Hi Chad,
Yeah, mine does the purses thing, too. As far as my Strat, it's a Fender Standard Strat HSS (made in Mexico). It's what started me getting back into playing. I told my wife that I had never had an electric and wanted to try one.
No logical reason for choosing a Strat; I just thought if Hendrix could play one upside down and do all the things he could do with it, it would be a good choice. Besides, I've always liked the look. I found that picking out an electric (for me anyway) was more a matter of looks. I figure with the little Mustang amp I bought with it I could make it sound anyway I wanted to. Not like going down to the local GC and listening to the tonal differences between all the various makes and models of acoustics and trying to find the one that speaks to me.
Gotta be honest tho; I've never been good with a pick (they either spin out of position or I drop them) even with my acoustic so that kind of limits my electric playing. Good thing Mark Knopfler finger picks some good stuff on his guitar (which I believe is a Strat!). I prefer to finger pick which really suits my Taylor well.