Angel Rocks
river praise songs. 8 goats on the rocks. 5am showers. German skinny dippers. Forest fire, color intensity. unspeakable. brrr. cheese, french bread and hummus. camping yet again.
Riverboat Discovery night. Don't forget the dredge.

Arctic Circle Hot Springs was awesome! Camped at Eagle Summit on the tundra with Brad. Mosquitos galore. Good thing for bug dope. AMAZING sunset/sunrise at about 2am. Artic Circle baby. so much sun. Swam in the hot springs pool for a long time. Tammy and Coby surprised us and stopped by (2.5 hour drive!). Now I'm back at Brad's house. Gonna camp at Angel Rocks tonight. Traveling down to Achorage tues night or wed morning. Meeting up with Ty and his wife and Blassi and Coby and going to Hope to go catch some pink salmon. And Ty's wife is a pilot and might take us up in her plane!!! So much to do before Saturday!!!

I'm off.
Adventures. Circle Hot Springs. Anchorage plane flights in a tiny prop plane. BBQ. King Salmon fishing. Catching that 100lb Halibet? Ocean fishing. OH yes. possibly. Midnight sun. The hours endless.

No more internet for a while. But so much to do. ...

:o)

Circle Hot Springs.
Then camping with Brad for 5 days!

Reindeer Dinner
Panorama. It's not much of a view, but it's a view.
And it was AMAZING.
RE's staying back. Pump House dinner extraviganza. I had Reindeer Tenderloin Steak thank you very much.
And then in the sun with the gang. The last time together.
I can't tell you how much I'm going to miss this.

I AM OUT. smack on the bed.

Did i say sleep? I better not have. the thought cannot even cross my mind until at least 1pm. 3 days no sleep except four hours. i am the woman. delirious woman.

Saying my goodbyes.
tears.
memories
sunrise.

Tie Dye Underwear
..and socks, and a pillowcase, and a shirt. And my hands. But Jared's hand is purposely green. Sleeping out in the hall. Catching the sneaks? Only a little over 24 hours left in UBC 2002. Blow me away. In a hot air balloon.

I am not the leader. Nor am I the soother. But I found out information that you don't know--that I will keep quite about. I knew it all along, and you were wrong with what you said. You all just don't understand, but I do. I think.
Thanks for the talk. For the rain on my toes, the peace for an hour.

Reading
Homeland Security
Spurred on by Liviya, I'm reading Bush Unveils Homeland Security Plan:NYTimes this morning. "The strategy, the first of its kind in U.S. history, says its goals are to prevent terrorism, reduce vulnerability to attacks and minimize damage from any that do occur."
(Also, Bush to unveil Homeland Security strategy: CNN).
Iceland
An Icelandic Battle of Wildlife Versus Voltage. "North of VATNAJOKULL GLACIER, Iceland — This is Europe's second-largest wilderness, a high plateau of lakes and virgin rivers, jagged canyons and snowy former volcanoes linked by swards of treeless tundra inhabited by thousands of reindeer and geese.
It is also the alpine spillway for billions of gallons of glacial melt that Iceland's national power company plans to use in the $3 billion Karahnjukar Hydropower Project, an undertaking so big it equals nearly a third of the country's gross domestic product."

Puppy Love
Warning: The following that you are about to read is extremely mushy and a huge dose of girly emotion. I know, I know. I'm usually not like this, but tonight I just can't help it.
Parker got a puppy! No fair no fair. Actually, to be honest, I don't really want a puppy. But I do want to be able to ooggle over it. Today as I was playing ultimate frisbee with a bunch of people in front of the SRC a lady with two tiny puppies got out of her car. The little dogs had cute wagging tails and thier bodies shook with excitement as they ran off from their owner and came to join the game. I just wanted to scoop them up and give them a big hug. One of them came up and put it's paws on my lab and tried to give me a puppy kiss. The lady came and apologized for them interupting the ultimate game, but it happened three more times after that. We couldn't really get mad, it was just too cute. And then tonight online Parker tells me that they just got a little girl puppy today. I can't wait to go visit! Also, thinking of puppies makes me miss cuddling and warm and fuzzy affection. And holding babies. :o) I'm strange, I know. Oh well.

