December 7--Advent at ADAFT 2012!

I think I've mentioned before how Danes like bikes. 

It follows, then, that even though this post has zilch to do with Christmas, it is a valid Julekalender post, since bikes are totally awesome and festive and great.

In case it isn't clear to you yet, I'll be discussing bikes today.  But you have to wait for it.

We have a baby now, which is both wonderful and terrifying.  B and I are of course trying to do our best by her, and each other, and we spend a lot of time just DOING STUFF and hoping that it's the right thing to do.  Sometimes, when it gets really hard--and also sometimes when it's particularly smooth-sailing and great--, B turns to me and says "We're really doing it."

He means that we're really being parents.  We are really raising a child.

What it makes me think of, though, is a little kid who's just had the training wheels taken off his first bike.  As he wobbles and teeters down the sidewalk, he's hollering "Look, look, I'm doing it, I'm really doing it!"

That's about what it feels like around here.  Like we're sometimes wobbling along, and sometimes going way too fast, and sometimes about to tip over completely, but all the time we're doing it, we're really riding that bike.

Funny

Sometimes Danes are funny.  This is a post about that.

1.  You may recall that Danes are really into "coziness," or hygge, as it's known in Danish.  Anything can be cozy, from a dinner party to an apartment to a cafe or market or neighborhood.  Blockbuster (yes, the American video rental store) has caught on to this.  Every day we walk past the Blockbuster store on the way to work, and we get to see all the posters with their Danish slogan:

Blockbuster: Vildt hyggeligt!

or,

Blockbuster:  Wildly cozy!

2.We've written before about how Danes love bikes.  Here's a (totally not comprehensive) list of things we have seen Danes do on bikes.

    carry 2x4s home

    carry floor lamps home

    hold open umbrellas over their heads

    hold hands with other bicyclists

    talk on cell phones

    text on cell phones

    drag rolling suitcases

    drive another bike at the same time

    eat an ice cream cone

    ignore traffic signs  (it's the only time!  God help you if you do it on foot!)

 3.  We've also mentioned before how Danes love scarves.  And weird haircuts.  Well, turns out we're not the only ones who've noticed this.  Check out the link below, "How to Look Like a Dane."  Completely accurate and verified by actual Danes.