Hej there you old blog, you old pal. I think I want to be one of those people that keeps track of some daily details of life. These people exist, right? It started when they installed this new bike counter leading to central station. Realistically, there are probably over five main ways in which bicycles can arrive at central station. On the one that I use regularly, they just installed this bike counter. It is amazing. I don't know how they can even do these things. Not counting people. Not counting too many bikes. It works through a sensor that is installed under the path, and what happens when a unicycle goes by? These are important things, but from what I've seen, it looks accurate. So then I decided to start writing down which bicycle number I was each time I passed. This is at least once or twice a day, depending on whether I go directly home or go in some other direction. I've got big plans for making some sort of plot with this information once I've gathered up a good collection.
Sometimes I think I only write about bicycling so much to give myself more dimension. It doesn't feel bad to me to be so enthusiastic about folk dance, but I can see other people register my enthusiasm as overzealousness. Overzealousness doesn't win hearts, but neither does an awkward attempt at hiding my enthusiasm or making it seem less. I'm not bothered by my love of folk dance, but I'm so sensitive to people having a negative reaction to it. I don't expect people to match my enthusiasm (or even be anywhere close to it). I sort of expect that the majority of people would have a neutral and open opinion about folk dance. Even if they don't share the same enthusiasm, they understand what it is like to be enthusiastic about a thing. Sort of a "That's cool that you are really into a thing that you love. I'm like that about [insert enthusiasm of your choice]." But it makes me sad when I'm made to feel like it is a bad thing. I don't want to hear people tell me that I shouldn't want to dance more in the evening if I already danced all day long. I have so many feelings about this, but it is not so easy to put words to it. The words really help to sort through the feelings, so I'll keep thinking on it and perhaps come back with more later.
Showing posts with label bike riding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bike riding. Show all posts
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
7QT: ginger, beer, swedish quizzes and introductions, & a banana
1. On Monday I had a low blood sugar moment, and I ate a banana. I haven't eaten a banana that wasn't disguised in a smoothie since I reached the age of reason. Bananas are the one food that I claim to despise. But on Monday I was desperate, and the banana was the only option. So I ate it, and it wasn't actually terrible. My mother is smiling the biggest smile in the world right now (am I right?).
2. I made progress in my goal to make my own ginger beer! I made a ginger simple syrup that can be added to bubbly water to simulate ginger beer. The ginger simple syrup was made by heating 1 dL water with 1 dL sugar (1 dL is about a half a cup) just until it started to bubble. Then I added ginger. I got about a 5 inch piece which I peeled (not perfectly) and sliced thinly. Once the mixture began to bubble again, I removed it from the heat and let it steep for about an hour. After filtering out the ginger pieces I was left with a super delicious concoction, which I intended to add to bubbly water except that I accidentally bought still water (language fail). But still. Tasty!
3. An advantage of going to the grocery store practically every day and only buying food for one or two meals is that you increase your chances of finding discounted, soon-to-expire foods. 30% off local thick-sliced bacon? YES Please! Change of plans honey, we are having three packages of bacon for dinner tonight!
4. In my Swedish class I got to participate in my first 'tipspromenad.' This is a thing that is maybe popular to do in Sweden? Or at least it is very popular with some Swedes. The tipspromenad, also called tipsrunda, is a quiz that involves going around to various questions which can be posted around a house or around a park outdoors even, and choosing the correct answer from the three choices. Sometimes it is competition style, involving prizes for the winners. I guess this is an activity you can do at parties. Which brings me to my next take!
5. I have this idea to include a tipsrunda the next time we have people over for brewing. It could involve all questions about beer/brewing. Yay or nay?
6. In Sweden, when meeting new people, you simple shake hands and state your name. No extra rambling or other words that would be the equivalent of "hi, I'm" or "hi, my name is" but just your name (super nice when you don't speak Swedish). Likewise, when answering your phone, it is typical to just state your name. Some people answer their phone by saying "hi, this is ____" and I'm not sure if one way is considered more polite than the other. What I do know is that answering a phone by saying "hello?" causes a lot of confusion. I won't claim that my way is better, because really, what do I even mean with that question? And why (in both cases) are we acting like it is unlikely either of us knows who the other will be without first stating it?
7. Have we talked about Penny In Your Pants?
Penny In Yo Pants from Johanna Holtan on Vimeo.
I was super fascinated when I first saw this video, and I filed the information away in the back of my head for future use. That use came on Wednesday. I wanted to wear a skirt, because it is super hot here (tropical, I believe (based on temperatures remaining above 20C throughout the night)), and because I was going to a dance in the evening. Normally I'll just put bike shorts under my skirt, which works well for both biking and for dancing. It can get warmer than necessary though, what with the extra layer of clothing and all. So I decided to try the penny trick, and I was pleased with the results. I actually just left my skirt 'buttoned' all day, because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of re-buttoning, and also because a really wrinkly spot on your skirt is inevitable and I didn't want to end up with multiple wrinkly spots. What I'm trying to say is that I spent the whole day wondering why culottes aren't a thing anymore!!
