Happy Seward's Day

Ah, yes. Another paid holiday from work. Brief history lesson: William Seward purchased Alaska (Seward's Icebox) from Russia in 1867 for about two cents an acre. They called it Seward's Folly, and might still today if it wasn't for, ya know, all the gold and oil and what not.

Alaska has not one, but two purely Alaskan holidays. Seward's Day and Alaska Day. Something I noticed almost immediately after moving here is how proud Alaskans are to be Alaskans. It shows in their advertisements. "Trailers made for Alaskan loads on Alaskan roads." In Michigan they brag if a business is family owned. Here, it's Alaskan owned since 19...the dawn of time. The A&P stands for Alaskan & Proud instead of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company like it does in the rest of the US and Canada.