I can remember times in the past when some people poked fun at the very idea of online friendships being real. They gave as reasons that you never knew who was really behind the other screen, which does have merit. But only sometimes and only with certain dishonest people. I have learned that face-to-face relationships can be "iffy" in the same way. Who really knows these people, either, except with the passing of time and behavior? The internet is not the only place where people might put on an act, be dishonest, or mean ill intent to others.
For me, my online friends are every bit as real, every bit as much a blessing, as my offline and in-person friends. Some of he benefits and pleasures I have gained from this wonderful experience:
1. Exchange of knowledge, culture, and experience from people all over the world
2. The give and take of moral support and encouragement
3. The availability of kindredness for those who have disabilities and find it hard to get out to socialize
4. An easing of feeling alone in the world
5. A more bold and open attitude about communicating
6. No judgments based on pre-conceived notions and "looks alone"
Friday, June 19, 2009
This is Iceball (what an awful name for such a gorgeous dog!) and she was chosen to be the model today, and had to stand there and patiently be loaded and unloaded, harnessed and unharnessed as we learned how the dogs are taken care of. She was quite annoyed at watching her fellow teamates being picked to go for a run. Thus, the mournful howl.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A bunch o' babies
Look how sweet these pups are, I nearly tried to steal one. Or two. Or all. It's that puppy smell.
Today we went to Dog Mushers camp, and I must say, it was a LOT of fun! As far as the price went, I think it was a little overpriced, $119 US each, but then again, it's not something I imagine I'll do again. And I do love to spend time with dogs.
These dogs are actual Iditarod dogs, and they live here and train during the year. As most people already know, the dogs love their jobs and they just can't wait to start to run. They carry on and howl and yelp until they get to start to run. When they see one of the trainers walk by with a harness, but nearly fall off the roofs of their little houses in excitement...just hoping that they will be the ones to be chosen.
They live in "dog condo's", each has his/her own home and they stay here when they aren't out running. They have their own bit of turf, and while I felt bad for them being chained, they seemed fine and happy. They liked to hop on their roofs and watch what was going on , and they loved to have us come over and give them a scratch. The trainers were always hugging them and talking to them, and nary a dog would cringe or turn away, they loved to make eye contact and smile at us.
There are 16 dogs per team, and during the off season they are hooked up to these carts and they run up the mountain (towing us) and then down again. Their strength is amazing, and while they are Siberian Huskies, they are not the big, fat white fluffy ones that you see in the movies. Well, most of them aren't, there were a few, but generally, a Siberian is smaller, less fluffy and not as "adorable." But these were adorable to me.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Another Interruption
So now I am going to confess a secret...up until now only known by my 2 boys (who don't consider it any sort of secret, or even any sort of news at all) and Coral. It involves cell phones.
As you all know, I am anti-cell phone. It really almost enrages me to see these self important businessmen in line-ups at Starbucks (a slight exaggeration as I also boycot Starbucks, but that's another tale for another time) , the fatcats in their Hummers and their other massive SUV's, these vapid women on their phones, panicking about a "playdate" for their children as they cruise through school zones moving several tons of metal that will not stop on a dime. Seriously...go out and count the amount of people using a cell, it's astonishing.
Some folks not only need their phone at all times, it's now at the point where they can't just have it in their purse, or in their pocket, or hooked on their being in a special little cell-phone holder, they just can't bare to not be hooked up for every second of the day. They have ear pieces, and these ear pieces are getting smaller and smaller so that half the time you can't even see them, which leads to the problem of distinguishing cell-yakkers from the truely delusional.
Cell phones have ruined the concept of being alone and of having free time. What kind of "free" time do you have if you are connected to everyone you know for every minute of the day? In the bush, enjoying the sounds of nature? Now, I know that you will say, "Well, duh, we shut it off." Well suuure you do. And then you can't wait to turn it on and see who you missed, what you missed, how many texts you missed, and how quickly you can text/phone them back again: "omg. missed u. what r u doin. call me."
"Brriingggg" (and of course, it isn't even a gentle ring...it's Dixie Chicks or some other shrill noise.)
"H'lo?"
"What 'cha doin'?"
"Walkin' in the woods. you?"
"Goin' downtown."
"Oh yeah."
" What 'cha doin' later?"
"Dunno. You?"
"Dunno. Call me."
"K. Bye."
Yeah, that was sure an emergency. Good thing they had their cell phones with them.
