A Story Of Coexistence

Ahhh, the beautiful island of Kodiak, Alaska. Not a place your average "Lower 48" resident would think was the place to go for adventure. It's not the city-slicker's dream place and definitely not the place for mall-dwellers, but for the outdoorsy, animal-loving, camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, scenic-photography-addict, it's the place to be...during the summer that is.

Don't get me wrong, winters here are breathtaking! The wind isn't much fun making the air bitterly freezing at times, but the snow covered mountains and the sounds of an eagle calling in the empty crisp air make the ice and snow shoveling worth it.

The winter can seem really long and dark making it hard when spring comes to not resent the lower 48 for having some nice weather. But when the good weather finally comes here in Kodiak and the snow melts away, you have a good 2-3 months (July-September) to live it up and get outdoors and do fun things as much as possible.

Bears awaken and start to show their magnificence in June and become heavier in August and September. This is where the story of coexistence comes in. During the day, bears usually stay well hidden, but when the traffic dies down and the tide lowers and the fishermen go home, the bears come in for their feast. 

If you know what time and where to go, you're almost certain to see at least one bear every time you go out. I went a whole year here without seeing one bear. It surprised me because before moving here, I researched and found out that there are a predicted 1 bear per 3 people on this island. I thought for sure they'd be strolling by my house every day just as casual as a person walking to check their mail or take the trash out.

This year I saw my first Kodiak grizzly...from a safe distance away, of course. Hubby and I went out looking for bears and finally saw this majestic one at the Buskin River standing in the middle of the low tide searching for fish. 

Then I went out with my parents while they were visiting. We stopped at a beach to see the beautiful beach, and there was a bear...11am just walking down the bank smelling something unfamiliar...us. Finally it stood up, sniffed the air, turned around and walked away...no we didn't stink. :)

Then that same night with my parents, we took a drive in search of one, and saw one. My count is up to 3 Since July, and it's only the end of August. 

I go out again by myself this time and see 4 in a meadow off the road.

I go out a few nights later with a friend and we see 3 along a bank at a creek.

I go out yet again tonight by myself. As I'm driving, one runs out in front of me and I hit the breaks. Not hard, though. It wasn't like it was a close call, but it did startle me being so close and just running across the road like a lost chipmunk. I continue and stop at a popular creek and I see people there. I get out of my car and look, but I see nothing but the gorgeous pink sky as the sun goes down. I leave and as I do, I see people taking pictures all of a sudden. I turn the car around and go back and can see a mama bear and two cubs. As I drive by to park again, I saw the cubs standing up watching their mama catch a fish. By the time I walk back to the bridge, they're out of sight. So I leave again and begin the short drive home. I see another bear in a wetland type area and I stop to watch for a while but he never did anything but stand there head down to the water. As I left to go home, 100 feet farther and on the other side of the bridge, there was another one, closer to the bridge, but I didn't stop for a closer look.

My count so far is now 16 bears in 2 months.

People tell me...BE CAREFUL. I know this. Bears and humans coexist on this island. As long as people are smart, bears don't have a taste for us...it's the stupid ones the bears like to feast on. And to me, that's just natural selection at its finest. But not for the bear. Stupid people + bears who don't tolerate stupid people = BANG...dead bear. It's a sad but true fact.

I was so proud of this one bear I saw. My third bear sighting. People were watching, talking loudly, taking pictures, trying to get CLOSER. The bear comes toward them and goes out of sight in some bushes. The group decides to get closer to the bushes then they hear rustling close to them and jump back. NOT SMART. They don't hear or see anything for a while and start to leave. Just then, the bear comes out of the bushes and starts crossing the road right behind a girl who turns her back to the bear and yells "He's over here! Crossing the road RIGHT behind me!!!" If I had been that bear, I would have thought to myself, "Wow...prey that turns its back, waves its hands to announce its presence, and doesn't run...DINER." But the bear kept going...probably more scared than anything. It sounded upset, too, chuffing like it was saying, "GO AWAY! ALLUH YA!"

