Optimist - Pessimist

„Optimist“ is not a word I would easily use to describe myself. “Pessimist”, on the other hand, of course, sounds rather dull and negative, but ever since I read a study on how realistic the expectations of optimists and pessimists were in comparison to what eventually happened – and that study said the pessimists tend to be much more realistic in their evaluations of situations, and, accordingly, their expectations – I have come to accept myself as what I call a “skeptic realist”. However, not even my rather skeptic realism prepared me sufficiently for the outcome of the referendum in Britain this week.

what a result!

I just can’t believe this really happened, and I am completely heartbroken. What a mess – and did anybody of those people who voted “out” really know what they were voting for? How could this thing get so very much out of hand that it turned into a nightmare of propaganda without any informational content? How could Mr. Cameron let it slip like that, but also how can the supporters of the brexit so resistently ignore all data and information to blindfold the people for an outdated nationalistic cause? It is beyond my comprehension, totally. I agree, there are many things about the political and economic aspects of the EU which I don't like either. But it would never cross my mind that things could be any better than this for any country if that country leaves the union. Working together to change things, yes, but can you really believe you can make it on your own these days?

I would always consider myself a “European” first, a European from Germany. (Of course, being born German is a special kind of burden, at least it feels like that for me, and being European is less weighted by historic atrocities.)

Did the out-ers consider the fact that this is going to seriously affect the functioning of their beloved Premier League? (And, to be honest, when I heard that, I thought wholeheartedly “Serves them right!”) Not to mention productivity, jobs and stock markets around the world?

What does it mean for the region Europe/Middle East with SAQA, for which I am the current co-rep? I suppose it is an issue we must talk about at the meeting in Birmingham in August. Of course, that is only a very minor issue in the overall image of things, but still.

My son won’t be able to easily go to England for an exchange program as many adolescents have done for years and years, and it used to be so simple to tell students at university “apply for an Erasmus exchange and do something for your English!” And they all came back so much more mature and socially and emotionally intelligent than they were before they left.

As I say, it is beyond my comprehension – and now the skeptic kicks in and really pulls me down: if the Brits can do such a stupid thing and actually listen to that British version of Mr. Trump, just what are the Americans going to do in November?

I really don’t want to turn seventy or eighty and then have to say “June 24^th, 2016 was the day when all hell broke loose.” Right now the skeptic doesn’t see how it could still be avoided.

But it was good to meet with my spinning group yesterday, visiting Betina on her farm where we spent all afternoon sitting under the walnut tree, spinning away placidly, eating her fabulous strawberry cake, and not talking about Britain at all.

They also have a little pond on the premises, which is home to many frogs.

And a good occasion for skinny dipping on a - finally! - hot day, like yesterday. Cooled me down physically, but it will take a long time to cool me down emotionally!

Entering at FoQ

Life was a zoo after I returned from England, with catching up, getting ready to teach in Karlsruhe for three days, three different classes... After that followed what normally is our family celebration week – my son’s birthday two days before my own, and our wedding anniversary. Though if we had known our son would chose this particular date we probably would have picked a different date for the wedding. Usually it is a tight week by itself. This year we also had to attend a good friend’s fiftieth birthday party on May 1^st, my father-in-law was ailing and then passed away – and over all this I missed the deadline for entering a quilt for the Quilt Masters section of FoQ. Which I realized about a week later, when we returned from the funeral.

At first I thought that then I would probably not enter at all. I had not had an inspiration to participate in the “Horizon” challenge to begin with, and was slightly put off by the amount of return postage that you had to pay. Of course, I learned that British postal fares are at a frightening level when I was there in April and wanted to send some things home in order to relieve my overweight suitcase...

But just a few days ago I made up my mind and decided that I would enter after all. Two quilts can be sent back in one parcel, an offer which I took advantage of. Now, of course, we are on holidays, I don’t have a printer with me, so all I could do was work with the downloaded document of the entry form. I managed to transform it to a word-file because I could not write on the Adobe Reader file. I deleted the sections with all the important information, set in bold  everything that was vital information about my quilts and me, and sent them off by e-mail yesterday evening. I also offered to fax a completed form right after we return home on Sunday night – which, however, would be too late if the information I sent would not be acceptable. Luckily, Sara answered quickly, during this morning already, and in the affirmative. The information supplied is sufficient, I don’t have to send in more.

So although I myself can’t make it to Birmingham this year – unfortunately! I would so much love to go! – at least two of my quilts are going to be there.

Play of Lines XXXI will be there with the contemporary quilts. Here is a detail.

Play of Lines, detail
hand- and snow-dyed fabric, 120 x 164 cm

And Euro Blues will be part of the quilt creations section. Here is a detail, which I have shown on the blog before.

 

Euro Blues, detail
blue scraps, fused, double sided and 3 D, 60 x 184 cm

And I do have an eye on the deadline for entry for Quilt Nihon. And I had an idea for “Distortions” in Ste. Marie-aux-Mines right before we left. So I have to whip that one out right after we get home. Which will be a very tight fit – I am leaving for the textile art Berlin four days after we return, after which I will have only a few days left before the extended deadline... But at least the creative slump seems to have passed.