The last post I wrote about reverse culture shock has gotten some people upset. I apologize to those involved. When I first got the comment about asking if I even liked Germany at all, I was really upset. It bothered me a lot. The problem with blogging is that you cannot necessarily pick up on the tone of a post. I just assume the only people who read my blog are people who know me personally or people who I have had more than just casual “internet contact” who kinda know me and my personality. Some people read it as offensive to Germany. I never meant to put down Germans, or living in Germany, although I do stand by my comment of their garbage bags really sucking. Most Americans saw it as funny, and I think that maybe you need to be an American or live in the US to understand these things? I dunno…

What I talked about is *my* opinion of what I miss in the US, and what I forgot about since living in Munich. That doesn’t mean that because Munich/Germany isn’t that way it is bad. It means it’s different and I’m fine with the difference. If I didn’t like living in Munich, I would move back. There are lots of things that I like about Munich that I don’t like about the states. But since I’m now here after a year long absence (and two years since we moved), I thought it is appropriate to tell y’all what is going through my head. There are some European readers that prefer the exact opposite, and that is totally fine with me, it’s all how we grew up and what we’re used to.

EDIT: I wanted to say as an example, while I do appreciate the low stress and “comfy” driving in the US, I like that I don’t really need a car at all when in Munich (or pretty much any European city). And while I do love the squishy sandwich bread of the states, I still miss the baked-fresh-around-every-corner “brezen” (pretzels) and non-sandwich bread varieties.

So I hope that clears things up. I normally don’t write stuff like this in my knitting blog, but thought it was something that would be fun. Next time I will stick with the knitting…sigh…

Speaking of which, I went on a mini yarn crawl in Houston and came home with more than I ever thought I would buy! I went to the lovely Twisted in Spring, TX and then went to a knit group at Yarns 2 Ewe in Houston. The gals there were super friendly and I was amazed at how many people there were! I just love the southern accent! They all were just nuts over the Hanami shawl I made, and I think that several of them will make it now. The group had a few sock knitters, but a lot of them were lace shawl knitters and were making some really gorgeous stuff.

I am hoping to meet some knitters here in Hawaii as well as in Seattle when I go next month! Wahoo! Red Mill Burgers, here I come!

OK, so I’ve been in Texas 2 days now and already I have a huge list of things that I missed or things that I forgot about. The boys did well on the plane up until the very end when they had a huge meltdown. One boy refused to walk so a guy gave us a ride in the little truck and when we got to the passport control area, he refused to get out. So we basically had to drag two screaming fussy kids through passport and baggage claim. Could’ve been worse I suppose. They did really well though, for staying up nearly 24 hours with only a couple of naps here and there and not very long ones at that.

On the way home, we stopped by Michael’s favorite fast food joint, Jack in the Box. No one does fast food like the good ol’ USA! I got a chocolate shake and man, was it the best tasting shake I have ever had!!! He loves Jack tacos, in fact, his whole family loves it and I hate it. It’s not a taco, it’s a sad excuse for a pocket of meat.

If you’re a listener of the podcast, you know all about my food weirdness and all the stuff I complain about the US and Germany. OK, it should be my comparison between Seattle and Munich – because as some of my friends have pointed out, Munich and Bavaria is different from other cities in Germany. But ooohhhh, driving home, wow, what an experience. Wide 10 lane highways, lots of huge trucks and SUV’s, big box stores everywhere, TARGET!!!, many, many varieties of fast food. OK, it’s not like this is a good thing, it’s just that I am not used to it. I’m used to driving in a cramped car in a cramped lane with BMW’s going 200 mph and parking spaces that require you to be paper thin in order to get out of your car without scratching the one next to you.

Yesterday I went to the grocery store. Mind you, I am in a little po-dunk town in Texas, 2 hours away from Houston. But the grocery store!!!! Oh, I LOVED it!!! They had squishy “texas sized” bread (almost as long as my arm) for only $1! Holy crap! Real Montery Jack cheese, real tortillas without preservatives in it, real texas picante sauce that leaves your mouth with a nice burning sensation long after you finished your meal (I LOOOOOOVE hot sauce!), cookie and cake mixes (they have these in Germany but they are NOT the same), campbells soups!!!, fat can cokes (cokes in Germany are either in .5L bottles or tall, skinny cans maybe to make you feel thinner?), eggs in a dozen (some places in Germany have them in 12, but most in 10), and ADVIL (how can I live without thee?).

