Category Archives: Question Time Over Coffee

The Morning Dawdler, 1/10/22

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The Morning Dawdler is Season 2 of Questions Over Coffee with Rory.

There is something about the word dawdler that I find attractive. Anyway, that’s what I’m doing over here before I head out to work.

Can you find the mistake in this lineup A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z?

Oh, aren’t you tricky? The double the in the question is the mistake. But, I will admit, I examined the alphabet for far too long.

What old-fashioned way of doing things is better than how they are currently done?

Having Sunday family dinners. Not just with our immediate families, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. This connection provided an opportunity to connect, converse and sometimes solve world problems. Today, you’re doomed if your older relatives are not on FaceBook.

Are we consuming too much information and data, and is the modern world bad for us?

Yes! I, for one, have stopped doomscrolling and don’t watch the news. Removing these two things from my life has helped me tremendously. Negativity has a way of creeping in on its own; I don’t need to hand it the keys.

If global warming continues, what will happen in the future?

I have faith in the fact that some brilliant climate-conscious folks are working hard behind the scenes to ensure this does not happen. In the meantime, our small efforts add significant changes, and we should continue implementing them daily.

Question Time Over Coffee 24th December

Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Tonight it’s hot chocolate for me, with a dash of egg nog and whipped cream. Rory is our generous host, and you can join in here to answer some inquisitive questions.

1. Are you more socially or community-minded regarding people, or do you not think there is a difference between the two?

I’d like to think I’m both. I care about the folks close to me and those in the community.

On a scale of 1 – 10, how ethically minded do you think you are? 
What behavior do you consider to be ethical?

Hmm, I believe I once was ethical to a fault, probably a 10, due to being conditioned to fear not following the appropriate rules of society compliments of my Catholic upbringing. Now I take the hypocrisy of those teachings into account and drop myself down to a 7.

3. Tattoos are a very personal lifestyle choice by those who have their bodies inked.

So – Do you think tattoos make people more confident or less? 
Do tattoos look good on everyone? 

I don’t think it’s a matter of confidence, especially today when young people don’t think twice about inking up. My son got his first one when he turned 18. He now has an arm sleeve with an ocean theme and a leg sporting a wilderness theme. It has not stopped him from being a successful member of society.

I think some tattoos look better on some people; for instance, Jason Momoa could sport a turd across his chest, which would be stunning.

4. What enrichment do you personally receive from being social?

Have you become noticeably more socially isolated or socially interactive after the pandemic and the lockdowns? There may be no difference in your social behaviour; if this is the case, let me know below.

I get energized from being social. It doesn’t matter if it’s a brief conversation at the supermarket or a deep conversation with a friend.

I think, if anything, I’ve become more socially selective. The lockdowns certainly spotlighted who and who I don’t want around me. I believe this resulted from my learning more about myself during that time.

5. What would be your top sustainability tip?

Be consistent, and don’t think that your one small change can’t make a difference.

6. We live in a world that treats being open and vulnerable as a taboo and something to be frowned upon, so – 

Do you find it easy or hard to talk to your friends and family about your health?

I was raised in a generation where things were not discussed; they were buried under a rug. Therefore, being vulnerable was not front and center. I don’t have a problem discussing health, but I admit I don’t discuss it with everyone.

The younger generations today seem very open, almost shocking us when they start dropping their vulnerability. I love that they feel free enough to do so.

7. What will you be doing this weekend?

Our daughter is in town for the holiday. Today we did some volunteering and went out to a late lunch. Tomorrow we plan to have a big breakfast, open gifts, and go for a walk once the temperature hits 30. It’s brutally cold here today, so staying warm is also on the list.

8. As the writer and author of your blog, how connected do you feel to your audience? 

It’s funny you asked this question. I was just saying I feel closer to some of my fellow bloggers, whom I’ve never met, than I do to those in my life.

9. Does your blog reveal too much, too little, or just the right balance of you to your readers?

It’s a potpourri of information.

10. If you were granted a day at being one of your favorite book characters, who would you choose to be and why?

Ok, my choice comes from a series of children’s books I read to my daughter called Eloise. I loved her spunk and the fact that she lived in the Plaza Hotel in NYC.

