[-] I've been reading Drifting, a book of poetry by Dominic Cheung (Chang Ts'o). The book was awarded with Taiwan's prestigious literary award, the National Literature and Arts Prize in 1989. The poems have been translated to English by the author. The work is accessible, beautiful, and and filled with vivid imagery. Tea is an important image in this book, and I'd like to share one of the more sensual poems with my fellow tea geeks. **********Love Poems of Tea1If I, the boiling water,And you, the tea;Then your fragranceHas to depend solely upon my plainness.2Let your dryness inside meSoftly uncoil and stretch;Let me dissolve Imperceptibly, your tension.3I have to be hot, even boiledBefore we consume each other;We have to hide, see and holdeach other in waterto decide a tea color.4No matter how capriciously you drift;Gradually and slowly(O' gently)You will into me submerge--Deep.5by that moment the most bitter tear of yourswill become a best sipof my fragrance.Cheung, Dominic. Drifting. Green Integer: Los Angelos. 2000. p. 18. http://cuppablog.blogspot.com/2006/05/tea-poetry.html Tea Poetry

[-] I've been reading Drifting, a book of poetry by Dominic Cheung (Chang Ts'o). The book was awarded with Taiwan's prestigious literary award, the National Literature and Arts Prize in 1989. The poems have been translated to English by the author. The work is accessible, beautiful, and and filled with vivid imagery.

Tea is an important image in this book, and I'd like to share one of the more sensual poems with my fellow tea geeks.

**********

Love Poems of Tea

1
If I, the boiling water,
And you, the tea;
Then your fragrance
Has to depend solely upon my plainness.

2
Let your dryness inside me
Softly uncoil and stretch;
Let me dissolve
Imperceptibly, your tension.

3
I have to be hot, even boiled
Before we consume each other;
We have to hide, see and hold
each other in water
to decide
a tea color.

4
No matter how capriciously
you drift;
Gradually and slowly
(O' gently)
You will into me submerge--
Deep.

5
by that moment
the most bitter tear of yours
will become a best sip
of my fragrance.


Cheung, Dominic. Drifting. Green Integer: Los Angelos. 2000. p. 18.

Tea Poetry - http://cuppablog.blogspot.com/feeds/114813524261970243/comments/default

[-] but still i haven't watched MG 1, MG 2 lng :D http://of-tea-cups-and-melodies.blogspot.com/2006/05/recalling-meteor-garden-days.html recalling the Meteor Garden days

[-] but still i haven't watched MG 1, MG 2 lng :D



recalling the Meteor Garden days - http://of-tea-cups-and-melodies.blogspot.com/feeds/114802550966542902/comments/default

[-] Though I have other pressing matters, with eager anticipation I've begun scientific testing to verify (or dismiss) my assertion that Twinings Earl Grey just doesn't seem to taste as good since they adopted the new packaging. Test A, Part 1: Visual InspectionProcedure: The first thing I did was brew two cups of tea, identical in all ways except that one contained a teabag from the "old" packaging (delivered to NYC via Pennsylvania), and one teabag from the new packaging. I picked identical mugs. I prewarmed both mugs. I measured the water before putting it in the mugs, to make sure the amount was identical. The water was piping hot, straight out of the electric kettle.After 5 minutes of steeping, I removed both bags simultaneously. I then transferred the tea in the mugs to two clear glasses for observation.Results: Inconclusive. I could not discern any noticeable difference between the two glasses. They appeared to have the same color and opacity. I intended to take a picture for posting here, but I remembered after starting the experiment that a friend has my digital camera. Test A, Part 2: Blind Taste TestMy wife volunteered to do a blind taste test with these two glasses of tea. She is a better candidate than I. First, she hasn't spent any time on this website, so she could care less if I started this all over nothing. Second, she is a supertaster. This means she has an uncommonly strong sense of taste, particularly for bitter flavors. I, on the other hand, have a weak sense of taste and am generally unobservant when it comes to taste or smell. The fact that I perceived any difference in Twinings tea from one day to another is a minor miracle. In any case, I carried the two glasses into the room where my wife was waiting. I knew what was in each glass, but she did not. Results: Hypothesis confirmed! After two sips of each glass, she proclaimed that one glass tasted "good" and one glass tasted "bad." When I asked her to elaborate, she said the "bad" glass was extremely weak in flavor. Just to confirm results, I asked her if she had any preconceived notion about which glass would be the old tea and which was the new tea. She said she couldn't tell anything by looking at the glass, but she expected that the "good" tea would be the older tea. So my wife confirmed my suspicions. She selected the "old" tea as the better tea, with a stronger flavor. Interpretation: This experiment provides strong, but not fully conclusive, evidence, that Twinings Earl Grey tea in the new packaging is a weaker tea blend than the tea included in the previous packaging. My wife has provided independent confirmation that the old tea is indeed stronger and tastier than the new tea in my cabinet. One outstanding question is whether or not the new tea in my cabinet is somehow an "outlier." Is my new tea a "bad batch," an anomaly? I will have to test this question in my next experiment. http://savetwinings.blogspot.com/2006/05/scientific-results-test.html Scientific Results - Test A

