First post, Day 4

The Day is April 16th, 2012. Around Six pm.
It is today that I am starting the blog on my time in Anchorage, Alaska.

It was only last summer that I met my biological father, Lonte, for the first time. I have always been skeptical throughout my life of what I would do if I ever met my biodad. Some weeks I said I didn't care, some I have said I want to speak with him and ask him why he's not tried to contact me before. Sometimes i told people I would become rich and hire private investigators to find him and let me meet him and even other times I said I would just punch him in the face and throw down for him never trying to know me.

Well I did throw down with him. when we met; a good spar in the yard my partner eventually told me to "do it" and I amped it up a notch. We chilled and talked. He stayed in town a few days before I wished him farewell.

And at some point afterward he asked me if I was interested in coming up for a job since Oregon Economy sucks so bad and he could find me a job landscaping for 14 an hour. I told him that if I didn't have a steady job by April I'd take it and they arranged to fly me up, my mother, sister and Lonte all pitchin in so long as I pay my way back down, which I eagerly agreed to the terms of.

And on Friday, April 13th I took the flight up. I got in at midnight thirty and stayed up for a while with Lonte. We talked, he showed me some stuff, showed me the place and where I would be sleeping. He treated me immediately like a son, like I'd just been here the whole time but somehow didn't know where anything was. It warmed me. I didn't get it but I knew I loved it already.

The air was cleaner than my nose had ever processed, the sky darker and more star-filled than anywhere in the Portland Metro area. The mountains I had seen in Oregon; the constant line of range in every direction, didn't compare to the few short ranges I could see, epitomously (Not a word, I know, but it is now) sticking out of the horizon with near blinding clarity even to my night blind eyes. Poor vision aside I could see the peaks and switchbacks, ridges and cliff sides as though I were on them in the light of day. The ground off the roads proper was a dirty white, more snow than I ever remember seeing in all of my life, walls shovelled into place that could easily have been twice my height. I couldn't stop smiling. I had always known I was meant to be in the Cold, I just never knew how much.

I went to sleep that night and only an hour later I awoke on the couch I would sleep on the next night as well to look into the face of my youngest brother. He looks exactly like me at that age. He stared at me, eyes wide, mouth agape until he noticed his presence had roused me and said "Hi David." I said, "You're Sebastian." he nodded and we shook hands before he went back to bed. Gideon I met the next morning, looks just like me at that age as well, same mannerisms and everything for both of them. I was amazed how much these things that I thought were mine alone were very much traits of others, From my biological father to my half brothers.

I got to know the dogs and the kids. I quickly gained a following. They won't leave me alone for the life of em if I don't remind them to give me space. In time that may or may not change but it pleased me how quickly they welcomed me as their brother. I've never had brothers nor ever been the older sibling. The feeling of belonging hadn't changed a bit around me.

We went to church that morning. I'm not much of a christian individual. I don't really use thee name of god as I call upon the name of "Gods." i don't think there's only one true god but I support strongly the foundation of the christian faith and I've always thought the ten commandments were a solid key to a productive lifestyle. Lonte was in a skit on the stage. It was fun to watch but had good messages under it all. The resolution of conflict and working things out for the sake of peace between people, it was nice. I sang the songs, played the part of a good church goer. At one point the pastor talked about how, in the garden of Eden god made man and then "Being god he knew that man was not meant, in his man styled form of thought and action, to be without a woman." I was the first to chuckle and he pointed right at me. "You know what I'm talking about!" Blatantly clear in his eyes though he said nothing in response as the rest of the church chuckled after me.

Afterward we shopped. They asked me what I wanted, picked up stuff off the shelves just for me saying I generally liked it, bought me shampoo and conditioner (Because you know my hair will kill itself without it) and talked with me about things as we paraded the cart and kids around the costco store. We met some people from church, which I gathered was normal, before going back.

And for the next day nothing really happened. We went up to a nice ocean overlook, talked about things while Jenn took care of the kids back home. On Monday I went and applied for work, took a UA, talked to the people I would come to work with. Jenn (Who I never knew was a massage therapist) gave me a massage and my tense shoulder blades turned to melted butter. And I didn't even have to pay.

Last night I said, "I'm gonna steal one of these sesame treats and Jenn said "How can you steal something from your own home." I nervously responded with, "Well it isn't really mine. It's yours." She countered with, "Where do you live right now." A responded with "here." and she said, "Then it's your home too." Three days in and I was afraid it would all stop, that at some point I would just wake up back home in my room to the noises of my roommates and sigh that usual sigh of the monotony that is my home before begrudgingly going out to deal with the world.

But I went to sleep and awoke to find myself getting primed for my interview where Lonte works and it went great! At the end they shook my hand and said "Welcome to the team." Don't get to work till my US comes in but that's only be the rest of the week. I start next week. It's not a dream at all.

I have sacrificed myself to dish duty and any other chores they would put me through. I understand, even if I plan to pay rent here, that there is such a thing as wearing out one's welcome and I don't plan for that to happen during my stay so far as I can help it. When I go to my sister's place I do a load of dishes a day. It is only right that I keep to that ideal here as well. For this opportunity; a job and a good four months of hard work on my resume, I'm more than willing to bust my rear at work, home and everywhere in between if I can just think of it as the beautiful dream vacation I've always wanted. Something active where I don't stagnate too much and gain some good material for self progression. If I must come back home from this sweet dream then let my absence teach me how to become a better person back home as well.

Of what happens tomorrow I cannot know for certain but I am glad to be here, glad to have a job and to be part of a family. It's something I've wished for for a long time, I think before I could make wishes. That aside I will continue to update this blog until I leave. Hopefully every day.

My goal for the summer is to trim down and tone up, get a new laptop for myself and sort my life out so I won't be in shock when I return.

Yours,
Dag