Awhile back I said I wouldn't respond to you ever again. But I have to ask. After having a dream job that most people would die for...why do you get your rocks off hassling the posters on this site? I don't want to start a war w/you but I don't get it.

{After having a dream job that most people would die for...why do you get your rocks off hassling the posters on this site?}

First, I honestly do not get the relationship to the "dream job" with my participation on these threads. Please explain the connection. And, as I wrote, that job in Alaska was in the past.

I remember something toward the end of the first year working out of the resource center, flying all over the state of Alaska. There were two of us who covered different districts. The director took us out to lunch. I knew she wanted to discuss something. She finally brought it up: She asked us if we were going to continue the next year. She almost pleaded with us to be direct and honest so that she could prepare the following school year. What person would ask that of a "dream job?"

The other person said she would not stay – She couldn't take it any longer: The waiting for planes that sometimes come days late, the sleeping on floors, the bringing of food, the standing outside for hours for transportation, the darkness and sub-zero temps of the north, and on and on.

It was not a "dream job." It was an adventure. I remember two other people who had similar positions that simply quit mid-year. After the second year, I would not do it any longer. Adventures are like that. They do not continue.

I am glad I did it. It was one of the best experiences of my life. But once was enough.

{Awhile back I said I wouldn't respond to you ever again.}

It is unfortunate that you have made that decision. I have noticed that if people stick to the ideas and the concepts, there are few problems. But there is a tendency to “personalize” in that people take disagreement as a direct attack on them as a person. I have solid convictions about Conservatism, and I have also drawn conclusions about Liberals today. I can support both. But if a person considers disagreement as a threat to their identity or character or something, there is little I can do about that.

Oh, I'm not brave. I'm up here because after I finished my B.A. I decided to follow the woman I love. She's the one who came up here, and she's been here since August to boot. She is the brave one.

That's love, man. Major kudos.

Yeah, it isn't warm up here by most standards in the lower 48... thanks for reminding me.

Voted up btw.

It is a fairly new school, the old one caught fire, I think a few years ago. At the moment I am in Russian Mission. I've taken a few pictures, but I'm waiting until after I'm gone to see if I can get a few more of Russian Mission. I want to post them all together in their own post.

That would be great, I would love to see more pictures of Alaska. I'm surprised that Hooper Bay seems to be above the treeline. I just checked google map and it seem to be located on about the same parallel as I live in the Northwest Territories, and even though our trees are not majestic, we at least have trees. In the Northwest Territories you have to travel to the far north, to places like Tuktoyaktuk, (which is around the same parallel as Nome) to have no trees at all. So this is very interesting to me.

Oh, Hooper Bay is definitely NOT above the treelike. It is right on the coast. There just are not any trees around the town for as far as the eye can see. I don't know if there were at some point and they got cut down or what, but it is definitely not above the tree line.

I just looked it up on the topical map and even though it's not above the treeline, it shows that it's barren, so if your still there in the summer I would imagine you will see the magic of the tundra. If you can stand the mosquitoes, it is so beautiful and colorful. If you do stay for the summer I would suggest that you invest in a bug jacket if you like to hike. It's a mesh jacket that covers your face completely, but they work great and you don't have to cover yourself in stinky bug dope.

I found you could out run them but you got to keep moving fluffy clothing seemed to help.

ROFL that so true, also don't wear dark colors.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr . . . . . . . . +^d

Believe it or not, it is apparently warm for winter up here.

Thats no place for Texans I believe

A lot of Texans go to Alaska. When I lived in Barrow - the North Slope - the administration especially was filled with Texans. We used to joke about the "Texas Mafia," because they were hiring Texans. (I know, I know. In Left-winger land, that is discrimination on the basis of "Locationism," right? - A NEW "oppressor" category has made its debut for the Liberal!)

You would fall in love with the people and they would like you. Yes the cold can be discouraging but with your funny bone you could brighten any night!

Thanks if I ever what to see my warm fuzzys turn blue i may take a trip up that way one summer.

June and July are very fun with the daylight. Good time to see it and the temperatures can be in the 80s.

80's that i can handle I may take that trip one summer.

My guess is that photo is your housing. I looks very much like our place in Barrow.

That photo is of the actual Hooper Bay school. Those are class rooms from the outside of the building.

Interesting place. I find that bush Alaska was possibly the most interesting place I ever worked or lived.

Parking lot?

They don't really have a designated parking lot per say. It is just a space in front of the school entrance where older students and parents who are dropping off or picking up kids leave their snow mobiles, so an impromptu parking lot I guess.

Yes, interesting question about a "parking lot." Heck, the planes used to land in areas that were called landing fields with nothing there.

I really like this one.

JEEBUS ! Snow pretty to look at and pretty to be in for a short time. But no way could I live in a place like that.

The weather is one of the reasons why my significant other and I are only going to be up here until the end of the school year. Another issue is the price of things up here. When I was stuck in Hooper Bay for an extra 4 days, I had to have someone take me to the store and get some food and water (the water from the tap isn't advisable to drink in Hooper Bay). Cost me just over $41 to get barely enough food to cover one guy for 3 days. I say three because on Monday the classes started up again and as a test administrator they were allowing me to get breakfast and lunch free of charge from the cafeteria. It was downright awesome of them.

Aww yeah sounds kind of rough. But hey if you enjoy what your doing it's worth it.

Stark beauty ...

"my significant other"

Interesting use of terms.

" I had to have someone take me to the store and get some food and water (the water from the tap isn't advisable to drink in Hooper Bay"

We used a distiller in Barrow.

Not really. Interesting, yes. "beauty?" Not really.

Living there is a lesson in preparation! The wild life starts looking yummy!

"Interesting use of terms."

I don't see how. I'm in a long term relationship in which I consider my partner more than a girl friend, but we're not married.

If there are "significant others" can there be "insignificant others?"

"can there be 'insignificant others?'"

Well I'm having a conversation with you...

I expected that one. I was asking for it......

You were.