It's very rare here to find out about a bear attack. Bears and humans know each other and try to respect each other. Humans have the day, bears have the night. We cross paths most often at day break and at dusk. Most people stay a respectable distance from the bear, and most bears stay a respectably distance from people. It's a good system.

A great place, even though I complain a lot on rainy days when it should be sunny, or on a sunny but too-windy-to-do-anything-outdoors day. Here's to KODIAK BEARS: May you eat plentiful fish, have many cubs, and stay safely away from the gunpoint.

jobs Jobs JOBS

Today is a pretty good day. Aside from missing Jeremy (who is in California for a couple weeks), today I began my job at the pizza parlor on base. I think in a couple weeks time, I'll have the routine down pretty good. I'm getting 2 days training and working 2 days a week. It's pretty self explanatory. I'm used to working in a kitchen...done it my whole working career, so I'll get it down pretty fast.

The weather wasn't hideous today. Cold, but not raining, so I can't complain. On the DIET front, I weighed myself this morning and I have reached the 10 pound weight loss mark!!! Woo!!! I started this diet June 12, so it has been about 3 and a half weeks. My goal is to lose 35 pounds. If I keep on at this rate, I could be at my goal weight by my birthday at the end of August!!! Wow!!! Just in time to indulge in some cake...lol.

Anyway, I was having a hard time for the past few days losing any weight, but then on the 5th - yesterday - I ran a 10k from the CG Base front gates to the beginning of downtown Kodiak. I've NEVER done anything like this in my entire life...it was unofficially on my bucket list, so I went for it. I didn't run the whole way, but when I wasn't running or jogging, I was speed walking so I averaged the whole 6 miles at about a 13 minute mile. I finished in 1 hour and 23 minutes. Now I'm super motivated to train a bit and try it again next year and do it in under an hour. That would be amazing. Anyway, I think because of that, I was able to jolt my system out of its steadying weight and lost that last pound and a half to make it to the 10 pound mark.

Anyway, this post is entitled JOBS because when written out, it really does look like I'm working a lot OR RATHER I have a lot of jobs.

To lay it all out and view it...

CG Base Pizza Parlor (6 hours a week)

Commissary Bagger (4-8+ hours a week)

Homemade Gourmet Rep (set my own schedule)

Amway Rep (set my own schedule)

Zazzle Product Designer (set my own schedule)

Regular Dogsitter For Boomer (whenever needed)

Making & Selling Crafts at bazaars (spare time hobby)

The commissary and pizza parlor were the most recent to be added and they are a more steady flow of income than the others. And they are the only ones I consider to be an actual job...the others are more like profitable hobbies to me.

Anyway, maybe with these occupying my time, I'll be able to continue losing weight.

Kodiak...Gotta Love It

Lol, so it's 11:56 PM on July 3rd and I'm patiently waiting for it to be dark enough to watch the fireworks. Hahaha. Gotta love Alaska...around town, it's more of a New Years Eve type event. No wonder the big fireworks display is done in the 3rd...because technically, it's only dark from midnight to early morning on the 4th. Hahaha. Gotta love it. It's almost dark enough now...:)

Neighborly Love

I have never experienced such neighborly love in all my life. Though I can't say much for the first 22 years of my life having lived in the country away from people and neighbors.

After getting married, I lived in Waipahu, Hawaii. Our neighbors were friendly and helped us move something heavy to the dumpster. They were a local family, not related with the military.

In Santa Rosa, California, our neighbors kept to themselves...I didn't expect much else...

However, here in military housing in Kodiak, Alaska, I have never believed such compassion ever existed with neighbors. People here will go out of their way to help someone out. There are so many little examples I can think of. Though the drama and nosiness is pretty high if you're not careful, the compassion is strong still. For example, last Thanksgiving several wives got together and made EXTRA food to give to the single guys living in the barracks. Every time of the boats leaves port, some of the wives bake a bunch of cookies to send along with them. If there's a family in need of some extra help...however little the help is needed such as a wife who just had a baby and the husband is underway and all she needs is some help cooking, some wives will make some dinners and freeze them and take them to the family to use when needed. Those are just some of the neighborly deeds happening all the time on the island.

