Incredible day

Oh, and there's more, much more.

JellyFish!

I took another kayaking trip into Secret Bay here in Glacier Bay National Park. One of the most surprising thing was seeing these jellyfish in the water as I left the bay. There's a channel that connects Secret Bay to the surrounding waters outside the islands, but it's only filled in at high tide. As the tide was flowing out from Secret Bay, as we headed back to the open waters, these jellyfish were riding the outgoing tide just as we were, though slightly slower. I also saw porpoises, sea lions, and a bear. I got better video than pictures of those, so I'm going to see if I can post them on YouTube.

Kayaking

I was kayaking out towards Secret Bay, and there's this small inlet that fills in at high tide. We let the rising tide carry us in through this beautiful inlet for a good mile or more. We didn't make it all the way to Secret Bay, but we saw some great scenery. I hope I remember bug spray next time. It was cool to see how much the tide would fill things in in the short time we were there. On the way out we saw a cruise ship passing us. Cool eh? I bet I ended up in more than a couple vacation photos, considering the beauty of the surrounding scenery.

-J

glacier

One of the perks of working for Glacier Bay Lodge is that we get to enjoy the boat rides for free. I took a morning from one of my days off to ride up the bay and get a look at the glaciers up there. It's really something to see. Huge. I just kept thinking "break, break, break" but only small pieces broke off. When I say small, we're really talking small like the size of a house, but I was hoping for massive calving here, and I didn't see that really, just 'small' pieces plunging into the ocean. I'm glad picasa's photo posting is working today, yesterday it was broken.

-J

Another Sunset

Just thought
I'd put another up. I've been working a lot of ten hour shifts lately, cooking for the employees instead of customers. I like it because I get to make my own menu, and I'm even in charge of a dishwasher, but sometimes I'd just rather have a job that I don't have to think about when I'm off. If I were working in the lodge kitchen I'd still be on the clock right now, but when I finished I wouldn't have to go home and contemplate what I've got to do tomorrow or what I'm going to feed the crew next week or what I could've done better, because it wouldn't be my choices, my recipes, or my kitchen. I'd just finish and think to myself "good enough" and get on about the rest of my life up here, like walking down forested paths and enjoying beautiful sunsets, or bringing some of the better pictures back to you and sharing my thoughts about them. I'd like to note that all the pictures I've put up so far have required less than 5 miles of walking, and probably less than 3. I have some pictures of the glaciers I should put up, but we'll get to that. I hope everything is going well back home. I plan on going kayaking on tuesday, and maybe again on wednesday. Next week I might go kayak-camping overnight as well. I can get dropped off out in the back-country by the tour boat and picked up the next day, so it'd be pretty exciting, but I want to get used to moving a kayak around first.

-J

can you say "temperate rainforest"?

Heidi, an already good friend of mine out here, took this picture while we were hiking out to the river, not far from where I'm staying. I had to get a picture of this because not only does it show the moss that grows so much on the trees out here, but it looks like a moss covered man. I'm getting some overtime out here, and having a great time. I have to get someone a camping stove, so I'll have to stop there.

-J

Great view, very cool friends

In the foreground is Gil, he's my roommate and a very cool guy. In the background is Katie, another of the employees out here. Katie has a way of looking at people she's just met like she already knows them and has for a long time. One of the support people sent out from the corporate office said during a training session that she'd never seen a team of seasonal employees like us. None of us have been here any longer than a couple of weeks, most of us for only a few days, and we already treat eachother like old friends and family. For the most part you'd only see someone eating alone or hiking alone if they wanted to be alone.
The beach in this pic is just a short walk from the cabins where we sleep. You can get an excellent view from the lodge and sunset lasts for hours up here, it starts around 9 or so and lasts until nearly midnight. I'm really happy being here. I hope everyone back home is well.

A new sunset, at 9:30 pm.