2. I made progress in my goal to make my own ginger beer! I made a ginger simple syrup that can be added to bubbly water to simulate ginger beer. The ginger simple syrup was made by heating 1 dL water with 1 dL sugar (1 dL is about a half a cup) just until it started to bubble. Then I added ginger. I got about a 5 inch piece which I peeled (not perfectly) and sliced thinly. Once the mixture began to bubble again, I removed it from the heat and let it steep for about an hour. After filtering out the ginger pieces I was left with a super delicious concoction, which I intended to add to bubbly water except that I accidentally bought still water (language fail). But still. Tasty!
3. An advantage of going to the grocery store practically every day and only buying food for one or two meals is that you increase your chances of finding discounted, soon-to-expire foods. 30% off local thick-sliced bacon? YES Please! Change of plans honey, we are having three packages of bacon for dinner tonight!
4. In my Swedish class I got to participate in my first 'tipspromenad.' This is a thing that is maybe popular to do in Sweden? Or at least it is very popular with some Swedes. The tipspromenad, also called tipsrunda, is a quiz that involves going around to various questions which can be posted around a house or around a park outdoors even, and choosing the correct answer from the three choices. Sometimes it is competition style, involving prizes for the winners. I guess this is an activity you can do at parties. Which brings me to my next take!
5. I have this idea to include a tipsrunda the next time we have people over for brewing. It could involve all questions about beer/brewing. Yay or nay?
6. In Sweden, when meeting new people, you simple shake hands and state your name. No extra rambling or other words that would be the equivalent of "hi, I'm" or "hi, my name is" but just your name (super nice when you don't speak Swedish). Likewise, when answering your phone, it is typical to just state your name. Some people answer their phone by saying "hi, this is ____" and I'm not sure if one way is considered more polite than the other. What I do know is that answering a phone by saying "hello?" causes a lot of confusion. I won't claim that my way is better, because really, what do I even mean with that question? And why (in both cases) are we acting like it is unlikely either of us knows who the other will be without first stating it?
7. Have we talked about Penny In Your Pants?
Penny In Yo Pants from Johanna Holtan on Vimeo.
I was super fascinated when I first saw this video, and I filed the information away in the back of my head for future use. That use came on Wednesday. I wanted to wear a skirt, because it is super hot here (tropical, I believe (based on temperatures remaining above 20C throughout the night)), and because I was going to a dance in the evening. Normally I'll just put bike shorts under my skirt, which works well for both biking and for dancing. It can get warmer than necessary though, what with the extra layer of clothing and all. So I decided to try the penny trick, and I was pleased with the results. I actually just left my skirt 'buttoned' all day, because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of re-buttoning, and also because a really wrinkly spot on your skirt is inevitable and I didn't want to end up with multiple wrinkly spots. What I'm trying to say is that I spent the whole day wondering why culottes aren't a thing anymore!!
_____________
The End & The Link-Up!
Friday, April 25, 2014
7QT - food, ballet, and needing new pants
1. Earlier this week I reached the epitome of Uppsala residency - I was about to put on a pair of pants when I realized the butt was nearly worn through from riding my bicycle. I'm a little sad that I can't wear the pants anymore because I really liked them, but I feel proud of myself too, like I earned a badge.
Then I spent some time reading about commuter pants, which are specially designed to look like normal pants you can wear at work, but are built with reinforced fabric in the bike-seat-regions. (The really cool ones also have some reflective material that is on the inside of the legs, so that it shows when you cuff your pants!) Unfortunately, most of the available commuter pants are made for men only. I don't know what is up with that. I'd like some commuter pants please. Although I'd probably have better luck getting the men's pants to fit than any option they could come up with for women…
2. I've gotten so much better about not letting myself get needlessly stressed out about work since my days as a PhD student. This week I had some things that absolutely had to get done by the end of the week, and I was not entirely convinced they would get done. Luckily they are done, and now that I am past this I realise that I was more than a little stressed about them.
Now I'm just basking in the post-task completion (and trying not to think too much about how this all sort of has to be repeated once I get more data). My current activities include things like cleaning my computer screen and installing updates on my computer, both of which I had been putting off for far too long. Having a fresh computer makes me feel so fresh by proxy(:
3. Even if I already said this, it is worth saying again. For Easter I made homemade Reese's eggs following this recipe from Natalie. The recipe was such a completely perfect match. Just so much deliciousness. I can't even make sentences about them. I also sprinkled a tiny bit of sea salt on the top, so I have to say, these were even More amazing than the original.
4. On my last day of my third decade I get to go to the ballet! Ballet fascinates and amazes me, and I'm really excited to see something other than The Nutcracker (which I love, don't get my wrong, especially the Swedish interpretation).
5. This reminds me that there is a new ballet documentary that is out or soon to be out called Ballet 422. I really really need to not forget to see this when I figure out if/when it is released.
6. All week I've been really lazy about cooking (a result of #2, being stressed about not having enough time to finish work tasks). Last night I decided I better eat something more healthy than frozen pizza. I had some salad greens already, so I decided I'd make some hummus to put on top, plus add some chopped carrots and tomatoes, and call it a meal.
However, when I got home I started to dread the amount of time it would take to actually make the hummus properly with the immersion blender. This is when I realized that I could just dump the chickpeas on my salad, and make a dressing from tahini + olive oil + lemon juice. Same ingredients as hummus, just a different presentation. It wasn't as tasty as hummus, but it was a passable substitute. Most importantly, I didn't feel like I was wasting any time with food prep. Some days are just not for prepping food.
