meme & asks

Got my hair cut today ✨ Yay! ✨ I went to the hair dressing school where students under the watchful eye of the teacher offer hair cuts, coloring etc. for a minimal price. I've had my hair colored once and cut twice or three times and the results have always been good! It's good alternative when the regular prices are too much, but it does take a lot more time so can't be in a hurry.

Answers to today's questions at thefridayfive.

1. What is your current main mode of transportation? e.g. car, bike, subway, walking, etc.

Busses are my main way to get where I need to go.

It's actually been public transport, namely local busses, for most of my life starting with school. I also walk some, but now with the chronic illnesses, less than I used to and not willingly.

When I was a student in library school and lived in the Helsiki metropolitan area, I also used local metropolitan area busses along with metro train (underground train) and commuter train (overground train servicing Helsinki metropolitan area cities), but also long distance trains to my home city of Turku.

2. Are you satisfied with your current main mode of transportation (answer to question 1)? Why?

I am, for the most part! My home city has a good public transport (busses) system and you don't necessarily need a car, depending on your circumstances and where exactly you live. I can get by bus everywher I need to go, including friends' and family's places. I do wish the ticket price were lower, and they wouldn't increase every year but that because I'm poor so everything feels expensive to me.

I'm also kind of nervous about the upcoming, planned changes for the bus system they're planning for I think, 2025. What it looks like is that the bus routes designated "central lines" stay good and mine is one of these, but the secondary routes, designated "feed lines" seem to get worse both in run times and accessibility such as routes, locations and number of stops. A lot of reviews say the same, so we'll see what happens with the plans.

I did have my Mom's car for something like 17 years, but even then I always judged where and when I was going and whether the car or a bus was the most handy way that time. But now I haven't had a car for about 7 years and although it was very handy for getting around to random libraries or big shops inconveniently located by bus or picking up packages, I actually only rarely miss having a car - usually when I need to transport something awkward sized home. There is also the fact that due to being so tired all the time, the last few years I had the car I didn't always dare to drive - I feared I'd get into an accident and kill someone because I was too tired and my reaction time was too slow or I wouldn't notice something. So in my case, not driving is also a safety concern even though I haven't been forbidden to drive by the docters.

3. Do you think you'll change your means of transit soon? e.g. buy a car, get rid of your car, walk more etc.? If so, why?

Busses will continue to be main main mode of transport, but I'd like to walk more. I've occasionally thought about bying a bike - I used to bike everywhere when I was a kid and like an idiot, stopped that when I went to library school and never restarted again. I always liked biking more than walking.

4. If time, distance and money were not factors, how do you prefer to get from point A to point B?

I'm good with busses. But I admit, if truly money wasn't an issue at all, I'd also have a car just for the convenience.

5. What was your worst transit experience?

I can't think of a truly bad transit experience... mostly just if I'm on the move during a rush hour, the busses can be so full lugging shopping bags can be inconvenient, or waiting for the bus in a hard rain etc. Mostly personally for me, it's the rush hour smells and noise because they can trigger a migraine attack or if I'm already in the middle of one, make it worse. But this is a me problem.

This year spiffikins at Dreamwidth put together daily questions for the year :-D 

1. What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature?

There's quite a few cool things in nature and I can't say which is the coolest above all others... but snowflakes are right up there among the very coolest!

2. Could You Stop Shopping for an Entire Year?

I assume this means non-essentials and that things like bras and skin care (makes my skin better but no doctor's orders to use these products) are counted as essential?

If so, then I think yes I could. I don't buy a lot of stuff in addition to essentials, due not having money and due to not really being into shopping and never have been. I only buy most things (clothes, electronics etc.) when I need new ones because they're breaking, worn through, or are getting old enough that my programs don't run well anymore. The only things I buy for the fun of it are fountains pens and fountain pen inks, fountain pen friendly notebooks and stickers. I only buy stickers when I'm running out so about once a year if that, but I could stop buying fountain pens and related stuff for a year, if I wanted to. Especially as currently I'm quite happy with the fountain pens I have and don't feel a huge need for a new one! It's ink which might be more difficult - I love trying out new inks! And I have enough fountain pen friendly notebooks to last me a few years (unless I start to journal or writing stories a lot more than up until now) so I wouldn't need a new notebook either for a year. So, yes I could stop shopping these sorts of things for a year.

Now, if that means that I can't buy candy, chocolate and Frezza cold coffees which aren't necessary for survival... that's a whole other ball game! I could reduce the amount I buy, but I couldn't stop entirely there. And it'd be hard for me mentally to do it.

3. What National or International Events That You Lived Through Do You Remember Best?

Well, obviously COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But also, the Estonia sinking, 9/11... those I think I remember the best.

