studying for my drivers test :(

You read that correctly. I'm using this blog entry as a study break. Here's the deal. I've had my license in 3 states already, Alaska will be my 4th. The other times I've transferred a license you handed it over, provided proof of residency, take an eye exam and get your picture taken. Sounds reasonable, right? You obviously know how to drive if another state gave you a license and as long as you don't have 50 accidents or something, you should be good to go. Nope, not in Alaska. Here I have to take the written test again and all of the above. So I'm studying. Every state has quirky rules. This time I can't learn as I go. It's a bummer. ::sigh::

Good news is that I have 2 strong possibilities on places to live. I'm first in line for both. Here's the rundown (feel free to log an opinion).

1. 1 bedroom, furnished. W/D included. $1600 all utilities included (fuel for heat, water/sewer and electric). it's actually a house instead of an apartment. It's located quite near work (walking distance in good weather) and across from one of the cheapest gas stations in town. I've been told that because it's not a hugely residential street and it has the gas station, it gets quite loud with snowmachines and people during the summer.  It's available now.(saw this one Saturday)
2. 1 bedroom, furnished. W/D included. $1050 with no utilities. I've been told they cost about $200 in the summer and about $400 in the winter. It's in one of the newer subdivisions so it's quiet. not sure if it's a house or apt. It'll be vacant Friday but I'm not sure if there'll be work to do. (I see this one Wed)

Dogs would be allowed in both if I wanna bring Kota up. I have to let #1 know by Friday. I'm leaning toward #2 if it's in a quieter neighborhood and if the utilities are really about that. 

I realized in talking to a couple people this week that I hadn't described honey-buckets. Bethel used to be a honey-bucket town, but now there's septic and city-water. A honey-bucket is a pail that is used to keep waste (human, etc) and then it's put outside on the porch every week to be picked up by the honey-bucket-truck-man. Now here's the catch, in the winter, it freezes. So the day of pick-up, you had to heat it up on the stove. Boiling poo... ew.

This week  got rid of the unlimited data on my phone. It's really not worth having because it's slower than dial-up and can't be used for much more than sending an email (no images). I have unlimited text and call but anything else has to come through when I'm connected to WiFi. Luckily I have WiFi at the hospital and i will have it at my apt whenever that is. I just saved $25 a month. whoo hoo.


oooh, I also just bought a single-cup coffee maker on amazon for my office, with a permanent filter too. It will heat up water for hot chocolate/tea and make my office smell better since people make funny smells and the air is turned down due to noise issues.

double ooh... I'm currently working on my loan repayment application through IHS (Indian Health Services). I'll submit information for all of my loans from grad school (professional) school and they determine which are eligible. They repay (upon acceptance into the program), up to 20k per year for qualifying loans (all federal, state and commercial). Now I just have to find out if they consider a private loan 'commercial'. Then I might be staying up here a bit longer than I banked on before. I'll submit everything and see.