tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90890611855143552472024-03-13T16:58:42.935-05:00my hyggeligmy hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comBlogger735125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-80909805714046124432013-07-02T21:53:00.000-05:002013-07-02T21:53:09.194-05:00adjö för nu...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0hap_lR4Tps/UdOPd7_uE4I/AAAAAAAAGYw/OngOG6KLC2s/s500/panda2013end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0hap_lR4Tps/UdOPd7_uE4I/AAAAAAAAGYw/OngOG6KLC2s/s1600/panda2013end.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what happened here?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life happened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">remembrance of times past</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carries with it a heavy heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">excitement for the future</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">moves us forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thank you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">adjö för nu</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-86684584065351386042013-03-11T22:03:00.004-05:002013-03-11T22:03:35.288-05:00living with a conscience...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/the-responsible-company-what-weve-learned-from-patagonias-first-forty-years?p=BK230-0-000#" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fEMwAo66EFE/UT6SCqJD-8I/AAAAAAAAGXM/QIxzalM9m-o/s200/the+responsible+company.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">since I switched careers has been to work for a more responsible business someday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My struggle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with my career change from day one has been that I help people make products that will end up in the landfill. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My desire</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has been to take what I have learned with this career change and use it for the better good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not one to advocate for change by shouting loudly and carrying a sign, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I speak quietly and make purposeful decisions with how I live my life and spend my money. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to take what I do for a living and help people make things with a moral, environmental, and human conscience that is well designed, purposeful, and thoughtful. And yes, I still want to make money doing it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a>For years I have said that the more responsible business I would like to work for is Patagonia. Tonight, hearing </span><a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=66446" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Vincent Stanley</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> talk at my local Patagonia store instilled this belief in me further. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My biggest question going to the talk tonight was </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"How does Patagonia reconcile the fact they they advise people not to over-consume </i>(<a href="http://www.patagonia.com/email/11/112811.html" target="_blank">take this ad campaign for instance</a>)<i>, tout that they are environmental and ethical, and at the same time make and sell goods to be consumed with the purpose of making a profit?" </i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I heard Vincent speak tonight I answered this question for myself. In fact, I guess I knew better than to ask it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Patagonia is here looking out for us and our planet the best they can. They aren't perfect, they make mistakes, but they believe in trying. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dollars we spend in their stores help them to make a difference for us, and make our world a better place. If I didn't shop at Patagonia, the products I buy would not be thoughtfully made (in as many ways as possible) and I would still need them and purchase them somewhere else where my dollars would not speak for positive change, instead my dollars would continue to support degrading our future. We need places like Patagonia, and we need to support them. The fact of the matter is, we need more Patagonia's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vincent has been, and is, in an amazing position to work for positive change. We all as human beings must consume - but lets all learn from our mistakes and work to do it in a better way. He truly seemed Real. Honest. Thoughtful. Human.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The majority of American's have not demonstrated in the last decades that they are willing to pay for the true cost of goods, either by the higher price tag, or looking at the supply chain from which it came. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We need to start.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe we can't make a good decision with every purchase, but we can start by making one, and then another, and then another...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May we all start to work towards positive change by living with a conscience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Vincent, you have inspired...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>and no, this is not a paid Patagonia ad, this is me.</i></span></div>
my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-2616265353204738612013-02-02T18:30:00.000-06:002013-02-05T07:27:21.420-06:006 years...whoa...like me...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by the way...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2013/02/feb-1-2013.html">yesterday</a> was</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2007/02/blog-post.html">my hyggelig's</a></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2007/02/blog-post.html">6th Birthday!</a></b></span></div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>whoa...</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/myhyggelig" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xCQXdp__2cc/UQ2l5sFp3xI/AAAAAAAAGUA/jlpGy8IyBcc/s320/mhfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and just <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-hyggelig-evolution.html#more">a reminder</a>, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am also over in fbland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">come like me...</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/myhyggelig" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w6KKd9DTkq0/UQ2tSHnHk_I/AAAAAAAAGUQ/2tLl4RLiBUc/s1600/fbicon.jpg" /></a></div>
my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-43992152439031846832013-02-01T13:55:00.000-06:002013-02-01T13:55:18.726-06:00feb. 1, 2013...<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lcNBUDYLF40/UQwdZp6RboI/AAAAAAAAGTY/vztEWClFQHk/s1600/feb1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lcNBUDYLF40/UQwdZp6RboI/AAAAAAAAGTY/vztEWClFQHk/s1600/feb1.jpg" /></a>
my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-17500173899887260282012-12-21T16:50:00.003-06:002012-12-21T16:50:59.826-06:00peace out...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8PWFu12HcY/UNTm5oXgDjI/AAAAAAAAGSk/49dUaJCUTZk/s1600/peaceout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8PWFu12HcY/UNTm5oXgDjI/AAAAAAAAGSk/49dUaJCUTZk/s320/peaceout.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's that time of year again...</span></div>
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<a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search?q=hiatus" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hyggelig hiatus</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do not know what the new year will bring,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but perhaps I will see you back here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take life slow</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soak it in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's all you've got</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace out...</span></div>
