Teavana

Suddenly, and surprisingly, finding myself single, again, I find in myself, first a feeling of relief, but secondly, the returning feeling of being alone. I spend more time at work and the gym to have people around me, and avoid coming back to my apartment because here- I am alone. The cleaning here has found itself incredibly de-prioritized. While sencha in the morning with my waffles or eggs, of course, has not been.

Okay, that relationship is over.

This morning’s sencha was well accompanied by waffles with peanut butter and agave nectar syrup.

Recently, I discovered my energy costs go up over 600% in the Ohio winter, partly exasperated by an apartment that bleeds heat like a clumsy archer leaks blood. So, I only really have two rooms in the place, and decided to stop heating one of them. I imagine my bill at the end of the month is going to be markedly less than last month, but because I decided to heat the bedroom, I don’t get much done.

Today, I didn’t even put clothes on, which is a special challenge when half of a person’s living space has almost no contrast between the winter just outside the front door. Interestingly, this seems to have had some influence on my metabolism, as I haven’t eaten today because I have no appetite.

I’m working through a pot of sencha hopin’ it’ll remind my blood that it needs sugar or protein or something.

I’ve got a woman who seems solid. It’s still new. A couple times recently she asked me about my past with one girlfriend or another and I spent too much time answering her questions. She questioned if I was still attached to these other people… The people who were, generally, long gone. One is not. She tries to cling on, and I’m well practiced at ignoring her.

Now, I have something good, and something I really want to see go forward, and maybe be made permanent. The echos of my past though, are tainting this new and good thing. I decide it’s time for a purge. I delete a few photos of old girlfriends, and some other general physical house cleaning of such things.

Some time ago, I had torn out a dozen or so pages of my journal, most, or maybe all, had been of my most recent ex, but whenever I had done that, I hadn’t the ability to discard them, so put them in an envelope and saved that decision for another day. The envelope was tucked away in a drawer, and then forgotten. Recently, I re-discovered it and decided it was the best way, symbolically, to start to let my memories of some pains and some failures decay was to dispose of the contents of the envelope. To add to that, I removed a few more pages from my journal as well, about a few false starts with a couple of people… Really only a few pages of a couple hopes.

I had sent my mind on some matcha, as it is my choice of teas before anything that ought have ceremony or ritual to it, but then choose two things:

1) Sencha, as this would be a day like any other, except I’d be throwing away a few pieces of garbage.
2) There would be no ritual to this, because these pieces of paper had no significance. This morning would only include a trip to the Dumpster to throw a few pieces of paper and an envelope into it.

The only problem with decision #2 is I’d already soaked the pages in alcohol.

The flames melted a bowl in the snow, and pieces of blackened paper floated up into the air like the feathers of a crow.

I stood in my doorway and sipped on my tea. With a screwdriver I poked through the pages, spreading them out so they’d all burn. I saw words like, “hope” and “happy” which felt like it should be difficult to see, but I knew I was cremating these inscribed memories for all of the other words.

The sencha turned out perfect. My skin smells of smoke. And today- I’ll forget.

It’s quarter after nine. Forty five minutes ago I should have been in bed, but I re-use the leaves I used for my breakfast in the morning, and eat some food whose cuisine could be described only has hauté-bachelor. Above average, but still garbage. I watch a few scenes of Sin City and try to not identify with Dwight too much. A guy you can count on to save the girl, but not someone you’d lend five bucks.

The winter creeps into the apartment. I’m faced with the decision between the luxury of a higher electric bill or the frugality of a single male with a below average income. If I found myself feeling entitled to a lament, it wouldn’t be spending the night cold, but spending it alone.

The last two months have been some of the least lonely of my life… But the night doesn’t know that.

Today was my day off. Making the best pot of sencha I’ve ever brewed up is my only accomplishment.

Iron is made by the death of a star. Iron is required for me to live. It is time for tea.

A bit down on myself today. I’ve been listening to Cat Power’s Werewolf on repeat for an hour, and later I’ll go see a friend’s modern dance piece later. Sencha is something that feels so common that it seems to meet my mood.

When looking for something grassy, this is my current favorite.

Today I needed something with an extra boost. I have a lot of crafting I want to do today as well as moving plans to make. Wish me luck!

The raspberry and lemon notes become subtle and balance well with the mate after brewing. I was a little concerned that they would be overpowering; the loose tea smelled like raspberry-lemonade flavored candy. Previously I have found some of Teavana’s flavored teas to be overpowering, but this one is a keeper.

I prepared this tea using my Fine-T Gourmet Tea Maker on Setting 7 (160 degress for 5 minutes). Beautiful color and great with or without sweetener. I used German rock sugar to sweeten my second cup.

Fruit and flowers added to rooibos blend very smoothly together. A very enjoyable red bush blend that reminds me of warmer days.

I love Silver Needle. That is all.

Reminds me of sweet grass! It’s good hot or cold. Mmm antioxidants!

Mixed with Samurai Chai Mate… good stuff! Back on tea drinking tasks.

