Why Alaska?
Tonight we are going out to dinner with the people from work as a send off party to one of the girls. She’s being sent to the lending department (oohh’s and ahh’s please, this is LENDING) and the “chemistry” of the branch is being electrified by moving people around. Then after dinner there will be kind of a cocktail party at the parting girl’s apartment. A couple weeks ago I was looking up some stuff about Alaska, trying to figure out shuttle schedules compared to hiking schedules and trying to decide if we’re going to want to go to the Arctic circle or whitewater rafting in Denali. We’ll be in Alaska for 9 blissful days at the end of July and we’re starting to plan some stuff. I don’t know what we thought we’d be doing but the reality of the trip, rather than just the idea, needs to be addressed. We’re not the kind of vacationers that laze about and let the chips fall where they may, oh no. We plan everything. If there was a specially made sticker that says, “Spontaneous fun and perfect dinner” than we would own them to stick on various days in the trip planner. I always hate those schleps that hope good things are going to happen, whether it’s a trip or bbq, but never plan for good things and then act shocked and disappointed in life that things don’t erupt into good times just because they wanted them to. This stuff takes at least a little effort. So, we’re planning. And while I was cruising around online checking things out my supervisor (the poor girl that’s leaving) came up and asked what I was doing. After I told her she said, “Why would you want to go to Alaska?” I was so amazed that someone would ask that, I sputtered through and tried to sum up in mere words the Majesty and Idea of Alaska but, again amazingly, she didn’t sound too convinced. She’s … young. Anyway she’s leaving soon and I’m going to miss those cute little comments. Bless her Californian city girl heart. She doesn’t know what lilacs smell like either, so sad. Just weird.
On a side note we’re still trying to decide between going to the Arctic circle and whitewater rafting in Denali. Or “flight seeing” the mountain. What to do, what to do? I’m also wondering if I should factor in the fact that water in Alaska might be a shade colder than what I’m used to or if I should not try to think about that. I mean, what’s a little chicken skin and blue lips between friends?