Ashar Edith

[en] My Weigt Loss Journey

I started this blog back in January 2005 as a way to stay motivated in my weight loss journey. In December 31, 2005 I was so desapointed/frustrated that I stopped tracking my weight and, of course, gained everything back, and then more. I didn’t do any diet from January 2006 to July 2007. The result? 30 lbs. more. In my 35th birthday I decided I need to do something or my life will be cut short, BIG TIME. So here I am starting my Weighloss Journey all over again…

[en] God Bless Alaska!

I know I said I was going to post from “The Last Frontier” but the truth is that I’ve been having too much fun. PLUS Internet isn’t reliable here in Fairbanks… here’s a note you see in every computer in the hotel I’m staying: “Welcome to The Last Frontier! Where 73% of the town has indoor plumbing and 0% has reliable Internet. We apologize for any Internet downtime. (At least you don’t have to worry about the plumbing!)” Doesn’t it say something!? JA!
I’ve been to many REALLY fun places… I’ve seen Bears, Dall Sheeps, Bald Eagles, and lots of other animals… up close and personal in the wild. No fence protecting me. I hiked in a Glacier down in Valdez… I’ve eaten the best food ever… Fresh Halibut and Salmon are yummy! Man I LOVE ALASKA… at least during the summer. I don’t know if I would stand the -50 degree weather in winter, though. Well Internet time is up. Got to go hike in the woods. And later I’m going to eat fresh King Crab. Bye!

[en] Alaska

In about 18 hours I’ll be flying to Alaska to visit DM… Woohoo!!! I’m keeping my cool… Not having any negative thoughts… Flying is the safest way of transportation available! Right?

As any good traveler I did my research on the place I’m going… FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

Population: 30,970 in the City of Fairbanks, 87,560 including the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the City of North Pole.

Location: Located centrally in the heart of Alaska, Fairbanks is the gateway for travel to the Brooks Range and Arctic Coastal Plain and to communities such as Fort Yukon, Coldfoot, Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass and Nome. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is easily accessible by small plane, and the famous Dalton Highway, also known as the North Slope Haul Road, can be traveled by those with a thirst for adventure.

Access: Fairbanks is easily accessed by plane, rail or road. Daily jet service is available from many US cities and offers scheduled or charter service to Europe and Asia. Japan Airlines offers 3 direct winter flights, and Frankfurt-based Condor Airlines offers weekly direct flights during summer. The Alaska Railroad connects Fairbanks to Denali National Park, Anchorage, Whittier and Seward. The Alaska Highway offers road access via Canada, and the George Parks Highway links Fairbanks to Anchorage.

Accommodations: There are approximately 3,300 rooms available in Fairbanks and the surrounding area.

Map:

I thought there was nothing to do up there in Fairbanks, Alaska but, acording to www.travelalaska.com Fairbanks is the gateway to your authentic Alaska adventure.
In their own words…

“Come be energized in summer’s land of midnight sun. See award-winning exhibits of Alaska’s cultural and natural history. Shop for exquisite Alaska Native crafts. Celebrate our Gold Rush past and be enthralled by winter’s unsurpassed display of northern lights. Go mushing with a dog team or view the artistry of larger-than-life-sized ice sculptures. From our riverfront location, a variety of tours transport you to the edge of the Last Frontier, Denali and the Arctic wilderness.

The frontier spirit that helped create Fairbanks is still strong today and is part of what makes Alaska’s second largest city such a thriving community. Many of the local events and attractions can provide access to the rich natural and cultural history of the Interior. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Museum of the North, newly expanded and recognized as one of the state’s best museums.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks also provides opportunities to experience Alaska’s wildlife at the Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station and at the Georgeson Botanical Gardens.

Pioneer Park, an historic themed park, allows visitors to literally stroll into the past. Cabins and other buildings, including the first Episcopal Church and the home of Judge James Wickersham were relocated to create the feeling of a turn of the century town. You may also tour the historic sternwheeler Nenana, try your hand at gold-panning, shop or just stroll through town.

You can take ride on a still-in-service sternwheeler too and experience for yourself how the rivers were Alaska’s original highway system.

Fairbanks is also host to many species of migrating birds and Creamers Field Migratory Bird Refuge offers an excellent place to catch a glimpse of our feathered commuters. The Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival in the fall offers another spectacular viewing opportunity.

Winter provides a wealth of activities and sights to see from snowmobiling and cross-country skiing to dog mushing and ice fishing. The aurora borealis, nature’s light show, illuminates the nights and is generally visible from September until the beginning of April.

