#weekly recycling Denver

[maidyoulooks]

Become a Shining Sanctuary in Your Own Home: Ultimate Cleaning Advice from MaidYouLook.net

Maintaining a clean and organized home is essential for creating a sanctuary where you can relax and recharge. However, cleaning can often feel overwhelming, especially when faced with a busy schedule. That's where maid you look near denver comes in with their ultimate cleaning advice to help make cleaning a snap. In this article, we'll explore practical tips and strategies to transform your home into a shining sanctuary with ease.

Develop a Cleaning Routine

One of the most effective ways to keep your home clean is to establish a regular cleaning routine. By setting aside specific times each day or week for cleaning tasks, you can prevent dirt and clutter from accumulating. Start with a simple checklist that includes daily tasks like making the bed, wiping down countertops, and doing a quick sweep or vacuum. Then, incorporate weekly chores such as dusting, mopping, and deep-cleaning the bathroom.

Pro Tip: Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. For example, instead of cleaning the entire house in one day, tackle one room at a time.

Declutter and Organize

Clutter is the enemy of a clean home. To truly transform your space into a sanctuary, it's important to declutter and organize your belongings. Begin by going through each room and identifying items you no longer need or use. Donate, recycle, or dispose of these items to free up space.

Once you've decluttered, focus on organizing what's left. Invest in storage solutions like baskets, bins, and shelves to keep everything in its place. Labeling containers and drawers can also help Z organization and make it easier to find what you need.

Pro Tip: Practice the "one in, one out" rule. For every new item you bring into your home, try to remove an old one to prevent clutter from building up again.

Prioritize High-Traffic Areas

Certain areas of your home, such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, tend to get dirty faster due to frequent use. Make these high-traffic areas a priority in your cleaning routine. Regularly wiping down surfaces, sweeping floors, and disinfecting commonly touched items like doorknobs and light switches can help maintain a clean and hygienic environment.

In the kitchen, pay extra attention to the sink, countertops, and stovetop, as these areas can quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria. In the bathroom, regularly clean the toilet, sink, and shower to prevent the buildup of grime and soap scum.

Pro Tip: Keep cleaning supplies handy in each high-traffic area for quick and easy touch-ups throughout the week.

Use the Right Tools and Products

Using the right cleaning tools and products can make a world of difference in your cleaning routine. Invest in high-quality supplies that are effective and safe for your surfaces. Microfiber cloths, for example, are excellent for dusting and wiping down surfaces without leaving streaks. A good vacuum with strong suction and attachments for different surfaces is also a must-have.

When it comes to cleaning products, opt for those that are eco-friendly and non-toxic. Not only are these better for the environment, but they also create a healthier home by reducing your exposure to harsh chemicals.

Pro Tip: Create your own DIY cleaning solutions using natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. These are often just as effective as store-bought products and can save you money.

Involve the Whole Family

Keeping a clean home shouldn't be a one-person job. Involve the whole family in the cleaning process to make it more manageable and teach responsibility. Assign age-appropriate tasks to each family member and make cleaning a fun, team effort. For example, young children can help by picking up toys, while older kids can take on more complex tasks like vacuuming or doing laundry.

Pro Tip: Turn cleaning into a game or set a timer to see how much you can accomplish in a short amount of time. This can make the process more enjoyable and less of a chore.

Stay Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to maid you look company a clean and organized home. By sticking to your cleaning routine and staying on top of tasks, you'll find that your home remains a sanctuary rather than a source of stress. Remember, it's easier to keep a clean house clean than to tackle a major mess all at once.

Pro Tip: If life gets busy and you fall behind on cleaning, don't get discouraged. Simply pick up where you left off and get back into your routine as soon as possible.

 

With the help of MaidYouLook.net's ultimate cleaning advice, you can transform your home into a shining sanctuary with minimal stress and effort. By developing a cleaning routine, decluttering and organizing, prioritizing high-traffic areas, using the right tools and products, involving the whole family, and staying consistent, you'll enjoy a clean and peaceful living space that truly feels like home. For more expert tips and guidance, visit MaidYouLook.net and discover how easy it can be to keep your home sparkling clean.

[skichica15]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Culture meat and bread Denver shirt.

[junkboss1]

Old Furniture Waste Removing Providers

By recycling old furniture, we can cut back or even get rid of our contribution to landfills. This not solely helps hold trash out of our water provide, nevertheless it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions which are attributable to burning trash in incinerators. Junk elimination St. Paul MN companies will dispose of them in a more efficient way than throwing them out into dumpsters.

Our group dismantles and recycles couches, loungers, and sofas on a weekly foundation. A typical lounge consists of a selection of elements that are separated and recycled accordingly. It is possible to recycle sofa foam, wooden frames, and textiles. The crew of three have remove old furniture been very professional, very friendly, knowledgeable, and actually hard working. Once we had our quote and gave them the go forward, they were carried out well earlier than our expectations.

Suburban Furniture is the premier home furnishing retailer with an attractive store and a full line of furniture, mattresses, and extra. Our selection contains sofas, sectionals, recliners, leather furniture, chairs, beds, mattresses, bed room sets, dressers, nightstands, dining tables, kitchen storage, and extra. Suburban Furniture offers nice high quality furniture, at a low price to the Succasunna, Randolph, Morristown, Flanders, Hackettstown, Northern New Jersey area. Tired of taking a look at that light couch, broken patio set, or eyesore dresser?

That method your old furniture isn't laying out on the streets for too long, as doing so could trigger problems together with your Homeowners Association. While you may not want ½ a truck you'd nonetheless be charged for it since you exceeded the ¼ truck mark. So instead of paying $250, you would possibly have to pay $400 or extra. Junk removal companies can be a great selection if you don't have anybody available that will assist you. If you'll find somebody that can assist you load a dumpster it's almost at all times the higher selection.

It’s also necessary to notice that every store has different donation tips, so name ahead to examine if your native donation heart will take this stuff. Furniture removing is a giant job, and figuring out how to make it happen may be tough. Luckily, it gets simpler if you perceive your choices. This association is much less prone to be the case for furniture deliveries, however sometimes you can provide money to coax these guys into taking the old stuff. If you’re replacing it with a brand new item, see if the old stuff may be hauled away. Related to this are private corporations that specialize in junk/garbage removing.

We will quickly reply to your inquiry and provide the companies you want at costs you can afford. We provide our elite services in Denver, Colorado Spring, Boulder, Arvada, Littleton, and Castle Rock. Have you ever been reluctant to purchase new furniture since you don’t know what to do with the old stuff? The reality is there could be a lot of ineffective and old furniture sitting round in homes throughout the Denver and Colorado Springs areas. It’s a transparent indication of just how few folks know tips on how to get rid of old furniture or the way to eliminate a sofa.

Municipal waste collection groups normally won’t contact tables and chairs tossed to the curbside, so you’ll have to seek out one other approach to do away with it. Leaving it there's a good way for others in need to choose it up free of charge, but when it’s in actually unhealthy condition then no one will doubtless ever decide it up. As with the frames of these furniture pieces, so too are the cushions troublesome to recycle. Cushions are most probably created from poisonous material that local recycling plants cannot deal with. If the item can be recycled, VJR ensures that we will discover the proper recycling facility for it. Victory Junk Removal is an area service company proudly owned and operated out of New Jersey.

Fabric and padded materials have to be wrapped for curbside collection. Team members entering your personal home to remove the furniture. For JobsitesContractor ServicesGet one level of contact for dependable debris cleanup at each jobsite. Temporary ServiceRent dumpsters for short-term projects remove old furniture at the workplace or office. Dumpster Rental GuideEverything you have to learn about renting a roll off dumpster. Service LocationsFind a dumpster rental nationwide no matter where you live or work.

Nixxit offers accountable office furniture disposal and removing choices. We will attempt to rehome your gadgets for you or take your objects to a recycling middle where it could be dealt remove old furniture with efficiently and in an environmentally pleasant method. Consider reusing your old furniture in other areas of your home as a substitute of going by way of with the furniture removing process.

Repurposing your old furniture is only limited by what you can consider. ​Mattresses are often rejected, however, as are medical kind items. However, almost another type of old furniture piece can be gifted and supply a lot needed furnishings for these less lucky.

[reportwire]

Denver City Council Approves Pay As You Throw Trash System

Denver City Council Approves Pay As You Throw Trash System

In an 8-5 vote on June 27, Denver City Council approved the expanded waste-services ordinance, based on what’s known as the Pay as You Throw concept. While supporters praised what they consider bold climate action, opponents worry about the extra cost to residents. “We can’t continue to bury reusable and recyclable material in the ground,” said Councilman Jolon Clark in explaining his affirmative…

[bluespringcleaning6]

House Cleaning Services Near Me

There are a few house cleaning services near me in Colorado that I have enjoyed working with. If you live in or around Boston, you can find a few companies on the yellow pages and Internet. Most of these companies are very professional and will offer you good service at a fair price. Some are very expensive, but it is usually worth paying a little more to get the best service you can find. There are many benefits of hiring professional house cleaning services. Here are just a few:

Efficiency - One of the most significant benefits of house cleaning services near me in Colorado is efficiency. When professionals come to your home, they do all the hard work for you. You just let them know what you want, and they will do it. They get to clean the floors, wash the windows, dust the furniture, and do all the tedious tasks that make your house a living hell.

Time Saving - Hiring a house cleaning services company near you in Colorado saves time. Instead of having to go from house to house, or even just to the store to buy the things you need for your home, you tell them to get it done for you. They do all the dirty work for you can enjoy a relaxing day at home after a long day at work. No one likes doing their housework, so if you save time by letting someone else do it, then why not do it?

