Robyn & Joel's Blog

School's (not) in session.

2010-02-21T19:06:00.004+01:00

The rack on top is advertising www.surfskole.dk. I'm guessing that enrollment is a bit lean at the moment.

And away we go...

2009-12-23T23:02:00.005+01:00

The taxi arrives to take us to Copenhagen International Airport tomorrow morning at the unholy hour of 4:30 AM. We're off to spend two weeks in Texas with family and friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Climate Clash

2009-12-19T22:36:00.009+01:00

At least this time we weren't tear-gassed.

Last Saturday, a large COP15 protest made its way down the high street just around the corner from our flat. Local estimates place the number of protesters between 50,000-100,000 (the BBC story linked cites a lower number). All told, it was a relatively peaceful affair.

Throughout this week and the last, Robyn and I have felt relatively removed from the COP15 craziness unfolding at the Bella Center just down the road from where we live. Spending most of your time in the Ivory Tower of academia tends to breed that sort of dissociation.

Anyhoo, check out a few pictures here, as well as the short video below. Note the decidedly non-threatening Chaka Khan soundtrack.

Edit: Facebook doesn't show videos linked through Google Blogger, so click here for video.

Bad Bloggers

2009-12-01T18:24:00.003+01:00

Yes, we've neglected our blog for quite some time. Sorry 'bout that. We hope to resume our regularly scheduled programming shortly.

In the meantime, enjoy this picture of a heart-meltingly adorable kitten, won't you?

Out and About (Slowly!) with Marsha and Si

2009-09-17T21:17:00.010+02:00

Having my parents live in Copenhagen for a few months has afforded an unaccustomed luxury: being able to spend some extended leisure time with them.

Normally, trips back to the US are rather frenetic affairs. Enjoyable, yes. But there's a palpable pressure to pack as much high-speed "memory making" into our brief visits as possible, knowing that we'll soon be very far away and not likely to return for quite a while. We often come back to Copenhagen feeling that we blasted through our visit in fast-forward. So, it's been wonderful to actually spend some slow motion time with Marsha and Si.

For example, one of their first weekends in Denmark--during an uncharacteristically warm stretch (thank you global warming!)--we enjoyed a relaxed picnic on the beach near our flat. Pics here.

More recently, we dined at one of our new favorite Copenhagen haunts: Nimb Vinotek, a cozy wine and tapas restaurant just around the corner from Tivoli. Deliciously slowmo pics here.

Ted and Courtney's Copenhagen Chronicles

2009-09-07T16:03:00.001+02:00

As I type this, I'm currently sitting in a pub in Durham, UK.

Why is this relevant? Because the last time I met up with Ted and Courtney abroad--prior to their recent Copenhagen visit--was in the UK. Specifically, it was in Oxford, Fall 2005. They were in London working; I was in Oxford to give a paper at a philosophy and psychology conference. The two of them graciously took the train up to spend the day with me prior to my conference. After a happy reunion, we quickly found our way to my favorite pub in Oxford--and only emerged many, many, many hours later, parting ways at the bus station. Good times. End of story.

Oh, yeah: except for the part where I stumbled back to my room, fell into a semicomatose state for twelve hours, and missed my talk the next morning. Totally Ted and Courtney's fault. But I digress.

Anyhoo, fast forward to Copenhagen, Fall 2009. The Balakers have now come and gone, leaving a trail of laughter and empty wine bottles in their wake. It was, indeed, a jam-packed visit: a trip to Tivoli, where we watched our opera singer friend perform (and receive a very prestigious award!); a visit to my ever-exciting place of work to see precisely where all the philosophical magic happens; multiple forays to some of our favorite local bars and restaurants; much ambling about town, with an occasional bout of strolling and meandering thrown in for good measure; catching the Sunday morning service at the International Church of Copenhagen to see my father preach, followed up with a trip to Charlottenlund beach and a BBQ at the church house.

Of course, a visit from the Balakers isn't a mere occurrence. Rather, it's an event--a happening, if you will. Accordingly, the Balakers cannot be contained within a single picture set. Feast upon the pictorial narratives found here and here.

American football expat style!

2009-09-05T20:15:00.005+02:00

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?!?!

Thanks to my awesome sister who sent us the ESPN info, we can now watch American college football on our laptop!!!

As much as I love living in Denmark, I do miss football. Autumn just doesn't feel right without football. And, now we have it! Our Saturday nights are now booked... and with the time difference, well, we may be a bit late for church Sunday morning. That is okay, God is a football fan too :)

And, here is a little picture for our Texas family... Hook 'em! (Just ignore the other hand...)

Props to Marsha and Si

2009-09-05T11:14:00.005+02:00

Hello Everyone! This is Robyn taking the opportunity to give a shout-out to Marsha and Silas…

Just 4 short weeks ago, Marsha and Silas took on the daunting task of pastor and family for the International Church of Copenhagen. Silas is serving as the interim pastor for several months. They moved into the Church House, which serves as both Church office and pastoral residence 4 weeks ago and Silas began preaching and leading Bible Study. As you can imagine, there were a number of ‘hiccups,’ challenges, and problems with the transfer, but Marsha and Silas came through with flying colors. In fact, they are doing an incredible job. It is hard to start a new job, especially when you are replacing a beloved pastor; it is hard to move, especially when you are moving thousands of miles; it is hard to live in a foreign country, especially when you don’t speak the language. It is especially difficult to do all three at once! So, props to Marsha and Silas for an amazing 4 weeks! I am confident the next four will be just a bit easier.

Oh, and the picture was taken at the beach... we live just a short walk to the beach and we were making the most of the beautiful weather.

The Company Cavalcade Continues...

2009-08-27T12:55:00.004+02:00

A mere three hours after we said "Farvel!" to Ron and Michael, we bid a hearty "Hej!" to our dear friends, Ted and Courtney.

Ted and Courtney had been in Stockholm the previous week. Ted was attending a conference, and Courtney--taking some rare time off from her day job of being a Big Player in the world of Hollywood cinema--busied herself being fabulous. Word of their arrival quickly spread throughout Scandinavia. Needless to say, we were excited to welcome them to our city! We'd last seen them back in May, when we attended Matt and Ashley's fantastic wedding in Beverley Hills, California (Matt is Ted's younger brother).

Their visit was marked by much hilarity and fun. More to come soon.

Beer, God, and Goodbye

2009-08-20T23:54:00.015+02:00

Last Thursday, we bid Ron and Michael a fond "farvel!".

Our visiting celebrities--both of whom currently perform with the Twelve Irish Tenors and are capable of affecting a remarkably convincing Irish accent, particularly when mocking the Irish--returned home to the US after a whirlwind trip through Iceland, Copenhagen, and the UK. Their stay gave us an excuse to do lots of touristy things that we wouldn't otherwise do. And simply walking around the city with them, ingesting the sights and sounds of this lovely time of year, reaffirmed what a beautiful place Copenhagen truly is.

Their next-to-last day focused on beer: specifically, a trip to the Carlsberg Brewery, along with Robyn and my parents (I couldn't go, alas). Pics here.

The morning of their departure, we awoke (somewhat) early and made a dash for one of our nearby favorite pastry joints. We then strolled over to Vor Frelsers Kirke ("Our Savior's Church"), a beautiful baroque church in the Christianhavn district that was initially built in the 1680s. Its defining feature is its famous twisted "chocolate spire"--and yes, you can actually walk along a narrow, creaky external staircase all the way to the top. The ascent is not for those prone to vertigo and/or pants-wetting. But the spire offers perhaps the most breathtaking view in town, as these pics confirm.

Bowels still fluttering from our harrowing climb, we quickly returned to our flat so that the Ron and Michael could catch their flight. I've yet to hear otherwise, so I'm assuming they found their way home.

It was a great visit!

Tillykke med fødselsdagen, Mor!

2009-08-17T00:12:00.006+02:00

More pics from mom's birthday BBQ here (thanks to Ron for taking most of the photos).

Edit: photo link now working.

Ron and Michael Take Denmark

2009-08-15T13:17:00.004+02:00

Robyn's brother, Ron, and his friend Michael have joined us in Copenhagen for a few days. Things got off to a rousing start last night with a trip to check out some electronic music action from the Strøm Festival, followed up with a few pints at a nearby pub.

It's a bit rainy and cool today--in Copenhagen?!? Go figure!--but we have a number of things planned. More on that later. For now, you can see a few pics from last night's adventures here.

Silas and Marsha: From Carlsbad to Copenhagen

2009-08-15T12:54:00.010+02:00

A couple of weeks ago--nearly fourty-five years to the day of his ordination--my father retired from the ministry. He'd been Head Pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Carlsbad, CA, for twenty-one years. Prior to that, he'd served parishes in Michigan, Arizona, and Texas.

So what is Silas doing in retirement? Puttering around the house, hunting for loose nails and tiles to grout? Working on his lawn care technique? Erm, not exactly. He's moved to Copenhagen (with my mother, of course) to serve as Interim Pastor at the International Church of Copenhagen. We recently said goodbye to our beloved Pastor, Chad Rimmer, and his family as they moved on to a new phase of their life in Scotland. My father's retirement coincided perfectly with Pastor Rimmer's departure--so here he is, filling in until ICC's new Pastor arrives some time in October.

After a moving goodbye service and celebration in Carlsbad (which Robyn and I could not attend, alas), some hectic planning and packing, and a nine hour flight to Copenhagen via Washington, my parents arrived in Denmark and have settled into the church house (though they did stay with us in our flat the first week of their arrival).

It's great to have them here. More Kruegers in Denmark. Who woulda thunk it? View some pics from their arrival and first week here.

Happy Birthday!

2009-07-22T19:02:00.004+02:00

Happy (belated) birthday, Robyn!

He's back!

2009-06-26T00:06:00.004+02:00

Our fuzzy house guest, Sammy (a.k.a. "Sammy Whammy", "The Samster", "Seattle Sammy", "Samma-lamma-bing-bong") is back for another stay. It's like he never left.

Not feelin' the (soccer) love.

2009-06-06T20:34:00.005+02:00

Evidently, something big is goin' down.

There is currently an important soccer (i.e., "football") match playing out on Danish television. Denmark (wearing snappy little red and white kits; very sharp) is pitted against those dastardly Swedes (garish yellow and blue kits; very IKEA-ish). This much I know. And I also know that Denmark currently leads, 1-0. Erm, go Denmark. Kick that ball. Kick it...through the net 'n stuff. Alot. Yay.

Beyond these basic facts, I have no idea why they are playing or what the significance of this match is. Like most Americans, I hardly even know the rules of soccer.

But my neighbors several floors down clearly do. They are reacting audibly, and with much gusto, to each important in-game happening. Denmark's first goal elicited thunderous cheers and whoops of unfettered ecstasy that shook our entire building. Then, a moment ago, the satellite feed dropped out for a few seconds. The ensuing shrieks of horror and panicked screams of "TRUCK!"* (*not what they really said) were surely heard all the way to Berlin. These folks clearly dig their soccer. I hope they don't burn the joint down if Denmark loses.

Silly Europeans and their trivial pastimes. I'm off to play some World of Warcraft...

Copenhagen surfing?

2009-05-12T20:22:00.002+02:00

Check the link for some "dynamite" surfing action in Copenhagen (just underneath the bridge I cross on foot nearly every day).

Clearly fake, alas. But given the nearly ubiquitous Danish affection for all things explosive (see Exhibit A and B, respectively), this scenario isn't entirely implausible.

Andrew Bird

2009-05-05T20:08:00.007+02:00

Last night, Robyn and I went to see the American musician Andrew Bird.

He played at one of our favorite music venues in Copenhagen: Lille Vega. Bird's music is tough to categorize; he tends to roam freely over any number of different genres (e.g., folk, bluegrass, alt-country, New Orleans Jazz, looping instrumental drone, etc.)--very often throughout the course of a single song! Along with a distinctive vocal style, he's also renowned for his lyrical dexterity. It's not often one hears a song kick off with a ditty like "From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to porto-centric Lisboans" (that's from the track "Tenuousness"). Bird veers dangerously close to hyper-cerebral preciousness in spots, but his music is so rich and resonant--and he's such an unexpectedly charismatic performer in person; no emo brooding for him!--that it never really comes off as cloying or masturbatory. Dude's simply a musical genius. He can't help it. And, he's one hell of a whistler!

