<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.typros.org/upload/I%20am%20Tulsa%20logo%20web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 216px;" src="http://www.typros.org/upload/I%20am%20Tulsa%20logo%20web.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />I love the <a href="http://tulsapeople.com/index.php?page=search&amp;search=i+am+tulsa&amp;goSearch=">I Am Tulsa profiles</a> in one of our local magazines, <a href="http://www.tulsapeople.com/">Tulsa People</a>. <div>
<br /></div><div>The feature, a partnership between the magazine and <a href="http://typros.org/">Tulsa's Young Professionals</a> (TYPros), highlights those Tulsans who have worked to make Tulsa a more exciting place to live. <a href="http://tulsapeople.com/index.php?page=article&amp;id=386">Mary Beth Babcock</a>, owner of <a href="http://dwellingspaces.net/">Dwelling Spaces</a>, as been featured, along with <a href="http://tulsapeople.com/index.php?page=article&amp;id=327">Mike Villafuerte</a> of events planning agency <a href="http://www.notabletulsa.com/">Notable Events</a>, <a href="http://tulsapeople.com/index.php?page=article&amp;id=311">Corine Fiagome</a> with <a href="http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=ejIRK6OWG&amp;b=4886263">Tulsa's YWCA</a> and <a href="http://tulsapeople.com/index.php?page=article&amp;id=428">Cory Hoffart</a>, founder of <a href="http://greencollarenergy.com/GCE.COM/Base%20Camp.html">Green Collar Energy</a>. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'd like to add to the conversation by featuring interviews with Tasha Does Tulsa readers here every couple of weeks or so. Some fascinating people read this blog, and just because they're not risking opening a business during a bum economy or putting in 40 hours a week on 27 nonprofit boards around town doesn't mean their stories don't deserve the spotlight. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>To kick things off is Sindy of the blog <a href="http://sindyintulsa.blogspot.com/">Sindy in Tulsa</a>. A quick visit to Sindy's blog makes it pretty obvious that she ain't from 'round these parts. She was born in Schneeberg (it means Snow Mountain) in the eastern part of Germany. The town is southwest of Berlin, close to the Czech border.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SZ8OLXbHtFI/AAAAAAAAAsI/nVWyJIcedrU/s1600-h/100_1831.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 395px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SZ8OLXbHtFI/AAAAAAAAAsI/nVWyJIcedrU/s400/100_1831.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304974474494850130" border="0" /></a>
<br />Sindy has traveled extensively, having lived 10 years in Dresden and globetrotting from Italy, France and Austria to the Czech Republic and parts of eastern Europe. She moved to Tulsa in June 2006, after just three short visits here.
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<br />Sindy's blog is a way for her to keep her friends and family in Germany up to date about her life in America. She writes about her and her husband's two dogs, her hobbies, food and our crazy Oklahoma weather.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What was your first impression of Tulsa? </span>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CNatasha%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:worddocument>   <w:view>Normal</w:View>   <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom>   <w:punctuationkerning/>   <w:validateagainstschemas/>   <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:compatibility>    <w:breakwrappedtables/>    <w:snaptogridincell/>    <w:wraptextwithpunct/>    <w:useasianbreakrules/>    <w:dontgrowautofit/>   </w:Compatibility>   <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>  </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156">  </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!--  /* Font Definitions */  @font-face 	{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} @font-face 	{font-family:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;}  /* Style Definitions */  p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal 	{mso-style-parent:""; 	margin:0in; 	margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:none; 	mso-hyphenate:none; 	font-size:12.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	mso-font-kerning:.5pt; 	mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 	{size:8.5in 11.0in; 	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; 	mso-header-margin:.5in; 	mso-footer-margin:.5in; 	mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 	{page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable 	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; 	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 	mso-style-noshow:yes; 	mso-style-parent:""; 	mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; 	mso-para-margin:0in; 	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:10.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-ansi-language:#0400; 	mso-fareast-language:#0400; 	mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->  <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">On the first drive from <a href="http://www.tulsaairports.com/index.cfm">the airport</a> I noticed how sprawling the city is. Coming from <st1:place st="on">Europe</st1:place> where everything is a lot closer together that really struck me. <st1:city st="on">Tulsa</st1:city> has about the same number of inhabitants as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Dresden</st1:city></st1:place></a> but takes up a lot more space. I also was very glad to see <a href="http://www.cityoftulsa.org/Recreation/Parks/">all the parks</a> and how green <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Tulsa</st1:city></st1:place> is. The signs and billboards were pretty overwhelming, and the very straight streets only confused me. I was used to navigating winding and often narrow streets that spread out from a central square. So it took me awhile to get used to the grid and all the numbers. I also was surprised to find hardly any sidewalks or public transportation. There were some other things but most important to me was how friendly and open the people here are. </p>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What are some ways Tulsa is different from where you grew up? </span>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CNatasha%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:worddocument>   <w:view>Normal</w:View>   <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom>   <w:punctuationkerning/>   <w:validateagainstschemas/>   <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:compatibility>    <w:breakwrappedtables/>    <w:snaptogridincell/>    <w:wraptextwithpunct/>    <w:useasianbreakrules/>    <w:dontgrowautofit/>   </w:Compatibility>   <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>  </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156">  </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!--  /* Font Definitions */  @font-face 	{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} @font-face 	{font-family:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;}  /* Style Definitions */  p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal 	{mso-style-parent:""; 	margin:0in; 	margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:none; 	mso-hyphenate:none; 	font-size:12.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	mso-font-kerning:.5pt; 	mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 	{size:8.5in 11.0in; 	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; 	mso-header-margin:.5in; 	mso-footer-margin:.5in; 	mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 	{page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable 	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; 	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 	mso-style-noshow:yes; 	mso-style-parent:""; 	mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; 	mso-para-margin:0in; 	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:10.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-ansi-language:#0400; 	mso-fareast-language:#0400; 	mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->  <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"  >Actually there are not that many once you get over the language and culture differences. The greater part of my childhood was spent in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_German_Democratic_Republic">GDR</a>, which was a lot like the 50s here. And in some ways the neighborhood we live in now reminds me of that. <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Tulsa</st1:city></st1:place> to me feels more like a small town, where everybody knows each other. I quite like that; it makes me feel so much more at home.</span>
