But this tencha. Whoo. I am one classy babe when I drink this Tencha. I don't know why but I feel beautiful when sipping it, isn't that odd? If you've seen my zaftig old self, you would agree, but something in the delicate taste of good tencha makes me see myself as perhaps I might have been in some past life, a geisha perhaps, a slim-wristed concubine? Neat! Anyhow. Now in this lifetime, I am the female personification of The Dude (but sober) so I shall move on and let us discuss the days' tea of choice, a groovy 7.45 grams of Crimson Lotus' Bulang Brick 2008.
Talk about setting a foundation for further imbibing? This has been my companion for three hours now and I feel like I will never sleep again. This shou comes on big, bold and strong, and I've been flash-brewing it and enjoying its subtle shifts so much I had to text Glen of CLT to thank him.
I don't want to give the impression that this Bulang is a speedy nerve-jarring tea, for that is not so. I am also feeling very present, in the moment and relaxed and calm enough to be able to sit these past few hours reading a wonderful book, A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, and appreciating it perhaps even more fully than I might have sans Puerh!
At some point when the sun goes down, my plan is to treat myself this New Years Evening by opening my most recent and most looked-forward-to acquisition, Yunnan Sourcing's highly rated top-o-the-line Imperial Tie Guan Yin of Anxi Oolong Tea of Fujian, Autumn 2015!
Wow, that's a goddamn mouthful, but that what Scott printed on the bag so that's what I am calling it. I have insanely high expectations for this tea, because Scott is a no bullshit seller, and if he says its great, it will be great. Man, what a night I am going to have! Sitting home and drinking tea! Wow! Who needs booze, cocaine, sex and sloppy kisses with strangers? Not me! THIS is the way to usher in the second half of my lifespan; husband and child watching 'The Empire Strikes Back,' me surrounded by sleeping dogs drinking tea in the dark and hoping against all hope that 2016 is a more sane year for the planet than 2015 proved to be. As for plans for the new year? I will not be participating in any dramas I can avoid, and not adding to any division or negativity, but will just be here. At my tea-table, sipping tea and thinking of others, who, like me are doing the same. Keep it up, tea-heads, for you are my inspiration. Now go find something nice to brew up! You deserve it and Happy New Year, dudes!