July in AK

http://onemansblog.com/2007/07/29/australian-comedy-the-front-fell-off/
Second video down. Funny.

It's been busy here. I haven't been slacking on blogging, per se - check out Alaska Conservation Voters' blog which is secretly maintained by yours truly - but my contributions to this blog have taken a mid-summer nosedive. No, it doesn't have to do with nonstop daylight and beautiful weather. Anchorage Daily News recently reported that this summer may be the coldest on record. It does have to do with the sense that summer's coming to a close; less than two weeks left for me and I am living up what I can. Also, my 'academic' blogwork (ie lots of research with casual delivery) has really taken place on the ACV blog since I started it.

Work:

1. The Alaska Conservation Alliance brochures I designed are about five feet away from me. There are 500 of them and I am proud of how they came out. I don't know about my future relationship with InDesign - there were many...trying moments in the creation of the brochure. I think there should be a way to just get my hands into the computer and directly move things around. But I suppose until high-tech manual collage is back in vogue/technologically possible I am pleased with my InDesign know-how and happy I had the opportunity to learn about it while designing something useful for ACA.

2. Friend to Friend has been more challenging as the summer progresses. I have a lot of 'yes' responses but an almost equal number of no-shows. Many people are on vacation. Still, we've probably sent out a grand total of 50 letters to potential donors through FtF participants. When we get new member envelopes in the mail I'm excited to see if 'FF' is marked on the donation slip and I really hope some will come back before the summer's out. I wonder if we would have a higher turnout in the winter when nobody wants to be outside/people feel more pressure to socialize and be active. I'm not sure, but I've enjoyed meeting the people who came in and I think they've been amused by me (intern, huh? From NYC? You like Alaska and want to come live here, eh? Have you heard about our winters?). Also, I have a much better way of delivering small speeches because of all the practice I had with the phone rap so thanks, Alaska - it'll be nice to have my shiny new presentation mode on hand for senior year.

3. Tabling for the Renewable Energy Fair - this will be my last day. There will be temporary tattoos, big new posters, brochures, a sign up sheet with numbers corresponding to free compact fluorescent bulbs. I would like to find a purple table cloth. I would like to find more volunteers.

NotWork:

1. Karen is away for a while and lent me her car; I've been going on all sorts of adventures (and my running's taken a subsequent hit. Will have to bounce back, carless, next week). Last weekend I went to Eagle River and Girdwood, during the week I meandered a bit around the Seward Highway - nice trails around Potter Creek, apparently they're closed all the time from the McHugh side though because of a lot of bear activity. Hmm. I went to Eklutna Lake, which is a surprisingly quiet place given how gorgeous it is. That can probably be said for much of Alaska though. This weekend I drove down to Homer and that was incredible. I think it beats Seward.

2. Pictures forthcoming.