J. Jason Lazarus Blog

9-29-2005 - So we had our first “significant” snowfall in Fairbanks this year - significant being that it stuck. Yesterday it was snowing pretty much all day long but just melted until last night when it started sticking. Although normally I’m not in awe of snow in September (it’s pretty normal) - I thought of all of you who might be either sweltering in the heat of the south or be missing “home” in Alaska and thought I’d rub it in to you cause I know how much you rub it into me in December that it’s 75 degrees whereever you are. So … there!
This week has been pretty uneventful - today marks the 4th week I haven’t filled up my car with gas - still running on a tank of gas I purchased a few days after Katrina hit. I’m proud of my resilent nature to actually not waste gas. Genearlly I go through a tank within a week or two so this is a new record.
Speaking of Katrina, of which I’ve kept my talons hidden on this website, I’m sick of it. Alaska recently has been getting a lot of news coverage because our representative, Don Young, doesn’t want to give up our millions of dollars to help out Hurricane victims. As horrible as a person I may be to say this, I agree with him. There’s millions and billions being pored into that region already that local,state and federal officals don’t even know how to deal with it - there is THAT much aid coming into the area. Stop watching CNN and consider the truths - thousands of orginizations are donating their life savings and donations to this cause - we’re doing a lot. We don’t need to ruin the economy of all 50 states to rebuild a section of one. Raise taxes - deal with it that way. I’ll be more than willing to pitch in another quarter of a percent of taxes to do this - and guess what, you do that system wide and we’d have all the money we’d need.
FEMA, FEMA FEMA. I’m tired of the blame game. I completely agree with what the interim head of FEMA said yesterday:

He insisted that he was not a “superhero” and that FEMA was not meant to be a “first responder” to natural disasters, which was primarily the job of state and local authorities.
“Many may be surprised to learn that, guess what, FEMA doesn’t own fire trucks. We don’t own ambulances. We don’t own search-and-rescue equipment,” he said. - ABC NEWS ONLINE

The most important part of that is that FEMA can’t just rush in and make things happen - when state and local governments are fighting amongst themselves (which they were), it makes it harder. When the local govt wants martial law and the governor refuses to declare it, it kinda gives you an idea. And guess what? We live in a democracy full of checks and balances. Somebody about 280 some years ago wanted to formulate a country which had a huge series of checks and balances from local, state and even national levels. Somebody wanted the states to have more power than a central government. these somebodies had children and childrens’ children that insured that 50 years ago the Red Scare never became a reality because communism would ruin our way of life. What the hell is cnn and all liberal media/individuals asking for right now? A Centralized government that, when in time of desperate need, can override the power of individuals, local governments and even state governments to provide the amount of help desired. Sounds like communism to me - or at least what the American public THINKS is communism. So, in essence, if our country did what they needed to after Katrina, the liberals out there would still be crying foul and likening Bush to Lenin and Stalin. Bush is doing the best damned job he can - and he’s doing a might better than Kerry would’ve ever managed. I might disagree with Bush’s viewpoints on stem cell research, the Iraq War and other issues but I still think he’s the best leader we had a choice from in the last election. I voted for him and I’m proud I did.

</ending political rant> So yeah. I’ve also started scanning in all those negatives from this summer to start adding to my gallery. Rather than actually doing that, I’m considering completely revamping my “artwork” page to look a might more professional and actually be a place to showcase my work. This on the right here is an example of my work out in Whitter. This looks like it’ll end up being part of my second photo story that I’ve done on Whitter now - this one actually being of professional status. So, msg me, email me - tell me what you think. I’m hoping to have more in the next few weeks. ]