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<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >If you could, what would you change about Tulsa? </span>
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CNatasha%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:worddocument>   <w:view>Normal</w:View>   <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom>   <w:punctuationkerning/>   <w:validateagainstschemas/>   <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:compatibility>    <w:breakwrappedtables/>    <w:snaptogridincell/>    <w:wraptextwithpunct/>    <w:useasianbreakrules/>    <w:dontgrowautofit/>   </w:Compatibility>   <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>  </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156">  </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!--  /* Font Definitions */  @font-face 	{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} @font-face 	{font-family:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;}  /* Style Definitions */  p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal 	{mso-style-parent:""; 	margin:0in; 	margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:none; 	mso-hyphenate:none; 	font-size:12.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	mso-font-kerning:.5pt; 	mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 	{size:8.5in 11.0in; 	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; 	mso-header-margin:.5in; 	mso-footer-margin:.5in; 	mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 	{page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable 	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; 	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 	mso-style-noshow:yes; 	mso-style-parent:""; 	mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; 	mso-para-margin:0in; 	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:10.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-ansi-language:#0400; 	mso-fareast-language:#0400; 	mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->  </p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Whenever I talk to other Europeans about what we miss here, two things usually come up: bread and <a href="http://www.ikea.com/">IKEA</a>. I know it sounds shallow but as every American who ever went to <st1:place st="on">Europe</st1:place> knows, the bread there is different. Thankfully there are a now some places in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Tulsa</st1:city></st1:place> that bake very yummy bread.
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<br /></p>  <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">The other thing is the lack of an IKEA store. I am highly addicted to their cool and affordable designs, and it would be great to have a store closer by.</span>
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<br /></p>  <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Since I moved here a lot of people have become more environmentally conscious and I hope this trend will continue. There are great ways out there to live a healthy and happy life, be it the local farmers markets or your own vegetable garden. I’m really glad I made the move to </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial;" st="on"><st1:city st="on">Tulsa</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family:arial;">. It is turning out to be one of my best decisions so far.</span><span style="">   </span></p>  <p></p></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">What are you favorite things to do for fun in Tulsa? </span>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CNatasha%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:worddocument>   <w:view>Normal</w:View>   <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom>   <w:punctuationkerning/>   <w:validateagainstschemas/>   <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:compatibility>    <w:breakwrappedtables/>    <w:snaptogridincell/>    <w:wraptextwithpunct/>    <w:useasianbreakrules/>    <w:dontgrowautofit/>   </w:Compatibility>   <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>  </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156">  </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!--  /* Font Definitions */  @font-face 	{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} @font-face 	{font-family:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; 	panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; 	mso-font-charset:128; 	mso-generic-font-family:swiss; 	mso-font-pitch:variable; 	mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;}  /* Style Definitions */  p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal 	{mso-style-parent:""; 	margin:0in; 	margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:none; 	mso-hyphenate:none; 	font-size:12.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; 	mso-font-kerning:.5pt; 	mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 	{size:8.5in 11.0in; 	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; 	mso-header-margin:.5in; 	mso-footer-margin:.5in; 	mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 	{page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable 	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; 	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 	mso-style-noshow:yes; 	mso-style-parent:""; 	mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; 	mso-para-margin:0in; 	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:10.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-ansi-language:#0400; 	mso-fareast-language:#0400; 	mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:&quot;;font-size:100%;"  >We like to go hiking with our two dogs up on <a href="http://www.riverparks.org/Maps/tm_map.htm"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Turkey</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place></a>. Whenever I say that, the locals give me a funny look; but, as I understand, the area has changed quite a bit. Then there are the festivals; I especially like the <a href="http://www.tulsamayfest.org/">Mayfest</a> and the <a href="http://www.bluedomeartsfestival.com/">Blue Dome Arts Festival</a>.<span style="">  </span><a href="http://www.philbrook.org/">The Philbrook</a> and <a href="http://www.gilcrease.org/">Gilcrease</a> museums are great too. <a href="http://home.att.net/%7Egastulsa01/Christkindlmarkt.htm">The Christmas Market at the German American Society</a> is a must for us because I always get a bit homesick around the holidays. I also like <a href="http://www.tulsagardencenter.com/"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Woodward</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> and the Rose Garden</a>, and any other park near our place. Then there is window shopping in <a href="http://www.brooksidetheplacetobe.com/"><st1:place st="on">Brookside</st1:place></a> and on <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Cherry Street</st1:address></st1:street>, and browsing in any bookstore I can find.</span>
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<br />Thanks for letting us peer into your life, Sindy! Not only are you one hip chick, but you also have the coolest accent ever.
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