Someone already posted a clip from last night's show on YouTube. It's not my favorite song, but it gives a pretty good taste of the Bird Experience. Here's another clip (this one from a show in Orlando earlier this year) of him playing "Lull", one of my favorite tracks.

See him if you can. He's a rare talent.

Spring has, erm...yeah, that's right: SPRUNG!

2009-04-04T19:56:00.004+02:00

So my last post (far too long ago) mourned the loss of snow. Well, the snow is now really gone. Today was an utterly gorgeous spring day! This is a great time of year to be in Copenhagen. Robyn and I spent most of the day wandering the city and enjoying the sight of Danes soaking up every last ray. More pictures here.

No more snow

2009-02-28T18:57:00.009+01:00

Alas, the snow is gone. For now, at least.

Copenhagen doesn't get as much snow as people tend to think. But a few recent snowfalls--along with an unseasonable run of brilliantly sunny days--made for an abundance of picturesque scenes out and about town. The snow even brought a touch of charm (but only a touch, mind you!) to the University of Copenhagen campus where I work--a thoroughly sleek and modern, but aesthetically sterile and, frankly dull, assemblage of drab hues and stark geometries that looks rather like a corporate campus instead of a university.

But for a short time last week, it was actually pretty.

The Lives of Others

2009-02-16T17:42:00.005+01:00

Few things in life are more compelling than looking at someone else's travel photographs. That said, some family members have noted that we're behind in posting pics from a spate of recent trips. Quite so.

The past few months alone, we've done a fair bit of bouncing around. I've had conferences in Pittsburgh (not too many pictures there, alas, as I was sick the whole time), Heidelberg, London, Paris, and Lugano. Robyn and I both went back to the states for conferences, and we spent time in Carlsbad and New Brunswick. We then took a quick, non-work-related trip to Berlin.

Click the links to see pictures from each trip (if you dare, that is--or have absolutely nothing else to do). We have quite a bit more travel on the (relatively) near horizon, so there will be ample opportunity to repeat this exercise soon.

Shawarma love revisited

2009-02-04T22:51:00.005+01:00

Regular readers of this blog know that I love shawarma. In fact, my last post talked about this love at some length. I could have said more. Believe me. 'cause I really love my shawarma, ya dig?

Sadly, there is a dark side to love in all its myriad forms. And shawarma love is no exception. A friend recently drew my attention to a disturbing shawarma-related article, which can be found here.

(Live hyperlinks in this blog seem to "die" when published via Facebook notes, so those reading from Facebook can do things the old-fashioned way and cut 'n paste this URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7852168.stm)

The takeaway is this: "naked" shawarma--i.e., pre-mayonnaise, salad dressing, and all the other fixin's that make already-awesome shawarma even awesomer, not to mention the greasy fries needed to complete the meal--already contains nearly a day's worth of calories and two day's worth of salt and fat. Oh, and most of the time all sorts of unnamed "you don't wanna know about it" meats are unceremoniously crammed together into those sinewy slices of heaven that bring my life meaning and purpose. In other words, you're simultaneously munching on about five species with each bite.

Love hurts. Shawarma love, evidently, really really hurts.

Supersize me!

2009-01-24T10:54:00.006+01:00

Robyn and I have become big fans of shawarma. We have a regular rotation of local shawarma joints we frequent when the craving hits. And just to keep things interesting, we rarely go to the same joint two times in a row. We're crazy like that.

One of our local joints, however, seems to consistently give us (or rather, me) trouble. I faithfully order the same thing every time from the same guy behind the counter: "One shawarma menu, please, and one extra shawarma sandwich" (of course, imagine I've just said this in kindergarten-level Danish). The former is the Danish equivalent of a McDonald's "extra value meal": shawarma, fries, and a coke. The latter is, quite obviously, just the sandwich itself. The friendly Turkish chap behind the counter nods solemnly with understanding every time and shuffles off to put together my order.

Alas, there seems to be a persistent hiccup in our communication process. We always get the first part of the order, just as requested. But half the time I come home, open the bag, and am greeted by some sort of obscenely engorged shawarma mutant sandwich big enough to feed an average Danish family of four for a week. I have no idea what this is or how I continue to order it.

Here's some photographic evidence:

What you can't see in this picture are the three pounds of meat and streams of red grease that will soon come shooting out of this mutant sandwich with the next bite.

I remain committed to solving this communication problem. If it means eating shawarma three times a week for the remainder of our stay in Denmark then, by Morgan Spurlock, I will do it!

Meteor!

2009-01-18T19:03:00.003+01:00

So last night, Robyn and I were dining with friends. They live in a beautiful house in Charlottenlund, one of the "poshest" areas in greater Copenhagen. Their dining room has a large window which overlooks a spacious, meticulously-manicured backyard (a rareity in Copenhagen). It's truly a beautiful house and a beautiful piece of property. We always look forward to our visits with them.

In the middle of dinner, our rather boisterous conversation was suddenly interrupted by a series of abrupt flashes of white light. They were bright enough that we all noticed them and stopped, mid-sentence (or in my case, mid-quaff, with wine glass on my lips). After a few jokes about alien abduction, we concluded that some locals were simply finishing off leftover New Year's fireworks (recall that, as we've posted previously, the Danes love them their fireworks!).

Turns out we were wrong. The flashes of light were actually the result of a large meteor plummeting to earth! Video here.

Earthquakes, meteor attacks. What's next?

My money is on a plague of locusts.

Happy Birthday GG!

2009-01-11T14:44:00.003+01:00

Today is a special day!

My grandmother, Grandma Ginny turns 80 today! Happy Birthday! And, it is very fitting that I write this while in London, because thirteen and a half years ago my grandparents met me here in London and helped me move to Kingston Upon Hull for my year abroad. My grandmother’s face was the first face I saw as I entered the arrivals terminal after a sleepless night on the plane. We toured London for several days before loading up a rental car and my grandfather drove us up to Hull. He was very brave to drive – on the wrong side of the road – through the tiny little side streets of the English countryside. We even survived a flat tire! What a great adventure. I’ve had many great adventures with my grandparents… and met them all over the world…

So, Happy Birthday to the coolest and most well-traveled grandmother in the world! Can’t wait to see you back in London… or Copenhagen… or wherever we meet up next. We love you!

The Day After.

2009-01-01T17:20:00.002+01:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T00:59:00.015+01:00

Here's a live report from Copenhagen (pardon the shoddy camera work):

Check out the protective eyewear with the sparkly scarf!

Yes, I am holding my ears. Our neighbors were setting off fireworks right in front of our balcony... there were a few misfires, which made me wonder if we should have been wearing protective eyewear.

Happy New Year!

It's starting...

2008-12-31T18:24:00.002+01:00

Robyn and I just returned from an evening stroll. It's barely 6:30PM and the city is already alight with fireworks of all sorts. It's a lovely scene, actually: a low-hanging sky of thick clouds lit up with colorful explosions, the horizon full of descending, spiraling tendrils of fluorescent color and sparkle. Streams of perfectly-coiffed Danes in dark suits, thin ties, and ball gowns are pedaling their way to various parties. And naturally, this idyllic scene is punctuated by the occasional blast of a firework--no color, just noise--that sounds far too big and lethal to be legal.

Ahh, yes. New Year's celebrations have begun in Copenhagen.

Earthquake!

2008-12-27T13:49:00.004+01:00

Yep, there are, evidently, earthquakes in Denmark. Who knew?

Early in the morning on December 16--about 6:30AM or so--I was shaken out of bed by several strong tremors. Seasoned California earthquake veteran that I am, I knew right away that an earthquake had just rolled through our normally placid city. Immediately lucid and unfazed by the chaos unfolding around me, I valiantly leapt from bed to ensure that my bride was safe. Turns out that Robyn was actually "powdering her nose" the very moment it hit.

I now refer to it as "The Great Potty 'Quake '08". More info here.

There's even a Facebook group for quake survivors, as well as a place to buy commemorative t-shirts. I tend to wear large, in case anyone wants to help me heal.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T14:28:00.003+01:00

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Have a blessed Christmas!

Let there be light!

2008-11-17T16:37:00.009+01:00

As a way of preparing for the onset of winter here in Denmark--in other words, lots and lots and lots of darkness--Robyn and I recently purchased a sun lamp. Hopefully, this (pricey!) contraption will lead to elevated spirits, a new-found abundance of energy, and more frequent and interesting blog entries all winter long.

Here are some shots of Robyn enjoying an inaugural "light bath":

Shout out to Mom and Dad!

2008-11-05T14:15:00.002+01:00

I want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to my parents, Ron and Kathy,

who are currently the guardians to our doggies, Lola Mae and Bodhi.

Our dogs are precious to us and I miss them very much. But, as much as I want them to come over to Copenhagen, Joel and I have decided to keep our doggies with my parents because we know it is best for them. Bodhi and Lola Mae have a huge backyard to play in, a large house to rule, and plenty of lovely couches, pillows, and rugs on which to chew. My parents spoil them rotten. In fact, when we first arrived in Austin at 3am after driving from Carbondale, my parents greeted the doggies with the biggest box doggie treats I’ve ever seen.

Recently my parents experienced a long night. No, they didn’t stay up watching the election results… they roamed their neighborhood looking for Bodhi, who earlier decided he needed to visit a few nearby friends. Shiba Inus are not like other dogs who will come when you call them. Shibas are fiercely independent and love a good game of tag. And, apparently that is what my parents played – for hours – the other night. Finally, they gave up and went to bed, but left the latch to the backyard gate open in case Bodhi decided to return. And, like a good doggie, he did… around 3 in the morning. While my parents weren’t thrilled with Bodhi’s adventure, I think they should be pleased. Much like they did with their own children, the are helping to grow a puppy into an independent young dog who has the self-confidence to go explore, knowing that my parents will always leave the gate unlatched for when Bodhi wants to come home. And, clearly, he has a good home. You should be so proud!

Many thanks to my parents who take great care of my doggies… we miss you all!

Yes We Can!

2008-11-03T17:40:00.001+01:00

Today is the day before the election that will determine the next president of the United States.
You would have to have lived under a rock for the past two years to not know the significance of tomorrow’s vote. If nothing else, we can all stop talking about the campaigns in just a few hours. As I mentioned in earlier posts, the Danes are watching the US Presidential election very closely. I think all of Europe is following the election. Europe is definitely pro-Obama. But, Europe doesn’t get a vote. But, what if they did?

The Economist Magazine has an interesting article that demonstrates who would win the election if the entire world had a vote. They go so far as to create a “world electoral college” to determine the winner. You can read the article at http://www.economist.com/vote2008/index.cfm. If the world voted, Obama would win with 9,115 votes to McCain’s 203. I find myself wondering what the rest of the world sees that we Americans do not. In other words, why is the race so close in the US while the rest of the world so clearly supports Obama? Now, when Joel and I began this blog we agreed that we wouldn’t use it for political purposes… the blog is just our musings about our daily lives. And I am not straying from this with purpose with my question… I am truly perplexed. Why does the rest of the world support Obama when roughly half of America supports McCain? Why/How is the US different from the rest of the world? And, should the opinion of the rest of the world factor in our decision-making process as we chose which candidate to support?

Regardless of who you support, I encourage you each to fight the lines, rain, or whatever else will get in your way and go vote. I sent my ballot last week and now all I can do is hope… because YES WE CAN!

Patrice and Kultur Natten

2008-10-30T17:08:00.010+01:00

When I advise my students about graduate school there are two things I always recommend: go to the best school you get into and find an advisor you trust. I am very blessed to have Patrice Buzzanell as my advisor. And, yes, I did graduate, but like parents, advisors are advisors for life :)

I was fortunate enough to have Patrice visit CBS the second week of October. She attended several research presentations, taught two classes, and met all of my colleagues. She was, as you can imagine, a wonderful guest.

And, I had a great time showing her my new home town. As it turns out, Patrice's last night in Copenhagen was Kultur Natten (Culture Night). Kultur Natten is a city-wide celebration of culture. Museums, parks, government buildings, theatres, etc. stay open all night and people are out and about enjoying the city. We made the most of the night (although we did end our night around 1am). Here are a few pictures from Kulture Natten:

Joel and I took Patrice to one of our favorite resturants, Spiseloppen located in Christiania. The food is excellent and the decore traditional Danish. And, the entrance is up these steps...

After our dinner we went to the Royal Library where they hosted several musical performers. The Royal Library is called the "black diamond" because of its diamond shape and the black granite used to build it. The building is beautiful and fun to tour.

