Strawberries

This morning, I had a dream about strawberries. I don't why and I don't remember anything more about it.

Yet, it inspired me to cross-stitch a mini sampler today. I took the pattern of the two strawberries from a book that I have and then I added the word "Strawberries" (English) and "Erdbeeren" (German) in a very basic cross-stitch alphabet. The whole project took me about 4½ hours and I am quite happy with it. It's very cute, wouldn't you agree?

I also think that tomorrow when I go to the grocery store, I will buy some fresh strawberries and some cream to go with them. Yum!

Opera

I think someone is listening to opera in the neighborhood. I don't have a problem with that, but it is really loud and far enough away I can't really make out the music. Actually, the sound reminds me of the squawk my cat made this one time when I accidentally shut his tail in the door...

Shoes with Attitude

Isn't it amazing how a great pair of shoes can give you a whole new attitude?

Normally, I wear tennis shoes (a.k.a. sneakers) or Birkenstocks because I am a casual kind of gal who does a lot of walking everyday that demands a comfortable pair of shoes. And usually I have a casual, laid-back attitude to match.

But I do have a bunch of funky shoes and every now and again, I wear a pair of them. And when I wear them, I get a funky attitude (and usually blisters) to match.

Well, today was one of those days. I wore this fantastic pair of leather boots that make a statement when I walk down the street... and today, I felt that I was radiating an attitude that also made a statement: firm, confident, and a little bit bitchy.

Of course, now that I am home and relaxing, my feet are making the bitchy statement in the form of blisters... Oh, the price women pay for a little attitude!

New Toy Update #1

I figured out why I was unable to save pictures on my new digital camera. Everytime I went to see how much space I had used up on the flash card, I was hitting OK after I checked... Only upon closer examination, I was choosing OK to the camera's question "Do you wanted to re-format your flash card now?" Re-formatting the flash card erases all previous photos! Oops!

You would never know that I profess to be technology-literatre, now would you? :)

Anyway, now that I have solved that minor problem, I am now ready to post my first digital picture here.

These are my violas (a.k.a. Johnny Jump-Ups), which are growing beautifully, thank you very much. Maybe I have broken the curse of the black thumb.

New Toy!

Well, I finally did it. Yesterday I bought a digital camera.

After weeks of research, going into stores and fondling about every digital camera available, and establishing myself a budget (about € 200), I bought the Canon Power Shot A300.

According to reviews, it is about the best camera you can get with all sorts of nifty features for the price. The only down side is that it comes with 2 AA alkaline batteries, as opposed to rechargeables. You can use regular AA batteries with it, but the camera sucks them dry very quickly, so I guess I will have to buy some rechargeables.

Otherwise... I am still in the process of reading the manual (which is in German!) and learning about what all those nifty features can really do. Unfortunately, the first 5 pictures I took with it were unintentionally deleted while I was fiddling around with the menus, so until I take some more today I have none to show at the moment.

However, as I learn more about my new camera and take more photos, I will update my experiences with my new toy.

Barbie Gothic

My mom sent me an anniversary card with Barbie and Ken spoofing Grant Wood’s famous painting “American Gothic.” “American Gothic” has been interpreted as a satire “on the intolerance and rigidity that the insular nature of rural life can produce” and “the narrow-mindedness and repression that has been said to characterize Midwestern culture.” Wood denied both of these interpretations, saying that in actuality it represented “the Puritan ethic and virtues that he believed dignified the Midwestern character.

But no matter how the painting is interpreted Midwestern stereotypes surface. Being from Iowa, which is usually seen as the core of the Midwest, I am quite familiar with the stereotypes of farm life, agricultural heritage, small towns, physical and cultural homogeneity, and pastoral and traditional values.

As all stereotypes, those about the Midwest have some basis in fact. For example, I am from a small town where society revolves around the farm. It is often said (though I don’t think ever verified by census) that there are more pigs than people in Iowa and if you entertain the idea of becoming a vegetarian you are accused of hurting the economy.

As for Midwesterners being dignified, have you ever seen the crowd at a Green Bay Packers game? How can you call people dignified who wear (fake) cheese on their heads and watch football in an outdoor stadium during a blizzard bare-chested?

As a general rule, most Midwesterners are also hospitable, down to earth, reliable, peaceful, considerate, cheerful, and easy-going. In fact, when I think about the Midwesterners I know, I think maybe the smiling Barbie-version of "American Gothic" is more representative than the sullen original.