[-] Though I have other pressing matters, with eager anticipation I've begun scientific testing to verify (or dismiss) my assertion that Twinings Earl Grey just doesn't seem to taste as good since they adopted the new packaging.

Test A, Part 1: Visual Inspection

Procedure: The first thing I did was brew two cups of tea, identical in all ways except that one contained a teabag from the "old" packaging (delivered to NYC via Pennsylvania), and one teabag from the new packaging. I picked identical mugs. I prewarmed both mugs. I measured the water before putting it in the mugs, to make sure the amount was identical. The water was piping hot, straight out of the electric kettle.

After 5 minutes of steeping, I removed both bags simultaneously. I then transferred the tea in the mugs to two clear glasses for observation.

Results: Inconclusive. I could not discern any noticeable difference between the two glasses. They appeared to have the same color and opacity. I intended to take a picture for posting here, but I remembered after starting the experiment that a friend has my digital camera.

Test A, Part 2: Blind Taste Test

My wife volunteered to do a blind taste test with these two glasses of tea. She is a better candidate than I. First, she hasn't spent any time on this website, so she could care less if I started this all over nothing. Second, she is a supertaster. This means she has an uncommonly strong sense of taste, particularly for bitter flavors. I, on the other hand, have a weak sense of taste and am generally unobservant when it comes to taste or smell. The fact that I perceived any difference in Twinings tea from one day to another is a minor miracle.

In any case, I carried the two glasses into the room where my wife was waiting. I knew what was in each glass, but she did not.

Results: Hypothesis confirmed! After two sips of each glass, she proclaimed that one glass tasted "good" and one glass tasted "bad." When I asked her to elaborate, she said the "bad" glass was extremely weak in flavor. Just to confirm results, I asked her if she had any preconceived notion about which glass would be the old tea and which was the new tea. She said she couldn't tell anything by looking at the glass, but she expected that the "good" tea would be the older tea.

So my wife confirmed my suspicions. She selected the "old" tea as the better tea, with a stronger flavor.

Interpretation: This experiment provides strong, but not fully conclusive, evidence, that Twinings Earl Grey tea in the new packaging is a weaker tea blend than the tea included in the previous packaging. My wife has provided independent confirmation that the old tea is indeed stronger and tastier than the new tea in my cabinet. One outstanding question is whether or not the new tea in my cabinet is somehow an "outlier." Is my new tea a "bad batch," an anomaly? I will have to test this question in my next experiment.

