Re: To review or not to review
Haha, I could never do that! I have to write down as much as possible about a tea because my memory isn't very good if I haven't had a tea in a while. Plus my tastes change so frequently, I'll write down that I liked a tea and then a year later I look at the description and I'm like... "nah"
Re: To review or not to review
When I am writing a review of a tea I find it helpful before I even start to brew the tea to write down any assumptions I might have about it.
The idea for me here is to be cognizant of any linear, hierarchical and/or dichotomous thinking that might affect my ability to enjoy the tea. For instance, if I read a review online that said that the tea I am about to drink has a ton of camphor notes, my previous experience would tell me that I really like camphor notes and that I maybe I would also like this tea. But later here I am focusing on those camphor notes --which happen to be weak-- and not the other good qualities of the tea (ex, the awesome body-feeling or leaf aroma). In my example, I am left feeling let down...I did not experience the "ton of camphor notes" I was looking for and I have missed out on several other qualities the tea had. Acknowledging my assumptions about a tea beforehand allows me to examine my whole experience with the tea instead of just part.
I agree with mgnaz42, I find not writing anything down is not super helpful. Later after I have drank several teas I often find myself struggling to remember which tea was which. It is helpful to have a least of the few pointers to guide my future decisions on which tea to drink (at what time) or when it comes time to reorder. Your list (mcrdotcom’s explanation) and mgnaz42’s list all seem pretty comprehensive.
To touch on Chris418’s point on enjoying the moment, I find notes can be a useful tool to remain mindful and focused. I use my notes as an outlet for the stray thought that might come into my head. If my focus wonders off to things that need to get done that day or things that are completely disparate to my present experience with the tea I am drinking, I will make a quick note of it (on the side) and then return to the sensations of the tea. “Fold clothes later” might be found next to “bitter astringency after the 5th steeping.”
Also I, like chingwa, try to make a note on whether to reorder. If I am on the fence about reordering, I look back at my notes and tally up all of the positive attributes of the tea and all of the negative attributes. If the positive attributes outweigh the negative by one to three then I reorder. This idea is from positive psychology, the thought is that people who have, “on average, high well-being and flourishing experienced at least 2.9 times more positive emotions that negative emotions” (Fredrickson & Losada, 2005 as cited in Compton & Hoffman, 2013, p.40). Here I apply positive emotions to positive experiences drinking tea because I feel pretty dang good drinking good tea.
The idea for me here is to be cognizant of any linear, hierarchical and/or dichotomous thinking that might affect my ability to enjoy the tea. For instance, if I read a review online that said that the tea I am about to drink has a ton of camphor notes, my previous experience would tell me that I really like camphor notes and that I maybe I would also like this tea. But later here I am focusing on those camphor notes --which happen to be weak-- and not the other good qualities of the tea (ex, the awesome body-feeling or leaf aroma). In my example, I am left feeling let down...I did not experience the "ton of camphor notes" I was looking for and I have missed out on several other qualities the tea had. Acknowledging my assumptions about a tea beforehand allows me to examine my whole experience with the tea instead of just part.
I agree with mgnaz42, I find not writing anything down is not super helpful. Later after I have drank several teas I often find myself struggling to remember which tea was which. It is helpful to have a least of the few pointers to guide my future decisions on which tea to drink (at what time) or when it comes time to reorder. Your list (mcrdotcom’s explanation) and mgnaz42’s list all seem pretty comprehensive.
To touch on Chris418’s point on enjoying the moment, I find notes can be a useful tool to remain mindful and focused. I use my notes as an outlet for the stray thought that might come into my head. If my focus wonders off to things that need to get done that day or things that are completely disparate to my present experience with the tea I am drinking, I will make a quick note of it (on the side) and then return to the sensations of the tea. “Fold clothes later” might be found next to “bitter astringency after the 5th steeping.”
Also I, like chingwa, try to make a note on whether to reorder. If I am on the fence about reordering, I look back at my notes and tally up all of the positive attributes of the tea and all of the negative attributes. If the positive attributes outweigh the negative by one to three then I reorder. This idea is from positive psychology, the thought is that people who have, “on average, high well-being and flourishing experienced at least 2.9 times more positive emotions that negative emotions” (Fredrickson & Losada, 2005 as cited in Compton & Hoffman, 2013, p.40). Here I apply positive emotions to positive experiences drinking tea because I feel pretty dang good drinking good tea.
Last edited by bellmont on Feb 12th, '15, 18:49, edited 1 time in total.
Re: To review or not to review
I was thinking that maybe I should start taking notes too...I've been trying so many different teas in the last few weeks and I'm getting confused 
I just saw this android app called "Tea Time!" , anyone tried it or knows if it works for this kind of thing? Or do you think good old paper is better?
I just saw this android app called "Tea Time!" , anyone tried it or knows if it works for this kind of thing? Or do you think good old paper is better?
Re: To review or not to review
Guess I am old-fashioned, but I like a notebook. It is very handy at the TeaTable, to just grab and start writing! 
Re: To review or not to review
*whoo hoo, First post*
When I saw the title, I was thinking when I clicked it that is was a debate on whether to review a tea on a sellers website.
Like www.teasme.co.nz where I bought my Liu An Gua Pian and Bi Lo Chun greens has a customer review section in each tea page.
As far as Personal reviews goes, I just stick to "will I go get more of the same when it's finished, or try something else instead?"
While living in Chongqing that lead to a cross city trek back from my new job to the store by my old job where they sold a certain tea. Unfortunately my chinese was too little to work out what it was, so on returning home to NZ, I'm still exploring the world of chinese tea.
When I saw the title, I was thinking when I clicked it that is was a debate on whether to review a tea on a sellers website.
Like www.teasme.co.nz where I bought my Liu An Gua Pian and Bi Lo Chun greens has a customer review section in each tea page.
As far as Personal reviews goes, I just stick to "will I go get more of the same when it's finished, or try something else instead?"
While living in Chongqing that lead to a cross city trek back from my new job to the store by my old job where they sold a certain tea. Unfortunately my chinese was too little to work out what it was, so on returning home to NZ, I'm still exploring the world of chinese tea.