11. What do you believe is the greatest threat to our planet today?

People

Question Time Over Coffee, 17th December

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I’m a day late and tired since I made a round trip yesterday to attend a party. The things we do for fun. Anywho, it’s freezing, and the coffee is poured, so let’s get to it. Rory is waiting over here to read these answers.

1. What actions do you take if you can’t sleep naturally?

Thankfully, this doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, I find a sleep meditation works well.

2. Can you easily recognize if you are suffering from stress, and if so, what do you do to reduce it? Are you able to see signs of stress in your friends or your family more than you?

Yes. My favorite outlet is to go for a walk.

No, I know when the closest people to me are stressed, but not everyone.

3. The West holds firm concerning the war in Ukraine. However, how do you feel about it all now? Do you believe we are providing too much or too little support?

Oh, is this still going on? I wouldn’t know since we went from 24/7 live coverage to zip. The media has already moved on to the next big thing to distract our attention. Unless you have the time and energy to be your own investigative reporter, you’ll never get the answers. As for support, I see a lot of regular folks stepping up and doing big things to support the victims of this war.

4. How much black-and-white honesty from your best friends do you believe your friendship with them warrants? Should friends be brutally honest with you or provide support without question?
Inspired by Should Friends Offer Honesty or Unconditional Support?

I have friends in my life, and then I have friends. I’ve learned who to go to for brutal honesty and who to go to when I want someone to jump on my bandwagon, and I married the one with a knack for being both.

5. Do you think you have an addictive personality?

No, I don’t think I do because I get bored with things after a while. Maybe that’s a thing, I don’t know.

6. Why are so many of today’s online/television advertisements so cringey? Are you ever influenced by the comedy or corniness of them?

Influenced, no. Intrigued as to why someone thought it was a good idea, yes.

7. Do you ever need help responding to some comments left by readers on your blog posts, as in not knowing how or what to respond with? Why is this, and what usually throws you off?

No, but I don’t usually provide context that would provoke a heavy comment.

8. What five vegetables do you use the most each week or month?

Potatoes, broccoli, mixed greens, carrots, and onions.

9. What is the most outrageous thing you have ever done?

The first thing that comes to mind is I was a balloon handler, or as I like to call it, a Latex Engineer in the Thanksgiving Day parade. The balloon I was engineering was the Dr. Seuss character that speaks for the trees, the Lorax. All I can say about it is that it looks much more manageable than when you’re watching from your sofa.

10. Have your blog reading habits changed since you first started to blog?

Yes, in the beginning, I was feeling overwhelmed by trying to read too many blogs. Now, I know what I like and stick to it.

Have you ever felt frustrated from reading blog posts because they are perhaps not piquing your interest? What have you done to prevent the boredom from biting deep if this is the case?

If it doesn’t catch my interest, I move on. I find this to be true with political rants. I read for peace, not to be aggravated.

11. Do you find it easy to make difficult decisions, and do you have a process of elimination for making those tough decisions?

Yes, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a difficult one. I try to talk it through with a good confidant, weigh the pros and cons, and meditate on it, which usually leads me in the right direction.

12. What’s the longest you have gone without a shower?

2 days while I was sick. It’s amazing how good a shower can feel after that.

13. Between the choice of a deep-fried insect sandwich or a raw earthworm hamburger with no option of declining either, which would you choose?
Inspired by a conversation at the Nature Reserve

I’m going to go with deep-fried because, let’s face it, once it’s fried in that deliciousness, do we really know what’s inside? For all I know, I’ve already eaten a deep-fried insect sandwich.

14. How would your family and friends react if you started to talk to another person one day that no one else could see but you? Do you speak to yourself regularly?
Inspired by the film – Just Like Heaven

Haha! They would hand me a list of questions to ask this person. Other than the occasional profanity outbursts, no. I do, however, talk to myself in my head.

15. How far can you be pushed before annoyance becomes full-blown anger, and what is your anger style?

It takes a lot to anger me, but if it’s something big, so is the reaction. Is volcanic a style? If so, that’s what it is.

Enjoy the Ride!

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