7. This final take is made possible because I just started cooking dinner and decided to go ahead and let my onions and garlic rest after chopping and before cooking. I read about this on Kate's blog, and normally I'd enjoy doing more reading on the topic instead of blindly trusting, buuuutttt…. what have I got to lose? So my onions are resting!
Then I spent some time reading about commuter pants, which are specially designed to look like normal pants you can wear at work, but are built with reinforced fabric in the bike-seat-regions. (The really cool ones also have some reflective material that is on the inside of the legs, so that it shows when you cuff your pants!) Unfortunately, most of the available commuter pants are made for men only. I don't know what is up with that. I'd like some commuter pants please. Although I'd probably have better luck getting the men's pants to fit than any option they could come up with for women…
2. I've gotten so much better about not letting myself get needlessly stressed out about work since my days as a PhD student. This week I had some things that absolutely had to get done by the end of the week, and I was not entirely convinced they would get done. Luckily they are done, and now that I am past this I realise that I was more than a little stressed about them.
Now I'm just basking in the post-task completion (and trying not to think too much about how this all sort of has to be repeated once I get more data). My current activities include things like cleaning my computer screen and installing updates on my computer, both of which I had been putting off for far too long. Having a fresh computer makes me feel so fresh by proxy(:
3. Even if I already said this, it is worth saying again. For Easter I made homemade Reese's eggs following this recipe from Natalie. The recipe was such a completely perfect match. Just so much deliciousness. I can't even make sentences about them. I also sprinkled a tiny bit of sea salt on the top, so I have to say, these were even More amazing than the original.
4. On my last day of my third decade I get to go to the ballet! Ballet fascinates and amazes me, and I'm really excited to see something other than The Nutcracker (which I love, don't get my wrong, especially the Swedish interpretation).
5. This reminds me that there is a new ballet documentary that is out or soon to be out called Ballet 422. I really really need to not forget to see this when I figure out if/when it is released.
6. All week I've been really lazy about cooking (a result of #2, being stressed about not having enough time to finish work tasks). Last night I decided I better eat something more healthy than frozen pizza. I had some salad greens already, so I decided I'd make some hummus to put on top, plus add some chopped carrots and tomatoes, and call it a meal.
However, when I got home I started to dread the amount of time it would take to actually make the hummus properly with the immersion blender. This is when I realized that I could just dump the chickpeas on my salad, and make a dressing from tahini + olive oil + lemon juice. Same ingredients as hummus, just a different presentation. It wasn't as tasty as hummus, but it was a passable substitute. Most importantly, I didn't feel like I was wasting any time with food prep. Some days are just not for prepping food.
7. This final take is made possible because I just started cooking dinner and decided to go ahead and let my onions and garlic rest after chopping and before cooking. I read about this on Kate's blog, and normally I'd enjoy doing more reading on the topic instead of blindly trusting, buuuutttt…. what have I got to lose? So my onions are resting!
__________________________
The End & The Link-Up!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
7 Quick Takes: bicycles, beer, and dancing with Bill Nye version
- 1 -
I saw a game of Segway Polo in action the other day. That's right. Who needs a horse when you've got a segway. And if you were thinking, 'What other crazy things do people do with segways?' here is a short list.
- 2 -
Did you know there was such a thing as dining in the dark? I was just told about a restaurant in Paris where all of the waiters are blind, and the dining room is completely dark. Apparently one of these restaurants exists in San Francisco also, and I laughed so hard reading about a review that said a person lost a piece of food on the table and had to spend a really long time finding it.
- 3 -
Our bicycles are in working order as of writing this! Last weekend Greg and I decided it was time to fix those bicycles right up. We each worked on our own, and we managed to fully change a tire each in about one hour. (I am really happy about that time, plus it was the first time I fully changed a tire on my own with no help.) My tire wasn't technically flat, but it had this hole where the tube was bubbling up and sort of pushing through. So I decided preventative action was necessary, and I changed the tire so that I would be able to save the tube.
- 4 -
I love it so much that Bill Nye is on Dancing with the Stars. So much! It bothers me that there doesn't seem to be a clear explanation of what percentage of the final standings is due to the judges and what is due to the peoples' votes, but I just had to vote anyway.
What a great person though. I think at one point he says something like, "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes." That it does, Bill.
- 5 -
The evening after writing number 3 up there I had my handlebars come loose while rounding a turn on my bicycle. I've always had issues with my handlebars being a bit wobbly or turned crooked, so I am often tightening and adjusting. Well I didn't do a very good job I guess. Somehow I managed to get enough control of my front wheel to not slam right into the curb at a speed at which one would not want to be slamming into a curb. Kind of terrifying.
- 6 -
Maybe I've written about Humans of New York before. I really like it a lot. Maybe I've even linked to this exact post before, but I just like it so much. Such incredibly practical advice.
- 7 -
Greg has been in Belgium this past week. He returns home this evening, and I'm pretty sure the first taste test of our beer is going to happen. Hopefully it is delicious. When we were bottling it, I thought it had a very strong banana flavor and considering I do not really like bananas, I did not consider this to be a good thing. So here's to hoping that flavor mellowed out.
