The first qualification for me to like a coffee mug is that its sides should gently round down into the bottom and it should not be too heavy. Such mugs are not necessarily very easy to find in this country, and my favorite few (that are left) are from Japan. I hate the thick-sided generic type of mug that looks like a cut-off cylinder with a round disc of a bottom stuck on it. But even when I find one of an acceptable shape and weight, I like it best if it has pretty colors or pictures of animals on it. I have two with pale vegetables on them, one with pigs, and one with pink and white stripes.

We normally drink a local brand, Peet's, selecting the Italian Roast (a lot stronger and more bitter than French Roast) and have it preground in a #2 grind, which is one small step above powder (Turkish). A standard drip grind is #6 and espresso is #4, for comparison. We do a Melitta drip with Melitta woven filters, which make a much better brew than standard paper filters. For iced coffee, we do a double-strength brew: make our usual coffee, then immediately use it to pour through a fresh batch of grounds. DH grew up in Hong Kong so he prefers the taste of sweetened condensed milk in iced tea and coffee drinks. If we make a large batch, we chill it in the frig for a few hours so that no ice cubes dilute it. But if we're desperate, a few ice cubes in a glass chill it quickly, and this brew is so strong, a 1/4 cup of water is barely noticeable in a tall glass. Chocolate syrup is a nice addition, except you have to add extra for it to make any impact on what is basically a triple-strength espresso drink. Unbelievably, my DH can drink this right before going to bed and drop off to sleep like a baby....yeah, I'm jealous of that!

Joann, sorry I didn't see this! I got the fabric online, it's by Elizabeth's Studio. Look on Ebay, too. "fabric fruit ladies" usually brings it up. The pattern/tutorial is posted above, about 1/3 of the way down. Local quilt shops are fun, too, they usually have a novelty fabric section. I like those best.

I didn't want to respond, thinking surely I am missing something and just not getting your point. The subject line lead me to expect an explanation, but I don't find one. I hoped someone else would say, but I don't think I've read it yet. I also didn't want to appear to be attacking you, so I wish you'd look at the situation differently. You are talking about 30 people who are your co-workers. They are not the owners of the university. They're not even your superiors, so I don't understand expecting co-workers to gift you for doing your job just like they do theirs. I do understand a secretary to expect a gift from her boss, but how many secretaries also expect gifts from other secretaries, file clerks, janitors, every individual in the whole department? Or in your case, every individual in all four departments? You are talking about each and every one of them? You didn't say the one person who is over these departments (the division dean or whatever), nor did you say the four department heads. You really expect a gift from all the 30 people? I do not understand this. These people simply accepted a job just like you did - with no one under their command and with no accountability to your performance. They have their own performance to worry about, and they also have their own family and friends for whom to buy Christmas gifts. Nothing is sparing this year. They pay the same for gas, heating, electric, groceries, etc. that you pay. Actually, they pay more because they have families. If I'm not mistaken, you don't have children, right? So, how many bills were supposed to be short their accurate amount? How many Christmas dinner tables should have had a smaller turkey or been short a few guests? How many 6 year olds were supposed to be less that one gift they really wanted so that mom/dad could buy for a co-worker, who is in need of nothing and for whom they are not responsible?