Day of Decision

Downtown St. Ignace, MI
August, 2010

This was the first time I've been home for a real visit in the summer time since I moved to Alaska. I forgot how beautiful it is when you don't have to shovel snow.

It was a day just like this, in 2005, that I decided to go to Juneau, AK. This was a decision that would set the course for me to find myself where I am today.

I got a call in that June morning from a testing lab in Grand Rapids. At this time I had graduated with my Mechanical Engineering degree and was looking for a job in that field. Countless resumes had been sent out since my graduation in December with no sign of a job anywhere.

They were very interested in me but couldn't promise enough work for me to even pay rent. After thinking for a while I decided the job wasn't for me. I thought "What have I done? I just turned down work!"

To clear my head I decided to take the canoe for paddle and put in down by the marina. I paddled East, past town, all the way down to the airport and back. I saw some pretty big rocks in the bay and a few white fish swimming along. The water was calm and a cool breeze kept the sun from making the day uncomfortably warm.

Less than a half hour after I got home the phone rang. It was my good friend Josh asking if I had found a job yet. When I answered no, he asked if I wanted to come to Juneau and work on his survey crew for the summer. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. A couple days later my stuff was packed and I was on the road.

The relationships I made in the past would give the me opportunity to make new relationships that would help me find my way to Anchorage 2 years later.

I'm glad I turned down those guys in Grand Rapids.