Sitka Update

Weather: partly crappy, mostly shitty

Smell: rotten! Woah, the salmon have all swum upstream to spawn, and the place is ripe!!!Basically, it stinks!

Drama scale this week: about 4/10. Hey, it's only Tuesday - give the place a chance, things will definitely heat up by the end of the week.

Ok, I suppose I am being a bit cynical. Life in this little town is going pretty good. It was the equinox last week which means we are now well on our way into winter. In fact, days are getting shorter at the rate of seven minutes a day! Enjoy the sunlight while you can, because there'll be seven minutes less of it tomorrow. It has started raining, which is Ok... I don't mind the rain. People have said that it this time of year it will rain for up to seventy days straight, but hey that's part of life in Alaska. It's funny, the place now reminds me so much of the place I arrived to -- it is starting to look now how it looked nearly a year ago when I moved here. I guess that just goes to show the amazing contrast and change that is experienced throughout the year: not only in terms of weather, but also in terms of the wildlife, and ambience and all the little intricacies that give any place its character!

Just thought I'd tack on an e-mail that Natalie sent me... I don't often do these, but I thought, what the heck.... so here it is. Didn't think I'd forward it to everyone, but thought I'd share some of my responses anyway.

> Directions! Now, Here Is What You Are Supposed To Do...And Please Do Not Spoil The Fun! Hit Forward, Delete My Answers And Type In Your Answers. Then Send This To A Whole Bunch Of People That You Know...And Send It Back To Me So I Can See Your Answers, The Theory Is That You Will Learn A Lot Of Little Known Facts About Those You Know. Remember To Send It Back and add a question you see fit to keep it interesting.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Both my grandfathers were named Robert>>

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Last week, at a funeral: very beautiful and very moving...>>

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? yes, love it >

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? chicken>>

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No, and I probably won't, but that's OK!>>

6.. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah, I reckon! >>

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? sometimes... I generally don't find it funny.>>

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes>

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? probably not... but never say never, hey >>

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? Weet-Bix>>

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF ? Ummm... I've gotten into the bad habit of leaving my laces tied up>>

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? yes - strong willed! (Does that mean I am stubborn?) >> 13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? It's a close call between vanilla and strawberry>>

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes, and their demeanour: I can pick happy positive people a mile off! >>

15. RED OR PINK? red>>

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my voice/accent>>

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST ? Paul and Amy; I miss Holiday and Simon, too. >>

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Please do!>>

19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Dark blue jeans, which I think belonged to Keisuke, and no shoes... just socks. >>

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? dinner: chinese style pork with pasta and beans.>>

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Brian's i-pod... whatever he has put on it.>>

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? I'd try and be every colour at least once.>>

23. FAVOURITE SMELLS? the ocean... and the smell just before it rains>>

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Brian. >>

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes, Natalie Milne: she is a fabulous actess, and an altogether nice person!>>

26. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Netball!>>

27. HAIR COLOUR? Brown
>28. EYE COLOUR? Brown/Hazel>>

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no>>

30. FAVOURITE FOOD? Probably Malaysian, and ice-cream>>

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings (realistic ones, please) >>

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? "Looking for Alibrandi">>

33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white>>

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Hot, stinking Aussie summer all the way>>

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs definitely! (Hugs are kind of my special trademark!)>>

36. FAVOURITE DESSERT? Lemon Delicious>>

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Not sure...>>

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Yeah, not sure... I've got some busy friends, so I understand that they can't respond >>

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? just finished reading "Le Petit Prince" ("The Little Prince") by Antoine de Saint-Exupery; definitely one of the best books I have read in a long time.
>>40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? waves crashing over rocks (funny, I never paid attention until now)>>

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Didn't watch TV last night; played cards and won heaps of money. >>

42. FAVOURITE SOUND? When someone is breathing while they are asleep - well, it's a relieving sound: they are not dead!>>

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? beatles.>>

44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Switzerland.. and Alaska too, but then I guess home is where the heart is, and I've tried to make many places home while I have been there.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Yeah I do, and I'm blessed with great friends who help bring out my talents

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Mackay, Australia

47. DO YOU LIKE YOUR JOB? Yes - surprisingly! Never imagined myself as a truck driver, but, hey!

48 ARE YOU THE OLDEST OR YOUNGEST? Second youngest.

49: FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO SWIMMING? Sarina Beach, where I grew up.