A fresh start
 

Some things have been significantly stirred up in my life, lately, in a positive way. I can now see a road that has reasonable chances of getting me out of my rut. I shall try to go down this road as far as I can. Success is never guaranteed, but at least I finally feel there is a clear path I can follow, and some stepping stones upon which to tread.

..............................

When I was in college, I would buy a new mug to mark new 'phases' in my life. I have been wanting to do that, but never really looked. One day though I realized my usual mug had gotten way too worn on the inside, and possibly unsafe, so I retired it. For a couple of weeks, I drank coffee from the smaller mugs that we use for tea, while somewhat wishing I knew where to go and find a cool mug.

Then, one day, my mother came home with this:

Attachment 8889

I really like it! I love the shape. I've never had mugs this shape, but the friend I stayed with did, and I found I preferred them to the usual cylindrical ones. I like the color and the design of this one too. It is a lot tamer than many of my prior mugs, but tame is good right now. It is accurate, as I am a lot tamer than I used to be, too.

It's a good mug to mark the start of this new phase. :)

waves

Great idea, Waves.
Such a great coloured mug as well.
:)

I, too, have a 'thing' for mugs. But I collect them. They are of no value, Spongebob, Shaun the Sheep, my daughter's dog Jasper's photo is my favourite - many more.

All have been bought for me by family, and I never use them. This is a Bone of Contention as they clutter up the 'mug shelf' with no purpose according to others.

But they are mine, and they each have meaning. If I could find a way to shrink files I would share a couple of pics.

Dave.

it is very pretty
love
bobby

happy for you that you are starting a new phase!
I really like your mug.
bizi

Thanks, everyone. :) I was really happy about the mug and just wanted to share. It was a cool coincidence with the positive happenings, too.

..........................

Mom said she will quiz me to help with some of my studying. I was like, wow! Cool! I like the idea of having her as a study buddy. She is interested in the subject matter and good at it too, which are big pluses. She taught me similar subjects (grammar in my other language) when I was little. It will be an interesting shift on that situation.

waves

Dave, my friend (the one with mugs shaped like my new one) also collects them. He uses them as well, but has a bunch, and each has a memory. Some he bought, some were gifts, but all are mementos. I have some memento mugs that have lost their handle or have been otherwise damaged, that I don't use, but still keep. The one I just "retired" from service (21 years of service!) is an example. Even if you don't use yours, and even if they have no monetary value, they are still valuable to you. :hug:

I think I did this right by reducing image quality. Here are a handful of my mugs.

Dave.

Waves,

I love that you have memento mugs that are missing pieces, but you cannot part with. All too often we discard things for the smallest flaw. I keep everything tied to a precious memory, worthless, broken or whole.

I think it special that your Mum is helping with your studies. That shows a wonderful bond and commitment. Love, and imparting wisdom are the two greatest Gifts a parent can give.

Dave.

Thanks, Bizi! I guess I didn't see your post before because I was posting at the same time. :):hug:

Haha! Those are great! I love the spongebob one, and the dog face-shaped one! I used to have an owl one that was similarly done, with detais in relief, and the handle being a branch or tree trunk or something, but it got lost in my moves or stolen from storage or who knows. I didn't have it for long but I still remember it and miss it, decades later.

It is beautiful.:):):)

M

Waves,

What a shame you lost one.

My dog faced one is Gromit from 'Wallace and Gromit', Oscar winning, stop-motion modelling clay animation.

Here is a taste:

https://youtu.be/36GfaI0_B8E

Dave.

Dave, that's so cute!!! :):)

I have been wanting a mug with the same style (shape) mug as the one you have. Love the color and pattern. By any chance is this a 10 oz.??


Gerry

Beautiful
 

Waves,

It is a great mug to mark a beginning.


(I do things like that with "objects" sometimes -- assignment good meanings to them . . .. especially a new object.)

'Wishing you good energy.

Is the color consistent with the digital color, a kind of . . .I dunno. You are better with colors than I am. How would you describe the blue?
Close to Areo:
http://wallpaperswide.com/aero_blue_9-wallpapers.html

Close to Air Superiority Blue
http://colors.findthedata.com/l/330/...periority-Blue


Mari

Yes. :)

Rats, "yes" is too short for Neurotalk, hence this addition. ;):D

Bear in mind that colors will appear slightly differently between one screen and another.

Best I could tell, the photo I used came out about true to life. It looked about right on my phone, which has standard settings.

I keep my computer screen colors regulated to a much warmer hue to lessen migraine impact. For more precise feedback (including comparisons to other digital content) I should probably test with standard screen settings and get back to you.

Thanks, Mari. :)

I'm in a lull right now... chemical/hormonal. :o These pass, but I'm feeling very blahhh, achey all over, low energy. These dips pass, but they always feel like they aren't going to. And quite honestly, when the migraines aren't in check, the dips are significantly longer than the times of wellness. It's hard to have confidence that things are going to be ok, when in the past months, they haven't been. I am taking my med regularly again, and hoping it will help... and hoping I don't screw it up and have to start over (which has happened 2 or 3 times already.)

