Tuesday TeaDay 5/19/09 Open to whatever TD!

[Trey Winston]

In my Garden a blue feeling
[...]
and lots of Cornflowers

Those are my favorites, possibly due to their smell. Thanks for posting the pictures.

[Herb_Master]

What a wonderful garden, Herb_Master! Thanks for all the pix. It can be very difficult to photograph a garden and still get some sense of what it is like to behold and walk through in person. The closeups seem to approximate the experience better than anything else.

Thankyou Sal, the Blue Theme continues with the arrival of my Chawan from Cory.
This time of year seems better than the last 6 months.

[Aphroditea]

We derive pleasure from learning, exploring ideas and are quite willing put effort into developing knowledge of that which captures our interests, an investment that extroverts find unappealing.

I don't think that is overall true. I am an extreme extrovert, but I definately put a great deal of effort into learning and exploring - tea included. I have a couple very extroverted friends who enjoy tea and are also into exploring it and when we get together over tea the socializing is about sharing experience and knowledge on the topic. I think there was an underlying assumption there that when extroverts socialize it is about frivolous matters? Extroverts != shallow and self-centered. I also despise coffee, so the extrovert coffee connection doesn't work in that regard.

But, I do agree about the brain chemistry, that something very fundamental to the way people process an experience must in some way play a roll in the draw of tea. But, it seems that tea has something to offer the whole spectrum. Perhaps certain tea practices are more appealing to one group over the other. But, I definately disagree that being an introvert means you enjoy tea more than an extrovert. Emeril Lagasse is an extrovert, yet I don't think anyone would posit that he has an inability to fully appreciate flavors and food preperation.

Perhaps this is only a quirk - that there may be slightly more introverts who enjoy tea, and of those slightly more introverts that like to discuss that enjoyment on this forum. I am not sure we will ever know, since the question seem rather complicated when you get down to it, but, at least for me, it has been an interesting mental exercise (yes, we extroverts like a good mental excercise, too).

Thanks for your input!

[Victoria]

The main focus of TeaDay has always been sharing what is in your cup and fellowshipping with others of a like mind. We are a unique and diverse group of people with a common bond. Sometimes it’s frustrating that the outside world doesn’t “get it”, but here we are surrounded by people who do.

Herb Maser – Yes, weekends I can really slow down and enjoy my tea. I have time for matcha and time to relax and enjoy a gongfu session. I hate that so many weekdays my tea is rushed and sometimes missed, left to go cold, etc. And beautiful pics by the way!! Your “blue feeling garden” looks more lavender to this purple lover. Gorgeous!

Sal – Nice pic! I thought those were cherries at first.

Aphro – I think we here prefer our own TeaTable as we have it set exactly as we like, with the teas we like. Going out means probably making some changes to our routine. Most of us are probably very methodical. I am not sure it is because we are introverts. And I agree with brlarson, “It's possible that extroverts don't want to slow down enough to reflect on tea. My sister is an extrovert and she's now up to triple-shots of espresso several times a day. She ain't sniffin' and fillosophizin' about that brew.” I think this is very true.

Murrius – Happy belated Victoria Day!!! I have no idea what’s in the back of my cabinet. I’m scared to look!

CutieAgouti – Congratulations on your graduation!!

In my cup this morning one of my favorite ’09 First Flush Darjeeling, this one from Soom Estates.

Have a nice day everyone!

[geeber1]

Herb Master, LOVE, love the garden photos today!

All of my favorite flowers are leaning toward the blue/purple spectrum. I used to have two "blue" roses - Angel Face and another unknown one, but they froze last year. I still have an "Heirloom" which is so pretty and smells great!

This morning I enjoyed some Oolong #40 at home and in my travel mug.

[Pentox]

So it looks like the MO for the day is to have a whole bunch of shout outs in your posts.

Today's cup: Last of my Ippodo Kaboku. Going on the reorder list.

Auggy: Hiya!

Sal: Whoooo it's a Sal!

Vic: Hiya Vic!

Aphro: Wazzaaaappp

Intuit: TLDR

Everyone else: GOOD MORNING INTERNETZ

[Geekgirl]

I had this great time planned yesterday morning to do some outdoor tea photos, I cleaned the deck and the deck furniture on Sunday. Sunday night, Bubba escaped. This is Bubba:




We looked and looked. It was gorgeous weather, unseasonably warm. We couldn't find him. I kept the windows open, because last night it started to pour down rain. I was hoping that he was nearby and would come around because rain = funtimes over.

