Sheila, I loved your videos! It’s wonderful how your personality and energy comes through (and drag racing, who knew?), so from this side, it was a welcome exercise.

Items I envied from your presentations included: the framed Japanese food adverts, the Tube towel, your well-organized magnet collection, the diarrhea tee. And how in the world did you get that Balinese umbrella home? That is worthy of a post in and of itself!

Do you honestly drink out of different mugs on different days? You have them in your cupboard and not just holding pens around your house?

(You know I’ve been outside the U.S. too long when: I saw the Mickeyness in the bottle opener, but was sure it was from Atomium in Brussels . . .)

As for your acupuncture ear, the town of Petrozavodsk, Russia, has a wishing tree statue which is essentially a tree with a couple big ears. You whisper your wish into the ear, then jump up to ring a bell hanging in the branches of the “tree,” thereby ensuring your wish will be granted. So mount that sucker and start wishing into it! I’m thinking by the door would be an interesting place to hang it . . .

Anyway, as always inspiring. I hope to do a post of my own in the next couple weeks in the same vein (and minus video footage). I’m more like Antonia — I love housewares and decorations, but I am also somewhat of a jewelry fiend. I’m always wearing rings from different countries on the same hand!