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And because in AK need 2 day shipping or less, even though takes a week...and when comes down to it, I despise the USPS.......
The USPS in AK is not our friend. The absolute longest I've ever had to wait for a package was just over 11 months. My daughter sent me a Christmas package on Jan 2 one year [I know, she was late but it's a congenital thing] and I got it a week after the following Thanksgiving. Still another time I sent her a box of stuff she'd left behind the day after she went back to Alabama. 5 months later it was returned because 'she'd moved' - I said she'd moved only a week earlier and was still getting her mail at the old address, and how come it took so long to get there, but less than a week to come back? They said it was because I'd sent it parcel post! Still another time, I had a friend take my sewing machine - a Viking - to the shop in Anch to have it cleaned and adjusted. They mailed it back, and somewhere between Anch and Kodiak it got dropped and broken. I talked to one of the clerks at the contract substation and was told to see so-and-so at the main PO downtown, so I took it downtown and asked to speak to so-and-so. Clerk said 'She not here. I can do.' I said 'She already knows about this, I want to speak to HER.' Clerk said 'No, no, I can do, I can do.' So I told the story again, said how it was broken, she looked in the box and said 'How you know it broke? It look okay.' I was irritated [a lot irritated] by then so I pulled the machine out and dumped the rest of the contents on the floor. Lots of little plastic bits scattered all over. I said 'That's what's left of my Viking.' Lots of moans and groans from others standing in line, esp men whose wives had recently bought new ones and knew how much they cost! She said 'Why you do that?' I said 'YOU wanted to know how I knew it was broke, THAT'S how I knew. All those pieces should still be in one piece, still attached where they are supposed to be.' So I swept up all the bits with my hands, plopped them back in the box, put the machine back in the box, said "YOU pack it, YOU send it back, YOU pay to have it repaired.' They did - finally.
Socialist...Liberal? lol it is probally the most conservative, capitalistic state in our country. Whether you think that is a good thing is up to you, but Alaska is definetly not socialist. There is no state income tax or sales tax. You can easily purchase guns, some high schools even have gun shows. You get my point lol.
The Bad:
-cold weather + very short and rainy summers
-high cost of living (groceries, gas, products, shipping, airfare etc)
-minimal night life even in Anchorage
-many national and international stores and banks not found in Alaska
-overwhelmingly conservative (it's nice to have a mix of people)
-low diversity
If you don't mind cold weather, appreciate mother nature, and don't mind small towns, Alaska is a good place.
What was there about this post to attack? Nothing; but that's become pretty typical here and that's rather a shame. It used to be that people only recieved negative responses when they would come around and ask how they could make the most money in the shortest amount of time and take it all back to the lower 48 et al or had some serious slams about the place. Now every time someone breathes in a perceived wrong octave, the same little crowd does the same sorry ass little pile up on the person--and most people in that little crowd have yet to spend a winter in AK. This place is going to be a nightmare around Feb.
And Alaska isn't "diverse" no matter which way you want to spin it. That isn't necessarily a slam; I think that's the main attraction for a lot of people.
The worst thing about SE AK for me is that you really can't wear much cashmere and it ****s up my hair. I only wear Carhharts because Captain Crunch thinks they look "hot". I hate rubber boots and I do need a regular Philosophy (it's a cosmetics brand) fix.
Last edited by Metlakatla; 11-18-2008 at 12:08 PM..
What was there about this post to attack? Nothing; but that's become pretty typical here and that's rather a shame. It used to be that people only recieved negative responses when they would come around and ask how they could make the most money in the shortest amount of time and take it all back to the lower 48 et al or had some serious slams about the place. Now every time someone breathes in a perceived wrong octave, the same little crowd does the same sorry ass little pile up on the person--and most people in that little crowd have yet to spend a winter in AK. This place is going to be a nightmare around Feb.
And Alaska isn't "diverse" no matter which way you want to spin it. That isn't necessarily a slam; I think that's the main attraction for a lot of people.
The worst thing about SE AK for me is that you really can't wear much cashmere and it ****s up my hair. I only wear Carhharts because Captain Crunch thinks they look "hot". I hate rubber boots and I do need a regular Philosophy (it's a cosmetics brand) fix.
That wasn't really the post that was so annoying as far as I'm concerned, but I can't find the other one except in quotes. He bemoans not having Armani available, says AK is 80% white - based on the restaurants he's been to - and pretty much claims Alaskans are just a bunch of rednecks. To me, diversity is the people themselves, not necessarily their politics or religions, but where they came from, how they lived, and how they've adjusted to life in a much different world.
The worst thing about SE AK for me is that you really can't wear much cashmere and it ****s up my hair. I only wear Carhharts because Captain Crunch thinks they look "hot". I hate rubber boots and I do need a regular Philosophy (it's a cosmetics brand) fix.
Karibear: The quote this member mentioned was my orginal and first post, there was nothing offensive about it. I was just answering Sophia's question, I am actually one of the few who actually answered her question. She wanted to know if your opinion what do you dislike about living in Alaska and I gave my list. Then I got a barrage of attacks, the main one coming from Granny calling me a phony for not being an Alaskan because I didn't know the gun laws, calling me all sorts of names, basically just attacking me, so of course I shot back.
