Seward, Alaska (Moose Pass: for rent, storage, cabin)

[BudinAk]

I goofed.
Regular gas is $2.999, and diesel is $3.699 (not the dollar more I had posted earlier...it was all winter...but recently they dropped it down lower)

Bud
Seward, Ak

[proudcopswife]

Originally Posted by BudinAk

I goofed.
Regular gas is $2.999, and diesel is $3.699 (not the dollar more I had posted earlier...it was all winter...but recently they dropped it down lower)

Bud
Seward, Ak

Thanks, Bud! You're a goldmine of information.

I got another question for ya if you don't mind. I've heard about, in Alaska, like half the year (or some such) it's dark most of the time, and part of the time, it's light most of the time. Is this true? And if so, how long of a period is it dark most of the time and how light does it get? I tell people if I didn't believe in God, I'd worship the sun. I'm one of those people that deals with seasonal affective disorder (I don't know that it can really be called a disorder . . . but, whatever). I can be a tad cranky if I go too long without sunshine so I'm just wondering how much I need to prepare myself.

My husband will be on his way to Alaska in a few hours . . . his interview is tomorrow. Our families, both of which are within a couple hour's drive from our home, are all on pins and needles right now--nobody wants us to go and my husband and I are very apprehensive. I guess tomorrow evening we'll know a lot more.

OK, I'm just nervous and babbling now. If anybody reading this are the praying type, I'd appreciate any that request that we make the right decision in this.

Much gratitude,
Traci

[mal_flisk]

Right now in Anchorage, about 2 hours north of Seward, we have 18+ hours of daylight, and at solstice it will be 19+ hours of daylight. It starts decreasing by an average 5 minutes a day until December 20 or 21 when we will have about 4 hours a day. Roughly.

[proudcopswife]

Originally Posted by mal_flisk

Right now in Anchorage, about 2 hours north of Seward, we have 18+ hours of daylight, and at solstice it will be 19+ hours of daylight. It starts decreasing by an average 5 minutes a day until December 20 or 21 when we will have about 4 hours a day. Roughly.

Mal_flisk . . . .thanks! 4hrs. . .hmmmm. Well, I promised my man that if he gets this job and it pays sufficiently that I will NOT make his life a living hell and I will stand by that. Tell me there's a tanning bed in Seward! (my salvation in the midst of too many cloudy days)

I'm curious about your name. . . "mal" in Italian means "bad." Are you a "bad flisk"??

[quakinator]

To me it sounds as if you guys are making this decision purely based on the money, is that true? If you do it for money it better be at least 30% or more than what he's making now - don't deal in $ figures deal in percents.

You said Alaska isn't your dream place, you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and you and your families are really apprehensive about the move. My wife and I have been discussing Alaska for 5 years and yes she was apprehensive about it to begin with, but knowing what you're getting into will do one of two things: 1) ease your mind 2) stoke your fears and apprehension. Keep asking and finding out more about Alaska and you will know (including through prayer) what's best for you and your family.

People say it's light half the year and dark half the year as an easy way to describe the light cycles, it's much more of a continuum type model. Winter solstice is Dec. 21st, and is the darkest day of the year and even then the sun shines for approximately 5 hours give or take (in regard to South Central Alaska where you are headed) and the dawn/dusk period lasts an hour on each end also. Every day before that and after that gains daylight (every week you gain 25 min of daylight). There are 4 months (Nov-Feb) that are darker than where I live, there are 4 (May-Aug) months that are lighter than where I live and 4 months (Mar-Apr & Sept-Oct) that fall within the same sunrise/sunset timings as were I live now in the lower 48.

Light and dark issues can be dealt with (vacation to Hawai'i, San Diego, Cancun) if it proves too much of a depressant for you. The family you leave behind may be more of a factor depending on how miserable they would make it on you if you left. My mother-in-law expected us to move right back next door to her once I was finished with schooling even after the last 5 years of me only talking about moving to Alaska. She hasn't made it miserable but both of our families have encouraged us at different times or others to return back near them.

