I didn't think it right to pass through without sending the old crew my regards.
I see some of you are still here, some have gone, and some others have come whom I had not yet met. To all of you, greetings! xD
Some of a friend's extended family took a trip to China, and visited Yixing. The tour guide had something very interesting to say about the pots. Not only did people used to carry their own, but the use of cups was a Western introduction. Before, people sipped from their yixing pots.
They spoke of bamboo forests, cable car rides to the tops of mountains ... it made me want to go, and it really made me miss this forum.
I'm not going to stick around regularly, but I may pop in from time to time.
Yes, I do still drink tea. A gaiwan is sitting next to me right now, actually.
Also, another friend, part Chinese in heritage, visits her uncle a couple times a year. He's quite the connoisseur, drinking oolongs and puerh that cost tens of times more than I'd be willing to pay just to drink xD It makes me want to visit him some day.
Her grandfather is also being honored soon in San Fransisco, as the owner of the world's last surviving Chinese junk. The other recently sank near China.
If I had the spare funds, I'd try to go to the ceremony!
So that's my world right now, or at least a small part of it.
Again, it's good to stop in and see what all is new. I'll go back to lurking for a bit, and sip my tea until I exhaust the leaves, then move to the next tea, and keep lurking.
Oct 10th, '09, 15:35
Posts: 334
Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
Oct 11th, '09, 02:28
Posts: 552
Joined: Aug 23rd, '07, 00:42
Location: Somewhere in the wilds of Montana, but never without a teacup.
Contact:
skywarrior
Oct 12th, '09, 01:32
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Oct 12th, '09, 13:03
Posts: 707
Joined: Aug 21st, '07, 15:53
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Connecticut
Contact:
CynTEAa
Oct 13th, '09, 16:59
Posts: 334
Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
Re: Another short visit
I definitely appreciate the sentiment.
As far as not being a stranger, this is still one of the friendliest forums I've been to in a very long time. It's part of why I return every so often.
Honestly, my tea passion isn't quite the same as some who dwell here, so even if I come back I may not often post xD
Also ... I've gotten involved with some new things since last year, which give me four forums of information to keep up with, two of which I'm personally involved with the majority of the members. It gets very busy, and it keeps me away from a lot of things.
But I will keep coming back here, probably with perpetually noobish questions from not maintaining a constant study and practice of tea. then again, I'd rather ask noobish questions and maintain a tea inventory than to let it all dwindle to naught.
As far as not being a stranger, this is still one of the friendliest forums I've been to in a very long time. It's part of why I return every so often.
Honestly, my tea passion isn't quite the same as some who dwell here, so even if I come back I may not often post xD
Also ... I've gotten involved with some new things since last year, which give me four forums of information to keep up with, two of which I'm personally involved with the majority of the members. It gets very busy, and it keeps me away from a lot of things.
But I will keep coming back here, probably with perpetually noobish questions from not maintaining a constant study and practice of tea. then again, I'd rather ask noobish questions and maintain a tea inventory than to let it all dwindle to naught.
Oct 14th, '09, 08:49
Posts: 707
Joined: Aug 21st, '07, 15:53
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Connecticut
Contact:
CynTEAa
Re: Another short visit
We'd all love to hear about the new things you are interested in. Remember tea can be as casual or formal as you desire. Just brew, sip and be happy.Eastree wrote: ...But I will keep coming back here, probably with perpetually noobish questions from not maintaining a constant study and practice of tea.
Re: Another short visit
Oh I understand that completely. It is very had to keep up with several forums at once. Then throw in a blog and you have no free time whatsoever. Sometimes something's gotta give, that's what I've found. There is also a certain comfort in knowing you have friends and are welcome back anytime.
Oct 28th, '09, 17:16
Posts: 334
Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
Re: Another short visit
har har xDDD
This week was graphic design work in my spare time .... lots of tea was consumed, of course.
This week was graphic design work in my spare time .... lots of tea was consumed, of course.
Jun 4th, '10, 18:55
Posts: 334
Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
Re: Another short visit
I'd rather res a dead topic than to keep flooding (is joke) with new ones.
