There is nothing quite like spending more than a few hours with Arnolds, especially when you don't have your mom or sister [or Dad, but Mom and Jolene were with me for a while this weekend] around for solace. But that is just what I did. Originally, I was just spending Sunday with them, which was bad enough, given the constant arguing* over what to do, even after a decision was made, then the inability for my relatives to understand that when I say "I need to sit in the front seat or I get sick" I also mean "I hit my head really hard three years ago and as a consequence get really sick when you do the stop and go driving and even sicker when you make me sit in the back, so for christ's sake, let me sit in the front, I have a disability".

Anyway - I was in sunny San Diego this weekend for a cousin's wedding. There were several Arnolds there, and I realized that the other side of my cousin's family is full of New Yorkers. Consequently, our side of the aisle never shut up during the wedding. The ceremony was a very nice outdoor ceremony, and instead of unity candles, the bride and groom poured different colored sand into a fancy vase. Afterwards, the reception featured *FREE* margaritas** and some great Mexican food. I got quite toasted, then thoroughly depressed myself by calling my boyfriend. I danced a little bit, then had some tequila at last call. It was a bad idea, but I impressed my cousins with my tequila drinking abilities, ole!

The trip was quite nice, actually. And Arnolds are not bad, especially in small doses (like one on one), but they are loud and that can stress me out after a while. My cousin Amy and her husband brought their baby and because of my affinity for small mammals, I doted on her all weekend. She is a little fussier than the other babies I've handled, and one morning, she cried for a loooong time - that terribly cry that turns into screaming. She was over-tired, possibly hungry, and is also teething. But she was also terribly cute, as all babies are. My favorite part was when she would grab my hands, then lift herself up on her feet. I also liked it when she made happy baby noises.

But I thought I would leave the Arnolds for San Ramon on Sunday night, but San Diego got a lot of fog. My flight was cancelled. When my uncle came to pick me up, I commented that “San Diego needs to learn what severe weather really is” and Ben commented that flights would have taken off in Milwaukee. I responded “yes, to crash into the lake”. But it really was foggy. So I rescheduled, and it was for a 2:30pm flight – the earliest I could get. The only problem was that, you know, I have a job on Monday. Actually – it was more than that – I thought I had to meet a contractor at 7 in the AM, so after some crying, I booked the flight. Then I called to make sure my car, parked at a BART parking lot, would not be towed. I talked to the security people, telling them to please not ticket my car (more crying), then I bucked up, and began calling my boss and the VLCA front desk, leaving messages. This morning, I made more calls, and finally learned that the contractor wasn’t coming in and I could either take the day as vacation or make it up on Friday.

But, of course, that meant one more day (or morning, at least) with the Arnolds…..

*It wasn't really arguing - only loud talking, which is seriously just as bad.
**speaking of which - did I mention that I may go here as early as February?

There's nothing quite like feeling safe on your campus:

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, a pedestrian received a minor gunshot wound while walking near 40th Avenue and Providence East Loop. The suspects were in a Dodge Neon (color unknown). The victim ran through the woods and ended up at the MAC apartments where a resident called the police. The Anchorage Police Department is investigating this incident as a gang related shooting.

While this incident does not directly impact the campus, it does remind us that violence can occur anywhere and anytime. The University Police Department asks the community to remember the following safety tips.

While walking across campus:
• Be aware of your surroundings and alert for suspicious people or dangerous situations
• “Buddy up” when possible or call UPD for an escort
• Learn the locations of the emergency phones and memorize UPD’s phone number – 786-1120

While entering your car/driving:
• Have your keys in your hand and ready to insert into the lock as you approach your car
• Lock your doors after entering
• Secure your belongings out of sight - preferably in the trunk

While in buildings:
• Don’t leave belongings unattended
• If you use a locker buy a good padlock
• Lock your office, residence hall or apartment door
• Be aware of hallway and elevator phones that automatically ring to UPD Dispatch

Always:
• Report suspicious people or activities
• Be security conscious by watching out for the well being of others
• If you are the victim of a crime, report it

Please remember that safety is everybody’s business.

The shooting happened within spitting distance of the bus stop I wait at when I ride the bus to/from school. And since it gets dark at 5:00 now, I'm pretty much always riding the bus home in the dark. (Fortunately, bus days are few and far between now that I have a car. That used to be my every-day routine.) That street divides the hospital from the campus. The Mac Apartments are about 3 feet from the building where I lived my freshman year. Man, life is tough in Alaska.