my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-355737007352161882012-12-12T07:08:00.000-06:002012-12-12T07:08:25.394-06:00happy wintering...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HP-lVOt3ziA/UMh8TKCwsbI/AAAAAAAAGRw/jhg150XlMcE/s1600/L&Isnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HP-lVOt3ziA/UMh8TKCwsbI/AAAAAAAAGRw/jhg150XlMcE/s1600/L&Isnow.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">winter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has set in here in the North.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the arrival of over a foot of snow in 24 hours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tends to have the feel of instant tundra</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and as a Minnesotan </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one fears </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>this is it</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no breaks from winter for a very long time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">luckily, we had another phenomenal Autumn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and no early winter,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so at worst we are only looking at less than 3 months</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of <span style="color: #666666;">deep, dark, winter.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 6 years </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it has become easier for me </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to wrap my head around </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">winter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and try to maintain a positive air.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is easy to get sucked into negativity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for 6 years I have <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2007/02/it-is-so-cold-out-this-morning-8-730-am.html#links" target="_blank">tried not to be dragged down</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's a lot of what this space is about,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">keeping my chin up,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">meditating on the positive,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">finding new ways to lift myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At spin class last night (<i>more on that later</i>),</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">two women were talking:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"yeah, I'm from Seattle."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"WHAT are you doing here?!!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Because my husband is from here,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hate the cold"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I know, me too."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could feel that emotion of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'i'm not from here, i don't really want to be here, i'm not staying'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still have that emotion,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and mostly </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that is okay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one can't let it take over their life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and keep hoping for </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>someday</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is SO important</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to live in</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TODAY.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if today is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very cold</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very snowy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very dark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember when I just landed here</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2007/02/blog-post.html" target="_blank">fresh of the California coast</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used to get these questions,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You moved here from California?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"WHY?!!!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one asks me anymore "why".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">California is now a long time ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I have put that</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>someday</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into realistic perspective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I am just part of the scene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sort of...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a local.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you know what?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's <i>okay</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've settled into my reality,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've worked hard at finding my happiness here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I've actually started to embrace <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search?q=winter" target="_blank">my winter time</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to explore and grow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">H and I have been doing some talking,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in our early 40s its time to be better adults.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First step....that little adopted bundle on the left of the picture at top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big boy is enjoying his new little sister.</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bring positivity into your life,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and it will reward you.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Happy Wintering!...</i></span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-45456087684035831202012-11-22T19:25:00.001-06:002012-11-22T19:25:43.546-06:00Happy Hyggelig Thanksgiving!...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3k0mgEhnt3A/UK7QEfXh2GI/AAAAAAAAGPg/W3_pUK0V8FY/s1600/hyggelig+thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3k0mgEhnt3A/UK7QEfXh2GI/AAAAAAAAGPg/W3_pUK0V8FY/s1600/hyggelig+thanksgiving.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was an OUTSTANDING Day for a ride.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm always Thankful for <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2011/11/thank-you-stellar-november.html" target="_blank">Thanksgiving Day</a> rides,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today was no exception.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60 degrees</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunny</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhhh...sigh...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfection!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>and,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>true to Minnesota form,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>6 hours later it began snowing.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>so it begins...</i></span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-81796750218420741522012-11-19T18:00:00.000-06:002012-11-19T18:03:17.828-06:00being part of life...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbKsnotr_4k/UKq__C3Hc_I/AAAAAAAAGMI/jvY0abSuezM/s1600/shanghaiwalk3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbKsnotr_4k/UKq__C3Hc_I/AAAAAAAAGMI/jvY0abSuezM/s1600/shanghaiwalk3.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When <a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/11/about-being-sick-in-china.html" target="_blank">the medicine</a> finally kicked in,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suddenly felt restless</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and wanted to get out of the Hotel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to see Shanghai!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For once during the trip, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to be able to be a tourist!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">part of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This walk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was the highlight</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">trip.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZh46Cg6Na4/UKrHrIIQvyI/AAAAAAAAGNU/n3qKvKqonzI/s1600/bicycles+get+it+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZh46Cg6Na4/UKrHrIIQvyI/AAAAAAAAGNU/n3qKvKqonzI/s1600/bicycles+get+it+done.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXpk08lXH7Q/UKrCxRU9K6I/AAAAAAAAGMo/v4n-WBSjoAs/s1600/shanghai+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXpk08lXH7Q/UKrCxRU9K6I/AAAAAAAAGMo/v4n-WBSjoAs/s1600/shanghai+market.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sometimes,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all a gal needs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is a little me time,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a little bicycle time,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and to be </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">part</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life.</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-19916803470324336092012-11-12T21:08:00.000-06:002013-08-09T07:01:36.972-05:00about being sick in China...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1r2undyNn0/UKG1Iy8XPvI/AAAAAAAAGLk/3oq15kF6Ffc/s1600/shanghaihotelview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1r2undyNn0/UKG1Iy8XPvI/AAAAAAAAGLk/3oq15kF6Ffc/s320/shanghaihotelview.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my home base in Shanghai - and the view during my recuperation</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I left for China</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was just getting over a cold that had never really turned into much,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>UNTIL</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got on the plane to Shanghai.