It's hard studying with a migraine. It's almost harder when I'm feeling like this (and I don't have a headache right now)!

I'm evaluating whether to take an extended certification course, or a concentrated one. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

At first I thought the concentrated one, a sort of month-long boot camp, was completely out, for health reasons. But then I realized the chances are that I will only be ill for a part of that month, maybe 2-3 days, or possibly 2-3 at the start and 2-3 at the end. Then I realized that with the almost-monthly scheduling of certain events in the diluted course, they could, theoretically coincide with my being ill almst every time.

Oh I just don't know!!! I keep saying, I need to think about it more, but so far my brain keeps going around and around and not getting anywhere. :( I know what the pros/cons are, but can't find a clear weighting.

I like this cup or mug too. Love the new phase in life too.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Thanks very much, Donna, on both counts! :):hug:

Waves,

Is this course something that requires getting dressed, going out, and travel or is it online? Probably it might not matter.
But for me, when I am low energy, I need to be home but am still capable of doing stuff some of the time.
Migraines: I have no experience with them so am not in a position to offer advice.

You know yourself ---- your strengths, (remember those) and what you want for an outcome.

Seriously, say your version of a prayer, and then flip a coin. (There is not a right or wrong answer for this either / or question because either way you choose will be slightly good and slightly bad.
The choice to DO it has been made. Now you are only thinking about the HOW.

I am not trying to be flippant. Maybe tonight when my brain is working, I would have something more useful to offer, but not necessarily.

Mari

Hi there, Mari.

Don't worry, I didn't read you as being flippant at all! :)

The extended is blended; the intensive is face-to-face.

Hmmmm.... I just looked at the other school that does these again. So it turns out there is at least one other choice, a less intensive intensive course ---- edited to say, I take that back. one place says one thing, another place says another. Who knows! :( ---- Ok. well, that's interesting. And they might re-offer their face-to-face, less extended extended one too.

I really do need to think more, and maybe call this second place and ask some questions. :o

Unfortunately it's too expensive just to charge on ahead with one or the other option, and hope for the best. I will have only one shot at this, so I have to be quite careful. I have a little time to mull it over for a bit, before dying of both hunger and thirst. ;):D

waves

The reason I asked is because I have been looking at mugs; but most are 12 oz. The 10 are not easy to find; especially really nice ones like the one you have. I would just love a set of 4; exactly like yours. I guess I can dream; can't I????:Zzzz:


Gerry

A company called Maxwell & Williams sells great mug sets in their range. They usually come as a boxed set. Often on sale too. I love them. They're not heavy and have a nice sipping rim.

Hey, Gerry,

Your post had me quite perplexed because the mug seems 'standard sized' to me (by American standards ;)), and it holds the same amount as my old mug, which has the conventional cylindrical shape -- and was bought in the US, just long long long ago.

Anyway, I went back and measured my old one (new one is fulla coffee). 10 oz is the amount of drinking liquid it will reasonably hold. But if I fill it to the brim, then it will hold 12 oz -- the new one will be the same way. So I'm guessing that makes it a 12 oz cup? I'm not sure how drinking cups are measured. Anyway hopefully that will clarify for you... and maybe you'll feel less like you're missing out.

I can see how you'd have trouble finding a smaller one than this in the US... My corningware mugs I know hold slightly less... can you still get Corningware over there? Those should come in sets of 4.

Thanks so much. I have a Keurig one cup (use a K-Cup) at a time coffee maker. The cups I have been using are 8 oz cups. I fill almost to the top which I need to be very careful not to spill when bringing it to the table. I thought it would be nice to have a few 10 oz. mugs when using my Keurig Coffee Maker. Wanted nice looking mugs (I like the shape of your handle and narrowing toward to bottom of your mug).


Gerry

Waves,

I am sorry if it seemed that I said one could go with one or the other and hope for the best.


M

Mugs for Gerry... maybe ... or maybe not... erhm.
 

Hi,

Ok, I've figured out that my new mug is a 12 oz, capacity-wise. :o

I did poke around online a bit for you. You are right! The 10 oz mugs are quite scarce! :(

Maxwell & Williams has beauuuuuutiful mugs :) but their US collection is limited, with the smallest being an plain white 11 oz conical mug..

http://www.fitzandfloyd.com/images/V...ium/BC1923.jpg

Corelle (current branding for Corning plateware) has a handful of ~10-oz ones with a conical taper, but the smallest with a rounded taper is 11-oz :

11 oz Livingware stoneware (many colors) | 10 oz Impressions Shadow Iris

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits...m=fit&sfrm=tif http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits...m=fit&sfrm=tif

10.5 oz Vive Enhancements stoneware | 10.5 oz Impressions Callaway

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits...m=fit&sfrm=tif http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits...m=fit&sfrm=tif

I don't know if you'll like any, but after I found them... I thought what the heck, might as well link them for you. It's called, "waves likes mugs". ;):o

No, no, don't worry, Mari, really. I didn't take it badly at all. But I do think, in my first post, it sounded like I pretty much knew what my options were, when actually, I was still in the middle of trying to find out more about each. And then, just as I was posting, I re-checked that other school and ended up with more options. So, that set me back even more in the "investigational" process.

