Things I Need From Civilization

I asked someone who is going to Wasilla this week to buy me three things from the Wal-Mart there.

1. Blank cd's.  The other week I drove a nice couple who were staying at the lodge to Denali, three hours north.  It was the first time I had ever been north of Talkeetna.  I made a hundred dollars. 

Their accent was not familiar to me, so I asked where they were traveling from.  "We start in Quebec," the wife said.  She pronounced it, "Kee-bec."  Huh, I thought.  I've been pronouncing it wrong.  We tried to talk about the weather where I am from versus the weather where they are from but were thwarted by the fahrenheit/celsius conversion.  Then we tried to talk about gas prices where I am from versus gas prices in Alaska versus gas prices where they are from, but were stymied by gallon/litre converson.  The car fell silent and I thought, I wonder if the real reason the US refuses to convert to the metric system is so small talk with foreigners will be difficult and we will remain in an ignorant bubble. 

Anyway, it turned out they were from Brazil and had started their vacation in Quebec.  We all had a good laugh when I explained I thought they were from Quebec.  This was a preposterous assumption to them, probably because (from what I hear) Brazil is one of the best countries.

On the drive home alone I could not get any radio stations to come in and I did not have any cd's with me.  I let the radio search continuously for a clear station and tuned out the static.  The whole drive back, the only song that came in was "Cheap Sunglasses" by ZZ Top.  I realized how good of a song it is.  Then a bird smacked into my windshield and probably died.

I could go online and buy a tape-to-iPod converter thing... like that fake cassette you plug into your iPod to trick the car into thinking your iPod is a tape... but I like the idea of making cd's more.  The challenge of picking songs I will not immediately get sick of.  Trying to balance upbeat songs with slow songs.  Trying to put some ones everyone knows on the cd's so that when I drive the taxi in town, my drunk friends will ask me to turn it up.

2. Bug spray.  Did you know if you get too many mosquito bites it turns into leprosy?  Little-known fact.  I can't believe I forgot to pack bug spray after last summer.  Not much else to say about this one.  Except that I am really sick of the joke where people call mosquitos the state bird of Alaska.  I might start saying that mosquitos are the state flower.  Or the state dog.  Each state should have a dog.  Why not?  I should try to start that.

3. Glue.  To make these.  I already have watercolors, and cardstock in the form of discarded hotel key envelopes.  I've got big plans to turn the flowers into a crown and wear it on Solstice.  I haven't yet tried to make them because I am still enjoying the fantasy stage of the project, where it is really fun to do and turns out beautifully.