No Longer Burning Out Your Keys - Another of the significant benefits of house cleaning services near me in Colorado is that they provide their customers with environmentally friendly products. Many of the professionals I work with using green cleaners that use organic products and recycled materials. These are very environment friendly because they reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in our landfills and keep the air clean. It's better for the environment and you! Now, isn't that a great deal?

Don't Have To Plan Your Weekends - If you're too busy to do your house cleaning services, then you need to hire a professional service. Most companies have weekly schedules that you can look through and book an appointment with when you're ready. This way, you don't have to worry about a Saturday or Sunday is free for house cleaning services in your area. You'll have to take the time to get the job done and enjoy your relaxing weekend. Everyone deserves a day off.

Find What You Need - Hiring home cleaner near me services near you may seem like an inconvenience, but it's not. There are many companies out there, and finding the one that suits your needs the best should be easy. Explore your options online and ask around town. Know what services you prefer and which ones you're willing to overlook. There are plenty of cleaners out there, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding the right company to help you out!

Contact us

BlueSpring Cleaning Address: 2255 W Exposition Ave, Denver, Colorado 80223 Phone: 3033094226 Email: info@bluespringcleaning.com

https://goo.gl/maps/f4zw3JNcLXqZEjRe6

[dupmsterrent-blog]

How to Get a Dumpster For Rent

Dumpster rental is a good way of cleaning and sorting all those items that are too big for your regular trash bins, to be able to properly dispose of them. There are many other reasons why you might want to rent a Denver Dumpster for Rent.

You might be looking to rent a Dumpster for your business, or maybe for some personal items that you can't fit into the regular trash bins. There are many businesses that rent these trash containers to do their cleaning. This includes home remodeling businesses, as well as business establishments such as businesses that sell junk. Whatever your reason, you need to know how to hire a Denver Dumpster for Rent to get your work done properly.

The first thing that you have to do is find a good location where you can rent a Denver Dumpster for Rent. This is something that will be dependent on your specific needs. A business owner might need to rent a Dumpster for his or her home or business. If you are a home-owner, you might just want to rent a Dumpster for your rental property, to use it to store all of the junk that you have collected over the years.

Once you know where you will be renting a Dumpster for rent, you can then begin your search. You can do a lot of research online, and you might find several rental companies that will provide you with an online form for you to fill out. This form will ask you to list all of your items, as well as some information that will be used to process your rental request.

This online form will then give you a quote that you will need to pay for your rental. This is a quote that you will need to make sure to meet the rental fee on the form. This is because there are some companies that will try to charge you for anything that is over or under the quote that they give you. If you can't find a company that has a good quote, you can still make your own comparison, and you will know how much you can afford before you make the payment.

Once you have made your choice of companies that you will be renting from, you will then need to fill out the online form with your items that you want to be put into the container. The company will then process your request and give you an estimate. This estimate will include the amount of space you need to place your items, and how much money you will need to pay for the rental.

The last step in this process is that the company will then make an arrangement for you to pick up the rental from their location. The company will send you to pick up the rental, and have it shipped to your home or business. Once you receive the rental, you can then take the items that you have placed in the container out to the dumpster to get rid of them.

If you have any questions, you can always call the company that you are dealing with and get any questions that you might have answered. There are some companies that will not answer questions directly, so you will want to call the company that you are dealing with and ask them directly. It is a good idea to know exactly what is involved with the process of the rental before you do anything.

A good place to start looking for the right company for you is on the internet. You will find that there are many good rental companies that are online, and you can easily get an idea of how the process works and how much you will need to pay. You will also have the option of looking at the different companies in person to see how they handle their rentals and make sure that you are getting the best deal for your needs.

Once you have looked at the companies that you have looked at online, it is time to choose the company that is right for you. You will want to make sure that you know exactly how the process works and what they are offering for the cost of the rental. If you are not sure of how it works, you will want to call the company that you are dealing with to make sure that you know what you are getting.

If you do the work to get a dumpster for rent, you will find that it will be worth it in the long run. When you are able to avoid the hassle of hauling the dumpster away yourself, you will find that you will be able to get it done more quickly, and that you will not be spending your time and energy worrying about having to do this. You will also be able to save money on your next one.

How to Rent a Dumpster For Rent

A Denver Dumpster for Rent is a great way to get rid of old belongings. You don't have to rent a new dumpster, as it's quite expensive to have a new one installed. Instead, you can use an old one for a Denver Dumpster for Rent. Here is some useful information about renting a dumpster for rent.

You can rent dumpsters from many places. You can go online and find many companies that offer dumpster rentals. These companies will give you a quote on what you need to pay, the size of the dumpster, and the location of the dumpster. They will also give you a list of references.

You can also search through rental companies in your area. They will have a list of dumpster rentals and you can call them and ask them if they have the dumpster you need. Most dumpster rental companies are open twenty-four hours a day.

Before renting a dumpster, you will need to make sure that the dumpster rental company is licensed and bonded. Some dumpster rental companies don't have to be bonded because they rent dumpsters on a weekly basis. However, if you rent a dumpster that is being used regularly and you have had it for over a year, you should have it bonded by a professional company.

The good thing about dumpster rentals is that you don't have to worry about the size or weight of the items you're throwing away. The dumpster will take the trash and put it in a container that will be picked up at the end of the week. They will help you to dispose of the container safely.

You have to make sure that you rent a dumpster for rent from a company that offers an inspection program. If they don't offer this, then you will have to take the time to bring the dumpster to the location and see if it is going to fit. If you want to rent a dumpster for rent, you should ask if they can take pictures of the dumpster and the container to make sure you're getting a good deal.

If you are in Denver, then you should go to the Denver Recycling and Recovery Authority (DRA) to find a dumpster that you can rent. They have a listing of many dumpster rental companies in Denver. You can check with them for a list of companies that can help you find the dumpster that's size, weight and location for you.

The Denver Recycling and Recovery Authority is a government agency that has the resources to help you find the right dumpster to rent in Denver. You can also take the time to see if there are companies in your area that offer towing services.

You have to make sure that you get a dumpster that fits your needs. Don't get a dumpster that you don't really need and that you can't afford to repair or maintain. You don't want to have to pay hundreds of dollars for a dumpster that will just sit there, not doing you any good.

You can get dumpsters for rent that can be picked up, packed and delivered, or that you can have to drop off at a location in Denver. The location can be in the suburbs or in the city. You have to make sure that you find a location that is convenient for you.

There are some companies that offer drop off locations for dumpsters for rent in Denver, but the company may be in Denver for other reasons, so you might have to do some research to find that company. You can get a Denver dumpster for rent and then drop it off in a different city, or you can drop it off in Denver and then pick it up at a location that is convenient for you.

You can even rent dumpsters for rent in Denver, if you don't have a lot of money, or if you don't have a lot of space in your home. Some companies may also help you to rent a dumpster for rent and not require any deposit. That is great, because you won't have to pay a deposit when you rent a dumpster for rent in Denver.

[mwcowan]

Mark & Georgia’s Big Trip

Chapter Seven – Miscellaneous Ramblings II

Another busy week, but that’s become the norm. At least this week we saw good progress towards getting everything together that we’ve been trying to get together. But not much of a theme so just some thoughts on the important events of the week.

Caretakers

The biggest milestone this week was that we selected and hired our housekeeper and caretaker. Plus their two boys – we will soon have a new family in our home, and we’re very excited. You’ll soon meet Ranny and Pina, and their boys Prince Denver and Ethan, who will take up residence in our caretaker’s apartment.

Ranny (pronounced “Ronny” – remember that the vowels AEIOU are pronounced here, without exception, Ah, Eh, Ee, Oh, Oo) for the previous seven years has worked as a groundskeeper for Kawayan Cove so he comes with excellent gardening and tree maintenance chops. Pina has been a homemaker, is a great cleaner and a good cook; Georgia says she’s a good student and will quickly learn our favorite dishes. She already knows that I like fresh fruit every morning – half the battle’s won already! Prince Denver (8 yrs) and Ethan (4 yrs) are just normal boys, though very polite. I think it’s going to be fun having them around.

Capiz

Capiz is both a province in the Philippines, on Panay Island, as well as an oyster from the area known for its special shell. A capiz oyster is on the left, the harvested and cleaned shell on the right. One shell of the oyster is flat, growing to 3-5 inches in diameter, and importantly, translucent.

You find all sorts of items here made from capiz – Christmas ornaments, outdoor lights, ashtrays, you name it. When we lived in the Bay Area, Georgia always said you could tell a Filipino’s house because of the capiz lights in the trees. Harvesting and producing craft items from the shells is today the principal livelihood of the people of Capiz. Historically, capiz is important in Philippines heritage and culture, one that’s given away by the Capiz oyster’s Western name: windowpane oyster. For thousands of years the shell served as the “glass” in Filipino windows; many older homes still feature these windows today.

So why this story about capiz? On this week’s trip to Manila, we were wandering around a mall and walked into an antique store. Stacked against the back wall we found a number of dusty old capiz windows. The shop owner had no hard information about their provenance but said they were likely from the 1800’s. They looked it; the Narra and Molave wood was weathered but the craftsmanship was still evident and not of this century. No nails or screws, the window frames are joined with hand-made mortise and tenons, held with wooden pegs. The capiz was dirty, but almost 100% intact – it looks fragile but is actually pretty sturdy stuff. We’re not sure yet what we’ll do with them, but we now have three panels. After an afternoon spent cleaning them we have a treasure we’ll proudly display.

