I have arrived in Alaska! I got in late Tuesday night, and my awesome roommate Joe picked me up from ,the airport. There are a few important things to note about Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage. First, there are stuffed muskoxen and bear throughout the airport. Second, Anchorage's only frozen yogurt place is in the airport, so Alaskans actually come to hang out at the airport and eat yogurt. Finally, all of the ladies' rooms in the airport contain sharps containers...for used needles...not sure why, but I probably don't want to know.
By the time I had arrived, my first few boxes had arrived, but I am still waiting on everything else. Hopefully by the next time I update, all of my possessions will have made their way here. I've been really pleased with my room, and today Joe and Walker moved my bed down here, so its starting to feel more like home. I officially have an Alaska drivers license and special ordered a new license plate. Stay tuned for that. It's going to be epic.
I started work on Friday so my reign of bumdom has ended and I am gainfully employed yet again. I really like the people and am excited to dive into the deep end come Tuesday when the real work starts.
Other random Anchorage observations so far include shocking grocery prices, except for wine, which is on par with the lower 48. Every place has a microbrew, and there are a ton of great beers to try up here. While there is no Gator group, there is a strong SEC crowd that even started an SEC chant at the sports bar.
Finally, as of today, there is termination dust. For those of you who live below the Mason Dixon, termination dust is the snow that falls up in the high mountains and gradually the white line covering the mountain tops moves lower and lower until it snows in the city. Termination dust is usually considered the first sign of fall.
I hope to have a more substantive update (including pictures) later this week, but in the meantime, arrivederci!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Alaska, Here I Come!
Hello Blogosphere!
The summer has nearly come to an end, and as I write to you I am sitting in the Long Beach, California airport on my way to Alaska for the foreseeable future. Since we last caught up, final exams happened (lame), I graduated (woohoo), I moved out of Williamsburg and down to Florida to see family and study for the bar (bittersweet), I took the bar exam (horrific), and I started my cross-country journey to get to Alaska (fabulous). Here are the highlights:
Graduation was surreal. It was nice to have friends and family there, but it felt like it didn't really happen. Barbri already had us studying for the bar, so graduation carried the strange sensation of just another thing to do on a weekend where I had to return to studying the following day. I did, however, Tebow on the stage.
Moving in with Bubbe was wonderful. She is such a cool little woman, and I emphasize little. It was nice being the tall one for a while, especially after living with Sophia for two years. I also saw more of my family than I have seen in years. Bar studying itself was pretty miserable, but gchat and Facebook breaks made it livable, and so did have weekly Tuesday night dinners with friends from high school. Oh, and also during this time, the MIAMI HEAT WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
On July 21st I flew up to Alaska for the Bar Exam. While the exam was all the horror and fright everyone describes in great detail, there are much more interesting things to discuss. I stayed with two amazing people, Julie and Gavin, who despite being eight and a half months pregnant invited me into their home, cooked meals, lent me one of their cars for the week, and gave me a ton of emotional support during the process. Gavin was born and raised in Alaska and it was really interesting to hear a lot of his perspectives on all things Alaskan. Julie is a transplant from Michigan (and an exceptional chef), and it was great to hear her perspective on living in Anchorage as well. By the time I left their home to head back to Florida, I felt I had good friends to return to when I move up permanently.
I checked out my new home, which is situated just between the Kink Arm (which leads to the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific) and a large lake, Westchester Lagoon. I will be living in a house with three other attorneys. Brownie points to the first person who figures out how many of us it takes to replace a light bulb. The house is just about one mile from the office and there is an entrance to the coastal trail at the end of our street. More importantly, this is pretty much my new backyard:
After the bar exam, Gavin and I hiked Powerline Pass. Spending all summer inside in the Florida heat and studying, this hike was exactly what I needed. It was a perfect day for a hike and it reminded me of why I love Alaska.
Finally, I began my trip up to Alaska. I stopped in DC to say goodbye to friends and had a really lovely time. It was harder than I expected to say goodbye to people not knowing when I would next see them and knowing that I couldn't just drive a couple of hours and be there. Also, it was SHARK WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.
I then went to Williamsburg to ship all of my belongings to Alaska. Many of you may wonder how one gets everything they won 5,000 miles across the country. Well, movers were ridiculously expensive and I don't own furniture, so I went the old-fashioned way and sent everything via the United States Postal Service. Thus, all of my earthly possessions are currently in the hopefully capable hands of USPS at the moment and should arrive in Alaska next week. I also got a chance to say goodbye to the wonderful people at William & Mary, Daniel, and the best new member class to ever grace the Junior League of Hampton Roads.
