B and B

A bed and breakfast in rural bush Alaska I isn't the same as in the lower 48.

Because I complained about having to sleep on a classroom floor I was put up in the local B&B of a village I'm visiting this week. I'm literally in the bedroom/office of a families house. Now I'm wishing I was at the school.

At least I have the sweet sounds of the VHF radio to put me to sleep. I can listen to mothers telling their kids to come home over the radio as I drift off.

Oosik, Anyone?

The highlight of my week was getting to hold a Walrus oosik. That's right, I held the penile bone of a Walrus. Good week? You be the judge.

Rules for a 6am Flight

There should be rules that everyone must abide by when flying in the early morning hours:

1) No talking. Period. There is no reason why anyone needs to be talking at 5am while waiting to board a 6am flight. Don't do it.

2) No eating muffins from crinkly wrappers.

3) Turn the sound off on your smart phone and iPad. No one needs to hear the keyboard sound effects every time you type "LOL".

4) No announcements from the flight deck. I don't need to know that our cruising altitude is 30,000 feet. Or how long it'll be before we begin our descent. Just fly the plane. That is sufficient.

5) No whistling to airport lounge music (actually this rule should be enacted all day long.)

Tired Iron

Tired Iron. That's been me all week. After not working out for 10 days getting back into it has felt like slogging through mud with cement shoes. Breathing during a workout is like sucking pudding through a straw. My hip flexors complain and my lungs scream. It hasn't been pretty. I've tried my best not to roll my eyes every time something is asked of me. 

Happy Fool's Day

How's this for an April Fool's Day? Got up at 3:45am to catch my 6am flight. None of my 3 bags made it to Dillingham including my food for the week. And I got a letter from the IRS saying I owe them an additional 2k on top of what I already paid them for 2011 taxes.

Calgon, take me away.

At least the scenery on my snowmachine ride across Lake Alegnagik was pretty.

Conversation with a TSA Agent

Flying back from California this week I had a layover in Seattle. Upon going through security the machines beeped at me and I was pulled aside. The following conversation ensued:

TSA Agent: Do you have anything in your pockets, are you wearing a belt?
Me: No, no.
TSA Agent: Any big earrings, braces on your body or medical implants?
Me: No, no and no.
TSA Agent:  Any knee or hip replacements?
Me: You know, I fly every week -- I know the drill. The only thing I'm wearing that's metal is my necklace.
TSA Agent: Well if you fly every week why are you making the machine go off?
Me: You're the security expert, why don't you tell me?

Sarcasm is not appreciated by TSA Agents. 

AK Champ!

Folks, you can now say that you know an Alaska State Record Holder in Olympic Weightlifting (for my age/gender/weight class). There are two lifts in Olympic Weightlifting: the snatch and the clean &Jerk. My record for the snatch is 66lbs; and for Clean &Jerk 93.5lbs.To be clear, I'm not *the* record holder. Each age group is broken down by weight classes and there is a record holder for each of those groups.