I wanted to share this with you, my first impression of Alaska. I was coming in at about 9:30 at night, and we were literally flying off into the sunset. I only got this shot after we were turning and getting ready to land. The sunset was the slowest I've seen, but I'll probably see slower. I wonder how long it takes for that to get old, because watching the sunset is great and it often seems like it's just not long enough, but up here, it could be going overboard. Dusk lasted until almost midnight. I was laughing from the moment we started to descend until well after I got off the plane. It's beautiful here. I wish I had been taking pictures as I got off the plane, but like I said, I was laughing. I'm too poor for a hotel room, so I'm hanging out in the airport, but I think it should still be a pretty good summer. Actually I lost my debit card and my cell phone in Seattle, but on the upside I did get to see my little girl while I was there. As we said goodbye she gave me a really long hug. It crossed my mind that it would be a moment to cry. Perhaps I should say heart instead of mind, I mean I felt it, but at the same time I just felt so happy to have that time with her, even if I knew it would be the last time I'd see her before September. I hope to find time to post pictures frequently during my stay here. I hope all of you are well.

-J

Results

I just got my grades back for this past semester. I got 4 A's and a B+. That means I graduate from culinary school with a 3.65 GPA. I'm pretty happy about that, and so is buddha.

The view up here - sunset.

I don't know if I've mentioned why I like living up here against the hillside. There's definitely a down-side to being up here. It's a long drive to the freeway, and to school, and to anywhere I'd work. I can't just stroll down to a grocery store in any decent amount of time. I have to take the car to get groceries unless I have a lot of time for the walk. Too steep for the bike to be practical, even though I'm in decent shape. There are plenty of reasons why being up here is hard, but being up here is really good. The rent's cheaper than elsewhere in town because it's out of the way, and this is the view I get at sundown. It was hard to get a good picture, I don't think the sky was really that bright, but I couldn't get a shot that truly approximated the right light level. Still, it's a really pretty sunset and I like being able to see all the way across the valley, and even see the lake out there. It's miles away, but I can see it all from up here. I love it.

-CJB

Baby Got Back - Gilbert and Sullivan Style

I hope this makes you laugh as much as I did.

When did 'homosexual' become a noun?

We had a rather heated debate today in my ethics and values class about homosexuality. We talked about whether it's right for them to marry, to raise kids, or just if it's ok for them to be homosexual. I have another, related issue I'd like to rant about. When did it become a noun? Imagine being a kid growing up with this debate going on, and everyone talking about homosexuality as something that some people are and some people are not. With all the hormones and such going on during puberty, it's already a pretty confusing time in life. When we talk of homosexual as something that some people just are, doesn't it reasonably follow that kids are going to feel a need to define themselves in terms of this distinction? Do you think that's wise? Is it good for a kid to look at himself (herself) and notice traits that some people ascribe to homosexuals and then follow by thinking "well, maybe I'm just gay" do you think that's good? I think it's pretty clear that the way everyone talks about homosexuality as an "is" rather than a "does" confuses the issue. Now let's look at whether or not it's valid. Someone close to me has chosen an alternative lifestyle. She grew up Christian, married a man, had kids, raised them, had some problems along the way but don't we all? Eventually, she decided she'd be happier living with another woman. It bothers me to describe her as "a lesbian," but not because it bugs me that she lives that way, but because that's simply not who she is. It's something she does, it's a choice she made, but that's not who she is. She's a caring woman, she's kind and considerate, she works hard, she keeps her home beautiful, she was a good mother. I don't think of her as "a lesbian" nor anyone else who chooses that lifestyle. It's not something you are, it's something some people do, and something that people start and stop doing at points in their life.

I can't rant about this anymore. I just can't stand it. You're all blind.

The first tree I really dislike

This tree, alone among it's brothers, has incurred my distaste. As you can see, it is blocking the view from my balcony. Had I wanted to pay more and have more trouble moving into my apartment, possibly having to give up some of my furniture, I might have gotten a better view. I may try to make the move to one of the nicer apartments when my lease is up, if any of the good spots are open. For now, I'm up here on the north side and this tree is starting to grow its leaves. I don't mind this tree when it's bare, but when those leaves come, that's pretty much the end of my stunning view of the valley.
During the winter I can see all the way out across the lake, and that's a long way to be able to see. I laugh sometimes thinking what other people paid for their houses up here on the hill, only to have a slightly lower vantage point than the one I enjoy. All that laughter comes to an end this month as the tree outside my balcony sprouts leaves and readies itself for summer. This view will be all but blocked unless, by some friendly twist of fate, some of these offending branches happen to fall to the ground.

But that wouldn't happen...