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Midway through the 15 hour flight my throat was so sore I could hardly swallow</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by the time I landed in Shanghai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what I thought was the return of my cold </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was on </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">full force.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I always bring a mini 'medicine chest' with me when I travel overseas (oscillococcinum, pepto, nyquil pills, advil, etc.), but I never considered doing more. That is until I got sick in the middle of my China trip, found myself unable to work for two days, laying in hotel rooms weak, wondering how the heck I was going to get better, let alone on the plane to come home. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being sick while traveling overseas was one of my worst fears before I left on my trip, but I never really thought I could get any sicker than an icky cold I'd normally get at home, or sick to my stomach from something I ate. <i><b>I never considered that I would ever be sick enough I would actually request to be taken to a hospital.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was scary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And eye opening.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9KQkHaq0ek/UKGxNZYV-4I/AAAAAAAAGLE/zEEdyfq1WTk/s1600/Hangzhou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9KQkHaq0ek/UKGxNZYV-4I/AAAAAAAAGLE/zEEdyfq1WTk/s1600/Hangzhou.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>the view from my 1st sick bed during a 'sunny' day in Hangzhou - the Qiantang River and China construction</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 4:30 am in the middle of my trip I called H.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I am so sick, I'm not getting better, I think I need to go to the hospital, what should I do?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I knew I needed either an iv, or drugs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I didn't know was where to get them, or how.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realized for the first time that 'travel health insurance' might be a good idea when traveling overseas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I knew that getting back to Shanghai was a good idea, as was getting myself to a hospital.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SN1Mj6VJwbo/UKGyUIcV_HI/AAAAAAAAGLM/khvZWvmAPJY/s1600/ickyeyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SN1Mj6VJwbo/UKGyUIcV_HI/AAAAAAAAGLM/khvZWvmAPJY/s200/ickyeyes.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By this point my eyes were full of blood - literally. I didn't know why <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(back home in the US my dr. said it was a burst blood vessel, likely from coughing and sinus pressure)</span></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My body was shutting down,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and on top of it I looked </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">freakishly sick with these weird eyes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was scary to myself, and others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was weak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't eat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was coughing a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was concerned I might have something much worse than I ever could imagine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One month later, I am finally better - almost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 days left of my 2nd round of medicine.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx8f7PMX30E/UKGzQvbwNwI/AAAAAAAAGLU/N_ffKt5LqNM/s1600/chinameds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx8f7PMX30E/UKGzQvbwNwI/AAAAAAAAGLU/N_ffKt5LqNM/s400/chinameds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The amoxicillan I got in China got me better enough to get on a plane home, but I was not well. H had lined up a doctor appointment for me as soon as I got home and I was promptly put on another 10 day dose of amoxicillan. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The doctor in China told me I had a bronchial infection, and he was right. Unfortunately, after all the amoxicillan ended I got sick all over again and was put on a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> second dose of medicine - levofloxacin this time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I finally felt good this weekend after literally <i>being sick for a month</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally - back on my bike! Unimaginable to me while I was lying in bed sick in Shanghai.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hr_dDSLZUmQ/UKG0R_hZX-I/AAAAAAAAGLc/4V5SiN-u4fM/s1600/getting+meds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hr_dDSLZUmQ/UKG0R_hZX-I/AAAAAAAAGLc/4V5SiN-u4fM/s320/getting+meds.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>the Concierge, the woman with the meds, and my boss<br />at the International Hospital...help at last!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is what I learned about being sick in China:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-When travelling overseas, especially to a country that may have a completely different approach to healthcare than what you are accustomed to ~ <b>know where you can go if you get sick</b>. Chinese medicine might sound interesting, or like something you would explore when home, but when you are feeling sick as a dog in China scared you may not make it home it may not feel like the time to experiment. Be prepared in the event of an emergency.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-<b>Bring prescription drugs with you</b>. My boss had a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azithromycin" target="_blank">Z-Pak</a> with her that my dr's office, when I called home for help, said I could take. Unfortunately by that point I was too sick to stomach it and it made me WAYYYY sicker. I found out that z-pac's aren't for me, but as soon as the doctor in Shanghai got me on amoxicillan I was a new woman after 24 hours. Relief at last! <b>In the future at the very least I will bring a 10 day prescription with me of amoxicillan.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Ask the hotel concierge to get you to an '<b>international hospital</b>' or an expat hospital or an 'American' hospital. I think this would be harder in Southern China, but I was relieved to be in Shanghai where I knew there were many ex-pats - there had to be a 'Western' Hospital to go to. We mainly were concerned about finding an <b>English speaking doctor</b>, but beyond that concern ~ the concierge knew if we went to the International Hospital we would have better care. Thank goodness. Not only that, but the concierge went with us in the taxi, went with us in the doctors office, and interpreted for us when we picked up my medicine (luckily right across the hall from the doctors office!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-<b>Get travel health insurance. </b>Luckily I was on a business trip, my boss said she would take care of me and she did - which included taking care of paying the hospital bill. I have no idea how much the bill was - but we paid in cash and she said it was 'not cheap'. If I had been there on my own and paid with my own dime, 'not cheap' could have been pretty bad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-<b>There is nothing I could have taken or done before I left that would have prevented what happened to me.</b> A touch of germs before the trip, high altitude flying, airplaine air, extreme pollution in areas of China that physically I was not used to (see above picture), long days, poor diet, constant travel ~ all created a horrible stew in my body and it finally broke down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though it was all an interesting experience, and I would have preferred not to have had it, along with the tips above I realized two things:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. People are good in this world. We hear so much about the bad, but I was really touched on my trip in China on a few occassions at the kindness of strangers. The hotel concierge who helped me is one of those good people in this world and I will be forever grateful for his selfless help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. I am lucky to be better again. Sometimes people do not have the option of ever feeling better again, but I do. And everyday I will be thankful for my health, and the fact I got to come home again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=amoxicillin&aq=0&oq=amox&sugexp=chrome,mod=12&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&tbo=u&q=gesundheit&tbs=dfn:1&sa=X&ei=Jq-hULXyL8PWygHLlYCoAg&sqi=2&ved=0CC0QkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=411799d9307e6395&bpcl=38093640&biw=1024&bih=543" target="_blank">Gesundheit</a>! </span><br />
