Currently: May

Currently living/working: It’s that magical time of year when conversations with neighbors shorten as everyone is trying to navigate the summer tourism hustle. Justin & I are willingly juggling 9 jobs between us—some with a shared employer & some we tackle solo, some require 1 hour/week, some require 30 hours certain weeks. I know most people question our life choices to sign up for this level of madness, but in our corner of the world, it’s the normal rhythm of life!

Current mood: While I generally crave calm & Justin craves chaos, I’m here for the summer frenzy to bank money!! My superpower is being the air traffic controller of our schedules making sure Justin & I don’t forget which hat—literally & figuratively—we’re supposed to be wearing. With that being said, I’m still human & there’s a tiny voice in my head telling me I will forget some important detail this summer … 

Currently excited for: Justin & I took a new contract local job that required us both to elevate our naturalist & interpreter knowledge. I hate school, but I love being a student of nature in Alaska!

Currently regretting: Even though I LOVE getting paid to go hiking, my jobs this summer include fewer guided hikes and actually more indoor presentations. I think I will be fulfilled by the variety of the jobs, but hopefully I still get out there to hike on my own?? 

Currently worried about: For me, the secret sauce to surviving a Denali summer is to treat work like a buffet—take a little of everything, but avoid piling my plate too high with any one menu item. While I tend to set boundaries with my time well, Justin runs on a different frequency. His enthusiasm to fit it all in is both impressive & concerning, as he can easily fall into the burnout renegade category that fast tracks to stress & resentment. I continue to nudge him to recognize his limits & respect his time more intentionally, but ultimately worry about him getting depleted. TBD!

Currently thankful for: Friends are truly the salt of life, and I know could not survive without my besties who have known me the longest. Earlier this month, I had a little getaway to the ocean with my college roomie, Kelly. We both agreed that the weekend together was more healing than any amount of therapy! 

Current confession: I can’t decide if it’s incredibly adorable or just peak nerdiness that Justin and my Uncle Fred bond over metal detecting together through the summer. Regardless of how packed his schedule is, Justin will prioritize a quick trip to Fairbanks for a treasure hunt over rest any day. 

Current guilty pleasure: I say this every summer, but our sleepy town—where you can quietly exist without spending money—has blossomed into a pop-up foodie paradise with 25+ tempting aromas. We’ve actually been pretty conservative in May so far, but as we get busier darting from job A to job B, the convenience of delicious no-prep meals will outweigh the intention to save the money we are making. 

Currently proud of: In case anyone didn’t know, or forgot, Justin is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa this September. I want to write a whole blog post dedicated to all the training he & his team has been doing, but for now, a small shoutout for Justin. Totally true to being in his element, he has been the go-to gear guru for prepping everyone for the climb and did a presentation earlier this month, which clearly he nailed. 

Currently not excited for: A new neighbor moved into the cabin closest to us this winter, and unfortunately his idea of dog ownership is to leave the poor thing chained outside 24/7. The dog barks, whines and howls incessantly, especially when the guy is at work. It was highly annoying through the winter when we were indoors, but now the soundtrack is much worse as we spend more time outdoors and eventually will open our windows. We had a firm chat with him last month, and he started making an effort to bring the dog inside more. Justin had another chat with him this week, but the next step might be a gift-wrapped muzzle. 

Currently amazed by: My nephew finished his degree in railroad engineering & my mom got to witness it! This child has been obsessed with trains since in utero, and he followed his passion. Hopefully the next stage will be a job in the railroad industry so all of his dedication pays off. 

Currently reading:

I read 2 short fiction books this month! 

I loved the first book I read by Emma Grey, so I picked up Pictures of You and loved it equally. There’s amnesia (which I find uncomfortably fascinating), death & an old love resurfacing. 

I also read Wild About Violet by Sara Blackard. She writes these Alaskan romance novel series, and I’ve always been curious. This was a freebie on Kindle, so I gave it a try. Definitely a quick fluff read, but I don’t need to read any more of hers. 

Currently watching on Netflix/Peacock: Summer streaming commitment is a tough one to keep when you work until 9pm. But we’ve still been fitting in a few here & there, like The Four Seasons on Netflix and good old Below Deck on Peacock. We also just finished Survivor—still a fan of it, and still a dream to be on it for Justin!