was told i look more like a Phyllis than a Betsy

 not ready to make a name change yet, but please do give me your thoughts. i mean if i am more of a Phyllis perhaps that could be a life changer...this could explain all those failed relationships and lack of ambition...i was going by the wrong name...i knew there was a disturbance in my force...or i could just be slightly insane at baseline and the name choice of my parents would have no bearing on the future i am now living.

 the confused patient that i spent the 12 hours with last night was pretty convinced.  in generally i'm totally cool with patients thinking my name is totally different than it is.  she was pretty harmless.  yes, i was a sitter last night.  easy work for good money, but not something i'd like to do every day.  the best part was one of the Intensivists that i have worked with for years came into the room this morning to see that i was the sitter...his face had that look of total disbelief...it comes with the territory when you are in the float pool. some days you will be a sitter.

 i believe that no job is beneath any of us.  we should all be willing to do our share, especially in a hospital to make sure that the patients are cared for.  that being said i have always been totally good with having someone else take care of bed bugs or lice or when i was a vet tech...maggots and cutting off heads of animals to send to labs for rabies checks.  there are some perks to having some seniority and i try and take advantage of those when the need arises.

 was on call the night before.  never got called in.  tough for me to sleep before a certain hour when i'm on call so i stayed up much of the night.  got all the computer stuff done for my PALS class...hopefully i have the time off for the check off.  still waiting to hear.  watched Disney's "bear" movie.  so cute.  i was pretty nervous for those babies a few times.  was also laughing that they kept calling this one bear "chin-ook" instead of "shinook" as it's pronounced.  surprised nobody corrected them.  also popped in "50/50" which is always a favorite of mine.

 dog walks this week were bog and dog park.  it's that slow down time it seems.  not as much really "pretty" stuff for pictures.  it's looking darker and more dreary as we wait for the snow to really fall and stick and lighten up the place.  the darkness is coming and it's easy to get into a bit of a funk this time of year i find.  it will be nice to get south for Turkey day.

 these pics are from last month...trail of blue ice i think it's called in Portage Valley.

 fish and game are wanting me to plan an event...a few speakers.  would be good.  not sure that it would be any kind of money maker but it would be good for getting folks more educated about walrus and round island. we could try and sell stickers and calendars .  would be great if we could convince a few other friends groups up here to participate as well.  we looked into costs of a place to have such a meet up...always amazing...everyone wants more money for stuff like that than you knew.  learning so much.  tough to try and sell calendars at work from inside a room with a confused patient.

 one fish, two fish, red fish, dead fish.  those are all over the place right now.  bears are happy to still be finding some fish still making their way up.  bears get cranky this time of year. moose are in rut and they can be cranky as well.  makes trails and hiking a bit more adventurous when it's just you and the pups.  i think i tend to avoid it a bit more these past few years since my grizzly bear encounter in the campground.  waking up to a big grizzly face clawing its way into your car while you were sleeping tends to do that to a person.

 there have been a few encounters the past month where people got the bad end of a bear.  moose are all over town...not that i'm running into them...haha.  moose spotting today without success again.  boo!!

 two separate accidents over a 24 hour period in Anchorage.  moose vs car and then moose vs motorcycle.  this did not end well for the moose or the people who hit them.  all are dead.  very sad.  be careful out there friends.

 today my path to run errands was  blocked by a large group of Canadian Geese that was making it's way across the street.  thankfully, people are generally good at stopping and allowing all animals to pass safely.  soon these guys will be gone.  the migration out of Alaska is in full swing.  are we crazy to stay when all the birds smartly take off?  one does have to wonder.

 totally sad situation in Afghanistan where a Doctors Without Borders Hospital was bombed.  yes an investigation into what went horribly wrong is needed.  the news people insist on getting information immediately and then scream  cover up as the story changes as more information is obtained.  not that i've been in a war zone, but i suspect it's a bit of chaos and information is often not clear.  i have no doubt that the troops that dropped those bombs did not intentionally decide to harm innocents who were there helping...i find it offensive to presume otherwise.  nobody wanted to bomb a Doctors without Borders Hospital. my heart goes out to all involved and my hope is that those who survived will recover quickly.