Also, having the left leaning Antti Rinne/Sanna Marin's government in power 2019-2023. It was the first time in my adult life when I felt hopeful about a government. And I was/am so relieved that it was Marin's government in power particularly through COVID-19. It horrified me to think how things would have gone during COVID-19 if the far-right current government had been in power then, or even just a government headed by Kokoomus (a right wing party).

4. Are Your Eating Habits Healthy?

No, but they are better than they used to be until about 6 years ago!

5. How Do You Fight the Winter Blues?

What winter blues? I LOVE winter; it's my second favorite season right after fall.

6. Does Technology Make Us More Alone?

Not technology, but social media does.

7. What Are the Most Important Changes, in Your Life and in the World, in the Last Decade?

My life: got the Crohn's Disease diagnosis. Got Crohn's Disease symptoms under much better control in the last 3 years. Chronic migraine is now better than it was 10 years ago, even though it's still bad.

World: Social media. Rise of right wing and far right wing politics, increase in hate speech.

8. How Do You Greet Your Friends and Family?

Um, I think usually with a smile and saying "Moi!" or "Hei!" (Hi!). We don't usually hug when greeting, if it happens it's usually during the visit or when saying goodbyes.

9. Would You Want to Be a Space Tourist?

Yes!

10. Do You Trust Your Government?

The current far right-wing governemt? Not for a red hot second! Or rather I trust them to do all the things that are bad for immigrants, the poor, the sick, the unemployed, the regular worker, the regular joe. I trust them to hand over all the moneys and all the power to the owning class, the rich, the employers. I DO NOT trust them to look after the best interests of the nation and country as a whole.

11. How Much Do You Think About Your Weight?

A little. Not too much.

12. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on how real they feel.

13. How Do You Feel About Zoos?

Not any particular way. They can be fun places to visit but I don't think of them beyond that.

14. What Could You Not Live Without? What Could You Live Without?

Not without: Housing. You can't survive in Finnish winters without a roof over your head. Books. Your spirit needs nutrition too!

Without: Social media.

15. What Are Your Experiences With Severe Weather?

I'm not sure what counts as severe weather? The only weather that I've personally experiences and would call severe are the heat wave days of summer, when outside temperature get to 25 degrees Celcius and higher, especially if it lasts for weeks like it didn't a few summers ago when it lasted for 3 months without a break. Hot weather I can't handle, I hate it.

I'm good with hard rain, and freezing temperatures. This week we've been having around -18 degrees Celcius (with "feels like" degree of around -28) and it's no big deal. I actually think it's been a lovely, "real" winter week. You just dress appropriately!

16. How Close Are/Were You to Your Parents?

My Dad died in 1989 when I was 14; we were close as a family. We did a lot of things together and liked being together. I'm still very close to my Mom even though I don't get to see her as often as I'd like due my illnesses and my Mom's and her SO's illnesses and getting on in age.

17. What Are Your Favorite Commercials?

I don't watch commercials, haven't for at least 18 years. In the 80s or 90s there was this one commercial for jeans that I liked because I loved the song played. I've never found it online.

18. How Well Do You Sleep?

Not well. I have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and the sleep isn't refreshing. I always wake up almost as tired as when I went to bed. I used to suffer badly from insomnia a few years ago for several years; the longest I couldn't sleep once was 4 days. It's not as bad as that anymore, but it's not great.

19. What Would You Create if You Had Funding?

Something that would fund research for migraines and chronic migraines, probably.

20. What Movies, Shows or Books Do You Wish Had Sequels, Spinoffs or New Episodes?

I wished they'd made the SGA movie that was in the plans when the show ended. I wanted to see Atlantis returned to Pegasus galaxy!

21. Do You Like Scary Movies and Books?

Yes and yes!

22. What Are the Best Things You’ve Acquired Secondhand?

Comics and books.

23. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason?

Not sure. If they do, the Reason, whatever it is, seems to suck!

24. Do You Believe in Intelligent Alien Life?

Yes.

25. Have You Ever Felt Pressured by Family or Others in Making an Important Decision About Your Future?

Not really. Maybe very light pressure, for short while, in a not dead serious way?

26. Would You Like to Ride in a Car That Drives Itself?

Not right now I wouldn't. But if the technology is proved safe in the future, unhackable and fool proof, sure.

27. Do Your Television Viewing Habits Include ‘Binge-Watching’?

Absolutely, and since I was a kid in 1980s so long before it the term was coined.

28. What’s Your Sunday Routine?

Sunday's just another day, no special routine. The only routine is the same as other days - taking certain meds at certain hours.

29. Have You Ever Interacted With the Police?

Sure.

30. Should Prostitution Be Legal?

I don't know.

