Category: Personal

Was 2021 a good year for you?

I wouldn’t call it good, but not terrible either. About the same it’s been for several years now.

What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?

Started a biologic for migraine. Three days before the year end, but it counts!

Did you meet any of your hopes/goals for the last year?

Spent a lot of the year on long sick leave – that was both a hope and a goal. Because it’s mentally better than being unemployed while knowing I am not able to work even if I got a job.

Hopes or goals for the next year?

I hope the migraine biologic works for me and is effective against my migraines. We should see in about 3 months the latest!

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope.

Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

What countries did you visit?

None.

What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?

Money. Covid-19 to run its course and go into being not a problem. More energy and so more creativity both for online activities and offline ones.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving.

What was your biggest failure?

There’s nothing this year that I see as a failure. I did the best I could with what I got.

Did you suffer any illness or injury?

Nothing new – just all the old chronic ones. My left arm pain that I had been having for about 1,5 years got worse towards the autumn, and in December I had an ultrasound and X-ray on it, waiting to officially hear the results from my doctor and what to do about the problem, but I already know there’s apparently a rather large calcium deposit in the tendon of my left shoulder.

What was the best thing you bought?

Nothing specific comes to mind, but I have greatly enjoyed the various fountain pen ink samples and MU print on stickers I bought last year!

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

The Finnish political party Perussuomalaiset is always embarrasing and shame inducing.

Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Our Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her government.

Where did most of your money go?

Rent and food.

What did you get really, really excited about?

Nothing.

What songs will always remind you of 2020?

None.

Answer’s to today’s questions on https://thefridayfive.dreamwidth.org/106784.html

1) What was the biggest thing that happened to you in 2021?

I was approved for a new biological medication developed for migraines, and started it on December 29th!

2) Where was the most exciting place you went?

I didn’t go anywhere special, partly due to COVID-19 and partly due to my illnesses. I always enjoy visiting my Mom, and also an older friend of mine. That’s special because of the persons involved.

3) Who helped you the most this year?

My Mom.

4) What’s your favorite new thing you bought?

I can’t name a favorite above others, but I’ve enjoyed the following things so very much: Tomoe River paper that I used to make my own note books, Oxford Black n’ Red notebook, Yamamote Cosmo Air Light notebook, MU print on stickers, PenBBS 456 Sakura with white cap and an RM nib fountain pen (bought in mid-December in 2020 but received in January 2021 so I count it for 2021 obviously), and all the washi tapes from https://www.thewashitapeshop.com; all the various fountain pen inks and ink samples I bought this year and the TWSBI Smoke Rose Gold ECO fountain pen. I bought several digital papers from Etsy sellers that I’ve loved using for my wallpapers.

5) What was your most memorable dreamwidth entry?

Donno.

Friday 5 for December 24: Brainstorming – http://f.riday5.com/2021/12/24/friday-5-for-december-24-brainstorming/

1. If you owned a new professional sports team (pick any sport!), what would you name it, and what be its team colors?

Well, since I loathe all sports, the only way I ever could possibly own a sports team is by inheriting one somehow. I’d let them keep whatever name and colors they had, while I got rid of it as quickly as I could, in any way I could. I’d sell it, if possible but if not, I’d dismantle it. Maybe, if it was already making lots and lots of money for the previous owner, I might hire someone to manage it or whatever it is that sports teams owners do with them and just enjoy the money it generated me. But it’d have to be like millions or billions a year.

2. If you owned a new restaurant, what would you name it, and what kind of cuisine would it serve?

Something about home cooking. The food would be “normal”, “traditional” Finnish foods such maksalaatikko, mashed potatoes with meatballs and gravy… food I grew up eating. And it really would be hand made from fresh ingridients so potatoes for mashed potatoes would be cooked and mashed in the kitchen, instead of using commercially available frozen mashed potatoes etc. which almost all mashed potatoes taste like being in restaurants these days. Mine would be and taste like real home made food.

3. If you owned a little independent retail shop, what would you name it, and what would it sell?

Don’t know about name, but I’d love a small stationary shop which sells fountain pens, fountain pen inks and ink samples, and fountain pen friendly paper/notebooks/pads. And of course things used for bujo etc. And also possibly artisan, hand made chocolates. I’d mostly likely go bankrupt within the first year because I don’t see a specialty shop like that surviving here.

4. If you launched a charity, what would be its cause?

This is based on personal observations, and the kind of help I’d have needed if it existed at one point or another as a working age person with serious health problems and long term unemployed.

Those are who poor because they are unemployed, and particularly those struggling badly with their health while working age (so ages 18-65), and can’t support themselves by working because of their health problems and are poor or low income because of that, and have no hope of things improving on the health/work front in the foreseeable future. And all the things that go with that such as helping with the bureacracy related to disablity applications, medical appointments, medical advocacy and help find and get other things people like me need but can be hard to find and harder to get. A holistic approach to advancing and advocating the financial, medical and mental well-being of the unemployed and the medically challenged working age people.

5. What kind of recreation is sorely lacking in your town?

I don’t know, I don’t go out much because I don’t have extra money for them and things I’ve wanted to do like movies or theatre, we have. I’d have loved a bookbinding course but that’s so unusual I can’t hold out a hope for it.

The Friday Five for 24 December 2021 – https://thefridayfive.dreamwidth.org/106653.html

1. If you had to build a Christmas tree with just items around your house, what would definitely be part of it?

Fountain pens! I have many pretty ones and they’d look really nice and decorative.

2. What’s your favorite holiday to decorate for?

I don’t decorate for any holidays. I do keep on display a postcard or two when I get a one that I think is particularly beautiful, but that’s no way seasonal – as an example, I still got out a card I received this year for easter, and also one I got for my birthday (which was in November). I just switch them out when I get the next very pretty one, whenever that is.

3. What are you best at baking?

I don’t really know! Usually when I’m successful at baking something, it comes out really well. Before I got ill, I usually did well in most things I tried, even if I didn’t like the taste and ended up never baking it again. But since I got ill, I’ve failed even in some bakes that I’ve been making since I was about 10 years old so… for 30+ years now… because I get too tired in the middle to pay attention to what I’m doing and add too much salt, or leave out the eggs, or something stupid like that. Or am too tired when I start but don’t realize it until half way through making the bread rolls and run out of energy. I’ve had to throw a way batter when it’s for rolls or something like that because I’m too exhausted to make them all.

Before I was ill though, it was usually me who would bake the “big” cake for birthdays etc. This is the cake/gateau/layer cake that is a spongecake sliced in three or more parts, filled with whipped cream, smashed fresh or frozen strawberries and banana slices, then covered with more whipped cream, fresh fruit (such as strawberries if it’s summer) or canned fruit (such as peach slices if winter) and maybe shaved chocolate/chocolate chips. I would be the one to bake it partly because I never failed at it, and partly because I LOVE that cake – it’s my favorite even though it’s so basic. I’ve made finer, more complex gateaus too but they never stick – the taste isn’t good enough to make it worth while the extra effort they require. I always come back to that basic whipped cream cake.

4. What memorable gift do you still appreciate?

My laptop! My Mom bought it for me for my 40th birthday, and it still works great even though it’s close to 8 years old now and I use it daily for hours.

Another one I really appreciate is the large non-stick sauté pan my Mom bought me for another birthday several years ago. We prefer buying usable, practical gifts so I asked her for a pan with a lid because my skillet was too small to comfortably make sauce in it and doesn’t have a lid at all, and she bought me a good sauté pan 😀 Every time I use it, I remember my Mom bought it for me. It’s nice 😀

5. What would be a good reindeer name?

I’m going to go with Petteri…