I like to have times when I am unavailable, and that why I walk in the bush or go to the library. However, I will grudgingly admit that a cell has it's uses, especially if you are lost or simply not near a phone when you need one. Which is why....drumroll please....I bought one 2 months ago. Oh My God...it hurt to say that.
We figured that when we got to Vancouver for this cruise, there were going to be times when we would need to phone one of the kids for directions or to let them know where we were in case they were picking us up. So I went to Bell (since I know the a fellow who work there, and I knew he would be kind to me, as a cell phone virgin) and told him that i wanted the cheapest and most basic phone and plan there was.
He hooked me up with a little salmon coloured thing for the grand price of $23 a month and I think I had lots of minutes, not really sure what I exactly had. I came home and phoned my house phone to see if it worked, and then phoned the cell phone to see it IT worked ( and to see if I knew how to use the damn thing.) I texted Coral to see if I knew how to do that, and she texted back to see if I had enough sense to figure out how to use that feature.
The end. I forgot to ever take it anywhere, I never used it, we took it to Vancouver and I phoned one person one time for a ride and she wasn't home. I came home and looked at it for another week and thought: "f*ck it." and phoned the Bell folks to cancel it.
That was a chore in itself. "Do you know anyone who is interested in taking over this number?"
"No, I just want to cancel."
"We can find you a better plan, for your usage."
"ummm, yeah, my usage is zero so I think the best plan is called Cancel."
"We hate to lose you as a customer, is there some way we can rectify this problem?"
"Of course you hate to lose me, you're making almost $300 a year from me, and I'm not utilizing your services. There is no problem. I just don't want it."
"Can I put you on hold?"
"I guess. I don't know why. It's not like I'm some huge conglomerate that is cancelling a massive contract. Who are you going to notify? The president of Bell?"
"No ma'am, you don't have a contract, you just need to give us 30 days notice."
"Yes, I realize that, that's actually what this call is. A cancellation notice."
"Do you think there is anyone you know who would be interested in taking over this contract?"
"You know what? I don't know anyone. That's why I don't need this cell phone. Can I just cancel it...PLEASE?
"All right. Your final day of service will be July 4th. You will get a call to remind you."
"OK. Better use my land line since I have no idea where the cell phone even is."
End of story. I am probably the last person without a cell phone. And I like it.
As you all know, I am anti-cell phone. It really almost enrages me to see these self important businessmen in line-ups at Starbucks (a slight exaggeration as I also boycot Starbucks, but that's another tale for another time) , the fatcats in their Hummers and their other massive SUV's, these vapid women on their phones, panicking about a "playdate" for their children as they cruise through school zones moving several tons of metal that will not stop on a dime. Seriously...go out and count the amount of people using a cell, it's astonishing.
Some folks not only need their phone at all times, it's now at the point where they can't just have it in their purse, or in their pocket, or hooked on their being in a special little cell-phone holder, they just can't bare to not be hooked up for every second of the day. They have ear pieces, and these ear pieces are getting smaller and smaller so that half the time you can't even see them, which leads to the problem of distinguishing cell-yakkers from the truely delusional.
Cell phones have ruined the concept of being alone and of having free time. What kind of "free" time do you have if you are connected to everyone you know for every minute of the day? In the bush, enjoying the sounds of nature? Now, I know that you will say, "Well, duh, we shut it off." Well suuure you do. And then you can't wait to turn it on and see who you missed, what you missed, how many texts you missed, and how quickly you can text/phone them back again: "omg. missed u. what r u doin. call me."
"Brriingggg" (and of course, it isn't even a gentle ring...it's Dixie Chicks or some other shrill noise.)
"H'lo?"
"What 'cha doin'?"
"Walkin' in the woods. you?"
"Goin' downtown."
"Oh yeah."
" What 'cha doin' later?"
"Dunno. You?"
"Dunno. Call me."
"K. Bye."
Yeah, that was sure an emergency. Good thing they had their cell phones with them.
I like to have times when I am unavailable, and that why I walk in the bush or go to the library. However, I will grudgingly admit that a cell has it's uses, especially if you are lost or simply not near a phone when you need one. Which is why....drumroll please....I bought one 2 months ago. Oh My God...it hurt to say that.
We figured that when we got to Vancouver for this cruise, there were going to be times when we would need to phone one of the kids for directions or to let them know where we were in case they were picking us up. So I went to Bell (since I know the a fellow who work there, and I knew he would be kind to me, as a cell phone virgin) and told him that i wanted the cheapest and most basic phone and plan there was.