Patrice and I are looking at the 36 page Kulture Natten program, plotting our next move...

We decided to get some drinks (chilled pear cider from Sweden -- yum!) and walk ALL OVER the city... just soaking up the fun!

Patrice did find the Museum Erotica... but decided not to take the tour...

It was a great night and a great visit! Thanks, Patrice for a wonderful week!

Here are a few more pictures of our night: http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/CultureNightWithPatrice

Rock the vote, baby!

2008-10-24T21:52:00.002+02:00

A number of people have asked us about voting, so I thought I would take a picture of my absentee voter form. Joel and I voted in the presidential election using absentee voter forms from Texas, where we are registered. I sent in my form today.

It was, actually, a bit of trouble getting our absentee ballots. I never knew how hard it was for overseeas Americans to vote. But, we persevered and voted! Yea!

The election is a very big deal here in Denmark. A number of our friends are hosting all-night election watching parties, the American embassy is hosting several events, the Copenhagen Business School is hosting a lecture series about American politics, and the University of Copenhagen has a full 24 hours of events including back-to-back episodes of West Wing and streaming CNN. We are trying to decide if we are going to stay up all night to watch the election results. When else can we party with Danes and watch American elect a new president? More details in an upcoming post…

Creepy Flour Dude

2008-10-14T21:53:00.004+02:00

Whilst slapping together some solo dinner tonight (Robyn's in the States at a conference), I happened to notice this chap leering down at me from the back of a bag of flour (click on the photo for a disturbing close-up):

That's not a particularly comforting face. I don't want to know what this guy was doing right before this picture was taken. Nor do I want to know what he put in my flour.

I'm guessing it wasn't an extra helpin' of TLC.

Fuzzy House Guest

2008-10-08T13:36:00.008+02:00

We currently have a fuzzy house guest staying with us for a few weeks while his owners are traveling. His name is Sammy, and he's a Bijon Frise.

Initially, Sammy was a bit uncertain about his temporary residence. He seems to have a fairly nervous disposition by nature, and being plopped into some strange apartment with two strange people proved to be a bit unsettling for him. But that lasted all of about twenty-four hours. As the pictures below indicate, Sammy is now quite relaxed--and he has, indeed, very much made himself at home! In fact, when we go to bed at night, Sammy curls up at the foot of our bed and drifts off instantly (he sleeps roughly tweny-two hours a day). By morning, however, Sammy has, without fail, slithered his way to the top of the bed and has wedged himself between us, like a little fuzzy layer of Sammy mayonnaise in a Robyn and Joel sandwich.

We're going to miss Sammy when he goes home this Sunday.

Happy Birthday, Travis!

2008-09-30T11:14:00.003+02:00

Are you ready for some football?

2008-09-29T09:54:00.004+02:00

Now that it is autumn, it is time for FOOTBALL! We don’t get much football here… American football, that is. We now have a Sunday ritual that helps us get our football fix: nearly every Sunday after we return from church and have lunch, we crawl into bed and watch the ESPN college football highlights on our computer (I usually fall asleep before the highlights are over, but isn’t that what you are supposed to do… fall asleep watching football?). Later in the evening our local Danish television channel airs two pro-football games.

And we often get to watch the Dallas Cowboys!!!

We love to watch, in part, because the Danish commentators are hilarious. And, because they have to “fill” all the time normally used for commercials, we get to see the commentators a lot.

And, just in case you were wondering, yes, they eat (and occasionally choke) on the popcorn!

As I watch the football game and realize I now understand a bit more of the commentators’ dialogue, I recall the joy I had when we discovered the football program last year – a little something to ease my homesick heart. But, now, a year later, I don’t feel joy as much as I feel comfort – our old friends are back. And, I don’t need them to remind me of what I am missing at home… they now remind me that I am home. Great to see you guys! Enjoy the popcorn.

Happy Autumn!

2008-09-25T14:09:00.005+02:00

Welcome to Autumn! We are a day or two late, but that’s okay. Tuesday morning I woke up knowing that this was going to be the last day this year that there would be more hours of daylight than darkness… the darkness is coming! Okay, so that may be a bit dramatic, but trust me, it gets dark here in the winter.

In the mean time, we are doing everything we can to enjoy autumn. The weather is cooler: you definitely need a jacket and maybe even a scarf and gloves. The leaves are turning and the color is beautiful. School is in full swing and there is an abundance of apples in the markets! And, speaking of markets, we are trying something new this autumn… we signed up to have produce delivered to our flat once a week.

And, this isn’t any old produce. This is produce from Aarstiderne (“seasons” in Danish), an all organic farm here in Denmark. Once a week they deliver a box of food to our door.

They have a lot of different types of “boxes” – we ordered the basic box. You can get the “adventurous box” that specializes in traditional Danish veggies, or boxes with fruit (from fair-trade and organic partner farmers in tropical locations), grain (from organic bakers), and meat (all hormone-free, free-range, etc.).

For now we will stick with the basic box, but we may add fruit this winter (we currently get local fruit from our market). I like this program for several reasons: First, we support a great organization that supplies organic produce to local communities and farms in environmentally friendly ways. Second, because we don’t pick what comes in the box each week, we are motivated to learn how to cook and try new veggies. This is what came in our box this week.

That is celery root in the back – very common and popular her in Denmark.

Finally, I love the idea that someone else has to carry the produce up our three flights of stairs!

So, regardless of what you are eating or how warm your weather,

Happy Autumn!

Let There Be Sun!

2008-08-31T19:34:00.009+02:00

Despite its well-deserved reputation as "the place where the sun goes to die" (as my brother-in-law aptly put it after visiting last December), Copenhagen does, indeed, enjoy a fair bit of sun (note the intentional ambiguity of "a fair bit"). And when it's sunny, Copenhagen is probably as beautiful a city as you'll find anywhere. Today was one of the those days. Here is proof that the sun does occasionally find its way to Copenhagen:

This last shot has nothing to do with the sun (but it does have to do with the moon. Heeey--o!!!).

This was an eye-catching cover in a children's bookstore we wandered by:

Perhaps it's a Danish take on one of these children's classics:

http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Poops-My-Body-Science/dp/192913214X/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220209628&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Gas-We-Pass-Story-Science/dp/1929132158/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220209816&sr=8-3

Back in CPH

2008-08-24T00:22:00.005+02:00

Two Birthdays

2008-08-16T22:10:00.005+02:00

Happy birthday, Mom (today) and Kelly (tomorrow)!

Robyn and Joel's 2008 Summer Tour Extravaganza: Phase 2

2008-08-14T03:58:00.015+02:00

After leaving London, our 2008 Summer Tour Extravaganza made its way to Carlsbad, CA. The first Big Event of our Carlsbad stop was my parents' 40th wedding anniversary celebration. It's not often one gets to celebrate 40 years of (mostly) blissful marriage! Family members flew in from various parts of the country to be part of the celebration. Needless to say, a great time was had by all. Then again, when you throw a bunch of boisterous and sarcastic people into a limo and then take these people on an extended wine-tasting expedition in Temecula, there's sure to be some fun. And fun there was. (Alright, enough with the Yoda-like sentence structures).

The pictures provide their own vivid narrative--much better than any reconstruction I can muster--so I'll simply direct your attention here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/MomAndDadAnniversaryCelebration

Our second Big Event in Carlsbad was another celebration. Robyn and I hosted a cookout at my parents' home in honor of several notable accomplishments, including our friend Matt's proposal to his lovely partner, Ashley, and our friend Garrett's graduation from Purdue with a PhD in organic chemistry.

The highlight of the gathering was a special VIP showing of our friend Courtney's short film, "Cute Couple". Honestly assessing a friend's art is always a dicey affair. Most of us have had friends who earnestly fancied themselves Serious Artists--but whose work, alas, was destined to be the "before" example in a "Ten Steps to Becoming a Better Artist" primer rather than hung on a wall in the Louvre. (I can be a bit snarky here since I include myself in this category, wisely having allowed my artistic pretensions to die a quiet and (somewhat) dignified death with a barely-completed art minor while an undergraduate at UC Davis). Courtney is the real deal, however. Her film has now won two Audience Choice awards at prestigious films festivals in Jackson Hole and Los Angeles, so it's not just her friends saying nice things about her. It will be exciting to see what happens next.

Speaking of visual treats, another highlight was our friend Matt suddenly removing his shirt for no apparent reason while playing Frisbee. Perhaps he simply wanted to remind us all just how lucky Ashley really is.

Mission accomplished, pal.

Pics (including Matt's yoga-toned torso) here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/CarlsbadVisitAugust

Robyn and Joel's 2008 Summer Tour Extravaganza: Phase 1

2008-08-11T16:13:00.015+02:00

We're a bit behind on our blogging. Sorry. Don't forget, dear readers: we're busy and important people who lead glamorous and exciting international lives. Sometimes we forget to put down the champagne bottle long enough to get caught up.

So, to get caught up:

Robyn and Joel's Summer Tour Extravaganza 2008 kicked off with a bang in London.

Robyn attended a conference; I tagged along, ever the dutiful husband, intending to roam the streets and explore the city. I did just that. And I enjoyed every minute of it. It was my first chance to really see London (aside from the parts of the airport and the bus terminal I passed through during two previous trips to Oxford). Naturally, I hit the big tourist spots: Big Ben, Parliament, London Bridge, Kew Garden, the Tate Museum of Modern Art, etc. Yes, they were all impressive. And yes, the Tube is face-meltingly hot in the summer (it was unseasonably warm during our visit). Soaking up body odors all and sundry while enjoying the luxuries of public transportation is part of "going local", I suppose. (I'm quite sure I made my own special contribution to this B.O. potpourri). But when I wasn't inhaling local fragrances, my favorite pastime was to simply duck into whichever pub I happened to be strolling by at that moment and grab myself a pint and some grease-laden pub grub. Robyn and I are great fans of Pub Culture. I could eat nothing but fish 'n chips and Shepherd's Pie and die a happy (and probably young) man.

Special thanks goes to our friend Rachel, who graciously allowed us to stay with her in her lovely townhouse during our visit. In addition to the pleasure of her company, this arrangement provided us with a comfortable launching pad from whence we could enact our London adventures.

Pictures here, for the interested:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/LondonTripJuly

A Birthday in London

2008-07-22T23:43:00.004+02:00

Happy (day after your) birthday, Robyn!

Here are some paparazzi pics of the birthday girl in London, yesterday and today:

Small Victories

2008-07-20T21:33:00.005+02:00

This is a picture of luggage.

Why am I posting a boring picture of beaten-up luggage? Because this is no ordinary luggage. No, this luggage is, uncharacteristically, packed and ready to go one full day before it begins its trek to London, California, and Texas. Normally this luggage is empty right now; it waits expectantly for the harried piles of things its owners cram into it before rushing out the door to make their flight. However, for once this luggage is packed and closed more than seventeen hours ahead of its departure time.

It is a special day, indeed. Way to go, luggage!

Amsterdam

2008-07-16T22:39:00.004+02:00

Well, after another night of jazz in Copenhagen, we headed to Amsterdam for 6 days (this is us on the plane, and way too close!).

We were in town so I could attend the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) annual conference. The conference was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet other organizational scholars and receive great feedback on my research project. The conference was 3 days, which left us a bit of time to explore the city...

And, explore the city we did! We love Amsterdam. The city is beautiful, even in the rain and cloudy sky. The architecture makes you feel like you are stepping back in time.We hit most of the tourist spots including Anne Frank's House and Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. Both were very impressive, but for different reasons.

As you can expect, the Anne Frank Museum is very moving. I spent a lot of time in the house, reading the excerpts from her diary, and just trying to imagine the range of emotions she felt while hiding. At the end of the exhibits and the house tour is another exhibit on human rights and freedom. It was very sobering to discover that the very horror Anne Frank and her family experienced continue in contemporary times. While I may have left the Anne Frank House and Museum, it has not left me, and perhaps, that is a good thing. This is a must see for everyone who travels to Amsterdam.

Another must-see is the Van Gogh museum. It was a well-designed exhibit, which told a wonderful narrative of not only his art but his life.

The museum was crowded, but still doable and very enjoyable. Like the Anne Frank House, you feel like you are taking a step back into history while looking at his art, but in a very different way. Again, worth fighting the crowds for a look.Perhaps our favorite part of our trip was just walking around the small side-streets and crossing the canal bridges. Amsterdam is a great walking city.

Here are just a few (trust me, there are lots more if you are interested!) pictures from our trip http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/AmsterdamTripJuly . Enjoy!

