Skip to main content

Featured

Living in the age of convenience

taiwanese grass jelly herb (3.1/5) (cooling, bitter mint sensation that feels light but has an intense climate. apparently, when steeped with agar agar or gelatin, it can thicken into a jelly. however, i would prefer to drink the herb as is.) "And surely you have seen, in the darkness of the most innermost rooms of these huge buildings, to which sunlight never penetrates, how the gold lead of a sliding door or screen will pick up a distant glimmer from the garden, then suddenly send forth an ethereal glow, a faint golden light cast into the enveloping darkness. How in such a dark place, gold draws so much light to itself is a mystery to me. Modern man, in his well-lit house, knows nothing of the beauty of gold, but those who lived in the dark houses of the past were not merely captivated by its beauty, they also knew its practical value, for gold in these dim rooms, must have served the function of a reflector. Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty." Tanizaki'...

Why I like tea so much

I am abnormally hyper-sensitive to caffeine. As a college student, this is a disparity and the absence of substitution for my constant lack of sleep can be discouraging. 
I discovered that the caffeine in tea, particularly red and green, affects me differently; as opposed to coffee, tea has a rather soothing nature of keeping me awake. The physical act of drinking tea is also entirely different from coffee, there is something spiritual about it, an intangible act of ritual. Such a precise repetition of the same gestures of watching the steam rise from the kettle and the everchanging notes of bitter quality about the tea leaves. A beautifully simple accession for simple and authentic sensations with very little cost to become an aristocrat of taste. Tea is a beverage for both the wealthy and the poor, it is a beverage with the extraordinary virtue of introducing the absurdity of our lives an aperture of serenity. Immersing oneself in the act of appreciating a cup of tea extends beyond a morning routine, it is an appreciation of the insignificance that surrounds us. So, please dare I say, let me be melodramatic and drink my tea. Perhaps with each swallow, you as well, can sublime the workings of time.

Comments

Popular Posts