I Want to Go Hunting
There's just something attractive about someone who kills their own meat. Hunting for necessity, not for sport that is. Ok, I know that sounds funny. I'm not psychotic or anything. I just think that it's really cool that a person can go out and hunt, and then prepare great meals that they they have produced themselves. It's the same way with having a garden and growing your own vegetables. Salads taste so much better when you've personally picked the carrots and lettuce and tomatos. Or when you are biting into an ear of sweet corn for dinner and it's completely satifying. The same goes for eating moose stew prepared by Coby. It just made me want to go out moose-hunting myself. Or marry some strapping guy who's all rustic and a great hunter. I'm half joking, but still.... ;o)

Reading
Progress in AIDS Program in Haiti, The Washington Post, Bacelona. "It is possible to successfully treat AIDS patients at a squatter's settlement where there is no reliable electricity, virtually no laboratory testing and little more than the right drugs, eager patients and the will to bring the two together.
That was the message brought from Haiti today and presented to the 14th International AIDS Conference." Paul Farmer, the doctor featured in the story, and also the guy who wrote the book Infections and Inequalities, which I read for my Democracy and Social Science class this past spring quarter, travels to Haiti from Harvard to study and treat AIDS.
AIDS
Also, for an extensive reading about AIDS, The Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic "The Barcelona Report" , UNAIDS at Barcelona , XIV International Conference on AIDS, Barcelona, 7-12 July 2002 was just released online. There are a ton of articles and fact sheets about AIDS that I recommend everyone reads. Especially the "The Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic".

Moose stew. Oh my. Oh my. Oh my.
Nothing is more delicious!

Why the Male Model?
Zoolander a great movie, despite what I heard previously. It was entertaining, funny. Not the kind of movie that I would expect to like, it was pretty dumb and weird and just idontknow strange. The orgy/sex scene in the middle was horrible (especially when watching this movie with 53 high-schoolers!), but other than that Zoolander was worth loosing sleep over.

Sent Home
There are a number of reasons how students in Upward Bound programs can be sent home. They include: drug use (including smoking and all kinds of tobacco use), consuming alcohol, not being accounted for (wandering off without telling anyone/missing activities/going outside of the boundaries and designated places), cheating, plagerizing, sneaking around with anyone who is not designated to "check-out" the person (we have a list of people who can check-out the person, and those people are then specified for on or off campus checkouts, all people listed are verified with the student's parents or legal guardians), excessive lying, physical fighting or verbal abuse, setting off fire alarms (or anything of that nature), shoplifting or any kind of illegal activity, suicidal tendencies (mentally or emotionally not being able to handle the program...we will then make sure that they are in contact with a counselor or some kind of professional), or if they're on Academic Probation (receiving anything lower than a C in any one class) for an entended period of time. Hmmm. That's all I can think of for the moment. Not all of the seven people who have been sent home during the course of this summer program have commited all of these listed, but they have done something significant which includes at least part of one reason mentioned above. In the past, all of the reasons presented above have been reasons for being kicked out in the past.
We do everything we can to give the students a chance to verify themself. Redeem themself. And if they do tell the truth and fess up (to things such as smoking) when confronted, then we usually give them a second chance. If they lie and we catch them, they're in trouble. Also, usually we can tell who the at risk students are and we intervene early with stern warnings. I, as an R.E. (Resident Educator) do not play a huge part in the discipline, but when things happen I may: write up incident reports, be involved in getting information from students, sit-in on conferences/questionings between the director of the program and the students, and/or stay back at the dorms with the Academic Probation students.

Weezer
I really love the new Weezer video: Keep Fishin' It features the Muppets!
Reading
This morning I read a short article: Whistling Past the Global Graveyard, which talks about AIDS as a significant problem in the world, and how the West pays no attention.