He hooked me up with a little salmon coloured thing for the grand price of $23 a month and I think I had lots of minutes, not really sure what I exactly had. I came home and phoned my house phone to see if it worked, and then phoned the cell phone to see it IT worked ( and to see if I knew how to use the damn thing.) I texted Coral to see if I knew how to do that, and she texted back to see if I had enough sense to figure out how to use that feature.
The end. I forgot to ever take it anywhere, I never used it, we took it to Vancouver and I phoned one person one time for a ride and she wasn't home. I came home and looked at it for another week and thought: "f*ck it." and phoned the Bell folks to cancel it.
That was a chore in itself. "Do you know anyone who is interested in taking over this number?"
"No, I just want to cancel."
"We can find you a better plan, for your usage."
"ummm, yeah, my usage is zero so I think the best plan is called Cancel."
"We hate to lose you as a customer, is there some way we can rectify this problem?"
"Of course you hate to lose me, you're making almost $300 a year from me, and I'm not utilizing your services. There is no problem. I just don't want it."
"Can I put you on hold?"
"I guess. I don't know why. It's not like I'm some huge conglomerate that is cancelling a massive contract. Who are you going to notify? The president of Bell?"
"No ma'am, you don't have a contract, you just need to give us 30 days notice."
"Yes, I realize that, that's actually what this call is. A cancellation notice."
"Do you think there is anyone you know who would be interested in taking over this contract?"
"You know what? I don't know anyone. That's why I don't need this cell phone. Can I just cancel it...PLEASE?
"All right. Your final day of service will be July 4th. You will get a call to remind you."
"OK. Better use my land line since I have no idea where the cell phone even is."
End of story. I am probably the last person without a cell phone. And I like it.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Interruption
I interrupt this blog for a quick update and recent post of the best part of the whole trip...visiting "my" dogs.
Cranky looking Little Gyps...she hates to pose for pictures and makes no bones (ha...pun!) about it.
Dinners.
Just a quick shot of some of the dinners. The pictures aren't that great as Kathy (the 92 year old) was horrified that I was takng pictures of food. She said that in all the "75 years that I cooked, I never once took a picture of anything I was going to eat." I did seem to be the only one in the whole place taling pix of the dinners...but what the hell, you all know how I am about my foodie pix.
Vegetarian lasagna
Perch in parchment and wild rice.
More on Juneau.
After we came down from the tram, we did a little wandering around in Juneau. I bought an ulu knife for Shane here. Ulu knives are everywhere in Alaska, and they are an interesting sort of a thing. I would have felt bad not buying one...it's "the" thing to purchase, apparently.
The rain was coming down pretty heavy by this point, so we decided to head back to the ship. I stopped in a washroom on the way, only to run into Wendy. Honestly, considering that there were 3 other ships in port and probably ten thousand people in town...what are the chances?
Streets of Juneau
This set of stairs is actually a street, Carol Street. There are homes and businesses up there. Ketchikan also had odd little streets like this as well, I guess that's the way a town grows when it is situated on the side of a mountain. I'll bet that all their mail delivery people are pretty fit! The city has to shovel the stairs in the winter, it's no different than plowing the other "regular" roads.
Again, like Ketchikan, the streets are full of jewellery stores and fur stores. Not so much salmon here, but more fur and knives.
Juneau.
Another grey morning that looked like theskies were going to open at any second. We had hoped to meet one of Stevens friend here, but he couldn't make it, so we decided to explore a little on our own. We were only in Juneau until 1:45 so we didn't plan any shore excursions, which was a good thing because all the plane and helicopter ones were cancelled due to fog. Just look how low those clouds are, and look how close the ship docks to the bottom of the mountian...really quite spectacular.
We decided to go up the Mt. Roberts Tramway, knowing that the view probably would be somewhat obscured by the clouds, but it was clear enough that we could get a good view of the harbour and the town. There were some nice hiking trails up there, a restaurant and a theatre as well as the to-be-expected gift shop.
