Pointless photo of the day:

Aaand that'll be it. I'm outta here. See you next week sometime.

Ish.

Pointless photo of the day:

 Top: Bob sits on his brother and practices his one-paw kneading technique. Bottom: Bob gives me the whaaat??? look when I take his picture for weirdly sitting on his brother and kneading him with one paw.

Sorry, folks, that's about it. I meant to post some actual blather today, but then I found out that I needed to change my wafer because I was starting to lose a seal so that took priority.

That's ostomy speak for: I needed to redo my medical stuff before I started leaking crap inconveniently.

Not that it's ever convenient to leak crap, but there you go.

I don't talk about the fun of life with a pouch often here, because for the most part it's ok. When it's not ok it's literally shitty, but that's rare.

Anyway, maybe some real blather tomorrow. If not, see you whenever.

Fun with filters

I want to do a little drawing before lunch, so you're getting another all-photo day. As a bonus, this time it's all pointless.

The first shot is just frost on my windshield.After that I decided to play with it. THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANCE TO ANY OF IT. Sometimes you just have to play, after all...

Pointless photos of the day:

 Not in a blathery mood right now (no reason; just Saturday, I guess), so have some cellphone shots instead.

First, Tom the 14 lb cat tries to overbalance a chair. If you're sitting in it when he decides to jump on the back, you feel like you're headed through the window.

Next, Tom demonstrating what a good job the Turkey Brothers are doing of destroying the drywall as they jump up to the basement window. They've also managed to take down the curtain, as you see.

 This one? Bob just being Bob.

He's a bit of a poser, all right.

Finally, my coworker Kathryn and her dog PJ demonstrating some of the instruments we bought at work for use with our music playground.We got a $2000 grant, and let me tell you that it's fun ordering a whole whack of percussion instruments and not being the one to pay for it. Hard to tell from this angle, but there is a LOT of stuff on that table.



Ok, that's it for now. Maybe some blather tomorrow. Or at least tea...

Yes, it's a tea post

A quick one, though. Work &c &c.

Today marks my foray for-real into the world of matcha. I'd debated on getting the traditional set-up of bowl and whisk, but in the end I went for what you see on the left. It'll be easier in the office.

The Matcha Maker is basically a travel mug with an agitator in the top that creates the foam when you shake the tea. You just add matcha and warm water to the fill line, shake for a while, and then top up with water, milk... whatever turns your crank, I suppose.

Verdict? It works. Oh, and it comes with a regular infuser as well so that you can use the cup with regular tea.

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In other tea news, last night's tea (because I couldn't leave the store with just matcha, could I?) was Ginger Beer. When you open it up, it smells like ginger beer. When you brew it, it smells like ginger beer. When you sip it, it tastes like non-carbonated ginger beer.

In other words, if you don't like ginger beer (and for those unfamiliar, ginger ale isn't ginger beer. Ginger beer bites you back a little when you drink it), you won't like this tea.



I like ginger beer. And I liked the tea.

Later, folks.

-ly

Quick one, because I need to get back to work:

Has anyone else noticed that the suffix -ly is disappearing from our speech? How often have you felt bad(ly) about something? Have you taken someone's comments literal(ly)?

Languages evolve and it may turn out that -ly isn't all that necessary in our multicultural world these days, but I'm old-fashioned enough to find myself putting the suffix back on mentally (or even out loud, if I'm alone) when I'm noticing the missing bits on news broadcasts and things like that. Or, yes, in casual conversation with someone. I'm not saying that I never omit -ly myself, of course, but it does seem interesting to find language change in progress like that.

To me, at least. But then I'm a proud nerd, so there you go.

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In other news, my dad's cats are huge. They had to go to the vet recently, and Tom weighed in at 6.4 kg. That's about 14 lbs. Bob? I knew he was tubby, but I wasn't expecting to hear 6.8 kg (15 lbs). That's heavier than the Christmas turkeys Dad buys.

Less tasty, though.



I'm assuming.

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Last(ly): Courtesy of Donald Trump's embarrassing attempt at being religious during his speech at Liberty College University, some really needs to write me a 2 Corinthians joke. You know, two Corinthians walk into a bar...

Something

Actually, more likely nothing. I just wanted a chance to use a real photo from a real camera after spending the past little while taking phone pictures for work's instagram. Kind of proving to myself that I do still occasionally take real photos, I suupose.

Even if they're weird.

Oh, there is one something. I forgot to tell you about the last tea sample from that Christmas tea set. It was Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait, and to be honest it didn't do it for me. It seemed like it needed the word"-flavoured" after it, like it was somehow fake. I know that artificial flavouring is listed, but I suspect that it's more about the dried strawberries. Dried strawberry is a pretty strong taste, and it's hard for it not to jump in and announce itself above everything else. Ah well, one tea out of nine isn't bad at all, considering what diverse tastes the company tries to appeal to.

Back to work, then, but for anyone who wondered which of my regulars that I mentioned the other day needed replenishing, it was Quangzhou Milk Oolong (I promise, one of the smoothest teas you'll ever drink) and Chocolate Rocket. Consider that last one morning coffee for the I-hate-coffee crowd.



I'm a proud member, if you hadn't guessed.

Christmas: finally over

But first: David Bowie. Of course I had to mention him. Diehard fans will roll their eyes when I say that my fondest memories are of the Thin White Duke period, but when you consider the fact that those songs came out when I was an impressionable teenager who didn't know much pop music beyond what was on AM radio (please tell me that I don't have to explain AM radio...), I think that I can be forgiven. Obviously I discovered the vastness of his other work later. One thing I hope that people will remember is that yes, he was a showman. Yes, he shocked people, BUT THE MUSIC WAS STILL FANTASTIC. How many other showmen/shockers can even approach that?

