Clearly the Friday Five are not very punctual when they visit this journal...

[magnetic_pole]

Giving thefridayfive another try this week. Do you know, I had to look up "fate" and "karma" to answer these questions, that's how rarely I think about these things.


1. Do you believe in fate? In the sense that certain things were meant to happen or inevitable? No. But I'm also a deeply anxious and superstitious person, despite what my more logical brain tells me. Subconsciously, do I believe there's something I need to avoid? Does that count as fate? Hm. Mostly, my heart keeps telling me things are always on the verge of going wrong, while my head reassures me it's all fine.

2. If Karma was to visit you now, would it be kind or kick you in the butt? I'd hope it would be kind, because I've been trying hard to do good things for the right reasons. But I haven't always been as successful as I'd like.

3. Do you believe you have lived another life previous to this one? No.

4. What do you believe in with an unshakable resolve? Very little. Death and taxes. Corruption at the top. Tea and coffee make everything a bit better.

5. What one factor influences your life the most? Yikes, this is hard! Let's say sunshine: I find myself in a good mood with it and struggling without it.

Comments

[magnetic_pole]

Tea and coffee- can't have a day without one or the other, sometimes both!

Sometimes I have a cup of both going at the same time. :) I'm not sure if I typed this in a place where you'd see it, but I started drinking tea when I was first in London, because our apartment (flat!) had an excellent electric kettle but patchy heat. I drank warm drinks pretty much 24/7 and never looked back.

Do you have an electric kettle? There's not nearly as common here, are they?

A little sunshine goes a long way. I don't know how you did it in the Pacific NW--as I was saying to TRS below, it was my one real complaint about London, the unending grey skies. :( M.

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Still sighing over the fact you got to live in a flat(!) in London! The lack of heat must have been rough, but a hot cup of tea does wonders!

I don't! We still have an old school kettle that goes on the stove. The flappy thing is cracked so it no longer whistles, but we both have a sixth sense about when it's about to blow. :) I do want to get an electric kettle though. Is that what you have? I admit a (not so) tiny part of me wants to get the same one Sherlock and John have- the one that lights up blue.

Unending grey skies can be rough to endure! I know lots of people back home have struggled with it. One of my oldest friends- she grew up down the street from me- moved to San Diego with her family quite a few years ago and she says she still can't get over the constant sunshine. She was always, always cold back home, so she's loving it in CA a whole lot!

I think I have a fairly high tolerance for overcast skies, but I do greatly appreciate the winter sunshine here.

[magnetic_pole]

We not only have an electric kettle, we splurged and got a fancy one that heats to sub-boiling temps for specialized hot-drink needs: 175F for green tea, 200F for French press coffee, etc. It's been great. You know how everyone's got the kitchen appliances they swear by? We've got a rice cooker and a tea kettle and stand mixer, and although all three are frequent-use and highly valued, the kettle's the best of them all.

I can't imagine a sunnier, nicer-weather place to live than San Diego! Have you been to visit her? M.

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I showed Brian that kettle and he's in love. So am I! Hello near-future splurge! We drink a lot of different teas, so this would be perfect. Plus, we do have a French press, so this is even more useful.

Stand mixer! Sigh. I would love one but am not sure I would use it enough. I also don't know where I'd keep it. Do you bake a lot? What all do you use it for?

She loves it there. Gets homesick for WA and a more definitive change of seasons, but she's always run on the cold side, so she's in the perfect place. Her husband is a federal probation officer, which is how they landed down there. He was a state probation officer and when he decided to get into the federal system, he knew he was going to have to take a job basically where he could get in. I think the age limit was 35 and he was getting close to that at the time. It turned out to be a great move for the most part. I've been out to see her once, which isn't enough.

[magnetic_pole]

You'll enjoy the kettle! It also turns itself off, which is a selling point for absent minded folks who walk away and forget about the tea they were going to make. (Sigh.) If only it poured into the cups and removed the bags after three minutes, too. :) I hope if you get it, you enjoy it, too!

Is it similar to the Sherlock one, by the way? I hadn't notice the blue light part of your comment until I re-read it right now.

The better half is a big baker. She probably makes something every week--cake, scones, cookies--and often makes more. If you ever visit, you'll be impressed and gain five pounds. Not only do we have a stand mixer, we have a Kitchen Aid, which is super expensive and not the kind of things we'd normally buy at all.

Sadly, because she's such a good baker and cook, I've never learned at all.

That's an interesting story about your friend moving to SD. It's such a risk to get into a field of work where you can't select the city or region where you work! I'm glad it worked out for them. I hope you get to visit at some point soon.

My mother used to say that, about missing the seasons. (She grew up outside of Chicago, then lived in Texas and Connecticut before moving to suburban LA.) I'd rather have sunny skies and warm temps every day and would give up any amount of gorgeous leaves or snow or weather-excitement to get it...but that's just me.

I really like your cross-stitch project! It looks so flawless (although I'm sure you see small things you'd like to fix, they're not visible at all). Neat to work on something you can hang up in the house. M.

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Ooh, the self-turn off is a major selling point! For the same reasons...

Here is a link to the Sherlock kettle. It doesn't appear to have the temp control, which is too bad. I'm sold on yours now.

Ohh, lucky you! *is envious* I have no self control when it comes to baked goods. None. I can do a little, but nothing worth bragging about. Crusts terrify me. Baking is an art, it really is. I've drooled over the Kitchen Aid mixer, but I know I wouldn't use it enough no matter what I told myself.

Heh, why cook when you don't have to! :)

The older I get, the more I feel like you do about the seasons. If I could find a place that does have fall, but skips winter, I'd be the happiest person. That said, I'm getting to the point where moving someplace warm would be just about be worth losing fall.

And thank you! Yes, I do see little flaws, but surprisingly, nothing major. I can't wait to get it framed!

[magnetic_pole]

Oh, nice! That's a lot sleeker than ours and much more Sherlock-y. But the temp control on ours is nice and something I think he'd appreciate, too. :) I'm having a hard time making a non-bitter French press coffee, and I'm convinced temperature is a key element in a good pot. Haven't figured it out yet, though.

I have no control with baked goods, either. I feel al little ridiculous telling the better half we really shouldn't have them in the house, but that's really what I need. (I say this having eaten half a package of shortbread in the past hour. Ugh. Yummy, but ugh.) My latest theory has been that since I'm going to eat them anyway, they may as well be the highest quality, freshest baked good possible. So fewer packaged things and more things right out of the oven or from the local bakery.

*sigh* Baby steps, right?

I'm looking forward to seeing where you put your project. It'll be a great addition to a room. M.

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I think Sherlock would appreciate the temp control too! It's very science-y. :)

We don't make French press coffee a lot- we tend to drink it in spurts- but I would have no idea if it's too bitter or not because I almost always add cream and sugar.

Baked goods are the best AND the worst! SHORTBREAD. Ahhhhh, I love shortbread so much! You stopped at half a package, too! Good on you! I totally buy into your theory. Fresh and homemade is good for you!