Well, it's been a while since I updated! Happy 2009, I guess. A lot has happened since my last journal entry, but for starters, I turned 21 yesterday, and am looking forward to sampling the huge variety of drinking alcohols, particularly the Alaskan brand (brewed right here in Juneau!). Other than that, it was a pretty normal day. Give it a month or so and it'll finally hit me.

Work's been goin' good, still with the supermarket that i've been with since I was 14. I became manager of the dairy department about a month ago, and it's quite a bit different than managing the freezer. Product sells and expires A LOT FUCKING FASTER, and it was more work, but I actually like having more work. It sounds crazy, I know, but it makes the time go by really fast. It also required a bit more thinking when it came to shooting an order, because you have to factor in product movement, expiration dates, holidays, sales, and various other things. The hardest part was probably dealing with the incompetent fuckheads who don't give a damn if they fuck up, and leave their mess or their mistakes for someone else to fix. People like that piss me off.

Anyway, my time in the dairy was short however. The second driver got a DUI and can't drive for five years, and since I am now the only other person with driving experience, I took over his delivery routes on Tuesday and Wednesday (we deliver for the supermarket and for SYSCO foodservices.) So this means I'm back on the 2:00am shift. w00t.

Nah, it's not really that bad. I enjoy the physical workout and the fact that I can go home around 10-11am is a plus.

Work aside, I have been playing a lot more video games again. I have always been a big fan of rpg's, particularly Final Fantasy 7-9, and I still play those now and again. I found one on Amazon called 'Xenogears'-you may have heard of it- and I cannot believe I went so long without playing this game! Simply put, it is the perfect example of a classic rpg.

Ever since I got my new modem installed, I have been playing online with a lot of friends in Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 (sick game). The modem that came with the internet setup had a ridiculous firewall, and any means of bypassing it simply did not work, so I was unable to connect to any friends for the longest time. However, my new modem practically set itself up, and I was able to bypass any firewalls with no problems. Damn Yeah.

So anyway, that's that. Hopefully I can get to work on some more chainmaille stuff sometime so I can have another gallery update. Off to work now.

If anything can go wrong at the worst time, it will.

So about five months ago I started managing the frozen foods department at this supermarket in Juneau. I keep the warehouse freezer organized, the display shelves filled, and shoot the orders five days a week now. Pretty easy to do. The only thing I really have to worry about is my display freezers malfunctioning, which hasn't happened in over half a year. Well, what better time for this to happen than the week of Thanksgiving, when everyone shops for frozen vegetables, juices, fruits and cool whips?

Sure enough, while I was on my weekend, the compressor for one of the freezers had a problem, and all the products had to be removed and stored in the warehouse freezer until it was fixed. I spent 13 hours yesterday filling the display freezer again, under the impression that the repair would last more than one night. Well, I arrived this morning to shoot an order, and discovered that the damn thing had gone down again.

On top of shooting the order, I had to start working my new freight that had just arrived, but couldn't for five hours while I waited for the repairman to finish the job. When I left, the freezer was just coming down to temp again, so I can only hope it still works tomorrow.

That's right, I moved out and found myself an apartment!

I remember never wanting to leave my family when I was a child, but I was always told that as I grew up, I would change my mind. Well, they were 100% right about that! Sure, I love them and their company, but when I come home from a 10+ hour work shift that started at 2:30am, all I want to do is sleep, and any noise on their part tends to bring out the worst in me.

The apartment I found is located in a peaceful complex overlooking Auke Bay Harbor in Juneau. It's cozy, clean and warm, and quite roomy compared to my bedroom. Not only is there a bedroom, but a spacious living room, and a wide front deck. The apartment building itself is built on the side of a hill, has a nice lawn, and a rocky beach from which I can fish for Pink, Dog and King Salmon.

I just now got my internet set up, after hours of troubleshooting, and my move-in is complete for the most part. My weekend is here now and I have the time and motivation to work on some maille projects, play some video games, and basically just relax!

Certainly, a lot of us grew up eating store bought cheddar and mozzarella, as well as a few other packaged types, and I did as well. However, until now I never realized what a great variety of different cheeses there are in the world, or how incredibly delicious they are compared to what I grew up eating. My eyes were opened when I first discovered fresh cheeses for order, ONLINE of all places. After a few sampler packages from igourmet.com, and sharing a few varieties with my mother, she bought me an awesome book about gourmet cheese written by one of the top cheese connoisseurs in the world. Needless to say, the delicacies described within have piqued my interest, including those that would make most people pinch their noses and grimace.

For me, this is somewhat of a new adventure, a time of tasteful discoveries as I sample the stinky, the sheepy, the moldy and delightful, to name but a few cheese adjectives. A year ago, I never thought I would be so daring as to consume a blue cheese, and many of my friends believe I am downright nuts, but I consider Mountain Gorgonzola and Blue Stilton among my favorites. It is a process of acceptance and tolerance that many don't have the stomach to follow, but is necessary to appreciate a good cheese, and I am downright glad that I did.

I have just placed another order for some rather exotic cheeses from France, Switzerland, and Britain among others, the type that melt at room temperature, stink something fierce, but offer an explosion of delicious flavor. I can't wait.

To any who read this, if you love cheese as I do, please offer some suggestions about your favorite cheeses, or perhaps how to best enjoy them. Likewise, I will offer mine.