Scientific Results - Test A - http://savetwinings.blogspot.com/feeds/114790685111927578/comments/default

[-] Quite reasonably, some people who have emailed me have been dismissive, suggesting that maybe I just got a bad batch of tea. It is a fair point, and worthy of response. I haven't conducted a double blind study with a large subject group, but I have gathered more than my own highly subjective opinion, and am planning to investigate further.Argument #1: Maybe it is just a bad batchI hope this is the case, but I'm not confident that it is. I downplayed my own reaction to the "new" tea until I overheard others complaining about the change--without any prompting from me. Only after comparing notes did I realize that this is likely a bigger picture problem. Argument #2: Maybe it's all in your head.Response: Thanks to the efforts of my mother-in-law, I have two sets of Twinings Earl Grey in the Cupboard. She purchased the last stock of Earl Grey in the old packaging from her local grocery in PA, and brought it up to NY for me to have. Very kind of her. So, I have been able to compare the flavor of the "old" packaging against the "new" packaging, and I stand by my assessment. The previous generation is much tastier. My mother-in-law, the connoisseur most responsible for my tea habit, corroborates.What the situation calls for is for me to go out and purchase another batch of the new tea and do a blind taste test against the tea in the "old" packaging. I plan to do this in the coming days, and will post the results one way or the other. After all, Twinings Earl Grey is my favorite tea, and my only incentive for creating this blog is to restore the tea to its former glory. http://savetwinings.blogspot.com/2006/05/evidence.html The Evidence

[-] Quite reasonably, some people who have emailed me have been dismissive, suggesting that maybe I just got a bad batch of tea. It is a fair point, and worthy of response. I haven't conducted a double blind study with a large subject group, but I have gathered more than my own highly subjective opinion, and am planning to investigate further.

Argument #1: Maybe it is just a bad batch
I hope this is the case, but I'm not confident that it is. I downplayed my own reaction to the "new" tea until I overheard others complaining about the change--without any prompting from me. Only after comparing notes did I realize that this is likely a bigger picture problem.

Argument #2: Maybe it's all in your head.
Response: Thanks to the efforts of my mother-in-law, I have two sets of Twinings Earl Grey in the Cupboard. She purchased the last stock of Earl Grey in the old packaging from her local grocery in PA, and brought it up to NY for me to have. Very kind of her. So, I have been able to compare the flavor of the "old" packaging against the "new" packaging, and I stand by my assessment. The previous generation is much tastier. My mother-in-law, the connoisseur most responsible for my tea habit, corroborates.

What the situation calls for is for me to go out and purchase another batch of the new tea and do a blind taste test against the tea in the "old" packaging. I plan to do this in the coming days, and will post the results one way or the other. After all, Twinings Earl Grey is my favorite tea, and my only incentive for creating this blog is to restore the tea to its former glory.

The Evidence - http://savetwinings.blogspot.com/feeds/114790235323632608/comments/default

[-] Rome.
WED
I got to my hostel *the pop inn* and as I unpacked and listened to the traffic outside I realized I am quite excited to get to explore rome.

was traveling to rome till 4. its 7 now. will buy some water for tomorrow and get to bed early.

THUR
Rome truly is a great city. I walked from the coluseum (i didn't go in because I am cheap and have heard dozens of dissapointed accounts. and you can walk all around and look in through the gates and see almost everything and save 11 euro), to the forum, to the trevi fountain, to piazza de poplalo, to a view above the city, to some churches in the square, to the panthean, to another piazza, and the campo de fiori.

Despite the traffic and all the tourists it felt very walkable.. The tourists didnt really bother me, sometimes they were comforting, knowing there would always be people on almost any street I went down (until I was in a small gelato store looking at the flavors to decide and 11 fat americans crowded in behind me so I ran away)
I bought water at the SPAR supermarket and they were giving away a free roses. So I walked home with one and watched the sun set over rome and its ruins. A very nice day.

FRI
will walk through the forum today. Am prepared with water and a snack. Then will probably go to st. pauls *I have on a modest skirt that covers the knees and a sweatshirt so I dont get turned away for being a hussy.

actually jjust went to the forum. sat and read and rested

SAT
went to st. peters (though i did take the metro to st. paul first when I got out and was puzzled as to why i was in a rougher neighborhood with no looming cathedral or touristsin sight)
went to the museum and saw the sistine chapel and then the cathedral.

