Nothing Like A Cuppa Tea

I am, what could be called an extreme tea enthusiast. And I'm proud of it. There's nothing more comforting for me than a hot cup of black tea.
I think perhaps it has to do with my upbringing. My parents are both from Eastern Europe, so I've been drinking hot tea regularly since I was a toddler. Sometimes with lemon and sugar, and sometimes with milk. Always hot, though. I've never really enjoyed iced tea.  In my opinion, tea should always be hot.  It brings out all the flavor in the leaves when you steep it well.
My favourite tea is a cup of Earl Grey tea with just a little bit of milk or the lighter tasting Lady Grey. I like Tetley Teas, Stash, and Celestial Seasonings. I do enjoy fruit teas as well. Last time I took a trip to Europe, my aunt took me to a tea shop and I brought home a delicious strawberry loose tea blend. I use it sparingly, as I can only get it in Europe. I regularly order tea with a bit of lemon if I'm eating at a restaurant, but I have to specify "hot". Otherwise, I'll get iced tea.
My sister came back from a study abroad trip to England and brought me the most wonderful loose tea set from the renowned English tea shop Fortnum and Mason   I tend to prefer loose leaf tea to tea bags, since the bag can restrict the flow of the tea leaves.
I received a set of three teas in a cute little canister set.  It included an Earl Grey blend, an Afternoon tea, and a great Royal Blend. My favourite has to be the Royal blend since it has a great strong flavor and you can really taste the Ceylon leaves. The Afternoon Tea has a lighter flavor and the Earl Grey, the classic light citrus like all Earl Grey.
It's really a shame that more Americans do not drink hot tea. In Europe, it's the first thing that's asked when you're welcomed into someone's home. "Tea? How do you take it?" I love it.  Hot tea is great because I feel as if it feeds the soul. It feeds my soul and is great for late night blogging. :)


"Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world.  ~T'ien Yiheng"

"It's a BOOK." Just a book.

I was on a news webpage this morning, getting my morning news reading done when I noticed an advertising banner for a children's book called "It's A Book" by Lane Smith. Simple enough title. The ad asked questions like "Can it text? Can it tweet? Can it blog?" I got curious and  clicked over to the website for the children's book and it directed me to a youtube video. In it, a donkey and I think it's a gorilla or monkey are sitting down together. The donkey is internet and technology savvy with his laptop on his lap. The monkey is an old fashioned book reader with a plain old fashioned book. Donkey starts asking question about monkey's book.... see the video below

At the end, the monkey and a little bird tell Mr. Tech-y, "It's a book jackass!" in plain enough English.

Okay, I'm sorry, but this alarmed me. Are future generations not going to know what a simple bound book is? How to turn the page? Are my future children not going to know what to do if I were to hand them a book? I hope it never comes to this, but it makes sense. How many people in my generation would know what to do with a record player if given to them? Will books become this way? Are we so technologically dependant to simply ignore a simpler way? We tweet, we text, we type, e-mail, blog, etc. How often do we pick up a book? A physical, turn the page book?

  With bookstore giant, Borders filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month and closing over 200 stores, it makes you wonder. The new electronic reader devices like the Nook and Kindle are great, don't get me wrong, but will the printed page become a thing of the past? Will libraries become a thing of the past? 

If you're like me, I love bookstores. I frequent Barnes and Noble and Borders regularly. There's just something special about cracking the spine on a new book. 

 But these new E-Readers intice me. They hold thousands of titles, cost less to own. I don't think wouldn't deter one from purchasing books. I read a statistc that said  "when people buy an e-reader like the Kindle or the Nooks, only 15% of them will actually stop purchasing printed books." Yes, it's more cost effective. No ink, or paper to use, lower printing costs, etc. More cost effective. Newsweek even ran a story comparing e-downloads to bound books. There isn't a defined "better option," but it's interesting to think about. 

I could see E-Readers being great for college textbooks. I'm a college student and lament at the very thought of the price of textbooks. Expensive beyond belief! I think the market could be huge to offer e-"text"books or PDF formats. There are some that do, but some people just prefer the physicality of an actual text. I mean, I don't think I could handle reading an electronic version of the Bible. How we use these E-Readers and E-books will affect our media, our schools, our homes, technology, even social aspects. 

I don't think that traditional books will ever disappear, but it's interesting to see how our use of technology affects everything. I mean, after all, I'm blogging.. on a computer.. typing word onto a screen.. Isn't that funny? 

And it starts...

So, I'm going to be 24 years old this year... and I figured that by this time in my life, I would have accomplished so much... as much as I have accomplished and have to be proud of, I haven't attained the goals that I really thought I'd have done by now. Since I'll be 24 soon, I am starting this blog and maybe a vlog to document my journey to these goals and perhaps discover who I'm suppose to be.

I figured by 24, I'd be finished with school, in a great job, possibly engaged, or married.... and I'm not. I'm still in school, not that it's a problem. I do have a good job, but it's not so much a career yet. I'm not married, engaged, or even dating.  Have I failed myself? I don't think so. I think I've realized a lot about my life.  Some  of those goals were unrealistic. To assume that you'll have your life figured out by the time you're 24 is unrealistic in a sense. 

 I think straight out of high school, I figured everything would be really easy.  I figured: School will be a breeze, money's not a problem... but when reality hit, it hits enough to make you ponder a lot things, even second guess at times. 

I'll be 24 in a couple of months, and I see my life as a new page. I just got out of a long relationship, very painful breakup and being alone terrified me. It was extremely hard on me. I'm beginning to heal though. Now I see it as an opportunity. For myself. To better myself, to work hard, and put myself where I need to be. I hope you'll join me for this journey. 

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For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.

When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you.

When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:11-13