Amanda's Alaskan Adventure

One girl, one big journey

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Wednesday, September 1st

Picturey Goodness


I'm working on posting my pictures in larger quantities. Linkie over on the right ---> or here.

My photo editing program has the ability to spit out these photo albums, so lemme know what you think! Some of them are a bit interactive too - you can move stuff around, and on one of them you *have* to click on things in order to see much more than a thumbnail whizzing by. Shockwave plugin may be required, hopefully it automatically directs you where to download if you don't have it.

In other news...

Saturday went to Discovery World in Milwaukee. Lots of stuff to play with, not so much stuff to take pictures of other than the little bit of aquarium, and I got some nice pics from the roof. Go figure. And I was reminded of why I frequently wear my hair braided when I go out, and at least have a bandanna on my head. I think my hair was attacking mom... she got her retribution yesterday morning when she gave it a trim. :)

After that went and raided the new Half Price Books on Bluemound Rd and ran all over the place trying to find a new camera for Mom. That was a rather arduous journey, but we finally had success.

Sunday went to the Milwaukee County Zoo. Note to self: when going to events where there's hundreds of kids running around, bring iPod and headphones in order to dull their noise a bit. Its not really rude walking around in headphones if it keeps me from stabbing them, right? :p

As is to be expected, not all of the animals were really cooperating, had their backs turned, wouldn't stand still... so I've got a lot of fuzzy pictures, but I still managed to get some decent ones. The Birds of Prey show was pretty neat, and at the end got to get up close to an eagle (got pictures of that one, since it was standing still). Unfortunately, Mom wasn't feelin' too good after a while, so there were areas that we didn't get to, but I still managed to see all the good stuff. Like penguins. :p And the big cats - the lion was pretty much posing, the snow leopard was smushed into a corner against the glass, and the tiger "cubs" (more like teenaged, so the lady that was answering questions said) were tons of fun to watch. And I scared a bunch of gazelle/antelope/whatever looking things when I accidentally bumped the railing with my elbow, trying to take pictures of them. Luckily they couldn't run far. :) (yeah, yeah, disturbing the wildlife...)

Last night went over by Dad's for fishies. Jenny & Bob, Kris & Tara, and Joyce were there. Joyce did a pretty decent job with the fish. Get to repeat the process by Kris's Friday. Num num. Feels good to be eating perch and bluegill again.
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 09.01.10 @ 11:20 AM AKDT [link] [1 Comment]


Creed of the Cisco Router


One of the things that we had to while at the school I was at was a class project that would "beautify" the academy area. A previous class had painted this on one of the walls in the barracks. It is a parody on the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer. I'm sure most of y'all won't get it, but to me its highly funny. :)

Not sure exactly who to attribute this to, so I just have the class number:

The Creed of the Cisco Systems Router
BNCOC Class 74B014-03

No one is more professional than I. I am a Cisco Systems Router, a leader of communications. As a Cisco Systems Router, I realize that I am a member of a Wide Area Network, which is known as "The Backbone of the Internet". I am proud of the network of Cisco Systems Routers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon routers, Cisco Systems Inc, and Global Communications, regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my speed or technology to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety.

The OSI Model is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind: examine incoming packets ad proper traffic regulation. I will strive to remain updated and technically efficient. I am aware of my role as a Cisco Systems Router: I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All packets are entitled to outstanding throughput: I will provide that throughput. I know my packets and I will always place their routing above my own. I will route consistently with my packets and lever leave them on the wrong part. I will be fair and impartial when selecting both path and direction.

Hosts on my network will have maximum time to accomplish their duties: they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my packets. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve - Networks, Subnets and Hosts alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate path in the absence of routing tables. I will not compromise my protocols nor my network layer addresses. I will not forget nor will I allow my system administrator to forget that we are High-Speed Cisco Systems Router, Communicators!
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 09.01.10 @ 08:29 AM AKDT [link] [No Comments]


Thursday, August 26th

More fun


Tuesday went up by Grandma and Grandpa's. Little bit of fog on the way up, and a few sprinkles while we were there, but otherwise great weather (if a little mosqitoey). Got to check out the pontoon pier at the lake, and saw an eagle flying off as I walked up (flew away too quick to get a picture of :( ). No more bear floating around, by the way.

After we got back Buddy stopped by to watch the Brewers, and I got a chance to show off some of my pictures. :)

Today went to Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison. Their presentation and upkeep blew the ones in Milwaukee out of the water. Even though a lot of stuff was past peak, you didn't walk around seeing a bunch of dead flowers, you walked around seeing how a lot of the foliage has different colors and textures, and all of the grasses... And a lot of the roses still looked nice. The Thai pavilion was really cool too, amazing that gold leaf manages to stick through all of our goofy weather.

One of the coolest things about this garden: all of the outdoor stuff is free, and the little bit of indoor tropical stuff is only a buck (except for during special events, like the butterfly hatching extravaganza a couple weeks ago) with donations greatly appreciated, of course. Its also not far off the highway, so you don't have to mess with any of the one-way street silliness. I highly recommend it, and would love to go back during other seasons to see what it looks like. That place may have to become a bit of a ritual whenever I come home.

After we got done wandering around there (3 hours later) we grabbed some lunch, then raided the Bethesda in Horicon while waiting for Kris to wake up so I could go check out his place. Pretty nice, you definitely wouldn't know that it was in rough shape just a couple months ago. Good work guys!

After the grand tour we played some Guitar Hero / Rock Band. I think I like drums a lot better than guitar. :) (The fact that they don't kill my wrists the way the guitar does kinda helps)
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 08.26.10 @ 06:48 PM AKDT [link] [2 Comments]


Monday, August 23rd

Home Sweet Home...


So much to tell...

