Time for the first half of Jo’s daily questions!
1. Who was the president/prime minister/leader of your country when you were born?
The president: Urho Kekkonen
Prime minister: Kalevi Sorsa
2. What is the best way to spiffy-up french fries?
I like them nice and salty and crispy and then dipping one end into ketchup.
3. When did you last unexpectedly receive something for free?
It’s either the 500ml hand sanitizer bottle or the Aco Face Scrub. I got the both from my local pharmacy in the last 2-3 months, but can’t remember which is the most recent.
4. Do you donate food (or money) to food banks?
No, I can’t afford to. If I did that, I’d have to go to the bread line myself.
5. Does your mental image of yourself correspond with what you see in the mirror?
Sort of, but not entirely in all aspects.
6. Would you consider leaving your body to medical science? Or maybe just parts of your body?
Sure! I’m actually thinking about doing this – in hopes that it’ll help advance the understanding of the illnesses I suffer from: particularly Crohn’s Disease and chronic, complicated migraine but also Type 2 Diabetes, iron deficieny, hypothyroidism.
7. If you could make a 20-second phone call to yourself at any point in your life, when would you call and what would you say?
I’d call my 20 year old self and tell her to “get your fucking head-aches treated right now by a neurologist! Because it will be really fucking bad in the future.”
8. If you could turn one book, comic book or other print story into a feature-length movie or TV series, what would you pick and why?
The Dark Phoenix Saga (all the way from Jean’s death and resurrection as Phoenix), the original one by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Mini TV-series around 16 episodes, live action, character focused and driven. It’s a great, tragic story and all the versions I’ve seen didn’t do anything near justice to the original.
9. Have you ever actually punched someone (not counting a friendly jab to the shoulder)? Have you ever been punched?
Nope and nope. I once got a snow ball to the eye in school in the 80s that I *think* was purposely thrown considering where I was standing but I couldn’t tell who threw it so I’m not sure and it might not have been.
10. What product’s packaging do you find excessive or inadequate? What sort of packaging do you hate the most?
Some of the net shops pack and order ridiculously – like if I order a small bottle of vitamin B (100 tablets), YA usually sends it in a package that could hold at least 10 of the bottles at minimum. So big it’s ridiculous.
I hate the packages you can’t open easily – often these are products such as a computer mouse, batteries, chapstick. You have to use scissors which is okay, but even once you’ve cut it open, it’s hell of a time to prize the cardboard and/or plastic sides apart to get at the product, and the cardboard peels away in a dozen narrow strips when you try to pull if off. Everytime I’m conviced there has to be a smarter way to open them but nope.
11. In terms of personal care products (shampoo, toothpaste, skin care products, deodorants, etc.) do you mostly stick with the same brands, or do you like to try new ones? Are you influenced by price, e.g. buying what’s on sale, even if it’s not your usual brand?
I have a allergic/sensitive skin and scalp, so many things are prescibed by a doctor such as creams and lotions for general body use. Things I can buy from the shops I have to make sure it’s unscented and then preferably change it up every now and then because any one product used continously can start to irritate my skin in the long run. So I like to switch them out every now and then.
I’ve never been able to use shampoos sold at the hair dressers such as the Swarzkopf brand – they’ve always been too strong and feel unpleasant on my scalp. For the shampoo I have to use these expensive, organic shampoos by Saaren Taika now. Because about 4 years ago all the shampoos I bought from the regular shops started to cause terrible itching and rashes and scabs on my scalp and I’d have to use hydrocortisone liquid all the time to control it but it would still itch like crazy even if it didn’t scab anymore. I started to look into what to do/alternatives when it became obvious it wasn’t going away by switching products (even pharmacy shampoos didn’t help) and came across Saaren Taika. There were a lot of posive reviews by people who have psoriaris or acne and other sensitivities, so I decided to try out one of their organic shampoos and it worked! I’ve now used their organic shampoos for about 2 years, and my scalp’s itching has gone back to normal and my scalp doesn’t develop rashes and scaps anymore most of the time, only a few times a year and not as bad as it used to be. I saw Saaren Taika products first in Facebook ads and was very suspicious and wary, but after looking into it I decided to try it once and I’m so glad I did!
12. Is there an ingredient you put into almost everything you cook, even if the recipe doesn’t call for it? Is there an ingredient that most recipes call for, but that you tend to leave out?
I always leave out onions because I hate them. I usually put onion powder instead, but not always. I also always leave out coffee if a recipe calls for it, and replace it with hot cocoa. Or the last few years, with Frezza Choco Loco which is a cold coffee drink that tastes mostly of cocoa and a tiny bit of coffee. Using it in baking in place of coffee is just perfect for my taste.
I always put a lot of extra cheese on top of pizza, whether store bought or self-made. I’ve started add Aura cheese (a blue cheese) to anything I think it might go with. Such as macaroni casserole or kinkkupiirakka (ham pie?). Also actually, I like to cover lots of casseroles and suolainen piirakka (“salty pies” as in pies filled with meat, deli meat, vegetables etc. instead of sweet things like fruits or berries) with cheese that melts into a nice and golden crust.
13. Some people believe that if life has no purpose, then there is no reason for living. While others think that if life has no purpose, that frees a person to find/create and follow their own personal purpose. Which is a more valid point of view or are they both equally valid?
Neither. Life has no purpose in my opinion. You can give it purpose if you want and need that, but not doing it is just as okay.
14. Would you rather have more kitchen counter space or kitchen cabinet space?
I really, really want both!! But if you put a gun to my head… a lot more cabinet space!
15. How conscious do you think animals are?
Depends on the animal.
16. Did you discover a new (to you) favourite author or musician/band this year?
Nope. I did discover several new authors who’s books I enjoy, but not a new favorite, no.