Finally some time

I finally have some time to sit down and write in this blog. This past month has been hectic and this is the first day that I actually have nothing to do in quite in awhile.

I have been working non stop since I got back from Hawaii. The schedule for the project that I'm working on has been slipping lately, as most software projects do, but this one is ridiculous. We just are not given enough time to get things done, so we end up cutting corners and working till 5am. Yes folks, for the first time in my life, I stayed at work till 5am on Friday night. Then I got up at Noon on Saturday and had to go back in.

This is not my style. Honestly, I love the work I do, but I really work to make money so that I can enjoy the other aspects of my life. Especially in Alaska. I did not come to Alaska to work. I came to play. When you have no time to enjoy the other things what's the point? I know, I know I just spent a month on vacation, I'll stop whining.

Anyway I have been busy. Last night we had a Wine Tasting and Silent Auction organized by my Team in Training teammates to raise more money. I think I will be at about $2000 after this. Just $2500 more to go. The Wine Tasting was a hit, with about 200 people showing up.

As you may have read, I started to get shin splints when I was in Colorado, so my running has been minimal. I have had a stress fracture before and I know it can turn into nightmare if you don't stop running for a little while. I have had no pain for about a week now so I'm going to go out for a long run today, despite the fact that it is about minus ten degrees.

The transition from Maui back to Anchorage was a tough one. I consider myself a winter person, love the snow, love the cold, but there is something about surfing in 75 degree water in the 80 degree sun and then hopping over to the bar for a Mai Tai and some delicious Ahi tuna sashimi that appealed to me for a moment. I feel like someday when I am over these winter sports, maybe I will become a surfing bum and live somewhere tropical. We took off from the airport in Maui in 82 degrees and stepped off the plane in Anchorage to -16 degrees, and it hurt. These negative temperatures have been keeping up all week. This is not typical of Anchorage. Most of the winter months are spent int the teens and 20s. Temperatures this cold no longer feel cold, they just feel painful.

But when it is this cold it is usually because it is clear and it has been just beautiful. Atleast, it seems that way from what I can see from my office window. And the light, the light is glorious. We are up to 8-ish hours of light a day and gaining 5 minutes a day. Today some clouds are starting to roll in so I think warmer temperatures are in our future.

Next week I'll be ready to ice climb again. I would like to hit Hunter Creek and also go back to Eklutna Canyon to lead Ripple again. Also, March 14th-16th are the potential dates for the ice pixie event in Valdez. It will be interesting to see if any of the skills I learned in Ouray have stuck with me. Being the nerd that I am, I actually wrote down all of the things I learned in Ouray that I felt were important so that I could work on them when I got back.

It's good to be back!