necklace
C. List the last 3 things you ate:
1. A breakfast scramble with meat, potatoes, eggbeaters, cheese, etc.
2. Salad with chicken (last night)
3. Pasta made by James, John's chef roommate
D. List the last 3 people you touched:
1. John
2. Shoulders of reporters at last night's press conference
3. Puma (a cat, but I touched her a lot. She's very soft : )
E. List three things you'd love to own:
1. An Ipod/MP3 player
2. An island
3. A canoe
The Alaska State Fair is famous for gigantic vegetables, like this 40-pound turnip pictured above. Tomorrow, a gang of us head north to the valley to enjoy all the fairs charming delights -- the big veggies fueled by Alaska's photosynthesis-heavy summers, the rides, the games, the souvenier booths, the animals, the food... and we'll end the day catching this year's headlining act, The Donnas. I understand they're not exactly Pearl Jam, but up here in Alaska, we're glutonous for any good music. And The Donnas are actually quite a score for the Alaska State Fair, known by many locals as "the place where bands come to die." Hope everyone else has a great weekend!
There's a refreshing irreverence about it, an edginess that I liked imediately. Was definitely a good read. My favorite article was probably the piece on the dumbest journalists on TV today.
Then I get to work today and find another new mag on my chair -- Paste, a relatively new music magazine that comes out once every couple months. It came with a CD! And a DVD! And both are loaded with music, and also short films and trailers and previews. I'm in love!
This is my newest obsession: Sudoku! I heard about it on a morning talk show this week. I watched them solving it. I wanted it -- had to have it. The perky anchorlady said "papers are running this across the country." I thought, glumly, not my paper. I was wrong! It is appearing every day on the comics page. I'm so stoked. The goal is that each column and each square contains numbers 1 through 9. It's tough. It's FUN! I love puzzles.
I wasn't expecting to like the movie as much as I did. It was one that definitely warranted a big-screen showing -- big impressive special effects, big sounds, big score, all reasons to catch it theatre-style and not wait for DVD release. I thought Dakota Fanning was impressive, especially carrying her own in scenes with such big-leaguers as Tom Cruise and Tim Robbins. The biggest critique I'd read of the movie, heading in, was that it lost momentum in its final 1/3. As Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said, "Great foreplay, failed orgasm." Not sure I totally agree with that. Without revealing the ending, I will say there were some elements in the finale that seemed to come a little too easily and a little too happily. But all in all, it was a fun summer blockbuster experience.
One of the best parts -- and I swear I'm not lying -- is before the movie, the theatre showed several previews and not a single ad. I'm not kidding. No ads. Unless you count that stupid innane little skit thing with the ridiculous paper Fandango bags. I hate those ads. Those ads make me want to hurl popcorn at the screen. But besides those (and notice I didn't link to Fandango there, because I hate the ads so much?), there were no ads. Yay!
Bleak, but, that's how I saw this movie. Now, that's not to say I didn't like it. Aristotle, we English majors learned, said humans are drawn to tragedy because seeing other people's troubles is a way to purge ourselves of fears and anxieties and return to a healthy, normal level. it sounds semi-foo-foo but there's some truth in that, at least for me. I've always been drawn to sad, dark books and movies, which is a contrast as I think it's a slight understatement to say I'm a fairly upbeat person. But given the choice between a comedy and a completely depressing sad story, I'll go sad story in most cases. So I did appreciate the movie's explorations of human nature's darker side. And as with my most recently read novel, "Paris Trout," I appreciated that there really aren't any purely good people in this movie. They all have major issues, and they all have selfish ulterior motives.
Anyway, if anyone else has seen it, curious what you thought...
Adios, Joel! You will be missed! Joel is the guy on the left (Larry Campbell, Alaska AP Bureau Chief, is the dude ont he right). Joel has lived in the state some 30 years, mostly in Homer. He came to the Daily News a few years ago and among his many awesome stories covering rural Alaska, had three awesome runs as the reporter covering the Iditarod. Two years ago he and I and two other guys from the paper were all smooshed into a teensy Nome hotel room, and at the end of the day, had a great time running around town and kareoking and tossing darts at the local bars. Now, Joel leaves ADN and Alaska for the Lower 48. Best wishes!
