Alaskan Adventure

Northern Lights!!!!!

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:41 -0800

I’m standing at “7 mile” around 1:30 in the morning, we did a little fishing (no luck) and some fire spinning. Then all of a sudden Joe starts saying “shut your light off, Aurora Borealis , Aurora Borealis. And I look up to the north by the mountains and sure as shit there they are. The NORTHERN LIGHTS!!! I was in awe. The green and faint red lights dancing across the sky is unreal. Breath taking. The sounds around us are amazing. The water of the ibec river, the fish jumping at flies and the wolfs howling. It was one of the most amazing nights I’ve had here in Cordova. I have spent many hours late into the night looking for the lights. Boundary Waters, Quetico, Isle Royal, Minog, Haward, Lake Nebagamon but no avail. Only once in Hayward with my now brother in-law stranded on a pontune boat in the middle if the lake an they were very faint. Only in Alaska did I experience the Aurora Borealis. It was really amazing. They left me speechless. Then we herd wolfs howling in the night. By the way I forgot to mention that it was a full moon. The beautiful white orb lights up the whole sky. Stars were out. It was…. well you need to experience it someday.

On our way back we were looking closely at the road for wondering animals. We saw something. Didn’t know quite what it was at first. Joe flipped a Uiey and got right next to it. His dad Randy said “don’t hit it Joe, don’t hit it. Joe got out of the car and chased it. It was a freakin porcupine. It was pretty neat to see it so close up.

Once again I will say Mother Nature is…. well to say the least extremely beautiful. I respect her and ALL of her creations.

Ta ta for now.

Parents......

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:51:44 -0800

My parents arrived in Cordova,Alaska!!!!! I was excited for them to come in a way that I didn’t really know untill I saw my mom. I guess I had a huge smile on my face. Bigger than Adam ( the reluctant’s manager) had ever seen on my face before. Also when I gave my mom a hug it was like I didn’t want to let go. Know what I’ve put my mom threw several years ago and having amended our relationship, I am just now (@1:40am) realizing how much my parents mean to me. I am excited that they are here. I have no idea what they will do but it’s great to see them. I believe that my sister( and all 4 of her kids and her husband) and I, how blessed we are to have the parents that were chosen for us. Is it their parents that I should thank or is it……. I don’t know. And it doesn’t really matter. They are who they are and is such an amazing thing.

I don’t understand how some parents don’t or can’t love their kids more than their own life. I know my parents do, I know my sister does, and I know Amy and her sister does. Love is a very powerful quality to have.

So I love my parents to death and am above grateful for them. And I also love any other parent that loves their kids more than themselves. It is truly amazing to give and show unconditional love. I hope that some day I can give and show unconditional love to all of my fellows.

Ta Ta for now

S'mores......

Tue, 11 May 2010 02:45:00 -0800

It’s 2am and I’m watching the 2 foot radius of coals burn down from a fire that we has on a sea shell covered beach. We made a fire pit out of rock from this “mine”. The story of the “mine” is that the first person in Cordova had to claim his land. And to do that he had to claim a mine. So there was this hole cut into the rock and kinda looked like a mine. So he claimed it as his. So there were some fallen rocks, but the problem is that the rock is very brittle. So it crumbles. We had to be careful so that the rocks didn’t crumble. We set up a like a 4 foot fire pit. We dug out the sea shells and had ourselves a little fire pit. It’s very nice. I have written some stuff about the burn pile. This fire pit is much better. It’s very quant. The sound of the fire and the waves are quite soothing. Very peaceful.

So the s’mores part: Nothing beats golden brown melted marshmallow, graham cracker and Hershey’s chocolate. It’s sooooo good. Brings back many childhood memories. Warm feelings and good times sitting around the camp fire in the Boundary Waters, Isle Royale or Minong, Wisconsin. I have had many amazing times sitting around the campfire reading stories, telling jokes, watching stars and yes of course eating s’mores. Good times, good times.

Putting out the fire is pretty simple and easy. The only this is that all I had was a 32oz nalgene water bottle. So I had to fill it up a few times. My left hand was so cold after filling up the water bottle. The ocean water up here is wicked cold. So my hands felt like ice cubes. But it’s all worth it for a few s’mores.