As for my personal experiences, I already wrote one of them here about when my fridge went out and all the food spoiled while on vacation. My neighbor on one side of us took care of the mess, cleaning out the fridge and the floor and having a new one put in...she also mowed our grass while we were gone.

Over Easter, I was perfectly content making a small dinner for Jeremy and I as that is what we have done during the time we've been married. If we're away from family, it's just us. However, for Easter, we were invited to a friend's house. It's such a small thing, but it felt so big. It felt like Thanksgiving. Warm and quiet, surrounded by friends and eating good food.

Now that the 4th of July is here, Jeremy is gone in California temporarily. I'm content in my own mind...I have Delilah as my company. I didn't feel the need to do anything big for the day. I did, however, invite a friend over and planned out a small little BBQ just her and I. I didn't think much of anything bigger than that. Now...I got called up by the same friends we shared Easter with and invited to share the 4th with, too. I respectfully declined because I already have company. (Side note: a few days ago I was invited to dinner by my neighbor - the one who helped with the fridge) Then this evening, my neighbors on the other side came over to invite me to the BBQ they are having. I respectfully declined with the same (valid) excuse that I have a friend coming over...but they still said we could both come over - that there'd be plenty of food if we wanted to. It's amazing how neighborly everyone is here. I feel the urge to bake cookies for people moving in 3 houses down, but I fear I may appear stalkerish. Haha. 2 houses down is fine but 3 is pushing it. It must be in the water, though. I'm a keep-to-self kind of gal, but being here is opening up new experiences. I'm feeling senses of compassion and warmth that I thought I could only feel from family and close friends I grew up with.

Weight Loss

It has been 3 weeks since I started my "get healthy" goal. I must say I'm quite proud of myself. All I'm doing is counting calories, writing down what I eat, and going to the gym 1-3 times a week for about a half hour each time.

At first, it was rough. I had a hard time staying away from the junk. I got super close to my calorie limit for the day, but I still stayed under. A couple times, I went over, but the circumstances were unavoidable.

As the weeks went by, I started feeling satisfied with the food I ate and I didn't feel such a strong need to binge and snack. Though I still have unhealthy cravings that I indulge in, I'm finding it easier and easier to stay well below my calorie limit. On days I go to the gym, I burn about 350 calories and while home, I'll eat maybe 200 calories per meal. By the end of the day, my net calories would only be 250 which is about 25% of my calorie limit for the day.

Thusfar, I have lost 8 pounds in 3 weeks. My goal is to lose a total of 30 pounds by Thanksgiving. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think it's possible. Woot!

Extroverted People

Those who know me would call me introverted...shy...quiet...

Then you get to know me and I come out of my shell more.

As a side note coming from an introverted person...I like my quiet time...alone...escaped in my own thoughts...my own little safe world. Sure, I like to get out and party once in a GREAT while, but I don't need that constant human interaction to stay sane. 

It's always awkward for me to meet new people...especially if they are shy, too. I don't know what to say besides the normal nice to meet you, I don't know how to act besides super polite, and I feel completely awkward. 

Most of the time, meeting extroverted people is fine. I'm still my shy self, but I don't have to worry about starting a subject of conversation...

Then SOMETIMES, you meet an overly extroverted person and though normally an introverted person would slink farther into her shell like a frightened turtle, however, I feel rejuvenated. Though I can't take an extended period of exposure to said extroverted persons, for a few hours, it's exciting. It's the type of person who upon meeting you for the first time runs up and gives you a giant bear hug, calls you hun, and invites you into their family. They never run out of questions to ask you, or things to talk about, and in their mind, you are their best friend during their time with you. They are the type of people who can liven up a dead room just by being there. 

I never have understood the lack of humility this genre of people have, but it's inspiring. I know I'll never be like that, but it's always refreshing to meet someone like that.

A Little Behind...Games With Friends

It has taken me a while to get to writing this, however, I want to make note of a very fun time I had while on vacation...I highly recommend doing this with a group of close friends...preferably coed with couples.

While on vacation, I had a couple of opportunities to hang out with some friends...part of the wedding party from all of nearly 2 years ago..

Known as "The Gang" we have Glen and Cathy, Jon and Jessie, Jeremy and Myself...

