What’s on your mind?

[Apple fanboy]

Black coffee.....hmm.

There is something so soothing about coffee and milk (especially in winter).

This - taking coffee black - is something I quite like (especially as an espresso) above all, when abroad, but, it does also seem to suggest sugar. And warm, sunny climates.

Now normally, with the exception of espresso, I don't take sugar in coffee (or tea, for that matter).

So one of the directors had 4 visitors today. A big potential client. Anyway as I was passing the door I let them in.
I offered them a drink (thinking I hope I get the order right). It was 4 x black coffee’s with no sugar. I thought what are the chances?
Anyway the 5th guy arrived and guess what he had?
No idea he brought his own!

 

[Chuckeee]

Black coffee.....hmm.

There is something so soothing about coffee and milk (especially in winter).

This - taking coffee black - is something I quite like (especially as an espresso) above all, when abroad, but, it does also seem to suggest sugar. And warm, sunny climates.

Now normally, with the exception of espresso, I don't take sugar in coffee (or tea, for that matter).

There is something special about drinking your coffee from a glass mug. Sometimes after adding the cream and sugar, I just want to stand there and look at the cup, not even wanting to stir it. It always fascinated me how it looks different if you add the sugar (without stirring) before the cream or if you add it after the cream.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

There is something special about drinking your coffee from a glass mug. Sometimes after adding the cream and sugar, I just want to stand there and look at the cup, not even wanting to stir it. It always fascinated me how it looks different if you add the sugar (without stirring) before the cream or if you add it after the cream.

Le Ceuset mug, (or ceramic or porcelain cups), for me.

Or, those exquisite - absolutely gorgeous - espresso cups.

Sod it.

Black coffee, which I shall permit to be tempered by a little (organic) brown sugar should that be necessary, shall be prepared.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

So one of the directors had 4 visitors today. A big potential client. Anyway as I was passing the door I let them in.
I offered them a drink (thinking I hope I get the order right). It was 4 x black coffee’s with no sugar. I thought what are the chances?
Anyway the 5th guy arrived and guess what he had?
No idea he brought his own!

That is funny.

I can only assume that the quality of coffee that they were offered was very good.

Once, one of the places where I was teaching actually - to my astonishment - invested in an incredible coffee maker (one of the Jura models) for our staff room.

Unfortunately, it was always breaking down, and kept breaking down, even when only a few weeks old, and was being repaired or serviced at least as often as it was functional, but, but, but, on the (very) rare occasions it worked, I must admit that it made specctacular coffee.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Anyway, my coffee (El Salvador, black, no sugar - it didn't need it) was most ageeable and very palatable.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My electric blanket is on my mind.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My electric blanket is on my mind.

Likewise. Off to switch mine on.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Likewise. Off to switch mine on.

Mine is on already.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Late spring, early proto-summer here. Electric blanket is definitely turned off...

 

[decafjava]

Late spring, early proto-summer here. Electric blanket is definitely turned off...

Lucky you, grey and drizzle though it was sunny but colder yesterday.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Late spring, early proto-summer here. Electric blanket is definitely turned off...

You are Down Under, right?

Where the seasons are a weird mirror of what we experience in the Northern Hemisphere?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lucky you, grey and drizzle though it was sunny but colder yesterday.

Yes, that sibilant hiss which is the sound of motor-car tyres on a wet road.......

I awoke to that very (and quite unmistakable) sound this morning.

And yes, it is still wet, and grey, and dreary, and dark.....

 

[scubachap]

I'd struggle to read books on an iPad. (Heavy and bright screen) Dedicated readers like the Kindle are in my opinion far better. I do though think that certain books suit e-readers better than others. I find that immersive fast reads, novels, sci-fi etc work well on a Kindle but non-fiction, or anything with diagrams or even a complicated set of characters (that require flicking back occasionally) can be tricky and physical books are far better for those sort of things.

Kindles also great for commuting, travel etc. (They're light, slim, go in a coat pocket and have a backlight.) Mine is a bit sluggish at times though and that can annoy me - particularly as it 'updates my reading experience' just as I settle in for a quick 5 min read. I also find it a bit unintuitive occasionally but they're not expensive so I'd say give one a go.

Also just to add, while Kindle editions are often a fair bit cheaper - don't assume anything, check all the formats before buying. I've just bought a hardback of Holland's new(ish) book Pax for a tenner (free delivery etc) the Kindle e-book was £15 - go figure!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A miserable day, cold and wet and dreary and dark.

I headed into the city (well, I was out of organic milk and organic cream), to collect my organic milk and organic double cream, to buy some black peppercorns (as I was almost out of those, as well), and to pay a fleeting visit to the library, to return some books, and to pick up some others that awaited me.

