I'll take you in my backpack

12/15/10 Hello cyber friends, travel enthusiasts, and friends and family (let's be honest the latter are really the only ones reading this...but I'll take it!) Some of you are already privy to this information, you must be in the inner circle (ha!), for everyone else, here it goes...do you feel the suspense building?! For our next adventure we are traveling to... OKINAWA!!!!!! I couldn't be more excited for the trip! I absolutely love Japan, and am thrilled that I'm getting the opportunity to explore another portion of it (and of course, eat my way through it!) I depart 1/8 for the long voyage over! I'm sure this will be an adventure, especially since I have to get a rental car (I've never driven on the "wrong" side before). I hope to not take off any mirrors and if I do, I hope that it's less than 5 during my stay there :) I hear it's a common thing (Shannon, you're familiar with this right, oh wait, this was in the States and you

12/13/10 Example of the Northern Lights, thanks Google Images It has been my goal since learning about my assignment in Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights. It's supposed to be one of the best places to see them, with some of the most brilliant displays in the world. Hm. I've seen more of the Northern Lights in Massachusetts than I have here in Fairbanks. True story. We saw them once as a kid over the golf course behind our house. I digress. Northern Lights in Fairbanks. I have literally been watching the " Aurora Forecas t" like a hawk, going out each and every night and early in the morning to try to catch a glimpse. To be honest I feel like those people on storm chasers, with much less success obviously! Day in, day out, NOTHING! Although, last Thursday, I do believe I caught a glimpse of what was the Northern Lights on my way to work but it was so cloudy that the clouds covered a lot of it, so, it also could have been the lights reflecting on the clouds, how

12/11/10 Tis the season for holiday baking and festivities in the workplace. I tried something completely new and was insanely impressed. Just hearing the name kind of made me cringe, and I didn't have high hopes for it, but I assure you this recipe is a COMPLETE score and will become a favorite, oh, and it's simple! Pineapple Cookies J (Fairbanks, AK  2010) Take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe in the place of chocolate chips, use 1 can of drained pineapple (diced or crushed). Everything else stays the same in the recipe. Voila, you're finished. See. Simple! Books Read: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk Water for Elephants