31. Do You Worry A Lot About Germs?

Nope.

The first friday five questions of the year at Dreamwidth.

1. In what ways do you expect/hope this year to be better than last year?

I don't really hope/expect 2024 to be better per se, but for the first time in 15 years I feel like this year my health problems might stay stable and at the level they are now. All the other years for the last 15 years I've either known the health stuff is going get worse, or have had a doomed feeling. But now I feel like I've reached a stable state and while setbacks and/or new health problems are always possible what with the Crohn's Disease and anemia and all, I don't feel like I'm automatically doomed to get worse.

I'll happily settle this if it does turn out to be a boring year health problems wise!

2. In what ways do you expect/hope this year to be worse than last year?

Personally: financially and bureautically. There are several law changes in the pipeline by the new far-right wing government that will make my living situation worse.

Politically: the far-right wing government is making changes in employment, housing, social and wellfare laws that mean bad things for the unemployed, low wage earners, the sick, the kids, education, health care and more. Basically everyone who is not among the richest 10% are going to suffer in one way or another, and the lower your income, the more you suffer. The right-wing government are attacking on several fronts, and many of their new proposed laws actually are in contradiction of their stated government programme goals. It's being said that the government is effecting a paradigm shift in how Finland views many things, even human rights.

The employee Unions and many research etc. organizations are warning of the effects of the new laws and trying to resist the law changes. It's looking like the country might be heading into the general strike for the first time since 1956.

3. What year would you travel back to if you could?

I'm not sure. Part of me would like to go back to my childhood when everything was carefree - but I'd really actually hate having to go through school again.

On the other hand, I think it'd be best if I went back to 2008 - I could try and get my migraines sorted out so that they don't go chronic and daily. And also to get a breast reduction done then before the onset of Type 2 Diabetes - because I've noticed my wounds don't heal that well anymore so I don't think I'll have it done anymore because of that.

On third hand, if I went back to 1994 May onwards I'd get to be with my Mom's Beagle pup! She counted be as part of her pack and I loved her like crazy.

4. What was your worst year?

2008. That is a divider for me - there is before 2008, and there is after 2008. It isn't actually the worst but it's the watershead of my life. Before 2008 I was healthy with a future, and after I'm not and don't.

The actual fucking worst are the years when I didn't know what the fuck was going on with my bowels and whether I could hope for normal bowel function again some day while suffering from horrible daily headaches and migraine attacks 3 times a week - but that time frame went on for so many years and I can't pin point just one year.

5. What was your best year?

1994-1995. I finished library school, the future was wide open in front of me, full of hope and my Mom got a Beagle puppy who loved me as much as I her. Definitely maybe the best time of my life.

Jo's Daily Questions 2023 - https://jo.dreamwidth.org/2802730.html

1 – Cookie Cutter Day: Do you own any cookie cutters? Any unusual ones? Tell us about them.

I own Christmas ones... Star, moon, heart, man, woman and flower cutters I think. One of each. I haven't baked Christmas cookies in like 20 years, so it's been a while since the last time I even looked at them.

2 – Play Basketball Day: Have you ever played basketball?

In school when forced to.

3 – Make a Gift Day: Do make gifts for anybody? How about cards?

Not as an adult. The last couple of years I've thought about making birthday and/or Christmas cards with watercolors but haven't gotten around to it.

4 – Wear Brown Shoes Day: Do you own any brown shoes?

One pair that I never use. All my shoes are black at the moment except for the crocs which are hot pink.

5 – National Repeal Day: December 5th marks the end of prohibition in the United States (back in 1933). If you're not American, did your country ever prohibit the sale of alcohol (or maybe it still does)? Does it make sense that alcohol is legal, but other substances aren't?

Here in Finland kieltolaki (prohibition) was in effect 1919-1932.

I'm not sure. I'm kind of of the opinion that alcohol should be illegal too because us Finns certainly don't know how to drink sensibly at all. But on the other hand, drugs being illegal hasn't stopped their use so...

But I'm not the person to ask - I don't like the taste of alcohol so I don't drink it, and I've never tried drugs because I couldn't be less interested. So I personally don't care either way and it makes no difference to me whether it's legal or not.

6 – Put on Your Own Shoes Day: How old were you when you learned to put on your own shoes? How about when you learned to tie your own shoelaces?

How should I know? Whenever it was, I was too young to remember. I've done both myself as far back as I can remember.

7 – Cotton Candy Day: Do you like cotton candy? (Also known as Fairy Floss.)

Not really. I had it a few times in amusement parks when I was a kid/teenager/early 20s but I never developed a taste for it. What I remember is it being horribly sweet and sticking to my fingers/face.