A (small) taste of jazz

2008-07-08T23:08:00.006+02:00

Copenhagen is currently in the grip of its world famous jazz festival: http://www.jazzfestival.dk/Start.aspx. Since we missed it last year--we'd just arrived in Denmark and were a bit tired and disoriented--we decided that it was time to get a taste of jazz, Danish-style. During the week of the festival, the city is literally bursting with jazz: from tiny backstreet pubs all the way up to well-known performers playing in the city's glamorous opera house, the air is thick with saxophone and shuffling rhythms.

After work on Friday we made our way to the city center to meet up with Dorothee, one of my colleagues at the Center. The plan was to grab some pizza and beer, sit in the sun in Kongens Have (Copenhagen's oldest park, right in the middle of downtown) and soak up some free jazz. The first two parts of our plan were actualized; the last part, not so much. It turns out that the free outdoor concert series we were expecting to find in Kongens Have didn't kick off until Saturday morning.

So a bit later, swollen with pizza and Carlsberg, we decided to wander around and enjoy the lovely weather and late sunlight. Eventually we did happen upon an outdoor concert not too far away, down near the water in Nyhavn ("New Harbor")--which lasted all of half a song. Or rather, the concert likely consisted of more than half a song but that's all we caught before it ended. At least it was an improvement over last year. And I managed to get a picture of both the band (including some barely conscious drunken reveler leaning on the stage, rockin' his straight from the '80's denim) and the audience. It really looks like were right in the thick of things, enjoying the jazz fest in all its improvisational glory. Oh, well. At least we tried.

Though we didn't hear much jazz, we did later get to see a guy juggling fire whilst teetering around on an extra-tall unicycle. Here are some shots of the evening: http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/FridayNightWDorotheeJuly

An extra year in Copenhagen

2008-07-01T20:54:00.005+02:00

Today I officially resigned my position at the Center for Subjectivity Research. As of this moment, I am no longer funded by the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF).

But never fear, fans and true believers: I'm not going anywhere. For the next year, I will be funded by the DISCOS European research network: http://discos.schattauer.de/. I will then resume my DNRF fellowship next July, which will extend to July 2010. In other words, Robyn and I are extending our time in Denmark by (at least) one more year. This is possible because another postdoc at the Center accepted a prestigious full-time position in France and will be leaving soon. I am taking over the remaining year of her DISCOS fellowship, which entails my (temporarily) resigning my DNRF fellowship.

Practically speaking, nothing will really change other than the source of my funding. I will remain at the Center and continue doing what I do (and no, I still can't say precisely what that is, so don't ask). I will travel a bit more throughout Europe, participating in various DISCOS events. Robyn will remain at CBS, much to their delight. We will continue to be baffled by the Danish language and certain esoteric Danish cultural practices, as well as their insatiable enthusiasm for pickled herring. But most importantly, we get to stay in Copenhagen for a while longer. And that makes us very happy.

Those of you who've yet to come visit now have no excuse (Travis and Kelly, we're looking at you).

Honeymoon... Homesickness...Home.

2008-06-29T21:48:00.003+02:00

Today marks one year in Copenhagen… a whole year! We can hardly believe it. We’ve survived all the stages of culture shock… honeymoon, homesickness, and now we feel at home. Many thanks to all of you who helped us move, settle-in, and flourish here in Copenhagen. While there are still struggles living in a country whose language continues to be a mystery to us, we are home. It is good to be home. Here’s to one year… and many more.

BBQ American Style!

2008-06-22T20:56:00.005+02:00

I always find it interesting to discover what Danes think of American culture. They are inundated with American media, but not much of our food. Of course, you could argue that much of our food is actually stolen from other cultures.

So, what is American food? Well, according to a gourmet food shop in the basement of Magasin Dept. Store, American food includes Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, marshmallows, Budweiser beer, Bac’n Pieces, and smoked almonds.

Of course Americans are famous for our BBQs. And, all good BBQs require French’s mustard, Heinz Ketchup, hotdogs and ribs.

Best of all, Americans are famous for the cream of mushroom soup. Yep, I bought two cans.

How else do you cook casseroles? Bon appetite … or as we say in the States… dig in!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T19:08:00.003+02:00

Godspeed and Farewell

2008-06-13T09:33:00.006+02:00

One of the hardest parts of being an expat family is saying good-bye to other expat families when they move on to other locations.

Monday we said "see you later" (I hate good-byes... ) to our good friends, the Tilley Family, Rebekah, Michael, John, and James.

Thank you for your wonderful, blessed friendship. God bless you as you begin your new life in Kentucky. We will miss you!

This picture was taken on the Tilley's last Sunday at our church, ICC. Rebekah is holding baby James and Michael is holding (hiding behind!) big brother John.

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen...

2008-06-08T23:11:00.004+02:00

After a long, dark, winter, we experienced the sunniest May on record! Yep, it's official. This was the sunniest May since they began keeping records in 1920. And, June has been perfect so far!

I wish I could describe how beautiful Copenhagen is when the sun is shinning. The sky is a color of blue that seems impossible to be real. The green of the trees makes the most beautiful contrast against the nearly cloudless, blue sky. The sun is so strong you can actually feel it on your skin... like a warm bath. And, in fact, you have to be careful or you will get a sunburn just walking around town!

Copenhagen is full of flowers -- everywhere you turn -- bursting with brilliant color.

And, the best part is that we have over 18 hours of sunlight each day. It is 23:27 and the sky is a deep, dark blue, and the sunset is still clearly visible.

Copenhageners make the most of every minute of sunlight. Cafes put tables out on the sidewalk, parks and gardens are filled with sunbathers (in all kind of attire!), and everyone is out enjoying the city. And, people are even smiling at each other! Shocking!

May is clearly our reward for surviving the dark winter -- and a glorious reward it is! Enjoy a few pics from around town!

To the left is a picture of sunset off our balcony. The picture below is from the cemetery where Kierkegaard is buried.

This tulip is in Charlottenlund Have. The Oresund Sound is at the end of the grass... look deep into the picture!

From Frederiksberg Have.

Another view from Frederiksberg Have.

The beach at Oresund Sound.

Another view of Kierkegaard Assistens.

Frederiksberg Have.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-06-02T21:31:00.010+02:00

Happy birthday, Dad!

As I write this post, my father is still winging his way back to California (he ought to be in Washington Dulles International Airport by now, waiting for his flight home to San Diego).

Last weekend, I took the beautiful train ride up to visit him in Ljungby, Sweden, where he was teaching. I was able to visit the seminary where he shapes the pliable young minds of starry-eyed preachers-in-training, meet a few of these starry-eyed lads, and tour the surrounding town. Here are some pictures from my visit:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/LjungbyVisitMay

Dad returned to Copenhagen on Friday, enabling us to spend a few extra days with him before his departure this morning. We had a great time. The weather was perfect, truly as good as it gets in Copenhagen. On Sunday after church, we enjoyed a celebratory birthday brunch down near the walking street of Strøget, the longest pedestrian street in the world. After a lengthy, leisurely stroll in the sunshine back to our flat--and a well-earned nap--we then made our way to Frederiksberg Have, one of the largest and loveliest parks in Copenhagen.

Here are some more pictures from my father's visit:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/DadBirthdayPictures

Have a great birthday, Dad!

Silas in CPH

2008-05-25T20:29:00.009+02:00

My father arrived in Copenhagen early in the morning on Wednesday, May 14. He stayed with us for several days before heading over to Ljungby, Sweden, where he's now teaching seminary students from the Lutheran Confessional Church of Sweden and Norway.

We made the most of my father's brief stop in Denmark. We've said before that Copenhagen is truly a wonderful walking city. We enjoyed a number of leisurely strolls through our neighborhood, now green and lush after a long winter's hibernation, as well as through some of our favorite spots down near the city center. It's been amazing to see the city literally "reborn" throughout this spring season. We also savored several Danish-style homecooked meals, skillfully prepared by Robyn (I supplied the beer, thankyouverymuch). We've made some wonderful friends during our time here; two days after my father's arrival, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with several of them: our gracious hosts, Michael and Rebekah (as well as their young boys, "Big" John and "Bigger-by-the-day" James), as well as our other American friends, Adam and Melanie.

Earlier in the day, Rebekah and Adam joined the three of us for a tour of the Carlsberg ("Probably the best beer in town") Brewery (http://www.visitcarlsberg.dk/default2.html). The tour itself is (relatively) interesting. But the real point of feigning interest in rooms full of half-rusted brewing machinery from the last century is to get to the "prize" at the end of the tour: a sleek, well-lit bar where one can sample different beers from Carlsberg's extensive selection of brews. And sample we did.

Here are some pictures from my father's visit:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/DadVisitMay

Staying connected through laundry

2008-05-18T14:21:00.002+02:00

I remember buying my first washer and dryer. Joel and I were just married and we used our “wedding money” to purchase our modest but elegant Kenmore washer and dryer. I was so proud. And, when our house in Carbondale flooded during a terrible storm, it was my washer and dryer that I guarded with layers and layers of towels. I wasn’t going to give up my washer and dryer without a fight.

Our little flat here in Copenhagen is not big enough for a washer and dryer. We use the laundry mat around the corner. It is quite nice and very convenient, but I do miss my washer. Wait, what did I just say? Just my washer? Yep… just my washer. I don’t use dryers anymore!

Actually, many people in Copenhagen don't use dryers. Almost every home has a rather large and elaborate drying rack and there are often clotheslines behind apartment buildings. So, winter, spring, summer and fall, we dry out clothes the old-fashioned way… by hanging them up. And, to my surprise, I love it. Sure, it is better for the environment (a lot better, actually, check the energy use on your home dryer – scary!), and easier on your clothes, but I like hanging my clothes outside because it reminds me of the women in my family. I have only a few very fuzzy memories of family-related laundry events, but I sort-of remember the clothesline outside our first house in Indiana… and a long line of white diapers hanging on it. And, I know that my great-grandmothers and grandmother had to hang their laundry outside to dry… and no, it was never glamorous or fun. In fact, it is a bit ironic: my great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mother (and the men in my family too) worked very hard so I could one day not have to hang my laundry outside. But, now I have the choice. I can use the dryers (and before I sound too self-righteous, I have to admit I do use them from time to time) or hang our clothes outside. I am happy to choose to dry my clothes outside or on our rack. And, for the few moments I am alone hanging the laundry, I enjoy imagining all the women (and men) before me who took the time to hang laundry and I feel connected. A lot changes from generation to generation… but is nice to know some things stay the same. Things like laundry.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T19:05:00.008+02:00

A Very Special Mothers' Day Wish to our very special mothers! We love you!

Consciousness in Tucson and Vilnius

2008-05-11T18:16:00.003+02:00

Not much blogging of late. It's been a busy month: traveling and conferences, increased activity at work, a number of church-related functions...and spending as much time as possible outside, savoring the uncharacteristically warm and sunny weather. The past two weeks in particular have shown Copenhagen at its finest; even the locals concede that it's been unusually lovely. More on that in a future post, however.

Last month I traveled to Tucson, AZ, for the "Towards a Science of Consciousness" conference held biannually at the University of Arizona. It's a massive, colorful "all things related to consciousness" conference that I always look forward to very much. There aren't many conferences where you can begin the morning by listening to a talk on two-dimensionalism and the knowledge argument, hop on over to an adjacent session to hear a discussion of autism and social cognition, and then bounce over to yet another session to catch up with the latest research in transpersonal phenomenological parameters of human sexual experience (those are all bits of real titles, by the way). Fun stuff all around. And this year's conference didn't disappoint. I gave a talk on empathy and moral perception--which is rather a pedestrian topic, alas, in constrast to transpersonal phenomenology and sexual experience. Perhaps next time I will include some saucy power point images in my talk to spice things up a bit.

While I enjoyed the academic portion of my trip very much, seeing family was the real highlight. My parents, along with Travis and Kelly, came over from California to stay in Tucson during my visit. We all stayed at my grandmother's house. It was a great visit. We had the chance to spend lots of early-morning time simply sitting around in our pajamas, sippping coffee and chatting about all sorts of things. Due to my skipping across multiple time zones, I enjoyed the unaccustomed luxury of starting my day at 5:30AM with my grandmother! I've posted some pictures from the visit at this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/TucsonTripApril2008

A few weeks later, I traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, to attend the meeting of the "Nordic Society for Phenomenology". I gave a paper on music perception. This conference, too, was very enjoyable. I wasn't able to see as much of Vilnius as I would have liked, but I've posted some pictures from the trip here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoelWKrueger/LithuaniaTripApril2008

Be sure to look closely at the picture of the toilet!

