Balkan Barbie

Thank you, my friends, C., E., and J., for the antlers. The antlers makes my house feel very cool! I am working on how and where to mount them, but for now, the are proudly on the bookshelf.

Byers Vaccum, 77 East University Avenue, Champaign, IL 61801 I took this photo on May 21, 2008, at 6.30pm with my Nokia 5300 cell phone. I have driven past this store countless times as it is on a busy street I drive to go to downtown Champaign, where friends and I often meet. And of course, I also pass it on the way back home. Yesterday, my neighbors and I drove to Jupiter's to pick up a pizza, which we ate on my back patio (very nice). I was the front seat passenger in my neighbor C.'s SUV, riding as the "shotgun" passenger is a great experience if you are usually driving in your own car . We approached this store, and as we were passing it, I was eye level with the window, and somehow, I opened my turtle shaped tiny purse and took out my camera phone and asked my friend to please slow down so I could take a photo and she did! and the car behind us honked. The neighbor's husband, A. and 6 month old baby, C. were in the back seat of the car, and he was saying, ye...

Sometimes I see unexpected scenes when I am in the parking lot of mega-stores and I capture the scene on my camera phone (I like the Nokia 5300 I use). Usually, Target has the most incidences of the unexpected. Here are two photos from yesterday's trip to Target.

I read a news report that the reported incidents of domestic abuse in Croatia is on the increase. That is abuse of women by men. Reported to the police. Now, I am not for domestic abuse of anyone by anyone. I am glad to see the reported incidents of abuse are up. It is better than, say, the incidents of women telling their neighbors the bruises on their face are from falling down the stairs or hitting their head on a door. I hope that something good comes out of reporting abuse to the police. Ok, I know it won't stop abuse between two people. Not that I have been hit, or hit anyone. Relationships have a dynamic of their own, and sometimes, well, we don't really act in our own self-interest. And I have read that accusation, shame, humiliation, and violence go together. It is a dynamic spread across both parties. And it can be hard to see it. Perhaps if it is a crime, and it is enforced, there might be some hesitancy to beat your spouse. Perhaps it is just enough to say, "I...

Hi pencilnpaper friends, Thank you for taking the journey with me over to Balkan Barbie! Enjoy. More posting later today. xoxo

Hi, pencilnpaper is now at balkanbarbie!