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)!!
