This is not a placemat; this is ....

I enrolled in another online course today, 'Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens, and the Stuff Around You ' by Harvard via edX. A five week free course to teach how to look at objects from other points of view and see the links with history. As some of you may know my heart lies very much in working in a museum environment as a volunteer, I was a docent in several museums in Singapore during my two stays there. I've tried to get involved in museum work here in Belgium , but even though I've got all the experience one might need plus a sound knowledge of 5 European languages, there are no takers :-( In fact, I didn't even get a single reaction, not even a 'thank you for reacting, but we've already have volunteers') Very disheartening to say the least.

Anyway, so I'll just keep busy with online courses and photography. This photograph has to do with today's first assignment for the course: Take a common object in your home and find 5 different statements saying 'This is not a (insert name of object), this is ...........

So:
This is not a placemat; this is
-It is a work of craft (you'd need to learn how to do this and have the necessary skills to finish it)

-It is a work of art (it has pleasing lines, somebody has made the design)

-It is a decoration (it's as much an object to use as an object to display)

-It is a commodity ( the designer/craftsperson/manufacturer is earning money with this, may be cottage industry)

-It is a souvenir ( it's from SE Asia, a souvenir which reminds us of our stay there everyday)

Can you think of more of these statements? As I felt I wasn't even very creative with these five!

Thanks very much for your comments on yesterday's WWI memorial sign for Louis Guns ! There's a walking tour with guide around our town regarding WWI sites and history next week, I think I may go on that tour to learn more, as the Dutch were neutral in that war we never learned much about it in school