Calamansi

I don’t think Calamansi has been featured in my Strange Fruit of the Day series; it’s really not that strange anyway. Calamansi is the citrus fruit of the Philippines. About ¾ to one inch in size, they look a lot like a key lime but aren’t limes. The insides and juice are orange, but they’re not oranges. They aren’t lemons either, they’re just Calamansi. They flavor many Filipino dishes: you’ll typically squeeze one onto your Pancit before eating, or onto your grilled fish, and they’re often an ingredient in the dipping sauces served with many dishes.

There are no limes here, so I had a dilemma: how to make a proper Gin and Tonic. Finding decent gin was easy (S&R/Costco), and after searching a few stores I found tonic water. But no limes. Calamansi to the rescue! I’m now able to enjoy my favorite summer cocktail. And it’s always summer here! Cheers!

The Massage Table

Massage is a way of life in the Philippines. Go to almost any beach and there will be massage tents set up, in the city there are plenty of establishments, or just call for home service. My only complaint, actually my neck’s complaint, is that the traditional Filipino massage is performed on a flat bed, not a massage table. You’ll sometimes find a real massage table but it’s rare. Fast forward to our weekly trip to S&R, and there it was! My neck had a sudden seizure as I tried to walk past, so into the cart it went! We set it up on the “meditation deck” and brought in a masseuse that Hervé and Lett turned us on to. She’s expensive, about $12 an hour, but good. Very good. Ahhhhhhhh, heaven!

Friends with Furniture

Our friends from Manila, Noel and Michelle Tanada, who have been mentioned before in my blogs (they’re the members at the Balesin Island Club with whom we’ve had some memorable trips) visited us yesterday. I don’t think I’ve ever said much about them. Michelle is a former local TV star/singer; after that career a serial entrepreneur, starting and running businesses in the advertising field. Noel was originally headed for a career in law, but left that world for his art, which encompasses traditional forms such as painting and sculpture, but his real passion lies with interior design and furniture design. In all they do they only use native and sustainable materials, or recycled materials, and always local labor. You can learn more and view some of their products at www.ecohomeart.com. They are also both active environmentalists, deeply involved with coral rehabilitation (www.coralmovement.org). This shot is with them at Balesin Island last year.

Today’s visit was more than a social call as they delivered a van full of furniture, some of the last items for our living room. We’d asked Noel to create some custom bar chairs, a breakfast table and chairs, and a credenza. Since we live in Kawayan Cove he chose a bamboo theme (kawayan is the Tagalog word for bamboo). He also brought a special floor lamp for us. All beautiful and unique pieces we’re proud to have.

House Tour

Finally all the major furniture is here and the house is feeling pretty livable (though we did fine with just a plastic card table and a mattress on the floor for the first 2 weeks…). So, I’ll wrap this up with a photo tour of our newly furnished rooms.

First up is the living room. The coffee and end tables from the acacia slab have arrived, we’re very happy with them and like the way they go with the sofa and love seat. The turtle on the coffee table is from Puerto Vallarta and has a special connection with Kawayan Cove – every fall Olive Ridley sea turtles arrive at Kawayan Cove to lay their eggs.

These are two of the barstools Noel designed for us. Using 100% native and sustainable materials, the backs feature split bamboo and the upholstery is hand-woven Tikog grass from Leyte. Besides a warm an inviting look, Tikog is durable and has a very nice, soft feel. It’s woven into many items here, historically the Banig which is the traditional Filipno sleeping mat.

Also in the same style and materials are this breakfast table and chairs. Noel feels the table design is sexy, resembling a woman’s curves. You decide!

One of Noel’s more creative pieces is this dramatic floor lamp, reflected in our corner windows. The lamp is made of water hyacinth reeds. Beyond being a sustainable material, the use of water hyacinth has an additional benefit as it’s a nuisance here, growing quickly and clogging rivers and harbors.

New in our master bedroom is this computer desk, made of mahogany from our design by Boyet, one of the construction foremen for our contractor. Boyet also made all of the cabinets in the house.

Our small guest bedroom, the one with the great view, has two new side tables of acacia, which we picked up pre-made at the same place where we got our slab. Note the baskets on the wall, which made their way here from the White Sulphur Springs Ranch rummage sale!

Last up is our second guest bedroom. In trade for the lack of a view you get a larger room, with a sofa and coffee table, which is the final piece of our acacia slab. Any of you who visited the Mokawk Community Resource Center last fall will recognize two paintings by Tyler Jacobsen, and a woven wall hanging by Salli Wise. Sorry the bed’s not made, we’ll make sure that’s done before you arrive!

[adventuresaroundasia]

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info. 

After five years of living in China, and two years of This Beijing Life, things have changed. I left my job as a college counselor in China, and now I’m living a life on my terms. I’m my own boss, I travel when I want, and live where I want. I’m FINALLY living my dream of location independence.

I hope you’ll all follow me along on my new journey: The Freedom Life.

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What I Was Up to in March

This March was a BUSY month full of USA travel. From my bachelorette party in Denver to a Southwest US road trip (including California, Vegas, and the Grand Canyon), to a few weekend trips from Palm Desert, I barely had any time to get work done! That said, this month was awesome, and I had a ton of fun moments and memories.

Where I Was This Month

Palm Desert, California

Denver, Colorado

Slab City, California

Idyllwild, California

Los Angeles, California

San Diego, California

Las Vegas, Nevada

Flagstaff, Arizona

The Grand Canyon!

Joshua Tree, California

Palm Springs, California

All the girls at brunch!

Highlights

Overall, this month was pretty awesome! Here are some of my favorite moments.

My Denver Bachelorette Party!

Right at the start of March, I headed over to Denver for my (very early) Bachelorette Party!!

While some people may think Denver is weird for a bachelorette destination, I thought it was perfect. Firstly, Denver is a really awesome and affordable city, making it a great place to have a party without breaking the bank. Secondly, my friends are ALL OVER the US, and Denver is a hub for multiple airlines, making it super easy and affordable for all my friends to meet in one place.

While I knew my bachelorette party would be fun (just based on all the awesome people attending), it ended up really exceeding my expectations. The girls, lead by my Maid of Honor Sarah, really planned such an epic weekend. They found a super cute Airbnb with room for all six of us and planned an epic day of celebrating.

First, we had brunch with unlimited mimosas and bloody mary’s (my favorite!). Next, we did a brewery tour in a tuk-tuk! (Which is awesome because I used to lead tuk tuk brewery tours in Beijing). The girls actually created a hilarious scavenger hunt, which had me getting proposed to (multiple times), rubbing the heads of bald strangers, getting carried around in a bar, and plenty more. The best part was that people in Denver are SO NICE. Seriously, everyone we met wanted to make sure I had a fantastic bachelorette, and people were so eager to check off items on my scavenger hunt.

It was honestly the perfect bachelorette and I could’ve asked for more!

Bronte, Annisa and I in San Diego!

Southwest US Road Trip

If you didn’t already know, I went on an epic 2-week Southwest road trip this March! Two of Chris’ brothers and their girlfriends flew over to the US, and the six of us rented the world’s best ultimate soccer mom mini van for our trip, which we fondly named Bessie Lou.

This van took us from LA to San Diego, Vegas, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs and back to LA! She was brand new with 45 miles on her when we left, and by the time we brought her back she had almost 2,000 miles on her…

This two-week road trip was tons of fun, especially since the two couples that joined us had never been to the US before. I was also able to go to a ton of places I’d never seen, like Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon! None of us were ready to leave when the trip was over. We had such a great time, and I can’t wait to plan another trip with them again.

Waiting for the Thunder From Down Under

Girls Night in Vegas

While Chris had his Bachelor Party in Vegas, the girls all went out to celebrate my friend (and Chris’ brother’s girlfriend) Bronte’s birthday. Rather than sitting at home wondering what all our men were up to, we planned a day that was just as wild as theirs.

After a little discount shopping at Ross and a solid hour of getting lost trying to find a Starbucks, the girls all met up on the Strip for dinner and drinks. We all bought VIP tickets to Thunder Down Under, which was definitely a crazy show! I was even called up onstage (I almost had a heart attack), but thankfully it was just to win a free calendar. Whew!

Overall, it was a pretty fun bonding experience with all the girls, and we didn’t end up going to bed until almost 4 am. Granted, we paid for it the next day, with hangovers, blistered feet, and a 10 am checkout.

Hello Grand Canyon!

Hiking The Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree

I can finally say I’ve seen the Grand Canyon! I absolutely loved the Flagstaff and Joshua Tree portions of our trip. We got to unpack and stay at some super cute Airbnb properties where we could actually cook healthy-ish meals.

The best place we stayed was definitely a cute little forest cabin in Mountainare (near Flagstaff). In the evenings we’d cook dinner, have a few drinks, and play the world’s hardest game of charades called “God Hates Charades“. I actually had to act out Nicholas Cage taking out a life insurance policy on Wolverine.

The National Parks themselves were also amazing. The Grand Canyon is stunning, and I definitely want to go back and do some longer hikes around there another time. Joshua Tree was also beautiful, and we did the 29 Palms hike to a desert Oasis. Since California has been a bit rainy this year, the entire mountain was covered in beautiful wildflowers!

Some art from Slab City

Day Trips to Slab City and Idyllwild

This March, my parents wanted to show us some of the cute towns and interesting places around Palm Desert. Our first trip was to Salvation Mountain and Slab City, which is basically Burning Man all year long. Salvation Mountain is a giant hill in the desert that’s been painted and decorated like it’s straight out of Dr. Seuss with a ton of religious quotes. I honestly could’ve stayed here for hours taking pictures.