That brings my story here to California, my final layover on the move to Anchorage. I spent time with my Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Ritchie and enjoyed the wonderful Pasadena weather. We went to see the Vazquez Rocks, Newport Beach/Balboa Island, Santa Monica, and Pantea and I went with her boyfriend and their friends to an amazing tapas place that has a magical dish comprised of shrimp sauteed with chocolate, white wine, and red pepper. I thought I had died and gone to tapas heaven. So, all in all, it has been a decent summer and an excellent post-bar month. The next time I write to you all, I will be in ALASKA - and may have already started work (I start on Friday)! In the meantime, here are some fun trip photos of the beauty of California. Catch you up North!
The summer has nearly come to an end, and as I write to you I am sitting in the Long Beach, California airport on my way to Alaska for the foreseeable future. Since we last caught up, final exams happened (lame), I graduated (woohoo), I moved out of Williamsburg and down to Florida to see family and study for the bar (bittersweet), I took the bar exam (horrific), and I started my cross-country journey to get to Alaska (fabulous). Here are the highlights:
Graduation was surreal. It was nice to have friends and family there, but it felt like it didn't really happen. Barbri already had us studying for the bar, so graduation carried the strange sensation of just another thing to do on a weekend where I had to return to studying the following day. I did, however, Tebow on the stage.
Moving in with Bubbe was wonderful. She is such a cool little woman, and I emphasize little. It was nice being the tall one for a while, especially after living with Sophia for two years. I also saw more of my family than I have seen in years. Bar studying itself was pretty miserable, but gchat and Facebook breaks made it livable, and so did have weekly Tuesday night dinners with friends from high school. Oh, and also during this time, the MIAMI HEAT WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
On July 21st I flew up to Alaska for the Bar Exam. While the exam was all the horror and fright everyone describes in great detail, there are much more interesting things to discuss. I stayed with two amazing people, Julie and Gavin, who despite being eight and a half months pregnant invited me into their home, cooked meals, lent me one of their cars for the week, and gave me a ton of emotional support during the process. Gavin was born and raised in Alaska and it was really interesting to hear a lot of his perspectives on all things Alaskan. Julie is a transplant from Michigan (and an exceptional chef), and it was great to hear her perspective on living in Anchorage as well. By the time I left their home to head back to Florida, I felt I had good friends to return to when I move up permanently.
I checked out my new home, which is situated just between the Kink Arm (which leads to the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific) and a large lake, Westchester Lagoon. I will be living in a house with three other attorneys. Brownie points to the first person who figures out how many of us it takes to replace a light bulb. The house is just about one mile from the office and there is an entrance to the coastal trail at the end of our street. More importantly, this is pretty much my new backyard:
I also test drove my new car (pictures soon to come), but let's just say it is a classic. The bar exam ended in spectacular fashion, as this was in the sky when I walked out:
After the bar exam, Gavin and I hiked Powerline Pass. Spending all summer inside in the Florida heat and studying, this hike was exactly what I needed. It was a perfect day for a hike and it reminded me of why I love Alaska.
Finally, I began my trip up to Alaska. I stopped in DC to say goodbye to friends and had a really lovely time. It was harder than I expected to say goodbye to people not knowing when I would next see them and knowing that I couldn't just drive a couple of hours and be there. Also, it was SHARK WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.
I then went to Williamsburg to ship all of my belongings to Alaska. Many of you may wonder how one gets everything they won 5,000 miles across the country. Well, movers were ridiculously expensive and I don't own furniture, so I went the old-fashioned way and sent everything via the United States Postal Service. Thus, all of my earthly possessions are currently in the hopefully capable hands of USPS at the moment and should arrive in Alaska next week. I also got a chance to say goodbye to the wonderful people at William & Mary, Daniel, and the best new member class to ever grace the Junior League of Hampton Roads.
That brings my story here to California, my final layover on the move to Anchorage. I spent time with my Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Ritchie and enjoyed the wonderful Pasadena weather. We went to see the Vazquez Rocks, Newport Beach/Balboa Island, Santa Monica, and Pantea and I went with her boyfriend and their friends to an amazing tapas place that has a magical dish comprised of shrimp sauteed with chocolate, white wine, and red pepper. I thought I had died and gone to tapas heaven. So, all in all, it has been a decent summer and an excellent post-bar month. The next time I write to you all, I will be in ALASKA - and may have already started work (I start on Friday)! In the meantime, here are some fun trip photos of the beauty of California. Catch you up North!
 |
| Vazquez Rocks |
 |
| Sea Lions Relaxing Near Balboa Island |
 |
| Santa Monica, CA |
 |
| Aqua Dolce, CA |
 |
| Santa Monica, CA |
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Beginning of the End
Today is a momentus occasion. It is the beginning of the end: the last Monday of classes, and my second to last day of class as a law student! The past few weeks have been reasonably eventful. I found out my start date for work (right after Labor Day weekend), got my bar study loan squared away, and have started to look at housing options in Anchorage. Currently, the leading option is this:
In the meantime, I am also enjoying the Spring weather here in Virginia. This past weekend was beautiful, and Dave and I went to a wine and beer fest out in Smithfield on Saturday and it was fantastic. Who could ask for more than beautiful weather, wine, beer, cheese, SAMOAS, and friends.
