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This Michigan Life

Why I Am an Idiot or Why I Want to Live in an Ikea Store

Posted on February 9, 2011

Amish LadySo I wrote a post this morning in which I told you I was almost Amish.

That part was right.

See below:

A few years ago I started researching my family’s genealogy. I’m especially interested in my Dad’s side of the family, because there wasn’t a lot of oral history passed down by my grandparents.

Using the information that I already had, coupled with documents I found through Ancesty.com, and research articles online, I’m 99 percent sure that my paternal grandfather was descended from the Swiss Brethren.

This means two things.

First, I almost spent my summers growing up eating Haystacks at Amish barn raisings.

The Swiss Brethren immigrated from Zurich, Switzerland to Alsace, France, then to the U.S. where they eventually started what are today’s Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Indiana. That’s interesting since I grew up near Shipshewana, IN which is probably the most famous Amish community outside of Lancaster, PA.

I am thankful my branch of the family opted out of bonnets and buggies, and into electricity and jeans.

But then for some reason I said that meant I was part Swedish. Being Swedish that explained my love for Ikea I reasoned.

Hmm…Swiss — Swedish. Two completely different nationalities, two completely different countries, and on a normal day I’m aware of that.

I really can’t explain my gross error, other than the fact that I wrote the post early this morning before the coffee kicked in, and I was in a hurry.

My error finally dawned on me at about 5 p.m. Then even though I was home alone except for the boys, my face flushed bright red and burned with embarrassment. I felt like I was in that dream where you’re back in Jr. High standing in the middle of the lunch room in your underwear.

Egg on your face doesn’t feel very good.

I unpublished the post, and tried to wipe it from my RSS feed, but as Ferb from Phineas and Ferb once said, “Time is fleeting, but the internet is forever.”

That’s the risk you take with blogging, making yourself look like an idiot in front of the entire world wide web.

It’s pretty humbling. Especially when I thought I was being so funny. No wonder nobody commented. They either went away as confused as I was, or they didn’t tell me what a moron I was out of pity.

Even though I’m not Swedish, maybe I should be because I do still want  to take up residence inside an Ikea store.

As I said ealier…

It’s completely plausible.

They have all those cute little apartments set up in there already. There’s an on-site restaurant and playground. As long as they have showers in the employee locker rooms, I could happily enjoy the functionality, clean lines and beautiful colors of the Swedish aesthetic on a daily basis.

Now I am going to sit on my Ikea sofa, lick my wounds and dream of the long legs, pale blond hair, bright blue eyes and thin hips I would have if only I really were Swedish.

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5 thoughts on “Why I Am an Idiot or Why I Want to Live in an Ikea Store”

  1. Making It Work Mom says:
    February 9, 2011 at 11:38 pm

    Oh my God! That may be the funniest thing I ever read and totally something I would have done. I published a post last night before I went to bed. I was so proud because I had uploaded a video something I had not done before. I went to bed feeling very proud of myself and then about 5 minutes later I realized I hadn’t titled or spellchecked (crucial in my world) my post. It was way too cold to get out of bed so as soon as my alarm went off at 5 AM I ran downstairs to fix it!
    I think it is even more odd that no one commented on it to tell you that it was strange that a Swiss girl felt such a connection to IKEA.
    Oh and I could totally live in IKEA as well, maybe we could be neighbors.

    Reply
  2. Deborah says:
    February 10, 2011 at 12:02 am

    Colleen, don’t feel so bad. You are not the only one who is a little bit red faced. I didn’t even notice your mistake. I went along with it. Though, I did question is initially, but the Ikea references convinced me that you knew what you were talking about.

    It’s so good to be able to laugh at yourself and even better with a friend.

    *hugs*

    Reply
  3. Kristia@Family Balance Sheet says:
    February 10, 2011 at 8:38 am

    I clicked over from twitter, your post caught my eye.

    What would be even funnier is if your and I were related. My maternal grandfather’s family immigrated from Switzerland(not Sweden) in the late 1700’s. I’m not sure if they were Swiss Brethren, but I’m going to ask. I know my grandfather’s family has very conservative roots and I grew up going to a Brethren In Christ church that my great grandfather helped to start. I grew up about 40 minutes west of Lancaster.

    Reply
    1. Colleen says:
      February 10, 2011 at 8:59 am

      @Kristia@Family Balance Sheet, We could totally be related! My great-grandfather was from Duncannon, Pa which is about an hour from Lancaster.

      Reply
  4. girlymama says:
    February 11, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    hysterical.
    i’d totally move into an ikea with you. we could cook dinner in a different kitchen every night!

    Reply

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