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My two fans will know about this time of year for me, but for those new to the program I should say that every year my brother and sister-in-law act as my art supply enablers by giving me a gift card to go out and buy something new for myself. Usually it's already been spent by now since I generally try to get out early and hit the Boxing Day Week sale and get as much as I can out of it, but this year for a multitude of reasons it just didn't happen. On Sunday, though, we finally had a decent day (the day before had been bitterly cold. Go figure. It's Alberta in January) and I decided that I was in the mood for shopping.

I've mentioned this before, but I have a general philosophy about gift cards. Since a gift card has been given as I gift, I try to avoid buying practical things with them and instead go for the I kinda want that... arena. It can be hard since it goes against the grain in my normal life, but hey. It's a gift. Treat it as a gift.

I broke that philosophy a little this year since I really did need some more workable fixative, but otherwise what you see up there is what came out of my wants this time. From... whatever order I pull up the links... you'll find Koh-I-Noor Magic pencils because I'm a five-year-old; Liquitex Pools, Puddles, & Drips, which contains paints, pouring medium, string gel, and two completely useless canvas boards (yep. Someone's planning on getting messy); Staedtler watercolour crayons because I somehow didn't have any even though I have scads of watercolour pencils, and some cheap-ass acrylics because a) I'm not much of a painter and b) they were on sale. Oh, and my travel mug is in there partly to keep the fixative can from falling over and partly to remind myself that I also made a stop to buy tea.

And why tea, when I'm still working my way through my Christmas stash? Well, mostly because I wanted to check out their matcha make travel mug since I've never tried making matcha and it seemed like an easy way to get into it. Apparently I'm not the only one who's had that idea, though, since I see that the thing's sold out even online. Ah well, something to keep in mind for later. It wasn't a wasted trip in the end anyway, because I was out of two of my regular favourites so I got refills while I was there.



Of which teas? I'm afraid this post is long enough for a work day now.  I'll end with a quick look at me at work back in 1995. Yes, I've been here that long. Longer, in fact. You kids get off of my lawn.

So quick, no pic

Thoughts before the weekend:

Anyone who's on a New Year cleanse needs to be told that your body doesn't need that. Your liver and kidneys do that for you. If they don't, you have very serious medical problems. And if a cleanse is making you feel better, you should look at your nutrition rather than your toxins. Juice cleanses often provide nutrients that your body needs. If they advertised them that way rather than the bullshit toxins approach, I'd be willing to listen.

On a similar note, nutritionists and dietitians aren't the same thing, folks. Dietitians study and have professional requirements in order to be legally employed. Nutritionists are people who think that they know things about food. They may have studied but they're not regulated so who knows what they studied. Guess which one is more likely to sell you on cleanses?

On a totally different note, last night's tea, The Big Chill, has a pleasant but sort of unidentifiable taste, which isn't surprising considering the ingredients list. Same concerns about the valerian as I mentioned the other day, though. Today's tea was Alpine Punch. I've had it before; I like it. Still can't figure out what coconut has to do with alpine anything, but there you go.



And there you go for real. See you Monday, possibly.

Today

Today it looks like this outside the back door at work.

Today's jewellery is a snowflake obsidian marble in a rock cage and some weird vintage 70s earrings.

Today's tea is Cinnamon Rooibos Chai. It's pretty good, but I'm not sure that the apple does much for it. Could be wrong, but to find out I'd have to fish out all the apple bits before I make it next time and that seems kind of pointless. Last night's tea, incidentally, was Mother's Little Helper.  It has peppermint and lemongrass and tastes like peppermint and lemongrass, which is good because it covers up the chamomile. Not a huge fan of chamomile, to be honest. And does the valerian do anything? Oh, I don't know. I was tired enough to begin with, so who knows if it made any difference. Besides, it does make me a little leery. Valerian is a drug, after all. I'm sure that the tea doesn't contain much of it, but still.

Today's test for my father's phone: to see if he could answer a call. He couldn't. The whole swiping thing takes practise, as I know from experience. My own phone's set up very right-handedly, and this lefty took a couple of tries to be successful.

He has managed to send a photo by MMS, though, so things are going pretty well.

Today at work I've looked through over thirty web pages of percussion instruments to help decide what we're buying to help with programming our music park. Brain-draining, but it could be worse.

And speaking of that, I'd better get back at it. Later, then.

Technology and tea

This'll be quick. People to do, things to... oh wait. That's not quite right.

Anyway, technology. My father's learning how to use his smartphone. He's figured out calling, voicemail, and accidental pocket dialing so far. Today we sent a couple of texts back and forth. Next step apps?

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And, briefly, tea. Today's is Sleigh Ride. I've had it before. It's good. The end.



Gotta go now.

How many of those things do you have, she said

Ok, there are a few.

So then

This is probably the most expensive thing I own. Sad, I suppose I expect.

Not to me, though.

I haven't ever had the need to have stuff in my life. I have stuff. A lot of stuff. I just never aimed for it.

Shortly, thanks to Christmas gift cards, I'll have more stuff. Not sure how I feel about that this year. I don't need more stuff. I'll enjoy getting it, but I don't need it.

Gah. Hard when your philosophy hits your reality.

Ah well. I'll figure it out. Happy New Year, everyone.