- The End and The Linkup -
Saturday, April 20, 2013
7 quick takes, of course
Well I'm a day behind with the Friday quick takes, but I'm not too bothered by that.
Here satsumas are basically the color of lemons. They are also nearly as sour as lemons, or maybe I just got one that wasn't quite ripe?
I love rain pants SO much. In my Liebster award post I said that my most cherished possession was my wedding rings. Well. My rain pants handily take second place. Actually it is probably the combo of rain jacket + rain pants, so we'll say my rain gear is second.
Thursday morning I had an amazing bicycle commute in a steady, moderate rainfall. I don't know what it is about riding in the rain while wearing proper gear, but it is just so good!
Speaking of bicycle commute, I think I already mentioned that I was back on my bike this week. I had stopped riding during the winter because I didn't want to fall on ice, so I am really quite glad the snow and ice are all melted. Bicycle commute is so much faster than walking, and so much more fun than riding the bus.
At my hotel in Vienna there was a complimentary breakfast, which included little packets of nutella (like little packets of jam, only nutella). Unfortunately, most days I was eating sandwiches for lunch so I never was in the mood for toast for breakfast. I've kept the thought in my mind though, so I just had some toast with nutella for lunch. Yum.
Sometimes I have to eat foods that seem fancy (nutella toast is completely fancy in my book, probably because I toasted my bread on the stove with a bit of olive oil (who needs toasters?)) because otherwise I feel too much like I am living like a bachelor? I think this is the problem with living in a different country from my husband. The only good example I can think of right now is eating a bowl of cereal for dinner. I am pretty sure that is a thing a bachelor would do.
I got called on for my expertise in the English language again yesterday. Pretty much, my coworkers all speak perfect English, so if they are sometimes looking for a word, then it is a word that I can't even come up with. Yesterday's question: what would you call the points of a triangle or a square? "Hmmm, good question... maybe just points? As opposed to the edges, right? Hmmm.. OH how about corners? Yeah I think I'd say the edges and the corners!" Phew, passed the test. Almost had to make him walk up a flight of stairs to consult the real English language expert who is from England.
Here is a thing that I much prefer about American English though. We never use the expression "half eight" when referring to a time. In England you say "half eight" and (I'm pretty sure) it means half past eight. In Swedish you say "halv åtta" which translates to "half eight" but it means half to eight, or 7:30. So confusing. Let's just always use clarifiers here people.
Fun fact: I typed halv åtta into google translate just to make sure I was getting the spelling correct, and the translation? Half past seven. Google is SO smart.
Weird fact: I was proofreading this post and noticed that one of the half's was written as have. How did that happen??
- 1 -
- 2 -
I love rain pants SO much. In my Liebster award post I said that my most cherished possession was my wedding rings. Well. My rain pants handily take second place. Actually it is probably the combo of rain jacket + rain pants, so we'll say my rain gear is second.
Thursday morning I had an amazing bicycle commute in a steady, moderate rainfall. I don't know what it is about riding in the rain while wearing proper gear, but it is just so good!
- 3 -
Speaking of bicycle commute, I think I already mentioned that I was back on my bike this week. I had stopped riding during the winter because I didn't want to fall on ice, so I am really quite glad the snow and ice are all melted. Bicycle commute is so much faster than walking, and so much more fun than riding the bus.
- 4 -
At my hotel in Vienna there was a complimentary breakfast, which included little packets of nutella (like little packets of jam, only nutella). Unfortunately, most days I was eating sandwiches for lunch so I never was in the mood for toast for breakfast. I've kept the thought in my mind though, so I just had some toast with nutella for lunch. Yum.
- 5 -
Sometimes I have to eat foods that seem fancy (nutella toast is completely fancy in my book, probably because I toasted my bread on the stove with a bit of olive oil (who needs toasters?)) because otherwise I feel too much like I am living like a bachelor? I think this is the problem with living in a different country from my husband. The only good example I can think of right now is eating a bowl of cereal for dinner. I am pretty sure that is a thing a bachelor would do.
- 6 -
I got called on for my expertise in the English language again yesterday. Pretty much, my coworkers all speak perfect English, so if they are sometimes looking for a word, then it is a word that I can't even come up with. Yesterday's question: what would you call the points of a triangle or a square? "Hmmm, good question... maybe just points? As opposed to the edges, right? Hmmm.. OH how about corners? Yeah I think I'd say the edges and the corners!" Phew, passed the test. Almost had to make him walk up a flight of stairs to consult the real English language expert who is from England.
- 7 -
Here is a thing that I much prefer about American English though. We never use the expression "half eight" when referring to a time. In England you say "half eight" and (I'm pretty sure) it means half past eight. In Swedish you say "halv åtta" which translates to "half eight" but it means half to eight, or 7:30. So confusing. Let's just always use clarifiers here people.
Fun fact: I typed halv åtta into google translate just to make sure I was getting the spelling correct, and the translation? Half past seven. Google is SO smart.
Weird fact: I was proofreading this post and noticed that one of the half's was written as have. How did that happen??
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday takes
I missed quick takes last week. So here I go, with five quick takes on a Wednesday.
- 1 -
Saw this on pinterest.
- 2 -
There is now a giant egg filled with easter candy in the office kitchen. Let me clarify that there is a giant egg filled with Swedish easter candy. Because apparently it is different.
