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Tag Archives: An oldie but a goodie

25 Things About Amanda

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Hi there, it’s Risky Carolyn, not the more fashionable Risky Amanda.

Amanda is under the weather, so I am taking the liberty of posting an oldie but a goodie from the Amanda Archives.

She’s on the mend, but can’t blog just yet. In the meantime, the comments is a great place to show Amanda your Risky Love and your get-well-soon wishes.

Originally posted by Amanda McCabe/Laurel McKee on Saturday, June 03, 2006.

Today’s post really has nothing to do with writing, I guess. Though I suppose it could be a useful tool when first starting a project and “getting to know” your characters. But someone sent me this questionnaire of “25 things about YOU,” and it was kind of fun to fill out. Here are my answers, and I can’t wait to hear what other people have to say about them, too. 🙂 Or maybe it’s just a way for me to indulge my natural nosiness…

1) If you could build a second house anywhere, where would it be? Maui, of course! Or maybe a cottage in an English village. Can I have both?
2) What is your favorite article of clothing? Well, I have two, actually. One is an ancient yellow fisherman’s sweater. Yellow is a horrible color on me–makes me look like I’m dying of a terrible tropical fever. Plus there is a hole in the elbow. But I love that sweater and will never part with it. My other fave is a black jersey wrap dress that always gives me the comforting idea that I’m thinner than I am. It’s a magical dress.
3) What is the last CD you purchased? Cecilia Bartoli’s Opera Probita
4) What time do you wake up in the morning? 7 if I have to go to work (boo!), as late as the dogs will let me sleep on weekends
5) What is your favorite kitchen appliance? Er–does the phone count, since it’s in the kitchen? I use it to order takeout all the time. Or maybe the microwave.
6) If you could play any instrument, what would it be? This is hard, because I always wished I had musical talent and, well, I just don’t. Ask my parents about those ill-fated piano lessons. But I would love to play the cello
7) What is your favorite color? Pink!
8) Do you believe in the afterlife? Yes. No. Maybe. Depends on what day it is. 🙂
9) What is your favorite children’s book? Another toughie–there are so many. Eloise, I think. I adored that book when I was a kid, and drove my parents crazy demanding they let me move into a hotel
10) What is your favorite season? Autumn. I love the cool, crisp air, the colors, and Halloween
11) Do you have a tattoo? No–I’m afraid of pain!
12) Can you juggle? No, despite the best efforts of this guy selling juggling sets at a Ren. fair last spring
13) Who is the person you would most like to travel back in time and talk to? Why only one??? Shakespeare, maybe? Or Austen! Or the Buddha. Can I have all 3?
14) What is your favorite day of the week? Saturday, of course!
15) What’s in the trunk of your car? Besides the body of the last reviewer to diss my books?
16) If you could have one superpower what would it be? Invisibility! I really envied Harry Potter that cloak of his
17) Sushi or beef? Um–chicken. But if I have to choose one, sushi
18) What is your favorite meal? Fried shrimp
19) When is your birthday? January 15 (gifts accepted all year long, though)
20) Do you watch Oprah? If I happen to be home and it’s on. So, not much
21) Do you watch Survivor? No–not much of a “reality TV” person
22) What is your favorite TV show? Of all time, I LOVE LUCY. Or maybe NORTHERN EXPOSURE. Right now–LOST
23) Do you celebrate Christmas? In a “trapped in family hell” way, yes 🙂
24) What is your favorite movie? Another hard one. You all know how I love movies. Today I’m really liking ROMAN HOLIDAY
25) Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate, always

Now your turn! Feel free to answer any or all of these yourself, either here or on your own blog. (But if it’s on your own blog, you have to send the Riskies a link!) Happy Saturday…

Posted in Former Riskies | Tagged , | 5 Replies

Tea Redux

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The Day Job Project from Heck has been woefully behind on every aspect of my life. I’m having a hard time catching up.

So, today you get a post from 2010 on tea. Enjoy.

As most of you probably know, the English drink tea. Tea was introduced in England after 1650. I’m sure that most of us have read a historical in which the phrase “a dish” of tea is used rather than the more familiar “cup” of tea.  This site tells us that the first tea cups were Chinese in origin and were shallow saucers, and did not have handles. From the same site:

100  years after the introduction of tea in England, handles were not yet  seen on tea cups, but English potters had introduced saucers to the  bowls. The tea-drinkers thought the saucer was there to pour the tea  into to cool it and then they would sip the tea from the saucer. Later  the saucer was used to hold spillage and the use of the cup and saucer  became the tradition used today with the addition of handles.

Britain Express has a good overview of the history of tea and coffee houses. Tea was taxed by 1676. A hundred years later, we know how that taxation thing worked for the British when they were across the pond. According to this site, the tax rose to 119% and guess what?!  Tea smuggling, that’s what. And guess what else! People put stuff that wasn’t tea in the tea. What’s that thing the French say about change and the same old thing?

Check out The United Kingdom Tea Council for their amazing History of Tea, including the The London Tea Auction
And there’s this from 1826:
My favorite tea ever is Lapsang Souchang. I love the smoky flavor. At work, however, I drink Lipton. It gets my day going.  What about you guys? Do you drink tea? What kind?  If you were a tea smuggler where would you hide your tea?
Posted in Former Riskies, Research | Tagged , | 10 Replies