It's just me hashing things out is all. Your reply was helpful. I did somewhat take it as a reminder to do the best I can with whatever information I can get, and then take action... so as not to end up like Buridan's ... animal. ;):D But I did not take it as an admonishment to stop acquiring information, if more is reasonably available. I did not feel like you were saying, just get on with it, or anything of the kind. What you said was quite sensible, and I very much appreciate your responsiveness! :) :hug::hug::hug:

waves

O.K., Waves,

I get it. Sometimes, there is no nice option.
Sometimes there is a least bad option.

Mari

waves likes mugs ;)
 

Oh, I see that now. It's been such a very long time that we've been Metric in Australia that I had forgotten how to convert. I needed to look it up.

"A cup" here is actually 250 ml which is 8 3/4 fl oz.

So a 10oz would be more of a larger cup. (10oz being 295.735296 ml)

Most of the mugs (not all... some are 300ml) seem to be 400 ml which is just over 13 1/2 fl oz... so way to big for what Gerry is looking for right now.

It is possible to buy oversized tea cups. They'd probably be closer to 10 oz than anything.

Sorry about any confusion. :o

[going to buy a new mug today for myself ;) ]

Yaaay! :):):) Is it one of the M&W ones? I looked through the Au and UK sites, where there are just tons of amazing designs. I'd be hard pressed to pick just one! :D;)

It is difficult to pick one. I'll let you know when I have. :)

I'll let you know what I decide. I don't need to decide just yet, and there are different things feeding into this which I really can't get into here. I am on track with trying to figure things out, and with considering how things will all gel. I apologize for not making sense due to having to omit stuff.

Thank you for the "waves likes mugs" ideas. I had purchased, a few years ago, 4 Belleek/Ireland mugs. Really nice looking similar to the handle and narrowing shape at the bottom (about 9 oz); but unfortunately they are very delicate.

My husband can use them because he does not put sugar or cream in his coffee. While I do not use cream; I do put almost 2 tsps. of sugar. When stirring the clanking let's me know they will not last a spoon circling them so I do not use them for my coffee.

Soooooooooo; the moral of my "search for mug story" is they need not be too delicate, while looking very nice. You do have a few that look like they would work. The first (top) Corelle mug looks like it would probably be nice looking without being too delicate.
Thanks again,

p.s....I was a bit confused; I think I was referring to the Maxwell & Williams Conical Mug.

Gerry

Waves
 

Just wanted to let you know I did go to the Maxwell & Williams Site and placed an order for Cups 10.5 oz & Saucer set (Ordered 2 purple with white dots and 2 lime with white dots.

I was trying to decide whether to get the white mug (they have a White Basic Bullet Mug 10 oz.) shaped like the first mug you pictured. But since I use sugar, a saucer is nice to place my spoon after mixing my sugar. The colored dot set (you can mix different colors) is really cute. So; after much debating; ordered the dot cups & saucers.

I don't do pictures so I can't show you how cute they are. Thank you so very much for your help.


Gerry

Gerry, that sounds great! :)
And thanks to Lara for suggesting M&W. (You were right on that the cups would be a good fit, too. ;))

So, for the benefit of anyone else who is enjoying our little mug-related thing, here are the pix of Gerry's new cups. (The cups are the same size -- 10.5 oz -- it's just that their photo sizing is inconsistent):
http://www.fitzandfloyd.com/images/V...con/TC2444.jpg

http://www.fitzandfloyd.com/images/V...con/TC7447.jpg

I personally love the turquoise "sky" ones.

Enjoy, Gerry! :)

waves

They are nice looking too.

I have definately been enjoying this thread.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

job hunt
 

I applied for a summer job assisting at an English camp for kids. They have lessons in the morning, then sports in the afternoon. The assistants are just basically there to help out with general things, make sure the kids are ok and stuff.

It lasts 5 weeks total, and is built on part-timers, so if they decide I'm "suitable" they may have a few hours for me but probably not many. I called for more info, before sending my resume, and she said they were almost all set as far as assistants, but that some had bailed out so to go ahead and send my resume, and she would let me know.

It is a language services institution that offers classes of all different kinds, and also translation. I sent them a bilingual resume which I figure can act as a "sample translation", I said at the end of the letter that I'd be glad to hear of other opportunities that they might feel I'm suited for. I know, I know, never end a sentence a preposition with, but we do that nowadays don't we. Although actually, I probably didn't in my letter. :D

======================

There's also a chance I might get a small translation assignment through a new contact, but they have not been tasked with it yet... I'm not sure what the chances are that their prospective client will in fact sign with them.

Anyway. This is a lot closer to working than I was a month ago, say. I am making some progress.