9-26-2005 - This weekend was really nice - nice in the way that I really didn’t to anything and just rested a whole lot. I spent a lot of time with Deanna this weekend and made up for some time that we haven’t had with each other this semester. It’s kinda tough to really enjoy each other’s company when Monday through Thursday we don’t see each other till 9pm and have to go to sleep by 10:30 or 11 for work, but nonetheless, the weeks manage to fly by most of the time.
Went to see Corpse Bride this weekend - excellent movie if you can get past Tim Burton’s incessent need to make his movies partial musicals all the time. Great effects - really glad that he’s keeping (along with the guys over at Wallace and Gromit n’ Co. ) stop motion a viable medium.
Spent a lot of time gaming this weekend. I haven’t actually spent time gaming in a LONG time. Although I should be working out, should be reading, should be doing a whole lot more than sitting, slothing about and gaming, it felt good. I picked up San Andreas (thanks to Mike) starting this previous weekend and have been gaming on and off with that - hadn’t played it since January before that. I feel as if I’m neglecting my precious games. They need my attention! Also picked Simcity 4: Rush Hour up again and I’ve been playing that obsessively as well. Damned addictive gameplay! I also picked up a new game this weekend for my PS2 - something I haven’t done in quite a while - Burnout 3. I traditionally hate racing games because they tend to get really boring really damned fast. Your friends don’t want to play a racing game cause… well it’s a racing game. It’s not really… fun. In fact, usually, no matter how flashy they make the racing game, it manages to become the board game of all video games - something you buy for that possible need to play sometime but you never expect that you’ll be playing on a constant basis. In fact, Deanna and I have quite a few board games that are collecting dust. Why do Americans buy, then not play, board games? Is it a staple of our homes, something we have to have even if we’re not going to use it? Like those stupid signs that proclaim that “The Lazarus’” live here? I digress. Racing Games liken themselves directly to board games - useless, though somehow no video game collection is complete without them. Anyways, that is another digression. The point here is that Burnout 3 manages to surprise me - thus why I actually bought it. The point of this game rarely is to win the race - more than often it is creating destruction, producing hollywood-style wreaks and doing it all in bullet-time. Very sexxxy. I’ve managed to already play the game around 4 hours and I love it. Very worth the $19.99 at Freds.
So, as a anniversary present (Deanna and I celebrated our 2nd anni last month) my parents are buying us a family pass to Chena Hot Springs. So much better than the dinner that they were planning to take us out to - which would’ve cost more than the $60 they’re spending on us this way. Although I would’ve appreciated either one this is a kickass gift that’ll really actually help out our marriage cause you definately need a escape during the winter in Fairbanks and Chena Hot Springs provides the perfect romantic getaway. Now, those analytical people out there that took that statement wrong - no Deanna and I aren’t having problems - if anything, winter causes them - and for those of you in Alaska, you can attest to this fact. Chena Hot Springs deals with what slight issues that may not be resolved during a harsh winter to provide complete marital bliss Yeah, I’m a nerd. Deal with it!
So… soon enough we’ll be going out to Chena for the first time since about March. Summer… ugh … can’t go to the Hot Springs during the summer. Not only are you dealing with the constant stream of idiotic tourists, especially ones from Texas/Georgia that are under the impression that the mud at the hot springs is medicinal, but you’re also dealing with the heat and the Hot Springs isn’t nearly as soothing when it’s 80 outside. -40 is so much better.
Still hasn’t snowed in Fairbanks. This is a good thing this year because Deanna has her driver’s test on the 3rd. After she gets her license (which we’re hoping will be that day) it can snow.
Been updating my Message Board with everything that’s been happening in Fairbanks - the last month so much has popped up it’s not funny. Register to the Board and Post your thoughts - tell your friends too Take a look.
Other than that, getting back into the groove of working full time (well, 35 hours) and enjoying the large paychecks due to a substanial raise (more than $4 more /hour) . Teaching labs has been hectic but that should calm down this week. Looking forward to winter - don’t like the wet weather we’ve been having. Anyways, I should get going.

