Columns 2007

Alaskans better develop a sense of humor…quickly

There are probably few Alaskans left by now who have not heard the best lines from The Simpsons Movie repeated again and again, often by relatives living elsewhere who call specifically to quote them to us.  For those of you who have been living in a salmon creek since the movie debuted, those lines are as follows:  “Alaska, where you can’t be too drunk or too fat.” And, spoken by an official handing them money as the family crosses into Alaska, “Welcome to Alaska. Here’s a thousand dollars.” Finally, “We pay everyone in Alaska to let us destroy the environment.”

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Here’s a thought

Since Congress seems to be in the mood to pass laws that take away our constitutional rights without much of a fuss, I’d like to propose a new law for them to pass. It would simply state that anyone whose name has been in People or Us magazine more than twice in one year cannot reproduce EVER!

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Ah sunshine

Every day the sun was out this month…and yes, non-believers, it was out here in Anchorage for the better part of a week…I took all my birds out on the deck to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and sounds of wild birds.  All are in cages except for Abdul, my African grey, who can’t fly and loves to just wander on the deck.  He lords it over all the others that he’s free and they’re not by doing his best strut up and down in front of their cages. Then, just in case they don’t get the point, he tries

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I didn’t think it was possible but…

By weight, my dogs shed at least four pounds of hair per month in my car.  And that doesn’t even count what is shed in the house.  Surely there must be a way to collect this and use it as an alternative energy source. It certainly is renewable.

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Why I am lucky to live in Alaska – reason 9,999

I spent the other evening sitting on my deck with the sun shining and the mountains in the background.  My birds were all in their outdoor cages and on the deck with me.  Baby and Kenya were clinging to the side of their cage, sure that I’d brought them out there for some dastardly motive.  Captain and CB sat side by side, resigned to the fact that a couple of times each year I lose all sanity and make them sit in a small cage under a big green thing that sways in the breeze and could contain god knows

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Eating bugs

Not only do Blue and Blondie eat grass, but they apparently eat bugs too. As we walk, Blue’s head swivels from side to side with each bee or bug that flies by and then I see her jaws snap shut and then she’s chewing. And all I can think is that this is the same mouth that wakes me up with a lick each morning. I know, I know. Dogs do way worse things with their mouths than eat bugs but for some reason, this is the thing that makes me want to run from the room screaming “EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!”

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Columns 2007

Alaska takes crown from New Jersey

There is a part of me that wakes up each morning and wonders what fun headline I’ll read today about Alaska’s politicians. I watch the Daily Show every night on the chance that Ted Stevens may be their star again.  But in between those moments, I’m mostly sad about what’s happening in our state.

I was speaking to my sister about this recently and she snorted and said, “I live in New Jersey and you want to whine to me about corrupt politicians. Are you insane?” She was right.  I grew up in a city whose mayor’s went directly from

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I am an Alaskan

And that means I have a god given right to wear sandals and a t-shirt with capri length pants even when the weather is 60 degrees with blowing wind and rain. For me, this is summer, damn it! I’ll wear my summer clothes and thank you all for not getting me committed.

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