Commitment! Actions speak louder than words!!

What a view!!

    When a person commits to something, it is an  agreement  to giving their all to that thing.   It is not just a word, commitment is

This group made some huge finds in Cheney Lake!!

 an action. 

   I have made the commmitment to get another degree  and this time it will be in Environmental Studies.  This means I will do whatever it takes to make this happen for me.  I am hoping I will be done in two years, not three.   I am not only saying this, but I have put action to it. How?

This summer I have been working on my junior praticum and it involves completing various environmental projects

in which I have become involved in community projects not only in Anchorage, but also down in Homer, AK. 

Of course I had to go to Homer because I love the place and the people there.  I feel like I am at home in Homer.

I met so many people that live there that are sustainable and environmentally frinedly folks.   My next trip down I was invited back by so many people I am not sure if I will have time to visit everyone!! 

My first stop was to go to KBBI radio station and help them start a garden on the other side of the building they occupied.  This was a god send because through her, I got hooked up in the city with many other folks that grew organic gardens.  One name came up often as I spoke to people and now I am privvy to the sustainable Homer email list. 

The day ended with a visit to one of the Marimba bands practices.  I was thinking I would only stay half an  hour.  I stayed the entire pracitce.. it was so amazing and beautiful to hear one of the five marimba bands in  H omer pracitce.  I was quite surprised when someone mentioned margaritas and the next thing i know, we are heading to Don Jose’s restaurant!!

I also cleaned out a greenhouse for the Land Trust there.   I was so happy to meet so many wonderful people.  After cleaning the greenhouse, I was invited to the Dawg to hear Sailor stories.  It was a great time and I felt so much at

home with all those story tellers!!  Good thing I was staying on the spit, it was not a long way home and I could not get pulled over for drunk driving!!

What a mess

I met and worked with folks from the Islands and Oceans Center in which I was invited back to go to Peterson Bay and do a clam survey later this summer.

In my commitment, I am trying to learn about the benefits of eating organic foods and cooking with more natural products.  Since my commitment has grown stronger, I have also chosen which market I will do most of my shopping at.  This market is also where I have found my most wonderful friend that supports me in my endeavors.  Another God-Send!!  I am so lucky!!

Now that is commitment, he helps me, I help him.   He asks me how I am, I ask him how he is and so on.   We help each other, its not a ” all about me” type of deal.  Its a win win siuation for both of us.  I am very  happy with this man!!

I also commmited to making the environment a better place.   Here is how: I ride my bike all around town so I can leave a smaller carbon footprint or I walk!!  What a great way to get some good exercise!!

  I ride the bus if necessary.  My car sits in the driveway alot .  Its used to run multiple errands and on long rides with others.  

 I buy items that are in recyclable containers.  Such as laundry powder.  ( Yes, I went back to powder)  Plastic bottles have a harder time being recycled here in Anchorage and so therefore I have gone to paper boxes.  I buy drinks in metal cans so they can easily be recyled and I use a stainless steel water bottle.  I air dry my clothes.  Saves me money  and my clothes last longer.  I clean with natural products like baking soda and vinegar.  Costs a whole lot less than the man made chemicals and is better for me and the earth!!

I buy local.  Local buying supports Alaska’s economy.  Everyone wins when consumers buy local.  I do it buy supporting local shops such as Speedway Cycles instead of REI and I buy veggies at the farmer’s market when I can or from a local CSA.  When in Homer, I know enough folks that give away fresh veggies so I can have a wonderful supply when down there.
I cook large meals.  I recently made a wonderful batch of turkey chili and was pleaseantly pleased with my outcome.  I made enough to freeze for when I go camping the next time.  Sharing this food with other campers is a great way to introduce non believers to turkey/tofu food!!

My commitment goes beyond what I do at my house.  I am currently seeking out wild alaska plants that are edible.  Many people cannot believe that marigolds are good for sore skin.  Jalapaenos are good for congestion.   Yes, food is medicine if it is used for the right reasons.  But the food shoudl be pesticide free.

To me, life needs a purpose, without a purpose life is meaningless.  All that constant drinking and partying gets old and is pointless.  Not many people will remember you in the next week.

However, the environment will be around a long time and if each of us do our part to protect it, it will last a long time and I want my commitment to show for something.  Partying all the time does  nothing but perhaps a liver transplant.  What do your actions say about you?

 

I came to Alaska eight years ago even though I had been told “the odds are good but the goods are odd”.

I did not realize this meant the human population!!  I have had some strange  human encounters while living up here and have not had one bad incident with animals.  In fact, I have been very close to moose and have not been attacked.  I have come close to bears and have not been attacked.  But, getting close to humans is a different story.  Perhaps it’s those that I choose to make friends with.  Perhaps.

Sun set shows the cols as it reflects off a building in January.

I was told when I first came up here that people that move to Alaska move here to get away in an attempt to run away from something.   The only thing I wanted to run away from was this town I grew up in and saw no future in it for me.  I needed direction, a change, more mountain air.  So my choice to either move to Kalispell, Mt or to Alaska was won over once I had visited Alaska.

So, now that I have been up here for eight years, I feel like I have finally met some wonderful people that I can call friends.  Funny for me though, it seems my friends and those that  I can count on are all older than me. I don’t know why, but even growing up I got along better with my brothers that were over fifteen years older than me.

For some reason, I have been attracted to Homer, AK since my initial visit.   A few weeks ago, I went  to do some work for my practicum and found that the people in Homer  are extremely inviting and fun to hang around with.   I am now planning another week’s visit to this wonderful town.  This time though will mark a wonderful trip across Katchamak Bay to Tutka bay.  A small, remote island where one can live off the land for months at a time before the heavy snow falls.   My next trip to Homer will include traveling across the bay to Peterson Bay to do clam surveying.  Ive also been invited back to just enjoy people and t heir hospitality.  How can I resist!!!

I also know that a lot of men who are not afraid of hard workand  work out  of and in Homer.  Last year a guy that wanted to go out on his boat and had let his deckhand off fo r the day offered to take me and my frined out.  Sadly enough, we had already had plans to do some clamdigging.

Fire

Although these trips include work, it shows that the town is still open to operating on the barter system.  Larger cities deem in only money and no trust in a person’s word.  I firmly believe in the barter system and believe in being rewarded for those who earnestly seek rewards for hard work.  It seems like I am finnally getting paid for all of the time I spent giving to people in the last twenty years.

I keep saying I want to move to Homer, this has proven to me that Homer could indeed be the place for me to live.  I have old fashioned values and Homer loves those kind of people who are willing to give in receipt for something other than money.   I have found the people there appreciative of anyone willing to help and lend a hand. That is something hard to find today.

Anchorage has taught me that many single people are single because of how they choose to live and act towards those they get close to.

Although Homer has a lot of bars, there are other things to do besides go to the bars.  Fortunatley for me, I have met  crafters and bakers that are always wanting to get to gether for one reason or another.  Bars, going to them constantly, are a waste of time and money.  I did that after  high school and have grown out of the need to make an ass of myself.

I did not come to Alaska in order to run away from something,  I came to experince life in a whole new way!!  And that I have been!!

One thing that I will say, the odds are good, but the goods are odd.

As you can see, I am still single!!   ( but loving it)!!