JANUARY 1991:
My Boss and I drove out to the dump very late at night and saw the Northern Lights for the first time. They are not colorful here, they consisted of a band of white that dipped sedately towards the earth. The natives do no whistle at the Northern Lights.
Some excitement New Year's Eve. A native man who was described as suicidal pointed a pistol at a cop, shot the cop in his leg. The cop shot the man and killed him. My first suicide by cop.
Got all bundled up to go with Boss and her husband to view the fireworks they set off on New Years Eve. Everyone parks their trucks more or less in big circle around the beach. The local radio station KBRW hosts the show. The wind was blowing about 40 mph and it was chilly. They had to keep warning the kids to stay away from the fireworks. They then set the fireworks off and they blew up about three feet and whizzed off in the direction of the wind. Just like the 4th of July back home except there were no mosquitos and no beer. Next time I will be listening to the festivities on the radio.
Took a ride today to see the south array of radar units. We spotted the local reindeer herd. They manage to scrape through the snow and nibble the tundra grass. The reindeer did not always inhabit this particular area of the North Slope. There is a big herd called the Porcupine herd that migrates through Anaktuvuk Pass from the Yukon.
At any rate the local natives were having a very bad winter about a hundred years ago and I believe the local whalers organized getting a herd of reindeer from Russia. They have been here ever since. The locals hunt them but not until they are gone.
The hospital does not have transcription on site. However, one of the doctors handed Judy a tape on which he had just dictated a discharge summary. Well, the choices were to mail the tape to a lady in Fairbanks or go looking for some equipment so I could type the discharge summary. Judy found the unit for playback and I typed the thing. Easy, Peasy.
I got off early one day and walked to the PO for mail and then stopped at Sam and Lee's place. It is run by Korean's and every once in a while I hear the gentleman singing. I like to think of it as Korean Opera. I found that the place is weirdly segregated. I walked into the door facing the PO and there were all native men sitting there. The guy running the place swiftly ushered me into another room. Okaaaay. I had the Mongolion Beef and it was GOOD.
The other half of the building that holds the hospital has the health clinic, the dentist offices and the optometrist offices. All of these people cycle out regularly to the village clinics. I met Grant Humphry who is the optometrist. He does Steve Martin impressions, occasionally pokes his head into the medial record department and chortles, "I get paid for doing thisssss!"
Grant also was doing DJ duty during a recent fund drive. He told the following joke,
"How do you make French toast?"
"First you toast the bread...then you stick your tongue through it!".
I thought that was worth a Friendship Pledge and I get a T-shirt and a coffee mug.
Grant also sponsored a Make a Hat Contest. The hat had to be based on the white folding paper caps that cooks wear in the kitchen. MOTTO: WHETHER YOUR WALLET IS THIN OR HEAD IS FAT GET OFF YOUR SEAT AND DESIGN A HAT.
and we did. I rolled my hat into my typewriter and typed all fabulous words on it and it was deemed a "head trip". I didn't win but we did all get ice cream sundaes. Yay!
January 15, 1991: The Persian Gulf Deadline. The local churches are holding an all night prayer vigil and rang their bell at noon for peace.
The computer at work is finally back up and running. Now I can start working on all the discharge charts since October. Erk.
A friend sent me a care package from Idaho, 5 lbs of cheddar cheese and chips. Nachos!!!!!
The Mexican place Pepe's North Of The Border is sponsoring a soul food menu; Southern Fried Chicken, Collard greens with ham hocks and black eyes peas.
Very tense day 1-16-91 listening to coverage of Operation Desert Storm.
1-17-91 Jesus SCUD missiles.
1-18-91 War coverage seems to have tapered off, much less tension.
Ate at Teriyaki House for lunch. Had Teriyaki Chicken with rice and shrimp tempura.
Watched a racquetball tournament at Puirragvik (Not sure but it may translate as place to have fun). Very nice facility. Weight room, sauna, racquetball court, basketball court.
The high school has an Olymic sized swimming pool that is open to the public in the evening.
Judy and I drove out south of the airport to take pictures of the first sunrise of 1991, it was January 23 1991 at 1:09 pm. I took several pictures and mailed the film to Carla and called her and asked her to get them enlarged a big as possible.
Took my Alaska Driver's license test and passed with flying colors. Only missed one question because I marked it wrong. I am now qualified to drive a Borough vehicle should the occasion arise (doubtful everything is within walking distance).
It has been a bit windy so much so that the curtains on my firmly sealed windows occasionally puff from the leaking wind. However, my apartment, ALL of the apartments are kept ridiculously warm. And there is zero humidity!! That creates static the likes of which blows up phones if you do not ground yourself before answering them. Hence the need for lots of plants and a very good humidifier.
Kigvik or Messenger Feast is going on now. It does not occur annually but only when one mayor feels like inviting everyone to his town to celebrate. Kind of like a giant family reunion, lots of feasting and Eskimo dancing and Eskimo games. And it is all broadcast on the Eskimo channel. Very festive. I don't think anyone sleeps.