Meanwhile, Slab City has a ton of people living off the grid and a bunch of artists creating the coolest sculptures out of trash and recycling. We even had a super interesting conversation with a guy who had glued mutilated Barbie’s all over his car as a statement about body image. He explained that his sister was born with a physical disability, and would ask how many surgeries it would take her to look like Barbie. Since then, he’s had a major issue with Barbie and its representation of stereotypical standards of beauty.

Finally, my family, Chris and I took a day trip to Idyllwild, which is a very cute mountain town. We had great Mexican food, partook in a coffee tasting, and wandered around all the little shops. I even purchased a pair of socks that say “my cat is f-ing cool” with an old school picture of a little girl petting a cat.

This sign is much smaller than I thought it would be

Losing Inches (But Not Pounds)

As many of you know, I’ve been putting in a lot of effort to exercise, eat healthy, and get to a weight that’s appropriate for me and my body. I’ve been putting in a TON of work, but not really seeing much of a difference on the scale. I know I’m probably transitioning muscle into fat, but still… my weight is far too high for someone who’s only 5’4″.

That said, I’ve been using tape measurements weekly, and I’ve seen a huge difference there! I’ve lost an inch off my chest, another inch off each of my arms, 2 inches off each of my thighs, another two inches off my hips, and THREE inches off my waist! However, despite all of these changes, I’ve only actually lost 5 lbs. WTF?

In addition to measuring myself, I also decided to try on my wedding dress (which I bought off the rack) to see how it fit. I definitely noticed my dress was easier to zip up and fit much better, but it wasn’t until my mom took a few pictures that I realized how much my work has paid off.

It seriously looks like I’ve lost 15 pounds. I’m not joking.

Everyone: my parents, my friends, my nutritionist, all FREAKED OUT when they saw the photos. My nutritionist even showed the photos to everyone in her office. I seriously wish I could show you guys the before and after photos because they’re crazy (unfortunately it’s my wedding dress so I have to hold off for now).

If you’re trying to lose weight and you don’t see the numbers on the scale changing, try using a measuring tape and taking photos. I don’t notice a big difference in my week to week photos, but the before and after of my wedding dress is CRAZY.

While it is frustrating that I can’t seem to get the scale to move, the pictures and measuring tape speaks for itself. At least something is working.

Getting proposed to by a bartender with a lemon ring

Meeting another bachelorette!

Challenges

Not everything this month was perfect. Here were some of my rougher moments.

I Forgot My Phone in California for my Bachelorette in Denver…

After getting dropped off at the airport I realized I was forgetting something. My phone! Unfortunately, even if I was able to get in touch with anyone, there would be no time for my mom to drive all the way back home, grab my phone, and make it back to the airport in time, so I was just out of luck.

Thankfully I brought my computer so I was able to get in touch with someone to come pick me up from the train station, but not having a phone was definitely a bit stressful.

Being phoneless definitely made for a very fiance-free bachelorette weekend. I couldn’t text him even if I wanted to!

Unfortunately for me, I had to be really reliant on other people to take photos, which ended up working out in the long run. In the end, it wasn’t ideal, but if I’m going to forget a phone on a trip, at least it was a short one!

At least it looked pretty?

So Much Snow in Denver

Usually, March in Denver isn’t too cold, but this year the snow was CRAZY! The day of my bachelorette it really started coming down, and our brewery tour leader had to switch to his car to get us back home! Thankfully, no one’s flights were delayed for more than a few hours, and Denver definitely does not shut down in the snow.

If this were Seattle, all of the breweries would’ve been empty once it started snowing. But Denver is completely flat and people are used to it, so despite the multiple inches of snow on the road, people kept partying all evening!

Unfortunately, one of the girls didn’t bring boots and her ballet flats were NOT doing the job. I’m honestly surprised her feet didn’t just fall off. When I went to the airport on Sunday evening, the temperature was -1 Fahrenheit and my coat was NOT good enough for that kind of weather. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a place that cold before!

I hate packing almost as much as this guy hates dolphins

Packing All My Stuff… AGAIN.

If there’s one thing I hate about my lifestyle, it’s packing everything up and moving every few months. Why do I have so much stuff? Where does it all come from??

Chris and I have managed to easily get our bags down to 23 kilos (50 lbs), especially if we can check two bags. However, we discovered our flight from Beijing to Vietnam at the beginning of April, only allows ONE 20 kilo bag!! We tried to add weight to our one bag, or buy a second checked bag, but neither were options for “such a short flight”. The only option was to pay $15 USD per extra kilo at the airport. WTF CHINA EASTERN??

We even spent an hour on hold with the China Eastern US office only to get a girl that literally had no idea and couldn’t help us at all. Her only advice was to call the Beijing airport and ask them. Why?? What???

Usually this wouldn’t be such a big deal, but A) I’m traveling with a wedding dress that takes up half my small carry-on suitcase so I can’t just put all my heavy stuff in there, and B) it’s really hard for me to find CGM (curly girl method) approved products in Vietnam, so I wanted to stock up and bring them over. Unfortunately for me, I had to make some tough choices…

In the end, our suitcases were both 22 kilos, but thankfully the check-in staff said NOTHING. They also didn’t mind that Chris had 2 personal items in addition to his carry on and that our carryons were all way over the weight limit. Ummm thanks, China Eastern? We totally would’ve just bought a second bag if you’d offered it for less than the price of a new organ.

California sea lion!

Getting Super Sick on the Road Trip

During the road trip, most of us got some weird variant of the flu. It honestly sounded like the plague in our minivan. After one day in Vegas trying not to die, and a full day of driving to Flagstaff, I was happy to skip out on Sonoma and spend the entire day sleeping and watching movies in our little cottage. It was definitely necessary.

So many temptations

Eating Out For Every Meal

After making tons of progress getting fit and eating healthy, it was really hard to keep the momentum going on a road trip. Why is eating out in the US so unhealthy? I tried to make good choices for every meal, but finding good healthy food while traveling is easier said than done.

You’ve got some mean drivers San Diego…

Stressful Driving in San Diego

While I’m comfortable driving, I’ve actually never driven a car as big as Bessie Lou before. This 7-seater minivan was GIANT (seriously, I don’t know how they can call it a mini van). While I eventually got used to her extreme size, navigating the highways and roads in LA, San Diego, and Vegas was a nightmare. Firstly, California drivers are MEAN. WHY ARE YOU ALL SO MEAN???

Do you want to change lanes? These people will legit speed up. People complain about LA, but driving in San Diego was worse. To get anywhere I had to get on and off multiple highways, which were all extremely confusing. Every time I needed to get into town, I had to go on a highway, immediately get off at the first exit onto another highway, change over five lanes and then immediately get off at the next exit. This meant I had approximately 2 minutes to change over five lanes on a super busy highway where no one will let you over.

No wonder everyone from Washington hates California drivers. You guys are all a-holes. Don’t even pretend like this fact surprises you.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas… including my kindle.

Leaving my Kindle in Vegas

Guess who forgot her kindle at the pool in Vegas and didn’t notice until she was literally about to leave the US? This girl!

Thankfully the hotel had it and was happy to mail it to me for a fee. Unfortunately for me, I only had 2 days left in the US and there was no way I could get it in time, so I had to run to a Target and buy a new Kindle (I do not want to try and find a Kindle in Vietnam). Maybe I can sell my old one when I get home?

My mom looking fashionable in Idyllwild

What I Wrote in March

March was extremely busy, so I didn’t have much time to write, but I did crank out two posts!

Zhang Mama – The Best Hole in the Wall Restaurant in Beijing

The Freedom Life: February 2019

Best Instagram Shots

I’m excited to move back to Hoi An, and apparently, you’re all excited for me to move back too!

  View this post on Instagram

  Guess what? I’m moving back to Hoi An in April! Between now and then I’ve got a lot of adventures planned though: 2 week US road trip, a week in Beijing (!!) and then I’ll have the next 5 months in Hoi An! Which of these adventures are you most excited for? Let me know in a comment!

A post shared by Richelle (@adventuresaroundasia) on Mar 16, 2019 at 11:25am PDT

I don’t usually do selfies on Instagram, but I made an exception and apparently you all don’t mind! How can I complain about not being able to fit all my hair products without showing off my hair?

  View this post on Instagram

  What’s weighing down your bag when you travel or move abroad? Over the last few days, I’ve had to pack up everything I own (AGAIN). You’d think that after a year and a half of this I’d have it down, but apparently not. I just keep getting worse! Where does all this stuff come from?? 😧😧 I mean, if I was just hopping from one SE Asian country to the next, things might be easier, but with the weather differences and huge long- haul flights, I need entirely different wardrobes. Seriously, I was just in Denver where it was -1 FAHRENHEIT and soon I’ll be in Vietnam at the start of the super duper hot and humid season. But of course, since I’m a girl, I’ve got my guilty pleasures. And you’d be surprised what it is that’s weighing down my suitcase. Nope- it’s not clothes, shoes or makeup. It’s HAIR PRODUCTS. Yep, I discovered the Curly Girl Method and now I have a problem. Half the weight of my suitcase is a bunch of bottles of silicone-free conditioner and curly Girl styling products. Sue me. Oh yeah, and I’ve got a wedding dress that’s coming everywhere with me too, so that’s fun! 😂😭 what weighs down your suitcase? Let me know in a comment!