That little white egg-shaped one? I spit that one out.
- 3 -
I am getting really excited for bike-riding season! For Swedes, no season is Not bike-riding season, but for me, I'll wait for the ice to melt. There is noticeable progress every day though. Not too much longer now.
- 4 -
A few days ago when I was still sick, my nose was SO sore from abundant tissue-using. And I got this really smart plan to put neosporin on my nose. It worked like a charm. Made my nose feel so much better than any lotion ever did.
- 5 -
Luckily I am feeling nearly 100% healthy now. I went from walking at least 30 km per week to not ever leaving the couch for several days while I was so sick. My legs weren't too happy with the change, and they were pretty achy, but now I am back to walking and my legs feel normal again. I bet you are so glad I included that info here.
Monday, February 18, 2013
The Bikes of Uppsala
The city of Uppsala has more bicycles than a person can reasonably fathom. My brother likes riding his bicycle to work in a place that is not very bicycle-friendly (as in, not many bike paths and cars are not friendly to bicycles on the road). He came to visit me and was astounded by the number of bicycles. He said something like, "I know you said there were a lot of bicycles, but I never imagined this!" And from a brother whose speech usually doesn't necessitate exclamation points, that really means something.
And even though I've been living here for awhile, I just keep being amazed by the bicycles. Last week we were getting maybe two inches of new snow each day, so there was a lot of loose snow on the paths, making them a bit more difficult to pass with bicycles. But that didn't stop people from trying! No, it certainly did not!
I heard a story about seeing a bicycle do a full 360 in those kind of conditions, and then proceeding to continue on her way. That doesn't even happen in movies!
So for awhile now, I've been thinking about how I'd like to start taking pictures for a photo series I'd call The Bikes of Uppsala.
The number of bicycles around would make it easy. And I just love seeing the different people on the different bicycles, in their different outfits, and carrying their different things. I'd love to document that with photos.
The problem is that I am incredibly hesitant about taking pictures of strangers. What if someone gets really upset and yells at me in Swedish? (Although typing that makes me realize that it is probably highly unlikely because Swedes never complain about anything.) I'm going to try to ease my way into it though. I can at least start out trying to take pictures in very not-obvious ways. And hopefully, the more pictures I take, the more I will lose that hesitation in order to get some superb shots. That will be the goal.
And now I present to you, my first paparazzi shot.
I had my camera hanging from my neck and hit the shutter button. I juuuuust barely got the bicycle in the frame. Here is the original, sans cropping.
I would describe this bicyclist as pretty far to the 'practical' side of the spectrum, as noted by her warm winter gear, waterproof pants (the winter slush on the roads can make things less than pleasant if you don't wear waterproof pants), tires that were probably studded, and a seat low enough to be able to get your feet on the ground if necessary.
And even though I've been living here for awhile, I just keep being amazed by the bicycles. Last week we were getting maybe two inches of new snow each day, so there was a lot of loose snow on the paths, making them a bit more difficult to pass with bicycles. But that didn't stop people from trying! No, it certainly did not!
I heard a story about seeing a bicycle do a full 360 in those kind of conditions, and then proceeding to continue on her way. That doesn't even happen in movies!
So for awhile now, I've been thinking about how I'd like to start taking pictures for a photo series I'd call The Bikes of Uppsala.
The number of bicycles around would make it easy. And I just love seeing the different people on the different bicycles, in their different outfits, and carrying their different things. I'd love to document that with photos.
The problem is that I am incredibly hesitant about taking pictures of strangers. What if someone gets really upset and yells at me in Swedish? (Although typing that makes me realize that it is probably highly unlikely because Swedes never complain about anything.) I'm going to try to ease my way into it though. I can at least start out trying to take pictures in very not-obvious ways. And hopefully, the more pictures I take, the more I will lose that hesitation in order to get some superb shots. That will be the goal.
And now I present to you, my first paparazzi shot.
I had my camera hanging from my neck and hit the shutter button. I juuuuust barely got the bicycle in the frame. Here is the original, sans cropping.
I would describe this bicyclist as pretty far to the 'practical' side of the spectrum, as noted by her warm winter gear, waterproof pants (the winter slush on the roads can make things less than pleasant if you don't wear waterproof pants), tires that were probably studded, and a seat low enough to be able to get your feet on the ground if necessary.
Friday, November 16, 2012
The week in review in 7 quick takes.
I am a person who likes reading blogs and writing blogs. I have been a fan of the Conversion Diary blog for some time, and recently I've been thinking that I should play along with the 7 Quick Takes on Friday. I have been so close. Twice! Somehow six takes come easily, but not so much with the seventh (apologies in advance).
My new favorite Swedish word is 'tjabba'! Our svensklärare (Swedish teacher) told us it is his personal favorite, as far as greetings go. He said it is a somewhat dorky hello. (Update: In the following class he told us it was a "cool" way to say hello.) Also, it sounds like 'shabba'.
Greg and I are considering making some pies to bring to the office next Thursday. The only problem is that we would need a lot of pies. But can we really let Thanksgiving go unacknowledged?
Swedes are really into saffron during the Christmas season. I don't think I dislike saffron, but I'm not sure it is worth the excitement.