I knew the sistine chapel was at the very end of the museum and so my grand plan was to run to the chapel, see it and then work my way back. But they've got it worked out- esspecially on busy days like sat was that you only get to go one way- they loop you around and around the museum- it took me 2 hours to get through the museum and to the chapel. I got there at 220 and they shut the doors on everyone behind us at 230 /when the museum closes.

there was all these recorded warnings in 10 different lanuages and signs before you enter the sistine chapel that it is a place of worship, no pictures and silence. when you enter the sistine chapel it looks and sounds like a chaotic train station- packed front to back with people- most of the snapping pictures. SHHHH the gaurds kept saying while clapping their hands. Silence please! it only lasted for a second. though the chapel itself was smaller than i expected- i had always invisioned a 10 football field size ceiling and this was like 1 at the most (mabyer two, all the people threw off the scale a bit for me- but i think its one) the ceiling was still incredibly beautiful. Ive seen so many pictures of it but there was quite a few moments of wow, i didnt know that was there. Everyone kept loudly talking and taking pictures and i had the thought that its quite a privilage that we even get to see this. though they wind you through the museum there is plenty to see- thousands of sculpttures and hangings. my favorite was the map hall- more on that later.

the cathedral- was a really big cathedral. and the popes buried in there or embalmed creep me outmore on that later

went out w- a guy from the hostel who had asked me the night before if i wanted to grab some dinner. sure, why not. and it was fine but the night wasnt very relaxed because he hadnt meant grab some dinner. it was lets have a romantic night in rome even though weve just met eachother. when we got back I thanked him for dinner and rang my hostel areas doorbell, rediculous system
He looks at me incredulously/ so i dont get a kiss.
No. ring bell again- did you expect one? I ring the door buzzer again which is not opening
Well ... Yes. he said like an indignant spoilt child.
well im sorry if you got that impression (though i really shouldnt have said that because i gave no impression. i gave the opposite impression. friends. friends.
bah. half of the night was both of us giving eachother hints as to what we wanted/ it was exhausting, only he didn-t pick up on my hints or even my sentences when I flat out said I thought this was just two travelers grabbing dinner and thats what Id prefer. I think i could have given him a document in bold letters and he still wouldnt have gotten it.
what do you want to do on the spanish steps. wink wink. nudge nudge
*take a step to the side* people watch
what do you feel right now (looking at the trevi fountain at night)
nothing. (I know I was supposed to smile and sigh and lean into his arms but i made sure we were standing side by side because i had already gotten 20 hints and was getting so tired of sending them back)
what are your thoughts on the parthenon (romanically said) what are you thinking right now.
Im thinking you need to pick a resturant because weve been walking around for 4 hours and you keep saying your hungry but then you dont pick a resturant
The next guy at a hostel who asks me to explore a city with him is going to get a clear boundry before we even step foot to leave. and if i make less friends so bloody be it. rediculous. though w/ an aussie all id need to say was as friends? and they would say Yeeah, as maates. because aussies are awesome. and a brit would say. a little offended like Well, yes of course, and then they would say something somewhat loving and jabby and maybe a teeny bit mean but witty. because brit boys are lovely.

I am not being nice anymore. Ill even flat out tell them I am not attracted to them/ guppy fish who cant be firm and pick a resturant, cant enjoy all the amazing sites around him because hes trying to force romance and make every one seem romantic, cant addapt to crossing streets like an italian and we have little in common, and he thinks Im very strange but he still wants to kiss me? bah. american boys. i-ll forgive them as a whole later.

i ve forgiven american boys and i feel better now. water and chicken and bread makes everything better. an actual meal does.

sun
laid around on my bed feeling sick because it is the 21st and that is how I feel on the 21st. Booked an overnight train to Switzerland.