While I should be studying for exams, instead I have a flight lesson tonight, Sophia's birthday tomorrow, Junior League on Wednesday, and general lounging around planned for the rest of the week. I guess outlining can be interspersed throughout.
As law school comes to a close, I am starting to get really excited about the next step. This time next year, I'll be here!
Monday, April 2, 2012
The Move is Coming!
Hello everyone! Since I lawt wrote, there has been significant movement forward on the graduation/Alaska front. I sent in my Alaska BarApplication, paid my BarBri fee, registered for graduation (and of course made graduation dinner reservations at Blue Talon), rented my cap and gown, and attempted to change my name on the graduation programs to Bailey Jennifer Woolfstead-Tebow. The move to Alaska is becoming more and more imminent, as is the move to Florida beforehand. The idea of packing up all of my things and moving twice in the next four months is a bit overwhelming. The coping mechanism I am using for the entire move is the idea of a cleanse. I am cleansing and refreshing my life as a whole, including using the move as an opporutnity to slim down on the number of things I own. However, the next frew months of moving 1500 miles to Florida, moving 5000 miles to Alaska, taking possibly the most difficult exam of my life, and then starting a new job and making new friends in what is, quite frankly, a new world is both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.
This past week, one of the Themis representatives for my school introduced me via email to another Virginian who has basically had the same experience that I had this past summer. She went up to Alaska for the first time over the summer to intern, fell in love with it, and will be moving up to clerk in Palmer (just outside of Anchorage) to clerk for a judge there. She is also studying from her hometown for the summer and moving up in August after the bar. Emailing back and forthw ith her has been really great, and I look forward to having another new friend up North.
In other news, I have made an important decision. Instead of getting a dog when I move up to Alaska, I am going to spend some time fostering. They are in desparate need of people to foster, and those dogs get more love and affection during the process, and are much more liekly to get adopted. I think it will be a good trail run for actually having a dog, and with my clerk salary, the fact that the dog rescue pays for all veterinary bill and dog food doesn't hurt. And really, who wouldn't want to spend some time with this guy:
That's the update for now. I really will start posting more soon, as I am learning more and more about the move to AK every day!
This past week, one of the Themis representatives for my school introduced me via email to another Virginian who has basically had the same experience that I had this past summer. She went up to Alaska for the first time over the summer to intern, fell in love with it, and will be moving up to clerk in Palmer (just outside of Anchorage) to clerk for a judge there. She is also studying from her hometown for the summer and moving up in August after the bar. Emailing back and forthw ith her has been really great, and I look forward to having another new friend up North.
In other news, I have made an important decision. Instead of getting a dog when I move up to Alaska, I am going to spend some time fostering. They are in desparate need of people to foster, and those dogs get more love and affection during the process, and are much more liekly to get adopted. I think it will be a good trail run for actually having a dog, and with my clerk salary, the fact that the dog rescue pays for all veterinary bill and dog food doesn't hurt. And really, who wouldn't want to spend some time with this guy:
That's the update for now. I really will start posting more soon, as I am learning more and more about the move to AK every day!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Baby Wolves!
It has been a while. I know, I know, and I promise I will be good about posting again. So to start, Winter Break and the holidays were wonderful and it was great to see my amazing family, and make some new friends. Highlights include a visit from my Aunt Cheryl and baby cousins from California, watching some good football with my dad, kayaking with my mom, getting time to actually cook family meals, a great Christmas celebration with family, and a wonderful New Year celebration with old friends.
Coming back to Williamsburg and getting back into the swing of school life has been hectic this semester, but Issue 1 of ELPR has been published, we’ve selected the Volume 37 Editorial Board, and Issue 2 is soon to come, so be on the lookout! (For those of you who actually click on the Issue 1 link, I particularly suggest the Mee & Miller piece – it’s an excellent primer to solar power in the West.) There is still so much to do in the 88 days I have left at W&M! In the next few weeks I will be hiring two students to take my place as the instructor for the LL.M. Legal Writing Program, 2 senior article edits, getting Issue 2 out and Issue 3 rolling, as well as my regular scheduled class, teaching, Lexis, and Junior League responsibilities. Oh, yeah, and finishing the Veteran’s Benefits manual. Sooooo…not complaining, but pardon my failure to update as regularly as I had planned.
In the meantime, one duty I have most certainly not abdicated has been procrastination by puppy, or in this case wolves! I was recently working on a student note that centers around the wolf reintegration controversy in the Northern Rocky Mountain region, so I started procrastinating by looking at baby wolves. For your enjoyment, here are the baby wolves that I would like to be mine:
Happy New Year Everyone (and Valentine’s Day)!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Puppy Watch 2011
It has been difficult for me to focus on exams this year, more so than any other, at least. One reason may be that I get to see my baby cousins in a couple of weeks. One reason may be that this semester has just been more work than any other throughout law school. But I think the true reason for my difficulty in focusing is what I have labeled "puppy watch 2011" (soon to be puppy watch 2012). Particularly, I have been looking at Daily Puppy (link is to my favorite daily puppy of all time), and the Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue site.