Let me tell you some other things. Aluminum foil here is thicker and they have a little metal serrated edge for easy ripping. The Germans like to leave you with very thin “alufolie” and the box edge (granted, it is jagged) will have to do. It does indeed work, but it’s not as effortless. I am willing to put up with the German style, but I forgot how easy it was to rip with the metal thing!

And, I’m sorry Germany, but your garbage bags suck ass. I don’t know how many times we have ripped the bag (especially around the top where you pull it shut so it becomes a useless piece of crap) only to have to use another bigger one to put it in. I don’t think I have ever ripped a US garbage bag, even the flimsy ones. Or at least it’s not as memorable as the many times in Germany.

And also, I love the fact that I don’t have to worry about something running out in the store here. There ARE times when things are out but it is pretty rare. Compare that with our local Schlecker who almost NEVER has diapers in the size that we need. Maybe 1 in 5 times they will have it.

I also love that I can get almost everything in 1 store in the US. I also love that it is easy to get out of the store if you didn’t buy anything. A lot of German grocery stores make it so that you have to wait in line just to get out. If you have a stroller, you have to wait in one particular line, which always seems like it’s the longest.

OK, and now to important stuff like MEAT. I recently went to what I like to call “the meat hut”. That’s not it’s name, but it should be. In Texas, meat is in plentiful supply. All kinds of cuts of steak are to be found, some pork, some bird, some game meat. In Germany, there is mostly only pork. Of course you can find chicken, turkey, and others, but mostly you have to go to a butcher shop for steak and it is expensive. While that seems romantic and cool, it is not practical, at least for me and where I live. Try finding boneless skinless chicken thighs. Yeah, not easy. Try finding ground beef after 5pm on Saturday. Even harder. But in the meat hut, you can find whatever your heart desires for so little money. In the grocery stores, they hardly EVER run out of any meat. You want that with bones or without? Your choice! Texas and it’s meat hut is not normal for the rest of the US, but still, the typical grocery store has a huge dedicated area for meats, not just the 3 little tiny shelves.

And the eggs. I complained earlier that Germany’s eggs are so freaking orange that it weirded me out. And now I’m complaining that the US’s eggs are so freaking yellow that it’s weirding me out too. I guess I would prefer German eggs now. Why is there a difference and why are there more brown layers in Germany? Anyone know?

And lastly, sorry for the huge long post about nothing, the grocery baggers. I love you. You make my life so luxurious! I can just stand at the counter watching the checker pass my items over the light while I slowly take out my credit card to pay. Everything gets bagged up with bags that I didn’t have to bring with me. I even have the option of someone helping me to my car. I’m not in this huge panic to get everything bagged and paid for by the time the next person is being checked out.

OK, so I know that everything I love about the US is just *my* opinion and not the most environmentally sound or healthy. A lot of this I can give up and I like that I’m more “greener” in Europe, but just let me have these luxuries for a few weeks ok? :)

So, I didn’t make the deadline for the striped Lily the pink. In fact, after I went to bed, I didn’t have the heart to pick it up again. I will take it with me on vacation and finish it there. I’m hoping to take all my WIPs and get those done! HA! I will probably come home with more WIPs than ever before.

I may also have a chance to go to Seattle, but everything isn’t finalized. It all depends on if there will be someone to watch the boys. If I get to go, yarn stores better watch out! Naw, it will be great to see old friends and the city that I call home.

So anyhoo, I will probably blog a post or two, but most likely will take a break until I come back. I am really excited to go to the states again! Although the stress of the Christmas rush has given me a sore throat and cough. Ah well…

Join the flickr group!!!

We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving anymore. One, we’re in Germany where we don’t get a holiday on Thursday and Friday. Two, we don’t have a whole lot of family here to celebrate with. Three, you need to order a turkey like 2 weeks to a month in advance. And finally Four, I can’t cook a darn turkey or anything else for that matter. And again Five, I’m freaking lazy and would rather be knitting. In previous years, we have been invited over to other people’s houses for dinner, but I think they’re onto us and realize that we’re just moochin’ off of them. ;)

I am very thankful for having a wonderful family who makes me laugh AND cry at the same time and who will put up with my extreme focus on knitting and other pursuits. The boys can drive me up the wall, but then be incredibly sweet and funny a moment later. And also for a husband who is very patient and supportive and still cracks me up.

