So, I just realized that I totally botched up "Five Random Things Monday" on my second week in. Oops. I thought about blogging yesterday, but thought, I don't really need to. Oops again.

So, here we are, a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short. Since I'm the authoress of this blog, I'm going to have to get creative to think of something that I haven't mentioned at least once in the last four (!) years. Speaking of which, I just noticed that, once again, I let my bloggiversary slip by unnoticed on Sunday. Happy Birthday, Winters' Day In!

Time for four, originally uploaded by Anniko 1996.

1. Eggs: As a child, I didn't like eggs, but I could eat them if they were scrambled. What I really didn't like was the yolk, especially if it was runny. I couldn't handle fried eggs until I was a teenager, and then only if the yolk was broken and cooked hard. Over the last five years, though, I have slowly developed a taste for over-medium, and then over-easy eggs. I especially love poached soft on toast with butter. Mmmm... Just goes to show ya: You CAN learn to like something that's good for you!

2. Cooking: Speaking of eggs, you'd think I would have learned how to boil them by now. For a while, I seemed to have a perfect system. However, every cooktop seems to be a little different, and--judging from last night's effort--I need to rework my current method. Sigh. (See, Rohini? I still screw up boiled eggs, too!)

3. Knitting: I have decided it's finally time to learn to knit socks. In the past, I've kind of muddled my own way around and figured out how to do a short-row heel (which I used to design slipper-socks), but frankly, I never really saw the value of spending the amount of time it would require to make this rather mundane project with millions of teeny stitches on teeny needles that would just get worn out quicker than most... until recently. Actually, it started in 2006, when Vogue Knitting published their winter edition with a sock focus, and I started to see the potential for beautiful gorgeous, brightly-coloured socks that let you try out new techniques on a small canvas. The clincher, though, was getting frustrated at how very quickly commercially-made socks seem to wear out on little boys. I'm hoping that a pair of well-made, wool socks will keep their feet warmer for longer. I hope it won't just be that I'll have spent more time and effort to make something that wears out just as quickly! I guess we'll see.

4. Leadership: Lately I've been pondering about the many leadership roles I have filled in my life. I have been thrust into them since I was quite young, and seemingly often. I have never campaigned to be put there, or gone to seek them out. I do them because they need to be done, I have the skills to do them, and someone has to. I feel a responsibility to help shape the world I live in, instead of complaining about it ("Being the change I wish to see in the world"), so I step up and fill the need. I'm not complaining about this--it is obviously a gift God has given me, and to not use that gift for good would be, in my opinion, ungrateful, as well as showing me to be a foolish steward. But honestly, when it all comes down to it? Most times, I'd rather stay home and knit. Let someone else take the flack and the stress that comes with leadership. (Don't worry, I'm not throwing in the towel anytime soon. Like the character Cicero says in the movie Gladiator, "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time I do what I have to.")

5. Typing Speed: According to this site, I type at a net speed of about 71 wpm, with 95% accuracy (when I'm trying, apparently.) But if I could take a test using the text I type every day several times while doing my business e-mails (since there are a few things I just have to type with every transaction I have), I bet it would be about 150 wpm with 100% accuracy. I don't really know how to find that out without a friend and a stopwatch. (Also, I bet if I re-take that test tonight, when I'm not sitting square in the middle of a sunbeam during my afternoon lull, my score will go up. If I remember to try it again later, I'll let you know.)

Edit: I just noticed on Wikipedia that an average professional typist reaches about 50-70 wpm, and that the "average computer user" is considered "fast" at 40wpm. Suddenly, I feel better, for some reason!