There's a board game out there called..."The Game Of REAL Life" It looks and plays similar to The Game Of Life, but it's ghetto. I'm not sure how easy it is to find, but I know it's out there, and it's super fun.

Throughout the game, you are required to keep a journal of what happens throughout your game...

Here's my story...

I'm a dude named Dwight McDaddy

My parents were hippies and fed me organic foods. Unfortunately, they were also drunk and beat me as a child. Then they got divorced, which made me slip into a deep addiction to tobacco. It was so bad that I don't even remember 4 years of my life. After I regained some control over my life, I met my first love...strong and pure. Unfortunately, she drove me into choosing LSD as my second love. My career path in life led me to become a garbage collector, though I didn't make any money at it. I ended up still marrying my first love and we had some healthy sex. It was so good I had a near death experience from it. I suddenly gained some extra time in my life, though I became disabled. Everyone took pity on me so I was able to get double benefits from everything I did. That is, until one day when I caused a civil disobedience and got pepper sprayed in the face. That winter, I quit my LSD comforts, which gained me some extra time in my life and I used that extra time becoming addicted to chocolate. Some scientists tried to clone me but failed. Through that experience I gained some common sense and made peace with the world around me. Just as my life was getting straight, a friend illegally set a nuclear bomb and killed the planet. The End. 

lol hahahaha. ROTFLMAO....hahaaaa....Baaahaaaah. 

It's very fun.

Also, if you don't have a board game, here's one that you can make up as you go and play with a group of close friends...We were trying to come up with a quick game to play without cards or boards or dice or anything. So we made up our own couples trivia game. The girls got together and came up with 5 questions about ourselves with answers and the guys did the same about themselves. Then we got together and asked each other questions. For example: I asked Jeremy question number one, what's my favorite color? He answers green and we get a point as a couple. Then Cathy asks Glen and Jessie asks Jon. It continues until every question has been asked to every person. The couple with the most points wins.

We played two rounds of this and let me tell you, we were able to learn so much about each other...not couples so much as friends. Jeremy and I pretty much knew all the answers about each other, but we learned interesting things about our friends. And vice versa I'm sure...anyway, if you ever need a game to play with friends, that comes highly recommended as it is super fun and super easy...you can make the questions as hard or as easy or a dirty or as figurative as you like. Thought I should share...:)

Beary Dumb Of Me

I went out for a drive this evening in search of a Kodiak grizzly bear. There are a couple that are being seen regularly now, but not by me, of course...

I had my camera and I left. I pulled over at a couple of creeks and let me tell you...well, here's the story.

I pulled over at a creek just to let a car behind me pass. I decided to get out and take a couple scenic pictures. After that, I started to get back into the car when I heard a low grumble. I stopped...listened...at first I thought it was a car engine in the distance, but then I heard the grumble again. It was a low dry growl; my heart literally started beating so fast I could hear it. It sounded as though it was coming from just under the bridge. I was too scared to walk over without the protection of the car, so I got in and drove a little ways further into the pullout - a little closer to the bridge. I got out and listened. The sound had moved to the other side of a rock dam on the other side of the bridge. Soooo, feeling safe on the bridge, I walked further and looked...nothing...I listened...nothing...and then...

I heard the noise more clearly...it was a dirt bike on the dirt track a ways down the road. I feel dumb. hahaha. I thought at first it was an engine until I heard it again and it sounded so much like a bear grumble I was convinced...darn dirt bikes. lol.

Home again...time to get healthy

HOME is such a weird word to me right now...Thinking about it, HOME is Oregon. I was born and raised there. I referred to our vacation this past month as a vacation to visit HOME...where friends and family are...

However, HOME is also wherever Jeremy and I are currently living. That's military life. There's a popular Coastie Wife saying out there, "Home is where the Coast Guard sends us." I believe it. It's where Jeremy and I live in a house together and everything in it is "ours." We live by our time and our rules and are surrounded by our possessions.

So it's confusing to me when I say I'm going home ON vacation...and then to turn around and say I'm home FROM vacation.

Anyway, it was a great vacation. Filled with Family, Friends, Shopping, and Eating Out.