I went to bed at 11:30, and he hadn't shown up yet. At that point I figured he wandered too far off and didn't know how to get back, but I cracked the window in the bedroom anyways, so I could hear him if he meowed at the window.

At 11:32 I heard this huge MEEEYYOOOOOOW! Yeah, he was back. He couldn't get to the back door without getting rained on, so he was at my bedroom window, standing on the exterior part of our fireplace where it was dry.

I went out and got him, he is covered with sap from his big adventure. He wolfed down his dinner, and he's still sleeping. It's nearly 10am. Usually he would be up by now telling us what's what.

In my cup: COFFEE. I think I needed it. HE got a Big 24 Hour Adventure. I got zippo. No teaphotos, no relaxation time, just stress. I guess I still love him.

[Victoria]

Wow Geek, how stressful! I am so glad he is safe!!
I can only imagine your worry!

[Herb_Master]

I am glad you got him back too

But I hope he has not been in my garden

[Intuit]

Aphroditea: never said that extroverts were shallow-minded, only that their brain chemistry is canted towards primary reward/gratification through social interaction, whereas introvert-types seek gratification through a mixture of personal interests, social interaction and perhaps chemical augmentation.

Also am a fan of the color blue. Loved the photos of the blue flowers, Herb Master! Not often you see a photo of a blue rose!

Pentox: I doubt you meant Top Level domain registry (much amusement in searching the meaning of 'TLDR'). *shrug* Too long to read? Oh well!

Peppermint tea in the cup.

[brlarson]

Pentox: I doubt you meant Top Level domain registry (much amusement in searching the meaning of 'TLDR'). *shrug* Too long to read? Oh well!

Hey, everyone else read your post!

[Chip]

Hello everyone. I am glad to see you are all doing well. Great photos Herb Master, Geek and as always Sal! Thanks for sharing them with us as always! Glad to hear Bubba is safe and sound!

I like to envision TeaDay as a TeaRoom for real Tea Aficionados to pop in and say hi and discuss tea. The polls and discussion topics are here to help fascilitate casual TeaRoom discussions and to help each of us share bits and pieces of our TeaWorld and even parts of our lives.

I can tell you, it is not easy creating a subject every day ... and formatting it into a poll can be a nightmare sometimes. But I hope this helps to make TeaDay more interesting and fun, we can all use a little fun, right?

While here and discussing the topic, we share what we are drinking, but TeaDay would not be what it is with this alone, nor would it be the success that it is without everyone of you participating and discussing topics of interest to most of us on most days.

Interestingly, on most days, poll results exceed posts, so many people come in and answer the poll and read, hopefully over a cup of tea. While there will always be readers, lurkers, I always hope more and more will join the forum and step into our daily discussions.

Also, long after the topics are locked, people still read TeaDays, as the number of views continue to climb.

BTW, I am always looking for topics/poll, please consider offering suggestions via PM to me. Thanks!

[geeber1]

Geek, glad your kitty found his way home! There's nothing more miserable sounding than a hungry, wet cat!

Auggy, we have very technologically challenged people here at my workplace, too. Most of them think that because the copiers and printers are located in our department that we are experts on them. What really fries me is when they jam up our copier, leave it jammed and use the copier in the other room.

Here's a question for the group:
What is the best advice/knowledge you've picked up here on TeaChat?

[Chip]

BYW, began the TD with Sae Midori from O-Cha. I am really finding the groove with it after 2 suspect attempts that left me wonderong if I was either inept or the sencha is overated. So, turns out I was inept and the Tea was delicious.

At the TeaTable, SweeTea sampled the Sae Midori. Pyrit, Wulong and the Lil Bit just took up TeaTable space.

Cheryl, how did you make out with Sae Midori this AM?

[Intuit]

"Hey, everyone else read your post"

*laughing* Which version? I amended it multiple times for clarification, because I had someone blathering at me on the phone when I first posted it...hard to tune them out and write coherently.

Another 'chemical modification' activity akin to tea drinking that boosts feel-good neurohormones: strength-training and aerobic exercise.

You would be surprised at the parallels between tea drinkers and strength training enthusiasts, especially the 'enrichment' in both groups with technophiles.

Herbal tea again, this time Lemon Ginger. Mmmmm.