<br />my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-79021536447320585272012-11-06T06:56:00.000-06:002013-08-09T07:01:56.233-05:00My Hyggelig's China Travel Tips...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1aU_QQCOWw/UJh4xZ4KamI/AAAAAAAAGIs/FFOLccUjF5w/s1600/mtthh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1aU_QQCOWw/UJh4xZ4KamI/AAAAAAAAGIs/FFOLccUjF5w/s400/mtthh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>While I was in China,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I kept having moments when I thought to myself,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>someone else might want to know this.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>So here we go...</i></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>My Hyggelig's China Travel Tips:</b></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9I_ouuZHrJg/UJez_IdgLUI/AAAAAAAAGHg/9vtulMyK8n4/s1600/drink+tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9I_ouuZHrJg/UJez_IdgLUI/AAAAAAAAGHg/9vtulMyK8n4/s200/drink+tea.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sure there is good Coffee somewhere in China, I just didn't have it. China and Tea go back just </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tea_in_China" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">a weeee bit</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, so do yourself a favor and drink it while you are there. I always had really good tea, no matter where I was (and that is coming from someone who is not big on drinking tea, unless I am sick, which by the way I was the whole time I was in China...<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">but that's another story</span></i>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had multiple packs of tissues with me as I had a cold before the trip, but they were a life saver in moments where I was in a toilet situation where Toilet Paper was not provided. Yes, that is right. It is still common in China for public restrooms not to provide toilet paper. Sometimes there is a vending machine to buy packs of tissue, but do yourself a favor and have one on you at all times. You never know when those little tissues are going to come in handy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I always travel with hand sanitizer. In China hand sanitizer can be a godsend. You likely will be in a lot of public places, as mentioned in #2 common things such as toilet paper, handsoap, and paper towels/driers may not be a given where you are. If you are there on business you may find yourself shaking hands with a lot of people. And per #4 below, you may find yourself desperately reaching your hand in your snack pack during your travels. For all these reasons, bring hand sanitizer. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_aQXc4v4LQ/UJe0dLZ2rnI/AAAAAAAAGH4/AqJHttAQADY/s1600/snacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_aQXc4v4LQ/UJe0dLZ2rnI/AAAAAAAAGH4/AqJHttAQADY/s200/snacks.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I eat all day long. This tends to be a problem when I travel, so I always bring snacks with me. I found this to be even more crucial during my China Trip. I am essentially a vegetarian, this can be hard when you travel. And as I found during <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2007/05/taiwan.html" target="_blank">my Taiwan trip</a>, it is easier just to completely rule out meat during my travels in Asia. I eat meat at home about 4 times a year and it sometimes makes me sick, so eating it in Asia would be a big gamble for my digestive system. Unfortunately, sometimes when you sit down to the table meat may be the biggest offering and even though you say 'I don't eat meat', it may not quite sink in to your hosts - uh...oh...sooooo....hungry. I also found myself quickly tiring of the breakfast 'buffet' at the hotel. Lastly, if you are traveling to meetings the whole trip, the opportunity to eat may just simply not be there. Snacks saved me. I had Clif Bar Granola bars and Whole Foods Nuts with Cranberries. Sometimes this was my breakfast and my lunch. It saved my boss a few times too. Just trust me - save some room in your suitcase for snacks.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2DhyD4YKrM/UJe0k4Usa7I/AAAAAAAAGIA/8L5XbmJ7bk4/s1600/japanese+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2DhyD4YKrM/UJe0k4Usa7I/AAAAAAAAGIA/8L5XbmJ7bk4/s200/japanese+food.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hotel food is difficult wherever you travel, but for me Asian Hotel food is even more difficult. I received much of my sustenance during my trip at the Japanese restaurant in my hotel. Being I was under the weather this trip, the tea, the udon, the miso, and when I was feeling better - the sushi...were all huge life savers for me.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suhm49xDDo4/UJiFvvRbMjI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/kdngccgnpMY/s1600/translations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suhm49xDDo4/UJiFvvRbMjI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/kdngccgnpMY/s320/translations.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do yourself a favor so you do not get hopelessly lost in Shanghai. Grab a few of the cards at the concierge desk that tell the cab driver to take you back to your hotel - in Chinese. Also, if you are headed somewhere, have the concierge write down the destination for you in Chinese so you can hand it to the cab driver.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJThWrCUEiA/UJh-7d3brLI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/NKgS8aeD1eU/s1600/connectivity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJThWrCUEiA/UJh-7d3brLI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/NKgS8aeD1eU/s200/connectivity.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I called my mobile carrier and had them turn on the International calling feature on my phone so I could use it in Asia. You have to call in to do this because they want you to be very aware of what your roaming charges will be and your data charges. Ok, fine. I turned off my data access feature on my phone while I was in Asia, but did use my phone on a few occasions out of necessity. It was nice to know I could use my phone. Texting rates are much cheaper internationally, so I relied on texting much of my trip. It's still not cheap - we are talking hundreds of dollars for contact likely (hopefully if you are there for work they are paying), so see #9.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the hotels I stayed at had wireless internet in the room, but this is often an upgrade or more likely not available. It is typical to have a land line in your room that you actually have to plug into your computer for internet access (remember those days?...). I haven't traveled with a laptop for years, only an iPad - so that makes things complicated. I read about people who bring an airporter with and work wirelessly in their rooms that way. I ended up just going down to the lobby, where there was wireless, to download my e-mail. Sometimes this was a pain, but sometimes it was nice to be part of all the buzz in the hotel lobby with people from all over the world coming and going. And frankly, I kind of liked the fact that I couldn't access the internet and e-mail 24/7 - it was nice just to be able to focus on where I was and what I was doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daily chats with H on Skype were a real treat. To be able to see the ones you love, including my pups, moving around, breathing, talking... is THE best thing when you are literally, on the other side of the world. Skype works great in China. I also used Skype without video to check in with people at the office back home on occasion.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOBZ2o8WoUE/UJh_iIzEpdI/AAAAAAAAGJY/ImwElHPysh8/s1600/flylate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOBZ2o8WoUE/UJh_iIzEpdI/AAAAAAAAGJY/ImwElHPysh8/s200/flylate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Fly in late.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a short 1.5 hour flight intra US and then a 15 hour flight to Shanghai. That's a freakin' long time! I was so glad that our flight got in later in the day to Shanghai (6 pm) so that by the time we got to the hotel we could essentially eat, and go to bed.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwpvPREv03M/UJiI5vQNFnI/AAAAAAAAGKg/wGMYQnIfaUU/s1600/dressforcomfort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwpvPREv03M/UJiI5vQNFnI/AAAAAAAAGKg/wGMYQnIfaUU/s200/dressforcomfort.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine some</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-pants/Wunder-Under-Pant-31552?cc=8825&skuId=3475786&catId=women-pants" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Lululemon Wunder Under Pants</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-three-quarter-sleeved-au-bateau-dress?p=58866-0-406" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Patagonia tunic</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/patagonia-womens-capilene-baselayer-1-silkweight-baselayer-scoop?p=45361-0-155" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">capilene top</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and of course a pair of slip-on/off <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search?q=camper" target="_blank">Camper's</a> for </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fashionable comfort, fresh smell, versatility between cold and hot, and no wrinkles during your 24 hours of travel there,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and back home</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. Be Patient.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my visit I felt like I was constantly in lines and transportation was constantly delayed.</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></i>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And most importantly...</b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. Think of your Health before you go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>More on this one in a separate blog post...</i></span><br />