Much Music

2008-04-18T12:11:00.003+02:00

One of our favorite things about living in Copenhagen is the abundance of live music. Last night, Robyn and I attended a concert by the renowned jazz singer Dianne Reeves (some of you may know her from the George Clooney film Goodnight & Good Luck). It was an outstanding show. John Cage once said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture--I'm inclined to agree--so rather than string together a series of superlatives, I'll simply encourage you to see her perform if you have the opportunity. I'm not a huge jazz fan normally, but it was one of the better shows I've seen.

Over the past couple of months, we've seen other great performances spanning multiple genres: from quirky Swedish indie pop (Jens Lekman), opera (Faust), and relentlessly perky Danish dance-pop (Alphabeat), to experimental electronica/classical music fusion (Murcof). There are even more genres on our upcoming musical calendar: instrumental drone rock (Explosions in the Sky), ragged neo-psych (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), American neo-folk revival (Iron and Wine), and brooding indie art-rock (The National). The Copenhagen Jazz Festival this July will offer even more options. And who knows? We may even brave the mud and crowds to attend the legendary Roskilde Festival this summer.

Copenhagen is a great city for a music lover.

Happy Birthday Papa!

2008-04-17T13:19:00.003+02:00

Wow... 80 wonderful years!

Happy Birthday Papa! We love you!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

2008-04-15T18:36:00.005+02:00

Okay... well, we are going to pretend that today is yesterday... April 14th... that way we can wish my dad a

VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

This is me and Dad enjoying a bit of Copenhagen's finest herring and schnapps! Yum!

He Lives!

2008-04-12T10:53:00.005+02:00

He lives indeed!

Okay, well, I realize Easter was several weeks ago, but I am just now finding the time to blog. March was a busy month!

Holy Week and Easter was a wonderful time, in part because my parents were in town (see previous post). It was great to have them visit. I feel bad because my poor mother froze the entire time – we had a cold snap (it snowed 5 of the 9 days there were in town)

and she literally had to wear two pair of pants to keep warm while sightseeing! I loved having my parents around: it allowed me to slink back to that peaceful place of childhood… you know… you don’t have to be the one responsible for everything (doing the dishes, making sure the door is locked at night…). This is me and Mom cooking in our PJs!

And, yet, I was very proud to take them to our church, my office,

and show them were we shop. In other words, show them how “adult” I can be… when I have to be. It was great to sightsee with them and then to just hang out in the evening. It was especially good to see my father so relaxed… it’s a new picture of him that I am still getting used to but one that I love.

We had a wonderful time celebrating Easter with my parents and two families from church. My mom made our traditional (and favorite) Easter food (the ham and ambrosia were my favorite). Rebekah made her famous mashed potatoes and yeast rolls and Melanie brought fabulous green beans and the most beautiful white tulips I’d ever seen!

Here are a few pictures from Easter... in our pretty Easter clothes!

No, Joel and I don't always color coordinate... good minds just think alike :)

Me, Rebekah, Mom, and Melanie at Easter Lunch.

Enjoying Easter Lunch.

My parents left early Easter Monday morning and insisted that we not take them to the airport… which I think they now regret. I later found out that the bus to take them to the metro was off schedule. They decided to walk to the metro stop (while dragging their luggage!), and while walking, their bus passed them! Oh well. They made it home. It was sad to see them go… it is always hard when our guests leave. It is a reminder of how far we are. Most of the time I don’t really feel it; email and our internet phone keep us connected. But, I am feeling homesick and seeing my parents intensified those feelings. I guess I would rather feel sad when they left. It is a nice reminder of how special my parents are to me. Here are a few more pictures to enjoy!

Sightseeing in Nyhavn.

Mom in front of the Marble Church.

Dad's favorite Danish food... apparently the hotdogs are preferred over the herring...

This is a picture of Mom in front of the Gringo's Mexican restaurant in Roskilde, Denmark!

Mom and the Little Mermaid... and yes, she is that little!

Sightseeing in the Latin Quarter.

Walking in the snow in Roskilde. It always snowed...

Remkes, Round II

2008-03-17T22:20:00.011+01:00

We have company again!

Ron and Kathy Remke arrived last Friday morning and will be with us until early next week. I'm sure we'll post more details of their visit in the near future. For now, I'll simply put up some pictures of what we've been up to so far, as well as a short video taken earlier tonight.

Oh, Happy Danes!

2008-02-18T20:12:00.003+01:00

The following short clip (sent to us by an American pal) is interesting, if for no other reason than the fleeting reference to the happy Danes at the end—including a shot of the ice skating rink at City Center in Copenhagen. Several of you have now had your picture taken next to this rink (or garden, for those of you who visited in the warmer months). Ron probably remembers it as that large circle of ice next to the tiny little stand where he was able to buy several of the bestest, most awesomest hotdogs in the history of the whole world:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/251.7/popup/index.php?cl=6462881

Robyn and I can attest that we are now happier people having lived in Denmark. Of course, we’ve developed eating disorders and various body-image pathologies trying to fit in with these ultra-thin, ultra-fashionable, ultra-hip Danes. But we’re happier. Just hungrier.

Little touches of home

2008-02-11T21:54:00.000+01:00

So, did you vote?

While I am sure most of you in the States are a bit sick of the election, it is hot news over here. Everyone is following the election -- even my students. They are really interested in the results. The crazy thing is that the Danes know a lot about the election process in the States. My students, for example, understand the difference between a primary and a caucus. Clinton and Obama are the clear favorites (at least with the press and the Danes we know). They really like Clinton because of her husband. But, my students are facinated with Obama's "star" quality. What I find surprising is the degree to which most Danes truly hate president Bush. In fact, I had one colleague tell me that most Europeans don't hold American's responsible for our government's actions, but that she lost a lot of respect for American's when we re-elected president Bush.

It has been interesting to watch the election via international news media. It is a nice reminder that we are not the only country in the world, although we have a large impact on many countries.

On another note, American football is not widely supported here in Copenhagen, although interest is growing. As we mentioned in an earlier blog, a cable television station shows Sunday Night football (with Danish commentary). The Superbowl was a big-ish deal here (several bars stayed open all night to show the full game). And, they even showed the Pro-bowl. The best part about the televised games is the commentary. There are about 5 different Danish guys who provide commentary for the game. Because there are no commercials on the cable channel, the commentators have to "fill" all the commercial time in the US feed. We obviously can't follow the commentary, but it is hilarious to watch. Even the set is funny. They really go out of their way to make their set authentic. They even ate Thanksgiving Dinner (with lots of wine) when they aired the Cowboy's Thanksgiving Day game. To fully appreicate their efforts, I took a few pictures of their Pro-Bowl set. Enjoy!

Nice pineapples and Hawaiian shirts!

Check out this guy's sunglasses... trust me... you don't need them in the winter in Copenhagen!

Just another day?

2008-01-31T09:21:00.000+01:00

No way!

Happy Birthday Joel!!!

Copenhagen is Celebrating

2008-01-28T20:53:00.000+01:00

Well, you all in the States may not know this, but Copenhagen is celebrating today... in usual Danish style. The Danish men's Handball Team won the world championship last night. In case you don't know, handball is a strange mixture of basketball, hockey, and soccer. It is a crazy game -- very face-paced and brutal. It so fun to watch on TV. This is the first time the men's team has won a championship (the women won a few years ago).

So, how does Denmark celebrate? Well, it starts at the airport (and I know this because I am home with the flu and turned on the TV earlier today). All the Danish television channels showed the plane containing the Danish Men's Handball Team landing and then surrounded by grounds crew waiving Danish flags. The airport was packed with fans and then the team went to the town square (Radhuspladsen) where they were met by thousands of fans. The team members were greeted by the Crown Prince and then treated to a huge fireworks display.

The city is alive with celebration and we are excited to be part of it... even if we don't really "get" handball.

Rochelle and Ronnie

2008-01-23T23:22:00.000+01:00

It's been a long time since I blogged and a lot has happened... including a visit from my sister and brother! They flew out just after Christmas and stayed through New Years. We had a lot of fun exploring Copenhagen and southern Sweden, which is why I didn't have time to blog! Here are a few pictures and you can check out more at my brother's website. You should also check out our New Year's video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btdxlOdVrAQ. You won't believe it.

We were very busy during my siblings' visit...

We managed to see most of the historic sites, including Nyhavn.

Ronnie really like trying the local food...

Several times...
We opened Christmas presents... I love my new blanket/body wrap!

And explored the city...

As if losing isn't bad enough...

2008-01-14T21:30:00.000+01:00

it's even worse when you have to stay up until 2am! Joel and our good friend Michael stayed up until 2 am to watch (and listen in Danish!) the Dallas Cowboys play... and lose in the NFL playoffs! At least they looked good while they watched!

Happy Birthday!

2008-01-10T23:38:00.001+01:00

Happy Birthday Grandma Ginny!

Danish Christmas Delights

2007-12-26T13:23:00.000+01:00

Well, today is the day after Christmas. I hope everyone had a joy filled holiday! The day after Christmas is a holiday in Denmark, so I thought I would take this opportunity to educate you on a few Danish holiday traditions.

As I already mentioned, Christmas is a HUGE deal here in Denmark. However, Santa is not a big part of the celebration. Instead, you will see lots of Nisser decorating store-front windows and Christmas displays. Nisser are Scandinavian relatives of the pixie, the gnome, the elf and the imp and wear grey trousers (or grey skirt for Mrs. Nisse), wooden shoes and a long pointed red cap.

Advent is celebrated here in Denmark – you see advent wreathes everywhere. Children keep highly decorated advent calendars. They open the windows of their advent calendars to find a small gift, a piece of chocolate or perhaps an inexpensive toy.

Another important part of Danish Christmas Celebration is the Christmas brew. Danish breweries add to the spirit of Christmas by creating their own specially brewed Julebryg, or 'Christmas Brew'. Not to be outdone, Aalborg Akvavit comes out with a limited edition of 'Christmas snaps' . And, in case beer and snaps isn’t your thing, there is Gløgg, a potent variant of mulled red wine, served steaming hot and heavily spiced with raisins, almonds, cinnamon sticks and cloves steeped in pure aquavit or snaps.

Drink is an important part of the Danish Christmas celebration, but food is too. It is no surprise that sweets are a big part of it. Here are a few of my favorites:
Klejner, (flour, butter, egg and lemon cut into elongated rectangles, knotted in special way it's impossible to describe, and finally deep fried), brune kager (gingerbread dough sliced thinly, flattened and sprinkled with finely chopped nuts) and pebbernødder (small round cookies made of dough spiced with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and baked hard). Add to these, marzipan animals, fruit and nisser and the traditional accompaniment to gløgg: Æbleskiver, which are a special kind of doughnut usually served with a dusting of icing sugar and a heavy dollop of blackcurrant jam. Duck and goose are the preferred meats for Christmas Eve dinner and red cabbage is the appropriate side dish.

Here are a few recipes I found to make these wonderful Danish delights!
Ris à l'amande
4 oz (120 g) Patna rice
1 1/4 pints (3/4 l) water
½ vanilla pod
½-3/4 pint (3-4 dl) whipping cream
3-3½ oz (75-100 g) finely chopped almonds
2 tablesp. sugarcanned or bottled cherries
Cook the rice in the water until tender, together with the vanilla pod and sugar. Stir in half the cream and the chopped almonds. Whip the rest of the cream and fold into the mixture. Serve cold with slightly heated preserved cherries.
It is a Danish custom to hide a whole almond in the rice. The lucky person who finds the almond receives a small prize.

Æbleskiver - Danish Doughnuts
1/4-½ pint (2½ dl) cream
½ lb (250 g) flour
4 eggs
3-4 tablesp. stout
1 tablesp. sugar
6 oz (175 g) butter
1 teasp. lemon juice
½ teasp. cardamom
Beat the cream and flour together and beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Stir in the stout, sugar and cooled, melted butter. Flavor with lemon juice and stir in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Allow to stand for a while. Place a little butter in the hollows of a doughnut pan (the butter is necessary for the first batch only), and fry the doughnuts, turning on all sides until brown. Serve hot, sprinkled with icing sugar and raspberry or strawberry jam.