MON
I was sitting in the hostel looking at a map and trying to decide if I had enough time to walk up to this park and I heard some people talking about Bill (the stupid boy I walked around Rome with) and how he annoyed them and this australian said "He just kept complaining about this girl he spent money on." I didn't get to hear any more because the blond girl knew I was "this girl" and she must have given an eye message to the australian guy because they abruptly changed subjects. SPENT MONEY ON! I told him before we walked out the door that I pay for my own food. I gave him money. HE WOULDN'T TAKE IT. We argued. Neither of us would budge. I told him he wasnt my boyfriend, this was just two people grabbing dinner and I was paying. He wouldn't let me have the bill. He forced me to let him pay. and it was 6 EUROS. I was supposed to kiss him for 6 euros? It's not as bad as the guys who think a girl should sleep with them if they pay for dinner but it is still pretty bad. and for 6 euros that I could have paid myself and WANTED to and tried to... this is why some girls DON'T let guys pay for them because there are idiots out there with idiotic delusions and bad mindsets. 6 euros...

Took some pics of the coluseum, Walked through the forum to get some gelato- talked to a couple from california, walked to the trevi fountain and tossed 1 coin in over my shoulder so I could come back to rome.

Rome> Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun - http://michelleinchicago.blogspot.com/2006/05/rome-wed-thur-fri-sat-sun.html

[-] Rome.
WED
I got to my hostel *the pop inn* and as I unpacked and listened to the traffic outside I realized I am quite excited to get to explore rome.

was traveling to rome till 4. its 7 now. will buy some water for tomorrow and get to bed early.

THUR
Rome truly is a great city. I walked from the coluseum (i didn't go in because I am cheap and have heard dozens of dissapointed accounts. and you can walk all around and look in through the gates and see almost everything and save 11 euro), to the forum, to the trevi fountain, to piazza de poplalo, to a view above the city, to some churches in the square, to the panthean, to another piazza, and the campo de fiori.

Despite the traffic and all the tourists it felt very walkable.. The tourists didnt really bother me, sometimes they were comforting, knowing there would always be people on almost any street I went down (until I was in a small gelato store looking at the flavors to decide and 11 fat americans crowded in behind me so I ran away)
I bought water at the SPAR supermarket and they were giving away a free roses. So I walked home with one and watched the sun set over rome and its ruins. A very nice day.

FRI
will walk through the forum today. Am prepared with water and a snack. Then will probably go to st. pauls *I have on a modest skirt that covers the knees and a sweatshirt so I dont get turned away for being a hussy.

actually jjust went to the forum. sat and read and rested

SAT
went to st. peters (though i did take the metro to st. paul first when I got out and was puzzled as to why i was in a rougher neighborhood with no looming cathedral or touristsin sight)
went to the museum and saw the sistine chapel and then the cathedral.

I knew the sistine chapel was at the very end of the museum and so my grand plan was to run to the chapel, see it and then work my way back. But they've got it worked out- esspecially on busy days like sat was that you only get to go one way- they loop you around and around the museum- it took me 2 hours to get through the museum and to the chapel. I got there at 220 and they shut the doors on everyone behind us at 230 /when the museum closes.

there was all these recorded warnings in 10 different lanuages and signs before you enter the sistine chapel that it is a place of worship, no pictures and silence. when you enter the sistine chapel it looks and sounds like a chaotic train station- packed front to back with people- most of the snapping pictures. SHHHH the gaurds kept saying while clapping their hands. Silence please! it only lasted for a second. though the chapel itself was smaller than i expected- i had always invisioned a 10 football field size ceiling and this was like 1 at the most (mabyer two, all the people threw off the scale a bit for me- but i think its one) the ceiling was still incredibly beautiful. Ive seen so many pictures of it but there was quite a few moments of wow, i didnt know that was there. Everyone kept loudly talking and taking pictures and i had the thought that its quite a privilage that we even get to see this. though they wind you through the museum there is plenty to see- thousands of sculpttures and hangings. my favorite was the map hall- more on that later.