8 – Lost and Found Day: Have you ever lost something important to you and thought you would never get it back, but then you found it or someone returned it to you?

I once lost my wallet (with my driver's license, government issued ID, debit card and a small amount of cash ) but the shop I had forgotten it in called me about it before I could miss it.

9 – Christmas Card Day: Do you send Christmas/holiday cards? How many do you send? Do you receive many cards?

I send only two - one for my Mom & her SO and one for a friend of mine. Well, technically. I bring it Mom's with me when I go over there on the 24th or the 25th. And my friend gets an online Christmas card. I haven't send via snail mail for more than two decades. I don't send other Christmas cards because with some of my friends we have never sent them to each other, and I don't believe in sending them to people I have practically zero contact with during the year and only see them like once or twice a year more or less accidentally.

I don't get many cards and it varies by year - Mom & her SO snail mail me one, my Mom's brother and his wife sometimes snail mail me one, and that friend of mine usually sends an online one.

10 – World Choral Day: Have you ever sung in a choir?

Nope. We sang as a class sometimes back in school in the 80s but I don't count that. It wasn't a real choir anyway.

11 – Stretching Day: How flexible are you? Do you do any stretching or flexibility exercises regularly?

I'm not at all flexible, never have been and I would benefit from such exercises. But it's exercise...

According to my Mom, even as a tiny baby I was stiff as a board compared to her friend's baby who was the same age as I.

12 – Gingerbread House Day: Have you ever made a gingerbread house? How did it turn out?

I think we did, once, when I was a kid. It was too much work (and math!) for the result. We stuck to making gingerbread men and hearts, elks and half-moons and stars instead until my early 20s when we stopped making them completely and starting just buying them. The houses were never really a thing for us. We also got a gingerbread house as a gift once or twice, and Mom and Dad always waited so long to start eating it, that it didn't taste good to me anymore. I'm not sure whether it was because I was done with gingerbreads by that time (they're not my favorite so I get enough of them sooner rather than later), or because the it had actually gone stale by then. Either way, gingerbread house are always something of a disappointment - hard to make, have to wait to start eating them, look pretty but don't taste not as delicious as they look.

13 – Day of the Horse: Have you ever been horseback riding? Have you read any of the classic horse books, e.g. Black Beauty, the Misty of Chincoteague books, the Black Stallion books, the Silver Brumby books? Are you a fan of any horse-related sports, e.g. racing or show jumping?

Never ridden.

When I was a kid/teenager, I read a lot of horse books - I've probably read Black Beauty and the Black Stallion books and others too, but what I remember the best are the horse girl book series by sisters Merja Jalo and Marvi Jalo. I especially loved the Merja Jalo books, because they had both horses and mysteries that the girls had to solve. I preferred her writing style over Mervi's.

14 – Roast Chestnuts Day: Have you ever made or eaten roast chestnuts?

Nope. Not a thing here.

15 – Cat Herders' Day: Have you ever had to do anything where it felt like you were trying to herd cats?

I'm trying very hard to remember... I feel like I have, but I can't think what it could be! I've never had to control kids or cats or many dogs or anything like that so what on earth could it be... Maybe just being in customer service in libraries when it's closing time although I don't remember any outstanding instances... or maybe feeling in school like the other kids are uncotrollable like cats...

16 – Chocolate-Covered Anything Day: Is there anything that would not be improved by being covered in chocolate? What is your favourite chocolate-covered food?

I really love "suklaapelti" which has a thickish cocoa powder/icing sugar/butter icing. Suklaapelti is kind of a version of brownie I think. But I don't know if that kind is meant here?

I'm not really into things like chocolate covered strawberries... it's maybe good, but I tend to prefer the flavors separately.

17 – Wright Brothers Day: How do you feel about plane travel?

More and more I feel like when it's for fun, it's frivolous and unnecessary. If it's for work or for family, then it should be minimized. If for fun, should be fucking expensive so that 95% of people aren't able or willing to spend money on unnecessary flying.

18 – International Migrants Day: International Migrants Day emphasizes the protection of migrants’ human rights. The day also recognizes the contributions and efforts of migrants around the world. Has anyone in your family ever migrated from one country to another? What would your country be like without migrants?

I don't know, actually. My Mom's dad was born here in Finland but when Finland was still under Russia's rule. And several of my my Dad's siblings were sent to Sweden to be safe when they were kids and the Winter War started; they never came back and made their lives in Sweden. This happened to many kids at the time, but somehow that's not thought as immigration here.

19 – Look for an Evergreen Day: Are there many species of evergreens where you live?

I'm not sure. It's embarrasing really how little I remember about plants and trees because it's not something I've ever been interested in.

