Greetings from Anchorage

The next couple of days I’ll post some photos from our trip to Anchorage. Steve had to take his NCLEX (licensing test) so we took a couple of extra days to explore the area.

We stayed in the Millennium Hotel on the shore of Lake Spenard and Lake Hood. The lakes boast the title of world’s largest and busiest float plane base. Lining the shores are hundreds of float planes and there are constant liftoffs and landings. According to hotel information there are more than 800 take-offs and landings on a busy day. Fortunately the small planes are not very loud so there isn’t a lot of noise associated with them.

The hotel was very nice and seemed very “Alaskan.” The walls and lobby were lined with animal heads, stuffed fish and furs. I wondered how well received PETA was in this state.

Dining out was a joy, we had so many choices and took advantage of every meal. Since we weren’t going to be traveling very far we just walked and/or rented cabs. At one point we hopped in a cab and headed the 5 miles downtown, we got up to about 55mph which was the fastest we had driven since moving to Sitka. The top (legal) speed limit in Sitka is 45. It was a great trip.

Totem Photos

Kooteeyaa Project Wellbriety Totem Pole

Just outside Mt. Edgecumbe hospital a “Wellbriety” Totem pole is being carved by Tlingit (pronounced klink-it) master carver Wayne Price of Haines. Wayne is Wooshkeetaan, from the eagle/shark clan. When I met Wayne he was in the process of patching several places in the wood where there were natural knotholes. He is a soft spoken, unassuming man who was more than happy to tell me about the totem and himself. Wayne said this was his 24th traditional totem, in addition to several non-traditional poles. He has been carving since 1971 (at the age of 14). This totem is the Kooteeyaa Project’s Wellbriety totem pole. SEARHC (SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium) President, Ken Brewer says that, “Project Kooteeyaa represents the natural partnership between health and Native Alaskan cultures portraying the continuing Journey to Wellness reflected in our traditional values.”

Totems have a rich history and each one tells a story. This particular totem includes the figures of Raven, (the creator), the Shaman and his wolf spirit helper, and Medicine Woman with her cedar basket of herbs. According to Ethel Lund, SEARHC President Emeritus, “It is our hope that this pole will bring strength and inspiration to all who view it, and that it will offer a calmness of spirit for reflection and meditation.” Lund says that SEARHC wants “to provide every opportunity…to offer healing to mind, spirit and body. Often we are learning, and this is strengthened by remembering our tradition, our stories and our ways.”

The target date for raising the pole is October 14, 2006 in front of the Community Health Center. It is intended for the Wellbriety totem to “represent the Native journey to wellness, the SEARHC substance abuse and prevention treatment programs, and the process of transformation to and the continuing journey of Wellbriety.”

Wayne let me snap some photos of him and the totem. One of the photos shows the time consuming process of "patching" the pole. I thanked Wayne and as I began to leave, he asked me, "Do you know how to tell that this is an authentic Indian totem?" "No" I replied, "How do you tell?" "You can tell," he responded "because it's got a-patchies all over it." A master carver with a sense of humer to boot.

Noises Off

What’s the difference between noise and sound? According to the official definition sound is an auditory impression. Noise is any sound that is undesired.

Lately I’ve realized how powerful the sense of hearing is. I heard a song in the coffee shop that I hadn’t heard since my son played it for me in Denver. Immediately it brought a smile to my face and then my countenance fell to sadness as I realized how much I missed my son. All that emotion set into action by sound.

Later that day I was walking down main street when I heard a cell phone ring. It was the same ring tone my ex-boss had and for a split second I was mentally transported back to my office, to my old desk, and co-workers. The old familiar came rushing back – a powerful, unstoppable force.

I’ve always known sound was powerful. When I got my first (and last) cell phone, I didn’t want an obtrusive, annoying ring tone, so I chose “chirping birds” as my ring. This was a nice friendly ring. The only problem was that every time I was outside I’d jump to grab my phone when I heard birds. I decided this was a good way to turn nature’s soothing sound into an anxiety trigger. My cell phone was turning sound into noise. Or rather it was the way I was receiving the sound. The sound didn’t change, but how I perceived it had.

I remember when my three sons were in their early teens. Their bickering and fighting was truly noise, but now, as young adults, I can laugh at their occasional arguments. Maybe it is because their disagreements are so few and far between or maybe I just appreciate their interaction so much more now. Whatever the reason, this sound is no longer noise to my ears.

Since I’ve been in Sitka I’ve resolved to never let other sounds become noise. The rain, excited happy tourists, my dog wining to go out at 5:00am and yes, birds.

My 3 Sons

Pardon the interruption from the Sitka updates but I wanted to take this opportunity to brag about my kids. Aaron has a showcase coming up. (He's the one in the bottom right corner of the poster). These events are an opportunity for actors to "show their stuff" to producers, directors, and other important industry people.

Ben just finished up his one act play at the Attic Theatre & Film Center. This was the Attic Theatre's15th Annual one Act Marathon under this years theme "Homeland Insecurity". The reviews for these one act plays have not been posted yet but you can check out the Attic Theatre's web site at: http://www.attictheatre.org for future reviews.

Some other reviews from Ben's past plays can be seen at: http://www.gazettes.com//butler08112005.html
http://www.laweekly.com/index.php?optionfiltered=com_lsd&task=film&Itemid=108&id=81905
That's Ben's headshot posted above.

Justin just wrapped up his role as art director for The Sensei. You can check out the movie site at: http://www.thesenseimovie.com
and don't forget his website www.jjmediaproduction.com
Justin has forbidden me from posting his picture because as he explains it, "No one wants to see Biff the sound guy." Pictures are for the pretty boys of acting, the production guys don't have head shots.