keep calm and put the kettle on

[cimorene]

This t-shirt (which, like about 80% of our shirts, we will share) expresses perfectly not just our lifestyle, but basically our life philosophy. I would have used white paint if it hadn't accidentally dried up, but I think I like the effect of the silver better anyway.

This uplifting sentiment reminds me of one of the classic Beyond the Fringe skits from my childhood (on a tape made from the record which my dad knew from his childhood), The Aftermyth of War. A dude was out in the garden for every increasingly bad occurrence of the War and his response to them all was to tell his wife, "Never mind, my dear; you put on the kettle. We'll have a nice cup of tea", until the announcement of rationing, when he says "Never mind, my dear; you put on the kettle. We'll have a nice cup of boiling hot water". (In the absence of tea I have been known to drink hot water. I find it more palatable with honey in it though.)

Comments

[marshtide]

This is a life philosophy I can completely get behind. That's great. :D

[kay_mulan]

even without anything a cup of hot water can be so calming

[cimorene]

Tea is a fairly rewarding source of comfort for someone anxiety-prone because it is so cheap and delicious! And easy! And not unhealthful as long as you don't put sugar and milk in it! And as a bonus, it is a far more effective way of warming up than piling on the sweaters and armwarmers which is otherwise what I basically do all the time.

[cimorene]

I do find it soothing, now, when I used to find it gross, but I think it was a sort of gradual thing, after gradually drinking herbal infusions more and more watered down. As recently as a few years ago when I didn't want the caffeine I would always drink warm weak chamomile and mint infusions, but I sort of fell into water instead when I kept running out and forgetting to buy more of them.