Brune kager - Brown Cookies
It is recommended to make the dough a couple of days before the actual baking.
1 lb (450 g) syrup
9 oz (250 g) butter
9 oz (250 g) brown sugar
1 oz bitter orange peel
1 tablesp. cinnamon
1 tablesp. ground cloves
½ teasp. cardamom
1 teasp. baking powder
2 tablesp. rosewater
2 lb (1 kg) flour
Almonds
Warm the syrup in a saucepan, add the butter, orange peel, spices and sugar. Stir in the baking powder, dissolved in the rosewater. Gradually add the flour, kneading thoroughly after each addition. Turn into a bowl, cover with a cloth and keep cold.
Before baking, roll out thinly and cut into rounds. Place well apart on a greased baking-sheet, brush with water and decorate with sliced almonds. Bake for 8-10 min. at 400o F (200o C).

Pebernødder - Peppernuts
1 cup butter
1-1/3 scant cups sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tablesp. soda
1 tablesp. ginger
1/2 tablesp. anise extract
1/4 tablesp. nutmeg
1/2 tablesp. salt
1/2 tablesp. cinnamon
½ cup sorghum
½ tablesp. vanilla
Work all ingredients together and roll in tiny balls about the size of a nickel. Put on cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes at 300o F. Quantity depends on size of the nuts.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T21:17:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas from both of us!

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

2007-12-22T11:19:00.000+01:00

Well, here is the good news… the worst is behind us. With Winter Solstice behind me now, the days are getting longer… YEA! Today, the sunrise was officially at 8:37am and sunset will happen at 3:39. By Christmas we will have another full minute of daylight! It may seem slow, but just knowing that we are now finally moving in a positive direction can really help improve one’s outlook!

Now, the bad news: Well, it was bound to happen. I was hit by a car while riding home from work. I was riding through an intersection (I had the green light) and a car hit me while turning right. I am fine – I was riding slowly and managed to fall away from the car (which drove right past me and never even stopped!). I was a bit shaken but managed to ride the rest of the way home. I was especially upset because a mother and her two-year old (who was riding on her bike behind her) was recently hit by a car turning right about two blocks from where I work. Sadly, the mother was killed and the child is in critical condition.

I am trying to think of ways to make myself move visible while riding – I have a large light on the front and back of my bike, but my coat, helmet, and helmet are black (not ideal for riding in the dark). I may look for some clip-on lights to put on my backpack and street-side arm. We’ll see. I still have to look good while I ride, although, it is hard to look cool while picking yourself and your groceries up from the middle of the road, regardless of how stylish you are dressed!

Our New Dog

2007-12-17T20:39:00.000+01:00

As is well known, Robyn continues to lament the fact that we had to leave Bodhi and Lola behind with her parents in Austin. At least once a day--generally in the evening, when she's curled up on the couch watching television--Robyn will suddenly blurt out, "I MISS MY DOGGIES!" Well, she now has a new canine friend. A package full of presents just arrived from my parents. While all of the gifts were gorgeously wrapped and are now resting under our tiny tree...

...one little present accompanying the others made the journey "naked". Here is Robyn and her new pal, Cinnamon:

Grandma Ginny said it best!

2007-12-16T20:14:00.000+01:00

Except for two years of my life, I never lived in the same state as my grandparents – or the rest of my extended family, for that matter. Incredibly, I am very close to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. in part, no doubt, to my family’s heroic efforts to keep us together. I grew up “summering” in Florida where I would play with my cousins at the beach and in their pools. My extended family would also caravan to wherever we lived each summer… and fill our home with bodies, laughter, and fun. My grandparents even travel internationally to see me – both England and Denmark! Borders mean nothing to this family!

That said, we did miss a few major events. I wasn’t able to attend my great-grandparents' funerals and there were lots of missed birthday parties and Easter Egg Hunts. As sad as we were to miss these events, my grandmother always said that what’s important is that we want to be together… even if we can’t be. And she is right. Just knowing that we all want to be together is sometimes enough to make not being together tolerable.

I am sharing this with you because we decided to not return home for Christmas. This is a big deal for us. Even after we married, we managed to construct a cross-country Christmas tour to make sure we had quality time with each side of our families. We decided to stay in Copenhagen, in part, because it was very expensive to return home. And, we also wanted to experience a “Danish” Christmas, especially because the Danes do Christmas BIG TIME (example: my office “Christmas Lunch” was 10 hours long – see previous post).

While I am sad we aren’t going home, I’ve decided to make the most of it and have a “Danish” Christmas. The Danes really embrace tradition and Christmas is really important. So… we are doing Christmas in Copenhagen this year, and we are going to love it. Stay tuned for lots of pictures and info on traditions, recipes, and our report on our Christmas goose. Yes, goose. Christmas Eve dinner just wouldn’t be proper without a goose… and I’m gonna try it (don’t worry, I am also cooking a ham in case the goose decides to not to cooperate!).

Here are some pictures we took around Copenhagen on our way home from church. The pictures fail to capture the true sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas in Copenhagen, but they will give you a hint of the excitement that fills the air!

God Jule!

Street decorations on Stroget. The Danes use hearts for Christmas decorations.

The sidewalks are crowded with flower vendors selling Christmas flowers -- tulips are just in!

The Royal Copenhagen and George Jensen stores on Stroget were beautifully decorated inside and out!

No one can escape the decorating in Copenhagen!

Many of the parks in the city are transformed into ice skating rinks in the winter. This is Kongen's Nytorv (King's Square). Rochelle and Ronnie... guess what we are doing when you visit!

The Christmas Market at Nyhavn.

Joel on the bridge behind the Nyhavn Christmas Market. Notice the lights on the back of the stalls!

Julefrokost

2007-12-16T17:36:00.000+01:00

In early November I began to hear rumors and mumblings at work about this year's Julefrokost. Julefrokost is the office Christmas party, or Christmas Lunch and it is a big deal! First, it is important to understand, Christmas Lunches are NOT lunches. My Lunch began at 2pm and went until midnight! And, many of my colleagues went out to bars after that! The public transportation runs all night, so everyone knows they can stay out all night. In fact, the metro (subway) has cards you can stick to your coat with your stop on it in case you fall asleep/pass out -- the conductors will wake you up when you arrive at your stop! The Christmas lunches are also controversial because wives and husbands are not invited -- the night of the Christmas Lunch is called the Night of Affairs!

I arrived at my campus canteen at 2 and was handed a glass of champagne. The hall was BEAUTIFULLY decorated with lots of Christmas candles and decorations. The Danes do love their candles! After welcoming speeches, a choir performance (don't know where they are from... everything was in Danish), and a"comedy routine" (don't know if it was funny... everything was in Danish!) we finally sat down and had our lunch. Lunch began with several types of herring and rye bread (several of which were actually pretty good... and by this point I was very hungry!). Then we had a buffet of traditional Christmas Lunch foods including country style liver pate with crispy bacon, comfit of duck, roast pork, cabbage, selection of cheeses and a special Christmas rice pudding called ris à l’amande, all lubricated with Christmas beer and snaps. The meal lasted several hours and we were entertained with another comedy routine and a very good jazz band. Once everyone was full and drunk, the dancing began. Now, remember, these are only work colleagues. I figured I would avoid most of the dancing... just a bit too much for me. But, I was wrong. Everyone dances. And, I did. I danced for several hours until they brought out another live rock band and hot snacks for us to eat (which was good because I was hungry again!). I finally biked home around midnight (I left a bit early).

It was a nice time... and a great cultural experience. I have really friendly colleagues and most workers in Denmark make collegiality a priority (lunches together etc.). I wish I had pictures to share with you, but there was a clearly understood but unspoken rule at the Christmas Lunch... what happens at the lunch stays at the lunch!

Getting ready for Christmas

2007-12-14T11:08:00.000+01:00

I my last post I mentioned that we had been busy in the past few weeks... so I thought I would briefly share with you a pictures of what we've been up to:

These are a few pictures of us preparing for our first dinner party. We had two couples from church over for dinner. Nothing fancy, but it was very nice to just relax and chat. And, I was pleased that we all fit in our flat -- and quite comfortably!

Here are a few pictures of our friend Rebekah and her son John. They came to our house to make Christmas cookies. John really liked our computer and decided to help Joel with a his work!

Darn Dark

2007-12-10T23:53:00.000+01:00

Well, I took my bike in for its 2 month “tune-up.” I pick it up tomorrow morning. I miss it already. I can’t tell you how much I love to ride – even in all kinds of weather. Believe it or not, wind is the biggest challenge. I can handle rain, sleet, and even snow (although, I would wear a pair of goggles to keep the water out of my eyes except for the fact that I would look totally ridiculous). But, the wind is my biggest foe. A good strong gust can stop me dead in my tracks! I can’t wait for it to get a bit warmer… who knows… maybe I will bike across Denmark!

It’s been a while since I last blogged. It’s not that we’ve been bored… we’ve been very busy with work and social events. But, I do feel a winter melancholy settling in. I am normally very chipper around the end of the semester and Christmas, but I just can’t shake the feeling of melancholy. I have to attribute this feeling to the darkness. I can’t explain how dark it is here. The sun rises in the morning around 8:30-9 and then starts to set around 2:30-3. The worst part is that it is cloudy/rainy most days, which means it feels like the sun never really rises. My Danish colleagues tell me I should just like candles in my flat. I am all for candles, but seriously… how many candles can a girl light before her whole flat catches fire! And, candles are pretty, but they don’t replace the sun!

I remember when Joel and I first arrived in Copenhagen and we would walk at 10:00 at night. The street lights would just start to flicker on. We wondered what it would be like in December. Now we know… it is darn dark!

Robyn Rides Her Bike

2007-11-26T20:55:00.000+01:00

This is Robyn:

This is Robyn and her new bike:

Robyn likes her new bike! It is black and shiny, and has a bell that goes "Ring! Ring!". Robyn's bike also has a big basket in the front. Robyn puts lots of things in her basket. She rides her bike almost everywhere she goes. When she rides her bike, Robyn sits up very high, like a princess in her carriage.

Here is the store where Robyn bought her bike:

One day, Robyn went down to this store to look at bikes. A little later, Robyn gave a nice man some money. Then, the nice man let her ride away on her new black bike. It was a very exciting day!

Here is Robyn riding her bike. Look at her ride around the big truck!

Ride, Robyn, ride!

Do you like to ride your bike? Robyn sure does!

Ride, Robyn, ride!

Snow!

2007-11-11T17:26:00.000+01:00

A few moments ago, Robyn was sitting on the couch, idly surfing the 'net and gazing at pictures of baby shiba inus--this is her favorite Sunday (and Monday, and Tuesday, etc.) evening pastime--when all of a sudden she let out a shriek. I assumed that she'd found yet another "Cutest Baby Shiba Inu EVAH!!!" picture that I had to come see. Rather than pointing at the computer screen, however, she was pointing out our window, mouth agape. Here's a short video of what we saw:

Snow! It's continuing to fall as I type. If this keeps up, Robyn should have an interesting time riding to school tomorrow morning on her new bike (more on that in another post)...

EDIT: So Google Blogs is being a bit cranky at the moment, resulting in some problems with video uploads. Since the video isn't showing up, I'll post some blurry pictures of the snow tonight instead. Just pretend that the blur is intentional and that the pictures are "artsy".

Catching up!

2007-11-07T09:43:00.000+01:00

Wow... it has been a long time since I blogged last... Sorry about that! We need to catch up... and since I should be writing a paper right now, I figured this is the best time for me to update the blog!

I was able to travel back to the United States last month. I attended the annual conference for the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender in Omaha, Nebraska. I had a great time attending panels and presenting my own paper. It was great to see my colleagues from the States.

After several days in Omaha, I flew to my parents in Austin, Texas. I mostly slept, played with my doggies, and ate (BBQ and Tex-Mex!). It was GREAT!!! After several days in Austin I flew to Philadelphia where my siblings picked me up and we drove to West Virginia for a family (Remke side) reunion. We drove through Reading and saw our old house and school. And, we a stop at Green Dragon! The ice cream is still as good as I remembered!

Here is a picture of us driving across Pennsylvania:

We had a great time in West Virginia visiting with family. The weather was cool, but not too cold, and the trees were in the middle of turning. The color was amazing! Here is a picture of the family with Grandma Remke:

I was very sad to leave the States... my first trip back since moving to Copenhagen. That said, coming back to my flat in Copenhagen felt like coming home. I think that is a really good sign.

