How America Kept Going Without Us

Some things which have changed in the six years we were away.





1. Cupcakes have become chic. They are everywhere with adorable designs and there are many options for the papers too. One thing I don't understand is why sometimes the frostings don't go to the edges of the cake. May look cute, but the frosting seals in the cake to keep it moist. Don't think dry rings around the cupcake would taste very good.

2. PG-13 has become what an R rating used to be. I am afraid to find out what R rating means now. 3. Language on television has loosened considerably. This is not a step forward. One of the things I was always amazed by was the bad language I heard all over Europe. Even in other languages, English curse words were common. In America it is extremely rare to hear curse words in public and when I do it is always startling. In Europe it was very common place.











4. Manicure styles are short and square and now they are sporting all sorts of elaborate designs on them.








5. I see more people walking for exercise.











6. Artificial trees now come upside down. I wonder who thought of this idea and what possible advantage this has.










  7. There are pop culture references that I don't get.  I have no idea who the Kardashians are or Lady Gaga, but apparently everyone else does. And from what little I understand about them. I don't think I want to know.





8. Purple went from color non-grata being limited to little girls room to being embraced by the wider world. I am personally glad for this because certain shades of purple are my favorite color. We are taking advantage of this time of proper recognition for this fantastic color and painted our dining room a deep tanzanite purple. The photo doesn't show the rich bluey-purpleness of this color. Just love it!





9. Apparently the raccon eye look is "in" accompanied by eyelashes artificially long. Looks like the models should just tilt over and say, "Ma-ma." and lips have almost completely disappeared. Apparently as far as make-up is concerned. The "eyes" have it.


10. Refrigerators now come in a new style with two doors on top and a big drawer for the freezer on the bottom. I love this idea. Never particularly liked side by sides - the freezers were always too small and this double door idea keeps the doors from being too wide in the kitchen. Good design. 

11. Stainless steel appliances took over and I dont get their appeal. They show fingerprints and they have a coldness and modernity I do not prefer. However, if anyone ever comes up with a bronze finish. I would love that.


12. Since I am writing this at the beginning of the Christmas season, I also notice with sadness that there aren't any nativity outdoor sets in the stores. We used to have one of those plastic sets, which I repainted, out in our yard. Our house was on a corner and we always set it up out there to silently remind folks what Christmas was all about. We sold it with regret when we were preparing to move overseas. We'd like to do another one, but can't find anything at all related to the nativity to put in our yard.

There is one part of American culture that should have died long ago and yet hangs on lingering long past its natural lifespan. The over-sized, baggy pants that boys (and they are boys who wear them, irregardless of their age) wear. Strapped around their buttocks and dragging about their feet. They make walking difficult, show off the underwear and look like they have a loaded diaper in their britches. When, oh when, will this 'fashion' bite the dust? I keep hoping. It was one of the things I enjoyed about Europe. Everywhere you looked, males wearing pants that fit. One time in the airport I saw a youngish boy wearing those baggy pants and I thought to myself,"Well, I guess they do have that style here too, maybe just in this most cosmopolitan of cities, Amsterdam." Then the boy spoke. He was American. That 'splained it, Lucy.