The Money Flows at Bead & Button

It was off to the Bead & Button Show this month. It is held every year in Milwaukee. It is 7 days (June 12 - 18) of classes and a marketplace of wares that appeals to everyone involved in jewelry making - beaders, lampworkers, glass fusers, silver clay artists, metal artists, etc. For those that go it is like a small child in a candy store. Everywhere you turn there is something to attract your attention and make you say "I want that."

I did take classes and I did spend money on tools and books, and findings, and ..... And it was a great conference.

And, in addition to the conference itself, there is wonderful shopping and great restaurants within easy walking distance of the convention center. I highly recommend this conference.

Mannheim, Germany - All Work, Little Play

And once more my company sent me to Europe. This time to Mannheim. I left on Saturday, May 27, and arrived on Sunday, May 28. Again, I wasted no time sleeping, but instead took the train to Heidelberg and felt like I had been transported back in time.

The rest of the week was mostly work, but I did get a chance to walk the streets of Mannheim of an evening. A lovely city. And very, very clean. And then, it was back to Indy on Saturday, June 3.

Although I speak no German, I was always able to communicate easily in shops and restaurants because most of the Germans speak at least a little English. And, of course, that is just one of the languages they speak besided German. Very few of us in America speak multiple languages or even one second language.

Also, it is too bad that our public transportation doesn't match what they have in Europe. Whether it is a tram, a bus, or a train--they are clean, run on time, and seem to get you to almost every place. If we matched their system, we might be able to garage our autos more and take public transportation.