20 – Go Caroling Day: Have you ever been caroling? Are there any groups in your neighbourhood who go caroling at this time of year?

Nope and nope. Door to door/neighborhood caroling is not a thing here. There are a number of events arranged but they either feature professional singers or professional choirs. There's also hobby choirs but I'm not sure whether they perform to audiences. But there's no neighbourhood caroling.

21 – Don't Make Your Bed Day: Were you brought up to make your bed every day? Do you make your bed every day?

Yes, and no.

22 – Mathematics Day: Were you good at mathematics in school? How much of the math/s you learned in school do you use in your everyday life now?

No, I wasn't. Mathematics was my nemesis the last 2-3 years in school. I couldn't comprehend the teacher, and my Dad actually taught me so that I understood the material. It was funny, because those maths were new to him but he taught them to himself while I was doing other homework, and then he taught it to me! If it weren't for him, I would've probably failed math tests more than once. Once Dad had died of cancer, my math grade plummeted because I just couldn't understand.

The only math I use now regularly are the very basics: addition, substraction, percent and division.

23 – Roots Day: How much do you know about your own family history? Do you know the names of your great grandparents? Have any of your ancestors been a part of any significant historical events?

Nothing about my birth family.

Some about my adopted family. My Mom's dad was a salesman who traveled all over world, particularly to China. He also became a politician and had a measure of influence in local politics before his death in the early 1960s. I never met him because he died 10 years before I was born. His family hailed from Russia but had lived in Finland for a good time before his birth. And he was born when Finland was still under Russia's rule. My Mom's mom was from the country. We don't talk about the family history at all really. Other than what Mom told me about her father, the salesman/politician, and about her own childhood. We've talked a lot more about what our town was like and what life was like (such as shops) (very different from now) when Mom was growing up than about our family history.

I don't know the names of my great grandparents - nothing about them, actually. Other than that my Mom's mom's parents were farmers. But majority lived in the country side and from the earth at the time. My Mom's mom was born in 1911 - so she also was born under Russia's rule.

24 – Christmas Eve: Christmas Eve is filled with both religious and nonreligious traditions and a variety of foods. What are some of your holiday traditions? How did they begin?

Christmas Eve is the Big Day here. The Christmas meal and gift giving is on Christmas Eve. My Mom and half the nation always listens to the Christmas Peace Declaration on Christmas Eve at 12pm which is considered the official start of Christmas. I know I have heard the history of declaring Christmas peace but can't be bothered to relearn it. I never listen to it on purpose, only if I can't avoid it.

I don't know how they began, just that I grew up with them. In my family, we have a delicious Christmas meal with Christmas Ham, smoked salmon, traditional Finnish potato casserole and several sides. At some point after the meal, we usually visit our loved ones graves in the cemetary and light candles to remember them. The whole cemetary is a sea of candles, and if you go after dark it looks very beautiful and feels very peaceful. Either before or after is the gift giving. This was the tradition for the first 45 years or so of my life. Christmas Eve has always been kind of busy. While my Grandma was still alive, we'd visit with her.

The last 2-3 years, instead of going over to my Mom's on Christmas Eve, I go on the 25th now. It just works better this way - it's less busy, and because I most of the time couldn't make the cemetary visit anymore because of pain. The 25th has been working for us nicely - everyone can relax a lot better because it isn't busy like the previous day. We like it.

25 – Pumpkin Pie Day: Pumpkin pie, yes or no?

No. Not a thing here. Although I think they are trying to make it a thing like they are trying with Halloween too.

26 – Whiner's Day: National Whiner’s Day is here to encourage people to appreciate what they have instead of complaining about what they don’t! What do you have to be thankful for today?

My Mom is doing well for someone who'll turn 80 next year. I had my routine check-up colonoscopy and biopsies done a month ago, and everything came up clean.

27 – Make Cut-out Snowflake Day: Have you ever made cut-out snowflakes? How about a string of cut-out paper dolls?

As a kid - yes and yes.

28 – Card Playing Day: Do you play card games?

No.

29 – Tick Tock Day: Tick Tock Day reminds you that the year is almost at an end, and there are things still left to be doing, and in fact, only two days left to do them in. What do you need to get done so that you don't let the year end with regret?

Can't think of anything.... Hmm, I could always do some more writing or painting or Photoshopping.

30 – Bicarbonate of Soda Day. How many uses do you know of for bicarbonate of soda?

Baking and kitchen cleaning.

31 – Make Up Your Mind Day: How decisive are you? What is likely to make it hard for you to make a decision?

Usually, in my situation, when I have a make a decision that's difficult or hard to make, it's because all the options available to me are either scary, bad, or likely to be bad, or could be okay or neutral but require more work than I have energy and strength for. In all cases, it means my chronic migraine gets worse.

