Horoscope

My birthday is on Saturday December 1st. It's a good time to be born, just past dreary and dark November, not too close to the commercialism and chaos of Christmas and with a fresh new year fast approaching. Here is something from this week's NOW magazine in celebration of turning 35 but also in light of many experiences and recent events the past year and life of kleejourneys.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 Dec 21 "I need a strategy for bringing constructive change into my life on an ongoing basis," a Sagittarian reader named Ursula wrote to me. "I want to figure out how to arrange for a never-ending series of gentle wake-up calls. When that happens, I will have mastered the sinewy magic of being permanently unstuck. I will have made it a habit to be highly alert and wildly responsive in the most relaxed ways possible. The world will look completely different to me then; reality itself will have mutated. I won't cling to little scraps of hope that make me feel secure, but will instead be on the prowl for fresh challenges that constantly expand my love for life." Ursula's longing is a brilliant articulation of what I think all of you Sagittarians should quest for in the coming weeks.

(I will kindly accept any birthday wishes on this day!)

Detroit

Even with the fantastic nightlife, I wonder if Detroit is more interesting across the water.

Windsor, Ontario

I got an opportunity to travel to Windsor, Ontario last week, for the second time around. Admittedly, Windsor is not my number one choice of city to visit and it was work that took me there. But having not gone anywhere for a couple of months and being there with an adventurous work collegue, I was determined to see Windsor with open eyes. After all, travelers can't be choosers.

First of all, here are some facts I learnt about the city:

It is the southern most city in Canada.

It is known as the "automotive capital of Canada"

It is across the river from Detroit.

It is connected to Detroit by the privately owned Ambassador Suspension Bridge which carries 27% of the trade between Canada and USA.

It is also connected by the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

It's busiest transport truck traffic days are on the bridge are Tuesdays and Wednesdays afternoons.

But more interesting is the variety of night life downtown Windsor has to offer

And some details about the kinds of entertainment you can enjoy

And not be disappointed

Personally noteworthy was our visit to the brightly lit Windsor Casino

where this new extension was just built even though over 200 employees were let go last week due to poor business as of late.

Inside this gambling machine, I withdraw $20.00 cash from the ATM, the amount that I decided I would be willing to loose at playing slots. Now money in hand, how do I pick the best slot machine that will win me a jackpot? I am new at this game and I walk around in a few circles before I settle on a 25cent machine. "Push the button and turn the crank", my experienced collegue tells me, amused at my novelty and innocence in such a place. Ok then, I do just that. With $5.00, I start at 20 points and with each crank, I slowly watch the number going down, down, down, then up, then down, then up.... In no time, my point count is at zero and I turn around with an unhappy pout plastered on my face. Not only had I just lost $5.00 in under 5 minutes, I also now realize the level of anxiety this game was giving me.

But then, maybe I'll try again. With wallet still clutched in my left hand, I pick a new machine and play another $5.00 and at the first crank, the points jump from 20 to 69. Wow! My heart beats faster. Is that right? Quickly I do the math. Did I just gain $17.00? I look for reaffirmation but my collegue is no where to be found. I play some more: the number goes up, down, down, up, until finally fear takes over and I cash out at $15.00, happy to not be in the negative.

Now with 3 five dollar bills in hand, I think, why not spend the gain and see if there's one more chance to raise funds for Architecture for Humanity and my trip next year. Again, I watch the points drop and rise one by one. At $2.50 remaining, I wonder if I should stop. No, I continue taking chances, my heart and hope still thumping away, right until zero.

That's it, it is definitely time to quit and we leave the casino soon after. I am happy that I have broke even, not lost any money until I think about the $3.00 service charge at the bank machine. Damn, it really is a gamble.

(Sorry, no photography allowed inside the casino)

Art Money - Innovative Danish Concepts #1

Art Money, created by Lars Kraemmer, is a global currency of original art that is also an accepted form of payment for goods and services. The first art money was made in Copenhagen in 1997, holds a value of approximately 200 Danish kr. (approx. US$ 34 or Euro 27).

Art Money was exposed soon after it's inception in an art gallery in Vancouver and New York in 1998 doubling the number of Canadian an American artists involved.

Art money's purpose is to:

- to create a human link around the globe

- equalize shopping conditions betwen the rich and the poor

- to cleanse the world of filthy

- to reach financial freedom not financial wealth.

For more information on this amazing way of trading and living, here's the link to Art Money.

Now, let's add photography to the concept...

Image credit: art money by FrankTomozy2007-342

Bicycle Culture in Copenhagen

Based on the Eurobarometer, Danes travel an average 958 km a year on their bikes. The North American result is 70km/year. So it is no surprise that Copenhagen is one of the leading bicycling cities in the world and I managed to experience it 2 summers in a row!

The bike planning allows for safe bicycle paths where you can ride without hands or drink café latte on the go.

Even at night, the bicycles are used to go to parties - Drinking and driving on bicycles is much safer than in cars!

There is always a place to park your bicycle. You just have to be able to find it afterwards and try not to make all the others fall down when you pull yours out. But when a bike that does not belong to you falls down, you leave it that way and merrily go along your way.

Parking at the front of Central Station is a challenge.

Parking at the back is even more daunting unless you think you can get your bike out of the two level parking rack.

And so I put my bike nicely against the side (note the red bike in the foreground of the photo), but by the end of the day, this is what I found.

There are also many other styles of bicycles to suit all your cargo needs -

Famous Christiania bike in the forergound

But you still have to be careful or you might find your bike one day looking like this...

For a great 5 episode podcast of cycling in Copenhagen, go to this link.

Approaching 35

It's been a busy fall season and between the lack of time to sit and write the blog, and trouble with the voice I want to share, it's been a long break since my last post. But Winter is fast approaching and it's time for some updates, thoughts etc. etc. or my next excuse for not writing is because my fingers are frozen. So, before I'm told again me to write "my damend" blog, here are a few things I learnt the last little while...

My health took a downward spiral in October and I was out of commission for the month. It's a terrifying experience to be called back to the doctor's office for more blood work but to leave with no more information than when you walked in. Although the weight sitting heavily on me lightened significantly when the prognosis came back to be something non-permanent, the experience of that kind of fear is not easily forgotten. Recovery was about resting quietly but more about remembering I have much to be thankful for.

Emily Haines released a CD in September 2006 titled "Knives Don't have your Back". The title has always caught my eye and I often wonder about the origin of it. I learned this summer what it's like to experience intentional hurt and betrayal from a friend. Knives are sharp and I must be careful, my mum always warned me. Yes, mum was right. They cut sharply through but in reality so fast, it's painless and quickly over.

Just yesterday, I discovered that it's the blunt ones I should watch out for. They cut by surprise and not cleanly, leaving behind a numbing ache that stays a while. I should have perceived this would happen since my kitchen drawer is mostly filled with knives that are blunt. Although there's no turning back when this happens, I'm trying to listen for the ringing bells of the door to door knife sharpening truck that sometimes makes it up my street. May I then have a clearer insight to Emily's CD and like it more?

So this morning as I am standing at the Danish Consulate ready to submit my visa application, I am reminded by the women behind the plexiglass window that the maximum applicant age of 35 years is fast approaching and that I am just in-time. "In-time" is the key word and I cannot even describe the wonderful feeling of freedom that my decision to leave Canada gives me and a big step away from my "lagom-like" state of mind.

But I never really understand why so much in society is based on age. If this is true, then can I justify turning 35 soon as the reason why the recent tolls on my heart and health have happened just "in-time" but during what sure felt like least deserving moments?