Friday 5 for November 3: Late again – http://f.riday5.com/2023/11/04/friday-5-for-november-3-late-again/

1. When did you last miss a scheduled appointment?

Not in years. But 15-10 years ago I missed a bunch of appointments or just meetings with friends/family without warning during several years because of my Crohn’s symptoms (read: diarrhea), or had to cancel just 1-2 hours before.

2. What’s usually the reason you’re late for something?

I’m never late now. I can’t remember the last time. Because usually they’re things that if I’m late for them, I suffer as a result- like Doctor’s appointments which are hard to get and the appointment is like two months away from the day I made it because they’re too busy to get me in sooner unless it’s an emergency; or the unemployment agency will punish you if you’re late or miss an appointment by cutting off your benefits which means no money which means the next rent can’t be paid. So I take steps to make sure I’m not late or miss my appointments.

3. What have you recently finished well in advance of a due date or deadline?

Last month’s the goverment mandated job application to an employer.

4. In your daily life, what strategies do you use for not being in a hurry?

I try not to leave things for last minute. And when I need to be somewhere at a certain time, I leave early enough to make it in time – even if I have to wait outside or somewhere for half an hour.

5. What are you waiting for?

I’m not sure. The last 5-6 years I’ve felt like I’m in limbo, waiting for something. It’s all about hanging in a loose noose, forced to being unemployed to get money to survive due to factually not being able to work, but not having the right illnesses to get on disability.

Friday 5 for November 10: When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange – http://f.riday5.com/2023/11/10/friday-5-for-november-10-when-its-time-to-change-youve-got-to-rearrange/

1. If you could change one minor thing about your life right now, what would you choose?

Minor thing? I can’t think of a minor thing I’d change. All the things I’d change would have a huge impact on my quality of life and reduce my stress by huge amounts or completely eliminate it. I can’t think of a minor thing that changing would make a lick of difference.

2. What’s your favorite bubblegum?

Don’t have one. I can’t remember the last time I had bubblegum.

3. When did you most recently need an unexpected change of clothing?

Probably when I was dressed too lightly for fall weather and only realized it once I opened the frontdoor and felt the cold air. Would’ve been the last few weeks but don’t remember exactly when.

4. Where do you keep your (currency) change?

In my wallet. If I’ve accumulated an unusual amount of coins, I might put an even amount of them such as 5 euros (in 10 and 20 cents) in a tiny coin purse and use them to pay for small things at the chemists.

5. When did you most recently need a change of scenery?

The only time I remember feeling like that was when I was living in Vantaa in the Greater Helsinki (metropolitan area surrounding Helsinki, the capital city of Finland) and studying in the library school. I lived in student housing which was an apartment of three bedrooms and a kitchen. There usually were only me and one other person living there, so the third bedroom was locked (we locked our doors when we weren’t home). My housing mate often traveled back to her home town for the weekends, and if I didn’t, I’d feel like the walls were closing in, having only my own room and kitchen to be in. I wasn’t used to having that little space to live in. So I’d often go out on Saturday to the library or Akateeminen kirjakauppa in Helsinki just to browse and to get away from the student housing. Akateeminen kirjakauppa was a really good bookstore back then, with wide selections in all the genres and a big selection of English language novels. It’s where I bought my very first English language novels ever, which just happened to be Star Trek novels! I’d also visit different town libraries because several towns make up the Greater Helsinki and town libraries are always the biggest libraries as well as these particular libraries being part of the capital city area and having lots of international users so they’d have good service and selection. I made use of those libraries a lot!