This is a quote from a great movie. It’s called the sandlot. One kid offers another kind of dorky kid for a s’more. He doesn’t…… Here’s the quote:

Ham Porter: Hey, you want a s’more?

Smalls: Some more of what?

Ham Porter: No, do you want a s’more?

Smalls: I haven’t had anything yet… so how can I have some more of nothing?

Ham Porter: You’re killing me, Smalls! These are s’mores stuff. Okay, pay attention. First you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow’s flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then, you stuff.

Ta Ta for now.

Grateful to be ME!!!!

Mon, 03 May 2010 01:15:07 -0800

This post isn’t to make myself superior than anybody else. I am extremely grateful to be the person that i am. I am in debt to a few things/people. First, My parents. They were so great to me. Everybody knows that i was a handful, but one thing that my dad told me was that they (mom and dad) never gave up on me. That is one of the greatest things that they have ever done for me. The values and morals they SHOWED me is half the reason that I am who I am today. The other part is AA. AA as well SHOWED me how to life rightly and be a plain old good person. That is just one of many things AA has taught me. I am also extremely grateful for AA.

The reason for this post is that some of the people i work with are just…… well its hard to explain. The bottom line is that, we are different. I like to think of myself as a caring person. Just an all around good dude. Also i think i forgive pretty quick. I really strive to be a good person. I know that i want to be treated good. So i try to treat others good. But i must say that i am not perfect at this by any means. This is what a strive to be. I don’t always get there. But I try real hard. So When I see people who are quite different than me, it makes me very very happy to be me. And its also makes me feel for the other person who is being treat like shit. Wheateer they deserve it or not, I still feel for them. I wouldn’t trade me for anybody else. I’m not saying that i am perfect, i’m just saying that i am ecstatic to be me. Thanks to all who have affected me. Good, Bad or Indifferent, i have taken something from everybody that i come into contact with. I think this picture sums up me…….GOOFY!!!!!! And I am proud to be ME!!!

The burn pile…..and FIRE Getting bigger by the...

Sat, 01 May 2010 01:28:36 -0800

The burn pile…..and FIRE

Getting bigger by the minute. Fire is so magestic. The way it moves. The sounds it makes. The smells and the colors. They all facinate me. I have always loved fire. It’s just so beautiful. It has so much power. The sparks flying over the fire, look like little fire flies flying around. Then they burn out and it turns to ashes. And it looks like it’s snowing. So cool. I am at peace right now. I feel very powered right now. If I look behind me there is still very llittle light over this one mountian. I can see the clouds and the stars. It’s so amazing to be thing close to Mother Nature. She is beautiful. So it’s been about 15 minutes and the fire is pretty much getting bigger. It’s expanded it “wing span”, grown high and much hotter. Such power in there.

Well we just left the burn pile. It was so much fun. I really feel great after going there. It’s like I have thrown all my “junk” in the fire and I can’t get any of it back. It’s very clensing. Now off to bed smelling like a fire and I wish I had some smores.

Ta ta for now.

There is a natural disaster training for the army, air force,...

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:44:28 -0800

There is a natural disaster training for the army, air force, and coast guard up here and we’ve been making breakfast for them. We have to be up at 5 am to prepare the meal. It sucks. Ever since I was a little boy I have always hated the mornings. Something about it. And then when I started working in restaurants, waking up was even harder. The rush of the kitchen gets your blood rushing. Abd then trying to fall a sleep in a bitch. But we have had to wake up 3 morning and today was the third day and the easiest to wake up for.

Just Thought you’d like to see a view from the back of the Reluctant. Nice view of the harbor.

These are the best pancakes i’ve ever had. They are made...

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:28:59 -0800

These are the best pancakes i’ve ever had. They are made from a 50 or so year old starter. They are so delish. Also cane with raindeer sausage. Also tastes pretty good.