A post shared by Richelle (@adventuresaroundasia) on Mar 20, 2019 at 4:52pm PDT

Travel Product I Can’t Live Without

I learned this month that I can’t survive without a kindle! While I love a good physical book, packing tons of books while traveling just isn’t practical. Plus, it can be super hard to find good English-language books on the road. I invested in a Kindle when I first moved to China to teach English, and now I’m on Kindle #3!  (I dropped the first one, and left the second one in Vegas… whoops).

Seriously, if you live abroad or travel long-term, you don’t want to be without one of these. It’s super easy to buy books on the Amazon store and download them directly to your Kindle wherever you are.

If you want some good travel book recommendations, check out Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven, Kosher Chinese, Wild, Love with a Chance of Drowning, and What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding.

Megan’s poor feet!!

Favorite Outfit of the Month

This month I rented a gorgeous long-sleeved red dress from Rent the Runway for my Bachelorette and it was perfect! Not only was this dress super flattering, but it was also extremely comfortable. I’m 100% getting a replica of this dress made when I’m in Vietnam.

What I’m Listening To

My interview on the Comes With Baggage Podcast! My fiance Chris and his friend Kaitlyn have just started an epic travel podcast, and I’m the guest for episode 2! If you’re at all interested in learning about our marriage visa problems, how I got started traveling or teaching abroad in China, you’re going to want to check out this episode!

[button url=”https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/comes-with-baggage/id1457250570?mt=2″ label=”Listen to the Podcast!” size=”large” target=”_blank”]

Best Reads of March

Here are my favorite blog posts from the month of March!

My ‘Interesting’ Experience at the Kumbh Mela Festival – Vicky Flip Flop Travels

Wow! Vicky’s description of this festival is incredible! As I’m reading it, I can imagine the full-on culture shock of attending the largest Hindu festival in the world. This post both makes me want to go… and not go.

How I Became a Successful Travel Blogger – Adventurous Kate

This post was a bit different than I thought it would be, but I actually really liked it. Rather than a post filled with advice, Kate tells the full story of how she got into travel blogging, and the business and life decisions she made that helped her career. She also talks a lot about her upbringing and how that helped push her along this path.

Top 7 Quirky Things to do in Kaohsiung Taiwan – Journalist on the Run

I was LITERALLY just talking with Chris about doing another Taiwan trip, and he mentioned Kaohsiung. When I said “What is there to do in Kaohsiung? Why don’t we just go to Kenting for the beaches?” he mentioned Kaohsiung was worth visiting. What is there to do in Kaohsiung? Well, now I know!

Shorts and snow in Idyllwild

What’s Next for April 2019?

Well… April is already half over, but I can still keep you in suspense! At the beginning of April, I’m heading to Beijing for 5 days of touristing and meeting up with old friends… oh, and eating ALL THE FOODS. Next, I’m heading to Vietnam where I’ll be staying for 5 months! I’ll be finding a good house, joining a coworking space, and enjoying the tropical weather in my hotel’s pool!

The Freedom Life: March 2019 This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.  After five years of living in China, and two years of 

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The Station: Polestar 2 drive, Tesla splits and a chat with Motional’s Karl Iagnemma

The Station is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here — just click The Station — to receive it every Saturday in your inbox.

Hello and welcome back to The Station, a newsletter dedicated to all the present and future ways people and packages move from Point A to Point B.

Let’s get right to it today.

Friendly reminder that you can reach out and email me anytime at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com to share thoughts, criticisms, offer up opinions or tips. You can also send a direct message to me at Twitter — @kirstenkorosec.

Micromobbin’

European micromobility company Wind has introduced a new electric scooter with an integrated helmet. These new scooters, known as Wind 3.0, are now part of the company’s fleet ahead of its participation in the UK e-scooter trial program.

The helmets and the scooters are cleaned daily, the company said. Still, Wind advises users to wipe the attached helmet before putting it on.

To use the helmet, users scan and unlock the scooter with the app and choose the “unlock helmet” function. The helmet is released by lifting up the helmet case. Once users are done with the scooter, they take a photo using the app to confirm that the device is locked and the helmet has been returned.

The Wind 3.0 has other new features aimed at making it safer and robust, including double handbrakes, electric front and rear brakes, a non-slip platform, or larger and wider foam tires that cannot burst.

Image Credits: Wind

Other micromobbin’ news that got my attention …

Bird added a new feature that allows account holders to add four more riders even if these folks don’t have the Bird app. The idea is to make it easier for a group of friends to rent a few Bird scooters even if only one of them has an account. It’s a handy feature but I wonder how Bird prevents misuse and handles liability?

Jump bikes continue to pop up under the Lime app — this time in Berlin. Jump’s bright red bikes and scooters had disappeared from city streets after Uber unloaded the micromobility company to Lime as part of a complex $170 million fundraising round. When the Jump bikes were finally spotted it was in a recycling yard, where more than 20,000 of them laid in piles, awaiting their demise.

New, unused Jump bikes were tucked away in storage. Lime has been adding these Jump bikes to cities like Denver, London, Paris, Rochester, Minn., Seattle and Washington, D.C. Lime also started integrating Jump bikes onto its own app; users previously had to go to the Uber app to use the Jump bikes that Lime brought back to certain cities.

More Jump bikes should be expected. We hear the next city will be Munich.

ScootRoute, a navigation app designed for scooter and ebike users, is now available in all 50 states. ScootRoute, founded by Meghan Braley, is a voice-activated navigation app that combines three different mapping technologies to accommodate the nuances of micromobility travel. Riders can personalize the app based on their preferences such as incline tolerances, traffic, top speed and road type. The free app is available on Android and iOS.

Deal of the week

It was a bit of a quiet week for mobility — at least on the deal-making sides of things. One item that stood out was Tesla’s 5 for 1 stock split. A little back of the envelope arithmetic would value Tesla shares around $297 after the split.

My, how far the company’s share price has come in two years? You might recall that two years ago CEO Elon Musk infamously tweeted that he had “funding secured” and was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share.

Tesla then published an email Musk had sent to employees that described his rationale, only to backtrack a few weeks later and announce the company would remain public. This, of course, got the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which later accused Musk of securities fraud. The parties reached a settlement without admitting wrongdoing. Under the settlement, Tesla agreed to add two independent directors and Musk would step down as chairman for three years.

Tesla shares reached a 52-week low of $211 in August 2019. The stock has risen 650% since then, pushing share prices north of $1,650. Tesla now has a market cap of more than $300 billion, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies.

Image Credits: Screenshot/Google Finance

Other deals worth noting …

Best, the Alibaba-backed company, is seeking a Hong Kong listing for its express delivery and freight delivery businesses, per Reuters. The company went public in 2017 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Electronic Transaction Consultants Corporation, a transportation services company that provides tolling and congestion management, has been acquired by private equity firm Align Capital Partners.

High Definition Vehicle Insurance, a commercial auto insurance business founded by Esurance co-founder Chuck Wallace and former VC Reid Spitz, raised $16 million in Series A funding led by 8VC and Munich Re Ventures, with additional participation from Qualcomm Ventures and Autotech Ventures.

Wejo, the connected car data company, raised $12 million in a fundraise from a mix of new and current investors. The round was led by DIP Capital LLP.  The UK government’s Future Fund also participated. The company said the funding will be used for its the next stage development, a future that includes new global automotive partnerships.

A little bird

We hear things, but we’re not selfish. We share.

This isn’t maybe the world’s biggest news, but I’ll file it here. I hear that Aurora has brought on an advisor who has direct experience in delivery and logistics. Gloria Boyland, who was vice president of operations and service support at FedEx, is now an advisor to the full-stack automated driving startup. Her LinkedIn profile confirmed the rumor.

Boyland also serves on U.S. DOT Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

The move further illustrates Aurora’s intention to pursue and prioritize delivery and logistics. Aurora is developing a full-stack solution for self-driving vehicles, which it calls the “Driver.” Since it launched in 2017, Aurora said its “Driver” could be applied to any vehicle. However, Aurora’s partnerships and public comments in those first two years centered on robotaxis, not logistics.

A chat with Karl Iagnemma

Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv PLC announced in September 2019 it was forming a joint venture to develop Level 4 production-ready self-driving systems intended for commercialization. For the past year, the joint venture has been referred to as the Hyundai-Aptiv joint venture. It wasn’t exactly catchy.

Welp, this week the venture unveiled its official name and brand identity: Motional. I’m not one to cover new brand names, and so I didn’t. But I did chat with Karl Iagnemma, who is the president and CEO of Motional and has a long history in the world of automated vehicle technology.

Here are a few interesting items that came up in our conversation. First, a quick reminder that the joint venture involved Aptiv contributing the team and technology and Hyundai providing $1.6 billion in cash and $400 million in engineering services. Motional said it will begin testing fully driverless systems in 2020 with the technology becoming available for robotaxi providers and fleet operators in 2022.

The company also released a survey that found nearly one in five (19%) Americans are more interested in self-driving vehicles now than they were before the pandemic, and the majority of Americans (60%) are reconsidering their transportation choices to accommodate social distancing. More than 70% of respondents admitted that the risk of infection is a real concern impacting their transportation decisions, and more than three in four (76%) said their concerns around the safety of public spaces has increased as well.

OK, onto Iagnemma.

On the survey results ….  “I do think driverless, on its surface, I view it as a big benefit in terms of safety and I think our survey data shows that a lot of people feel the same way. The sharing I think is an open question, but something that we can address in the medium term.”

On the technology stack (remember Aptiv, formerly Delphi acquired Carnegie Mellon University spinoff Ottomatika and Iagnemma’s company nuTonomy) … “The Motional technology has all come together in our next generation platform which we call Gen One, which is a new system. It’s currently being tested on the road, in a number of cities. I don’t think you’ve seen it.