The foods that I miss the most from the US that I can't get here are those super soft delicious sugar cookies with frosting that I learned to lovingly refer to as "crack cookies" because they are entirely addicting.
I might have to try my hand at this recipe, which was the first link when I started to google "how do you make those su" and google suggested "how do you make those soft sugar cookies". Exactly, google. That was just what I wanted to search. You know me so well.
The other is the buffalo chicken wrap from Boloco (with dark meat chicken and extra buffalo sauce, of course). That thing is also addictingly good, and for some reason Boloco keeps sending emails about it. Probably just to remind me what I am missing.
Last Saturday there was a folk concert/dance at the cabin owned by the folk group here. I definitely signed up to go to that one. I actually wasn't entirely sure what I was signing up for, since the info was in Swedish, and sometimes google translates things in a bit of an odd way. The three musicians were awesome! They were a mother and her two daughters. I think they mainly played Bodapolskas, which is a specific type of polska that (I think) is named after a specific region in Sweden (the Boda region, of course (sounds like buddha). For dancing, there is also a specific Bodapolska dance, which is different from the regular original polska. Luckily the follow role is not unlike another dance I know, so I was able to join in without too much difficulty. Afterwards I watched some youtube videos and it turns out that the lead role is quite challenging, so it is a good thing I normally dance the follow role.
Although, at dance class on Monday, I decided I would try to hambo like a man. I had done the hambo enough times to feel somewhat comfortable with the woman's role. Plus there are extra women in the class. So I figured it would be a good chance to learn the lead role, especially since it is a beginner's course, so no one expects you to actually know what you are doing. Overall I'd call it a successful endeavor.
Now I'll talk about the weather. It is starting to get colder and darker. The cold I am fine with; it won't be any worse here than it was in NH or WI. The dark is pretty dark. Like right now it is 14:30 (that means 2:30) and it is just about dusk. There are good aspects though, like many candles in the windows of houses which feels quite cozy. And my morning commute is shortly after sunrise, so riding my bicycle with the sun in my eyes makes me feel like I get up so early. Luckily my helmet has a visor, so if I ride with my head down I don't get blinded! And lastly, every hour is a 'golden hour' because the sun is always at such a low angle.
- 1 -
My new favorite Swedish word is 'tjabba'! Our svensklärare (Swedish teacher) told us it is his personal favorite, as far as greetings go. He said it is a somewhat dorky hello. (Update: In the following class he told us it was a "cool" way to say hello.) Also, it sounds like 'shabba'.
- 2 -
Greg and I are considering making some pies to bring to the office next Thursday. The only problem is that we would need a lot of pies. But can we really let Thanksgiving go unacknowledged?
- 3 -
Swedes are really into saffron during the Christmas season. I don't think I dislike saffron, but I'm not sure it is worth the excitement.
- 4 -
The foods that I miss the most from the US that I can't get here are those super soft delicious sugar cookies with frosting that I learned to lovingly refer to as "crack cookies" because they are entirely addicting.
I might have to try my hand at this recipe, which was the first link when I started to google "how do you make those su" and google suggested "how do you make those soft sugar cookies". Exactly, google. That was just what I wanted to search. You know me so well.
The other is the buffalo chicken wrap from Boloco (with dark meat chicken and extra buffalo sauce, of course). That thing is also addictingly good, and for some reason Boloco keeps sending emails about it. Probably just to remind me what I am missing.
- 5 -
Last Saturday there was a folk concert/dance at the cabin owned by the folk group here. I definitely signed up to go to that one. I actually wasn't entirely sure what I was signing up for, since the info was in Swedish, and sometimes google translates things in a bit of an odd way. The three musicians were awesome! They were a mother and her two daughters. I think they mainly played Bodapolskas, which is a specific type of polska that (I think) is named after a specific region in Sweden (the Boda region, of course (sounds like buddha). For dancing, there is also a specific Bodapolska dance, which is different from the regular original polska. Luckily the follow role is not unlike another dance I know, so I was able to join in without too much difficulty. Afterwards I watched some youtube videos and it turns out that the lead role is quite challenging, so it is a good thing I normally dance the follow role.
- 6 -
Although, at dance class on Monday, I decided I would try to hambo like a man. I had done the hambo enough times to feel somewhat comfortable with the woman's role. Plus there are extra women in the class. So I figured it would be a good chance to learn the lead role, especially since it is a beginner's course, so no one expects you to actually know what you are doing. Overall I'd call it a successful endeavor.
- 7 -
Now I'll talk about the weather. It is starting to get colder and darker. The cold I am fine with; it won't be any worse here than it was in NH or WI. The dark is pretty dark. Like right now it is 14:30 (that means 2:30) and it is just about dusk. There are good aspects though, like many candles in the windows of houses which feels quite cozy. And my morning commute is shortly after sunrise, so riding my bicycle with the sun in my eyes makes me feel like I get up so early. Luckily my helmet has a visor, so if I ride with my head down I don't get blinded! And lastly, every hour is a 'golden hour' because the sun is always at such a low angle.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Bicycling in the rain
Before today I always opted to ride the bus to work on rainy days, rather than taking my bicycle. Today however, today was a day for riding a bicycle in the rain. A quick check of the weather forecast made me realize that the afternoon and evening would be clear and nice. Plus the rain wasn't coming down too hard. I've been prepared to ride in the rain. I have a rain jacket now that is actually waterproof, plus I have rain pants. Combine that with my hiking boots and I become fully waterproof, with the exception of my face and my hands.