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my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-20517844926302233522012-10-25T15:03:00.000-05:002012-10-25T15:03:10.769-05:00transported a world away...<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/52179226?badge=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have just returned from China</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where I let my eyes and ears</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">take in as much as possible</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">between meetings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and dashing to planes, trains, taxis, and cars.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a rare opportunity to explore alone,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went for a walk down the street from my hotel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and was transported a world away...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a short video I took that sums up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shanghai mobility.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A confusing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and fascinating</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mix </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of cars, scooters, bicycles, and pedestrians.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>It should be noted, </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>this was the <b>only</b> rainy day</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>during my week in China.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>I even saw blue sky and SUN every day during my Shanghai stay!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-42503188035336233272012-10-06T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-06T08:00:36.906-05:00we are addicted...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DZd4FvS7mWY/UHAq2v_E4TI/AAAAAAAAGHE/elWG88vqUBI/s1600/dwcoffeemmm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DZd4FvS7mWY/UHAq2v_E4TI/AAAAAAAAGHE/elWG88vqUBI/s1600/dwcoffeemmm.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's plans include <a href="http://www.dogwoodcoffee.com/pages/about-dogwoodcoffeeco" target="_blank">our new hangout</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are addicted,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and H has NEVER EVER liked coffee</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's that good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hooray for Saturday!</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-22463837434175690372012-10-02T20:51:00.000-05:002012-10-02T20:51:25.027-05:00Minne Miss...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gBufzcoDDlE/UGuY1BUPxkI/AAAAAAAAGGo/TpO7KdNaxLo/s1600/happy+autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gBufzcoDDlE/UGuY1BUPxkI/AAAAAAAAGGo/TpO7KdNaxLo/s1600/happy+autumn.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Tuesday Commute - <i>the Mighty Minne</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Saturday Ride - <i>the Mighty Miss</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deep down I am terrified of <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search?q=winter" target="_blank">what happens when all these leaves fall</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and when my Sun leaves me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the surface I am maintaining a happy face</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and riding my bicycle as much as time allows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Autumn from Minneapolis!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please stay awhile...</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-41203241441530893272012-09-27T06:31:00.000-05:002012-09-27T06:31:07.939-05:00daily life...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://adamturman.com/index.php?p=12&s=9" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUO4nGvdrk4/UGQ3DFYGJZI/AAAAAAAAGGA/LS9tF-si810/s320/bridges+blue+red+turman.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you live in Minneapolis there are two things</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that enhance daily life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://adamturman.com/index.php?p=7" target="_blank">Adam Turman's art</a> and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/streams.shtml" target="_blank">The Current</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year the two have combined,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=F8uwMSuKAio" target="_blank">check it out here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I bought <i>Bridges Blue/Red</i> for H as a gift a few years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having this print in our house</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is a daily reminder of what </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">enhances </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minneapolis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even when/Especially when,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search?q=winter" target="_blank">my most dreaded season</a> is upon us.</span></div>
<br />my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-24331300024305982372012-09-22T08:46:00.000-05:002012-09-22T08:46:30.651-05:00bicycle filters...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMN9j6dLxjQ/UF262KyJ_0I/AAAAAAAAGFc/YxUz2z2UV5s/s1600/caution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMN9j6dLxjQ/UF262KyJ_0I/AAAAAAAAGFc/YxUz2z2UV5s/s320/caution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cabs in San Francisco have always made me nervous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drivers go too fast and are impatient.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I was so happy to see this sticker on the window</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as soon as I was whisked away from the airport.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have mentioned before that when I travel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tend to see the <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2010/09/world-she-is-round.html" target="_blank">world through bicycle colored eyes</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2011/08/bicycle-things-new-york.html" target="_blank">Remember NY?</a></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjHdX0PDIgc/UF28s8sL6YI/AAAAAAAAGFk/kdLzU0xdbTw/s1600/sfbikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjHdX0PDIgc/UF28s8sL6YI/AAAAAAAAGFk/kdLzU0xdbTw/s400/sfbikes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">poor girls got something stuck in their rental bike chain/bike share business style</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every time I return to San Francisco I note how much things have changed in regard to bicycles and The City since I lived there. Bicycle share bikes are in the offices of the places I am visiting for meetings, and more and more bicyclists are out on the more and more bicycle lanes. But one thing that has not changed is feeling the excitement of tourists from all around the world as they hop on a Blazing Saddles bicycle and head towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Or men on a Saturday morning walking around with bicycle bibs hanging out of their pants as they pack their car for a race outside of The City that morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My eyes have bicycle filters. As a friend whisks me through the city I take mental note of all things bicycle. As I ride BART I take mental note of how the people are maneuvering with their bicycles in a crowded car. As I walk down the street I note the dapper gentleman in a suit quietly headed to work on his bicycle. When I am in San Francisco, my filters also flood me with memories - of me riding on these streets (with no bicycle lanes) and all the emotions I was filled with during my time in San Francisco, of H wearing those bibs hanging out of his pants on a crisp NorCal morning and all those races he went to with friends, of tourists passing by me as I commute home from work towards the Golden Gate Bridge and never get over my awe of how beautiful it all is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My bicycle filters help me to experience my surroundings, whether it is enhancing my travel, or my everyday. Taking time to observe, to absorb, to reflect, this is what makes the everyday a special day...</span><br />
