Breaching The Web

In Japan, the Zojirushi company sells a device called an iPot [registration required] that helps people living alone feel less alone. The pot is a tea kettle that records the time that the activation button is pushed. This time is wirelessly transmitted to a server, which then sends an e-mail to a designated recipient. In Japan boiling water for soup or for tea is a necessary part of daily life, so kettle use tends to be constant over time.

This combination of old and new technologies to help people living alone is really cool.

We went to see the movie Robots a few days ago, and while the visuals were interesting and the story was cute, there was one little detail that kept bothering me all through the movie.

Robot society is obviously well-developed and elaborated — I doubt that even robots build could the Rube-Goldberg-inspired Robot City overnight. So how long had the robots been living on their planet? And more specifically, where were their creators? Was there a revolution? a blood bath? a war? or did they just slip away?

A friend of mine went to India in January 2005 and brought me three packets of tea back as a gift — one each from Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri. The packets are vacuum sealed and include a pack date and an expiration date but no estate information, so I assume they are blends — but I’m not entirely sure. I’ve been alternately drinking the Assam and the Nilgiri for breakfast. I’ve not yet tried the Darjeeling.

Yesterday, I was planning on making 16 ounces of tea, so I scooped 3 level teaspoons of the gift Nilgiri into my Chatsford teapot. But then I decided I wanted 20 ounces of tea (16 for my travel mug, and a few swallows right away), so I scooped out 1/2 teaspoon more — but from the Assam, not the Nilgiri (that was the accident).

The resulting tea is fantastic. It tastes very full, with a nice first impression that’s all Nilgiri, but a bit of malty middle. There’s also a spicy note that reminds me of cinnamon; this is pure synergy, as I’ve not noticed any spice in either the Nilgiri or the Assam alone. I’m really surprised that such a small amount of Assam made such a difference in the tea. I’m going to experiment with the ratio a bit, but this is definately going to be my new morning tea — at least until I run out!

When we moved into our townhouse, I wanted to maximize the amount of free counterspace I had in the kitchen. With the exception of my Kitchenaid mixer (which I think it is beautiful), I wanted to have only those appliances I use regularly out on the counter. After long thought, I made my choices: the blender and electric kettle are on the counter (and even the kettle sometimes gets put away, but only when I’m feeling very tidy). That’s it. There are no other countertop appliances cluttering up my kitchen. Not even a microwave.

I was a bit hestitant about this. After all, my Mom has had a microwave for as long as I can remember, and I shared a small one with my roommate in our college dorm room. A microwave was the very first item I purchased for my very first apartment after college–even before I bought a bed, a desk or a chair. I’ve always had a microwave, and aparently, so have many other people — 95% of American households have microwaves.

My Mom suggested I get a microwave-hood combo unit to put over my stove — but the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that all I used the microwave for was boiling water, and my electric kettle does that much faster. I also used the digital timer, but those can easily be purchased seprately.

But I was still hesitant. So I decided I would put the microwave in a closet and see if I missed it.

It’s been about 3 months now. And I’ve had to rethink how to do some things, like reheating leftovers, but I haven’t missed my microwave at all. I’m seriously considering giving it away!