That's it for January 1991.
My Boss and I drove out to the dump very late at night and saw the Northern Lights for the first time. They are not colorful here, they consisted of a band of white that dipped sedately towards the earth. The natives do no whistle at the Northern Lights.
Some excitement New Year's Eve. A native man who was described as suicidal pointed a pistol at a cop, shot the cop in his leg. The cop shot the man and killed him. My first suicide by cop.
Got all bundled up to go with Boss and her husband to view the fireworks they set off on New Years Eve. Everyone parks their trucks more or less in big circle around the beach. The local radio station KBRW hosts the show. The wind was blowing about 40 mph and it was chilly. They had to keep warning the kids to stay away from the fireworks. They then set the fireworks off and they blew up about three feet and whizzed off in the direction of the wind. Just like the 4th of July back home except there were no mosquitos and no beer. Next time I will be listening to the festivities on the radio.
Took a ride today to see the south array of radar units. We spotted the local reindeer herd. They manage to scrape through the snow and nibble the tundra grass. The reindeer did not always inhabit this particular area of the North Slope. There is a big herd called the Porcupine herd that migrates through Anaktuvuk Pass from the Yukon.
At any rate the local natives were having a very bad winter about a hundred years ago and I believe the local whalers organized getting a herd of reindeer from Russia. They have been here ever since. The locals hunt them but not until they are gone.
The hospital does not have transcription on site. However, one of the doctors handed Judy a tape on which he had just dictated a discharge summary. Well, the choices were to mail the tape to a lady in Fairbanks or go looking for some equipment so I could type the discharge summary. Judy found the unit for playback and I typed the thing. Easy, Peasy.
I got off early one day and walked to the PO for mail and then stopped at Sam and Lee's place. It is run by Korean's and every once in a while I hear the gentleman singing. I like to think of it as Korean Opera. I found that the place is weirdly segregated. I walked into the door facing the PO and there were all native men sitting there. The guy running the place swiftly ushered me into another room. Okaaaay. I had the Mongolion Beef and it was GOOD.
The other half of the building that holds the hospital has the health clinic, the dentist offices and the optometrist offices. All of these people cycle out regularly to the village clinics. I met Grant Humphry who is the optometrist. He does Steve Martin impressions, occasionally pokes his head into the medial record department and chortles, "I get paid for doing thisssss!"
Grant also was doing DJ duty during a recent fund drive. He told the following joke,
"How do you make French toast?"
"First you toast the bread...then you stick your tongue through it!".
I thought that was worth a Friendship Pledge and I get a T-shirt and a coffee mug.
Grant also sponsored a Make a Hat Contest. The hat had to be based on the white folding paper caps that cooks wear in the kitchen. MOTTO: WHETHER YOUR WALLET IS THIN OR HEAD IS FAT GET OFF YOUR SEAT AND DESIGN A HAT.
and we did. I rolled my hat into my typewriter and typed all fabulous words on it and it was deemed a "head trip". I didn't win but we did all get ice cream sundaes. Yay!
January 15, 1991: The Persian Gulf Deadline. The local churches are holding an all night prayer vigil and rang their bell at noon for peace.
The computer at work is finally back up and running. Now I can start working on all the discharge charts since October. Erk.
A friend sent me a care package from Idaho, 5 lbs of cheddar cheese and chips. Nachos!!!!!
The Mexican place Pepe's North Of The Border is sponsoring a soul food menu; Southern Fried Chicken, Collard greens with ham hocks and black eyes peas.
Very tense day 1-16-91 listening to coverage of Operation Desert Storm.
1-17-91 Jesus SCUD missiles.
1-18-91 War coverage seems to have tapered off, much less tension.
Ate at Teriyaki House for lunch. Had Teriyaki Chicken with rice and shrimp tempura.
Watched a racquetball tournament at Puirragvik (Not sure but it may translate as place to have fun). Very nice facility. Weight room, sauna, racquetball court, basketball court.
The high school has an Olymic sized swimming pool that is open to the public in the evening.
Judy and I drove out south of the airport to take pictures of the first sunrise of 1991, it was January 23 1991 at 1:09 pm. I took several pictures and mailed the film to Carla and called her and asked her to get them enlarged a big as possible.
Took my Alaska Driver's license test and passed with flying colors. Only missed one question because I marked it wrong. I am now qualified to drive a Borough vehicle should the occasion arise (doubtful everything is within walking distance).
It has been a bit windy so much so that the curtains on my firmly sealed windows occasionally puff from the leaking wind. However, my apartment, ALL of the apartments are kept ridiculously warm. And there is zero humidity!! That creates static the likes of which blows up phones if you do not ground yourself before answering them. Hence the need for lots of plants and a very good humidifier.
Kigvik or Messenger Feast is going on now. It does not occur annually but only when one mayor feels like inviting everyone to his town to celebrate. Kind of like a giant family reunion, lots of feasting and Eskimo dancing and Eskimo games. And it is all broadcast on the Eskimo channel. Very festive. I don't think anyone sleeps.
That's it for January 1991.
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