9-21-2005 - Found this on Anchorage Daily News yesterday and I’ve found it to be very, very telling to what people’s initial responses are to Alaska. They’re not only dumbfounded by its beauty, its seemingly infinite size and its “friendly” people, but they’re also just..plain…dumb.. about Alaska. People typically come to this state as tourists. Admittedly, most of them are far over the hill - in fact they’re on their way through the last, lowest valley of their life before they manage to get up the nerve to come to Alaska - usually. Visiting Alaska nowadays has the same character of going to Europe - the same attractiveness and allure of going to India. God forbid that I ever actually relate a visit to India or Alaska as one and the same but it’s sickeningly similar in the eyes of the thousands of visitors we get each year. People come to Alaska with the same wide-open deer-in-the-headlights naivity as they would a forgein country - idiotically chirping out “Why don’t you have high speed internet in Livengood??” as much as they’d chirp out “Why don’t you speak English?” in India.
People come to Alaska thinking just because its America that everything runs the same way it does in the lower 48. Note how most Alaskans refer to the rest of the country - the “lower 48″ - as if it is something that we easily discard - and we do. Things aren’t the same in Alaska - you have to know Alaska to really keep alive in Alaska. You’ll get mauled by a bear if you don’t. You’ll get sucked into a mud flat and get ripped into half when they try to rescue you. You’ll try to say “hi” to baby Bullwinkle and get trampled by momma-winkle. You’ll die. Seriously, this isn’t freaking Yellowstone people - you don’t get lost in the forest, decide to “hike” out (which translates to a 5 mile hike in any direction cause you’re bound to find a road). You can, and will, easily die if you come to Alaska live most idiots do.
Journalists are some of the worst examples of Alaskan tourists - like any part of the world they go to, they’re forced to go usually. They HAVE to get the story and they HAVE to make it sound good, which usually means they HAVE to fill it with loads of bullshit. Enormous as Alaska is, these individuals will fly into Anchorage and think that the real Alaska lies right outside the city limits. As much as I agree with that statement, they manage to try to cram all of Alaska into a four hour tour. Although admittable that you can see glaciers, the ocean, mountains and a variety of wildlife in just a few short hours - you cannot manage to place animals outside of their natural range to make your story sound better. You cannot move vegatation to make your story better. You cannot make the Glenn Highway sound like a drive through the middle of nowhere, rugged and untamed as you may think it is.
These stories get read by those individuals in the lower 48 that have aspired for their entire lifetime to come to Alaska. When they do get up here they become easily aggetated and even angry at the realization that Alaska isn’t a four hour tour. That Fairbanks isn’t an inch away from Anchorage like it is on their poorly equiped Rand McNally Map. They cannot fathom that in all its vastness that Alaska is a state with two large cities, separated by over 300 miles of nothing and a state capital that we can’t even reach on foot or by car. Tourists seriously get irate over conditions that aren’t nearly as perfect as they read they would be. I haven’t seen one journalist write about how the Summer 2004 fires ruined his trip to Alaska when those fires blanketed 90% of the state in dense smoke. How the hell did they write this shit about Alaska being great in the middle of such a horrid summer?
Alaska is a 4 week, if not a 4 month, tour. Don’t expect to see everything in Alaska within your first few hours. You most likely will never see a bear, short of going to Katmai yourself. Glaciers are dangerous - and not only because they are ice. Mud Flats will kill you, don’t go on them. It’s not our fault we have fires, we didn’t try to smoke you out of Alaska - although it’s not a bad idea. Anchorage is known as North Seattle for a reason - it’s not real Alaska. Fairbanks is. Moose aren’t cute when they’re around their young - they’re dangerous. Yes, we sell moose shit to tourists and it’s horrible - but you know what? You’re dumb enough to buy it. We are not all Eskimos. Most of us have never seen a igloo short of the one on the way to Anchorage that’s made out of styrofoam. Yes, we know Chena Hot Springs stinks - no we’re not going to change it. Yes we know Alaska’s beautiful but some of us have places to go so when you’re going 20 mph on a HIGHWAY cause you think you might have seen a caribou for the 50th time, pull the hell over! Yes, it is a rule in Alaska that you pull over if you have more than 5 people behind you. No, you’re not the exception. No, not even if you’re going the speed limit. The nearest cop is 250 miles away and we know it - let us speed. Yes, it gets to 95 degrees in the summer. No, it didn’t get that hot last summmer - or most summers, to be honest it’s freaking cold during the summer and you’re a idiot for coming up to ALASKA, which is by the ARCTIC CIRCLE, without a jacket. No, we don’t feel sorry that you didn’t research even a little before you came to the state. No, we’re not going to question why you drove 3000 miles of some of the most beautiful highway in the world, all the way up to Alaska, and are just deciding that you need to buy a camera at Fairbanks Fast Foto now. No, we’re not going to tell you how much of a idiot we really do think you are. Yes, we’ll take your money, give you a nice big fat smile, get you to tell your friends how nice Alaskans are and we’ll smile when we take their money too. No, we won’t tell you that we’d rather you leave your money in the collection box at the border and just turn around. Yes, it would be better that way.
Seriously, I love Alaska. I enjoy meeting people that come up here from far away but whatever you do, don’t come up here ill-prepared. Hell, I researched for weeks about San Fran before I went - and I still managed to get lost. So many people literally hop on planes to Alaska just knowing that they want to see it - with no plans at all. Be a little smarter Americans. I know we’re dumb but come on!

9-14-2005 - Well the last week or so has been rather frustrating - both Deanna and I have been sick and it’s literally taken a good 5-6 days for me to get over it and Deanna’s still suffering. The real lame thing is that we’ll get better during the day and think we’re done with it by 6pm and so we’ll go out, have a drink or something and manage to be under the weather again by 1am - coughing, hacking, being an overall “blah”. Not good.

So I started teaching labs again this week and really think that I might have a few good students in it. I’m looking forward to working with my photography more this semester - and hopefully manage to get it displayed somewhere. I just really wish I had more time to myself so that I could actually do such things but my day keeps on filling up with so much to do even after work. I just really need a day a week - or hell, a few hours a week that I can work on my photography. I’m hoping that soon I can manage to get up the nerve to try to find a model for some photography. Thing is, I haven’t really ever worked with a model professionally. I’ve worked with models before but they’ve all been friends with limited expectations of payment (ie a few copies of the pictures here and there). Additionally Fairbanks tends to, from the murmurs that I’ve heard eminating from the Art Department, have some rather interesting models.  Although photogenic in some sense I don’t think it’s the sense that I want in my work - I like the lines of a woman, not the hair of a woman in non-standard locations. Stuff like that, I’m sure you all get it. So if anyone of you either are interested in modeling or know someone that is I’d love to meet them.