I used the technique of putting the hood of my rain jacket under my helmet. It blocked out some of my hearing, but it also kept the visor of my hood in place, so I didn't have to look like this:
That is not me, by the way. But it is what most people look like while riding bicycles in this town. Another popular technique is to wear a poncho that covers the handlebars and anything you might be carrying on the back of your bicycle. Like this:
That is also not me. The other option, which seems the most ridiculous and ineffective is to hold an umbrella. There might be a time and a place for this, like if you are riding a tandem bicycle on Mackinac Island, but otherwise, I just wouldn't recommend it.
All in all, I didn't mind riding my bicycle in the rain. The really unfortunate part was that it was also incredibly windy, and the wind was against me. The wind never seems to be blowing in the direction I am going. Either way, I am glad to have gotten past my first bicycle ride in the rain. Now the only thing left to look forward to is riding my bicycle in the snow!
I used the technique of putting the hood of my rain jacket under my helmet. It blocked out some of my hearing, but it also kept the visor of my hood in place, so I didn't have to look like this:
That is not me, by the way. But it is what most people look like while riding bicycles in this town. Another popular technique is to wear a poncho that covers the handlebars and anything you might be carrying on the back of your bicycle. Like this:
That is also not me. The other option, which seems the most ridiculous and ineffective is to hold an umbrella. There might be a time and a place for this, like if you are riding a tandem bicycle on Mackinac Island, but otherwise, I just wouldn't recommend it.
All in all, I didn't mind riding my bicycle in the rain. The really unfortunate part was that it was also incredibly windy, and the wind was against me. The wind never seems to be blowing in the direction I am going. Either way, I am glad to have gotten past my first bicycle ride in the rain. Now the only thing left to look forward to is riding my bicycle in the snow!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Welcome to a life of helmet hair!
One of the things I was most looking forward to when it was decided I'd be moving to Sweden was not having a car. Luckily, Uppsala is a city with a very good bus system. But even more luckily, Uppsala is a city with a very good system of bicycle routes! (Seriously, check out the bicycle routes on the google map.)
Greg and I have gotten pretty good at taking the buses. So far we haven't had any issues with not knowing which direction is North and which is South (which happened in Barcelona after getting out of the underground train). We have also gotten pretty good at showing up at the bus stop just when our bus is driving away. The timetables are all online, but sometimes I just need a break from Swedish webpages, so I rarely check them before we head anywhere. The wait is never too terrible, only 10 minutes during busier times and 20 minutes during less busy times. But lately we were getting more and more aware of how we could have walked halfway to town in the amount of time we spent waiting.
And so we bought bicycles! My bicycle is the Viking - Elegance 3. I don't know what Greg's is called, but it is neat. We also bought matching helmets (I asked the poor worker who was helping us for about an hour what the cheapest helmet that would fit my head was.) which are not required by law. And we bought lights and reflectors, which are required by law. Our bicycles also came with bells, which is apparently also required by law. Today Greg got me a basket for my bicycle, so now I am fully decked out. Oh and we got these rear wheel locking devices, as well as a rope lock thing.
Interesting fact about the bicycles here: the front brake is controlled with a hand lever, but the rear brake is controlled by pedalling backwards. I am still getting used to this. I had a bit of trouble today, due to that as well as the fact that my turning radius is large, and I sort of fell over, but I didn't scrape a knee or anything, so all is well.
Interesting fact about the helmets here: they have this mechanism to easily adjust the size, for the purpose of being able to wear a hat under your helmet whenever you want.
For the bicycles we pay up front, but I figure that if I ride my bicycle for 100 days, it will have paid for itself in the money I save from not taking the bus. Also, I highly recommend Cykelringen; it was a superb shop with really helpful workers who can mimic the sound of a zip-tie when they can't think of the English word for it.
Also, I enjoyed looking back to see the last time I wrote about riding my bike, which was possibly the last time I even rode a bike. I also found it really funny to read about former bike-riding ambitions which failed miserably. Luckily this time I don't have a car to make it easy to back out of my plan.
Bicycle parking near the river. Also, the road pictured has one-way traffic on half of it, and a luxurious bike lane for the other half of it, as demonstrated by the person on the bike.
Greg and I have gotten pretty good at taking the buses. So far we haven't had any issues with not knowing which direction is North and which is South (which happened in Barcelona after getting out of the underground train). We have also gotten pretty good at showing up at the bus stop just when our bus is driving away. The timetables are all online, but sometimes I just need a break from Swedish webpages, so I rarely check them before we head anywhere. The wait is never too terrible, only 10 minutes during busier times and 20 minutes during less busy times. But lately we were getting more and more aware of how we could have walked halfway to town in the amount of time we spent waiting.
And so we bought bicycles! My bicycle is the Viking - Elegance 3. I don't know what Greg's is called, but it is neat. We also bought matching helmets (I asked the poor worker who was helping us for about an hour what the cheapest helmet that would fit my head was.) which are not required by law. And we bought lights and reflectors, which are required by law. Our bicycles also came with bells, which is apparently also required by law. Today Greg got me a basket for my bicycle, so now I am fully decked out. Oh and we got these rear wheel locking devices, as well as a rope lock thing.