The girl on the left is Mariah. The girl on the right is John's sister, Tina. And look who's in the middle! Political star-sighting in Barrow, folks.
It was, of course, a sad event -- but as much as possible, it was nice. Nice, in that there was their backyard full of people who love them, and support them, and there they were, such an amazing couple and great friends, thanking everyone for support in their time of sadness. The ceremony was frank, emotional, loving, honest, sincere, delivered with comfort we've all tried to express, and with questions we're left with. A thick fog cast a bit of drizzle down. They planted a beautiful tree and everyone lined up and took turns with a shovel and scooped a little dirt to its base. I don't think there was a dry eye...
Afterward, as the crowd thinned some, and food was consumed, and people milled and chatted, the mood turned a little upward. There were more smiles, more laughter. And of course, a tremendous amount of love.
Later on, I headed to a different party -- this time, a going-away send-off for sports reporter Eric and his wife. They're moving back east. That was a nice time. Barbecue, hacky sack, the usual, all boosted by Beth's always-amazing hospitality.
And yesterday, I relished a rare Monday off, and honestly spent the bulk of the day just being lazy, tuning out the world and escaping into entertainment. I finished (finally!) watching the series Felicity. I was skeptical of the series ending -- had heard before what device played out to deliver our UNY kiddos to their finale. But I've got to say, it worked. There was a lot about this series I liked -- little college moments that only people who've left home and gone away to school could probably relate to. But some of it was also not so relateable. At least not for me. And it drove me nuts how Felicity and Ben were always whispering to each other. Can't they talk like normal people?
Before heading to John's for the evening, I finished reading Paris Trout by Pete Dexter. It was disturbing, and wonderfully done, with a bleak despairing ending with no pretensions of neatly tied loose ends or redemption for the baddies. In fact there is no purely good person in this book. Each character has at least a little darkness, and isn't that true to life? The title character is a terrifying deranged sociopath so delusional and paranoid that I wanted to reach into the pages and shake him. All in all, a gripping read, and although very different from the two other Dexter books I've read -- Deadwood and The Paperboy -- there were similarities.
I guess that's all for now. Happy birthday to Anne Po! Also, I need a new book to read. Suggestions?
You park at the clearing edge, set your coolers and lawn chairs and burn barrels on the grassy edge of the forest. 
(L-R, Aggie, Jannelle, Jim)
The camping takes place back in the woods. We pulled in and started unloading the car. And there, within two minutes of arrival, had a guy offer to sell me mushrooms. I politely declined and he said, "OK, happy Bluegrass!" It was a phrase I heard dozens of times during the two days we were there: "Happy Bluegrass!" Like "Merry Christmas" to these folks. The festival isn't just about music, or camping, or drinking, or drugs, or barbecuing: It's about good vibes in a communal setting, Alaska's very own mini-Woodstock.
After we'd set up the tent, we got a good run down on the trip so far from the guys. Not long after, the Nome folks showed up -- Jim & Janelle, and Vaughn & Aggie, and Aggie's dog Bailey. Adam came later... and when you added up all our friends there, we had a group of nearly 20 people. We opened some beers and kicked back and watched the crowds roam by.
Shawn showed us his scraped up back, abrasians from a swimming hole outing Friday.
Poor Shawn. So... I stayed up late Friday, but not super duper late. 1:30 a.m. maybe? I was starting off tired, having had little sleep Thursday night. But mostly we hung around camp. Went for a little walk later on. Passed one campsite where people had strung up a massive tarp and were playing "Pink Floyd: The Wall" on it. We stopped to watch for a while. There were little diversions like this all over the place -- strange cars, crazy outfits, frisbees rimmed with blinky lights that looked like UFOs in the darkness. Lots to look at. And everyone wanders through each other's camps and talks and barters (ex: "I have fuel but not food. You can have this fuel if I can have a hotdog."
I was one of the first up Saturday. I usually am. Of course, that may not be totally accurate given that several people still hadn't gone to bed... and some of us stayed up really super late and slept in to make up for it.
And then there was Shawn. Poor Shawn. He had a little accident in his tent. As he put it, "No more Linda Blair impressions in the tent!" So, he moved elsewhere to sleep. And planned to burn his tent before leaving Sunday.
