What I Learned From Class
Ettended UChicago Graham School, Alaska: Indigenous, Russian, American.
One. Russian influence in AK. Yes, I knew about the sale. No, I did not know about the remnants of Russian in the state. BTW, Russia and the US had different calendars. On the day of the sale Alaska went from the 6th to the 18th.
Two. Are there any first contact/colonization stories that aren’t depressing?
Three. Politics has always been global. Russian became interested in getting out of Alaska after a loss in the Crimean War.
Four. I am now more likely to stop at a TV show, or pick up a book about AK, at least to check it out.
What I Found While Reading & Surfing
Odds are good, but the goods are odd. Expression. Also said about tech schools.
“The great alone” Murder on the Iditarod Trail by Sue Henry.
“Alaskans, according to a familiar saying, don’t tan—they thaw.” Death Trap by Sue Henry – among other places including on a t-shirt for sale.
“The mules became accustomed to shipboard life, placidly converting oats into a hygiene problem.” Guardian by Joe Haldeman. Parts of the book are set in Alaskan towns during the gold rush. No idea of historical accuracy but the details scan well enough. Turned up in a search for Alaskan science fiction. It is … kinda sorta. Weird book, but a good writer can get away with writing decisions that would doom a lesser writer. I both finished this & recommended it. Used as intro link. [New Year, New Energy, New Horse] Thu 16 Jan.
The Iditarod & the amount of coverage available for couch mushers.
What I Learned From Posting About Alaska
Fiction
[North To Alaska part 1] Saturday 23 November 2024
[Taking The Long Way Home part 2] Saturday 11 January
[I’m Not Going] Saturday 25 January
[You’ve Got To Go] Saturday 8 February
[When You Can’t Go, Muse and the Alaska Made For TV Movie] Saturday 22 February
[Going Virtually, Fiction] Saturday 8 March, included links & Internet finds that otherwise would be listed here.
“How do I write a story set in a place I’ve never been?” I worked that premise into the ground. I will admit, after awhile, I wanted to see if I could keep it going. [I’m Not Going]
Non-Fiction
[Wild Nature] Alternate title, In Praise of Civilization, Saturday 18 Jan
[Searching For Alaska, A Linkfest] Saturday 15 Feb
Art & Photography
[Lettering Over Alaska, Art] Sunday 2 Feb
[Alaska on The Street, Photography] Friday 21 Feb
[Step Zero, Photo Editing] Friday 28
[Totem Pets, Art] Sunday 9 March
The area for the stop sign photo turned out to be sketchier than my initial evaluation. I was fine. I was able to step into the truck and drive off. Makes me a bit more paranoid/prudent about the next time I go somewhere, which – unfortunately – is probably a good thing.
Intro Links
Alaska.org: Alaska Photography: What’s Different. (a travel sales site) [Footprints in the Snow] Friday 17 January
World Ice Art Championships. Ice Alaska Photo Gallery. [Lettering Over Alaska] Sunday 2 February
Anchorage Daily News: Murkowski introduces bill to keep Denali as the name of North America’s tallest peak [Searching For Alaska] Saturday 15 February
Alaska Magazine: 2024 Photo Contest Sponsored by Alaska Airlines [Alaska on The Street] Friday 21 February
Anchorage Daily News: Think sled-dog racing is fading? In Alaska’s mushing-crazy Kuskokwim Delta, it’s booming, [Minion, My Water Is Icky, Life With Dog] Thursday 27 February
Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers: alaskaWILD. [Step Zero, Photo Editing] Friday 28 February
[Alaska.org: Totem Heritage Center. Also mentioned, Alaska DNR: Totem Bight State Historical Park and Alaska.org: Saxman Village Totem Park.] Sunday 9 March
Previous AK on the Blog
Imagine the effect on geopolitics if Russia still owned Alaska. Idea courtesy of listening to the audio edition of Full Circle by Michael Palin (St. Martins 1997, Audible 2012), which begins with the author looking out across the Bering Straits. Palin Travels: Full Circle [Summer Shoes] 24 June 2024
“15 states have more than one time zone: Florida, Oregon, Kentucky, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, North Dakota, Michigan, Alaska … “[Yet More Walking, State of the Now] 1 June 2023
APM: Mary Peltola becomes first Alaska Native elected to Congress, Ruskin & George, August 31, 2022.” [State of the Fitness, Ambling About] 2 Sept 2022
Alaska Airlines Safety Dance. [The Boot Barrage Begins, Rodney] 28 April 2021
Virtual 5Ks, Don’t believe I did any of them. [Will Walk For Bling] 14 May 2020
“Tim Cahill reports on the road trip to end all road trips: a journey that took him from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.” [Have You Read This? Travel] 9 November 2019
+ Attend a USEA event in Hawaii and in Alaska, Areas VI and VII respectively. [My Go Mighty 10] 20 November 2013
Next Up
Cities, both general and specific. UC Graham: From Istanbul to Cairo: The City in the Historical Novels of the Middle East
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Somehow, I don’t think you could carry enough garments to stay warm in Alaska…LOL.
I’d laugh, but it’s true.
Hi – I haven’t looked up all of the links in this blog, but I did enjoy seeing the photos in this one: https://asonp.photoshelter.com/gallery/alaskaWILD-2024/G0000mefsLR9hW98. Thanks for sharing! MM
Pretty subject matter.
Doh. I’ve lived in Oregon since ’91 and did not know there were 2 time zones, and I’ve been to that county!…..
That must be very confusing.
Alabama has one, officially. However, an area over near Georgia uses GA time. Similar to the Oregon dynamic.