Young Americans

The past few days have been a whirlwind. Then again, you could say that about the entire trip. In the end, we finally got on a ski-doo (and crashed it), chopped wood, went ice fishing, found ice caves, did good work and made amazing friends along the way. It seems fitting that instead of showing you these things, I leave you with Dave and I embraced and hysterically laughing. I guess I'm feeling a little nostalgic. So long, sub-arctic! 

Kirk's eggs of joy

The tundra may be lacking a lot of things,
but blood oranges aren't one of them

Who's You?

Out for a smoke

Us runners, we got to stick together.

I woke up at 5:30am and decided I'd run while my laundry was in the machine... there was too much fresh snow to run (so I did yoga) but I thought I'd show the world this ... overwhelmingly awesome technology. Small metal spikes that strap onto your shoes so you don't slip. 

Bow when you go in, bow when you go out.

Dave found this for me

Throwback to the one in Staten

Sunrise at the river today

If you saw my shopping cart at the CO-OP, you'd think we were vegetarian.

Obviously I need this to complete my GI Joe/Ninja persona.

Smoke on the Water

If you look back at my earlier posts you'll see just a few weeks ago the river was totally frozen. Now about half of the side between the shore and the island isn't frozen, it was steaming at sunset this evening. I walked almost all the way out to the island (the closer trees) 2 or 3 weeks ago...

For Good Luck

The sunrises here are so brilliant

Birthday Mess

I had a dream last night that I bought you crayons from the White House

Pancakes & Wine: Dinner of Champions

Pancake Face

The Walk to Work

Ice Crystals

Sick Day

Divine Intervention

Sick Day Still Life

I took the road less traveled by.

Emily took these photos of me, they're some of my favorites. The river is my favorite place here, so far anyway. I walk out there and everything stops. The mountains have never been more purple, the sky has never been more blue, the snow has never been so pure...like the world is over, or the world is mine. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Dear Mom,


Sorry I am missing your birthday. You know I would have made you a cake if I was home. Or breakfast, or dinner, or whatever you wanted.  Happy, happy birthday and many more.

The Lingering Scent of the Criminal

Crime Scene

Our office was broken into. The crime scene was secured with an extension cord and chairs...


(Photo by Emily. I regretted not bringing the fish eye.)

Up all night, got demons to fight.

Stilt legs

I solved the secret of the universe last night, but this morning I forgot what it was.

The shoreline

I walked out across the end of the Earth

I don't know how a place so beautiful can be so soulless.

If it's any consultation, I feel worse than you

I don't even have words to describe how astounded I am.

I could've done something with my life, could've adopted 1,000 Ethiopians or killed a Communist

I didn't have to wait long to find out about the bigots. I've been made, yo. The best part about being mixed is whatever you conceptualize me as, I can guarantee you that isn't how I see myself.

So, I got called a 'spic and I sort of thought it was funny. I like to watch people's faces when their insults don't work.

Editing to add: I've been "insulted" numerous times. Apparently I am "dark" ... I'm sure this is especially hilarious to anyone who remembers what I look like ... as a whiter shade of pale doesn't really exist.

The Most Graceful Fall/I Think You're an Angel

vegan, gluten free and delicious

I think I'm gonna change formats to a more "photo of the day" thing. 

Fish & Pain

This morning the sky was the most amazing shade of lavender when I was doing yoga before work.

Twilight

The boys had fish and pain for lunch, which they all regretted. 
Emily and I had taco salad, which was awesome.

For dinner I made coconut banana pancakes and Emily made apples. 

It was sooooo good that we're eating it again for breakfast tomorrow.

Breakfast for dinner

soft spoken with a broken jaw

ginger tofu by the lovely Emily, faux open sandwich by me

It seems like everyone I talk to here defines themselves by what they do and don't eat, as if food makes you whole, makes your identity. It's curious to me, I find myself asking question after question. I find myself asking myself these questions too, how much of what I put in me defines me? How much is enough? It's not something I have an answer to. 

Somebody gave me this number saying you were giving out $30

the sun exploded yesterday, more on that later, gotta go to work

Soft Eyes

I met this woman in the office and quickly noticed her seal and polar bear rings. She said her son had brought them to her from further north where they were hand carved from Caribou bone. 

A man came in today with antlers in tow, he was wearing bones around his neck on long leather cords. I didn't get a chance to ask permission to photograph him, but if I see him again I will.

I want to have a privacy conversation with you, I've got condoms.

Morning sun, I told you it's blinding!

Yesterday was the first full day of work and it was pretty awesome. I feel so lucky to get to do work I like doing. We met some interesting characters but my plan is to not talk about work here sooooo....


It was -41 yesterday morning, the sun was low and super intense. Today it's snowing and I have not checked the temperature. It's almost like, why bother? It's either really cold or really, really, really cold. Regardless of how much I wear I'm going to be uncomfortable so I've just gotta go with it.

View from my bedroom window right now, it's snowing!

You've got your whole life ahead of you.

The wind whipped through the trees all night and day. The sun was so bright and low it hurt to look in its direction. Watching the snow blow across the frozen river and bay was surreal, as was the ice fog. It felt like the end of the world in the best way.

 I was pleased to find it was not difficult to find vegan and gluten free items. Among my purchases were rice noodles, rice crackers, Magic fruit and a six pack of Sprite in the old glass bottles with the dimples. I mean, how could I resist a $10 six pack of soda? (I don't even drink soda, but I collect glass bottles.) In any event, it should pair nicely with the Polar Ice vodka. Food is particularly expensive, 8oz of hummus is $5.

Hopefully tomorrow I can post some fisheye photos I took outdoors today as well as an amazing video.

It's so hot outside

Whiteout

The second half of the flight was better than the first. Security didn't even make me take my boots off and they served real food on the plane, not food I could eat, mind you, but real food none the less. Even the coffee wasn't disgusting.


Allegedly it's warm here, but I'm cold. Then again I think 40F is cold. So, yeah. 

Boarding the plane

I specifically didn't look up the weather here or zoom in on Google Maps because I didn't want to know what to expect. I wanted to have an adventure. Let me tell you, this is an adventure. It's been barely over a day and I've got stories. 

Welcome to Canada, where there's nothing to do but drink and be cold.

Leaving NYC

Oh, post 9-11 world, how I love you. I guess I should have known I wouldn't be lucky with airport security forever. When I got detained in a special line while my colleagues were waved through, I pondered; Will I get that suspicious blonde I just dealt with? Will I get a dude? Will it be an interrogation room? Can I even be sent to a dude? Ahhhhhhhh! So, there was that. To make a long story short, I wish there had been something remotely interesting in my luggage for them to find, a samurai sword, weapons of mass construction, anything... which brings me to this gem: 

Fat girls in mini skirts abound in St John's. I use the term skirt rather loosely, "belt" would be more appropriate. Given the amount of ass I saw tonight, I may as well have gone to a strip club. These girls walk, or waddle/slip in heels, clutching onto whoever's nearby, and the guys are in t-shirts or hoodies and sneakers. 


Mind you, I'm wearing not one but two parkas and a sweater, two pairs of pants and giant boots, and still wishing I was wearing more because that's how cold it is. I'm fine with being the weird girl from New York.

GI Joe Ninja Killer

I have orange goggles and a camouflage face mask...


oh
my
god

Two weeks 'til departure.

Greetings friends,


Since many of you have expressed interest in my coming journey, I thought I might document it here. I will not be discussing my work, however I will discuss the trip in general.

My yard currently.