Currently...

[teaforlupin]

- satisfied with the shadecloth I've rigged up to protect most of my garden from the hot weather we're in for this week (six consecutive days of temperatures over 30 C)

- loving the collection of Pikmi Flips (AKA My Army of Fluffness) that Jude and I (but mostly I whoops) are starting

- bummed that Mr Jupin-Lude is back to work today :(

- cold-brewing jasmine tea to enjoy later

- looking forward to hanging out with my mum today! although it's a pity about the heat as that derails my plans for a leisurely trip to the botanic gardens, but oh well

- NOT doing any crochet OR playing any Stardew Valley today gdi because I have RSI in both hands and arms from too much of each of those things bah humbug

- feeling a bit bereft as I have finished jamming both The Mortal World and Busman's Honeymoon into my eyeballs and now am not sure what to read next

How about you lot?

Comments

[digsdigsdigs]

Lupin, the semester is starting! the semester is starting! holy ****!

Which is to say, I'm sitting in the library trying to figure out what I'm teaching tomorrow. Tomorrow! Ha. I mean, it's going to be great, and it's nice to be home, but also every time I get up I'm dizzy because I changed my meds (coughwithout consulting my doctormumblemumble) so I am a bit !!

I read Pikmi Flips about 5 times before I processed that it was not in fact about Pikmin. I am sure that those things, whatever they are, are also good though! They look soft!

All I've been reading is poems lately but if you want some goth poem jams I'm loving Cynthia Cruz.

[teaforlupin]

*tuts admonishingly at you about med!change*

I don't actually even know what Pikmin are, but Pikmi Flips are So! Soft!

Good luck for teaching tomorrow friend, you will be GREAT <3 <3 <3

[aphilologicalbatman]

Uuuuuugh, so many of my best hobbies have fallen victim to RSI, so a big I FEEL YOU to that there. I miss knitting, but my body doesn't. :<

please explain the theory of cold-brewing jasmine tea. is it just to have iced tea without more heat in your life? does it taste different? i am Fascinated.

nothing is really up for me. I've slept for hours every day this week, and my body doesn't know when I am. I'm trying to find the energy to panic about moving to a new country that I don't know nearly as well as Greece, but mostly I'm just casually pretending it isn't happening. this is fine! everything is fine!

[teaforlupin]

Cold brewing tea is so good! Also easy! The theory (IIRC; it's a while since I went through my Bona Fide Tea Nerd phase) is that using cold/room temperature water over a longer period of time results in a smoother, less bitter brew which some people will find more palatable. (Particularly for more finicky teas such as greens and whites) Since making iced tea with hot water usually requires more tea leaves to less water (because you then dilute it with ice), so it's easy for the flavour to get tipped towards the bitter side. I think cold-brewing coffee is a similar theory?

I can't remember whether the cold water extracts more or less caffeine; I suspect it might be less because cold water, but then again longer brew time (hours rather than minutes) probably evens it out again.

I generally do the cold brew thing only with camellia-sinensis-teas, rather than herbal infusions, as I think that the volatile components that you're looking for from the herbs are generally extracted better in hot water.

Sleep is good! Moving will be fine! Totally fine!

[violsva]

In the heat you may enjoy hearing about the six inches of snow I cleaned off the car so we could go grocery shopping this afternoon. It was very pretty falling all yesterday, and I went out for a walk in it while consultingpiskies shook her head in bafflement and stayed indoors.

[teaforlupin]

I have literally never even seen one inch of snow in my life, let alone six, so this is boggling my mind! I would love to experience it at some point...

[fennishjournal]

A shadecloth is such a smart idea! Though I have to say, reading about burning heat while it's snowing outside really brings home just how distant you guys are. :-D