I had a good time Saturday roaming up around the stage and the booths, watching some music. The sun was shining and it was sooooo nice out. 
and in the later afternoon we all headed about 10 miles up the highway to go to a swimming hole. It was so fun. The weather was gorgeous and it felt so good to dunk in the water.
Then it was back to Bluegrass and time to eat. They do let you come in and out -- we all get green wristbands like the one Shawn's wearing. You lose it, you pay $35 again to get in. That's one of the only rules at the festival. Other rules: You can bring in alcohol in cans but it has to stay in your camping area. No glass bottles. Fires in burn barrels only. And dogs have to be on leashes. Which is actually a funny one as people would put their dogs on leashes and then just let the dogs roam around that way. Ha.
After some food, a bunch of us headed up to the beer garden by the main stage to watch Bearfoot Bluegrass perform. I loved them -- but then again, I was one of a few people at the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival who actually likes bluegrass music.
And then, back to camp! The night went fast. We cooked some great food, met new people, played hacky sack, and just had a great time. 
John and Vaughn
L-R, Jim, Tim, Jeremy
Tim and Vaughn
L-R, Aggie, Jim and Jannelle
And the photo above is why everyone was laughing. That's Shawn. In a mask. And a wig. Entertaining us, as always.
So at some point, we headed over to the alleged wet T-shirt contest. Hundreds of people were there and about a dozen girls signed up. It lasted about 5 minutes (and seven or eight girls) before the Hells Angels showed up on ATVs to bust it up, it being a non-sanctioned event and all (translation: it pisses off event organizer "Dirty" Ernie because it sucks people out of his money-making beer garden and clear down to the oposite end of the property). Oh -- and the Hells Angels? They provide security for all the festival. Give them a burger and they'll look the other way. Seriously.
At midnight there was a big boom -- fireworks! 
They sent up one as sort of a warning shot and that drew hundreds of people out of the woods like ants crawling to a picnic. We could see it from camp. The fireworks show that started a few minutes later was quite possible the best I've ever seen. Never a dull moment -- like one long finale! And it lasted at least 20 minutes and was just incredible.
I stayed up Saturday night/Sunday morning until after 3 a.m. Woke up Sunday at 9:30. Again, several people were still up from the night before but went to bed soon after. And at about noon, John and I had the car loaded and headed home... all in all, a fabulous trip and a super good time.
I ended the weekend with a visit to Ta's last night. She and Robert were hosting a little shindig to welcome R.A. Dillon to town. Good times -- shop talk and storytelling in the late sunlight of the Alaska summer, eating brats and chicken and salmon... A very, very good weekend. 
Yup, the weather has been a tad dreary. Raining and raining and raining. Does anyone else remember that horribly depressing movie about the girl from Earth who lived on another planet where it rained all the time, except for once every few decades? Or years? I can't remember the details, except that she was so excited for sun and told everyone how the sun would come out, how great the sun was. Her classmates didn't believe her and locked her in a room. Then the sun came out. They all went out and played and laughed. The flowers bloomed. The puddles dried. Then sprinkle sprinkle... the rain came back. And they remembered she'd been locked up the whole time and missed it. Bitches.
Come to think of it, that movie was really disturbing.
Anyway, this weekend is the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival and John and I are headed there after work tomorrow. I was dreading the rain. Not that I can't camp in rain. But it's obviously not as fun. So I was super happy to see that as of tomorrow it's supposed to dry up.
Speaking of camping, you won't believe this one: Jessica Binder went camping. Here's proof:
(She's the one second from the left)
And finally, something to make Scott happy.
Yes, we're cute.It's hard being so cute.
Hey Erin? Notice how my eyeshadow matches my necklace and skirt exactly? Isn't that annoying?
Here's the little restaurant in Hope that I reviewed for the last edition of 8 Magazine. The most exciting thing was it's the first time I've had pictures published in the paper. Plus the food was really good. Anyway, there's John's volvo in the picture! He loves that car.
Spent many many hours at Kirsten's last night along with Paula and John. We had spaghetti and meatballs courtesy of Paula, then all took the dog for a long walk to Goose Lake.
When John and I got home, I stayed up til 1 a.m. reading my book. I have about 100 pages to go and should definitely finish tonight. So far it's had some great twists and the writing is really lovely.
P.S. Happy one-year anniversary to Zaz and Ron!