<br />my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-14883523579095366592012-09-19T07:04:00.000-05:002012-09-19T12:58:39.963-05:00schmooches...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7b1isFo_xhc/UFm0T2S1_gI/AAAAAAAAGE8/3avVxuevM3E/s1600/sfgreetings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7b1isFo_xhc/UFm0T2S1_gI/AAAAAAAAGE8/3avVxuevM3E/s1600/sfgreetings.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4hQqRhJUtXQ/UFmvjyAi5dI/AAAAAAAAGEc/2H08lai1ADQ/s1600/sf+triptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4hQqRhJUtXQ/UFmvjyAi5dI/AAAAAAAAGEc/2H08lai1ADQ/s1600/sf+triptych.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have spent the better half of the last month on the West Coast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I wasn't <a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/09/really-really-nice.html" target="_blank">staring at this view</a>,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was staring at these.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have loved</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">every</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">single</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have known for 6 years this is where I belong,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but I was hoping I would get over it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Darn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smooches West Coast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smooches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You.</span></div>
<br />my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-79888674949195228042012-09-02T18:07:00.001-05:002012-09-02T18:07:37.601-05:00really really nice...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-szf9d621BQI/UEPlNbCTG6I/AAAAAAAAGEA/PDgYachjVYU/s1600/orcasview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-szf9d621BQI/UEPlNbCTG6I/AAAAAAAAGEA/PDgYachjVYU/s1600/orcasview.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>really</i> nice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">having this view</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for a few days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Really</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>REALLY </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>nice</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Positive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">changes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">always come</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summer's last hoorah,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now gives way</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autumn's whisper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Focus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">begins...</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-85302979207783127242012-08-26T18:51:00.000-05:002012-08-26T18:51:14.066-05:00my new theme song...<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="215" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7YLy4j8EZIk" width="360"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you knew me,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you would know that</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my salty snacks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And <a href="http://ynrichkids.com/track/hot-cheetos-takis" target="_blank">I am not alone</a>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These kids didn't know they were doing it,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but they made my theme song!</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-43065362990572040682012-08-20T06:00:00.000-05:002012-08-20T06:00:10.616-05:00the perfect everything (in the bag)...<i style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">part two...</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buOCDvvnp5g/UCzfYugqEQI/AAAAAAAAGBc/eoK8kJDEpRE/s1600/dogpatchlove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buOCDvvnp5g/UCzfYugqEQI/AAAAAAAAGBc/eoK8kJDEpRE/s400/dogpatchlove.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it was on the </span><a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-perfect-everything.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">quest for The Perfect</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that I found myself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in a <a href="http://www.sanfranciscodays.com/dogpatch/" target="_blank">quiet neighborhood</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on a PERFECT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">San Francisco day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I already had a big smile on my face </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">after a great <a href="http://www.myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-perfect-everything.html" target="_blank">breakfast with my girlfriends</a>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and meeting a new friend who was 2 weeks old,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plus I was walking the streets of San Francisco</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the NorCal Sun was shining down on me~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wasn't sure my day could get any better,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it was already pretty darn great.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UVO6rWaRjvQ/UCzffukrIaI/AAAAAAAAGBk/meyV6vE7NP8/s1600/rickshawgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UVO6rWaRjvQ/UCzffukrIaI/AAAAAAAAGBk/meyV6vE7NP8/s1600/rickshawgirl.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as I walked in to <a href="http://blog.rickshawbags.com/the-rickshaw-story/" target="_blank">Rickshaw</a>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I felt like a girl in a Candy Store </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(but I don't like candy, I like the perfect)</span></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was nearly squealing with delight!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I entered with my mind set that I would probably purchase the larger backpack Rickshaw was offering at the time (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>which I am not seeing now on their website</i></span>). But thanks to the helpful girl at Rickshaw who quickly talked me out of it, I walked away with a <a href="http://www.rickshawbags.com/laptop-messenger-bags/laptop-bag.html#skinny-laptop-backpack" target="_blank">Skinny Backpack</a> on order ~ which was much more realistic for my size and needs, and much more difficult for me to overpack and be too heavy. Thank you Rickshaw for steering me in the right direction! I kept my fingers crossed my Rickshaw would arrive before <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/03/palm-springs-truths.html" target="_blank">my trip to Palm Springs</a> (and it did!).</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46Vvb2OtpeA/UC4wFSn28cI/AAAAAAAAGCE/0wU5NFtaM3U/s1600/skinny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46Vvb2OtpeA/UC4wFSn28cI/AAAAAAAAGCE/0wU5NFtaM3U/s320/skinny.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>perfect</i> picking continued as I was able to pick out my trim and flap fabrics to truly make the bag my own. <i>Another</i> great thing Rickshaw does! One to always be suckered into a pretty textile, I chose an organic fabric from <a href="http://modgreenpod.com/" target="_blank">Mod Pod</a> for the top flap and of course, a <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2009/11/green-day.html" target="_blank">lovely green</a> trim.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-08Spk3U_-q0/UC4yljzjiRI/AAAAAAAAGCc/68lisjTr1RY/s1600/what%2527s+in+it%253F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-08Spk3U_-q0/UC4yljzjiRI/AAAAAAAAGCc/68lisjTr1RY/s1600/what%2527s+in+it%253F.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether biking or travelling, there is plenty of room for the essentials.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Evzq9D4QcgM/UC_oYpTFc8I/AAAAAAAAGDc/Gc-Ow0M6VvQ/s1600/keys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Evzq9D4QcgM/UC_oYpTFc8I/AAAAAAAAGDc/Gc-Ow0M6VvQ/s200/keys.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the best thought-out features is the key chain. It is wonderful that when I get home I know where my keys are. I don't have to fumble around with taking them off a hook - the cord is plenty long for me to hold onto the expertly sized top handle of the bag (<i>which also fits around my suitcase handle for easy toting at the airport</i>) and unlock the door with my other hand. Only a person who rides a bicycle or travels, can design well for someone else who does the same - and that is Rickshaw.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My only challenge with this bag is not due to Rickshaw - it is due to <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2010/10/backbreaking.html" target="_blank">my bad back</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The longest bicycle trip I've taken her on is 12 miles fully loaded on <a href="http://mplsbike.org/blog/?p=2272" target="_blank">a hot and windy day</a> ~</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that was hard on my back. Typically bike rides for me are 5 miles or less with this bag with essentially what is pictured above ~that is doable for me and my back. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I have wished for, and thought would be perfect for me, is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this bag in a pannier</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - it seems just one step away from that. Rickshaw is working on </span><a href="http://blog.rickshawbags.com/our-new-backpack-is-coming-and-you-can-test-it-out/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">almost that sort of bag</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, but not quite - </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rickshaw, please a pannier</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also liked that these bags are 'made' in America. Working in manufacturing I know you have to be careful in the way you read marketing terms ~ 'made in' and 'assembled in' can be slightly vague terms. What I learned about my bag is that some parts (most?) are made overseas and the bag is sewn in SF. That's great - but a fully made and assembled bag in the USA would be nice, people just have to be willing to pay the price (which they weren't for Po Campo who I learned during my <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2011/07/recreating-basket-city-style.html" target="_blank">test of their product</a>, was moving their manufacturing overseas due to price requests). boo hoo Americans! pay the price for your goods. the real price.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MP9pR8jFoqQ/UC_mYn4q2cI/AAAAAAAAGDM/uE7eCBhe5Gk/s1600/laptop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MP9pR8jFoqQ/UC_mYn4q2cI/AAAAAAAAGDM/uE7eCBhe5Gk/s320/laptop.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rickshaw products speak for themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After toting mine around here and there,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">H took notice and got himself a <a href="http://www.rickshawbags.com/customize/custom-bag/fabric_selection/skinny-commuter" target="_blank">Skinny Commuter Laptop</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He uses it at work where he has to tote around his laptop while doing a lot of walking; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has received a lot of compliments on his Skinny, as I have on mine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bicyclist is a bicyclist,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">even if you are at work toting your laptop.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IeB9XCLEMVI/UC_nH3URk0I/AAAAAAAAGDU/K6Z4lyibeMs/s1600/Rickshawmhcities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IeB9XCLEMVI/UC_nH3URk0I/AAAAAAAAGDU/K6Z4lyibeMs/s400/Rickshawmhcities.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this bag.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love how it looks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love how it fits me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love how well thought out it is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have taken it on several trips (leisure and work),</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as well as a number of bike rides.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I am not done yet...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a few trips planned in the next few months,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the Skinny will be along with me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the journey...</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;">Like all reviews on </span><span style="color: magenta;">my hyggelig,</span><span style="color: #666666;"> this review is completely unpaid and unsolicited. </span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;">I review only that which I like solely for the motivation of sharing, not financial gain.</span></i><br />
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my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-77138396965978679612012-08-08T06:49:00.003-05:002012-08-08T06:49:48.992-05:00the Perfect Everything...<div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>part one...</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjbQoVUyJeA/UCGwqftExfI/AAAAAAAAGA8/7bwfk5ys3X4/s1600/hello+san+francisco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjbQoVUyJeA/UCGwqftExfI/AAAAAAAAGA8/7bwfk5ys3X4/s1600/hello+san+francisco.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have this thing I do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's called</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">looking for the PERFECT Everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also have this thing I do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's called</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">multitasking to the highest level of efficiency.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That can lead to a tall order</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when a gal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who bicycles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who travels</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who goes to business meetings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who knows a thing or two about textiles and manufacturing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and who likes unique style,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is looking for the perfect bag.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wU2-OWS2dC0/UBEtnUJOVeI/AAAAAAAAF_w/78WwpvyGgCA/s1600/rickshawtravelsetup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wU2-OWS2dC0/UBEtnUJOVeI/AAAAAAAAF_w/78WwpvyGgCA/s400/rickshawtravelsetup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2012/02/celebrating-40-hyggelig-style.html" target="_blank">when I headed</a> to <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/search/label/alt%20summit%202012" target="_blank">Alt Summit</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started to feel like it was time to do away with the ol' backpack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had been together quite some time </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and her floppiness, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my ability to overpack her and challenge my bad back, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">her internal deterioration</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">her general lack of style,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all pointed to the fact that it was time to move on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had been <a href="http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com/2011/07/recreating-basket-city-style.html" target="_blank">looking for the right bicycle bag</a> for awhile </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but had never found the<i> perfect one</i>,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and now I wanted a bag to multitask</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I needed something bigger - but not too big,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sturdier - but not too heavy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attractive on a business trip or on my bicycle,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and something to fit my essentials whether bicycling, traveling, or businessing.</span></div>
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</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7jJKH-cffg/UBEw0df36nI/AAAAAAAAGAI/BEjUxcE_kfg/s1600/rickshaw+skinny.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7jJKH-cffg/UBEw0df36nI/AAAAAAAAGAI/BEjUxcE_kfg/s320/rickshaw+skinny.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.rickshawbags.com/customize/custom-bag/fabric_selection/skinny-commuter-backpack" target="_blank">photo: Rickshaw Bagwork</a>s</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">H has been a Chrome user for many many years and in my quest for the perfect, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when I tried on even the smallest Chrome I found myself swimming and the straps still too big at the maximum cinch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being a more petite sized gal</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I often find that few things made for the mass market in the US work for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Hello world - WOMEN are the number one Consumers, clue in...</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had begun to give up hope.</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then along came <a href="http://blog.rickshawbags.com/the-rickshaw-story/" target="_blank">Rickshaw Bagworks</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What really sold me was being able to see a real life image on the Rickshaw website with relatable women with bags on their backs. It is something so simple to do, but I had not seen this on any other bicycle bag website.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THIS was what I had needed to see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could tell from the images what might work for me and that finally, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may have found something actually made for a person my size.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tm4lR6VcXJU/UBEzDosm6HI/AAAAAAAAGAY/10tpL_auFsQ/s1600/serpentine+brunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tm4lR6VcXJU/UBEzDosm6HI/AAAAAAAAGAY/10tpL_auFsQ/s400/serpentine+brunch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon I was having </span><a href="http://www.serpentinesf.