Answers to yesterday's questions over at thefridayfive@LJ

1. What are you hoping for in 2024?

I'm hoping it won't be as horrible as I fear it will be, thanks to the far-right government's cold and inhuman politics.

2. What was your low point of 2023?

My life's pretty even, and the only thing that stands out for this question for me is the "empty the bowels" procedure I had to do in preparation for colononoscopy in late November.

3. And your high point of 2023?

The times I got to spend time with my Mom. Especially the times I didn't get a migrane attack after.

4. Do you make New Year’s resolutions or are they just a waste of time?

I don't think about them at all.

5. Do you have any traditions for celebrating New Year’s Eve?

Not really. I just hunker down and hope I don't have already have migraine attack when the fireworks start, and that the fireworks won't trigger one. It's the noise that can trigger it.

Today's questions over at f.riday5.com ✨

1. What inconveniences do you experience every single day?

Physical pain and poverty.

2. What do you wish you weren’t so often in close proximity to?

There's nothing physical that fits this question. More like things that happen but not routinely throughout the entire year. Such as hot weather days/weeks during summer and too-warm indoor temperatures hot weather causes when it goes on for more than a few days in a row.

3. This past week, what would you have appreciated some advance warning about? (alternate question: What were you grateful to receive advance warning about?)

This week has been good! I didn't get, or need, advance warnings about anything this week. We did plan in advance to meet up on the 25th for Christmas and 28th for my Name Day, but those plans aren't "warnings" - they're good things I looked forward to!

4. What caused you to smile happily today?

Having slept on the brand new sleeping pillow I got for my Name Day yesterday! I adore new sleeping pillows so it brought a smile to my face to realize I had slept better than normal last night and I think it's because of the brand new sleeping pillow!

5. When did you recently give in to a sudden impulse?

I can't remember... I feel like it was in the last few weeks and involved baking...? But my memory is pretty shot these days so it might've been in November already....

Today's questions at thefridayfive @ Dreamwidth.

1. Are you easily offended or upset by things other people post online?

Offended? Never because why should I be offended by what some idiot thinks or says?

Upset? I sometimes get upset and kind of scared by certain people and particularly by certain politicians expressing certain views on poverty, poor people and the unemployed when they have an education and should know better. But I don't allow myself to get stuck in it.

2. How much does the order in which the Friday Five questions are presented here matter to you?

Not at all! There's been a few times when my answer to a question flows naturally to the next question and it's more by coincidence than design. I like those times!

3. Have you ever made an effort to be inclusive, only to have someone complain that you were not being inclusive enough?

Nope.

4. Are you having a happy holiday season?

It's my normal, so not happy and not bad. Although today I'm very frustrated by some new, idiotic KELA bureaucracy but that will pass as the day goes on. It doesn't make anything factually worse for me, the thing just takes longer and is now a more rigid process than before, while KELA is making factually more work for itself because of the new rules. So I'm kind of LOL at KELA, insisting on making more work for itself.

5. Which holidays do you observe or celebrate?

We don't celebrate but we do observer some: Christmas, New Year, Easter, May Day, Midsummer Day, Valentine's Day. Mostly this just means eating good food/specialty food that's available usually only for that holiday. Christmas is the only time we visit as a family as much as possible as a matter of course, the other times are just regular visiting that may or may not fall on some holiday and are not planned ahead as such.

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.

4 – Candy Day: Do you have a sweet tooth? What's your favourite candy?

I have a huge sweet tooth! It's a problem. Is chocolate candy? In anycase, my favorite candy is chocolate but the products varies as to which one is number one at a time. Some of my forever loves are the traditional, basic chocolate by Fazer which is Fazerin Sininen (and is the most popular chocolate in Finland). Fazerina is another love, and Pätkis, and Fazermint, and Wiener Nougat. They're all by Fazer. Fazer makes the best chocolate, is a Finnish company and I love many of their chocolates!

There are a number of chocolates available only before Christmas - Budapest is my favorite of those, but there are others too.

Non-Fazer products that I love is After Eight. I'm not sure who makes that.

5 – Zero Tasking Day: The extra hour we get when daylight savings times change is often heralded as an opportunity for extra productivity, activity and ‘doing’. However, given that we’re all already ‘owed’ an hour every other time it changes, it seems a little unfair to expect us to work through it – as such, Zero Tasking Day is designed to dedicate this hour to ‘me time’, encouraging rest, relaxation and a distinct lack of work. How will you spend (or did you spend if you changed your clocks before this weekend), your extra hour? If you live somewhere that doesn't observe daylight savings time, what would you do if you had an extra hour of 'me time'?