And another one bites the dust. Four in one day now. This is craziness.
Bingle lake. Plaid clash dressing room fun. Visit to the Doctor's office. And don't forget Motivational Speaker Matt! Or pass-it-on kissing. OH no.
Reading before bed: Before the Holocaust Fades: What Happened to Uncle Schmeil? By Daniel Mendelsohn
The New York Times. "I realized I had been after the wrong story -- the story of how they had died rather than the one of how they had lived. If our instinct is to forsake the everyday and focus on vivid stories when we speak of the dead, it is because of a great distance: from a couple of generations away, you grasp at the legends' broad outlines, because the details are lost -- or have been destroyed. The particulars of the lives they led were, inevitably, bland: the kinds of unmemorable things that make up everyone's day-to-day existence. It is only when everyday existence ceases to exist, when knowing that you'll die in three months rather than tomorrow seems like ''security,'' that such lost details seem rare and beautiful."

Sudeep!
Sudeep is coming to visit the 11th-14th of August! I just got an email from him, finally. Ahhhhhhhhhh. I'm so excited!

3 more ladies being sent home in the morning. Sad. But they've had it coming to them... I guess.
Up til 1:30am with the staff rehearsing the skits tomorrow. We could NOT stop laughing. I'll have to explain later.
Shakespeare tonight. Hamlet. It was well done, but I still hate Shakespeare.

ESKIMO ICE CREAM


Boil together two or three minutes:
2 cups seal oil
1 lb. reindeer fat

Cool until lukewarm. Take a bowlful of loose snow (not to powdery) and add oil, beat well to avoid lumps. Let freeze a bit. Fold in berries if desired. (A Mom's Love)

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This sucks.

It's fixed? maybe.

Tears. Streaming. Hugs. Gone.
No crying for me though, just some support.
Two more kids sent home.

Zines
Many people don't know what a zine is and have never heard of the word before. Well, let me explain. A zine is like a tiny magazine, but without the unwanted ads. They're usually homemade, artsy, creative, original and very personal to the author. But there are no specific qualifications to make a zine. eZines can be online, but the true zine (at least in my opinion) is the homemade one in print. I've been thinking of making one of my own for a long time, but just haven't found the time or energy yet. But my first-year roommate Arline has made a few and they were fun to read and to watch her as she produced them. I have collaborated to help make a zine though. Carbon Copy, a club at the UofC, is making a zine about interesting and unusual fun things to do out of Hyde Park. We are organizing it by different stops on each of the eL train lines--making it easier to use and for students to go explore. Also, RSO's (registered student organizations) were allowed to design pages with information on places to visit that are specific to the interest of the RSO. We'll be handing out these zines free to the incoming first-year students and the rest of the student body. I'm excited to see the finished project. Each person in the club took at least one page to design.
Today as I was reading Willamette Week Online, an independent Portland, Oregon newspaper/magazine, I came across information about the Portland Zine Symposium happening this weekend:
"sat-sun:self-expression
the portland zine symposium
After last year's successful weekend of workshops and networking, the second zine symposium is back with a host of panels, discussions and seminars. From screenprinting to papermaking to DIY comics and copyright law, there's something for all of Portland's budding literpreneurs. (Friday night also has bands, starting at 6 pm.)
Portland State University, 1825 SW Broadway. Saturday-Sunday, July 13-14. For further information go to www.pdxzines.com."
I really wish I was home right now! I would love to attend this event!

Summer Plans
Flying home, or I guess I should say preparing and scheduling to fly back to Portland is such a nightmare. I've been debating with myself for two weeks now. To take a class through the University here or not to. Taking the class, Introduction to Field Methods in Glaciology, would be awesome! But it would put me out of $200, plus living expenses for an extra week, plus I would be late to my family vacation. But it would give me a good experience and teach me all about Glaciology. Which I really know nothing about at the moment, but am very fascinated with. It would also expose me to at least one UAF professor here, and since this is a possibility for grad school that would be an excellent thing. Hmmm. Also, Tammy's friend is one of the people leading the course through UAF's Outdoor Adventures and Tammy's spoken very highly of it. On the downside, I would have to pay a whole bunch just to take this one credit course, and the week previous to the trip there is only two 2 hour lectures. Which means that I'd have to stay in Fairbanks and be bored for the rest of those days. Since I can't stay in the dorms, I'd probably have to be with my aunt and uncle. But since I have no car or liscense here in Alaska I'd also have to have them drive me each day. Which is not going to happen. So I think the field course idea has been thrown out, even though I completely would *love* to take it. Arg.
So the flying home issue is still in question. When to make my flight back? I think I'll be camping with Brad and Coby for a bit. Hopefully this will all fall in place. Or mabye I should just not worry about it. I mean, I really do have a place to stay in Fairbanks in case things don't go as planned. And camping with those two (and maybe more) sound so exciting and fun. They're great to hang out with and I think camping would be awesome. Probably a better experience than the Glaciology field course anyways. Plus, how can I not stay in Alaska and camp? I mean, I've come all this way to this gorgeous place, and to not take advantage of the time that I have here would be a shame. I've been dreaming of coming back here ever since I left 5 years ago, so I really don't know why I'm being so paranoid right now. My whole summer has been spontaneous. I just need to have patience. Rely on God. He's given me this opportunity to work at Upward Bound. And it was a last second deal. I just need to stop stressing out and be calm. Learn that not everything has to be planned out and so scheduled. There is so much lying ahead in my summer. Surprise me.