It’s been a couple years since the acquisition. Certainly, there’s elements of the nuTonomy code base, elements of the Ottomatika code base. But what we did is kind of took the best of everything we had, integrated together and obviously added a lot. There’s been a lot that’s just been built new, and have focused much more on the safety system. The state-of-the art system that we’re testing is called Gen One.”

More on the stack … “I would just characterize it as definitely a combination, where we’ve drawn on the best elements of both code code bases, and fully integrated, and we built quite a bit on top. A lot of the focus over the past 18 months has been on safety and industrialization. So, better more testable code and safety systems. These are the systems that are going to ensure that when we have a driverless product that it’s still a safe product.”

On what is required to succeed as an AV company … “I think you need three key elements to be successful today, which I believe that the JV (joint venture) has in spades. You need the software development capability, the OEM relationship, which I think has generally been recognized now as essential, and then the access to capital of a billion dollars plus, which is kind of the price of an entry ticket.”

What makes Motional unique … “Our DNA is OEM, and it’s also Tier one. I mean I don’t know of any other entity in the industry that has that expertise — the drawing from Tier one. You know Tier ones actually develop and integrate and validate the core technology. Many people think OEMs do that but they actually don’t, it’s the Tier ones of the world that go off and do that.”

“Also, many of our competitors are focused on North America, and North America is a great market. But our footprint is North America and Asia such as Singapore and Seoul, which is growing quickly. And I think that flexibility is going to be very valuable for us when we think about going to market.”

Notable reads and other tidbits

Here’s that spot where I squeeze in all the other transportation tidbits that caught my eye. Let’s dig in.

Automated vehicle tech

I used to call this section autonomous vehicles. I’m trying out “automated vehicle tech” after reading an argument pushing for the term in a text from a founder. Readers, what do you think? I’ll let this founder make their case in next week’s newsletter if this person agrees to let me share their complete argument. You know who you are, so reach out.

In the meantime, I will be careful to note the difference between the levels of automation.

For instance, GM’s hands-free active driver assistance system known as Super Cruise is not in the same category as the full automated vehicle technology that Argo AI, Aurora, Cruise and Waymo are developing.

Speaking of Super Cruise, who here knew that this feature, which has been limited to the Cadillac brand, was “free” for only three years? Motor Trend reports that after the three-year trial customers must pay a fee to keep Super Cruise operative. Motor1 later reported that the trial for Super Cruise was extended by an extra year for 2018 Cadillac CT6 owners.

Car bits

Daimler will pay about $2.2 billion to settle U.S. diesel-emissions issues in the latest fallout from years of closer regulatory scrutiny on vehicle pollution, Bloomberg reports.

It’s electric

Faraday Future has yet to produce a production vehicle. But it has managed to produce several prototypes, and one of them will soon be on the auction block.

Hyperion, a California-based company that focuses on hydrogen generation, storage and propulsion, unveiled its Hyperion XP-1 prototype, sleek and fast vehicle equipped with a hydrogen-electric powertrain.

The inaugural vehicle is the culmination of nearly a decade of development, testing and research in hydrogen technology by over 200 researchers and scientists, according to the company. It has some eye-popping stats on range, charging and acceleration. The XP-1 has a 1,000-mile range and can be recharged in less than five minutes at public stations. It also can travel from 0 to 60 mph in under 2.2 seconds.

Image Credits: Hyperion

Hyundai launched a dedicated EV brand called Ioniq with plans to bring three all-electric vehicles to market over the next four years. The Ioniq brand is part of the Korean automaker’s broader strategy to sell 1 million battery electric vehicles — and take a 10% share of the EV market — by 2025.

Lucid Motors has been pushing out teasers and nuggets about its upcoming all-electric Air sedan for months now. This week, Lucid finally revealed that it has an estimated EPA range of 517 miles. The automaker said the estimated EPA range was verified by FEV North America, Inc., an independent firm that conducted the test in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Nikola Motor announced an order for 2,500 garbage trucks from Republic Services. This order is to begin full production deliveries in 2023 with on-road testing likely to begin in early 2022.

Rivian asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Tesla, arguing that two of the three claims in the case fail to state sufficient allegations of trade-secret theft and poaching talent and instead was an attempt to malign its reputation and hurt its own recruiting efforts.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the company was ‘embarrassingly late’ rolling out a security layer known as two-factor authentication for its mobile app. Still no timeline despite this regret, except that it is in “final validation.”

Ride-hailing and sharing

Lyft reported second-quarter earnings this week and the big hard-to-ignore takeaway was that COVID-19 has crushed ridership. That’s not so surprising. Uber also experienced a similar drop in rides during the second quarter.

Lyft’s revenue fell from $867.3 million, or 61%, in the quarter, and its adjusted net loss in Q2 came to $265.8 million, worse than its year-ago adjusted net loss of $197.3 million.

Despite the drop, Lyft is sticking to its previous target to hit quarterly adjusted profitability by the fourth period of 2021. Upholding the target in this uncertain era of COVID-19 is newsworthy on its own. But what caught our attention was Lyft’s claim that it would hit this milestone even at a lower ridership than it had previously targeted.

Ridecell Inc. announced that KINTO Share, a shared mobility program for Toyota Sweden, has selected the Ridecell High-yield Mobility Platform to run their mobility operations.

Uber and Lyft have lost their bid to delay a preliminary injunction that will force the two ride-hailing app companies to reclassify drivers as employees. A California superior court judge denied Thursday the companies request to delay the order from going into effect August 20.

The decision sets the stage for a legal fight and will most certainly require both companies to suspend operations temporarily in California if they fail to get the stay extended. Both companies are filing appeals.

Via launched an on-demand public transit service in St. Louis in partnership with St. Louis Metro Transit. The new service is called Via Metro STL. The on-demand sharing shuttle company also launched a service with Niagara Region Transit in West Niagara in Canada.

What3words, the location technology company, partnered with Middle East ride-hailing company Careem.

Interesting reads

Daimler has a lengthy article on how artificial intelligence changes work and personal life.

David Zipper, writing for Bloomberg’s CityLab, unpacks America’s flawed approach to auto safety tech in this notable read “The Life-Saving Technology Nobody Wants.”

Two Polestar reviews

Alright, well this isn’t quite the road trip-worthy SUVs that we reviewed earlier this summer, but the Polestar 2 is too interesting to ignore.

TechCrunch managing editor Matt Burns spent some time in the Polestar 2. As he put it: “I cannot stress enough how well-built the Polestar 2 feels, and that’s likely due to its close ties with Volvo.”

Image credits: Matt Burns

The big takeaway is that it’s great, and yet, Burns is somehow conflicted.

The Polestar  2 is more comfortable, seemingly better built and has a better infotainment system than the Tesla Model 3, Burns writes. But then comes the punchline: “In all the traditional automotive metrics, it’s a better car, and yet I find it hard to recommend it over the Tesla Model 3.”

I have seen, but not driven the Polestar 2, so we’ll have to rely on Burns’ words — for now. His big issue is that despite all of these benefits, the Tesla Model 3 has an ecosystem such as its charging infrastructure that Polestar simply doesn’t.

But what is this? Burns also reviewed the Polestar 1, the hybrid grand tourer that I have also spent some time in. The upshot: Polestar 1 is a fantastic vehicle full of dumb flaws, but it gets one thing right: The hybrid powertrain in the Polestar 1 is genius. It’s spectacular and foreshadows a future where cars can change their identities to match a driver’s tastes better.

Image Credits: Matt Burns

[coralhampton]

No Time For Meal Prep? New Delivery Services Make It Easy To Stick To Your Protocol

There is truly nothing to fear when it comes to changing your diet, if you're open to the help of a little technology. Changing one's diet can be extremely stressful for many. Particularly when they don't feel that they have control over it, like when they've been told they must follow a specific protocol to help manage a chronic disease, or they resent the disruption to their normal routine. Admittedly, the initial changes can be an adjustment but thankfully, many enterprising chefs have decided you can take the guesswork out of your new protocol by letting them do the cooking at your place, (sort of). Meal and meal kit delivery is becoming increasingly popular among many. From time-crunched students, to busy families, to people needing to keep strict dietary compliance, these services are brilliant! Read more

These types of services are extremely convenient and can be separated into two basic categories (although a few have hybrids of both). Some will prepare entire meals that are ready to be reheated and eaten, others, will deliver the fresh, prepped ingredients with detailed cooking instructions and you prepare the rest of the meal yourself. We don't recommend one type of service over the other, we think the best way to consider them, beside which may fit a specific protocol best, is how much do you enjoy, or how much time do you have, to devote to being in the kitchen? Is part of using a delivery service attractive to you because you don't have to cook? That's completely fair and is exactly why these services exist in the first place! There's also absolutely nothing to say you can't use more than one service, either. Regardless of where your meals may be coming from, we all eat so many times a day, so many times a week, right? For someone who loves to cook, but only when they have time on the weekends, that may mean using one service a few days a week and another for the weeknights when they're in a hurry, which provides fully prepared meals that save time. That may sound like a hassle, but with easy to use mobile apps and desktop sites to work with, it can certainly still be easier than pouring through cookbooks and websites and trying untested recipes, then slogging to the dreaded grocery store to collect everything you need.

After looking over so many of the menus offered by the companies we'll talk about below, we can say their prices are all fair for their offerings. If you're the type of cook who ends up with a lot of waste at the end of the week, we can even go as far as saying they can be money savers, too. As always, we are not affiliated with any of these services and aim only to help our patients and readers on their journey with dietary change, and helping them make informed decisions while they learn about new strategies for eating. Improving their quality of life while we're at it never hurts, either.