Daylight saving time can go die in a fire. It's ridiculous keep summer time until the last Sunday of October when it's been dark out at night for like two and a half months already. And start summer time when it's still almost winter here. Just die a fiery death already. EU was supposed to end this stupid thing but it got stuck somewhere, in the bureacracy I guess, when COVID-19 started.

Anyway, since the clocks are changed at 4am, I use that one hour like any normal human being - by sleeping! And in March, by feeling sleep deprived.

6 – Job Action Day: It is often suggested that people should focus on finding a job that they love. Today it is suggested that you should take your passions and bring them to the job you have, i.e. find a way to instill your love and passion for a particular career into any work you come into. Do you think this is good advice?

Maybe. It's nice if you can do it, but work is work not passion. I got to do that for a bit at one of my jobs. I love tinkering with computers and I got to do all the troubleshooting and installing and everything I wanted in that library job, and found out that after doing nothing else for a week, I didn't want to do it for a living. It was too isolated from other people so I started to feel lonely. And after spending majority of my day troubleshooting a program or something, I didn't want to do anything on a computer at home - which meant no editing my fanfic, or playing and making wallpapers in Photoshop. So it can be a bad thing!

There's also lots of jobs that I can't imagine anyone would genuinely consider their dream job or passion, but that are incredibly important and must be done. It's more than okay to not feel passionate about your job and have your passions as hobbies, or a side career.

7 – Hug a Bear Day: How do you feel about stuffed toys? Did you have a favourite teddy bear or other stuffed toy as a child? Do you have one now?

I never think of them. I didn't, and I don't.

8 – Eating Healthy Day: How do you define eating healthily? Do you consider your diet to be healthy?

Unappetizing and nope.

9 – British Pudding Day: Have you ever had British pudding? What is your favourite type of pudding?

I haven't. We almost never bought them when I was growing up, and I don't usually think to try them out and haven't found one I truly love. I think I've only ever eaten the type of pudding that's sort of like jogurt but not runny. I don't usually buy puddings but when I do, it's usually the Jacky Makupala dark chocolate one.

10 – November is National Novel Writing Month: Have you ever taken part in National Novel Writing Month? How did it go?

Once, and I ended up pissed off with the whole concept because I felt like I saw nothing but posts about the fucking National Novel Writing Month everywhere I went. I've had the tags blocked for years now so I don't see it around much now. And I was too pissed off to write the thing I thought I would during.

11 – Origami Day: Have you ever done origami?

Nope.

12 – International Tongue Twister Day: Are you good at tongue twisters? What's your favourite tongue twister? And to take a different meaning of tongue twister, can you literally twist or crinkle the edge your tongue?

In my mother tongue I'm pretty good in some of them. In English, nope. Dunno. Nope.

13 – World Kindness Day: What was the last kind thing someone did for you? What was the last kind thing you did for someone else?

A nonny on FFA gifted me with a bluray of Star Trek SNW and a Paperblanks notebook. The notebook is absolutely gorgeous (even more than I thought it would be!) and seems to be suitable for fountain pens too judging by my quick test today! I'm so happy and think of the gifting nonny whenever I see the bluray or the notebook.

14 – Loosen Up Lighten Up Day: Do you need to loosen up or lighten up?

I don't think so? I'm not particularly serious and I can see the funny in many things, even if I don't share with acquitances/strangers.

15 – Recycling Day: Do you recycle?

Everything but the bio trash. So: plastic, cardboard, paper, metal, glass and bio all have separate collection bins on my apartment building grounds. I also recycle batteries, small appliances (such as electric toothbrushes) and I'm trying to do better with textile waste (still-usable clothes as well as non-usable textiles) which I have to take to collection points (usually my local grocery shop).

16 – Button Day: Do you have a stash of buttons? Does or did someone in your family have such a collection?

I don't but my Mom at least used to have. Don't know if she still does.

17 – Take a Hike Day: When was the last time you took a hike?

I don't remember the year, but it was with our Beagle Caro when she was still alive - so in 2004 or earlier. I've never seen the point of a hike without a dog!

18 – Princess Day: What is your opinion of Disney princesses? How do you feel about real life princesses?

I don't have opinions on Disney princesses, I don't even remember them. As for real life princesses: they exist.

19 – Play Monopoly Day: Have you ever played Monopoly? Did you enjoy it?

I don't remember whether I have or not. If I did, it was when I was a kid. I've never cared for anykind of games.

20 – Name Your PC Day: Does your PC (or laptop) have a name?

Laptop, and nope. But my external hard drives all have names!

21 – World Television Day: Did you watch TV as a child? Do you still watch TV? How much TV do you watch per week on average?