Chena River Canoeing
Two hours of canoeing down the Chena River this evening with my clan. We started at a park in downtown Fairbanks and ended at Chena River Park near the University. It was fun! I'd love to spend a bit more of my summer doing some canoe trips or something. I was thinking how awesome it would be to visit Ruthie sometime and canoe the boundary waters at her house in Minnesota. I gotta put that on my to-do list. Anyways, canoeing went great, and everyone loved it. People tipped their canoes once we reached our put-out. On purpose of course. And then brought down others with them. Luckily I came out dry. Oh oh oh! And I should mention that it was actually HOT once again today! Tank top and shorts weather is back!
Jared
Surprisingly I would have to say that one of the best parts of my day actually came unexpectedly. We reached our put-out at about 8:04pm. The Outdoor Adventure staff member was supposed to meet us at 8pm to pick up the canoes. He wasn't around when we got there. And after 20 minutes of waiting he still hadn't arrived. The students were complaining to go back to the dorms. They had had their fill of a water fight and now were sopping wet and cold. So I volunteered to stay behind with the canoes as Jared drove the clan back to the dorms. While I was sitting on the bank of the Chena River starting a letter to Paul a little boy came up to me and introduced himself. Right away we clicked. He was just a fun little kid. After a few minutes he ran away barefoot and barechesterd, playing in the grass nearby--I continued to write my letter. Then all of a sudden I feel these hands on my shoulders... BOO! he shouts. I jumped. He giggled. "Did I scare you?". I just laughed and then we started chatting. I was surprised by his eagerness to talk to a stranger. But he was adorable. Dark brown hair, dark skin. Native. Beautiful brown eyes. Missing his front teeth. I asked him how old he was and started having a conversation. I couldn't help but grin the whole time talking to him. He is 5 and starting kindergarton in the fall. His name was Jared and he was very curious why I had so many canoes. I explained our trip and he began to tell me all about his canoeing trip that he'd been on. And how we were slow-pokes because we could have used a boat and would have gone much faster. Then he went into a story about how he went fishing at Chena Lakes. He's going to be such a hearth-throb when he's older. I can tell. Just from his mannerisms while he talked, he was so cute. His mom came over and talked to me for a bit and then called him back to their family table at the other end of the riverbank. Then a few minutes later he sneaks up on me and starts twirling my braids. I was surprised at his fearlessness. Then he starts wrestling with me and trying to push me over. And we start talking again. :o)
Sketchbook
The second week I was here I made the $4.99 purchase of a thin sketchbook. I've been meaning to start drawing a bit. Tonight (now 5th week of the program) after lights out I just had to get outside. I grabbed my fleece blanket and my backpack and headed out to the Art. I don't know what it's called. It doesn't seem right to call it a sculpture...but I can't think of the right word for it. It's the only artsy thing on campus in my opinion. I love it. So I spread my fleece blanket out and laid on my stomach as I opened my sketchbook. The first blank piece of paper. I took a sharpened pencil out of my backpack, looking up at the Art with the pink sunset sky behind I started to draw. Flicking mosquitos off me, more and more lines appeared on the paper and the sketch started to take form. I was initially pleased. And hour and a half later at 1am I was done. Semi-content with my work. Maybe tomorrow I'll track down a scanner and scan to share with you.