I'm moving again ... after two months where I am, after four months at the previous place, with about a month before that in limbo, so to speak.
So here's the whole spill, since it's tough to really catch up from before my last visit.
Late 2008 I was bored, and took a road trip to meet some people out of state. I loved the group, loved the area, and thought I was falling for a girl I met there.
Mid-2009 things started going south. Trouble at work (though the specifics were always kept from me -- leave it to management to say "Get better!" but not tell you how you're messing up), shortly after the girl I'd been dating broke up with me ...
... the weekend I spent at her house ...
... when her new guy crashed there ...
... and she didn't have the guts to tell me it was over, but treated me like crap, and I sort of knew ...
... until my next visit to hang out with everyone she told me, "Things are different between us now."
So in that month I was getting REALLY depressed. It affected everything. I was even stupid on the road, and I was ticketed several times. Work sucked even more -- a new boss who treated everyone like children, and supported the other management who had been causing trouble.
In October I received a letter giving me the option to request a pre-suspension hearing, or have a 60-day suspension. I wrote back requesting a hearing. Past the day the suspension was supposed to have started, I had still heard nothing; no one in the State government's related offices answered their phones. So I kept calling, kept getting rides from people to work, and early November I finally reached someone. My license was still valid. They just hadn't responded to the request. I eventually (in March) had the hearing, and was granted a 2-year probational period: one ticket and my license is suspended.
November, for no reason given, I was fired. Basically, "a certain coworker" had reported me for harassment. WTF. Not sexual, verbal. and since it was reported as such, the boss had no say; someone above his head said fire me. So I was out of a job.
I had to cut back so I wouldn't burn through savings, and I'd been wanting to move to Atlanta, so I ended up crashing with one of my friends -- only to find out we bring out the worst in each other. So I had to find somewhere else. Eventually, I found a place through a friend of a friend. It's not REALLY movie-in ready, but it's a place.
But some time before moving out of the last place, I was pulled over by a crap cop who found a loophole for honest ticketing: He parked at the far end of his radar gun's range from the "REDUCED SPEED AHEAD" sign, just past the new speed, and pulled over one car after another for going 45 in stead of 35. I left, and he drove right back to his illegal trap. The worst? He lied on the location part of the ticket by about 100yards, because it was the closest intersection.
In the mean time, I've met someone else. We've been spending every possible moment together, and (realistically) things are great. We just put a deposit on an apartment together, and things can't be better.
Except that I just received word that five days after signing the lease, my license will be expired for 60 days.
And yes, I'm still looking for a job.
Now that you've read that, here's the good side:
My license is valid long enough to get moved completely.
Where I am now really isn't even livable; it's a not-completely finished basement that needs one full wall replaced, new flooring and windows, and a complete kitchen remodel. I'm moving into a respectable place, for less per month than I pay now (including bills).
There's a bus stop for public transportation about two minutes away.
I won't have to bum rides, since I'm not employed.
No fuel for the unused car (My girlfriend can't drive stick).
I'll still be in walking distance to basic shopping, and a bus or train ride to anything else I need.
My life may finally slow down enough to enjoy a cuppa. And I still have at least an OK stash of it to do so.
And when my license is valid again, it'll be right about time for college students to be quitting (or reducing hours) to go back to class, and jobs will be opening back up.
I'm moving again ... after two months where I am, after four months at the previous place, with about a month before that in limbo, so to speak.
So here's the whole spill, since it's tough to really catch up from before my last visit.
Late 2008 I was bored, and took a road trip to meet some people out of state. I loved the group, loved the area, and thought I was falling for a girl I met there.
Mid-2009 things started going south. Trouble at work (though the specifics were always kept from me -- leave it to management to say "Get better!" but not tell you how you're messing up), shortly after the girl I'd been dating broke up with me ...
... the weekend I spent at her house ...
... when her new guy crashed there ...
... and she didn't have the guts to tell me it was over, but treated me like crap, and I sort of knew ...
... until my next visit to hang out with everyone she told me, "Things are different between us now."