Mixed with White Ayurvedic Chai… good stuff! Back on tea drinking tasks.

love to drink this traditionally prepared in a matcha bowl, but my favorite way is to make matcha lemonade with it!! yum :)

i really like the assam in this tea. not too overpowering. im not as afraid to overbrew this as i have some irish breakfast

my favorite tea! i have bought 2 lbs because teavana is discontinuing it :(

Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please. An uncupboarding is about to occur. A rare event occurring only every few days on Steepster, it is much anticipated by persons lacking space and drastically wanting more teas. A partial portion can sometimes remain and a small amount, weak tea, or blend can happen simultaneously with the uncupboading. Today’s upcupboarding coincided with a blending.

Approximately, 1/2 tsp of Peach Bloom was steeped with 1 tsp of Caribbean Sencha based on the notion of compatibility of their scents. This blend was steeped according to the Caribbean Sencha parameters. The first steep was primarily Peach Bloom. The second steep the Caribbean Sencha was predominate with hints of the Peach Bloom. Both were good. The second steep may have been enjoyed more than the first. No third steep occurred.

2nd steep: 3 min 30 sec.

I made a bit of a Teavana rooibos discovery last night.

Teavana used to have a tent at the farmer’s market. They’d have tea samples made to try and they’d bring a bunch of different 1oz loose tea samples which they sold for only $1 no matter what the tea was. I’d buy pretty much anything that sounded good and I didn’t already have. I ended up with quite a few greens, mostly flavored, and rooibos, red and green. I drank up most of them, but still have a few left and some odds and ends. Then I found Steepster and more teas and got away from drinking those.

Lately I’ve been having a cup of tea in bed each night while reading before going to sleep. Cycling through my non-caffeine options, I pulled what I had left of the Teavana rooiboses out. I’ve been liking the Peach Bloom a bit better than I remember it being but I’ve also thought it was pretty weak. I figured it was just because it was older tea. It was still quite flavorful and drinkable.

Last night, I pulled out a different Teavana rooibos, thinking about trying something different, which was in a bigger container that I’d affixed that Teavana label to. The Peach Bloom was in a small gladware salad dressing sized container sans original labeling. I noticed the other rooibos called for 1.5 tsp. I’ve been using 1 tsp of the Peach Bloom. Teavana rooibos epiphany!

So Peach Bloom steeped with 1/2 tsp more Peach Bloom equals stronger, peachier, and more roobos-y.

The bad news is that now that I’ve figured this out, I don’t have enough Peach Bloom left for another serving. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the remainder of it. It was too much to add to this cup but not enough to make even a half a cup. I don’t want to throw it out. I do want to un-cupboard this tea. I am guessing I should blend it with something. I’m not quite sure what. I’m thinking maybe a tropical green tea.

Now back to more good luck. Malomorgan’s lucky year appears to have indeed rubbed off on mine, or at least on my tea luck. Cause I won Frank’s email contest. I’ve wanted to win one since I signed up for the newsletter and started entering. I’ve wanted to try more 52 Teas since I got the Strawberry Matcha, which is SO good. I’ve been telling myself that I’m just waiting for the next blend that I have to have. I think I’ve just been trying to keep myself from doing something crazy like ordering all three white tea blends. Cause, you know, if I were just ordering one, I might have to get the other two. I’ve been telling myself I could order one white tea blend when I got the next had to have blend. I would need to pick one. I’m leaning, of course, towards the Black Current White Tea, which I think is going to be my free pouch. I’ve also been eying the Razberry Green and the Shari’s Apricot Spice as well as the white blends. I’m a bit afraid that if I really like the Black Current White, I’ll have to get those two and the rest of the white. Then the husband will think I’m crazy cause I’ll just have gotten all this tea in the mail. I don’t know how ya’ll who order lots of tea explain it to the husbands/wives.

Winning all this yummy free tea has really made my month. (It’s been a really blah month.) I don’t know what I’ll do if I continue to win more tea, except be really happy and drink lots of tea. =)

Breaking my three day string of Alpine Berry as my reading-in-bed cup, I had Peach Bloom last night. It was good – light and peachy – but weaker than I remember it being the last time I had it even though I steep it long enough. I may go back to Alpine Berry tonight. I read a couple more chapters of Beautiful Creatures last night. The plot is feeling rushed along. I’m not really getting into the book.

It seems like all my non-caffeinated nighttime teas are either fruity, chamomile, minty, or a blend of the last two. I’ve been mostly in the mood for the fruity ones. I wish I had more baking flavors teas for nighttime consumption. Things like vanilla, chocolate, caramel, honey, spicy, or otherwise reminiscent of dessert.

Now my most exciting tea news! Yesterday I found out that I won the Maeda-en 2010 Shin-cha Giveaway. I was so excited. I had never won a tea contest before. Then today I found out that I won the LeafSpa Steepster Select comment contest. Double the excitement. I must be lucky this week. I’ve been having a really shitty week this week so it totally made my day both times. Thanks Maeda-en, LeafSpa, and Steepster!

Backlogging. Late Thursday night before bed.
Steep extra long to squeeze as much flavor out as possible since I found this tisane doesn’t take a resteep. Seemed weak at first, but after cooler just slightly, there was the taste. I am finding myself wishing I didn’t have only three to four cups left worth of leaf now that I have rediscovered this tisane from the back of my cupboard. It makes for a good before bed cup.