Have You Seen My Missing Toothbrush?
The cleaning people threw away my toothbrush. I think. I left in in the bathroom on the ledge above the sink on accident this morning. 6am is too early to wake up and be expected to function in a non-sleepy-drowsy manner. And now it's gone and my teeth need to be brushed with minty Colgate. A pet peeve = not brushing my teeth. I brush at least three times a day if possible. Not being able to brush my teeth right now feels so gross so disgusting. Yuck.

Speleology
Speleology? Whaaat? What the heck does that mean?! I was wondering the same thing as I was searching google for "icelandic geology" and the "reykjanes peninsula" and stumbled across the word. Hmmm. I just had to know what it was, and eventually got so sidetracked on this new subject that I completely stopped my research on Iceland. Speleology: The science of caves. More specifically, it can be defined as "the activity that focuses on studying caves and natural cavities, their origins and evolution, past and present fauna and flora, exploitation, research, documentation and preservation, as well as the techniques used in the act of studying"". (Geuis, Caving). For more information look at this Speleology and Caving website.
Urban Speleology
Looking this up I came to a search that revealed Urban Speleology. What is urban exploration? I noticed the slogan "public access, for public works" sprawled about on some websites, and though that's part of the philosophy of urban exploration (or so I'm assuming) it's not a great definition. Well, as zone-tour puts it it's "a way of seeing the city by its hidden and often functional side". Which pretty much implies breaking and entering and exploring random and odd places around town without permission. And I was hooked. The first site I came to was Infiltration: the zine about going places you're not supposed to go. It has the info on exploring drains and tunnels, catacombs, and transit tunnels, among other places. Excitement!
I've had friends tell me about numerous explorations in the tunnels under the University of Chicago. I want to go, but I'm too scared. This urban speleology business definitely excites me, but I think I'm too much of a chicken to actually participate. I think I may join a mailing list and then just patiently wait until the time and mission is right. We'll see. One site I found is Chicago Urban Exploration, a conspiracy in moonlight and stillness. It looks promising. I would be fun to attend a meeting. Perhaps I will in January when I'm back in the windy city.
There is also an alaskan site that I ran across, with lots of illegal exploration of the University of Alaska--Fairbanks. It looks fun, and I'm tempted to contact these boys, but it's definitely not something to loose my job over.
The next great urban speleology site that I found is Dark Passage, "a New-York based organization providing blind archaeologist with the finest quality flashlights".
Also a cool thing that I've found about Urban Speleology sites is that they are well-designed and most of the urban speleologists are great photographers. Especially sites such as Dark Passage.
pdXplore
You guessed it. pdXplore is website dedicated to the urban speleology (urban exploration) of Portland and the surrounding area. It's also known as the Portland Vadding Collective.
Plea for Web Design Help
I've been impressed by these sites today. It's pressuring me even more to get up and going on my webpage. I just really need a bit of help and a push to get me on my way. Anyone want to offer a coupla hours to teach me the artsty website stuff? Or refer me to a good site? I'm excited to learn!

S'mores & Bug Dope
Smile so much, it's contageous. Shine. I love it. Cheering everyone up. Definitely an extrovert. A good team?
45 minute drive to Bonfire night. S'mores. Shoe downstream in the fast current, flying off the foot as he tried to skip rocks off the surface. What entertainment. Wearing bug repellant on my hands. I hate this stuff, and never wear it. Made an exception tonight as I was using Coby's leatherman to cut some marshmallow toasting branches and swarms of mosquitos decided to eat me alive. Alaska is still gorgeous, even when the mosquito is the state bird.
Caught girls sneaking around into other's rooms tonight. I felt like a spy. It was kinda fun.
Trying to call Amy and Claire. No luck. I want someone to talk to. It's lonely up here without Portland friends, but I still love the program and everyone that I'm working with.

Denali
Back from camping and whitewater rafting near Denali. More info to come. Now I will wash off the dirt, unpack, rid the Nenana river water muck from my hair, and clean clean clean. I wish I was still there. The Alaskan Mountain range is fabulous.