the cathedral- was a really big cathedral. and the popes buried in there or embalmed creep me outmore on that later

went out w- a guy from the hostel who had asked me the night before if i wanted to grab some dinner. sure, why not. and it was fine but the night wasnt very relaxed because he hadnt meant grab some dinner. it was lets have a romantic night in rome even though weve just met eachother. when we got back I thanked him for dinner and rang my hostel areas doorbell, rediculous system
He looks at me incredulously/ so i dont get a kiss.
No. ring bell again- did you expect one? I ring the door buzzer again which is not opening
Well ... Yes. he said like an indignant spoilt child.
well im sorry if you got that impression (though i really shouldnt have said that because i gave no impression. i gave the opposite impression. friends. friends.
bah. half of the night was both of us giving eachother hints as to what we wanted/ it was exhausting, only he didn-t pick up on my hints or even my sentences when I flat out said I thought this was just two travelers grabbing dinner and thats what Id prefer. I think i could have given him a document in bold letters and he still wouldnt have gotten it.
what do you want to do on the spanish steps. wink wink. nudge nudge
*take a step to the side* people watch
what do you feel right now (looking at the trevi fountain at night)
nothing. (I know I was supposed to smile and sigh and lean into his arms but i made sure we were standing side by side because i had already gotten 20 hints and was getting so tired of sending them back)
what are your thoughts on the parthenon (romanically said) what are you thinking right now.
Im thinking you need to pick a resturant because weve been walking around for 4 hours and you keep saying your hungry but then you dont pick a resturant
The next guy at a hostel who asks me to explore a city with him is going to get a clear boundry before we even step foot to leave. and if i make less friends so bloody be it. rediculous. though w/ an aussie all id need to say was as friends? and they would say Yeeah, as maates. because aussies are awesome. and a brit would say. a little offended like Well, yes of course, and then they would say something somewhat loving and jabby and maybe a teeny bit mean but witty. because brit boys are lovely.

I am not being nice anymore. Ill even flat out tell them I am not attracted to them/ guppy fish who cant be firm and pick a resturant, cant enjoy all the amazing sites around him because hes trying to force romance and make every one seem romantic, cant addapt to crossing streets like an italian and we have little in common, and he thinks Im very strange but he still wants to kiss me? bah. american boys. i-ll forgive them as a whole later.

i ve forgiven american boys and i feel better now. water and chicken and bread makes everything better. an actual meal does.

sun
laid around on my bed feeling sick because it is the 21st and that is how I feel on the 21st. Booked an overnight train to Switzerland.

MON
I was sitting in the hostel looking at a map and trying to decide if I had enough time to walk up to this park and I heard some people talking about Bill (the stupid boy I walked around Rome with) and how he annoyed them and this australian said "He just kept complaining about this girl he spent money on." I didn't get to hear any more because the blond girl knew I was "this girl" and she must have given an eye message to the australian guy because they abruptly changed subjects. SPENT MONEY ON! I told him before we walked out the door that I pay for my own food. I gave him money. HE WOULDN'T TAKE IT. We argued. Neither of us would budge. I told him he wasnt my boyfriend, this was just two people grabbing dinner and I was paying. He wouldn't let me have the bill. He forced me to let him pay. and it was 6 EUROS. I was supposed to kiss him for 6 euros? It's not as bad as the guys who think a girl should sleep with them if they pay for dinner but it is still pretty bad. and for 6 euros that I could have paid myself and WANTED to and tried to... this is why some girls DON'T let guys pay for them because there are idiots out there with idiotic delusions and bad mindsets. 6 euros...

Took some pics of the coluseum, Walked through the forum to get some gelato- talked to a couple from california, walked to the trevi fountain and tossed 1 coin in over my shoulder so I could come back to rome.

Rome> Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun - http://michelleinchicago.blogspot.com/feeds/114788422205240045/comments/default