I have also been procrastinating by looking through Alaska photos on the Alaska Daily News website and getting excited for the actual White Christmas I will have next year (my first!). For your enjoyment, here is a recent picture my friend Chris sent of a road trip through Denali:
The Denali road that runs through the park is only open to tour buses and visitors of the few homesteaders who still own land in the national park. However, each year the state holds a lottery and a certain number of people get passes to actually drive through Denali in their own vehicles. Pretty neat.
Well, since my latest procrastination activity seems to be blogging, I am going to head off and actually learn admin law. Have a great weekend!
 |
| This is Chuck, a 1 year old Husky/Shepherd mix, who, clearly, wants to be my best friend. |
 |
| Denali, also know as Mt. McKinley, is the highest mountain in America standing at 20,320 feet! |
Well, since my latest procrastination activity seems to be blogging, I am going to head off and actually learn admin law. Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Pray, Talk to Your Loved Ones, Don't Drink and Drive!
The day before Thanksgiving, our former nextdoor neighbors' lives changed forever. Their youngest son Jamie, only 20 years old, was injured in a terrible car accident. Below is a message from his mom, Katrina, that I thought too important not to be shared. Please pray for Jamie's recovery, talk to your loved ones, and don't drink and drive!
1st, i would like to thank everyone for their phone calls, texts msgs, FB concerns. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
2nd, there are a few people that i want to thank for all that you have done: Jan sherman for setting up BROADSHOULDERS FOR JAMIE. Kim loved your spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs, Mel Nixon~your soup is awesome, 1st thing i have eaten w/o paper around it. to all the others that have set up a day to help feed this family, we are grateful beyond words. To THE BOOK NOOK family as they have pegged themselves: wendy king, sally swenk, lauren & melissa McLean, thank you so much for taking care of my "baby" while i take care of my true baby. You have taken a huge burden off my shoulders. If you are not mentioned here, i have not forgotten you, there are just so many that i would not know where to begin...(pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
JAMIE UPDATE: Jamie is the same, still asleep, no further injuries have turned up, he had his feeding tube removed yesterday and an abdominable one put in, today he will have a trach put in. There are many reasons for this: we believe the tubes were irritating him which was raising his blood pressure. this is a long term situation that we are in, and the less invasive things that we can do for him to make him comfortable the better. He has begun "brain storming", which it seems every brain injured person does. This is when the neurons begin "firing" in his brain. It is not harmful to him in that it does not create more injury, but i am told that it is painful to him and painful for us to see. by removing the tubes that irritate him, we can only hope that we can decrease the severity of the storming, we will not be able to stop them tho. He seems a bit more relaxed, as if he is just having a really good sleep. he can hear you, he has emotion..whenever some names are mentioned a tear will come to his eye..which brings me down to my knees. He loves Kayla, Jayden and Richard more than anyone, but tears come, so i do not talk about them anymore. I have been doing PT with him to decrease any tendons shortening. As a mom, i cannot do the medical things, but as a former Special Ed teacher i can stop him having additional problems such as "foot drop", etc. I am pulling from my past education (thanks mom and dad for that education, it is finally coming to use), and it makes me feel useful in a very sad environment. His eyes do react when light is shined in them, he still has a shunt in his head to reduce the swelling of his brain. He is to be moved to TIRR sometime soon (possibly next week) and then he will begin intensive PT for how long, no one has an answer to that question. Weeks, months, possibly years. But his birth certificate did not expire when he turned 18, we are in this for the long haul. And we know it. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive.)
