The Face of Alaska?

Falcom and Hunter on the Dock

Jeff Middleton's birthday party was a total smash! It was a perfect blend; friends, music, laughter, sentimentality. Kids were running around playing while adults were mingling. The sun was shining. At one point, nearly everyone had congregated outside on the lawn in the sun and I was standing by Jeff as a small flock of Sandhill Cranes (maybe 7 birds) flew right over head. It was a lot like being toasted by the Blue Angels.

During this party I ran into my friend, S.McB who had just gotten back from the Vaseline 'Face of Alaska' Casting Call. She pretty much dared us all to apply online when we got home from the party. S.P. said, "No Way! You know Vaseline makes many products, and with my luck I'll become the face of K/Y Jelly!" I, however, was intrigued on two levels. One, being challenged by one of the BB collective. Two, incorporating new experiences into what could otherwise become a somewhat routine life.

Willie and I stayed up late filling out the application (we didn't get home from Jeff's until 10:30, and then we chatted with Sheryl and the boys and then started the application). Willie thought it was a fun idea. Vince just shook his head and was like, "Oh, Alana." You can imagine my shock when a 'not small town voice' called our place and asked for ahlana. I started laughing. I asked if I needed to bring anything with me and they said, "How about your husband." I said, "Well, he's out fishing. How about a grandma?" "Yes! Bring the Grandma!"

And so it was, that I was going to my first casting call ever.

Vince and Emily with her 48 pounder

Vince and the Pierce's were down at the harbor fishing early that morning. They called at 1 and Falcom, Marina and I were off to meet them at the harbor. They got many fine looking fish.

Being at the harbor made me doubly laugh about this Vaseline business, because there I was, thinking about this whole, Face of Alaska, thing that my impulsively had gotten me into and there I was, at the harbor watching my children as they climbed into the fish carcass trailer for skins to feed the seagulls. I looked down at my hands, covered in slime and I was thinking, "Gosh this polish is still looking good, even as I skin fish." Is this really someone who is the Face of Alaska? I was giggling. Meanwhile, my super hero husband is teaching tourists how to fillet their fish. Now he is the Face of Alaska.

Then there was Glacier Burgers for the hungry fisher people. Then I went to Mindy's and she fussed over me and got me 'more fancy'. She is also the intellectual voice of reason, because she said, "Do you think they will find any Natives for this campaign? I mean, aren't they the real "Face of Alaska". S. McB called while I was there and I told her how I was going to do it. I was still laughing. She was laughing too. Mindy was laughing too....

I picked up my mom and off to the casting call we went. Sadly, my mother could not qualify because she is leaving for Sacramento before the commercial shoot dates. That bummed me out. Wouldn't that have been a fun thing to do together? Be in a commercial? Next time...

And so, we sat in city hall wondering what I had gotten us into. I signed the SAG waivers, got a number, met a gal from New York City. She took my picture a few times and in I went. They wouldn't let mom come with me. I tried to remember what Rachel had told us about smile and then relax the jaw. But unfortunately, I did not practice it enough during golf lessons that day to be able to incorporate it adequately.

Then I went into council chambers where they had set up the video camera and I was interviewed by another woman who asked me not to notice the camera and just talk to her, like we were old friends. The camera was right over her shoulder and maybe five feet from my face.


She asked a lot of questions. Half way through they put the camera even closer to my face. I can't really remember how I answered any of those questions, but at one point she gave me a bottle of their new product and I looked it over and she told me I could try some....and I proceeded to put it on my hands and legs. Now that I am reflecting on this moment I am realizing, that perhaps I was supposed to put it on my face...I think I'm going to be sick.... I'm laughing again! I am so not Stage Actors Guild material! The dream of that money from the SAG royalties taking us to Bali next winter is wafting away as I think about it...

When we left there, I kind of felt like I was going to puke. I don't really know how I fancy myself, but I like to think of my self more a satirist than a narcissist. Having that camera in my face answering questions, with no give and take from the auditioner was a new feeling. Mom asked what I thought I got out of it; what was the purpose for me in the experience? (She is so wise). All I could think of was that it will help me to help Falcom if he decides to do more work in this field (as it seems obvious that he will naturally migrate towards it.) Now I wait to see.

Sheryl walking out the front door of my house. I thought it looked cool with the mountains in the background.

When I got home, I swooped up Sheryl for our traditional desert tour. This is what we do each time we are together. Once in Fairbanks she drove us for an hour for a Thai Tea. Last time she came to Homer we ate so much desert together that I had the worst case of gastric reflux of my life and that event led to Vince's historical statement, "You've just bought yourself a date with the scope!"

We started at Cups for peanut butter pie, but they were packed, even at the bar, and we were kind of ignored at the door, and so we drove out to the Spit where we stopped at the Spitfire Grill for a Macaroon.

Then we drove back into town and stopped off at Fat Olives for the Macadamia Nut Pie. We also had to have the Peanut Butter Parfait. It had been our plan to finish these and then go to Cups, but who were we kidding? We got through the Macadamia Nut bliss and could barley eat any Parfait. It was unbelievably delicious, and I will say that this morning, I am feeling hungover. So much sugar, so little metabolism.

We came home to this glorious scene from my driveway. Ah, Alaska. I love you!