"Socialist...Liberal? lol it is probally the most conservative, capitalistic state in our country. Whether you think that is a good thing is up to you, but Alaska is definetly not socialist. There is no state income tax or sales tax. You can easily purchase guns, some high schools even have gun shows. You get my point lol.
The Bad:
-cold weather + very short and rainy summers
-high cost of living (groceries, gas, products, shipping, airfare etc)
-minimal night life even in Anchorage
-many national and international stores and banks not found in Alaska
-overwhelmingly conservative (it's nice to have a mix of people)
-low diversity
If you don't mind cold weather, appreciate mother nature, and don't mind small towns, Alaska is a good place."
WHAT IS OFFENSIVE ABOUT THAT! It should be a compliment that I find those the worst things about living in Alaska because they are all minor things. But I guess I have to explain in detail now each one because I've been called a racist etc.
1. The weather is cold most of the year and the summers are short and rainy, especialy this past summer.
2. Alaska has a high cost of living because most things are shipped to Alaska.
3. I don't know where Sophia is from, but if she is into nightlife, it's limited in Alaska.
4. This one got me, I don't understad how you could get offended with this one. Many national banks are not in Alaska. If you have children in the -48 and there is no Wells Fargo, it's somewhat of a hassle to have to wire money from one bank to another. I didn't say anything about there are no banks, no online banking etc, Granny just pulled that out of her ass.
5. If Sophia is a liberal, she should know Alaskans and Alaska politics are conservative. I even said, I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing.
6. Low diversity...you can look at stats. The main reason why I put this has a negative that I (ME) don't like about Alaska is because I've been spoiled when I lived in San Francisco having umerous authentic Indian, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Morrocan restaurants and large ethnic grocery stores available. I live half of the year in Florida and I miss having that sort of choice even here in Florida. Does that make me racist, NO! It's common sense why do you think New York is the food capital of the US.
---
Anyways, it's honestly sad that I was attacked for answering this question. NO PLACE is perfect and just because you may not find having one national bank choice a negative...I do, so who the hell are you to go and tell me what I have found to be the downers of living in Alaska, yet alone calling me a PHONY, someone who doesn't or even hasn't lived in Alaska.
Granny: Ask me any question only a local would know about Wasilla...that our police station used to be a bank. That the target they are building was Cottonwood Creek Mall before. Just because I never had an interest in owning guns before that automatically proves I've never lived in Alaska and I just am going on this site answering questions I have no idea about. You seriously need to get a ****ing life and go on this site to HELP people and NOT argue with other posters who are just trying to give their advice and their honest answer. If you really are a Grandma, shame on you! And for the rest of you who attacked my orginal post when nothing offensive was said and even at the end I said if you aren't looking for citylife, if you like cold weather, and scenery Alaska is a good place. If I like to dress up in nice clothing...ohhhh I must be an arrogant *******. If I'm not a God fearing, gun loving human, there is something wrong with me.
Get a life or hobby and stop causing **** on these forums because I didn't deserve any of the attacks when I first answered this question.
Honestly, if I were asking the same question about moving somewhere, I would want to know anything that locals find bad, even if its something as trivial as...stores close early on weekdays. I'd just be thankful that someone took the time out of their schedule to answer my question. Pathetic!
Fau: So you got me on a bad day. I just got past the first anniversary of DH's death, his illness was why we had to leave AK in the first place. Now I'm still unpacking stuff in my new house, and every single box by neighbors 'helped' me pack had something edible in it, acting as a mouse magnet - I shouldn't have told them until it was all done that I wasn't giving any of his tools away, I was keeping everything. I have to unpack everything outside, I can't bring anything inside to do it in comfort because every time I open a box, half a dozen mice leap out. I've had to throw away at least half of what I brought, including some handmade quilts and afghans crocheted from hand-spun yarn. They knew, too, that all my things would be stored in a barn until I got a house, so it was definitely deliberate. I just a couple days ago found his pistol, what used to be a cherry .357 in a sheepskin case, not wrapped the way I'd done it, but thrown in a box of tools along with a bag of birdseed. It's so covered with mouse urine and rotting sheepskin I don't know if it will ever be reclaimable. And I'll have to find a gunsmith to do it, because it's loaded, and it's too grunged for me to mess around with.
So I'm homesick for Alaska and miserable, and your post just hit me wrong.
Fau: So you got me on a bad day. I just got past the first anniversary of DH's death, his illness was why we had to leave AK in the first place. Now I'm still unpacking stuff in my new house, and every single box by neighbors 'helped' me pack had something edible in it, acting as a mouse magnet - I shouldn't have told them until it was all done that I wasn't giving any of his tools away, I was keeping everything. I have to unpack everything outside, I can't bring anything inside to do it in comfort because every time I open a box, half a dozen mice leap out. I've had to throw away at least half of what I brought, including some handmade quilts and afghans crocheted from hand-spun yarn. They knew, too, that all my things would be stored in a barn until I got a house, so it was definitely deliberate. I just a couple days ago found his pistol, what used to be a cherry .357 in a sheepskin case, not wrapped the way I'd done it, but thrown in a box of tools along with a bag of birdseed. It's so covered with mouse urine and rotting sheepskin I don't know if it will ever be reclaimable. And I'll have to find a gunsmith to do it, because it's loaded, and it's too grunged for me to mess around with.
That is just plain rotten.
The gun will probably be salvageable but it'll take work, likely new grips too if they've absorbed the smell.
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