teakkurim

1 nisan 5781 the past couple of weeks my stomach has not been feeling well. it was feeling bloated and i had lots of cramping. there were a couple of days where it was hard for me to eat or drink because my stomach felt so upset. i had no idea what was going on.   i have a lot of health problems and it becomes extra stressful when something is happening in addition to my usual level of discomfort/pain. was it because i had missed a few days of one med that is supposed to prevent the side affects of another med that can cause upset stomachs? was it because i took an NSAID one day for when my body hurt more than normal and the cumulative years of NSAIDs were fucking up my stomach? was it because i had a younger puer and it was too harsh on my body? there’s so many variables it gets hard to figure out what is going on.   after two weeks, my stomach got a little better but not back to my regular level of meh. could it be the puer? i haven’t been drinking anything that young, but i...

14 shvat 5781   my landmate asked me why do i like tea. it became a complicated answer.   why do i like tea? am i drinking it now for pure enjoyment? honestly, no. sometimes yes, but sometimes, no. presently, i spend a lot of time studying tea. i am judging it. i am evaluating it. and sometimes, i am disappointed by it. this certainly doesn’t sound fun and makes me sound like a jaded parent. so why am i doing this to myself?   i will get optimistic first before i dive into my personal existential hole of skepticism.    during the summer i would sit out in the yard on a blanket, pour tea, watch the birds, occasionally read from a book, and bask in the sun’s warmth. i was very happy doing this and i was enjoying myself. my gaiwan looked elegant and graceful sitting atop the hewn stump. the leaves glistened under the sunlight and the liquid sparkled as i poured it into my cup. as the weather grew drearier, i would sit inside drinking pour after pour and spend lots ...

8 shvat 5781  ah business. it helps supply us with tea and helps lighten our suppl of money. economics. capitalism. supply and demand. other word$. the tea trade is a business and it is a pretty big one in China. with the growth of Chinese tea consumption in the west and also the growth in China's overall domestic economy, the tea trade has become an even bigger business. this brings more money into rural villages hopefully also brings an improvement in quality of life. but these tea companies are not magnanimous do-gooders no matter how much they advertise all the 'good' they are doing for tea farmers. they are trying to make money. and that’s fine, don’t let me stop you from getting your bags (unless you do so underhandedly and by deceiving people. then screw you).     some of these companies are run entirely by well-to-do westerners and they are aiming their marketing at other well to do westerners. some of these companies are run by people from Yun...