Icewind's Ramblings

As I continue my quest looking for the beauty of this land around the world I turn my sights once again to my home turf of Alaska .  I have been quite busy as summer turns to fall and the daylight slowly week by week drifts away.  Luckily there have been those that have taken the time to document these changing seasons and posted in the Anchorage Daily News pictures of our changing times.  Some are staff photographers like Bob Hallinen, Bill Roth, and Erik Hill while others are reader submitted like Anne Raup and Fran Durden. Enjoy this photo journal of Anchorage Alaska and surrounding areas during this ever changing time of the year.  Most of these photos were taken within a few days of September 22, 2009. Downtown Anchorage looking across a portion of Cook Inlet from the overlook at Earthquake Park – Erik Hill Geese taking flight by Russian Jack Park – Bill Roth Artic Valley – Anne Raup Bull Moose on Powerline Trail – Bob Hallinen Du...

As Robert Frost so eloquently wrote in 1920: “I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Ice

I love the internet as you can find almost anything with a few key words or a brief description.  There is information on subjects or topics from all walks of life and that cover any side or point of view about a subject. Example: Itchy Butt has much information with a quick Google search and trying to find a remedy could be found in of all places on Craig’s List.  Even Answers.com gets a hit! What a product to help you stop itching . . . Here's the text of one testimonial ad for AnaNOitch-D on Craig’s List: "Hello there, I bought two bottles of AnaNOitch-D to get rid of my rectal itching.  After just a few days of using this natural remedy the itching stopped.  Now I don't need the second bottle.  I paid $33 for it as you can see on their website, but I will sell it to you for $14.  If you live close by, you are welcome to come over and pick it up.  Please let me know.   Myra . " Now that's a sure sell if you suffer from this ailmen...

Somewhere at the jumping off point at the north end of the earth . . . the edge of what's known.  Where I'm going is another plane ride away on Kodiak Island , where there are 3,000 brown bears and around 10,000 humans.  I’m going to look at a project there to bid work on the Coast Guard Base.  I’m hoping to find the time to explore this area as one may quickly get away from everything almost without realizing how fast you find yourself in no man’s land. I had flown into Kodiak Island a couple of years ago and had written down some thoughts and filed them away.  It’s funny sometimes how you come across a few things here and there that are bits and pieces of times past.  Do you also do this?  Put a few things on paper and put them away so that later on when you find them it will trigger a memory or event.  It is nice sometimes as the surprises they bring can almost put you in the mind frame as if you had returned there . . . if only for a brief ...

I’ve had this one tucked away for many months now debating when to post it as I have moved away from some of my earlier funny but questionable musings.  But I do feel it is a subject that many experience but may never have thought to ask . . . Well that’s why I am here to help . . . your itchy butt expert who took two years of research without any government grants to give you this insightful information. Have you ever needed to scratch your butt in public but there were too many witnesses?  Well I have a solution for you for just about any situation. Icewind’s Guide on “How to Scratch your Butt in Public (without unwanted stares)”. 1. The Wall Approach - Slowly back-up towards the closest wall possible. Then, take desired hand & move it towards the itchy buttocks.  Scratch uncontrollably, until its better. 2. The Pants Approach - “The Back Pocket” carefully reach into the back pocket of your pants.  Slowly itch the desired cheek and act like yo...

It is hard to believe that this show has been on 19 seasons . . . Check it out on Thursday nights on CBS. This was one of the first “Reality” television shows and it is strange to realize what we have seen over those years . . . from winner Richard Hatch (the first evil) and the great retired Navy Seal Rudy Boesch who showed us that despite age we can accomplish anything on season 1 to Season 8 “All Stars” romance of Rob and Amber who went on to other reality shows like the Amazing Race.  Season 10 “ Palau ” gave us fireman Tom Westman a likeable man whose tribe won every immunity challenge.   Season 16 gave us “Fans vs. Favorites” which had interesting dynamics between those who had watched the show and thought they could do better than previous contestants . . . Parvati won that one. This season renews itself with a few fresh characters and infuses new life into the familiar mix of challenges and camp interactions.  This show is back to the ‘beach base’ prog...

I ended up going out of town last week and did not queue this one up to post while I was away so I wanted to get this one out now. My generation is slowly dying off. This has been another hard week to watch or read the news as almost everyday this past week someone from my generation has died.  This summer has seen many deaths from the ‘baby boomer’ generation. It may have come after a bout of cancer, a heart attack, or just a passing of those who brought music, laughter, or a great movie or television role.  It is a constant reminder that life is precious and to not miss out on living it while you can for you never know what changes may come in the future. To some old friends who brought much to this world, we will miss you and your ability to make us laugh, sing, or be absorbed in the drama on the screen before us. Patrick Swayze Henry Gibson Mary Travers This summer could come to be known as the summer when baby boomers began to turn to the obituary...

