Alaska is not a cult (commute to, race, parties)

[Siouxcia]

Originally Posted by Grannysroost

Duh, you peeps, so Siouxcia, what do you want to know in particular...., quiet boys, no politics......????? Know you are coming from MN, Iowa border, so you have a good grip on weather and will do fine..., you are in medical field right????

North Dakota is my home base. I'm working in Southern Minnesota until the end of the month. Going home for a few weeks than I'm on my way to Angoon for three months, with a possible extention if it works out.

I know that it gets colder in the winter months in ND and MN than AK does. At least it did when my son and his GF lived in Palmer. I've done quite a bit of research and think most of my questions are answered but thanks for asking.

Yes, I'm a Family Nurse Practitioner and have worked mainly in the ER setting for a few years. I'll be doing family practice in Angoon and, I'm sure, my share of ER as well. I'm very excited to get started.

[DannyL]

siouxcia, when you get to the SE, look me up. I'm in juneau. I'll hook you up with a language and culture dept.

[Siouxcia]

Originally Posted by DannyL

siouxcia, when you get to the SE, look me up. I'm in juneau. I'll hook you up with a language and culture dept.

Great, thanks.

[karfar]

Originally Posted by icarian

Try it. Might find it refreshing. Last I checked (outside of our visitors/posters from other countries), we aren't "Democrats/Republicans/Libertarians/etc" first. We are Americans first, all that other stuff is minutia that we do for stratification. I'd rather speak to people like we would face to face...many of us generally don't on boards.

We aren't all one big happy family, but we can GENERALLY agree to disagree and move on as adults.

Welll, I hate to break it to ya, but some of us, at least me, identify ourselves by our party. Yes, I know, how provincial, & uneuropean, but that's me. I'm a democrat, a liberal, I believe in it, I pretty much live by it. and you?

[arctichomesteader]

I'm a libertarian leaning secessionist (maybe I'll end up joining the AIP up there) who has a growing and simmering hatred for the federal government, and big government and gun grabbing politicians like Obama get my blood boiling. Sometimes it shows in my posts, but except for the candidates themselves, it shouldn't be taken personally by anyone. Ron Paul 2008!

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I'm a libertarian leaning secessionist (maybe I'll end up joining the AIP up there) who has a growing and simmering hatred for the federal government, and big government and gun grabbing politicians like Obama get my blood boiling. Sometimes it shows in my posts, but except for the candidates themselves, it shouldn't be taken personally by anyone. Ron Paul 2008!

Ron Paul has endorsed Chuck Baldwin of The Constitution Party. He'll be who I'm voting for in this fake election. Have you seen that the Zeitgeist Addendum is available on the net? I watched it early this morning. It explains a lot. Interesting that we both share the same political views.

[mal_flisk]

Dusty, we didn't have to shoot that particular hero of yours down. He did it to himself. Something about wax and the sun, as it were (was?).

[karibear]

Originally Posted by Siouxcia

I saw Met's thread and related to it as a new member of CD. I don't intend this to be an assault on warptman or anyone else. I apologise ahead of time to anyone who takes this personally. Today, I just came across his comment first.

I'm going to be living in AK for a while and came to this forum for information on what I may expect, etc. Everyone I've personallly encountered has been nice to me. Yet, I have noticed a trend. The majority who do not live in AK and who do not agree with the 'in crowd', are subject to ridicule. They told they are not welcome and basically told to go elsewhere.

Threads are real conversations and tend to meander quite a bit, returning to the topic at hand or going straight down another path never to return. As an 'outsider' I have noticed that when the 'inner group' meanders, no big deal, the rest of the posters may choose to take the same path or they may direct the thread back to the topic. BUT, if an outsider, I'm not referring to trolls, 'meanders', they are subject to insults. I find some of the posts that preceed an assault to be very innocent. Alaska is foreign to some of us in the -48 and there is a lot of real curiostiy about it, it's residents, it's Governor. You're in the spotlight now because of the Presidential election and that is garnering the state even more attention. Conversations are going to meander into, 'what do you think....', 'what to you expect...' and lots more ?????. You may be sick of the questions, I understand but in that case just don't respond. There may be another member who doesn't mind answering with his/her thoughts on whatever subject. A caustic response from another member may shut down a potential dialogue. It has made me reluctant to be an active participant in some threads of interest. I recognize that there are 'exclusive' groups on here but why the animosity to 'outsiders'.

Cult no, exclusivity yes.

It's not so much exclusivity as lack of patience with people who are totally clueless. They obviously haven't bothered to use Google or any other search engine to find out the most basic things. Add that to the 'I'm gonna be a Jack London, gotta hava White Fang' mentality, mixed in with seeing too much glamorized fishing/whatever on the Discovery Channel, and you have a Darwin Award in the making. I, personally, in the 30+ years I lived in AK took in 40-50 dogs that those clueless nitwits either couldn't or wouldn't take care of. I can't understand how someone who can't afford to feed and house himself thinks he'll be able to take care of another living being, but the 'mystique' didn't include that little detail, so they never thought about it. We - my late husband and I - also took in people who got caught up in the rowdy-fisherman-in-town drama, at least the ones who realized they were in way over their heads and wanted to get their lives back on track. AK is not a place that deals kindly with idiots, and anyone who asks if he can drive from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor is simply asking for an early grave if he comes north. The days of homesteading are pretty much gone, the big money days of fishing are pretty much gone, the big money days of the North Slope are pretty much gone. That's not to say there isn't still money to be made, but it won't be by someone who doesn't even have the smarts to check air fares on line. As for jobs, every response I've seen to someone seriously asking about jobs [not the 'how do I get to be a highliner in 30 days or less' ones] is indeed referred to the local want ads, usually - but not always - with a link to the pertinent paper.

[Siouxcia]

Thanks for the response. I totally agree with your take on all of the issues you discuss. And I totally respect and love you for taking in the dogs who might otherwise be euthanized.

I see a forum like this as a place to go to get 'inside' information. My son and GF lived in Palmer and I did visit, so I have a take on that area. Initially I was either going to be working in Yakutat (still may next summer) or Hydaburg. But, because of stuff, I'm going to be in Angoon. I was looking to hear what the communities were like from people who would know first hand. I did get some info especially about Hydaburg. Thanks again.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by Siouxcia

North Dakota is my home base. I'm working in Southern Minnesota until the end of the month. Going home for a few weeks than I'm on my way to Angoon for three months, with a possible extention if it works out.

I know that it gets colder in the winter months in ND and MN than AK does. At least it did when my son and his GF lived in Palmer. I've done quite a bit of research and think most of my questions are answered but thanks for asking.

Yes, I'm a Family Nurse Practitioner and have worked mainly in the ER setting for a few years. I'll be doing family practice in Angoon and, I'm sure, my share of ER as well. I'm very excited to get started.

Sounds like an exciting opportunity, especially if you can move around if you want!!