Today, in Denali NP, we saw:
Brown Bear (+ 2 yearling cubs)
Grizzly Bear (huge)
Arctic Ground Squirrels (x5-10)
Snowshoe Hare (x100 or so)
Moose (the rare pinto moose actually [this is true], with white markings, and its yearling baby with color marking)
Fox (x4)
Caribou (x6)
Dall's Sheep (x many)
lots of birds and other wildlife!!
We were in a wolf zone while hiking today, apparently, but missed out on that (thank goodness!!)
Crazy Alaska :)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Today some of the animals we saw on our boat tour of Kenai Fjords NP and driving around seward included:
Sea otters playing, Orca Whale, Humpback Whale, Fin Whales (5), Mountain Goat & kid, Dall’s Porpoise, 2 varieties of puffins (tons of them), gulls, Bald Eagles, Sea Lions (tons of them), lady-moose, and a black bear.
Alaska is a crazy cool place!
The weather has been absolutely gorgeous. We also saw several glaciers. Tomorrow we begin driving north toward Denali :)
Sea otters playing, Orca Whale, Humpback Whale, Fin Whales (5), Mountain Goat & kid, Dall’s Porpoise, 2 varieties of puffins (tons of them), gulls, Bald Eagles, Sea Lions (tons of them), lady-moose, and a black bear.
Alaska is a crazy cool place!
The weather has been absolutely gorgeous. We also saw several glaciers. Tomorrow we begin driving north toward Denali :)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
I don't know what it is, but lately I just cry at the drop of a hat! (Oh, that's so sad your hat fell on the floor)
But yeah, seriously, there hasn't been a day of this week that I haven't choked up or cried a little bit, probably a couple of times. I guess I am more anxious about this move and more conflicted about what I'm leaving behind than my conscious brain knows.
But yeah, seriously, there hasn't been a day of this week that I haven't choked up or cried a little bit, probably a couple of times. I guess I am more anxious about this move and more conflicted about what I'm leaving behind than my conscious brain knows.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I've been rather wrapped up and self-absorbed lately, so to everyone, I apologize. And, really, I don't know who I'm kidding here with the 'lately' because I think it's rather a character trait. I'm not looking to be contradicted (so don't), just stating something that I have been observing and something that I'm working on and praying on.
I've been very down lately... I have plenty of reasons to cite for this, but I think that this is also really just an inherent issue that I need help with. Two days in a row I've heard of unexpected deaths of family friends, whom I've spent considerable time with. In neither case was it unexpected, but for me, I wasn't close enough to know that things were getting close, and so it was a very sad shock. I feel like I've gotten the one-two punch to the gut, and have had my small meltdowns here and there. This combined with talks of re-evaluating pricing on the house has not put the smile on my face.
I blanked on one of my very best friend's birthdays today... See paragraph 1... I'm so sorry, I love and cherish you.
I went to a very cool concert with Jill & Anne Marie last night (yay!) and that was very fun and helped with the cheer factor :-D I was just so excited that the very cute Australian singer who was also very musically talented busted out the digeridoo and played it. That was so cool to me, memories of Sydney Harbor!
Going out to San Diego next week... here's hoping we don't all die of swine flu :-p If Cook Medical doesn't come out with any new products in the next several many years, you'll know it's because all of their R&D engineers globally infected one another with flu in the pursuit of forming better working relationships, leaving monkeys to finish the paperwork :-p :-p I don't know whether this thing is something to legitimately worry about contracting or not? It seems to be in the grey area between ignorant hysteria and actually serious.
I've been very down lately... I have plenty of reasons to cite for this, but I think that this is also really just an inherent issue that I need help with. Two days in a row I've heard of unexpected deaths of family friends, whom I've spent considerable time with. In neither case was it unexpected, but for me, I wasn't close enough to know that things were getting close, and so it was a very sad shock. I feel like I've gotten the one-two punch to the gut, and have had my small meltdowns here and there. This combined with talks of re-evaluating pricing on the house has not put the smile on my face.
I blanked on one of my very best friend's birthdays today... See paragraph 1... I'm so sorry, I love and cherish you.
I went to a very cool concert with Jill & Anne Marie last night (yay!) and that was very fun and helped with the cheer factor :-D I was just so excited that the very cute Australian singer who was also very musically talented busted out the digeridoo and played it. That was so cool to me, memories of Sydney Harbor!
