Sunday, July 31, 2011

Why Seasonal?


By: Lara Cleeland


Anyone can have what it takes to free oneself from the binding routine of a standard lifestyle: working a steady job, paying a housing lease, and owning a car. Being stuck in the confinement of the “American dream” can become boring; escape is the only alternative, and this can be done through seasonal work.

 I’ve perfected the art of being a true nomad, or as some might say, a traveling gypsy. I’ve run from the idea of settlement since I was still in high school. Though, I’ve never figured out if I was running away from boredom, or if I was searching for excitement. I guess in the end, the outcome is the same: Always in need of constant change, never feeling content. Either way, the simple fact remains that I struggle with the idea of being still. 
 
Seasonal work has helped to me to find reasoning and justification for my endless spree for adventure. I recommend it to all that are willing to give up the knowledge of what is coming next and trade that in for the unknown certainty of moving to a place unexplored in your rehearsed daily lifestyle. Rebel against the familiar and step into the realm of constant change. If you don’t like it, it’s only one season; there will be many more to figure out what you really want to do. Just take the first step, and see where the future will take you… I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Bottle Rocket Rex

By: Jaimie Gleissner


Traveling Tunes: “Goldensole” - Dirty Sweet


Taking up residency at your place of employment has a way of making you feel as though you're always at work. An effective way to counteract this feeling is to pull pranks on unsuspecting /suspecting coworkers. Spontaneous or premeditate, pranks provide comic relief to all those participating and observing. Granted the target may not see the humor, I've found the most prankable people have been warned about the prank ahead of time. They lack faith that the prankster will follow through on the threat, so the joke ends up on them.

As soon as Nicky uttered those words, I knew we were going to execute our plan. Should her brother fail to make good on delivering a kitten, we were going to dye his dog. Rexy was a Jack Russel terrier. He stood about a foot high, was all white, and had a natural mo-hawk. Since the season started, Nicky and I had been joking about dying him, so after reaching our drink limit for the night, Nicky called her brother to inquire about her the cat. When he informed her she wouldn't get a cat soon, she told him that he should be worried about Rex and (with encouragement from one of the fishing guides) got the dye ready.

Our weapons of choice: a paste made from fruit punch (red drank) mix, blue food dye, and rubber gloves. Nicky restrained Rexy as I gloved up for the procedure. Despite a little struggling at first, he began to relax as I worked the dye into his fur. I like to think that Rex enjoyed both the attention and looking like a bomb-pop. Not to mention, the fruit punch made him smell awesome.

Pictures were taken, and everyone enjoyed the new, more patriotic, Freedom Rex. Unfortunately, due to lack of permanence, Nicky rinsed the dog that evening leaving only a shadow of the splendor that was Bottle Rocket Rexy. There was, however, enough color leftover to catch the owners eye. The next day Nicky and I braced ourselves for the repercussions of our actions. Considering the visible rage on her brother's face and the swear words he mumbled at lunch, I thought he took everything quite well. I'd never try it again (mostly because I'm pretty sure I'd be cut up and thrown in the crab pots – plus Rex would look better covered in glitter with a unicorn horn on his head), but it was, hands down, the best prank of the summer.



  

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Getting Started


Traveling Tunes: Ray LaMontagne - “Devil's in the Jukebox”

At 18, I had figured out my life plan: go to college, become a CPA, live happily ever after. Shortly after classes began (and I started failing calculus), I realized accounting might not be my forte. An interest in coaching made me decide to become an English teacher only for me to change my mind a short time later, which is how I ended up in Alaska. 

Since leaving Illinois, I've developed a love for travel and a simplistic lifestyle. I alternate between living at work with free room and board and my car. In between gigs I've successfully managed to crash on various couches across the country. Working as a seasonal professional has allowed me to meet people from all walks of life leaving me with great friends and a lot of stories. 

A lesson I've learned from being professionally homeless: if you're willing to make some sacrifices, like having a permanent mailing address, you can get yourself anywhere you want to go. Many of my coworkers and close friends have shared this lesson with me, so my cohorts and I decided to share our experiences and offer our advice to anyone who is looking for a seasonal job or just trying to take a vacation on a low budget. You can find out more about us by checking out our Contributors page. We'll try our best to post weekly and look forward to your comments!

-Jaimie