Traveling and Some Serious Spoilage

2007-11-04T23:04:00.000+01:00

Robyn and I both did some traveling the past few weeks. She attended a conference in Nebraska and then was able to spend some time with her family (including the doggies, of course)in Austin, New York, and and West Virginia--the latter for a family reunion. I missed out on the fun, alas. However, since she plans to post some pictures from this trip soon, I'll let her provide further commentary.

I traveled to Florida--the University of Central Florida in Orlando, to be more precise--to give a paper at a philosophy of mind and cognitive science conference. It was an excellent conference with many stimulating talks. But the most exciting part of my trip occurred a day before the conference started. Since I arrived a bit early, I decided to make a quick trip up to Riverview to visit Grandma Ginny and Papa. And, as always seems to happen whenever I visit them, I was thoroughly spoiled.

I arrived late on a Thursday evening (Google maps let me down, so it took longer than expected to find my way to their house). After a brief chat with my hosts, I retired to the guest room to enjoy a deep jet-lagged sleep. The next morning I awoke to a breakfast hearty enough to keep me full for the next 48 hours: piles of scrambled eggs, a bucket of grits and gravy, buttery biscuits so delicate and flaky that they fell apart if you simply stared at them too intently, and black coffee strong enough to revive a corpse. No one makes a breakfast like Papa!

Uncle Lynn, Kenneth, and Ronnie came over to join us for breakfast. We had a lot of laughs, and I got up from the table thirteen pounds heavier (which was not a laughing matter). Kenneth and I played a bit of catch outside. After working up a full-body sweat in the Florida humidity (also not a laughing matter), I was off to run a few errands. I returned a bit later and lounged around the house while dinner was prepared. Uncle Lynn returned, boys in tow, and Aunt Kay and Aunt Paula soon joined us. Another obscenely good meal and more laughs ensued. Soon, I had to leave to make my way back down to Orlando for the conference the next day. After enjoying that sort of spoilage, I wasn't in any hurry to leave!I had a great time. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to my next visit!

We did it for the "yoots"

2007-10-16T22:20:00.000+02:00

Ok, mystery solved. Evidently, this is what we were tear gassed over two weekends ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungdomshuset

Somehow it was a bit sexier not knowing why we were protesting, exactly.

Copenhagen! Are you ready for some football?!?

2007-10-14T22:19:00.000+02:00

So I initially had planned to do a bit of solitary blogging this evening. Robyn is traveling, which means that I get to control the blog for a few days. I have a few reasonably amusing anecdotes to relate (teaser: one involves a petite Danish woman demonstrating her ability to hock loogies like a 300lb construction worker right at my feet). However, I was just doing a bit of mindless channel surfing--flipping through channel after channel of the strained gurgling and choking that passes for the Danish language whilst waiting for literary inspiration to hit--when, all of the sudden, I stumbled upon the Cowboys-Patriots game! It's just started. Woo-hoo!

The announcers are of course calling the game in Danish. And the garish set they keep coming back to during TV timeouts looks like it was designed and slapped together by a high school drama department. But it's the Cowboys, baby! No complaints from me.

...and the Patriots just scored on their first possession: Brady to Moss.

Not a good start.

...and then we were tear gassed!

2007-10-06T18:52:00.000+02:00

Another Saturday, another revolution.

Today was an especially beautiful day. The sky was a deep blue, perfectly clear. The air was crisp but not overly cool. Robyn and I were enjoying a lazy afternoon in our flat when we both suddenly became aware of some noise: a mixture of shrill techno music and sporadic chants and cheers. Quickly, the music and cheering became much louder. It was clear that something rather big was going down on the normally quiet street around the corner from our flat. So, we went out onto the balcony to investigate. Here's a video of what we saw (be sure to listen to what the male voice is saying):

There was a revolution unfolding beneath our balcony! Naturally, Robyn and I had to run down and participate--despite the fact that we had no idea what we where fighting for. However, it was a chance to stick it to The Man--how often do those come along?--and we definitely wanted a piece of that action.

Here we are, fighting with our fellow Copenhagians for truth, justice, and the Danish Way:

Even Moby joined the fight! (This would also explain the shrill techno that pounded away for most of the afternoon).

Bicycles and rickety floats provided critical ground support during the conflict (note also the bloodthirsty spectators leering from the balconies):

Tractors also played a crucial role. Look at the brave soldier at the helm of this impressive machine, calmly nursing a beer as he awaits his fate!

Precise tactical coordination is critical for an operation this large. Here, a field officer pauses to establish contact with other leaders and plot our next move:

This soldier brazenly peers into the face of the enemy. We all drew inspiration from his defiant act!

Just as our human river of resistance was gaining momentum, however, The Man swooped in to shut us down. If you look carefully at the picture below, you should be able to see the gently billowing clouds of tear gas that soon (thanks to several unfortunate gusts of wind) consumed us all.

The "Politi" has decided that enough was enough. The massive crowd began a hasty retreat. With burning throats and watery eyes, Robyn and I decided to put a hold on our social activism for the rest of the day and to talk a stroll through a more peaceful part of town. We tried to ignore the sneers of our fellow freedom fighters as we made our way out of the battle zone and into a park a safe distance from the chaos. It really was a beautiful evening!

Some hours later, we returned to find the battle zone deserted. The streets of sleepy Frederiksberg had returned to normal.

Though we're still not sure what we're fighting for, Robyn and I have both recommitted to the cause. The Man will not keep us down! We will not give up the fight! The next time a spontaneous social revolution breaks out on the street beneath our flat, we will be in the middle of it--tear gas be damned!

For now, however, we're off to have some pizza and beer.

TRAVIS TURNS 32!

2007-09-30T20:22:00.000+02:00

Happy Birthday Travy-boy!

On their way home...

2007-09-27T11:53:00.001+02:00

We had more visitors this week! My parents arrived last Thursday, Sept. 21. They left for the airport this morning--though not without some taxi drama; more on that later--and their flight should have just taken off. Thus begins the long trek back to Carlsbad. We all had a great time, and there's much to tell. While they did a few "touristy" things, most of our time was spent giving them a taste of everyday life here in Copenhagen. However, since Robyn is a much more polished blogger than I am, I'll simply post a few photographs for now and let her provide the "full report" a bit later.

We enjoyed our final meal together last night at a lovely Italian restaurant downtown (see the picture above). Robyn and I haven't eaten out all that much during the short time we've lived in Copenhagen, so my parents' visit was a good excuse to explore some different eateries. The restaurant was near one of the canals on perhaps the most famous street in all of Copenhagen. It's just out of frame in the picture to the right, which was snapped a couple of days before our meal.

Here's a shot of Mom and Dad near the city center, with the theater in the background:

And here's a shot of Mom and Robyn shopping very intently at a Saturday flea market:

Unbelievably, neither of them bought anything that day!

We've mentioned before that the people here in Copenhagen are quite handsome. On Saturday, we enjoyed a evening drink in one of the coolest bars in the city: The Library Bar. While there, we were able to discreetly capture a photograph of two of Copenhagen's more dashing specimens. We quickly took this shot right before they were overwhelmed by a flood of giggling schoolgirls, all frantically vying for an autograph.

In fact, here are two of them...

We all had a great time. We're very fortunate to have such loving families who come all the way to Denmark to spend time with us!

More pictures and stories soon!

Montserrat, Spain

2007-09-21T20:09:00.000+02:00

I am writing from Montserrat, Spain, near Barcelona. I am here teaching for an education program that offers Master’s level education in partnership with 17 European Business Universities. I am teaching as part of a “block” seminar where students gather at one location – away from any host schools – for one full week of intensive instruction. There are several teachers with different areas of expertise. The students give presentations or take exams at the end of the week. I was a censor (second grader) for the exam for the course offered by CBS in August. This time I was a presenter – a teacher. I covered communicative approaches to understanding organizational culture.

The students are from all over Europe and very smart (the program is quite competitive to get into). They know several languages and are very motivated. That said, I do, at times, miss the more well-roundedness of the American students. Students in Europe take fewer “electives” and their studies focus primarily on their chosen “major.” Therefore, students don’t usually take history, math, science, philosophy etc. As smart and devoted as these students are, I do notice that they tend to have a more narrow academic approach to their studies and therefore their understanding of communication.

The students and the course was a lot of fun and I hope I have the opportunity to do this again, in part, because the location is absolutely amazing. I am here in Montserrat, Spain, which is an hour from Barcelona. I can never adequately describe the environment, but Montserrat, or the “serrated mountains” are beautiful. Nearly 1000 years ago a monastery was built at the top of the mountains (that look like giant rocks protruding from the earth!). It is a functioning monastery (which is why they begin to ring the church bells at 5am! – first Mass is at 5!), but they’ve added a museum, hotel, restaurants, and dorms (where the students stayed) and it now functions as a conference center as well. The land around the monastery is also the Spanish equivalent to a national park.

All of the buildings are beautiful, but the church is especially moving. While much of the church suffered destruction at the hands of Napoleon’s troops, Franco’s soldiers and others, there are parts that date back to the early 12th century! And, the church has been beautifully restored. They also have a world renowned boy’s choir and we were fortunate enough to attend one of their concerts.

I took a taxi from the Barcelona airport to the monastery, which is near the very top of the mountains. You would not believe the drive – I am very grateful for guardrails, but the ride is not for those afraid of heights. I am glad the driver knew where he was going because after winding and weaving our way up the mountains for about 20 minutes, I knew I could never find my way out. The first thing I heard as I got out of the taxi when we arrived in Montserrat was three cats screeching and fighting. There are any number of feral cats (and lots of very cute kittens) that live in the mountains. They are, apparently, quite territorial and willing to fight for their space, food, or whatever.
If you are ever in Spain you must visit Montserrat. Spend the night in the hotel so you have enough time to visit the museum and church as well as hike the trails. You won’t be disappointed!

Thoughts on Copenhagen

2007-09-21T19:21:00.000+02:00

There is so much to tell about my grandparent’s and aunt’s trip to Copenhagen. I can never capture the fun we had while they were here… and perhaps like Las Vegas… what happens in Copenhagen should stay in Copenhagen. But, I will try to elaborate on the photos I posted and provide a few more details of the sordid tales of GG’s drinking!
Some of the best parts to their trip, for me at least, were the times we spent just sitting around the table chatting. I really enjoyed sharing my new home with my family. There is something about sharing your home and your home town with someone that makes your being there very real. I felt somewhat vindicated when my family ran into the same money problems that we encountered – no, really, they don’t take American credit cards! It wasn’t that I thought people didn’t believe us. There is just something different about having someone else experience your home town – run into the same frustrations that we ran into… smell the smells… see the everyday sights that we see everyday. I love that my family enjoyed going to our local bakery and grocery store. They went shopping for us! They tried a number of breads and pastries and I think they liked most of them .
To their credit, GG, Papa, and Aunt Paula tried all the food and drink that are part of the traditional Danish lunch. I guess this is the part where I have to confirm that GG did in fact drink alcohol while in Copenhagen. We sampled a few of the local beers and then had some schnapps – the traditional drink to accompany the Danish lunch. While I would not want to drink the schnapps all by itself, when accompanying pickled herring, the schnapps isn’t so bad. And, the same must be said for the pickled herring. Neither is good by itself, but together, they improve each other, although neither together nor separate are my favorites. You will have to ask GG, Papa, and Aunt Paula what they thought of the food and the schnapps. I don’t think any of them are going to ask me to bring any pickled herring over with me when we visit.
As the pictures show, Joel and I were able to take some time to sightsee with our family. Frederiksborg Slot is breathtaking, even on a VERY windy day. The pictures of the garden fail to capture their magnitude and precision. I can’t imagine how many people it takes to maintain the grounds. We were not able to eat in the restaurant in the Slot because there was a wedding in the chapel. While we did not see the whole wedding party, it was neat to see some of them as they gathered for the wedding… it added to the romance of the castle (because all castles need a king, queen, prince, and princess!).
I'll post this and then add more... stay tuned!

They're Here!!!

2007-09-08T19:16:00.000+02:00

Early Tuesday morning I made my way to the Copehagen Airport to pick up Grandma Ginny, Papa, and Aunt Paula. And... they made it with no trouble!

We have many stories to blog about, but we've been so busy sightseeing and gossiping, I've had no time to blog. Joel and I had to work Wednesday and Thursday so we weren't able to spend much time with the tourists. But, Friday I joined them for a trip to Sweden and today, Joel was able to join us all for a trip to Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød. I'll share stories soon, but in the mean time, I think our pictures speak tons!