Friday afternoon we head out to sea leaving the boat harbor in Homer heading 265˚ while running about 16 knots.  The fishin’ area we wanted was 26 nautical miles from Homer in the direction of Augustine Volcano which we could see in the distance with a plume of steam rising out of the top.   The "Ring of Fire" (map) is an arc stretching from New Zealand , along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America . The Ring of Fire is composed over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes. This huge ring of volcanic and seismic (earthquake) activity was noticed and described before the invention of the theory of plate tectonics theory. We now know that the Ring of Fire is located at the borders of the Pacific Plate and other major tectonic plates.  Alaska has many active volcanoes ranging across the Cook Inlet from Anchorage winding its way down along the Aleutian chain. ...

One more Summer fishin’ and crabbin’ adventure. With the Autumnal Equinox passing today giving Alaskans a ‘normal’ day of almost equal amounts of light and darkness it was nice to have another opportunity to head out fishin’ one more time this summer. In what was a slight turn about of seasons I awoke Friday morning to an unexpected sight . . . the sun . . . with hardly a cloud in the sky?  We have had cloudy and somewhat rainy days the last few weeks so everything appeared to our heading into fall and winter.  I had packed away rain gear and warm clothes so I could layer up if needed for a trip to Homer Alaska to meet up with a friend of mine, Lance who owns an insulation company that I contract with to work on many projects all over Alaska .  He had recently bought another ‘boat’ and he wanted to hook me up with a few of his contractor associates.  It would be a great break from the office to network more work in a social setting. I left early Friday mor...

I wanted to write about my fishing trip this past weekend but I left the pictures at work and did not get them uploaded . . . the work was a bear today so I did not have a chance to write tonight so I figured I would give you another Observation which lately has resembled my work environment. Saying "I will try" is like saying I will do something differently until it becomes uncomfortable, and then I will change back to the old habits. Ice

I’m heading down to Homer Alaska for a little fishin’. Have a great weekend! I’ll be back online on Monday . . . Ice

Politics lately have been really boring with all the in fighting between all parties on almost any talking point.  No one is happy about the Health Care proposals and the stimulus money is being squandered away like many people thought it would be with little oversight or accountability. The economy is in disarray with the jobless rate continuing to rise “as things are getting better” and the vehicle rebate program flooded the nation with scrap metal and the upcoming wave of repossessions as those who traded in cannot afford to make the payments. “Change” was promised and that is what we have received . . . like it or not. I am into being positive each day and sometimes you need those little positive affirmations to set the tone for the upcoming day.  Tony Robbins says those things help break the cycle of negativity and can change habits and thought processes. Here is my daily routine when I get up in the morning before heading off to work.  I grab my cup of coffee...

I read a lot of blogs when I get the chance on all kinds of subjects and one that seems to get a ton of verbiage is about people who work in offices.  Some are complaints about people who have co-workers who steal their lunch or co-workers who wear too much perfume.  A few about those people who haven’t mastered email etiquette at work.  I read blogs where people rant about their bosses, complain about their work schedule, moan about their cubicle size. Which makes me feel somewhat guilty. Because usually . . . I don’t have anything to complain about.  Sure, I might have a backlog of work from submittals or O&M manuals waiting for my attention or a list of calls to return but is that really something to complain about?  Not really.  The work hectic but I think I thrive on it if truth be told but this is just . . . It’s sort of a gross story, but I did it as a child too . . . so I can understand the appeal. (Get it . . . A PEEL?  I’m here all ...

An update. The social experiment of neighbors competing and then voting each other out of the neighborhood ended Sunday with the winning family beating out the other families of the $ 250,000 prize money.  Eight families were isolated behind 20 foot high walls and the bickering began and continued for the last seven weeks.  The first thing to happen in the scorching heat of summer in a suburb of an Atlanta Georgia subdivision was the power to be cut off. No air conditioning, no television, internet, cell phone, texting or other ‘modern day’ items to occupy the time.  It’s like a trip back to the 50’s when families spent time together.  There is the family dynamics of spending time together 24 hours a day plus the interactions between the other families playing the game. The neighbors, 5 of the eight families call themselves “The Core” while the others who have not been living there as long “The Outsiders”.  The core group moved in when the subdivision w...

Originally appeared in the September 2003 issue of Esquire Do you remember this photograph?  In the United States , people have taken pains to banish it from the record of September 11, 2001. The story behind it, though, and the search for the man pictured in it, are our most intimate connection to the horror of that day. Read more: http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0903-SEP_FALLINGMAN#ixzz0QruXC4RU   Falling Man. Taken by Richard Drew at 9:41:15 a.m., on September 11, 2001 In the picture, he departs from this earth like an arrow. Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it.  If he were not falling, he might very well be flying.  He appears relaxed, hurtling through the air.  He appears comfortable in the grip of unimaginable motion.  He does not appear intimidated by gravity's divine suction or by what awaits him.  His arms are by his side, only slightly out rigged.  His left le...