Home Office

So what's up with my employment in Sitka? The story has changed quite a few times with my employer in Anchorage between contracting or working remotely. Long story short (condensing the last couple of weeks) is that I will remain a RurAL CAP employee!! Hurray! Keeping my benefits, staying with the team officially and not having to set-up all that personal business stuff. Tomorrow I sign the official agreement making it so. We've negotiated rates for a higher cost of living, supplies, expenses for my high-speed internet and work phone line, etc. etc. I'm really excited for this set-up and have the perfect place to create my office. There's a room that can't be designated a bedroom (lacking even a closet), so it will be perfect for the Youth Program Coordinator. I gotta make it ergonomically correct according to the Dept. of Labor but that means I get to shop for office furniture! [My previous desk from Wasilla was basically destroyed in the moving to Sitka process :( ]

The reason I even get to work from home is because my job is grant-funded and this 3-year State of AK grant is set to end 6/30/11. By the time they could hopefully recruit the right person, and the time it would take to get him/her up and running on what I've done with the Program (as the only employee to occupy the position), then the grant is already winding down. It's good for continuity's sake and nearly all my work is computer or long-distance driven. It can be completed from nearly anywhere. RurAL CAP will bring me to Anchorage or site visits for this or that until the end of June. Another one of my responsibilities will probably include working on new funding to keep our arrangement going--if both parties agree this works out.

I must say I've been humbled in this process...to have my bosses go to bat for me with HR when no policy exists, and to receive the blessing from Executive staff. I take seriously what they are allowing for a Sitka employee. And I'll really miss my awesome team. I have so much fun in the office after nearly two years with the crew. Every Wednesday during our weekly staff check-in, I'll call on teleconference but we're hoping IT will sacrifice a little bandwidth so I can Skype in and see everyone's mugs!

What am I anticipating or nervous about? WORKING FROM HOME. It's what countless people would love to do, right?? I mean, I'm going from a two-hour commute/day to ZERO commute--and I could bike down to Andy's work during the day to share lunch together. But who will I talk to aside from my AmeriCorps Members over email or the phone? I'll probably start talking to myself! I thrive on those external interactions and energy derived from teammates. I'll make it work, but it will be work--a little, anyway. And I have to stay on TASK! Do I run the laundry, which is next to my office? Probably. Do I resist snacking from the kitchen all the time? I hope so!

And when Andy comes home from work, tired, I may be jumping up and down to get out for a change of scenery! We'll have to balance that out. Everything has worked so well for us in this moving process and I give prayers of thanks for it. I trust this too will be for the best and we have it in ourselves to make work.

To recap: I GET TO KEEP MY JOB AS AN ACTUAL EMPLOYEE AND WORK FROM HOME IN SITKA! I'm one lucky non-profit worker and will work hard to earn it. Also looking forward to the future monitoring site visit from my boss. She can check out the office upstairs by day and enjoy wine downstairs by night. My last day with my talented office mates is this Thursday. I have one-way plane ticket Friday morning.

http://ruralcap.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164&Itemid=243

*Amy

Here I Go A-Visiting

Imagine a 3-day getaway weekend and when you reach your destination you sleep in your own bed, and you didn't pack many clothes because the majority of your wardrobe is already there. Oh yeah, add in your spouse and you've gone "home" for the weekend. Well, lucky for us, I was able to be in Sitka with Andy for a few days!! Nice reunion and the first time going to the new home since we made an offer on it. In fact, Andy carried over me the threshold when we drove up!

He made a lot of headway unpacking our things and getting them into some sort of placement. Andy treated me to a fantastic dinner out, and then I treated him to a movie I slept during--"The Expendables." Besides organizing my portion of the closet & bathroom, and going through an endless supply of boxes with Andy, we went on an outing. The drive (about 4 miles UP Harbor Mountain) provided awesome views.

Lots of raspberries along the road too. Check out that size! It was yummy.The higher elevation we gained, the sudden surprise of BLUEBERRIES! I haven't fulfilled my picking desires this year being in-between places. Our exploration trip quickly became a picking trip and Andy rigged me up a holding cup. I learned that high-bush blues are different for a couple reasons from the usual low-bush tundra berries. Still, BERRIES!Just a few feet away from the above photo was a view of Mt. Edgecumbe, the local & dormant volcano.So as I sit writing this entry, I have 40 minutes before going to the airport for my last two weeks in Anchorage. I think I'm in the best seat of the house for a view of the mountains and water, the Vikings game is on our newly hooked up cable, and Andy sits next to me eating ice cream. He's got a good few bruises, shiners and scrapes from recent Defensive Tactics exercises at work. I'm excited to return and begin this new chapter together. The preview and trailer to this stage in life is pretty exciting.

