Or maybe an escape thing.  I was only a couple weeks out of rehab when my mom loaned me the first season on DVD.  6 months later I’d seen every episode of all ten seasons.  For me, all that time spent in front of the TV was time spent not thinking about how bad I wanted to pound shots until I was unconscious.  I also didn’t have a driver’s license and was living with my parents outside of Georgetown, so I didn’t have a lot going on at the time.  And as silly as it sounds, it gave me some hope of a world far more interesting and exciting than the one I was living in. 

Now, while I enjoy a little not-so-guilty pleasure, I’m burning a bit of Dragon’s Blood incense.  It’s quickly becoming one of my favorites.  It’s got great texture, melts down to a puddle quickly but burns off easily.  Unlike some I’ve tried, it doesn’t stay goo and burn to a crisp, leaving an unpleasant charred smell.  A little bit does go a long way, so you don’t have to hover over it, which is nice.

I’m also enjoying a cup of a new Oolong tea I picked up.  It’s a 2009 Four Seasons Oolong, from my favorite little tea shop The Steeping Room.  This tea is fabulous, I am a huge fan.  Compared to most of the teas I’ve been enjoying, it’s incredibly light in flavor and texture.  The taste is fresh and bright, and it feels like velvet rolling over your tongue.  A quick bio: Four Seasons Oolong was developed in the 1980s in the Nantou region of Taiwan.  The name Four Seasons comes from the practice of picking four to six flushes a year, considerably more than most teas.  The tea is only about 30% oxidized, and after drying and baking, it is rolled into tiny balls by hand.  The labor-intensive process and attention to detail give this tea an impressive first impression and a lasting appeal, especially when you’re looking for a lighter, airier tea. 

Is airier a word?  Spell-check likes it, so do I.     

Speaking of, I’m thinking of going and taking a spelling and typing test next Monday while I’m off work.  It seems to be something a lot of employers are looking for, and it’s a requirement to get any sort of clerical position at UT.  But of course they’re only open weekdays 8-4, so I’ve never had a chance to go before.  Assuming they’re open, since it’s President’s Day and all.  Wouldn’t that be just my luck?

Well, I should have Mick walking in the door any minute now, which means dinner will be needed in the near future.  I’m gonna hop to it.  Be good, kiddos!

So that began about three hours ago, and here we are now.  Mick has gone down south to watch a movie or two with some friends, but should be back pretty soon.  In the meantime, I’m also enjoying a delicious cup of a new tea, Turkish Delight.  It’s green and black teas with sunflower, rose, and jasmine flower.  The dry tea itself smells incredible, almost painfully sweet; the taste, however, is smooth and still fragrant without being sugary.  It’s delicious hot, but would probably make a wonderful iced tea as well.  It’s a great afternoon tea, I can attest to that, and still has a decent amount of caffiene thanks to the black tea in the mix.  I’ve only had one steeping so far, so I’m not sure how it will hold up to more; I have a feeling that the delicate taste of the flowers won’t stand up, which would be a shame. 

Aside from the Turkish Delight, I have four other new teas to try out this week!  I did pick up a bag of my favorite Gyokuro Kin, but also picked out Eastside Earl (an organic Earl Grey) and a 2009 Four Seasons Oolong.  And since the tea man thought I had such good taste, he gave me a sample of another green Sencha, Fukamushi Sencha Maki.  I’ll let you know about all of these as soon as I try them out.  Let’s experiement together!  And as I mentioned this morning, you can find all of these teas here in Austin at The Steeping Room in the Domain.  Tell them I sent you and get…well…probably some funny looks, but that’s ok.  It’s all part of my secret diabolical plan for world domination and free tea. 

Well I guess that’s all I had to say for now.  I’m debating what shall be done for dinner, and I’m always taking suggestions!  I hear there’s a new Torchys up north that I’m dying to try out, so maybe that’s in the cards for the evening.  Trust me, if it’s anything exciting you’ll hear about it!  Stay classy, San Diego!