I am also thankful for the many packages I received today. The first one is from my SP11, Heli in Finnland. She emailed me and said “the last package will be a small one” and OMG, she totally lied and surprised me! All of her packages had a color theme – the first one was blue, the next was red, and this one is greeeeeeenn! I got one big skein of a Finnish lamb yarn, which she says felts really nicely, one 150g skein of 75/25 sock yarn, 200g of a bamboo/nylon blend, chocolate (of course!) and a cute little wood mouse pin, which was made in a place that is only 1 km from where she lives. She has been an amazing pal and my stash has been super greatly enhanced. I think all the yarn she sent me probably will take up one of my bins! (pictures coming soon)

The next package I got was from Finnland as well, from a Katrina(?). I am so sorry, but I don’t remember what this was for! I am totally drawing a blank!!! She sent me some really cool “pre yarn” that she says could either be knitted up as is and then felted or could be needle felted, or I could give it to Elem or Fbz and have them spin it up for me! ;) And then she included some Green & Black’s Almond chocolate. This person obviously knows me and it’s driving me nuts not knowing who this is. I really do apologize for not remembering – please email me or comment to let me know! (pictures coming soon)

Are Finnish people cool or what? I love them!!! On an unrelated note, why is Grape Nuts neither grapes nor nuts? Discuss.

I have been feverishly knitting hats for gifts for the boys’ kindergarten teachers. I knitted 3 so far so I have one more to go. First I planned to make them socks, then it was scarves and now that I’m so pressured for time, hats. They take only a day or two to make and is very useful. I have seen all of them wearing knitted hats (albeit store bought) so I’m sure they will put these to good use. Michael has been bothering me to make one for him too, so somehow I need to squeeze that into the mix. He also wants a scarf too. I guess since he ultimately pays for the yarn I should at least do that for him! :)

On Sunday we are going to have a birthday party for the boys, they will be 3 next Tuesday. My, how time flies! They like to say “buzz ear” and “ee eeinee … an ayon!” I’m wondering if anyone else knows what they’re saying? C’mon take a guess…

I hate stripes, even ones this precious!

After the post about Getting Stuff Done, I figured I should tell you that I DID get it all done. Of course, it took me a week and a half, but still. I got it done! :) The Billy Reid pattern is getting test knitted now, my pictures of my projects are up and in Ravelry and those were the two outstanding things from the other week.

Things have been quiet knitting wise. I am working on a baby bolero (?) for a friend’s baby called “Striped Lily the Pink”. The colors are just gorgeous, but I hate stripes with a passion. Especially 4 colored stripes. That means a LOT of ends. A LOT! I don’t know how many of you listen to the podcast, but I was complaining about it. I don’t know how many stitches to weave it into, because I’m so paranoid that it’s going to come out. And then I don’t know how short to cut the hanging yarn. I don’t like it too short because then it will poke out. And too long will look sloppy. Ahhh, the dilema. But aren’t you surprised that it’s a garment and not an accesory??? I finished the back, and almost done with one front. I soooo can’t wait for it to be done. It will be cute, for sure, but a freaking pain. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth all this trouble. If only I had the forsight to do it in one color. But it’s just not as cute.

I am also making slow progress on my Poisonous Firestarters and changed the pattern around a bit. I made it a eye of partridge heel and then won’t do a ribbed leg, I’ll just do a ribbed cuff and keep the leg in stockinette with the pattern down the side. I am very happy with it!

And also, if any of you readers are in Texas (Houston) or Hawaii, let me know, I will be in the states in Dec and Jan and would love to meet up with other knitters!

OK, it really works to set goals and write them down and really focus on it. I know this, I have done this many, many times and yet, I always fall back on just having it “in my head”. What happens is that it never gets done. I have procrastinated editing the most recent podcast episode, just due to laziness and oh my god, I need so much time to do that. I was supposed to send Billy Reid his socks, they have been done since I got back from London. Can you believe since the time I told him I was making him socks to when I sent them (TODAY!) he moved from Victoria to Vancouver and back!

So, my goals for this week are:
1. Edit the podcast and get it uploaded
2. Send the socks to Billy which requires photographing, washing and coming up with a creative package for it
3. Make at least a rough draft of the pattern to get test knitted
4. Create my xmas list and figure out where I’m at knitting wise
5. Tell people to stop having so many babies that I can’t keep up with knitted gifts
6. Take pictures of some finished objects that have been sitting around waiting for me

So, I am proud to say that it is Tuesday, and #1 and #2 are DONE! #5 is also done, being that I posted it here, in which everyone who read it vows not to have a baby in the next 12-24 months. #4 is half done, and #6 will hopefully be done tomorrow. Which that leaves big #3 in question. Will I accomplish this feat that Ms. Flint Knits has been harassing me to? For her sake and mine, I hope the answer is yes.

