Snowflake Study
I’ve got snow on the mind, so had to feature this Graphic Study of the Snowflake by Andrei D. Robu.
[Via: swissmiss]
What I Learned on Vacation, or, Thoughts for 2010
I was asked to post something that I had thought about during vakay… so I came up with this:
The one thing they don’t teach you in school is that when you’re out of school, there’s no such thing as a Christmas vacation… at least not the two week kind. Which is exactly why I upped my nose at the real world, co-founded my own business and set out on a venture that let me plan my own schedule that has very little to do with 9-5. Hence the reason that I actually had a Christmas vacation.
That vacation kicked off with a four day backcountry snowshoe trip, during which I had a lot of time to think (you’re forced to come up with inspiring thoughts when you’re sludging through pouring rain and ice). 2009 was a year filled with many negatives — recession, climate change, reality shows — but the goal is of course to pull ourselves from the ashes and hit the new decade with a renewed sense of energy. So from the snowy slopes of backcountry snowshoes trails, here are my life conclusions that I’m taking into 2010.
1. Spend more time outside, and drag someone else along while you’re at it. Taking off on a four day backcountry adventure seemed like no big deal. Why? Because I grew up with a father that encouraged and inspired outdoor pursuits at an early age. Take a child, a cousin, a friend — hell, even an enemy — on an outdoor adventure and see where it takes them. We could all use a little more fresh air in our lives.
2. Watch at least one sunset and one sunrise every week. Experiencing this fantastic part of the daily natural rhythm is inspiring. And it doesn’t cost anything. (P.S. That’s my 62 year-old mother doing a Christmas Day warrior on a very rocky beach…)
A Garden Friendly Calendar
It’s that time of year when people stock up on paper calendars, most likely in the hopes of keeping their year organized. But think of all the calendars that hundreds of thousands of stores will be selling in the next few weeks… that adds up to a lot of paper, and you can be sure that much of it isn’t recycled content.
Albeit beautiful, calendars are certainly on the “eco unlist,” which is why I’m digging these Bloomin’ Calendars. Made with seed paper, as each month ends, you can plant the page, keeping you organized and waste-free and your garden happy.
Winter Sunset
Frost covered the ground for the larger part of the day, a white dusting remaining in cold corners protected by the shade of trees. Typical Pacific Northwest gray rain clouds were traded for clear winter skies, a brisk nip in the air. On beautiful days like this, it’s clear that the evening landscape shouldn’t be missed, and we packed up a thermos of tea and headed for one of the many rocky beaches of the Puget Sound.
Quiet and clear, as afternoon turned into dusk, the seasonal sun set, with warm colors reflecting off of soft clouds, turning the sky into a winter painting. With the setting sun, the air turned colder, and steam rose from our tea cups as we looked out over the calm waters and breathed in the winds of the season.
That’s how you should spend Christmas Day…
God Jul!
A classic Swedish Christmas in a Pacific Northwest home tucked away in the winter forest…
God Jul!
Copenhagen Bike Share
Digging the new bike share designs that won a contest sponsored by the city of Copenhagen. Good looking and functional; definitely a combination that should get more people riding.
We’ve posted more pictures over at Under Solen — go take a look!
Friday Photo: Stop… And Take the Train
My winter adventures kick off today with a train ride on the Amtrak. So I figured it was only fitting to make today’s Friday Photo train related. Taken at the Portland station, this small sign made me stop take a second look down the tracks. Hopefully it’s not the only thing helping to guide the trains as they make their way into the station…
Why It’s Important to Write About the Destinations You Didn’t Love
A few years ago I taught English in the Caribbean… Guadeloupe to be exact. And although it’s a sunny island in the middle of the Caribbean, to be perfectly honest, my time spent living there wasn’t the most enjoyable. Actually living on an insular island and having a daily routine is much different than spending a lazy vacation sipping cocktails on the beach, and that everyday livelihood didn’t exactly meet my expectations.
So when I told my mother that I was going to write a story on what not to do while traveling in Guadeloupe she responded with, “What are you going to say? Don’t go there?!” I laughed and gave my usual answer:”even though I didn’t have a good time, doesn’t mean other people can’t.”
Which brings me to my main point: sometimes writing about a place that you don’t love is a fantastic exercise. You’re forced to choose a bit more objectivity over subjectivity, and soon you’re remembering a plethora of positive aspects, putting your negative memories aside and crafting a piece that allows others to be intrigued by your destination.
In the end, travel is about experience, and as travel writers, it’s important to inspire those experiences. It doesn’t matter if travel experiences are positive or negative, they are always going to be eye-opening, educational and shape who we are, and every individual has to discover that on his/her own, which is why it’s perfectly fine to write about those destinations you didn’t love.
So on that note, here’s an excerpt from What Not to Do in Guadeloupe, published over on Matador Trips — an article that made me just a tad bit nostalgic for a place that I never really liked living in to begin with.
Don’t… assume people speak English
As an overseas French department, Guadeloupe’s official language is French, but don’t think this makes visiting the island like traveling in Europe.
Although it’s a common stereotype that the French resist speaking English, getting by in Paris without too much of a grasp of French is definitely doable. On Guadeloupe, English is much harder to find.
Do… learn some key French phrases before you go
The locals will give you a genuine smile if you make an effort to speak French. With a simple “bonjour,” “merci,” some survival phrases like “how much does this cost?” and the obligatory traveler’s hand gestures, you’ll do just fine.
Coca Cola at Copenhagen
I was a little appalled when I found out the mega-multinational Coca Cola was a key sponsor of the Hopenhagen campaign. But it raises the question: can a multinational work in the environment’s best interest? An excerpt from my post over on EcoSalon:
All eyes are on Copenhagen this month as the drama events of the UN Climate Change Conference play out. But those eyes aren’t just the ones of climate change activists and greenies. Multinationals are just as involved – even global beverage giant, Coca Cola, is descending on the Danish capital.
Working with other media, marketing, tech and creative partners, including DuPont and Gap Inc., Coca Cola was instrumental in launching the Hopenhagen campaign. The result? An interactive online campaign as well as lots of exposure on the ground in Copenhagen. Known for its creative advertising and branding, Coca Cola released a special Hopenhagen set of posters, seen all over town for the duration of the conference.
On Coca Cola’s Hopenhagen website, the company encourages visitors to take action against climate change and learn more about recycling and water as well as Coca Cola’s plant bottle, a soda bottle made form 30% plant-based materials (that means it’s still 70% plastic!). But supporting a good cause shouldn’t come without questions.
Read the whole article here.
blog.annabrones.com 