Interesting fact about the helmets here: they have this mechanism to easily adjust the size, for the purpose of being able to wear a hat under your helmet whenever you want.
For the bicycles we pay up front, but I figure that if I ride my bicycle for 100 days, it will have paid for itself in the money I save from not taking the bus. Also, I highly recommend Cykelringen; it was a superb shop with really helpful workers who can mimic the sound of a zip-tie when they can't think of the English word for it.
Also, I enjoyed looking back to see the last time I wrote about riding my bike, which was possibly the last time I even rode a bike. I also found it really funny to read about former bike-riding ambitions which failed miserably. Luckily this time I don't have a car to make it easy to back out of my plan.
Above and below are photos of bicycles outside of the lab. This is taken just as we were leaving for the day. During peak hours there are more than twice this many bicycles.
Bicycle parking near the river. Also, the road pictured has one-way traffic on half of it, and a luxurious bike lane for the other half of it, as demonstrated by the person on the bike.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Tour de Taste
On Sunday Greg and I did the Tour de Taste. It is a "progressive pedaling picnic" hosted by the Upper Valley Trails Alliance. We rode the Classic loop which was a 17 mile loop from Fairlee, down to Thetford, across the river to Lyme, and then up to Orford and back to Fairlee. Along the way there were 6 different stops serving food from local farms and restaurants. It was Awesome! We rode at a nice leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery and the food. Plus now I am inspired to start riding my bike more!
Here is a photo of Greg and I at the Cedar Circle Farm. We are posing with our compostable spoons that were provided for the ride. At the end of the loop we got a free prize for disposing of the spoons in the proper receptacle. The prize was a booklet with all the trails they maintain, which I was quite excited about.
Here is a photo of Greg and I at the Cedar Circle Farm. We are posing with our compostable spoons that were provided for the ride. At the end of the loop we got a free prize for disposing of the spoons in the proper receptacle. The prize was a booklet with all the trails they maintain, which I was quite excited about.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Riding my Bike!
About three years ago I purchased a bike from Craig's list. It looked a little like the one above, a Giant hybrid, only mine is plum colored and I have a crate on the back to carry things, as well as a rack on the front, but so far I haven't used that to carry anything. I also have two cup-holders, which hold my travel mug really well, so I can bring my coffee. In previous years I always intended to ride my bike to school instead of driving, but I never seemed to stick with it. This year I'm going to try to be more serious about that.
Here are my reasons for wanting to ride my bike more:
1. It makes me feel healthy. I definitely am one who hates exercising for exercise purposes alone. This doesn't mean I hate physical activity. I just hate going to the gym. I love doing things like hiking or gardening, or even running outdoors with a group of friends, because the primary focus is not 'getting fit', it is just an added bonus. So biking to work fits right in this category. It gets me to my office, but also gives me a bit of a workout. Also, since I only live 5 miles away, it only takes me slightly longer to get to the office by biking than it does by driving, since I have to walk about 10 minutes from the parking lot to my building. And I think if I start getting better at biking (aka not using the brakes on big hills because I'm scared of going fast) then the times should be pretty equivalent. Plus biking is easier on my knees than running.
2. I am all set up to ride my bike in a variety of conditions... or at least I have the ability to be. I got bike lights for my birthday from my mommy this year! A front white light, and a back red light, and both have various modes of flashing or pulsing and whatnot. Very Cool! I still have to get batteries in them and put them on my bike though. Also, I have a really nice rain jacket as well as rain pants, so even the weather shouldn't stop me.
3. This is my sneaky plan to save a lot of money. The cost of gas alone for driving to and from work is somewhere between $.80 and $1.00/day. That is nearly $30/month, just for the gas to drive to school. If you add in other car expenses, like oil, maintenance, tires, etc., the national average cost of a small sedan is around $.50/mile. Obviously this average changes depending on the source, but I went with that number as it is the amount Dartmouth reimburses for mileage on expense reimbursements for work travel. That is $5 per day that I would be spending if I drive to school, which is a LOT of money.
4. Opting for riding my bike over driving is the green thing to do. I have been a Vermonter for almost three years now, so it is about time I started actively trying to be more environmentally friendly. This seems pretty self-explanatory, although I did just find this disturbing article that basically justifies driving, since walking requires more calories, and food production has become so energy-intensive that the pollution from a car is actually less than that of additional food production. There were also some other odd facts* on things like how organic cow's milk is worse than non-organic because the cows produce less milk, making their methane emissions higher because more cows are needed. I feel justified in not buying organic milk, but I'm still going to ride my bike.
Anyhow, I kind of got off-track there, but I am Super excited for my new plan to ride my bike more. This is the third spring that I have said that, so I hope I actually stick with it this year. I have hopes of having bike-riding become my natural choice for getting myself places, and having my car be the backup plan. Plus I want to ride my bike to all sorts of great places, like the farmer's market, the local contradances (I'll still need to drive to the far ones, but at least I can carpool), The Chutes by the Union Village Dam, Isabell's for delicious breakfast, the Whippy Dip for delicious ice cream, and probably other places as well. Ta Da.
*I use the word "facts" loosely, as I don't really know the source for this info.
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