Bottom line, do it for you, your husband and your family. If you do it for money you'll never be satisfied and you probably won't make it more than a year. It will take an attitude adjustment, lifestyle adjustment, and physical adjustments to fully enjoy living in Alaska. If you're willing to put forth the effort to enjoy it then it will probably be the last place you ever move to cause you just won't ever want to move away!

[quakinator]

Anchorage AK

Columbus OH

Just for comparison so you get a visual aid. I'm always about the visual learning!

[mal_flisk]

Mal is the shortened version of my first name. So many people mangle it that I rarely use it. But, I have been teased about malpractice and malcontent. As I tell people, malpractice makes malperfect!

[proudcopswife]

Originally Posted by quakinator

To me it sounds as if you guys are making this decision purely based on the money, is that true? If you do it for money it better be at least 30% or more than what he's making now - don't deal in $ figures deal in percents.

You said Alaska isn't your dream place, you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and you and your families are really apprehensive about the move. My wife and I have been discussing Alaska for 5 years and yes she was apprehensive about it to begin with, but knowing what you're getting into will do one of two things: 1) ease your mind 2) stoke your fears and apprehension. Keep asking and finding out more about Alaska and you will know (including through prayer) what's best for you and your family.

People say it's light half the year and dark half the year as an easy way to describe the light cycles, it's much more of a continuum type model. Winter solstice is Dec. 21st, and is the darkest day of the year and even then the sun shines for approximately 5 hours give or take (in regard to South Central Alaska where you are headed) and the dawn/dusk period lasts an hour on each end also. Every day before that and after that gains daylight (every week you gain 25 min of daylight). There are 4 months (Nov-Feb) that are darker than where I live, there are 4 (May-Aug) months that are lighter than where I live and 4 months (Mar-Apr & Sept-Oct) that fall within the same sunrise/sunset timings as were I live now in the lower 48.

Light and dark issues can be dealt with (vacation to Hawai'i, San Diego, Cancun) if it proves too much of a depressant for you. The family you leave behind may be more of a factor depending on how miserable they would make it on you if you left. My mother-in-law expected us to move right back next door to her once I was finished with schooling even after the last 5 years of me only talking about moving to Alaska. She hasn't made it miserable but both of our families have encouraged us at different times or others to return back near them.

Bottom line, do it for you, your husband and your family. If you do it for money you'll never be satisfied and you probably won't make it more than a year. It will take an attitude adjustment, lifestyle adjustment, and physical adjustments to fully enjoy living in Alaska. If you're willing to put forth the effort to enjoy it then it will probably be the last place you ever move to cause you just won't ever want to move away!

Quakinator. . .thanks for the great post!

Money, no. Actually that's not our main reason. The reason is . . . my husband is currently a State Trooper. He has wanted to get into federal law enforcement and nothing close by has panned out. Thing is, with the federal system, there is mandatory retirement at the age of 57 which means you have to be with the federal system by the time you're 37 . . . my husband is 34. He doesn't have much time to get in. Once he's in, he's in, and we can move where we like as opportunities arise. The money comes in, however, because if it's not a decent raise, we don't consider it worth the job change and relocation. We love Oregon, and he's happy in his job so there is no desperation . . . but if he's going to be in federal law enforcement, it has to be relatively soon so we're looking at this as an opportunity to get in.

As for the family . . .they'll miss us, but there will be no grief from them. They're all used to this. Prior to my husband's job with the State, he was AD Air Force and we spent 4 1/2yrs in Europe. We've moved a number of times and we're a very, very strong couple. If this happens will I be thrilled initially? No. But we've survived more than this and we'll do well.

But thank you, again, so much for such a thoughtful reply!

[proudcopswife]

Originally Posted by mal_flisk

Mal is the shortened version of my first name. So many people mangle it that I rarely use it. But, I have been teased about malpractice and malcontent. As I tell people, malpractice makes malperfect!

Sorry, didn't know that was your name. Meant no disrespect!

[warptman]

He's used to it!