tea bag

I have no idea who Earl Grey is, or who he was. I don't know where he's from, when he lived, how he died, or why he's a tea. I do know that there is a nasty tea named after him, so apparently he did something in his life to get some notice. Perhaps he was a tea farmer and he invented the tea blend that bears his name. I guess that tea lovers, in order to remember the bastard that created such a lifeless little tea, created a label with his name on it and put it on any tea that tasted of dried maple leafs covered in dog shit. It was their little way of warning others without having to use a skull and crossbones.

I have been told that my problem with tea is not the type of tea I choose, but in my ability to make it properly. Apparently there is a talent in dropping a tea bag into water and knowing how long to let it sit there to make the water turn color. I guess my style of waving of the tea bag back and forth in the water is the incorrect method of making proper tea. And it's also a mistake to leave the bag in the water for more than two minutes, something I have a problem with as a coffee drinker. The longer you soak the coffee, the better it is. In tea, the longer you soak the tea bag, the more vile the flavor becomes. These things I didn't know and it could be the reason that I am a play-it-safe coffee drinker.

Everything is enjoyable if it is done correctly and it's sad that most of the things I do, I do wrong. I am one of millions of people that are fans of either skipping steps to decrease the amount of time required, or periodically, taking extended amounts of time to finish something. I think that the true beauty of my endeavourers lies somewhere in between. I feel this way, as do millions of others, because we don't like to follow the rules and we feel that we can find our own creation if we alter a few of the steps. We feel that the rules were written for the weak and feeble minded and we know that the true treasure of something is found in altering the recipe.

This isn't always a great idea, and there are instances where following the rules is a requirement. Sure, there are times when the rules are written for morons, but not every time. For example; cookies. It's not a good idea to mix all the ingredients of a recipe together all at the same time. When the recipe calls for a "dry mix" and a "wet mix" to be put together "later", it's best to abide by those simple instructions. I have ruined more than my fair share of cookies this way. I can't help myself. I want cookies as fast as I can get them and I don't want to have to make a huge mess to get them. I don't have the time. And if the cookies taste like shit, then so be it. A bad cookie is still a cookie. Even if they look like biscuits.

Of course, on the flip side of this behavior is the savoring. The times when you need to put your ass in gear and get things done and you find yourself trying to stop time, so you can enjoy the experience. I have this issue with Q-tips. Man, do they feel good... I could use them for hours... hmmmmm.. It can take me twenty minutes to leave a bathroom if Q-tips are involved. Usually, someone has to come in and pick me up off the floor. I have been known to be late for events because a Q-tip called to me from the blue box of temptation.

Some people just take too long and it slows down the universe to have them around. I give you any government agency... I rest my case.

The way you make something has everything to do with it's effectiveness and it's important that you not mismanage the steps if you are trying to enjoy it the way it was intended to be. There are too many examples of this behavior in more arenas than just cooking or tea making. The most common failings of time mismanagement and improper step taking: Romance, war, revenge, shopping, minor prefabricated furniture construction, major building construction, financial planning, studying, video game playing.... (this last one is not as common, but if you have ever seen someone playing a video game that missed a step, or a move, and it's costing them the game, they can lose it emotionally, physically and mentally. It can get pretty nasty.)

I leave the tea in the water too long, and it makes my Earl Grey taste like I got the tea leaves straight off the ground of a pig farm. Ten seconds less... Heaven. It's just THAT important to pay attention. I wonder how many things were rushed into existence and it worked out for the better? Is there a list of items that impatience has made better? I wonder if people know how many things in their world are perfection created from impatience. I wonder if people could even distinguish a good hand made cinnamon roll from a microwavable one.

Canned soup. Remote controls. Hmmmmmm... this could be a large list. There are too many things that we have around us that are designed for our impatience and we are willing to pay for it with value and quality. As long as I can have it now, I don't care if it tastes perfect. Just get it to me pronto!

Whatever time asks of you, whether it's to take your time or skip a few steps, I hope that your tea tastes better the way you create it. Of course, you are redefining it's value, but hey, it's your world. Perhaps you are actually doing it right and the rest of the world has it wrong. It has been known to happen. My biscuit cookies are actually better than the store bought ones. SO THERE!!!!!