Going out to San Diego next week... here's hoping we don't all die of swine flu :-p If Cook Medical doesn't come out with any new products in the next several many years, you'll know it's because all of their R&D engineers globally infected one another with flu in the pursuit of forming better working relationships, leaving monkeys to finish the paperwork :-p :-p I don't know whether this thing is something to legitimately worry about contracting or not? It seems to be in the grey area between ignorant hysteria and actually serious.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
My community bell group recorded a CD on Saturday. That was fun :) A real recording studio with the sound engineer guy in the little room, etc. hehe. We listened to some of the playbacks during our lunch break, and it actually sounded really cool all together - usually I can only hear the stuff right around me and not the whole ensemble together, so that was neat. I can't wait to hear how it comes out... Looks like I know what all my family's getting for Christmas when I'm a poor grad student ;-)
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tonight I watched Twilight that a coworker friend loaned me. What a fun movie! Definitely going to have to read those books :)
Coming to my senses a little bit. Next year is closer all the time and the big mid-April deadline is closer all the time! Ack!
I don't know why I am up so late when I've had trouble sleeping lately from feeling ill (yuck, everyone seems to be sick lately including me!). So, I'm going to sleep!!!
Coming to my senses a little bit. Next year is closer all the time and the big mid-April deadline is closer all the time! Ack!
I don't know why I am up so late when I've had trouble sleeping lately from feeling ill (yuck, everyone seems to be sick lately including me!). So, I'm going to sleep!!!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I was listening to a new CD yesterday (Adele - 19, it's fabulous, check it out), and one song really struck me as poignant. I later found out that the song was written by Bob Dylan & has been covered by other artists, and has been featured in a movie. At any rate, the words to me seem to be (for the most part) applicable not only to 'romantic' relationships, but to friendships and family relationships. The words resonate with me as far as the security that's found in unconditional love, which is something I've been thinking about lately. This one's for you.
"Make You Feel My Love"
When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no one there
To dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you
Haven't made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I've known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong
I'd go hungry
I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling
Down the avenue
No, there's nothing
That I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging
On the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change
Are throwing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing
Like me yet
I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love
"Make You Feel My Love"
When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no one there
To dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you
Haven't made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I've known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong
I'd go hungry
I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling
Down the avenue
No, there's nothing
That I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging
On the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change
Are throwing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing
Like me yet
I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love
Monday, March 16, 2009
Well, I had a wonderful and blessed weekend. Krystal and the boys came to visit, and we had so much fun! John even surprised me by flying in (he and Krystal had been in cahoots!) :-) It was fantastic and fun. I am always so grateful to be surrounded by best friends.
On a completely random note-
So I heard this Coldplay song off a recent EP awhile back and I guess I thought it was about something totally different than what it was. I thought it was about the bombing of Nagasaki and the fact that it was the 2nd-choice target, because the primary target had 70% cloud cover. All of this was based on me not hearing the lyrics quite right. I thought, man, this is a sad song! Imagine my surprise when I looked up the lyrics and found, no, it's *actually* just about a rainy day. So below are the real lyrics, and underneath some lines, what I heard and my comments.
"Rainy Day"
Then there was rain
The sky wore a veil of gold and green
At night it was the bright of the moon with me
(I heard: At night it was the blight of Enola Gay - you see because the cloud cover messed them up. I thought I heard Enola Gay and so this is what set me up)
Time is just floating away
Then there was rain
The sound foundations are crumbling
(I heard: This town, foundations are crumbling - as opposed to the other town, that didn't get bombed)
Through the ground comes a bit of a-tumbling
(To the ground, come the buildings tumbling)
And time was just floating away
What could we say?
And we can listen
Oh rainy day, come 'round
Sometimes i just want it to slow down
(Ok, so thinking how a rainy day saved this one city, so we shouldn't all be down on the rain)
And we're separated now, i'm down
But i love it when you come over to the house
I love it when you come over to my house
(I admit, I couldn't figure out how this fit in)
Then there was rain
I spent the night with the Queen Of Spain
(I heard: Eyes bugging out of the Queen of Spain - she's shocked at this international tragedy)
My lonely little heart would have broke again
Times were vicious
Saying deeper the knife goes in I know you win
(The deeper that the knife goes in the more you win - the tragedy of the victories of war)
You win what with less than when you begin
Deeper than the knife goes in
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ohhhhh
...And it goes on to repeat...