there have been many questions of "what happened" with the unspoken question of "was alcohol involved". as i can assume that you have gathered from my not so sublimineal statements above, YES, alcohol was involved. My dear sweet Jamie made a decision that changed all our lives forever. Could Kim and I have done more? We were the parents with the breathalyzer on the counter when they came home. We were the parents who always said "no drinking and driving". I don't know if we could have done more, I can only pray that they listened most of the time. to see my dear sweet jamies car in the paper with the one lone sentence: man wraps mini cooper around tree. That is not a man, that is my son, someones brother, uncle, cousin. when we read this we think "oh not another one" we don't think about family, friends who will never be consoled. The only comforting thot i have now is that i do not have to go to another parent and tell them how sorry i am for my son taking their loved one. I'm strong but there is always a breaking point. to live with the grief we are going thru and put guilt on top of that..(pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
I have held many titles: daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, wife, parent and now mother of a drunk driver. like the ones above, i will never be able to get rid of that title, and i can only hope and pray that all those young people who are camping out in ICU will read this and stop and think and pull out that $10 for a cab. YOU DO NOT WANT this title. It breaks your heart beyond repair. Think before you speak, write, text something. it may be the last communication you have with someone, it may be the thing that pushes them over the edge that makes them lose all common sense and do something so incredibly stupid that will affect so many people for their entire lives. Don't worry if you fight with them, take away their car keys, they will get over it when they wake up the next morning in their own bed. They may not even remember, you will be mad at the nasty things they said to you, but so what..they are there to say I'm sorry. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
parents, kids, young adults who are facing the new challenges of building their own independant lives, talk, talk, talk. Dont stop talking when you move out, don't stop talking when you marry, when you have kids, talk, talk, talk...you can never turn back these hands of time. My heart is broken beyond repair as is kims, nicolas, colin's and katies. Will Kayla, Jayden and Richard ever get to have the opportunity to have their Uncle Jamie back. I pray they will. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
lastly, in this entire mess, there is one person who most likely saved my dear sweet jamie's life. His good friend John was following Jamie and he saw the accident. He immediatly called 911, flagged down cars to find out exactly where they were, and jamie was life flighted within 15 minutes. the first 30 minutes are crucial in this type of injury. John did not think about himself, any trouble he would get into, he just saved his friends life. For that we will be eternally grateful. John will now be a part of our family for the rest of our lives, he is now my 3rd son. Pray for this young man who is going thru his own trauma. Pray that he understands that there is nothing he could have done to stop my dear sweet jamie from picking up those car keys, pray for his mental health and acceptance of what happened. We love you John, you are now and always will be an honory Chapman. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
lastly, Wendy King texted me & said that Jamie's accident has made her realize how precious family is. She has decided to only have ornaments on her tree that her sons have made thru out the years. I have those same ornaments & every year they go on the tree. This year i am adopting Wendy's idea. My tree will not be all glitzy, but very simple with my dear childrens ornaments that i have saved, glued back together and just could not get rid of. Kayla, Jayden and Richard will join the tree with their wonderful creations.
1st, i would like to thank everyone for their phone calls, texts msgs, FB concerns. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
2nd, there are a few people that i want to thank for all that you have done: Jan sherman for setting up BROADSHOULDERS FOR JAMIE. Kim loved your spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs, Mel Nixon~your soup is awesome, 1st thing i have eaten w/o paper around it. to all the others that have set up a day to help feed this family, we are grateful beyond words. To THE BOOK NOOK family as they have pegged themselves: wendy king, sally swenk, lauren & melissa McLean, thank you so much for taking care of my "baby" while i take care of my true baby. You have taken a huge burden off my shoulders. If you are not mentioned here, i have not forgotten you, there are just so many that i would not know where to begin...(pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
JAMIE UPDATE: Jamie is the same, still asleep, no further injuries have turned up, he had his feeding tube removed yesterday and an abdominable one put in, today he will have a trach put in. There are many reasons for this: we believe the tubes were irritating him which was raising his blood pressure. this is a long term situation that we are in, and the less invasive things that we can do for him to make him comfortable the better. He has begun "brain storming", which it seems every brain injured person does. This is when the neurons begin "firing" in his brain. It is not harmful to him in that it does not create more injury, but i am told that it is painful to him and painful for us to see. by removing the tubes that irritate him, we can only hope that we can decrease the severity of the storming, we will not be able to stop them tho. He seems a bit more relaxed, as if he is just having a really good sleep. he can hear you, he has emotion..whenever some names are mentioned a tear will come to his eye..which brings me down to my knees. He loves Kayla, Jayden and Richard more than anyone, but tears come, so i do not talk about them anymore. I have been doing PT with him to decrease any tendons shortening. As a mom, i cannot do the medical things, but as a former Special Ed teacher i can stop him having additional problems such as "foot drop", etc. I am pulling from my past education (thanks mom and dad for that education, it is finally coming to use), and it makes me feel useful in a very sad environment. His eyes do react when light is shined in them, he still has a shunt in his head to reduce the swelling of his brain. He is to be moved to TIRR sometime soon (possibly next week) and then he will begin intensive PT for how long, no one has an answer to that question. Weeks, months, possibly years. But his birth certificate did not expire when he turned 18, we are in this for the long haul. And we know it. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive.)