We used several broad criteria when selecting which of these services to recommend. To begin, we looked for companies that support specific dietary protocols such as: Paleo, Keto, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan and more. Then, of course, we checked pricing, because that's just logic taking over. We think it makes the most sense to judge each of them for their own value, instead of judging them against each other, because in many cases it can be like comparing apples to oranges. Companies that offer organic, antibiotic, hormone and GMO-free foods were especially attractive to us for a myriad of health and environmental reasons. And finally, if they aim to provide local and/or sustainable meat and produce, that was all the better!

Without further ado.

SunBasket.com - This service met many of our criteria handedly. In terms of the protocols they support, there are many, including: Paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, and a proprietary menu they call Lean+Clean (which we have not reviewed specifically and cannot recommend for any one particular protocol. That is not to say that we do not encourage you to do your own research if you are interested, please do!). They use sustainable and organic foods in their recipes and are committed to using only hormone and antibiotic free meats. Their seafood is always recommended as Best Choice or Good Alternative by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. Their recipes are designed to be on the table in 30 minutes, so they're great for weeknights. Orders come delivered weekly in 100% recyclable packing materials. With their Classic Menu they offer 18 menus to choose from at $6.16 per serving. Family menus have 6 menus to choose from at $6.62 per serving.

Plated.com - We will begin with the caveat that they do not offer protocol specific menus, rather, "Globally inspired, Chef designed menus." That said, they offer so many mix and match dishes that depending upon the dish and protocol, this service might still very well work for you. They offer 20 recipes to choose from and even a "rate and review" option that helps curate future menus for you. That was something we only noticed Plated doing and believe it's another reason to check them out, even if they may not list your specific protocol, they may still very well have dishes that fit all your criteria. They are committed to sustainable fishing, and serve only hormone and antibiotic free meats, supplementing with organic ingredients when possible. They use a volume pricing method, meaning the more servings you buy, the less expensive they become. 2-3 servings are $11.95 each while 4 or more drop to $9.95. They offer free shipping on orders over $60.

GreenChef.com - This service really stood out to us due to their seriousness towards gluten-free cooking. They were the first meal delivery service to be certified with the Gluten Intolerance Group's GFFS program. That gives us much confidence when recommending gluten-free eaters check them out. In addition to their gluten free menus they also offer: omnivore, carnivore, Paleo, Keto, vegan, and vegetarian menus. Many of which come in Family size. They use all organic ingredients. Their pricing is fairly straightforward but dependent upon which menus you order from and how many you are feeding. From their site:

"Our pricing is based on the plan you choose and how many people will be eating each dinner.

2-Person Plan: 1 box contains 3 dinners for 2 people (6 meals/servings total per box).

Family Plan: 1 box contains 2 dinners for a family of four, served family-style for parents and kids (8 meals/servings total per box).

Vegetarian $10.49 per meal

Omnivore $11.99 per meal

Vegan $11.99 per meal

Carnivore $13.49 per meal

Gluten-free $13.49 per meal

Paleo $14.99 per meal

Note: Based on the protein preferences you set for the Omnivore or Carnivore Plan, you may receive a menu that falls under a different meal plan. Don't worry-we'll always charge you the lower price of the two plans.

Family Omnivore $11.99 per meal

Family Carnivore $12.99 per meal

Note: Above prices do not include $9 shipping and handling per box."

CavemanChefs.com - This is a Colorado-based company directly serving the Denver-metro area, but they do offer next day shipping to areas outside of it. One of the things we found interesting is that they provide pick up locations at many CrossFit boxes in the area, killing two birds with one stone for many. What could be better than a workout then returning home with dinner without an additional stop? As their name implies, they focus on preparing Paleo meals and even Paleo catering, which is especially awesome when you're hosting an event but don't want to derail your dietary progress. As we were looking around their site we noticed they also offer menus for SIBO, low fodmap, Keto, Whole30 and PaleoAIP. In fact, according to their site, they are the first SIBO-specific meal delivery service in the U.S.! They offer up to 10 meals each week to choose from. As well, they are champions of environmental stewardship, sustainability, and humanely raised meats.They offer 100% grass-fed wagyu beef and lamb. As well as 100% antibiotic and hormone free pork and chicken, and wild caught Alaskan and verlasso salmon. They strive to use local, organic, and seasonal vegetables when available. One thing we noticed, that really set them apart from other services, is that they are willing to work with their customers in customizing meals, which means if you have an allergy or another dietary restriction they are there to help. Not that we're saying other companies are inflexible, but some of their business models just don't allow for substitutions or omissions, so they may not work for everyone. You can call or email to talk with their staff of professional chefs to keep you safe and healthy! We found that to be especially appealing for people with very strict protocols. We have added a link to their pricing page, because they offer a lot of options, including ordering by the pound, and we thought it might be easier to view it as they have it neatly presented on their site instead of run-on sentences trying to explain!

SupperBell.com - Is another Colorado-based delivery service, with a familiar name at the helm, Chef Frank Bonanno. Many of you who live in and around the Denver-metro area may be familiar with his family of restaurants that include Luca, Mizuna, Bones, Osteria Marco, to name but a few. If you have ever eaten at any of them, you can see why we'd recommend this service from their Chef! They provide a filter feature for their menus that you can select from: gluten-free, nut-free, Paleo, vegetarian, Light'NFit, and dairy free. These filters can be applied across entrees, sides/salads, breakfasts, families, and kids. And speaking of kids, there's even something for the littlest ones! SupperBell offers their own line of baby food! Called Baby Fresh, they offer 4 stages of organic items ranging from purees to solids for babies 6 months to all ages. They work with many local and sustainable purveyors such as Seattle Fish Co., Polidori Sausage, The Spice Guy, and 5280 Culinary. Their pricing and ordering system reminds us of restaurant takeout just slightly, in that you can place your order day-of (by 3:00 p.m. local time), dishes aren't priced the same across board but rather a la carte, and are delivered later that day between a time-window pre-selected by the customer. There are no contracts and a low order minimum of just $10 with a $2.95 delivery fee in their delivery zone.

Finally, we came across a website and Facebook page for a new service called SimplyAIP. They haven't started delivery yet but will be launching their service this Spring (2018). They will be specializing in Autoimmune Protocol-friendly meals, treats and indulgences, which we are very excited to check out! Their Facebook page is already chock-full of information, recipes and blog links. We highly recommend you check them out, very informative! There tends to be a real sense of community amongst AIP'ers and we expect their pages to be no different. They also currently have an email sign up on their webpage so you can be on their list for grand opening information and notifications. We think they're going to be a tremendous new resource for those following the AIP protocol!

In all, we are really excited these services exist and strongly recommend doing your own research to see which fits your specific needs and budget. We know that changing your diet, or following a strict protocol every day, can be stressful and intimidating for most people, especially at first. Even if you don't use a meal delivery service 7 nights a week, the times you may can certainly be a great jumping off point to learn about your new protocol, the ins and outs, and get some future meal inspirations for when you are feeling more comfortable and confident in your protocol. We are huge proponents of saving time and remaining as stress-free as possible and these services are right up our alley. Imagine the time you can reserve for other pursuits to enhance your health such as going to the gym, taking a yoga class or meditation. Certainly makes cooking sound a little less appealing when there are convenient, healthy and reliable options like these!

Visit Here >>> https://fitbitehealth.com/ultra-omega-burn/

[leahrecor]

Crisis stops you in your tracks, breaks your heart and causes you to question mankind and the Universe. . . Pulling ourselves out of the depths of mental paralysis, we next face the recycling of fearful thoughts. All the while, emotional numbness (our body’s defense system) compartmentalizes and allows us to function at a basic level. . . I hear you. I feel you. I’ve lived these times of crisis before and recently experienced a shock. It forced me to practice what I teach, face my pain, and claw my way back to joy. . . Here’s how I do it: . Change Your Surroundings. If you can’t walk around the block or get to a nature space, go out your front door. Connect your bare feet to the ground and take a deep breathe. (This also works for irritated babies and tots) . Move Your Body. Walk briskly in natural spaces for long durations, often. It’s meditative and removes you from the solitude of internal fuming and releases endorphins to help you reach for better feeling thoughts. . . Breath. Take intentional time to breathe. Set your timer for 1 minute. Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, then release for a count of 4. As your thoughts drift, remind yourself to come back to counting your breath. . . Force Gratitude. If worry and bad news bombard you, show up in gratitude. This intentional practice (that I totally have to put on my calendar during my worst of times) helps carve those neural pathways of observing, seeking and expecting joy. Begin simply. Write down 5 things you are grateful for, EVERY DAY! It’s the repetition that makes it effective. . . Get Help. Struggle-size doesn’t matter when coping with crisis. Your life experience, brain chemistry and diet all impact how you mentally package and unwrap your struggles. If working with a coach is what you need, I’m here. Maybe phoning a friend is enough. Do you need therapists and/or medication? That’s ok too. It’s important to give grace to your thoughts and coping mechanisms and love yourself enough to ask for help. . . . The Reset Rally: Stress Support Club is meeting weekly to deactivate the programming keeping us stuck in fear. . (at Denver, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-0eqsdnMb6/?igshid=90j3mduisuz8

[skichica15]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Culture meat and bread Denver shirt.

[jimblanceusa]

Tips for buying used books online from a Denver bookstore owner

Just a few weeks ago, I was sitting around the house, looking for something to read to get my mind off of things, and I decided I wanted Terry Hayes’ “I Am Pilgrim,” a thriller from 2014 about a terrorist planning to release a horrible virus upon the United States.

