First Post From the Frontier

Just moved up here to the magical 49th state. Wow. Wonders abound up here, but as with any transition, there are things both good and bad.
Good:

• It's cold. I know that puts me in the minority, but I like a good, cold, WINTER with actual snow on the ground.
• I live in a log cabin. A log cabin!
  
• I love my new job.
  
• My four year old is in heaven. Snow, sleds, and all that goes with that.
• Hockey is bigger than basketball.
• On the local news, they show the highlights from the local college hockey team, then basketball highlights . . . from the local high schools.
• The news anchors are competent, but not the false folks one sees in bigger cities.

Bad:

• Moving 3,611 miles is tough.
• Stuff gets broken.
• Stress.
• Leaving family and friends far away.
• Milk can cost $4.50 a gallon.

But, there are very few locales where you can take a cup of "coffee hot" water, throw it up in the air, and watch it vaporize into frozen water vapor, and not see a drop hit the ground. (Try THAT in Miami.)

We're in the midst of getting a new house (the log cabin mentioned above) and, well, things are "different" here. Customer service is spotty. I saw a waitress smoking behind the counter of a local restaurant - not something you'd see in LA. I think that they'd take the poor girl out and just lynch her.

The differences come from the independent streak that runs through folks. No (enforced) building codes. Not tons to keep you from living how you'd like to live.

There is also a pride here among the people. One out of three in the local store will sport gloves, or a hat, or a shirt, or a jacket that shows the state flag, an outline of the state, or just ALASKA in big, plain capital letters.

Anyhow, as we transition to this place, I'll keep updating. Adios!