there have been many questions of "what happened" with the unspoken question of "was alcohol involved". as i can assume that you have gathered from my not so sublimineal statements above, YES, alcohol was involved. My dear sweet Jamie made a decision that changed all our lives forever. Could Kim and I have done more? We were the parents with the breathalyzer on the counter when they came home. We were the parents who always said "no drinking and driving". I don't know if we could have done more, I can only pray that they listened most of the time. to see my dear sweet jamies car in the paper with the one lone sentence: man wraps mini cooper around tree. That is not a man, that is my son, someones brother, uncle, cousin. when we read this we think "oh not another one" we don't think about family, friends who will never be consoled. The only comforting thot i have now is that i do not have to go to another parent and tell them how sorry i am for my son taking their loved one. I'm strong but there is always a breaking point. to live with the grief we are going thru and put guilt on top of that..(pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
I have held many titles: daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, wife, parent and now mother of a drunk driver. like the ones above, i will never be able to get rid of that title, and i can only hope and pray that all those young people who are camping out in ICU will read this and stop and think and pull out that $10 for a cab. YOU DO NOT WANT this title. It breaks your heart beyond repair. Think before you speak, write, text something. it may be the last communication you have with someone, it may be the thing that pushes them over the edge that makes them lose all common sense and do something so incredibly stupid that will affect so many people for their entire lives. Don't worry if you fight with them, take away their car keys, they will get over it when they wake up the next morning in their own bed. They may not even remember, you will be mad at the nasty things they said to you, but so what..they are there to say I'm sorry. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
parents, kids, young adults who are facing the new challenges of building their own independant lives, talk, talk, talk. Dont stop talking when you move out, don't stop talking when you marry, when you have kids, talk, talk, talk...you can never turn back these hands of time. My heart is broken beyond repair as is kims, nicolas, colin's and katies. Will Kayla, Jayden and Richard ever get to have the opportunity to have their Uncle Jamie back. I pray they will. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
lastly, in this entire mess, there is one person who most likely saved my dear sweet jamie's life. His good friend John was following Jamie and he saw the accident. He immediatly called 911, flagged down cars to find out exactly where they were, and jamie was life flighted within 15 minutes. the first 30 minutes are crucial in this type of injury. John did not think about himself, any trouble he would get into, he just saved his friends life. For that we will be eternally grateful. John will now be a part of our family for the rest of our lives, he is now my 3rd son. Pray for this young man who is going thru his own trauma. Pray that he understands that there is nothing he could have done to stop my dear sweet jamie from picking up those car keys, pray for his mental health and acceptance of what happened. We love you John, you are now and always will be an honory Chapman. (pray, talk to your loved ones, don't drink and drive)
lastly, Wendy King texted me & said that Jamie's accident has made her realize how precious family is. She has decided to only have ornaments on her tree that her sons have made thru out the years. I have those same ornaments & every year they go on the tree. This year i am adopting Wendy's idea. My tree will not be all glitzy, but very simple with my dear childrens ornaments that i have saved, glued back together and just could not get rid of. Kayla, Jayden and Richard will join the tree with their wonderful creations.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Cruising!
Most of my previous five Thanksgivings have been spent with my guys at Walter Reed, or at work. However, this year my mom, my sister, and I went on a cruise to the Caribbean. What is that? Don't I have exams in a week? Yep! But I have a new theory (as of last week) that nothing prepares you for that last push like a nice relaxing week of fun in the sun.
The first few days were rough - literally! The waters were so choppy and the winds so high that the ship could not dock in Grand Turk. But for us that meant an extra day at the pool to just kick back, relax, go to a wine-tasting or two, and engage in the most important customary cruise activity - eat.
Puerto Rico was great. Mom and I went on a hike through the rainforest, where it was raining (at least it lived up to its name). Mom jogged up the trail backward (that is for you dad)
The rainforest was lush and beautiful and we got to swim in a large waterfall, got a drink and some food in San Juan, and then it was back onto the ship to sail on to St. Thomas.
We spent Thanksgiving on the ship, which was definitely a different experience. In truth, while I enjoyed it, I did miss the way my family cooks things, and I missed my guys at Walter Reed. However, I had so many things on the ship to be thankful for! I met some really great new people, including the Ford family from Chicago. By the third night on the ship, they were already calling me the "sixth sister," so I picked up an entire new family! I also made friends with a few people closer to my age from all different backgrounds (and countries of origin).
Our final stop was in Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. The water was truly turquoise and Mandy, mom, and I went for a horseback ride on the beach and through the water. Definitely the best excursion of the trip.
Mandy and I spent some time snorkeling, off the coast and we were dressed to impress:
Overall, it was a great trip and now that I am back in the 'Burg, exams and Christmas movies are calling my name!
The first few days were rough - literally! The waters were so choppy and the winds so high that the ship could not dock in Grand Turk. But for us that meant an extra day at the pool to just kick back, relax, go to a wine-tasting or two, and engage in the most important customary cruise activity - eat.
Puerto Rico was great. Mom and I went on a hike through the rainforest, where it was raining (at least it lived up to its name). Mom jogged up the trail backward (that is for you dad)
The rainforest was lush and beautiful and we got to swim in a large waterfall, got a drink and some food in San Juan, and then it was back onto the ship to sail on to St. Thomas.
 |
| El Yunque Rainforest |
St. Thomas was by far the most beautiful of the three locations we visited. The sea immediately gives way to mountains, the water was crystal clear, and the people were so friendly. I went on a snorkeling tour to a shipwreck on a catamaran that had by far one of the best rum punches I have ever tasted. |
| St Thomas (mom's photo) |
 |
| My new sisters! Sheila, Susan, Donna, Peggy, & Eileen (not pictured is my new brother - Steve) |
 |
| Aaron, Heather, Alex, Sig, Carl, Mandy and I |
 |
| Yours truly leading the pack! (Also mom's photo) |
 |
| Mom reminiscing on her horseback riding days |
Overall, it was a great trip and now that I am back in the 'Burg, exams and Christmas movies are calling my name!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Two Women
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving - we have so much to be grateful for.