So - another thing that I’ve started here on my website is a bulletin board. Rather than just having a “friends” BB or a general comment BB I’ve decided to have something for a topic that I’m sure I’m always boring the shit out of my friends and family about - Commerical Development in Fairbanks. Even though I don’t plan that this is the only thing that I’ll be serving on my BB, it is the first. Basically it’ll serve as a place where people who either aren’t in Fairbanks or long to be can check up on all the rumors and confirmed truths of what is and what isn’t coming to Fairbanks. Those of you from Fairbanks know well how frustrating always listening to the BS for the last ten years about Walmart coming to town - it literally took ten years of rumors for it to actually happen. Why listen to that when you can find it out easily? There isn’t a website like this anywhere - I’ve looked. A lot. Anyways, enjoy - here’s the link!

9-9-2005 - So this last week I went to McCarthy - that was… interesting. To say the least it was interesting. I can say that I have never been stuck in a town for three days that so closely resembled the Goldstream Valley as an actual real settlement before. For those not in Fairbanks - the Goldstream Valley harbors a good portion of our local hippy and liberalistic psychos in the area. It also manages to harbor a good amount of extremist republicans hell-bent on keeping progression out. This was the makeup of McCarthy - a good amount of hippies and extremist republicans all living together - somehow. How extreme you ask? Enough to, when my dad commented that he’d like to learn how to use a bow to kill some moose on our property, saying this to a self-admitted bow enthusiast, she decided to blert out “oh yeah that’s what you should do, go ahead and kill something that’s absolutely beautiful!” What’s worse is that she was our waitress - and she was serving fucking bacon. Apparently Pigs aren’t cute enough to be saved in her outsider hippy mind. I can’t believe that people that come to Alaska, live 100+ miles from civilization still can hold the idealistic and hardcore enviromentalistic views of psycho liberals in the south. Alaska is vast - killing one moose or drilling yet another oil rig isn’t going to hurt anything. In fact, after talking to some people in McCarthy that work on the slope I HATE Green Peace. Those idiots come up there to protest the drilling of another oil rig - that’s fine, fine with me - it’s a free freaking country. But, rather than adhereing to BP’s own strict rules of refuse disposal on the ice out there they decide to completely ignore their rules. So - when BP has to fill out a incident report for a single drop of oil (I’m not jerking your chain), Green Peace goes up there with leaky generators, solar panels that aren’t even being used (they’re there for the look), batteries sitting bare on the ice, and piles of fecal matter and urine on the ice - not even buried. Seriously - don’t kill the enviroment to save it you freaking idiots.
Kennekott was worth the trip - although I wish that I got to look around more (my dad is still recovering from surgery) it was still worth it. I really did enjoy looking around all the old buildings and hanging around McCarthy. I could’ve done without the freaking hippies. Oh - and the whining tourists. Get this - this guy from Arizona decides he needs to take out his frustrations on the tour guide that he a) couldn’t find cheap accomodations in McCarthy b) all their prices were nuts c) that he couldn’t find a decent place to stay that “even had plumbing … or well, at least that I didn’t have to walk across the hall for the freaking bathroom” d) that “well what you need to do is pave that horrible pot-holed road”. OK - who the hell drives 60 miles on a dirt road and then complain about how bad it is? Who drives 100 miles from the main road and not research how bad the accomodations are? Seriously - tourists - drop your money at the border and leave - or leave your cocky additudes in the lower 48 and realize we don’t live like you guys do.
Anyways, just like the last few trips that I’ve gone on, I’m hoping to have a writeup soon. Things are finally starting to calm down at work - the last two weeks have been pretty stressful. Found out that I’m getting a step increase at work which means another 52 cents an hour! Can’t complain especially with the raise that I got about a month ago. Things really are starting to look up for Deanna and I and the idea that we’ll be moving off campus is not only coming closer but it’s more real than ever. We’ll actually be able to afford a 2 bedroom place when we do move off - or at the very least a very spacious 1 bedroom. At this point, Deanna is going to hopefully graduate in May and we’ll be considering a summer trip before starting really considering having a child. I’m just looking forward to the whole moving off campus thing. Although it’s still very affordable - I don’t like having my entire life connected to itself. I like the idea of being able to piss off my landlord without having to worry about my boss hearing about it.
Anyways, congrats to Ashlee for her confirmed spaw…I mean… pregnancy! heheh just joking! Looks like Deanna and I are going to end up being one of the last couples to spawn… which isn’t that bad of a idea. Waiting this long has insured that when we do have one we won’t nearly be in that bad of a position cause… babies cost a lot… and stuff.
Anyways - look at my gallery - got pictures from McCarthy there - they’re mostly snapshots cause I took the good pictures with my 35mm - took freaking 6 rolls of film!!