Alaskan huskies love to run and Fairbanks offers many mushing races for them to compete in. The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, known as the world’s toughest, takes place in February. The Open North American Championship occurs in March as does the Limited North American Championship, which attracts top sprint mushers from North America and beyond.

Also in March, ice sculptors from all over the world come to compete in the World Ice Art Championships. Teams turn blocks of crystal clear ice, “The Arctic Diamond,” into beautiful creations from the traditional to the abstract.

There are also many opportunities to experience the Interior’s rich Native Cultural heritage including the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in July. This traditional competition brings participants from around the world to test their skill in a variety of events, all based on proficiency in skills that are needed for day-to-day life in rural Alaska. The Olympics is considered a time to gather, dance, compete, tell stories and renew friendships. The Festival of
Native Arts in March offers three days of traditional Alaska Native singing, dancing and crafts displays.

Other events and attractions of note — Golden Days in July celebrates the discovery of gold in the Interior; Midnight Sun Festival celebrating the longest day of the year; Midnight Sun Baseball Game played at 10:30 p.m. without artificial lighting.

There are great places to camp, hike and explore. Even with the sun up for 21 1/2 hours, you will run out of daylight before you run out of things to do.

Info Taken From: www.travelalaska.com

[en] 4 plus 2 makes 6…

Since school is over in Puerto Rico, I’m back to my lazy little life. Thanks God I’m going on vacation this year! Wooohoo! It’s being a while since I last had vacations so I deserve it… BIG TIME. Indeed, I have more than vacations. I’ll be six weeks out in the States… Well, kind off. In two days I’m leaving to Alaska to visit DM… I’ll be there four weeks, ’til July then two days later I’ll be going to Orlando, Florida with DH… Yes we’re still together. Battling the same old problems… I’m still overweight… and I’m still trying to loose it to have babies. I know… It sucks! Anyhow… we will be up there for two weeks… Staying in a new house mom is buying on Friday. DH and will I be the first ones to stay there! So, my summer will be nice… I mean REALLY NICE!

School Year in CAIC went really well. My students were really nice… considering their age. My Team Teachers were really nice as well… But the end was kind of a bitter sweet experience. Many students left the school so they will be reducing personnel. I REALLY HOPE they keep me ’cause I liked very much working there. Mmmm…

Me gusta muuuucho ser maestra. Creo que mi grupo es el mejor… Nada compara los niños de quinto y sexto… Bueno séptimo me gusta también… Es una edad cool! Uf! que profundas mis razones. jejeje Just look at this guys!!! They are cool… They are fun… They are my students… GOD I MISS THEM!!!!

Me siento muy agradecida a Dios por la oportunidad de trabajar donde trabajé este último año académico. Excelentes compañeros de labores… Uf! Dejamos el pellejo, pero logramos nuestras metas!

Since there’s not much to do in Alaska than just relaxing, I’ll try to post a few picture from there… That way I can empty my SD Card and keep you informed of what I’ve been up to… It will be a whole new story when I get to Orlando… First I won’t have a computer there, and most important, I’ll be to busy having fun to sit to upload photos… Those I’ll post when I come back from my six weeks of pure joy and relaxation.

[es] Otro día más

A las seis de la mañana sonó el gallo eléctrico y, como de costumbre, sentí que cada pulgada de mi cuerpo dolía… Otra mala noche. Me dije: “No te quejes… Por lo menos tienes trabajo.” Luego de levantarme y tropezar con treinta cosas para llegar al baño. Recordé que hoy (es decir ayer) no tenía trabajo. Fui donde los perros… Los saqué… Hablé con ellos… Y cuando me disponía a regresar a la cama, ya Morfeo me había abandonado. ¿POR QUE ES QUE UNO SE LEVANTA TEMPRANO AUNQUE TENGA LIBRE? ARG! Luego de superar la frustración de haberme levantado antes de tiempo. Me senté en la polvorienta y abandonada compu a ver que ‘buenas noticias’ me tenía… Sobre 500 correos electrónicos en mis cuentas… Todas chatarra… Ni un solo amigo me escribió. Bueno, pues que rayos… Si desde que regresé a las aulas no me resta tiempo ‘ni pa’ chuparme un límber en el balcón de la casa… Y la conciencia me recuerda. “Bueeeeeno, no te quejes, que tienes trabajo.” ¿Mis amigos se acordarán que existo? Bueno… Supongo que todos se cansan de escribir sin recibir respuesta. Ah! *suspiro* De hecho… No sé por qué sigo pagando para mantener este blog abierto. Si con lo poco que escribo, dudo que alguien todavía me visite. Anyway… la ventaja que tengo es que vuelvo a estar sola con mis pensamientos… Como hace casi dos años cuando comencé.