OK, after that depressing previous post, I found this article that says Munich is ranked #1 as the most livable city by the International Herald Tribune! I have to agree. :) I have also lived in #9 too!

And then I was tagged with the “8 Things” meme from my Sock-It-To-Me pal, Jess. 8 things about me…hmm…let me think about this one:

1. I never graduated college. It’s such a shock these days since EVERYONE has a degree (or two or three) these days. I have been very lucky to have gotten in the software field when I did. Sometimes I feel really stupid around educated folk, especially when talking about current events. I know nothing, I don’t read news, the world could be ending tomorrow and I wouldn’t know. OK, maybe I would know that one.

2. I got married at the ripe old age of 21. Can’t believe this year will be our 15th wedding anniversary. Dang, where did the time go?

3. I am a coke-head. Not the bad kind. Well, it is bad for you. I drink coke by the gallon, seriously addicted. My mom was also a coke-head-turned-Starbucks-addict. I usually refuse to drink Pepsi and other non-coke product. Occasionally I will drink Sprite or 7-up or something else.

4. I usually eat something until I get sick of it then move on to something else. For example, last month I ate homemade english muffin pizzas almost every day. Now I am making breakfast burritos every day. One day I will just get tired of it (or maybe I find something else) and latch on to that. But dang, breakfast burritos are damn good.

5. I am a TV-junkie. Since Germany doesn’t have shows in English, I rely on internet TV. I am so happy it exists! Shows I watch are Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Heroes, House, Bones, 24, The Office, 30 Rock, Prison Break, Ugly Betty, and the list goes on. Great for vegging out and knitting. My favorite right now is Grey’s. Oh how I miss Seattle!

6. I am not a tidy person. My desk and apartment are a total mess. I try to keep it clean, but there are usually piles of stuff – papers, movies, mail, yarn, just STUFF everywhere. I also hate doing dishes. I have a dishwasher but we have lots of stuff that can’t go in there or we need it again right away.

7. In high school, I was the Junior class president (rolls eyes). Ever since the 6th grade, I wanted to live in LA. Don’t ask me why. I did everything I could that would “help” me get into college. I wanted to go to UCLA (ha!) but ended up going for 2 years to USC. I was horrible in college, got really bad grades and I feel really bad wasting my parents hard earned money. But at least that’s where I met my rock star husband! :)

8. I don’t drink coffee, tea or eat seafood.

Well, it wasn’t really an interview, more like an email exchange. Someone mentioned on the Ravelry boards that Mark Blevis was looking for podcasters to write about in a column for Podcast User Magazine, so OF COURSE I had to write and represent! And wouldn’t you know…he wrote about me and Knitters Uncensored! It’s not long, only a paragraph or two, but still! Go check it out here, on pages 37-38.

I went to the Knitting and Stitching show today and had a lot of fun. I didn’t buy too much though because it was so dang expensive. I converted all the prices into dollars (£x2) and dang…it’s a lot. One skein of Koigu – £8 = $16. Dear lord!!! The first booth when you walk in is of course, Colinette. I drooled over the Jitterbug. Then I met Alice from Soctopus and she was really nice. I introduced myself and then gave her a card and she said “You’re Bockstark!” That was cool. Other vendors included Cherry Tree Hill (not too impressive), Fyberspates, Hipknits, Lantern Moon (where the guy tried to force me to knit with his needles), Sublime (oh, yummy), 21st Century Yarn which had a sign that said to not take pictures of their yarns (it’s ok though, wasn’t picture worthy anyway), Natural Dye Studio, GetKnitted, and … I forgot the rest. I only bought yarn from Soctopus, Colinette and Sublime. I also got some cute tape measures (as if I didn’t have enough).

This evening I met some English knitters. I was supposed to meet up with Ingrid, but her poor son sprained his ankle. I did, however, meet Sabine, who is also from Germany and she designed the Snicket socks (from Magknits), as well as a bunch of other people who were really nice. And bonus – I finished 2 pairs of socks!!!! The self striping one and the Vista Mare’s! Please don’t ask if I’ve written it up…cuz I haven’t.

It’s kinda funny because I have an automatic response in my head that anytime I want to say something, I think to myself “now how do I say it in German?” and then I realize that hey, I don’t need to know!

I had enough of the knitting show, so tomorrow I am going to head down to Bristol and go to GetKnitted. I think it will be an all day adventure just to get there! Wish me luck!