 

[MmkLucario]

Finally, it’s snowing, and it’s here to stay! We have about 14 inches here after it started snowing yesterday. The only bad part of it is that the temperature might rise above freezing, which might turn into ice when it freezes again.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Finally, it’s snowing, and it’s here to stay! We have about 14 inches here after it started snowing yesterday. The only bad part of it is that the temperature might rise above freezing, which might turn into ice when it freezes again.

I devoutly, passionately, sincerely, hope that this is taking place somewhere very, very far away from me.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I devoutly, passionately, sincerely, hope that this is taking place somewhere very, very far away from me.

Indeed. Snow belongs on mountain tops. Cold enough here already. Single digits. Brrrrrrr.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Late spring, early proto-summer here. Electric blanket is definitely turned off...

Yes but I don’t have to worry about being punched by a kangaroo, have a kola drop on here from above or get chased by spiders the size of dinner plates!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yes but I don’t have to worry about being punched by a kangaroo, have a kola drop on here from above or get chased by spiders the size of dinner plates!

Yes, there are some rather unsettling fauna to be found Down Under.

 

[kazmac]

Welcome back, and terrific to see you, and delighted to see you back.

Hope things are okay - for both your mother and yourself - and, I know that this runs the risk of repeating myself, nevertheless, this is not something one can say sufficiently often in such circumstanes - be kind to yourself.

Be gentle with yourself (and your mother, and this - and here I write from personal experience - I know that this is not always easy).

"Perfect" is not what you are aiming for (in the world of care, self care, or when caring for others, although that is all too often the starting point): "Perfect" will burn you out and destroy you (while still leaving you feeling inadequate, distressed and upset for falling short of what are impossible standards), for this is a marathon, not a sprint, and you need to try to pace yourself accordingly (and intelligently).

So, my counsel is that "Good enough" or, "as good as is possible in the circumstances" are both fine.

Take care of yourself.

Your Counsel is always welcome. Yes, "Good enough" has been the mantra lately and trying to carve out drawing time every day as that's my meditation / calming practice / fun.

Thank you very much.

Things are okay finally. Just trying to get all the ducks in a row, so I can be sure we continue to be okay.

It's lovely to see you and everyone too.

Hugging you back!!

Big HUGS heading your way.

I hope everyone is having a nice Thursday or Friday.

 

[Chuckeee]

Yes but I don’t have to worry about being punched by a kangaroo, have a kola drop on here from above or get chased by spiders the size of dinner plates!

Of all of the fauna are down under, what scared me the most were Box Jellyfish

What is the most venomous marine animal?

The Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous marine animal.

oceanservice.noaa.gov

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Of all of the fauna are down under, what scared me the most were Box Jellyfish

What is the most venomous marine animal?

The Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous marine animal.

oceanservice.noaa.gov

Agreed, not a creature one would wish to meet, or make the acquaintence of, either in the ocean or out of it.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

You are Down Under, right?

Where the seasons are a weird mirror of what we experience in the Northern Hemisphere?

I have been meaning to address this point.

Take a compass. It has a needle with a North pole and a South pole. Now, we know that the North pole of a magnet or compass points towards the South pole of another magnet.
This means that the North pointing needle of a compass is actually pointing towards the South Pole. Consequently, the Arctic contains the Earth's South Pole, and the Antarctic has the North Pole.

The Earth actually looks like this ---

We also conveniently have our Christmas Holidays in the Summer, when they are most enjoyed.

Imagine spending Boxing Day on Brighton Beach, rather than Bondi...

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Yes but I don’t have to worry about being punched by a kangaroo, have a kola drop on here from above or get chased by spiders the size of dinner plates!

Koalas don't actually drop on you, but they will try to disembowel you if you mis-handle one.

But, you forgot the snakes, giant lizards with teeth so foetid that they bites will put you in hospital with gangrene, crocodiles, dingoes on K'Gari (previously Fraser island) and Uluru (previously Ayres Rock ("A dingo's got my baby" dingoes)), sharks, Red Back spiders, Funnel-web spiders, Trap-door spiders, bush mice that give you leptospirosis, and stinging plants. Even the plants are out to get you. These last will cause you pain, literally for years.

Even the scenery. The deserts will kill you, the waves will kill you if you go rock fishing, the Kiama Blowhole kills a couple of people a year.

And don't get me started about the weather...

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Finally, the point that I really came here to make.

Yesterday we had a major Internet outage in Aus. Phones (mobile and fixed), Internet, 4G/5G wireless, etc, etc all died. 40% of Australians were affected, including your humble correspondent.

Today, there is the beginning of the dissections of the incident by lots of people who weren't there.

Best one was the IT expert being interviewed by Sky News. Not so much what he was saying, but what was in the background. On a couch behind him was a cushion, thus --