*Amy

So it Goes

Andy's working in Sitka right now. As expected, our things are taking about 3 weeks to arrive, which means he has a blow-up single bed, a sleeping bag, a bad-ass TV but no cable, and that's about it. He eats in a our awesome kitchen, walks around the living room because he can't sit, calls me and goes to bed. Sounds less than thrilling, but work at the Academy is going very well. Early to rise for the PT routine with recruits and yesterday he taught his first class--for 8 hours! Neighbors are friendly; bringing him cookies and muffins. They ask when his things will arrive, and his wife. Of course I pump him for info. about the people he meets ("Oh, he's a teacher? At what school, what does he teach?" (Amy) "I didn't ask, but I think he coaches something." (Andy)), but his info.-gathering takes a little longer than mine. ;) Other Trooper families make sure he's fed and takes home leftovers. That makes me happy.

I went to Nome last weekend for an all-too short trip for friends' wonderful outdoor wedding. Erika and Tyler tore up the dance floor at our wedding and I helped stomp around the historic school building/B&B room that we danced in at their celebration. Not every reception gives you a full view of a reindeer herd crossing the tundra in late-day sunshine!

Now I sit waiting for my flight to Southwest AK for a couple of work site visits to villages around Dillingham this weekned. Northwest AK one weekend, the Southwest the next weekend, and the following weekend is Southeast AK. I get to visit Andy for 3 days! (just in time to help unpack our belongings). I'm criss-crossing quite a bit around AK this month. Of course the best place is where Andy's at.

*Amy

Slimy Sitka Encore

More from the Sitka slug thing, filmed in June.

So...Sitka

It's been mentioned briefly here before and it's pretty much the old/new news: Sitka is our new home! Yes, beautiful, friendly, Southeast rainforesty, watery, fishy, artistic, historic, island Sitka!

Congrats to Andy on receiving the competitive promotion to Corporal at the AST Academy! He is an instructor to the new Trooper recruits. He has a corner office, lots of new gear to play with, cool responsibilities and will get paid to work out. It's a dream career goal for him. He's already been there for a week and yesterday was his badge pining. I wish I could have been there, but another to month to go for the reunion. Now, he's off to Florida for training--just the first of many he'll do.

We went to the town of 8,000 people two weeks before the wedding for housing. That already feels like a lifetime ago. We started out for rentals but came away with an offer on a little two-level home in a new hillside development. Land is limited in Sitka so lots are dwindling and big yards are rare. We are officially owners of 309 Eliason Loop as of yesterday!

Here's our view--as seen from the porch on an uncharacteristically sunny, dry day!!

During our weekend we took advantage of the sunshine and walked about---exploring the harbor, Totem Park, downtown shops and our neighborhood.We found some creatures along Totem park trails, whose entrance is a mile or so from the new home. Andy is proud of his photo of the most common living thing we found time and time again:Almost stepped on a few! We paused in a clearing that is home to an old and beautiful totem pole. While walking from the path we heard a thunderous clap and breaking of branches. Andy saw better than I, but we both witnessed an eagle with a 7-ft wing span, rise from the trees just ahead of us! What an amazing encounter! We took it as a good sign. Eagles are plentiful in Southeast, but that was extra cool. Not long later, just off the trail, Andy's expert eyes found something most unusual...It was so glistening fresh, without bugs, that we theorized the eagle dropped this salmon head on its sudden spooked, flight. Don't know what it all means, but magical anyhow.

So our blog is titled "Amy and Andy in Alaska." Soon our posts will bring you to Southeast Alaska. Can't wait to share the adventure!! Tell Andy to get back on the blog, too!

Way to Go, Corporal Gorn!

Celebration!

Yeah! We're finally married!! Even if that means Andy is living in Sitka and I'm currently in Anchorage. Nothing like living apart as newlyweds. haha

We're sifting through many, many photos but our photographer kindly posted a small sampling on her website that you're welcome to peruse. Melissa is a wonderful woman, and talented at that. I'm so glad I found her on Facebook of all places!

http://melissashelby.com/2010/07/married-amy-andy/

So there's more to share and explain about WHY Sitka. Keep tuned to the blog.

*Amy (soon to make it official) Gorn

All in Month's Work

Our list of to-do's for July 2010:

• Sell our Wasilla house on 7/2.
• Get married on 7/3 and have a BBQ party on the 4th.
• Go on the honeymoon 7/6-7/16.
• Host a garage sale 7/17-7/18.
• Andy moves to Sitka, AK for a job promotion on 7/22 (Amy moves later in summer).
• Movers pack house 7/24.
• Amy leaves Wasilla house 7/25.
• Close on new home in Sitka 7/28.
• Andy leaves for training to Jacksonville, FL on 7/31.

Man, life is exciting! More details to come on the before-mentioned activities.