As I mentioned in the previous post, I just went on vacation! My mom, my sister, and I just returned from a cruise through the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (we were supposed to stop in the Turks & Caicos, but the winds were too high for the ship to safely dock). The fun in the sun was great, although the Florida humidity definitely reminded me of one reason I am moving to Alaska.
More on the vacation later this week, as the trip down to Florida was rather interesting. I usually keep to myself in airports, especially in situations like last week where I had 20 papers to grade in only 2 days. However, on my way to Ft. Lauderdale, I met two very different and very inspirational women that reminded me of so many things I will be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The first woman I met sat down next to me as I was grading the LL.M.'s second drafts of their memos. Her face was bruised, her nose was clearly broken, and she had lacerations everywhere. It was clear by her demeanor that she was quite nervous. As it turned out, the woman is a heroin addict who had overdosed not 24 hours prior to the flight and was on her way to a rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach. She has three children, and an ex-husband who has been sober for 3 years. This overdose was her wake up call. She doesn't want her children growing up without a mother, and she knows that she was on the fast track to disaster. So, she decided it was time to get clean, and checked herself into an inpatient facility for a 90-day treatment. As many of you know, I have an uncle who died earlier this month because of his addictions. It takes a strong and determined person to take hold of a disease like addiction and dare to imagine their life without it. It takes an even stronger person to work to kick the addiction. Seeing someone make that decision was really inspirational.
The second woman I met could not be more different from the first. She is an interpreter and a Spanish and French teacher. Born in Cuba, she was airlifted to the United States during Operation Peter Pan in the 1960s. She grow up with a foster family in Indiana and later studied languages in France. She was on her way to a reunion of children who left Cuba in the 1960s through Operation Peter Pan. While she normally doesn't go to these types of events, a friend who she hadn't seen since they were children in Cuba recently reached out to her via Facebook (the power of the social network!), and 50 years later, they will reunite.
I couldn't help but think of how brave these two women are - one facing her demons, the other embracing her very unique past. It also made me think of how great our country is. We are able to provide help for those who are ready to fight the demons inside them. We have engaged in countless programs to take in people under political asylum and have given them the American Dream, which is unfortunately becoming less and less of a reality in current economic times.
This Thanksgiving, these two very different but remarkable women reminded my of what this country can be about. I promise, Thursday's post will have plenty of stories and pictures from the Caribbean, but for today I am off to study admin law and work on my Van Alstyne paper. I wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of what is now the holiday season, I leave you with this (one of my new favorite Christmas songs):
As I mentioned in the previous post, I just went on vacation! My mom, my sister, and I just returned from a cruise through the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (we were supposed to stop in the Turks & Caicos, but the winds were too high for the ship to safely dock). The fun in the sun was great, although the Florida humidity definitely reminded me of one reason I am moving to Alaska.
More on the vacation later this week, as the trip down to Florida was rather interesting. I usually keep to myself in airports, especially in situations like last week where I had 20 papers to grade in only 2 days. However, on my way to Ft. Lauderdale, I met two very different and very inspirational women that reminded me of so many things I will be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The first woman I met sat down next to me as I was grading the LL.M.'s second drafts of their memos. Her face was bruised, her nose was clearly broken, and she had lacerations everywhere. It was clear by her demeanor that she was quite nervous. As it turned out, the woman is a heroin addict who had overdosed not 24 hours prior to the flight and was on her way to a rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach. She has three children, and an ex-husband who has been sober for 3 years. This overdose was her wake up call. She doesn't want her children growing up without a mother, and she knows that she was on the fast track to disaster. So, she decided it was time to get clean, and checked herself into an inpatient facility for a 90-day treatment. As many of you know, I have an uncle who died earlier this month because of his addictions. It takes a strong and determined person to take hold of a disease like addiction and dare to imagine their life without it. It takes an even stronger person to work to kick the addiction. Seeing someone make that decision was really inspirational.
The second woman I met could not be more different from the first. She is an interpreter and a Spanish and French teacher. Born in Cuba, she was airlifted to the United States during Operation Peter Pan in the 1960s. She grow up with a foster family in Indiana and later studied languages in France. She was on her way to a reunion of children who left Cuba in the 1960s through Operation Peter Pan. While she normally doesn't go to these types of events, a friend who she hadn't seen since they were children in Cuba recently reached out to her via Facebook (the power of the social network!), and 50 years later, they will reunite.