The problem was that our local bookstores — including our own Printed Page — were closed following the governor’s “stay-at-home-and-read” order, so I went online to order it. (These days, you take your adventures where you find them.)

You want a real book, not an electronic one, and you want to avoid paperbacks because this is your favorite book since “Love in the Time of Cholera.”

You could start your search at Amazon, but that isn’t the only source for used books.

With brick-and-mortar stores largely shuttered, online sales are all that’s keeping some booksellers afloat. One Denver bookseller, Eric Meyer of Bluebird Books, said, “Business is slow but better than expected.” But another, Dianne Hammer of Hammerbooks, is enjoying better online sales. She’s seeing less competition in the sense that booksellers aren’t able to add to their inventory through their regular avenues of estate sales, library sales and house calls, so that’s bumping prices up.

Some other options: visit Abebooks (which is owned by Amazon). Biblio‘s booksellers often offer more detail about books in their listings. (Check out the detailed description of the first edition of Albert Camus’ “The Plague” by Downtown Brown Books.) Ebay has an advantage of showing photos of books for sale, which gives the shopper a better idea of condition. Better yet, find a bookseller you like and visit their websites to see if they have their inventory online. Some will give you a discount if you buy directly from them.

And here’s something to watch for: On Amazon, you’ll find 18 hardback copies of “Pilgrim.” The copies range in price from $5.47 to $39.40. They are indistinguishable, except for price, and are described as “used good,” which in Amazon-speak means “shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and functions properly.”

Two more copies are listed as “used very good,” which means they may show some limited signs of wear, but could also arrive with damaged packing and missing accessories (reading glasses, I assume). The seller of the costliest copy has a 93% positive rating. The seller of the cheapest copy has a 92% rating.

Chances are, you’ll buy the cheapest copy available. Then you wait to see what shows up on your porch.

You can count on most things you buy online to meet a high standard, but buying used books can be a trickier proposition, particularly if you’re concerned about the condition of the book, and whether it’s a first edition or a cheap reprint. Ever since online bookselling started, anyone with a book and computer access could present themselves as a bookseller. Buy enough books online, and you’ll learn that one person’s “acceptable” is another’s “recycling-ready” and that what you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll get.

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For most ethical online booksellers, Amazon itself is a double-edged sword. It provides a sales outlet for thousands of virtual sellers, but it also takes a hefty bite out of every sale through listing fees, referral fees and closing fees. It has also led to what booksellers call “a race to the bottom,” meaning it has forced prices down as booksellers try to provide the lowest price possible.

Plus, Publisher’s Weekly recently reported that the surge at Amazon for such items as household staples and health and medical goods has resulted in extended shipping times for other products, including books.

So where does this leave the buyer? Here are a few tips:

Professional booksellers stick to a prescribed nomenclature when describing books. Condition is listed as “Fine” (the best), “Very Good,” and “Good.” They avoid terms like “good shape for its age” or “acceptable.” The more information a listing has about condition, the more you can trust the seller. If editions are important to you, avoid sellers who describe a book as “presumed first edition.” They should know, or know how to find out if a book is a first edition.

 Look for sellers who are members of trade groups. I think they have more skin in the game. Our local one is the Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers Association. (I’m a member.)

Always make sure you can return a book if there’s something wrong with it, such as it’s not as advertised in terms of condition. I recently ordered a copy of Michael Crichton’s “The Andromeda Strain” that arrived with a large Andromeda stain.

Bookseller Hammer urges buyers to pay attention to a seller’s feedback score. “It makes a difference in customer service, how fast your book will get shipped, the accuracy of the description and how safely it will be packed,” she said. Hammer also said that eBay could have a price advantage because many sellers have the “Make an Offer” feature. (There’s a copy of “The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time” for $7.99, but you can make an offer.) “Sellers will often accept a lower offer for their book if it’s been listed and hasn’t sold for some time,” Hammer said. “But don’t low-ball. This may just make the seller mad and the negotiation stops before it starts. Be reasonable and considerate in your offers. We’re trying to support our families with our book business, and are stressed out like everyone else right now.”

How the book is packaged is important. Early in my career, I was taught to pack books with the expectation that they would be repeatedly drop-kicked by violent primates with steel-toed boots. It’s a lesson lost on some. My copy of “I Am Pilgrim” arrived in a plastic envelope. It was twisted out of shape and unreadable. Here I wanted something to read during the pandemic, and all I got was something that made me kind of sick.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

from Latest Information https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/03/tips-for-buying-used-books-online-from-a-denver-bookstore-owner/

[laurendzim]

Tips for buying used books online from a Denver bookstore owner

Just a few weeks ago, I was sitting around the house, looking for something to read to get my mind off of things, and I decided I wanted Terry Hayes’ “I Am Pilgrim,” a thriller from 2014 about a terrorist planning to release a horrible virus upon the United States.

The problem was that our local bookstores — including our own Printed Page — were closed following the governor’s “stay-at-home-and-read” order, so I went online to order it. (These days, you take your adventures where you find them.)

You want a real book, not an electronic one, and you want to avoid paperbacks because this is your favorite book since “Love in the Time of Cholera.”

You could start your search at Amazon, but that isn’t the only source for used books.

With brick-and-mortar stores largely shuttered, online sales are all that’s keeping some booksellers afloat. One Denver bookseller, Eric Meyer of Bluebird Books, said, “Business is slow but better than expected.” But another, Dianne Hammer of Hammerbooks, is enjoying better online sales. She’s seeing less competition in the sense that booksellers aren’t able to add to their inventory through their regular avenues of estate sales, library sales and house calls, so that’s bumping prices up.

Some other options: visit Abebooks (which is owned by Amazon). Biblio‘s booksellers often offer more detail about books in their listings. (Check out the detailed description of the first edition of Albert Camus’ “The Plague” by Downtown Brown Books.) Ebay has an advantage of showing photos of books for sale, which gives the shopper a better idea of condition. Better yet, find a bookseller you like and visit their websites to see if they have their inventory online. Some will give you a discount if you buy directly from them.

And here’s something to watch for: On Amazon, you’ll find 18 hardback copies of “Pilgrim.” The copies range in price from $5.47 to $39.40. They are indistinguishable, except for price, and are described as “used good,” which in Amazon-speak means “shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and functions properly.”

Two more copies are listed as “used very good,” which means they may show some limited signs of wear, but could also arrive with damaged packing and missing accessories (reading glasses, I assume). The seller of the costliest copy has a 93% positive rating. The seller of the cheapest copy has a 92% rating.

Chances are, you’ll buy the cheapest copy available. Then you wait to see what shows up on your porch.

You can count on most things you buy online to meet a high standard, but buying used books can be a trickier proposition, particularly if you’re concerned about the condition of the book, and whether it’s a first edition or a cheap reprint. Ever since online bookselling started, anyone with a book and computer access could present themselves as a bookseller. Buy enough books online, and you’ll learn that one person’s “acceptable” is another’s “recycling-ready” and that what you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll get.

Related Articles

Denver’s comedy scene embraces online shows for laughs, survival

The Denver Post is looking for artists to create Colorado-themed coloring pages

Since galleries are closed, we decided to bring this exhibit to you

A high-altitude guide to high-stress baking

Where to go online for free home workouts, from cardio to yoga

For most ethical online booksellers, Amazon itself is a double-edged sword. It provides a sales outlet for thousands of virtual sellers, but it also takes a hefty bite out of every sale through listing fees, referral fees and closing fees. It has also led to what booksellers call “a race to the bottom,” meaning it has forced prices down as booksellers try to provide the lowest price possible.

Plus, Publisher’s Weekly recently reported that the surge at Amazon for such items as household staples and health and medical goods has resulted in extended shipping times for other products, including books.

So where does this leave the buyer? Here are a few tips:

Professional booksellers stick to a prescribed nomenclature when describing books. Condition is listed as “Fine” (the best), “Very Good,” and “Good.” They avoid terms like “good shape for its age” or “acceptable.” The more information a listing has about condition, the more you can trust the seller. If editions are important to you, avoid sellers who describe a book as “presumed first edition.” They should know, or know how to find out if a book is a first edition.

 Look for sellers who are members of trade groups. I think they have more skin in the game. Our local one is the Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers Association. (I’m a member.)

Always make sure you can return a book if there’s something wrong with it, such as it’s not as advertised in terms of condition. I recently ordered a copy of Michael Crichton’s “The Andromeda Strain” that arrived with a large Andromeda stain.

Bookseller Hammer urges buyers to pay attention to a seller’s feedback score. “It makes a difference in customer service, how fast your book will get shipped, the accuracy of the description and how safely it will be packed,” she said. Hammer also said that eBay could have a price advantage because many sellers have the “Make an Offer” feature. (There’s a copy of “The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time” for $7.99, but you can make an offer.) “Sellers will often accept a lower offer for their book if it’s been listed and hasn’t sold for some time,” Hammer said. “But don’t low-ball. This may just make the seller mad and the negotiation stops before it starts. Be reasonable and considerate in your offers. We’re trying to support our families with our book business, and are stressed out like everyone else right now.”

How the book is packaged is important. Early in my career, I was taught to pack books with the expectation that they would be repeatedly drop-kicked by violent primates with steel-toed boots. It’s a lesson lost on some. My copy of “I Am Pilgrim” arrived in a plastic envelope. It was twisted out of shape and unreadable. Here I wanted something to read during the pandemic, and all I got was something that made me kind of sick.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

from News And Updates https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/03/tips-for-buying-used-books-online-from-a-denver-bookstore-owner/