Tuesday TeaDay 12/30/08 Private TeaHouse?

[olivierco]

shin shun matcha, kanro gyokuro, kaboku sencha, o-kubu-cha and houjicha.

Ok that's just creepy man. Mine is almost the exact same. Except that yours has the shin shun where mine doesn't since it wasn't out the day I ordered, I also have the Kinmo-no-mukashi, uji shimizu and genmai. (Oh and a present for a friend).

But everything else is the same.

*Insert Twilight Zone music*

[Pentox]

Ok that's just creepy man. Mine is almost the exact same.

I don't know if you have noticed, but your avatars are also quite similar.

Psh, no they're not.

[Pentox]

Oh, I think Ippodo may have changed their matcha tins as well. (Not that it matters oh so much, but more an observation. The tins I received are not like the pictured tins, but rather a very short top. The stickers look to be made for the pictured tins with the perforation across the middle. But with the tin I got it sits across just the regular tin itself.

I just thought the other ones looked a bit nicer.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

I agree with pretty much everything that was said about this idea, both positive and negative. I really think it would be a good idea though, I dont think it would really be that big of a thing, it would just be a more secure place to do things like posting your real name and mailing address so people can get together, meet up, perhaps we could get a tea tasting together with a good amount of people in a general area, there really are so many things that we can do if we just had somewhere to "do the planning."

[Geekgirl]

Oh, I think Ippodo may have changed their matcha tins as well. (Not that it matters oh so much, but more an observation. The tins I received are not like the pictured tins, but rather a very short top. The stickers look to be made for the pictured tins with the perforation across the middle. But with the tin I got it sits across just the regular tin itself.

I just thought the other ones looked a bit nicer.

pics please?

Re: private forum, there may be some application for such a thing around here, but in general, we are not sharing much "private" information on the topic of tea. I wonder if creating a pseudo-private general on-topic forum would have more of the effect of diluting participation in the main areas.

One thing that seems a little odd here is that we do not have an "off-topic" section. If the "private" section also served the purpose of being an off-topic forum, a "lounge" of sorts, then I can see the benefit of having such a place for established members.

[Geekgirl]

it would just be a more secure place to do things like posting your real name and mailing address

not a good idea to post personal info such as numbers/addys, even if the forum section is "private."

[Victoria]

Enjoying a nice cup of Adagio Darjeeling #2 in my new cup from my friend Kay in The Netherlands!! Rituals is a Spa resort there and they also have their own line of tea. The cup is really special to me since it came from her, and she knew I had been eyeing it. A nice Christmas surprise.

It is hard to see but it all silvery, mirror finished. That scallop you see on the bottom of the cup is just a reflection.

[Victoria]

One thing that seems a little odd here is that we do not have an "off-topic" section. If the "private" section also served the purpose of being an off-topic forum, a "lounge" of sorts, then I can see the benefit of having such a place for established members.

I agree, most forums have some place to discuss current events, movies, food, etc. Although these areas usually keep the Mods busy as they are inherent to bringing up politics and religion, but still it's nice to talk about other interests sometimes.

it would just be a more secure place to do things like posting your real name and mailing address

not a good idea to post personal info such as numbers/addys, even if the forum section is "private."

Absolutely Geek. Thank you.

[Vulture]

I don't like it... it seems like people could be fooled into thinking that it really was a private forum, and share more than they normally would. A false sense of security, I guess. It's really not like it would take that much to work your way into this private forum as it is proposed now.

I understand that this is just a chain link fence area. It can be easily climbed but it is better than not having it at all. I worked retail long enough that I can walk into any store and walk off with almost anything pocket sized out of its box (I don't do this by the way:evil: ). Security is always a deterrent not a guarantee.

[Vulture]

it would just be a more secure place to do things like posting your real name and mailing address

not a good idea to post personal info such as numbers/addys, even if the forum section is "private."

Yah this isn't a place to do such, that is what PM and e-mail is for. It would be more a place to keep TeaSwap, a map of members (city/general location), and personal pictures. All things I wouldn't really want to broadcast on an public forum but wouldn't mind posting in a private section.

[murrius]

Ok that's just creepy man. Mine is almost the exact same.

I don't know if you have noticed, but your avatars are also quite similar.

Pentox and olivierco; identical twins, separated at birth by fate, brought together again by tea.

Only sencha Maki so far today. I think I see some Margaret's Hope 2nd flush darjeeling in my near future however.

On contemplating todays topic I find myself completely undecided.

[Salsero]

Pentox and olivierco; identical twins, separated at birth by fate, brought together again by tea.

You said it!

[Drax]

I agree, most forums have some place to discuss current events, movies, food, etc. Although these areas usually keep the Mods busy as they are inherent to bringing up politics and religion, but still it's nice to talk about other interests sometimes.

You know... I think this is what lurks in the dark-side of most of my ambivalence. I love to come to this place to read about tea.

It's been extremely refreshing to be able to come together with a group of people and talk about tea, and not about non-tea topics. I have plenty of other places I can go for that. It was especially nice to have a reprieve from all the junk-talk during the American election season (for example).

Although I would probably ascribe to the "not going to read off-topic threads" philosophy myself, even reading the topic lines can burst the zen-like experience I get when coming here.

So I'm still in the "don't care" camp. But I will request if there's consideration of any lounge/off-topic component to this thing that it also be separate from the private-tea stuff. That way I can avoid it all-together. Yes, it's a very selfish request and of course can be ignored. But. . . I get just about the right amount of 'reality' in the TeaDay threads

[Ti]

You mean like the Secret Societea or The The Illuminatea?
I don't know...it don't sound like a great idea.

There is no such thing as privacy on the web. The web is public and therefore there is no expectation of privacy. You may be able to walk off with small physical items stolen from a retail store for now but the creeping implementation of RFID will put a stop it, and the web is already light years beyond that.

[chamekke]

I'm fairly agnostic on the question, which is why I haven't posted until now.

My main concerns are twofold:

- I hope that TeaDay remains the place where people catch up with each others' lives as well as chatting about tea. I'm worried that adding a tearoom forum might dilute* that very enjoyable part of TeaChat.

- I don't think that the achievement of any set number of posts is going to guarantee a membership of solid, upright citizens (with apologies to Chip, Salsero, and whoever else has a ton o' posts ), so I echo Victoria's concern about privacy.
_____

*And as you know, we tea fiends are not big on dilution.