Yeah, pretty ridiculous of me huh? :-p
On a completely random note-
So I heard this Coldplay song off a recent EP awhile back and I guess I thought it was about something totally different than what it was. I thought it was about the bombing of Nagasaki and the fact that it was the 2nd-choice target, because the primary target had 70% cloud cover. All of this was based on me not hearing the lyrics quite right. I thought, man, this is a sad song! Imagine my surprise when I looked up the lyrics and found, no, it's *actually* just about a rainy day. So below are the real lyrics, and underneath some lines, what I heard and my comments.
"Rainy Day"
Then there was rain
The sky wore a veil of gold and green
At night it was the bright of the moon with me
(I heard: At night it was the blight of Enola Gay - you see because the cloud cover messed them up. I thought I heard Enola Gay and so this is what set me up)
Time is just floating away
Then there was rain
The sound foundations are crumbling
(I heard: This town, foundations are crumbling - as opposed to the other town, that didn't get bombed)
Through the ground comes a bit of a-tumbling
(To the ground, come the buildings tumbling)
And time was just floating away
What could we say?
And we can listen
Oh rainy day, come 'round
Sometimes i just want it to slow down
(Ok, so thinking how a rainy day saved this one city, so we shouldn't all be down on the rain)
And we're separated now, i'm down
But i love it when you come over to the house
I love it when you come over to my house
(I admit, I couldn't figure out how this fit in)
Then there was rain
I spent the night with the Queen Of Spain
(I heard: Eyes bugging out of the Queen of Spain - she's shocked at this international tragedy)
My lonely little heart would have broke again
Times were vicious
Saying deeper the knife goes in I know you win
(The deeper that the knife goes in the more you win - the tragedy of the victories of war)
You win what with less than when you begin
Deeper than the knife goes in
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ohhhhh
...And it goes on to repeat...
Yeah, pretty ridiculous of me huh? :-p
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
A pretty great Wednesday night - tonight I get to see my sister, my bestest friend John, and a fun friend from college that I haven't seen since graduation! (How random it is that he has a long layover in DFW at the same time that I am here, etc.) Reunion city today ;) Not to mention I had a great productive day of work today observing procedures in the local hospital with a doc. Yay!
Monday, March 02, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I wonder if any of my single girl friends ever use the same rationalization strategy that I sometimes do when it comes to being single...
No matter how pronounced the deficit of nice young men in my area, I can always feel better by reminding myself, "That's okay, So & So is out there and is single." So & So would be any of a number of great guys whom I've known, and who for whatever reason I never dated (geographical, timing, my introversion). Historically, this has worked pretty well as a self-reassurance strategy, because there have been many guys in this category. However... those ranks seem to be continuously dwindling. Case & point, the cutest guy ever from home (alias Squeaky) is engaged. Tragedy of the decade.
Of course it's not really the tragedy of the decade, because we don't keep in touch, probably wouldn't be good for each other anyway, and I'm extremely glad he's happy. I guess it's only tragic in that he's not "out there ,and single" anymore. But it's times where I go off on tangents like these that I really have to put these thoughts aside and have faith. I have to have faith not just that God will bring the right guy to me, but have faith that if he doesn't, then that's the better outcome in his plan.
No matter how pronounced the deficit of nice young men in my area, I can always feel better by reminding myself, "That's okay, So & So is out there and is single." So & So would be any of a number of great guys whom I've known, and who for whatever reason I never dated (geographical, timing, my introversion). Historically, this has worked pretty well as a self-reassurance strategy, because there have been many guys in this category. However... those ranks seem to be continuously dwindling. Case & point, the cutest guy ever from home (alias Squeaky) is engaged. Tragedy of the decade.
Of course it's not really the tragedy of the decade, because we don't keep in touch, probably wouldn't be good for each other anyway, and I'm extremely glad he's happy. I guess it's only tragic in that he's not "out there ,and single" anymore. But it's times where I go off on tangents like these that I really have to put these thoughts aside and have faith. I have to have faith not just that God will bring the right guy to me, but have faith that if he doesn't, then that's the better outcome in his plan.
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