Oh...the eating out. As of Saturday morning, I started a DIET. However, now, I'm liking to call it "getting healthy" as my wonderful friend, Terra, puts it in her blog, "Diet. I hate that word. It always sets me up for failure. I just need to get healthy." I never thought of it that way, and yet, it's so true. So today I say, I'm on day 2 of being healthy. It has been gradual. I exercised for a good hour yesterday and today, I'm super sore. I wanted to work out today, but my muscles scream at me, "Are you CRAZY or something?" So I submitted.

I have eaten a lot healthier these past two days than I have on my vacation, however, I'm still snacking on things I shouldn't be snacking on. It's gradual, but progressive. Tomorrow, I shall go into more detail with the good eats that have attached themselves to my gut in the past month, and also as to my game plan. I'm lucky to have support coming from everywhere on this one: My amazing husband, Jeremy, who is "getting healthy" with me; my wonderful friend, Terra - we are co-supporting each other long distantly; and also to my many Coastie Wife (yahoo group) pen pals from all over the United States who are all trying to "get healthy," too.

Yay for health! Maybe it was a miracle in disguise that our fridge went out while we were gone. It got rid of all the junky treats in the freezer...

FML

So I'm on vacation, ya? Well, it has been going rather nicely. Timing is perfect. Scheduling is coming together, and quality time is happening. 

I should have known that the world was out of balance with as perfect as everything has been going...

Sooooooo, I got a text last night saying that our fridge quite working sometime within the past several days and all the food in our fridge and freezer is spoiled and leaking out onto our kitchen floor. 

Thank God that our Salmon and Halibut were in the chest freezer downstairs and not in our main fridge/freezer.

Still sucks though because that's about $200 worth of food gone to waste.

Vacation = Awesome

So far, our vacation in Oregon has gone so smoothly it's hardly believable! 

To be able to see everyone and do almost everything we wanted to do while working around everyone's work schedules and plans and still have everything work out is a miracle! 

And the weather is another factor. We went to the coast. The day before we went, it rained. The day we went, it rained on the way there, but once there, it was warm, sunny, and beautiful! Then on the way back to town, it rained. Timing is everything.

Another day, went up the mountain a little ways and it poured down rain on the way. Once to our destination, it only sprinkled a tiny bit. Even hiked in to a natural hot spring next to a creek. Driving back to town, it rained. It's like God said, I'll put the weather on hold just for you.

Have already seen many friends and been able to hang out and do things. Took my friend, Terra, out to Starbucks for her birthday, visited with parents, grandparents, and siblings, dined at some great restaurants and fast food joints, experienced some very warm sunny days, walked on the amazing Oregon beaches, reminisced about some good ol' days, bought some much needed clothes, and relaxed in a hot tub.

We're not even half way through the vacation...still need to go camping and make a second round of hanging out with friends. 

Vacation so far...nothing short of AMAZING!

Woo!!! Can't Wait!!!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow...I can't wait for you to be today...

lol. Tomorrow we're leaving the island...not permanently, just to go home to visit. YAY! I'm even looking forward to spending all day on a plane. It'll just build up the anticipation to see family and friends...

Is it bad if I'm equally excited to go shopping and eat at real restaurants as I am to see family and friends???

We have nearly a whole month to spend at home. Woo! I'm so excited!

I may not be posting for a month due to the vacationing and all. But I'll be back...I promise.

My Thoughts On Living In Kodiak, AK

Living here without leaving the island for nearly a year has made me think of some things...well...just read and you'll see.

You know you've been here too long when...

• 55 MPH seems fast

• You love when the sun comes out, but it's so bright, "I'm melting!"

• 70 degrees is cause for shorts and a T-Shirt

• You don't find it worth the 5-10 minute drive ALL THE WAY into town

• LOST is not a word in your vocabulary

• Temperature is deceiving...the sun is shining, but it's frickin COLD!

• There are two seasons: Snow Shoveling and Grass Mowing

• TV commercials piss you off: Here, there's no Olive Garden, IHOP, Target, JC Penny, etc: Stop teasing me, TV!