First, this is a picture of all that GG, Papa, and Aunt Paula brought over with them! Can you believe it!

Plus, they brought over towels, sheets, pillows, and air mattresses! Now, our future guests can stay in comfort!

We used one of Michelles old sheets for a table cloth... we hope she didn\t mind!

GG enjoyed using our computer phones to call family and friends... and I think she surprised a few in the States!

If you've ever forgotten your sunglasses, you know how bad it is to sightsee on bright sunny days. This isn\t usually a problem in Copenhagen, but we\ve had some of the best weather this summer this week! GG forgot her sunglasses so we stopped to purchase some at the drug store on the way to the train station. The trick was finding a pair that would fit over her glasses. Well, we found a pair, and I just couldn\t stop laughing at them! They are quite the fashion statement!

We spent all day Friday in Sweden -- Malmo and Lund. This is a picture of GG, Papa, and Aunt Paula in the Malmo Town Square.

We took the train over the Öresund Bridge and then on to Malmö. After walking around the city for a bit we ate at Salt & Brygga and had a spectular view of the bridge.

The European housing expo of 2001 brought several beautiful and interesting buildings to the Malmö waterfront. Here we are sitting in front of our resturant!

This is GG and Papa in front of the Turning Torso, the tallest building in Sweden at 190 meters. This is also on the waterfront and can be seen from the Öresund Bridge.

On Saturday we all travelled to Hillerød to visit Frederiksborg Slot (castle). It was finished by Christian IV in 1620. The building and grounds are beautiful, especially on a sunny (if not windy) day. The building is now the National History Museum. We didn’t have time to tour the museum, so after we ate a traditional Danish lunch (I will let our visitors tell you what they thought of their lunches!) we walked the Slot Gardens and toured the Hillerød Walking Street. Here are a few pictures from our day!

Joel and Papa waiting for the women to complete their shopping!

Outside the Slot.

Here we are at lunch. We were the only ones in the dinning room! And, we had a view of the Slot!

The backside of Frederiksborg Slot.

Walking through the gardens.

The beautiful Baroque Gardens.

The backside of the Slot

This is us saying hello from our balcony!

Banned from Work

2007-08-30T19:44:00.000+02:00

There is one thing that you will notice as soon as you land at the Copenhagen airport: Danes are beautiful. Men are handsome, women are stunning and even the children are cute. And, as if their genetic superiority isn't enough, the Danes are very stylish. This is apparent as soon as you leave your building and have to step aside for a woman flying by on her bicycle wearing Gucci "Jackie O" sunglasses, a silk scarf blowing behind her, and stiletto heels. Even the women who wear flats (no doubt because they are now fashionable and not because they are easier to walk in on cobble stoned streets!) wear them with fashionable skirts and coats that make them appear as if they just walked off a Milan runway. What is important to remember is that these women look like this on their way to work... on their way to shopping... in the rain... in the wind... it does not matter. And you will never see them wearing a rain hat. Looking good and stylish is a priority in Denmark. And, I, in my efforts to be comfortable, do not fit it. This brings me to the title of today's blog: Banned from Work.

I was pulled aside by an American colleague whose lived in Denmark for 8 years. He explained to me that the shoes I was wearing -- my Dansko leather clogs, were not stylish enough for a Danish workplace.

It was then confirmed by two other colleagues who confirmed that clogs were only for summer homes -- not work. They just aren't stylish enough.

I should add that this conversation took place just hours after a conversation about Danish shopping. I commented that I was still getting used to having to shop several times a week. I mentioned that I would like to get a cart so I can carry more things home with me. A colleague began to laugh and, after much prodding, finally admitted that only "old ladies" used those carts. And, he is right! No one uses the carts. They either use their bikes or load down their arms so they look like pack mules walking home with their daily pick. All this so they don't look out of fashion. Style at all costs.

So, when you come to visit... bring your most stylish wardrobe and some bandaids for the blisters!

Trip to Sweden!

2007-08-29T09:32:00.000+02:00

We left Copenhagen! Last Friday we took a brief trip to Lund, Sweden to visit two scholars whose work I've long admired. Lund is a VERY short train ride from Copenhagen, and we traveled over the Oeresund Bridge. This incredible structure bridges Copenhagen with the southern tip of Sweden. You no longer have to wait for a ferry to get to Sweden. Unfortunately, it was very rainy when we crossed the bridge -- the views were not as beautiful as they could be. But it was still a great experience.

So, why did we go to Lund? Well, when it became known that I was moving to CBS at the International Communication Association Conf. last May, a mentor of mine at the University of Colorado in Boulder arranged for an "email" introduction with two scholars at Lund University.

They invited me to Lund to meet them and take a tour of the University and town. Dan and Mats, the scholars at Lund University, were quite friendly and spent the afternoon meeting with me and Joel. Dan met us at the train station and treated us to lunch in the town square. He then walked us to the University campus, which included a stop at his new house. I say new house because it is new to him -- but the house itself is not new. It was build mid 19th C. The house was very quaint and beautifully designed in traditional Swedish style.

The campus is quite nice and the facilities are contemporary. Like many Danish Universities, their department also has a full kitchen and eating room. It is customary for colleagues to eat together for lunch. While it seems strange for us to take time to eat together -- and we don't always participate in the group lunches (Joel and I usually just eat at our desks) -- the lunch gatherings always prove fun and interesting. While we had coffee in the kitchen area with Mats and Dan, several colleagues stopped by and said hello. Clearly Danes and Swedes place a high priority on collegiality.

Dan and Mats were very nice to invite me back to Lund as they continue to work on several very interesting projects on identity, leadership, and work.

As for Lund, it was like stepping back into the 18th Century. The town could not be more quaint if Disney designed it. We are looking forward to going back and spending a bit more time wandering around the town's tiny cobble stoned streets and touring the rather large cathedral.

Much Sun

2007-08-28T09:37:00.000+02:00

Well, our morning proved to be quite interesting...

Just as we were getting ready to leave for work, dressed for the sunny day that was predicted, we got a bit of a surprise: hail! It wasn't even that warm, just 15C (about 57 F). But, all of the sudden it got dark and then started to hail. But, never fear, by time we got over our shock the storm was over and we were able to continue to work :)

Here is a brief video from our balcony.

This brief storm provides evidence for why you ALWAYS carry an umbrella in Copenhagen!

Small Victories

2007-08-27T16:58:00.000+02:00

Our life in Copenhagen has been filled with many "firsts" and frustrations. We've had to do a lot of adjusting and in doing so discovered many wonderful things about ourselves and our relationship as a couple. We discovered that our "salad" comes with roots (see picture)

and that Danish sweets are WONDERFUL! We learned that water is truly optional when it comes to an apartment living and that you can in fact move with just two suitcases and a Metro. We feel better knowing that even the Danes can't agree on how to pronounce their own language (our Danish is not coming as quickly as we hoped) and are grateful that most Danes know English. We discovered that Nutella makes almost everything taste better.

In light of many frustrations (bank account problems, noisy and "water-free" apartments) we take great joy in minor victories... like my recent trip to the dentist:

Before we left the States Joel and I had our teeth cleaned by our regular dentist. I told Dr. Garza to look very carefully for any possible problems -- I wanted to take care of everything before we left. He said I had a small cavity that should be filled. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we left. I figured I would have it filled when we arrived in Copenhagen. Well, my cavity was a low priority for the first two months (understandably), but I was becoming quite worried that the cavity was growing and possibly creating even greater problems. So, last week I took a day off from work and went to a dentist recommended by one of my American colleagues. I managed to locate the dentist office, figure out the public transportation and had my cavity filled with no Novocaine! That's right... nothing to dull the pain. Now, before you think that Denmark is some scary third world country that refuses pain relief to its patients, the dentist offered me Novocaine. But, because the cavity was so small (much to my relief... ) he didn't think I would need it. And, if fact he was right. I hardly noticed he was even doing anything at all... I nearly feel asleep in the chair (which was very comfy). I emerged from dentists office quite proud of myself. I even filled out the patient information form (which was in Danish) without too much help from the receptionist. It may seem like a small victory, but it was huge to me.

Christmas in August!

2007-08-26T00:10:00.000+02:00

Well... the day finally arrived. We were beginning to doubt it would ever happen... but it finally did... OUR STUFF FROM THE STATES ARRIVED!!! We shipped over from the States our winter clothes, a few electronics, and our books (no, not all of them... Joel limited himself to 6 boxes and I shipped 2). The shipment was to arrive July 2nd. But, it didn't. We tracked our shipment down in Hamburg where it was held hostage until we wired a German company "release" money (our American company takes no responsibility for this). Once they received their money and we harassed them repeatedly on the phone they trucked our stuff to our flat in Frederiksberg. It arrived last Friday.

As you can see from the pictures, they condensed our 17 small boxes into two large boxes -- and that is how they left them on our door step!

We had to empty the two larger boxes outside because they were WAY too heavy to move on their own.

The problem was that we did not have anything that would cut through the larger boxes and we could not lift the smaller boxes out of the larger boxes... So, I got the largest kitchen knife we own and Joel sawed away at the boxes.

After numerous trips our three flights of stairs, our stuff was in our apartment! Joel took a taxi to work with his 6 boxes and I am slowly taking my books into my office (a backpack full each day). And, the best news, everything arrived with no damage! Joel's computer works beautifully (we did forget to pack a keyboard) and all the parts are functional. Our clothes smell like they were packed on a hot ship all summer, but I am hoping that will fade now that they are out of the boxes and in our closets.

It was a HUGE hassle to get our stuff, but now that it is here, we are VERY happy!

Yet another birthday...

2007-08-16T08:59:00.000+02:00

It's time for another birthday--this time, my mom. So:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We're looking forward to celebrating with you in Copenhagen!

So far behind in my updates!

2007-08-13T18:19:00.000+02:00

Well, we have much to catch you up on...

We are very happy here in Copenhagen. Actually, our new address locates us in Frederiksberg, which is a part of larger Copenhagen. We are just west of the city center. In trying to describe the area, the City Centre (where we used to live) is similar to Times Square and Frederiksberg is like New York City's Upper West Side. It is a quiet area full of very nice houses and cute little flats. The windows all have boxes full of flowers and the yards are nicely manicured. There are many cafes and restaurants as well as gourmet shops and boutiques. And, my office is located in Frederiksberg -- a short 10 minute bus ride or a less-short 30 minute walk from our flat. The former summer home for the Danish monarchs, now a beautiful park with several ponds, is located less than 20 meters from my office building. One of our guide books describes Frederiksberg as "quiet and refined." That describes our experience quite well.

In other news, we had a wonderful time visiting with our new pastor, his wife Natalie, and another couple from the church when they had us over for dinner last week. While the congregation meets in a church in Copenhagen the pastor lives in a house in Hellerup, a beautiful "suburb" to the north of Copenhagen. The pastor lives in the top floor of the house and then the basement and ground floor serve as church offices and meeting rooms. The house and grounds are beautiful. As if turns out, the church bought the house in the 1970s when Hellerup was not as nice. Then, in the years following, several embassies and large corporations purchased and refurbished houses in the same area and Hellerup is now a very affluent and beautiful area to live. It is also very convenient to get to --just a short ride on the S-tog (train). It was really nice to meet the other couple from church. They are both Americans and musicians. He (I am not sure I should include their names...) plays the flute for the Copenhagen Ballet and Opera and she is a singer. They've lived here for over 7 years. We also really enjoyed getting to know our Pastor and his wife, Natalie a bit better. As it turns out, Pastor Rimmer and I were both at UNC at the same time. He did his BS (in biology!) at UNC while I was there doing my Master's work. And, their first church was in York, Pennsylvania, near where I went to college. In fact, Natalie took classes at Millersville University, my alma mater for her Masters in Education. Very small world...

Natalie fixed an incredible meal including broccoli salad -- one of my favorites! She also made a traditional Danish dessert. I forgot the name of it so I won't blog about it too much right now, but I plan to get the recipe and fix it for all who visit! It was YUMMY!

More to come...

Guess who's 27 years old today!!!

2007-08-09T09:59:00.000+02:00

That's right... it's Baby Boy Ronnie... although at 27 I guess he isn't really a baby boy anymore! But, he will always be our baby brother!

Happy Birthday Ron!

This is a picture of Ron and his girlfriend, Lori in Austin, Texas.

Check out Ron's homepage at www.ronremke.com