This week’s questions at thefridayfive @ Dreamwidth.

1. It’s 17 days until Chrismas. How do you feel about that?

That means it’s 8 days until my Mom’s birthday – that’s more important to me! We “don’t belong in the church” (as we say here) so we don’t celebrate Christmas as a religious thing, for us it’s just a time to eat well, make some specialty foods and get together as a family for a day or an evening. So I’m looking forward to it.

2. It’s the second night of Hanukkah. How do you feel about that?

Is it? I don’t.

3. It’s Howie Hawkins’s birthday. Have you wished him a happy birthday yet?

I have no idea who that is but Happy Birthday!

4. John Lennon died on this date in 1980. Your reaction?

It’s a pity when a talented person dies before their time, but apart from knowing he’s considered a legend, I’ve never felt connected to him or his music. I don’t listen to it. So I don’t have a personal thoughts.

5. Beethoven’s 7th Symphony premiered in Vienna with Beethoven conducting, on this day in 1813. Can you hum any part of the 7th?

I’m not sure. Which one is the 7th again…? I know very few classical music pieces by their name, even though I like several a lot but for some reason I can never remember their names. I just got the ones I like a lot dumped on a folder on my laptop and know that whatever I play from there, I’ll enjoy. So no need to remember the names!

Jo’s daily questions for November!

1 – Extra Mile Day: When was the last time you went the extra mile for someone, or someone went the extra mile for you? Tell us about it.

I’m not sure. Does it count if my Mom came shopping with me a few months ago when I needed to buy some storage boxes? It would’ve been incredibly cumbersome get them home by two busses because of their sizes? They have a car and she was happy to go with me. I think the last time I did was when Mom was still recovering from hip surgery and her SO had to go away for a few days. I stayed with Mom those days just in case although she thought she’d do fine by herself but we all thought better safe than sorry.

2 – Stress Awareness Day: How stressful is your everyday life? How well do you deal with stress? Do you have any tried-and-true strategies for handling stress?

I have chronic stress about money and my health situation. I’m not sure how well I deal with it – I think pretty well, but then it always occurs to me that just maybe my migraine situation wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t have that stress. I read a lot of fiction that distracts me my issues. Sometimes if it’s very bad, I sleep too much because of the stress and to make the time pass faster. I also try to remind myself that I’ve been trhough bad stuff before and I’ve always survived it. And if there’s a stressfull thing with a definite end date (such as a colonoscopy), I strongly remind myself that by this time tomorrw/next week/next year that particular stress will be solved. One way, or another, but it will be solved.

3 – Sandwich Day: Do you like sandwiches? What’s your favourite sandwich filling?

Cheese.

Cold sandwhiches with cheese and lunch meats never taste as great as I imagine they will when I see them/read about someone eating one. I’m always mildly disappointed! But it’s still my favorite!

Hot sandwhich: toast bread, tomato puree, lunch meat, blue cheese, pineapple and cover it all with lots of grated pizza cheese and heat in the oven until the grated pizza cheese has melted, puffed up and is golden with just a hint of brown. Continue reading

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!