My own, private bit of complaining.

[Space Samurai]

I posted this here and chose not to reply to it on the forum, because I felt anything I had to say could cause more problems than my petty desire to vent was worth. I wanted to *BOO*. I wanted to be discreet. But I also wanted to know how the other members of our little core felt about this comment.

BTW, thanx for opening up this forum. I've only been here a few months but for a while it felt like if you didn't drink green tea asian style, there was no place for you at TeaChat. I've even seen some people leave just because they didn't drink tea like everybody else (MW) & it was a real shame to see that. Have a great day. Off to make a cup of tea. Will let you know which kind as soon as I figure it out myself.

IMHO: This is a public forum so it is what you make of it. When I joined last year, it seems everyone was talking about oolong, and I didn't know a li shan from an ali shan, but I learned. You get what you put in, and if one just lurks around and doesn't offer anything, then that person could feel left out. But that's like going to a party, listening to other people's conversations, then go home saying no one wanted to talk to you.

We are die hard tea people, but I feel we have all tried to help out the newbies with questions and make them feel welcome.

[Chip]

Since it was brought up here...try not to take offense at her comments. There is a bit of an undercurrent in TeaChat that I have heard about now from a handful of people. They were feeling that they did not belong here...I feel we all do!!!

Personally, I think it is mostly a feeling of intimidation on their part.

I know that nobody is intentionally intimidating others. But tea is a PASSION. I know I can get passionate about my opinions on tea. And I know others here can get equally as passionate. Even we butt heads sometimes. Some Tea drinkers are more mellow maybe, less intense.

99% of the time, I admire the patience of the vets with newbies questions. But we have all made a smart comment along the way as well. For instance, NewBee2Tea is driving me crazy right now...never ending questions.

TeaDay is really amazing in how EVERYONE is participating.

I would ask that we continue to be considerate of others and participate side by side with the less passionate on the TeaDay forum. I personally think it is helping to bring a lot of TeaChatters together of different TeaWalks. I can not explain why it is working so well except everyone is going out of their ways to make everyone else feel welcome.

I know I have been pushing the ITD foks to join in because you guys are an integral part of TC. I continue to ask that you participate. Thanx to those who are participating and I ask those who are not to consider joining in.

Edited...BTW, I am not defending the comments by Henley and now DotK, but I am trying to understand their point of view and what is good for all of TC.

Just think of it as constructive criticism or an opinion that has laid dormant.

[Space Samurai]

well, that's cool. thanks, chip.

[Chip]

Space...as I was washing dishes just now (old stone house, no dishwasher, time to think while doing mind numbing nothing), I was thinking about your comments. Perhaps I was getting in the way of your rant. I truly appreciate your expresing it here. I think I have used this ITD several times for this very purpose.

I understand what you are saying. I wish henley had chosen her words more tactfully. But unfortunately, the henleys do not have an ITD to go to and rant. She did mean well, I think, just a little too pointed I thought.

Dude, is it just me, or have you and I come a long frickin way???

[Space Samurai]

You and I have come a long way and its great.

And no, you did not get in the way of my rant; I was half raniting half curious what others thought--if I was the only one who even noticed. Henley's fine, she was expressing how she felt and that was fine. It is nice to have ITD, a place to talk without starting flame wars.

[brandon]

HUG.
IT.
OUT.

And if you don't drink Yerba out of a Gourd, GTFO of my TeaChat.

-- Loving jabs are solely for you folks, I have mostly learned to ignore newbies who prove resistant to clue -- but they could see the back and forth between regulars as something it is not? A quick look around would show plenty of enthusiasts in any sort of tea behaving nicely.

[Salsero]

I would would attribute henley's comment as much to a lack of sensitivity as to her feelings. A lot of times I think that people are less aware of the effect their words may have on others when those words are written, especially in the apparent isolation of one person and a computer. I know I've typed all kinds of shite that I would never have said in spoken conversation (or at least maybe not).

If henley have been talking in person with a group, looks and comments would probably not have allowed her to get her whole idea out before she had to modify it in light of others' opinions.

I doubt that she was setting out to make enemies, even if she almost did.

[tenuki]

It's the internet, people feel like that (lonely, isolated) all the time when they aren't eye to eye with their world. Modern living.. what ya gonna do?

I totally agree with her about the green tea people though, they are total snobs. ;P

[Chip]

Oy, what about those oolong gongfu snobbies, especially the ones who cover their ears at even the mention of Chinese oolong.

[scruffmcgruff]

Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

[fencerdenoctum]

Or those jerks sitting around in top hats drinking black tea out of bone china cups? Now THERE are your real snobs.

Fencer

[Mary R]

I can sort of empathize with henley...y'all are hella intimidating tossing around all these Chinese and Japanese names and such...and being so smart. I remember it took me quite awhile to feel comfortable posting.

But she totally lost me when she invoked Mocha Wheels. My ability to care was immediately turned off.

Thanks for bringing this discussion to the ITD, though. I think that was a more productive move.

[Chip]

For a sec there, I thought I might have to body slam ya, Mary!!!

It is great that we can come hear and let 'er rip!!!

[Space Samurai]

Ohhh, is that what she meant by saying MW, mocha wheels?

Regardless, the new what's-in-your-cup threads do seem to be quite popular.

[Salsero]

Individually we are all pretty nice people, but if you get two or more of us together, we really are a gaggle of insufferable boors, unmannerly and churlish as they come. Ain't it great!

I happen to be privy to the rationale for creating the ITD: it was not (as we suppose) to create an elite society of tea-heads. ITD was created by the authorities to protect the general population from being exposed to US.

Imagine the stupefaction and chagrin of the innocent who wanders upon the pretty world of tea (tea - what could be nicer!) and finds herself surrounded by a bunch of geese cackling fukamushi this and gongfu that and enumerating the 25 most important offshore tea vendors and handing them a list of $200 of unpronounceable teaware they have to buy before they open their beaks in the IM. The horror, the horror. And all she wanted was to find a little premium tea to see if it's better than what ma used to give her when she had a sore throat.

Still, after all is said and done, when a newbie wanders in and wants to know if the Blueberry Kumquat Roobios is as good as some tea they can't quite remember the name of ... well I love to know that I am not alone and that this newb may be drinking some pretty decent stuff in six months or a year and it's not that long ago that I was in more or less the same position and that there is a real surge of interest in tea in this country and we are part of a vanguard that is helping that happen.