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5 answers: Spooktober edition

for Christina's 5Q

1. Are "hidden" (possibly non-carbon life forms) aliens hiding in our midst?

On Earth, probably not. Elsewhere, perhaps! I think it's possible that we haven't found any other life simply because we're not looking for the right thing. Who knows, maybe carbon-based life is the "weird" type in the Universe as a whole!

2. Germans have "Fruehlingsmuedigkeit" - literally "spring tiredness". Does any change of season have a physical effect on you.

Living in Louisiana, especially this year, the end of summer has brought a sort of relief, definitely. I'm sure that a lot of it is due to me driving to work in a car sans air conditioning, but it's also been extremely hot this summer, and humid too. The past week or so has finally started to cool down a little, to where I wake up in the morning cold. I'm excited to begin wearing sweaters in a couple of weeks!

More generally though, I think I'm glad when every season comes to its end. I like to move, to experience change. So I'm glad to say hello to each new change of temperature and weather pattern.

3. If you could stockpile something delicious for wintertime, what would you pick? (You do not have to bury it!)

Probably tomatoes -- imagining that I'm stockpiling them in a magical place where they can stay in suspended animation without freezing or any other kind of "traditional" (or realistic) method of preservation. I absolutely *love* tomatoes, but they are so bad when they're not perfectly ripe.

4. What is your favourite book and why? And yes I know this is probably a mundane question but as a reader...

I've only re-read one set of books on any kind of regular basis, so I think I'd have to go with them: /The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy/, by Douglas Adams. The entire trilogy (minus the sixth volume, which I haven't read) is incredible and funny and thought-provoking and all sorts of things. It definitely had an outsize effect on my life.

5. Are there things that you enjoy eating or cooking in the Autumn?

Honestly, I love pumpkin-spice stuff. I've bought multiple pumpkin-spice cereals, including Cheerios and the Sprouts store brand of Cheerios, though I've got to say the best in that space is Trader Joe's Pumpkin-O's. I still have to get to the store and buy those this year.

I also enjoy squash and satsumas -- which are just beginning to ripen. Satsumas are like a Louisiana version of mandarin oranges, and they're so sweet and delicious, though they have a thin skin and are annoying to peel.

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention gumbo, which starts to make an appearance in cooler weather. I've not had the meat-filled traditional version (chicken and sausage), but there's a variety of absolutely delicious vegan versions to be had if you know where to look, as well as some good recipes online.

These questions are reminding me how much I love autumn! It's a great time of year -- though I do miss all the changing leaves, living in a more evergreen locale as I do now.