 these people who volunteer at these hospitals are truly brave and amazing people.  they are working under harsh and often terrifying circumstances.  it's tough to work in a standard safe hospital with all the equipment and perks that we have...can't imagine doing what i do in a place like Afghanistan or Iraq or Syria.  bombs are a risk, attacks are a risk. friendly fire though, nobody expected that.  war is hell.....

 a huge cargo ship was lost last week in storms.  33 souls on  board. they have found only one body in a survival suit and some remnants but that is all.  life changes in a moment.  always reminders to live each day and be grateful for all that you have.

 sounds like a guy got shot in anchorage today.  someone rang his doorbell and when he opened it he was shot...i'm pretty sure that is what i heard.  that is frightening.  he survived and i hope they get whoever this creep is.

 half of the money for the Presidential campaign thus far has come from 158 wealthy families and their corporations...further proof that the voice of the people is getting drowned out while the voices of those with the money is what is heard.  it's pretty disgusting if you ask me....not that anyone is asking me.  still think we need to create that third party..."the Rationalist Party".  i have a lot on my plate right now...my easy life, work and the walrus.  not really ready to take on those 158 filthy rich folks who could probably have me killed for speaking ill of them. i'll stick to walrus advocacy.  whoever wants to can have my blessing starting the "Rationalist Party" movement!!

 these swans were just beyond Portage Valley on the main road.  had to go take a peek for them.  seems an odd fall in some ways for me.  the mushrooms seemed to be less than usual and i haven't been very successful in spotting moose or swans. i've seen swans like these, but at a bit of a distance beyond photo ops for me.  enjoy seeing them though.  some stuff i just have to enjoy.

 this seems to be a depressing entry. the world and the news in it can be very depressing if you focus too much on it.  perhaps that is one of the reasons i walk and take pictures.  many ways to cope with the sadness of our planet.  we all have to find our ways or sink into a deep depression.

 far too many lost souls out there who then turn to anger and hatred and it all begins again.

 did get quite a bit of those chore things accomplished today.  always good to get some stuff done and feel like i haven't totally wasted my day.  great to have a leisurely walk as well. always nice when rio opts to join us though the exercise part gets left out a bit...it's exercise for her.  she walks a bit like a drunken dog, but she's still out there walking.  she'll have to stay home tomorrow.  the pace is faster than she can handle.

 train spot of Portage, used to be where cars were loaded onto the train to go through the tunnel to Whittier.  the tunnel has been altered so that it is now shared with trains and cars.  i was a bit nervous the first time i entered this 2 mile tunnel with train tracks coming out of it.  seems like it goes against common sense. there is a schedule that is maintained so you do not actually use the tunnel at the same time as the train or the oncoming traffic.  one way on the hour, the other way on the half hour and everyone stops when a trains gotta use it.

 the actual community of Portage is no longer in existence.  this area was flooded and the town decimated during the tsunami after the 1964 quake.  they never rebuilt as it was unstable and too dangerous.

 of course, the wildlife conservation center is at the end of the inlet.  not sure how they would fare if/when another big quake/tsunami occurs.

 there were quite a few swans in this area, but again they were pretty far off for shots with my gear.

 sitting in a dark room with a sleeping patient does make for a long night.  time for Monday walk again tomorrow.   always fun.

 train tracks are always cool.

 guess i should get off this computer and get to bed soon.  got on the computer early today to do some online shopping.  that sure made life in Ketchikan sweeter.  being able to order stuff online...though at the time i lived there the internet was pretty dang slow.  i think it still can be.  i do miss living in a smaller town in Alaska.  just loved that sense of community. not sure where i'd go if i left Anchorage...probably on the roads though.  wimp, i know...though i really did love Southeast Alaska.  so pretty.

 they hired me and i moved there sight unseen back in 1995.  you get used to the rain..it's all in your attitude.  just like here you get used to the darkness.  in many ways it seemed darker in Ketchikan though it wasn't dark as long, there isn't the snow and so it feels darker plus it rains so much and is cloudy and dark that way. up here you actually have many blue sky days and Denali is seen more often from Anchorage in the winters than in the summers most years.

 just along Turnigan Arm.

 driving is always relaxing for me...

grateful for: A.  that fan in the hot room last night.  i would have been drenched otherwise.  B. nick at night...passed the hours C.  people who love walrus.  i'm not alone.  :-)