La última vez que me senté a escribir aquí fue en agosto. Uf! ¡Como pasa el tiempo. Esto de ser maestra es “time consuming”… Pero muy gratificante. Nací para ser maestra. Soy una maestra feliz… pero sin tiempo para hacer otras cosas. ¿Por qué es que siempre que comienzo a trabajar, el trabajo me consume? No que me consuma en el mal sentido de la expresión, sino que amo tanto lo que hago que de repente me descubro saliendo de compras para mis estudiantes… Pensando en ellos todo el tiempo… Trato de no pensar en ellos, pero inevitablemente ahí están. Mañana, tarde y noche. Voy de compras y digo… “Estoy le gustaría a Mario”… “¡Mira! El juguete favorito de José G.”… Y así pasan mis días de compras.

Ayer, luego de pasar unas horas de ocio en la compu, y sí dije horas, salí de compras… Vamos… me fui de ‘shopping’… Pero pelá’ porque DH separó las cuentas y me canceló la ATH. ¿Esto será indicio de una catástrofe? No sé. Y no me importa. El ya no es el centro de mi vida. So, me importa poco. Allá él con sus opiniones de lo que es una buena esposa. Que haga lo que le pluja. ¡Uf! ¡Disculpen el exabrupto!

Bueno pues como decía… Regresé a las aulas en agosto. Y, por supuesto, desde agosto mi vida es más divertida, pero LLENA de trabajo. Bueno, creo que eso es lo que la hace divertida. Estoy trabajando en un Colegio Cristiano de Isabela… Soy la maestra de salón hogar del quinto nivel. Sin embargo solo les doy las clases de principios y valores (Biblia) y español. También le doy la clase de español al 6º nivel, la de Historia de Puerto Rico al 7º nivel y las de Social Studies de 7º, 8º, 9º, 10º y 11º. Uf! De escribirlo nada más me siento ocupada. Jejeje Nada… mi trabajo es muy bueno. Y lo más importante, amo lo que hago. Me gusta mucho ser paño de lagrimas/amiga/mentora/consultora/guía/maestra, pero en ocasiones necesito un respiro… por eso ayer no medio la gana de tocar los libros ni las LECAS (Panfletos que se usan en el sistema ACE) y me fui de ‘window shopping’. No sé como rayos lo logré, pero he roto dos pares de zapatos escolares en lo que va del semestre. Ayer me compré mi tercer par. A ver cuanto me duran. Hoy sábado Michael está trabajado en Caguas so, tengo la casa para mi sola. Jejeje… Me levanté temprano gracias a Bin Bo y Fiona… y me senté en la comp. Para tratar de arreglar algo de Word Press… Lo arreglé rápido, pero me puse a bregar con otras cosas y lo dañé… Más tarde le tiro un ojo otra vez. Horita voy a corregir una montaña de exámenes que tengo desde el viernes de la semana pasada. Después voy a lavar ropa, lavar los baños, barrer y mapear. Luego, tengo que sacar tiempo para hacer unos méritos para la escuela en Photoshop. Finalmente voy a visitar a papi a la casa de playa de Aguadilla.¡Arg! Trabajar y mantener una casa no combinan. Siempre una de las dos se queda corta.

[en] Red Friday

I received this on my email today. I think it’s worth sharing.

—
Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who’d been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

> No, he responded.
> Heading out I asked?
> No. I’m escorting a soldier home.
> Going to pick him up?
> No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq I’m taking him
> home to his family. >

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn’t know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier’s family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand,and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do. Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom,
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.

So here’s a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do. Red Fridays. Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority."We are no longer silent, and are voicing out. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday; and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that …every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red. By word of mouth, press, TV; let’s make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is …"We need your support and your prayers." Let’s get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.

—

As I was reading this email I remembered my Mom. It’s being four months since Mom was deployed and all I can do to support her is pray. I don’t cry or feel sad for her. I AM WAY PROUD TO BE AN ARMY BRAD… And yes, if you do care about soldiers out there, pray for them and pass this message on! God bless you all!

[en] Uf!

It’s been a while since I last wrote here. The trust is I’m WAY busy with so many things I’m not even using my computer… Hopefully I’ll log in this week to write something here. Take care guys!