Greetings all-
This is my first foray into the blogoshpere, so let's see how it goes.

Premise: For starters, let me lend some context.

I'm about to head into my last year in both a Master's of Landscape Architecture and Master of Urban and Regional Planning courses at the University of Minnesota and the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, respectively. As such, I need some capstone project ideas. This project has to encompass both realms, be pertinent, be innovative, be well done and be interesting. No pressure.

Also, as part of my illustrious education, I've landed an internship working at the National Parks Service Alaska Regional office in Anchorage (map | website | NPS AK parks). I'll be working under their one-and-only landscape architect, and their transportation planner. From what I understand, the former does all the site design for the parks up there, and the latter is working on a NPS long-range transportation plan. What specifically, I will be doing, only time will tell.

This blog will {hopefully} be a way for me to track research, report on Alaska, and maybe to distill what the hell I'm doing with my life by reflecting on the work up there.

So you can expect ranting, venting about work, nerdy digressions on biking/planning/design, pretty pictures and much, much more.

For now though, my ticket is purchased: June 2-Sept 1 via Suncountry Airlines. Arrangements have been made: I'll be crashing a friends gear-room for the duration of my stay. Logistics have been sorted: the federal government has started a file on me, and multitudes of background checks have been run. All systems are go, and I'm prepared for lift-off. Enjoy.