everything's smelling like roses

Well, I am officially entering the world of blogging and knitting/crochet/yarn goodie basket swapping. I am now taking part in two excellent "self-care" swaps and here is a questionnaire from the KCS:

Whole bean for sure, I love my press pot and being able to make the perfect single cup of coffee exactly how I want it!
2. Fully-loaded or decaf?

This is a hard one...I have noticed that after six years of college (4 of which I was a fairly big caffeine hog) my tolerance is not what it used to be. I have also noticed that I tend to seek the cup of joe at the end of my day from the local coffee shop on campus to keep me awake during class. So I don't know. I got the impression that decaf coffees tended to start out with a poorer (read: cheaper) bean before the decaf-ing process, so I have shied away. That being said, I love coffee so either would be good!
3. Regular or flavored?

Another tough question, I like my coffee with lots of flavor, not necessarily bold, but not a french roast either. In the tasting I've done I like the ones with fruity notes, but I have had not the greatest luck with flavored coffee. Though, if you want to prove me wrong (just like with the decaf) feel more than welcome to do so!
4. How do you drink your coffee?

Just a splash of vanilla soy is heavenly. Cools it off, and gives a very mild sugary hint. I also like to have it pipping hot and drop some honey into it! Depends on my mood, the coffee itself, and what's in the fridge! 

As a side-note, I grew up in the "honey-bee capital of the country" and I got a tour of one of the local places last year that ships queen bees around the country. Yeah, I love honey a whole lot!
5. Favorite coffee ever?

Green Mountain....something rainforest blend. I lived in RI for a while (wow, i'm sounding like quite the traveler, no?) and this is where I not only solidified the addiction, but picked this out as one of my favorites. It has a nice flavor with some fruity bright tones...its heavenly!
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?

How much cream and sugar are we talking, because yes, I have drank some bad coffee out of necessity. But that was mostly because graduate students probably shouldn't fall asleep in class...or sessions with clients!
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?

Its not coffee, but I love to have sourdough toast to dip in my hot chocolate. Yes you should go try it! I haven't really paired my coffee up with anything. I usually savor it alone, or drink it with my breakfast (or if I'm in a hurry, in the shower!)
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?

I love mugs! I have more than I need, but I just love them. Especially when they are a bit out of the ordinary, fit my hand perfectly and remind me of something...oh yeah and when they hold a lot of whatever I want to be drinking!
9. Yarn/fiber you love?

Most all of it. I recently died my own with kool aid and it turned out so pretty! I have only done the one skein, but I really think I could get into dying yarn
10. Yarn/fiber you hate?

Not much of it. I actually really like the new soft acrylics, and even the cheap-o acrylics for making bags. I do not like the really soft cotton candy yarns at all. I rock climb, so if there is any chance that the fiber would get caught on a very miniscule flap of skin, I hate it!
11. What's on your needles?

Dragon Scale gloves, a HUGE entrelac tote using up all my horrible pastel acrylic yarn, a lovely sweater out of the soft (and smooth) acrylic...and once the semester starts some scarves for friends and family
12. Favorite colors?

Greens and purples, rich and bright, I'm not a fan of pastel at all. I also enjoy the brighter sunny colors in moderation
13. Allergies?

Thankfully, none fiber related. There is this one medication, so don't send me any medications in my kit ;)
14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?

I must say that I am still a little weary of this whole internet blog thing, so please forgive any roughness and/or superficial qualities you see here!

I would also like to make a shout out to coffee's cousin, tea. Its also great, and more thrifty and portable than coffee. It just seemed like I needed to get that one off my chest ;)

And once again my real life is coinciding with my Hogwarts life in that I am playing hooky to be on vacation in Hawai'i when both terms are scheduled to begin! Its really quite fabulous! I believe that I have found the perfect way to begin my term. I am not sitting anxiously by the computer waiting to sign up and then constantly checking back to see if I've been added to a roster. In fact, I signed in briefly on sign-up day and then briefly today just to see what was different online. In my real life, I get to miss first day of classes where the prof simply reads the syllabus and then we introduce ourselves to each other exactly the same as we did when we entered the program. So basically I don't miss out on anything and I'm in the tropics!

Aloha!

Oh and if there is a demand I will gladly post some tropical photographs for the enjoyment of all. And of course to my spoiler this term, I am really enjoying these tropical shades of green ;)