10/14/2004: "Isolation?"

Last night I had dinner at a friend's house and a woman told me that her former roommate in Hawaii had asked her if she felt isolated living in Juneau. She told her ex-roomie that she didn't feel that way at all, and asked her why she would think that. The woman told her that she had been considering moving to Juneau and had been reading "this woman Elise's blog" and isolation was the impression she got from it. geesh!

I'm always amazed at the impressions that people get of me or of living in Alaska, from reading this blog. If they'd email me personally I'd have a chance to clear up any misconceptions but if not, it could be that they just caught me on a bad day or at a time when I was suffering a bout of the blues. I had another message from a guy wanting to move to Alaska who said he was afraid all Alaskan women would be like me (i.e. not wanting to date or get married) which is sooo not true.

All I can say is please please please...don't make any big decisions like whether or not to move to Alaska, based on my random musings here. I'm kind of an odd ball anyway, and I *enjoy* being alone; that would be true regardless of where I live.

nuf said.

Replies: 8 Comments

on Thursday, October 14th, Chapman said

The first paragraph of your "Life in Alaska" page does say...

"People ask me all the time what life is like living in a remote area in Alaska with no road access in or out of town. How do I deal with the weather, wildlife, ISOLATION, and other issues relating to living in the Last Frontier?"

:D

on Thursday, October 14th, Elise said

Hmmm, yes well, I wrote that a long time ago I suppose I need to clarify what I meant by that word; isolation in the geographical sense only.

There really *aren't* any roads in or out of town and getting in and out by air is always a challenge due to frequent bad weather, primarily fog or high winds. Flights are canceled regularly, sometimes for days and days at a time.

I guess I interpreted her statement as social isolation, loneliness, that kind of thing, which really isn't a problem here. I probably get defensive because I often feel like people (I know if real life) think I'm an anti-social loser... so I read into things and take them the wrong way.

Anyway, thanks for pointing that out!
;)

on Thursday, October 14th, samiam@hotmail.com">Sammy said

Don't worry, you're cyber friends know you're not a loser.
:P

on Thursday, October 14th, Elise said

So, not a loser but still maybe antisocial? Well, I can live with that.

on Friday, October 15th, Being@gmail.com">SB said

I say let readers do a little of their own clarifying, by excersising their brains and paying attention to the whole. As you said, they can always email. Please don't change this lovely blog, which makes already exotic Alaska even more interesting/exciting and also revealed. Thanks.

on Friday, October 15th, Elise said

Thanks SB, I'm glad you enjoy hearing about Alaska, I enjoy talking about it. It really is an amazing state, and so completely different depending on which part of it you live in.

on Friday, October 15th, Jahmoke said

Isolation is merely a state of mind...unless you are in solitary confinement or sailing solo around the world...and it's only temporary. Alaska is VERY friendly and interactive because we are so geographicly distant from massive populations. There's plenty to do & places to mingle...if you want to...it is all about choice. Move here, you'll love it...and if not....just head back to the masses. (Just don't try to build a road from anywhere to here...we don't want Juneau to turn into Newark)

on Friday, October 15th, Elise said

I agree with you Jahmoke, especially about NO ROADS!

(this is a hotly debated issue here, as some people want to try and build a road from Juneau to Skagway, but I don't think it will ever happen, too many miles of roads in avalanche country, they'd never be able to keep the road safe in the winter...plus the cost would be astronomical.