So in that month I was getting REALLY depressed. It affected everything. I was even stupid on the road, and I was ticketed several times. Work sucked even more -- a new boss who treated everyone like children, and supported the other management who had been causing trouble.
In October I received a letter giving me the option to request a pre-suspension hearing, or have a 60-day suspension. I wrote back requesting a hearing. Past the day the suspension was supposed to have started, I had still heard nothing; no one in the State government's related offices answered their phones. So I kept calling, kept getting rides from people to work, and early November I finally reached someone. My license was still valid. They just hadn't responded to the request. I eventually (in March) had the hearing, and was granted a 2-year probational period: one ticket and my license is suspended.
November, for no reason given, I was fired. Basically, "a certain coworker" had reported me for harassment. WTF. Not sexual, verbal. and since it was reported as such, the boss had no say; someone above his head said fire me. So I was out of a job.
I had to cut back so I wouldn't burn through savings, and I'd been wanting to move to Atlanta, so I ended up crashing with one of my friends -- only to find out we bring out the worst in each other. So I had to find somewhere else. Eventually, I found a place through a friend of a friend. It's not REALLY movie-in ready, but it's a place.
But some time before moving out of the last place, I was pulled over by a crap cop who found a loophole for honest ticketing: He parked at the far end of his radar gun's range from the "REDUCED SPEED AHEAD" sign, just past the new speed, and pulled over one car after another for going 45 in stead of 35. I left, and he drove right back to his illegal trap. The worst? He lied on the location part of the ticket by about 100yards, because it was the closest intersection.
In the mean time, I've met someone else. We've been spending every possible moment together, and (realistically) things are great. We just put a deposit on an apartment together, and things can't be better.
Except that I just received word that five days after signing the lease, my license will be expired for 60 days.
And yes, I'm still looking for a job.
Now that you've read that, here's the good side:
My license is valid long enough to get moved completely.
Where I am now really isn't even livable; it's a not-completely finished basement that needs one full wall replaced, new flooring and windows, and a complete kitchen remodel. I'm moving into a respectable place, for less per month than I pay now (including bills).
There's a bus stop for public transportation about two minutes away.
I won't have to bum rides, since I'm not employed.
No fuel for the unused car (My girlfriend can't drive stick).
I'll still be in walking distance to basic shopping, and a bus or train ride to anything else I need.
My life may finally slow down enough to enjoy a cuppa. And I still have at least an OK stash of it to do so.
And when my license is valid again, it'll be right about time for college students to be quitting (or reducing hours) to go back to class, and jobs will be opening back up.
Jun 4th, '10, 22:18
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Re: Another short visit
Oh my gosh! Quite an ordeal! Well things have to be looking up,
hope it all works out. Nice to see you around.
V.
hope it all works out. Nice to see you around.
V.
Jun 5th, '10, 11:50
Posts: 334
Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
Re: Another short visit
Thanks 
It's always good to come back.
Some of the good news is that I'll be in (long) walking distance to a whole leaf tea place (not ... yet? ... listed on TeaMap) which sells an exclusive to the U.S. line of Darjeeling whose profits go to a charity in that tea-making area. I plan to make my down there after I'm settled in.
What makes me laugh about it is that the name of the place is the same as the name of a musician who makes funny/annoying earworms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Jakobsen)
The tea place: http://www.drbombays.com/
Argh, sorry for the advert-ish bit. Hopefully once I find employment I'll make my way back here much more often.
And if anyone's going to find themselves in the Atlanta area, look me up xD
It's always good to come back.Some of the good news is that I'll be in (long) walking distance to a whole leaf tea place (not ... yet? ... listed on TeaMap) which sells an exclusive to the U.S. line of Darjeeling whose profits go to a charity in that tea-making area. I plan to make my down there after I'm settled in.
What makes me laugh about it is that the name of the place is the same as the name of a musician who makes funny/annoying earworms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Jakobsen)
The tea place: http://www.drbombays.com/
Argh, sorry for the advert-ish bit. Hopefully once I find employment I'll make my way back here much more often.
And if anyone's going to find themselves in the Atlanta area, look me up xD