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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 12th, 2018, 1:26 am

ImageGoodnight. 
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 13th, 2018, 10:44 am

Keeping an eye on Hurricane Florence; CNN news now says it has weakened (down to a Cat 2).

Still dangerous, with very high winds, sea surge, and all, but did not jump up to a Cat 5, as some predictions had suggested a few days ago.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/09/13/us/h ... index.html

For the areas being evacuated, in some places they shut down major highways heading towards the coast and reopened all 8 lanes to head inland (“lane reversal”).

Never heard of that before, though it may have occurred elsewhere.

Details on that from Sept 10 local news advisory:

http://www.wistv.com/story/39060194/gov ... e-florence

Government trying to apply lessons learned from the Katrina experience, and we’ll see how they do.

Florence and other storms on the tracker:
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 13th, 2018, 4:25 pm

Found a little treasure on a busy day; in a brief stop at a used bookstore, I found a book of illuminated manuscripts.  

Beautiful color plates like these. 

Image

Image

And now back to the Hurricane...  
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 15th, 2018, 9:07 pm

Perfect fall day - blue sky, fluffy clouds.

and now recharge energy with wonderful ancient power supply.
  
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 15th, 2018, 9:19 pm

Here is Beni Beni live
I saw Azam and her musicians at a small venue a year or so ago.  
She tours in Europe too; highly recommended. 
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 15th, 2018, 9:33 pm

she's on here:
Image
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 16th, 2018, 12:15 am

Indeed and I am sure you were delighted by the title there.

Also a good movie for a Saturday night:

Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee.
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 17th, 2018, 2:01 pm

Two ingredients for a relaxing and productive fall (in the face of a huge and growing work load.) Not complaining, of course. but how to keep it all balanced...

1) Cooking, as discussed in several threads.

and

2) For me, back to horses. I have not ridden in a few years, but will find a barn and a horse with spirit, a good work ethic, and an "honest" eye.

It is such a pleasure to spend time at a big barn surrounded by them. When you visit their stalls, most horses will come over and say hello.

Image
Really looking forward to it. 
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 18th, 2018, 9:04 pm

As part of our health food adventure series

At the Whole Foods Market today looking for orange juice with no additives and instead found this interesting beverage.

Looks very tree-like and murky. Having biriyani rice and Channa dal now, but pulling my courage together...
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 18th, 2018, 9:45 pm

Very nice - flavored with apple and ginger so a little sweet and a little hot.

But the basic "note" is very clear and refreshing.

So it looks like swamp water, but tastes like water from heaven.  :)
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 18th, 2018, 10:05 pm

Whoa, Trackstar! Isn't it a bit too harsh? :-) In Ukraine, impoverished people who descended into alcoholism (a.k.a. junkies, as ppauper would call them) drank birch water - a very cheap cologne with a relatively high alcohol content.

Seriously, birch water is good for toning your skin too. I used to use it when I wanted to whiten my skin and, in combination with a bunch of herbs and home-brewed ointments, it made me two tones lighter.
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 18th, 2018, 10:14 pm

Whoa, Trackstar! Isn't it a bit too harsh? :-) In Ukraine, impoverished people who descended into alcoholism (a.k.a. junkies, as ppauper would call them) drank birch water - a very cheap cologne with a relatively high alcohol content.

Seriously, birch water is good for toning your skin too. I used to use it when I wanted to whiten my skin and, in combination with a bunch of herbs and home-brewed ointments, it made me two tones lighter.
Haha - well this is definitely not an alcoholic beverage and not worried about a slippery slope there. ;)

Slippery Elm juice on the other hand, well that might be another story! 
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 19th, 2018, 1:15 am

The Drug Abuse Lexicon

Noticing the misuse of the term "junkie" below, it may be helpful to provide a little common slang, esp. for the Europeans around here. Feel free to translate and/or post terms for these specific addictions in your native tongue. (But keep these substances away from your tongue, and your nose, and....whatever.) 

Junkie - first and foremost, a heroin addict; possibly a speed addict, but not an alcoholic.

Tweaker - Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Crystal Meth addict; aka Speed Freak.

Coke head - as you would guess.

Pot head, dope head, stoner - marijuana. In high school the heavy smokers/partyers were called burnouts. In my day, high school kids did not do meth and certainly did not shoot up. Times have changed.

Crack head - as you would guess. This is what brought Whitney Houston down.

We don't hear much about crack these days; the party has moved on to meth, Fentanyl, and many weird blends.  Very dangerous stuff.

I know a few people who work in hospital emergency rooms and it's a serous situation.

I can also understand how it feels to become chemically dependent, as I have a pretty strong sugar craving and do have to work to control it. 

But I also work 60 hours a week these days, so I don't have time to be snorting elephant tranquilizers. 

Here is someone who knew what he was taking about.  If you listen, you will note the "junkie drawl" of his voice.

William S. Burroughs reading a passage from his book, Junkie, on yagé  (Ayahuasca iowaska), telepathy, and junk.
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 19th, 2018, 1:38 am

Apologies to all forum junkies in that case.
 
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Re: Universe Tea - Blog 2018

September 19th, 2018, 1:43 am

Apologies to all forum junkies in that case.
That's a legitimate term, actually, as is sugar junkie.
The question with a forum is, Why is it addictive?
Is it just social interaction, or does it change brain chemistry somehow. I think there is already research on that with regard to video games and possible mobile devices in general.
I was in NYC today and *everyone* on the subway is looking at their cell phones.  Even homeless people have them.

Some people become politics junkies.  Sad for them, under the current administration.

On the other hand, there are also adrenaline junkies.  They can be interesting and inspiring people, but survival is uncertain.

[youtube]TWfph3iNC-k[/youtube]
Last edited by trackstar on September 19th, 2018, 2:27 am, edited 3 times in total.