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">a lovely brunch</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in San Francisco with some girlfriends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and shortly thereafter,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">executing my well-planned quest</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to find </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Perfect Everything Bag..</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-small;">to be continued...</span></i></span> </div>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-26577890191928431572012-07-29T22:12:00.003-05:002012-07-29T22:13:38.653-05:00how AWESOME was this?!...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5zD77eZqLU/UBX7d78UTxI/AAAAAAAAGAk/qoVs-aP-Mqg/s1600/la-london-olympics-cyclist-lizzie-armitsteads--002.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5zD77eZqLU/UBX7d78UTxI/AAAAAAAAGAk/qoVs-aP-Mqg/s400/la-london-olympics-cyclist-lizzie-armitsteads--002.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">(</span><span class="photographer" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Stefano Rellandini / AFP / Getty Images</span><span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The Best Day of My Life..."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://twitter.com/L_ArmiTstead" target="_blank">Lizzie</a></span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-35474427606879847982012-07-16T20:24:00.001-05:002012-07-16T20:24:37.591-05:00really Levi's?...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="215" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtbRy0j6hmA" width="360"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I initially thought to myself...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>really Levi's?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love you and all,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but really?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is <a href="http://us.levi.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=12837229&cp=3146842.4305630&ab=home_commuter_lookbook_071012" target="_blank">Levi's Commuter</a> bicycle specific clothing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what the world really needs?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I <a href="https://www.facebook.com/myhyggelig" target="_blank">see you rock it plenty</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the men of Minneapolis </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on their bicycles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I watched this and I thought to myself -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ok, I get it, you are still cool,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I still like you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But really Levi's?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only men's Commuter?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Really?</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-29761785782718615512012-07-13T07:16:00.003-05:002012-07-13T07:16:40.554-05:00wwjd?...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="215" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eSokDsOwE1g" width="360"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-10/photos/230943" target="_blank">Two days ago</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I became a Jens convert.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sorry it took me so long.</span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-38436286123471759462012-07-09T07:20:00.000-05:002012-07-10T06:47:27.975-05:00Summer Lovin'...<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Summer is my favorite time of year.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>I have not been here much,</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>and I am glad for it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Because </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>I have been soaking in</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>every</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>single</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>moment</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>of</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Sun</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>and</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>warmth.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>I plan to continue my</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Summer Life,</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>and as time allows may stop in here</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>for a visit.</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JkfoFpSOmU/T_wWL-bzLrI/AAAAAAAAF_Q/g4kFXXtp3cM/s1600/biking+to+dinner_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JkfoFpSOmU/T_wWL-bzLrI/AAAAAAAAF_Q/g4kFXXtp3cM/s1600/biking+to+dinner_edited-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I planned a night</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of enjoying</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summer,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our bicycles,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">good food,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and new-to-us entertainment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we set out on our bicycles it was in the 90s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I expected to be a bit of a mess</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">upon arrival at dinner</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">because our ride to our destination</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was around 5 miles,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but the humidity was low</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and our spirits high</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and we arrived</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in fine form</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And who cares if sweat was dripping from our brows?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Isn't it better to arrive fit and happy</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>then air conditioned and flabby?</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sometimes the thought process of why not to do things</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>is so much easier</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>than actually doing them!</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OtoN94Q1f2I/T_rInHYNfSI/AAAAAAAAF-g/GFOcLn_qMI0/s1600/mirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OtoN94Q1f2I/T_rInHYNfSI/AAAAAAAAF-g/GFOcLn_qMI0/s1600/mirror.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved that by the bicycle racks,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there was conveniently a full length mirror.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfect if you are headed to dinner,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.guthrietheater.org/" target="_blank">or the theater</a>,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on your bicycle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a <a href="http://spoonriver.com/" target="_blank">splendid dinner</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we set off to enjoy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Northern Spark.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite (of course) was <a href="http://2012.northernspark.org/project/janaki-ranpura" target="_blank">The Peloton</a>.</span></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j-hCpQK82c/T_rI7VrajVI/AAAAAAAAF-w/PsbhrhEr89o/s1600/norther+spark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j-hCpQK82c/T_rI7VrajVI/AAAAAAAAF-w/PsbhrhEr89o/s1600/norther+spark.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was so much fun</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to see the City move from dusk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to darkness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the lights come on.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYDRX-eRz_Y/T_rJJxL0lxI/AAAAAAAAF-4/k_BijwnSDE4/s1600/old+mills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYDRX-eRz_Y/T_rJJxL0lxI/AAAAAAAAF-4/k_BijwnSDE4/s1600/old+mills.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding home together</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the warmth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of a Summer's Eve</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">side by side.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is nothing better.</span></div>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9089061185514355247.post-53298582646951300962012-07-05T06:00:00.000-05:002012-07-05T13:03:52.952-05:00you go girls...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7dmhUdZ6R0c" width="500"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more <a href="http://www.cannondale.com/women#7" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://reve.cc/blog/" target="_blank">here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France_F%C3%A9minin" target="_blank">did you know?</a></span>my hyggelighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419682239783674156noreply@blogger.com