We decided to go up the Mt. Roberts Tramway, knowing that the view probably would be somewhat obscured by the clouds, but it was clear enough that we could get a good view of the harbour and the town. There were some nice hiking trails up there, a restaurant and a theatre as well as the to-be-expected gift shop.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
After the Duck Tour we decided to wander through the town centre. I had a plethora of coupons that I had recieved the prior day during a seminar on Shore Exursions. Now, a word about this "seminar". It was highly touted in the Freestyle Times as something you must send at least one family member too, it would give us fantastic hints and tips on making the disembarkation process easier, and tell us how and where to find the best bargains. I amost felt like I'd be locked up in the brig if I didn't make an appearance. All 4 of us went. OK. I should have known. It was nothing but a marketing ploy to try and send us to the jewellery stores that (obviously) got a kickback for sending us to their stores. The only good thing was all the coupons that we recieved. There were discount coupons at a select few of the jewellery stores, and you could redeem them for a free sapphire and garnet. The stones are genuine, but obviously of a low industrial grade (I mean seriously, are they going to give away thousands and thousands of free gemstones? Of course not) However, as we wandered, I kept an eye out for the stores and redeemed a couple of them. The stones are in a nice little jewellers envalope with the weight and type (no price however.) Outside one store, I was asking Steven what time we had to be back on the ship and I hear a voice saying: "12:30 PM" I looked up to see Wendy & Bud there...what are the chances? We made arrangements once again to meet for dinner.
During the Duck Tour, our guide kept blowing a small duck call. It was shaped like one of the yellow rubber duckies that you see, and it was on a nice neck cord (like a shoelace) that said "Ketchikan Duck Tour" all over it. I thought it would be a cute giftie for our neighbour's children. We have a family behind us that has 3 small kids (4 and under) and his sister lives on the other side of us with 3 small kids (these ones are 3 and under) We all watch each others houses etc when any of us are away. I figured it was a safe toy and all kids like a noisy toy. It made me chuckle with evil glee to give the families SIX noise makers...until this morning when I think I heard all 6 "quacking" outside at some ungodly early hour.
Lesson to be learned: Don't buy the neighbours kids noisy toys. Only buy them for far away loved ones.
Lesson to be learned: Don't buy the neighbours kids noisy toys. Only buy them for far away loved ones.
Towel Creatures.
The first night when we returned to our room, to my great amusement, we found a towel creature on the bed. To my greater glee, each night was a new one. It got to the point where I just couldn't wait to get back to my room to see what new animal was waiting for us!
Elephant?
Towel Creatures.
First glimpse of Ketchikan
The first glimpse of the town of Ketchikan, the weather looks good in the picture, but behind me was a lot of gray clouds.
Tuesday.
One of the many salmon stores.
The amphibian-type vehicle we were in.
Showing how many of the homes near the water are on stilts. Not looking so sturdy eh?Woke up to another gloomy morning. But, you know, when I flung my curtains open and looked outside to see our giant ship docked snuggly beside the mountain, and the little town of Ketchikan looking like it was tumbling down the mountainside, the weather didn't really matter. It reminded me of the poor cousin of Portofino or Cinque Terre.
Today was our first shore excursion, we had decided to to a city tour, called The Duck Tour (which was certainly appropriate considering the weather!) I like to take city tours when I am somewhere new, it gives me a feeling of knowing where I am and what the place is all about, especially if you are only somewhere for a day, I'd rather learn a little history than see the same souviner stores over and over.
Anyhow, we met our tour "bus" and hopped on. It was an amphibious vehicle that took us through the town and then drove right into the water and took us through the harbour area. Sort of a unique method of transportation.
The town of Ketchikan is "The Salmon Capital of the World" and most of the stores sold salmon in every shape and form. Candied salmon, smoked salmon, salmon jerky, salmon steaks, salmon fillets, canned, frozen, cryo-vacced, and even pet food. We didn't buy any as, somewhat ironically, our freezer at home is full of all of the above, as Steven's hunting buddy is a fish broker and send us cases and cases of it.
The Duck Tour was very entertaining, the young college student who was our guide has been born and grown up there, and was really informative. It was $38 each and lasted about 2 hours and wqe thought it was well worth it. Saw lots of eagles (people went strangely insane over eagles and almost knocked each other over to get pictures. An American thing maybe? I know the eagle is like a sign of freedom to many Americans.)
A lot of the houses in Ketchikan are built on stilts as they are close to the water and the tides are quite high. That is the older part of town, and it's been fixed up to appeal to tourists. The "regular" part of town was actually quite shabby, a lot of garbage strewn about and not overly appealing at all. One of those "nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there." I'd give Ketchikan a 6 out of 10 for attractiveness. (is that a real word?)
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