I did! I've always loved watching tv, and tv shows. Technically I don't watch tv anymore because I don't own one - I'd love to have one, but don't have enough money to buy one. And we don't usually give expensive things like that as gifts. I could only ask for an expensive gift for a special birthday such as turning 50 and it's a choice between a tv or a new laptop. And a new laptop is more sensible because my old one is 10 years old next year, and most things can't easily be done without a computer anymore (such as banking, governmental bureacracy, social security benefits, etc.). So a computer/laptop is a necessity, a tv isn't.

That said - I watch tv shows as much as ever! Just on my laptop. TV series are my preferred form of media. These days they tell the best stories and have most of the interesting character development.

I'm not sure how much per week - a few hours a day at least, anyway. I also rewatch old favorites such as Star Trek shows, or watch old shows such as Murder, She Wrote that I saw 20-40 years ago once or Tom Selleck's Magnum, PI which I've never seen at all.

22 – Go For a Ride Day: Do you ride anything? e.g. horse, motorcycle, sled, etc. When was the last time you rode?

Nope. Probably a sled as a kid.

23 – Espresso Day: Do you drink coffee? How do you drink your coffee?

I don't drink "coffee" coffee. Only those Frezza cold coffee drinks which have like 5% of coffee and 95% of milk and chocolate or vanilla.

24 – Flossing Day: Do you floss regularly?

Nope. Most of my teeth have wide enough gaps for it to be necessary, and the ones that don't, I don't remember to bother with.

25 – Shopping Reminder Day: Shopping Reminder Day falls roughly a month before Christmas, and as such it’s the perfect reminder to go ahead and get started on all of your holiday shopping. How do you feel about holiday shopping? Do you need a reminder to go shopping for holiday gifts?

Nope, no reminders needed. I remember anyway.

I don't like holiday shopping. It always brings home anew that I'm poor and can't buy myself or others what I would really like. That I always have to settle. And I can't deal with huge crowds like Black Friday cause so I don't like to do shopping in physical shops when sales are on. I've never had a panic attack but get close to one in crowds like that.

26 – Cake Day: Cake or pie? Or something else?

Cake! Pie is good but cake is rarer, especially whipped cream layer cake or Sacher cake or something fancier like that, then cake all the way!

27 – Pins and Needles Day: Can you sew, either by hand or by machine? What was the last thing you sewed?

Only if absolutely necessary, such as socks or little opened seams on otherwise still good underware or sew on a loose button. I've shortened my trousers once on my Mom's sewing machine - I knew how to do it by hand, but hadn't used a sewing machine in 25+ years (since school) so she had to show me how the thing worked. Can't remember the last thing but it would've been a button most likely.

28 – French Toast Day: Do you like French toast?

I like the köyhät ritarit (poor knights) version of it which is topped with jam and whipped cream. I prefer strawberry jam, or better yet, my Mom's home made apple jam.

29 – Throw Out Your Leftovers Day: How do you feel about leftovers? Are you happy to eat the same food more than once in a row, or do you crave variety in your diet? Do you take leftovers home from a restaurant when/if you eat out?

If I cook myself I prefer to make enough so that there's leftovers for 4-5 days. Cooking is a necessary evil for me, so when I do it, I prefer to get more than one meal out of it. Casseroles are good for this. It's also something I grew up with it so to me it's just natural to plan to have leftovers.

I usually finish my plate when eating out - the portions are sized in a way very little, if anything, is left by most people, and it wouldn't make sense to take them home. That's not something commonly done here.

30 – Stay Home Because Your Well Day: Have you ever taken a mental health day from your job, or just decided not to go to work even though you weren't sick, because you felt like staying home or for some other reason?

Back when I was working (15 years ago) mental health days weren't a thing then, and I'm not sure how much they are now. I didn't stay home unless I was sick because I had to take sick days for migraine often enough anyway.

lirazel asked:

There's nothing better than a satisfying ending. Tell me about your favorites!

+ Stargate SG-1. The series finale episode "Unending" worked well for me. The story itself wasn't anything special but entertaining enough... but most of all, I got the very strong feeling over the episode that this isn't the end. That these characters will go on to further adventures and everything will continue as normal and we just don't get get to see it. That really worked for me! In my mind, "Unending" is the real end of SG-1, and the two movies that followed actually happened before the "Unending", never mind the airing order.

+ LOST. The end of LOST is very satisfying to me. All of it, the entire series, really is very satisfying to me. It's cohesive story from start to finish. I get the same feeling watching the last stretch of episodes as I do when I read a really good book that been a long, adventurous but a satisfying read. I almost never get that feeling from movies/tv shows but I often get it from books and I get it from LOST so the series has a special place in my heart.

I can't think of other properties that stand out the same way these two do, but I'm sure there are some!