The last couple weeks of class were pretty insane, largely because we had our field exercise, and they had just changed how they did the field exercise, so nobody, least of all the people running things, knew what was going on. And that was my scheduled turn for class leader. Ugh.

Let's just say that I didn't get beat up too bad.

Finally graduated after 12 long weeks as honor graduate (2nd highest grade in class). Sweet.

More confusion ensues after graduation because they hadn't had us sign our paperwork yet, and then we had to wait for people to get back from lunch to print everything out... *shakes head*

Get to the airport, and find out that my puddlejumper is actually small enough to have props. Ew. The pilot did a good job and there was good weather, so it wasn't a rough flight at all. Just very loud. And it was kindof odd seeing lightning what seemed like not too far away. It was definitely cool being able to see the puff of smoke when the wheel hit the ground, and sparks flying off the brake.

Sitting at airport awaiting my next flight, a couple of troops walk off the plane wearing headgear, so I have to snap back into NCO mode and correct them *sigh*. They looked to me like they were going from BCT to AIT, since they had no unit insignia.

Next flight has a jet engine, and it wasn't really full so I got the seat next to me open, and I passed out at some time during takeoff, and woke up just in time to get something to drink.

After landing, got picked up by Dad (thanks Dad!), got stuck in detour-land as soon as we got out of the airport, so had a slightly scenic route home, but otherwise uneventful.

Spent Wednesday zoning out. Thursday went to Boerner Botanical Gardens (pictures to follow) and took Mom out to dinner for her birthday (on the condition that we wouldn't do anything to embarrass her).

Friday I made myself a new bag, cuz I was trying to travel light and didn't bring something that I could just toss a camera in. Overall it turned out too well, just don't look too closely at any of the hand sewing :) Considered going to the Artist's Showcase dealy in Hartford, but the storms rolling through put an end to that. Later heard from Patti that power was lost, so there wouldn't have been much point even if we did want to brave the storms.

Friday went to Irish Fest. I think that's my quota for dealing with big crowds for the next year or so. Other'n that, was pretty cool. Would almost have to go all four days in order to see half of the acts performing. I did get to see Seamus Kennedy (absolutely hilarious - if you ever get the chance to see this guy, jump at it) and Gaelic Storm (good energy, kept the audience on their feet all evening long). Absolutely pooped by the time I left, but had a good time. :)

Yesterday headed over to Allenton to check out Fireman's Parade (some cool classic cars) and food afterwords at Patti's, then over to Port Washington for the Maritime Heritage Festival. AKA the Tall Ships. Three of them you could tour, a couple more you could have gotten tickets on to sail for a while, but they were all sold out, so we just toured. And my camera died while I was trying to take pics of one of the ships sailing around (what I get for trying to go to multiple events in one day, one of which where I keep trying to keep the camera from going to sleep). I hope I still managed to get some good pics. Haven't really had time to sort through most of them yet.

Today will probably be spent recovering and trying to work ahead on some college homework. Or napping. *shrug*
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 08.23.10 @ 05:42 AM AKDT [link] [No Comments]


Monday, August 2nd

TWo weeks...


Only got about two weeks left in this place. Woo hoo!!!

That being said, I'm looking at stuff to do when I get back. Apparently the weekend right after I get back is Irish Fest in Milwaukee. Hmmm...

And I know that at some earlier point it was mentioned that I should go here one of the times that I go on leave again. And checking out one of these places looks good too.

Decisions decisions...

Any other suggestions?
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 08.02.10 @ 02:29 PM AKDT [link] [14 Comments]


Tuesday, July 20th

Glass Walls


On this particular base, they are rather picky about the state of the grounds - they don't want you walking on the grass. Or the sand (for some reason, dirt does not exist here, although it exists off base. Thusly, grass does not grow very well, and so there's large patches of sand in the grass. Or there's patches of grass in the sand, whatever.). They even go so far as to have us raking lines in the sand, and not of the zen garden style.

So we have to stick to the sidewalks.

Normally, not a terribly annoying thing, except for around our barracks there's a bunch of work being done to the sidewalks. So there's been a bunch of fences put up, blocking off many of the sidewalks.

This gives us the effect of glass walls, kindof like the glass maze in a fun house - you can see where you're trying to go, but you're not able to get there the way that it looks like you should be able to. Extremely annoying.

It shows how exciting our existence is here when the taking down of some of these fences is cause for excitement.
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 07.20.10 @ 09:45 AM AKDT [link] [No Comments]


Sunday, July 18th

No more windoze...


Friday was the last of my Windows tests... setting up email server. Very annoying test to take because the email server software takes waay longer to install than the actual configuration. We had one server that just had to get configured, and one that had to get installed and configured. Got everything configured on the one server long before the other one got installed. Still scored 100. :)

Yesterday my class did our community service project, helping to man a car wash for a local charity. Not the most exciting car wash I've done, but it wasn't too bad. Other than one of my classmates goofing off tossing a football around cut his hand on said football, went to hospital and got 6 stitches. *shakes head*

So, one of my buddies from Korea is stationed here, and has a cat, so I've spent time over at is place. Apparently the cat has no qualms about walking all over people:



Silly kitty...
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 07.18.10 @ 04:31 PM AKDT [link] [5 Comments]


Tuesday, July 13th

Icky icky *cough* icky


Been sick for the last week. Not the sort of sick that has you sneezing all over the place, just the kind of sick that makes you want to sleep all day. Sore throat, occasional cough. Right now the sore throat has gone, still got the cough.

Since last writing, I've taken two tests on server stuff... two 100s. Joy. Got one more server topic coming up.

I got my plane ticket home, Mom has flight details. I'll be home for 3 weeks. I will be so happy to not be drinking the air any more.
[Karma: 0 (+/-)] Amanda on 07.13.10 @ 11:18 AM AKDT [link] [1 Comment]