Icewind's Ramblings

I was downtown earlier this week looking at a job to bid next week and I ran into a guy I had worked on another project a couple of years ago. He was working on the new Museum addition and it reminded me of the ‘small town’ feel Anchorage still has. You can go almost anywhere and it is not uncommon to see someone you know. Still nice to run into people you haven’t seen in a while. When I left the pre-bid walkthrough I had to walk back to my rig which was in an area that the summer season is filled with tourists. They come here on the cruise ships or fly in to start their own unique adventure going to places unknown to me. The streets were filled with a multitude of people scurrying about looking into the different shops for that perfect Alaskan gift. People are funny to watch as I made my way down the street looking at several groups taking pictures of the painted sides of buildings or the many flowers placed all over town. Some wanted their picture taken next to...

Alaska in the summertime is filled with many unique sights and you never know what to expect on any given day. On this drive home today was no exception. The weather now is finally approaching the norms for this time of year as we slowly make our way towards seventy degrees. We are consistently hitting the sixty degree days now with temperatures dipping into the forty’s at night but since we are now into our full light season it does not take things long to warm up. The sun is rising now at 4:30 am and setting below the horizon around 11:30 pm so the time period with the sun physically out of sight it remains light outside. Birds chirp seemingly confused by the seasonal changes. It is common to hear them outside an open window when you’re trying to get some sleep. They cannot be found during the darkness of winter and gladly sing all summer long giving anyone within earshot a song. When I left work this afternoon it was not a clear blue sky kind of day but...

There is a Citibank commercial running in Alaska right now that drives me nuts. Maybe I’m just a little sensitive to it because my wife watches every HGTV program about remodeling and is always looking for that next project for me to tear out, build, or fix. The spot: a woman stands in her living room while her husband relaxes on the couch. In voiceover, she explains how something doesn't feel right. A home improvement montage follows: purchasing nick knacks, a new carpet, painting the walls, all paid for with her ‘Citibank’ card. Her husband can be glimpsed on the couch throughout, relaxing or working on his computer while she redecorates. Finally, she realizes: "It wasn't the room, so I used the cash I got back to redecorate my husband." We watch as she purchases new clothes and he models his new khaki pants, shirt and sweater combo. Finally satisfied, she sits on the couch with her husband after he pauses to relocate one of the new nick knacks on...