From the last post: Cordova,Alaska

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:17:21 -0800

From the last post: Cordova,Alaska

Cordova, Alaska

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:34:48 -0800

I’ve been here (it just started to rain) a little longer (it just stopped raining) than 2 weeks. I’m a little more settled. The first few days were a little uncertin. Now I’m a bit more comfortable. Although I’m not in “my” room per say. I will be living in like a 12x12 room. Nothing but a bed, a light and a sink. Pretty bare but at a great price. FREE!!!! So I’m kinda still living out of my duffles. I feel bad because Amy spent a lot of time helping me with packing my bag, because in destroying her work. Sorry Amy :0)

The town is really small but very nice. There are mountains everywhere. When I wake up and look out the window you can’t help but feel something bigger than you. The air is so fresh. Everyone is simple up here. People wear xtra tufs, (waterproof rubber boots) Jeans, Hoodies and rain coats. Pretty simple. The food is as well very simple. But simple doesn’t mean bland. For the past 2 mornings we went to the coho(restaurant/bar) and they serve the best fucking sourdough pancakes I have every had. They smell like fresh baked pretzels and taste like they have a little bannana purée in them but they don’t. It’s just the over 50 year starter. Put some whipped butter and syrup. OMG!!!!!They taste so good. The other day we had harborside pizza. Pretty good brick oven pizza. Not bad at all. I tried SPAM for the first time a couple days ago. I really liked it. Can’t wait to try more of it. There are these crackers up here call pilot bread. They are what fisherman eat on the boats. The are like a hard cracker but taste really good. So that’s that about the food, oh and I’ve taken a liking to kool-aid. There is this Invisible grape flavor that is awesome. And it looks like water.

Right now it’s really pretty out. I’ve been writing this post all night. First a little rain. Before it was snowing and now it’s sunny. The birds are flying by. The seagulls are chirping. It’s really beautiful. The clouds are behind a mountian. It looks pretty cool.

It’s very peaceful. Bottom line.

Ta ta for now

Just a quick smoke break on a sunny night at 8:00pm

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:25:11 -0800

Just a quick smoke break on a sunny night at 8:00pm

Chaos...

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:08:39 -0800

Chaos is awesome!!!!!! There is something about the chaos of a kitchen that I love and have always loved. I can remember back to my first job at the Italian KItchen in Deerfield. From the first day I could tell that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. The energy of a fast moving kitchen is something that I could relate to when I first started working. I was 13 or 14. It was a rough time in my life. It was filled with chaos. My home life was chaotic, school was chaotic ad worst of all everything in my head was chaotic. The kitchen was the only thing at the time that turned off all that chaos.

Even today, where my life is a little less chaotic, I still get this sence of ease in the kitchen when it is really cranking out food.

I love chaos! End of story.

Ta ta for now

Left turns

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:54:10 -0800

I’m looking out at Prince Willam Sound. I see many fishing boat that are on a sheet of “glass water” and the first 2 boats I see are called….(a seagull just walked right past me)…. “AMY” and the other is “Nip and tuck”. Gotta say that that is kinda odd. I’m almost 3,000 miles from where I have spent almost 5 years with the love of my life, but I feel like she is right here with me.

Looking out into the sound is really spectacular. So many peaks capped with snow. When I look 45 degrees to the left I see mountains. Then I look another 45 degrees and there are more mountians. Then I look another 45 degrees and there are more mountians. It’s amazing. I can never get board of mother nature no matter where I am.

Ta ta for now

Kitchen

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:12:26 -0800

I’m sitting at the snow city cafe in anchorage Alaska. I look to my left and I see the kitchen. I feel at ease. Then look to my right and see that it’s snowing. I think of my future and get a little worried, but also feel a little peace when i see the beauty of the snow. Then look back to the left and see the chaos in the kitchen and feel at ease again. I love a kitchen. No matter where I am, I’ve always been fasinated with kitchens. Something about the noises, smells, and the shouting and yelling. The heat and the fast pace has been something that relaxes me. The cool tools that we chefs use to create our food…. Lost my train of thought. I have to pay my bill. All I’m trying to say is that I feel peace around a kitchen. Maybe the kitchen is some sort of HP to me. That thought has never came to me untill this very moment. Kinda weird.

Ta ta for now.

Love doesn’t care about distance!

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:30:27 -0800

Love doesn’t care about distance!

Last day in Chicago.......

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:03:36 -0800

So I’m sitting outside on the porch smoking a cigar. I’m about to leave for 6 months to go cook in Cordova alaska. For me the future is unknown right now. Come to think of it the future is always unknown. I am a few hours from departing Chicago. I am a little numb about it. Amy has yet to come by and say goodbye. I think after that it will be a but more real. But i have many years of happy memories with her. They have been great. I also have many years of memories with my AA friends. I will take them wherever i go….

The unknown is at times peaceful.

Ta ta for now.