I couldn't help but think of how brave these two women are - one facing her demons, the other embracing her very unique past. It also made me think of how great our country is. We are able to provide help for those who are ready to fight the demons inside them. We have engaged in countless programs to take in people under political asylum and have given them the American Dream, which is unfortunately becoming less and less of a reality in current economic times.
This Thanksgiving, these two very different but remarkable women reminded my of what this country can be about. I promise, Thursday's post will have plenty of stories and pictures from the Caribbean, but for today I am off to study admin law and work on my Van Alstyne paper. I wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of what is now the holiday season, I leave you with this (one of my new favorite Christmas songs):
Monday, November 14, 2011
I have already received received a huge outpouring of support from friends and family since starting this blog less than a week ago, as well as some great advice. The best advice so far is to purchase an engine block heater for my car here in the lower 48 as they apparently get back ordered rather quickly in Anchorage, and cost much less here. For those of you southerners like me who, up until two days ago, had no idea what an engine block heater was, it is a magic tool that allows you to plug in your car overnight and keep the fluids in your engine from freezing in the cold weather. I've also received some delicious looking salmon recipes, so keep those pouring in!
I am now in the process of completing my last executive edit for the semester and getting Volume 36, Issue 1 of the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review out the door. I am going on vacation next week (yes, right before exams - more on that in the next post) so I am trying to get as much done as possible before I leave, including my edit. As such, I stayed up a bit later than I normally would on a Sunday night. I like to have the TV on in the background as I fall asleep, and am also one who rather enjoys the weather channel. Lo and behold, Coast Guard Alaska was on! It is just one of the rash of shows that have come out recently about life in the last frontier - Alaska State Troopers (my dad's favorite), Gold Rush Alaska, Ice Road Truckers, Deadliest Catch, and of course my favorite, Sarah Palin's Alaska).
(I couldn't help myself, look at those puppies!)
These programs show that Alaska has somehow captured the nation's attention. Alaska initially captured my attention because of its beauty, its danger, and the fact that so much of Alaska is still wild and undiscovered.
What is it about Alaska that fascinates you?
I am now in the process of completing my last executive edit for the semester and getting Volume 36, Issue 1 of the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review out the door. I am going on vacation next week (yes, right before exams - more on that in the next post) so I am trying to get as much done as possible before I leave, including my edit. As such, I stayed up a bit later than I normally would on a Sunday night. I like to have the TV on in the background as I fall asleep, and am also one who rather enjoys the weather channel. Lo and behold, Coast Guard Alaska was on! It is just one of the rash of shows that have come out recently about life in the last frontier - Alaska State Troopers (my dad's favorite), Gold Rush Alaska, Ice Road Truckers, Deadliest Catch, and of course my favorite, Sarah Palin's Alaska).
These programs show that Alaska has somehow captured the nation's attention. Alaska initially captured my attention because of its beauty, its danger, and the fact that so much of Alaska is still wild and undiscovered.
What is it about Alaska that fascinates you?
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Here We Go!
I am new to the world of blogging, so helloooooo interweb! Last month, I made a big decision - to pack up my East Coast life and move to ALASKA! I accepted a job in Anchorage, and I have 8 months before I graduate law school and start a completely new life in a completely new place.
My decision was fueled by a number of factors. I went to Alaska on a whim this past summer after spending a month in Tanzania and realizing that living the big city life that I have lived in the past (growing up in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area, New York City for college, and Washington, DC, in between college and law school) isn't what I am looking for anymore. I absolutely fell in love with the beautiful scenery, fun activities, and really down-to-earth fun people in Anchorage. It has the perfect mix of city conveniences with easy access to complete wilderness. This recent op-ed from the Anchorage Daily News that expresses, better than I ever could, what is so wonderful about Alaska.
I have lived a really wonderful life full of great friends and family. But still, I can't help but feel like I am in a rut. I want something more, although I can't quite articulate what it is. I hope you will join me through my final year in law school, preparing for the bar, moving to my new home, starting my new job, maybe making a new addition to my family (the current front-runners can be found here and here), and daring to imagine that my life could be something different.
My decision was fueled by a number of factors. I went to Alaska on a whim this past summer after spending a month in Tanzania and realizing that living the big city life that I have lived in the past (growing up in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area, New York City for college, and Washington, DC, in between college and law school) isn't what I am looking for anymore. I absolutely fell in love with the beautiful scenery, fun activities, and really down-to-earth fun people in Anchorage. It has the perfect mix of city conveniences with easy access to complete wilderness. This recent op-ed from the Anchorage Daily News that expresses, better than I ever could, what is so wonderful about Alaska.
I have lived a really wonderful life full of great friends and family. But still, I can't help but feel like I am in a rut. I want something more, although I can't quite articulate what it is. I hope you will join me through my final year in law school, preparing for the bar, moving to my new home, starting my new job, maybe making a new addition to my family (the current front-runners can be found here and here), and daring to imagine that my life could be something different.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)