Reflections on The Iditarod and the Power of Doing Nothing

Me as Snooki at the last epic Halloween Party at my old house!

Snickerdoodles lounging! This was when Lady was fat!
She got right lithe after a while! Koty was still a baby here. Only about 1.5 years.

So, my friends are out there on the snowy, cold trail. Top dog athletes, top human athletes, all finely tuned, organized and brilliant.

[Check out my videos on my public Facebook Page here: IDITAROD Ceremonial Start]

I'm some of those things, certainly not a top dog nor a top human, but I'm pretty organized and smart and a number of other nice adjectives.

Alaska has changed my perspective on some topics quite nicely. It's kind of empowering when you move to a place with all of these outdoorsy, fishing, camping, live-life-to-the fullest types. And also doesn't hurt that there are a LOT of men and many fewer women. You kinda can take your pick!

Of course, as you know, I got married last summer under my crabapple tree after looking at Denali on the beach in the morning. (Right? Crazy!) So I'm not looking for a guy, but they certainly come a-knockin' and so many of them are military or retired military men. Manly men! Wow! From all over the world. I just talked to a lovely Commander and a General who were here volunteering for one of the Iditarod teams from Canada.

These two guys were so interesting and also knew the fine art of asking a question of me and finding out what the hell a woman from Massachusetts is doing wearing a Canadian Olympic snowboarding coat from Banff??????

I'm confusing. I know.

I don't always do things the easy way. I enjoy a challenge and that's why I decided to drive my car from Massachusetts to Alaska via the Cassiar in the Canadian Rockies! I wanted to experience the critters and the landscape and see Lake Louise and Banff and all those other amazing places I've only ever read and dreamt of visiting.

So the coat I was wearing CLEARLY needed to be mine since it was on BIG sale at the Quicksilver store right there in downtown Banff! Derr. Um, yah! Get on my body, coat with your seagulls and blue sky and clouds. Duh!

It was a blast. Really! Would do it all over again.

But not today. I decided I'm on strike from bad behaviour.

For instance, I ain't doing anyone's laundry except mine.

If I make a mess, I'll clean it up, but otherwise? Nope.

If you drop something and spill something, it will remain dropped and spilled.

You wanna attend therapy? Go right ahead. Be my guest. No one will stop you.

If you want to behave badly, then I'll be elsewhere.

It's really empowering to know that you don't NEED someone's bad behavior in your life. It's a choice. Mine AND theirs.

Verbal abuse comes in many formats. It can be little side comments, insinuations, flat out lies, bullying, yelling, encroaching on my space, nasty comments...Lots of ways it can sneak in.

One thing ALL verbal abuse (and other types, of course) is? Is not fun.

I'm not down with it anymore. I did that stint for a long time and I'm not about to jump into the fire again.

So, strike and probation seem about right. If I was a police officer, I'd have you check in with a probation officer twice or three times a week to make sure you're following your plan.

Get yourself outta jail, roll the dice and collect $250. (To quote one of my most favorite games!)

I actually did some work in the Salem Jail after it was converted to a multi-unit housing development. They did really nice work and the apartments and restaurant and carriage house and jail keeper's house were just amazing. However, it was kind of spooky to be wandering the halls of a converted jail. So many stories, so much sadness, such tortured souls in there.

To be in there at night after the sun set and then the sounds of the building would become so magnified for me...

They even kept one of the cells as part of a small exhibit in the entry of the main building. I hated seeing that cell. Just imagining what it would be like to sit in that tiny space with nothing to do but reflect on your bad decisions. Ugh. That's a bad deal.

So, I'm on strike and someone else is on probation. I'm drinking my V-8 juice (delish) am gonna grab some lunch soon and then take my puppy dog to look at Denali.

Clear mind, full heart, eyes ahead.

Ciao for now and Shalom.

My beloved car! She drove 5,500 miles with me to get to Anchorage! Good car.
As Jimmy Fallon 

 say: "Theees? Theeees guuudd carrr" Funny!