MuckTuck Smoothie, Don't Save the Whales
I have mucktuck stuck between my teeth. Black rubbery skin of whale. The white blubber went down easily though, it's much softer and less springy to bite. Blassi got a whole slab of mucktuck (whale blubber) and has shared it with all of the RE's. I put a little chunck on top of my smoothie I was eating tonight during floor time and all the 4th floor girls were like "What is that!" and I smiled: mucktuck smoothie. Hehe. They were either extremely disgusted and gave me faces, or just started laughing. I enjoyed the attention. ;o)
It's neat to have some native alaskan food. Moose, caribou, mucktuck. Yum. To be honest I can't say I absolutely love mucktuck, but I sure wouldn't mind having it every once in a while! At first bite I had a strange taste similar to hazelnuts. I've actually had mucktuck once before while I was at an A.I.S.E.S conference here at UAF, but I don't remember it tasting quite the same. I think because before it was killer whale. Blassi says it's an aquired taste. Actually, the taste isn't so bad in my opinion. It's just the strange texture, the rubbery, bouncy, chewy "eskimo-chewing-gum" texture.

Fox Water Night
Esther's dome. Gorgeous. Sunset 12:30am with Brad and Coby. chills and fresh air, moose and no camera. Fox water in the back of the truck and dirt roads. Permafrost bumps and bluegrass music.
God is awesome. What a beautiful creation.
Happy early morning 4th of July.

I LOVE YOU NICK
I finally got through to talk! I miss Nick so much.
Mr. Deeds
Mr. Deeds was a huge let-down. I don't reccomend viewing it unless it's free or you're forced. I usually enjoy Adam Sandler, but this movie was just dumb. I was falling asleep.

Independence Day
1) (7:58:28 PM): I bought fireworks today..
2) (7:59:01 PM): nice.
2) (7:59:08 PM): they really dont'do much good here since it never gets dark
1) (7:59:42 PM): that would suck... I need explosives to celebrate america's greatness.
Hmmm. Still contemplating this one. ;o)
So what is everyone doing for the 4th? Me? I'm feasting on salmon and steak with over 80 other people. No kidding. And my stomach sure is ready....the dorm food at UAF sure doesn't cut it. We're also doing a whole bunch of other activities, but since I'm too sleepy I can't really remember them. But I'll most likely blog about them later....goodnight all.

Bed Slug
Parker is a self-proclaimed bed slug. Me too. Me too. ;o)

PC(USA) 214th General Assembly
The Presbyterian Church--USA's 214th General Assembly is finished. Without my presence. I was nominated for a Youth Advisory Delegate position, but during the final round of interviews wasn't given the position. I was a bit disapointed, but it wasn't that big of a deal. And then I wouldn't be here in Alaska, so it all worked out for the best. If I had attended I think I'd be pretty riled up and very upset. I'm a bit more conservative than my denomination, most especially about abortion issues.
Evolution & Creation
The Assembly also "approved a resolution affirming that God created the universe and “there is no contradiction between an evolutionary theory of human origins and the doctrine of God as Creator.” The measure, prompted by an effort in Ohio to have the state Board of Education ban the teaching of evolution in public schools, calls on Presbyterian scientists and educators to help Presbyterians and the public 'understand what constitutes reliable knowledge.'" This seems like a huge step for the church.
Taco Bell Boycott
WOW. I am shocked to see this as featured in the Assembly. Assembly urges boycott of Taco Bell!. After all the nonsense protesting at the University of Chicago. I just thought this thing wasn't such a big deal. wow.

Library time
I finally found the geophysics library here. It's a long haul up the hill, about a mile. It's little (compared to Crerar), packed with awesome books, and very comfortable. I was impressed and spent over 3 hours there today with my nose into a handful of books....researching the Rekyjanes Peninsula of Iceland. The geophsics department really really impresses me. I was in awe walking around the buildings today. And this is the second-ranked university in the nation, so I've heard. Hmmmm. Would this be a good candidate for graduate school here?

Movie Day
Gosfield Park: overrated
A Beautiful Mind: excellent
Orange County: not to be watched for a 2nd time