• You don't even know what the newest music is

Can't Get Anything Done

While doing chores, I have found that TV is a distraction...music is a motivator.
 

I say this as a dirty house looks at me and I'm watching Supernatural. :)

I've been procrastinating some paperwork that needs to get done. Ever have a project where you have to do everything in the exact correct order or everything will be messed up, and you don't even know what the order is? I'm having that problem. Ugh...

Background says, "ME"

Hey all. So I'm minorly obsessed with blogging now. Maybe I'll stick with it. My closest friends could tell you that I start so many little projects, and it lasts a while, but I eventually move onto my next obsession. I guess it's kind of like a collection of hobbies. I work on one hobby a while then move on to another. The one hobby I started in grade school and still to this day continue with is journaling, though, when a lot happens in a day it's harder for me to sit down and take the time to write about it, so I usually end up with little footnotes as an entry. Then I get behind and next thing I know, I have a couple years worth of footnotes and some of the words just don't make sense to me anymore.

We'll see how this works out. As of now, I'm sticking to it.

As for this background. My words may seem kind of cynical, but I assure you this background screams my personality. I'm obsessed with palm trees and HAWAII. I've been there twice. Once on tour as part of a dance company: we performed at the mall in Honolulu, at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and at Pearl Harbor. It was my dream come true. I never thought I'd get the opportunity to visit Hawaii. Leaving was sad.

Then, after my hubby joined the US Coast Guard, guess where our first station was??? Hawaii! So I got the opportunity to live there for 3 months. Those were some great times. My Traveling Blog has pictures of our adventures.

So ya, this background suits me very well. It may not fit some of the randomness in this blog, but it's my personality.

I guess I should give you a quick trip through the essence that is me. I'm shy when I meet you, but in time, I come out of my shell. I like to talk about the past; I like to listen. I love keeping to myself, but I know it's fun to go out every once in a while, mostly in smaller crowds. I hate driving in traffic on a big freeway. I'm very nostalgic about the past. I occasionally worry about the future. I'm pretty laid back and passive, but if you do something to really piss me off, I'll probably tell you off. BTW, it's hard to piss me off. I've only ever told off a couple of people: One, a girl was talking about hubby and I behind our backs but loud enough for us to hear. Two, my supervisor made a coworker cry and I made him apologize. Three, a coworker was telling Hubby to do something that was impossible to do at the given moment. Four, a coworker was telling me what to do instead of doing her job...get this, I was her boss. Five, a former friend tried to turn my Hubby against me by telling him lies about me. Then, there are a few businesses: A taxi service charged our credit card and didn't provide the service they charged us for. An internet company wouldn't let us out of our contract even though legally they had to because we were moving via military orders. 

Here I go, getting worked up over the memories of these stupid people. Yes, I also hold grudges. But ask 90% of the people I've ever met, and they'll tell you I'm a nice person.

Anyways, that's me: Shy, friendly, nostalgic, listener, and don't piss me off. 

I also enjoy long walks on the beach, photography, writing, dancing and camping. I'm an outdoorsy girl, and low maintenance. I'm ready to go in 15 minutes. I'm casually fashionable, but as soon as I'm in my house, the pj's go on.

That's all for now!

Oh Goodeness, Another Blog

Thank you little squiggly red underline, it does appear that I have misspelled "Goodeness." Actually, I meant to spell it that way; see, it's a pun of my name: Katie Goode. Don't bother stalking me, I'm one of many Katie Goode's. :)

And oh my, yes, I have created a third blog. I'm on a roll. Ideas are flowing through my "gifted" head. lol.

Blog number one: The Dog Blog (http://thedogblog-arfarf.blogspot.com)

Blog number two: Goode Traveling (a photo blog of our military travels) (http://goodetraveling.blogspot.com)

And now blog number three: Random Goodeness.

See, sometimes I get weird thoughts, or thoughts that make perfect sense, to me anyway. I guess you'll have to keep reading to understand what random Goodeness I come up with.

The point of this blog is to be short, sweet, and to the point. I may go days without posting...my mind works in mysterious ways. So anyway, I hope I don't overwhelm myself with three blogs.

Here we go...