Grumpy Beastie's Other Lair

Tea review: 2014 aged da hong pao oolong tea

2026-06-05T06:59:51Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 22

Tea Review
Name: 2014 Aged Da Hong Pao Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Bana Tea Co.
Type: oolong
Brick

Notes:
Tea Guy described this tea as fully oxidated and "super super" roasted. This tea came in a pressed brick that resembled a bar of baking chocolate. Which is only sort of funny because when it was passed around before brewing, it smelled like a molasses cake. You break up a piece of the brick before brewing. Tea Guy warned us to be careful when buying brick tea because when you are first searching for it online, most of what comes up are these very beautiful brick tea sculptures, which are technically drinkable, but they use the lowest grade/worst tea to make those and are more meant to be art. The tea was very Amber colored. I had trouble describing the taste. Woody & smoky were the closest I could come to describe what I was tasting. Someone else said it had a malt flavor. I did like it, it just sort of evaded my vocabulary. Mostly, it made me think of campfires and smoke rooms (where meat and cheses would get smoked or dried) where I would be charged with keeping the fire going while men sat around talking, drinking whiskey, and smoking pipes all night when I was a kid.

Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3 stars

comments

tea review: yunnan "qing xin" taiwan varietal red oolong tea

2026-06-04T05:55:16Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 21

Tea Review
Name: Yunnan "Qing Xin" Taiwan Varietal Red Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Yunnan Sourcing
Type: oolong
Loose leaf

Notes:
Despite the name of the tea, the info sheet says it was imported from China. This is another light roast, but it's heavily oxidized. The tea leaves before they were brewed smelled sweet, but not fruity. The tea was a dark amber color with a faint citrus smell. The taste was very similar to a black teas that are labeled "breakfast tea." Some people could taste a nutmeg like flavor. I did not.

Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 8
Flavor: 8

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

comments

tea review: baozhong oolong tea

2026-06-03T05:29:30Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 20

Tea Review
Name: Baozhong Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Tao of Tea
Type: oolong
Loose leaf

Notes:
Tea Guy made a point of telling us that the leaves of this particular tea did not come rolled. It is pretty common for loose leaf oolong tea leaves to be individually rolled up tightly, which expand as the tea steeps. This was the only tea we tried at the May tea tasting that was from Taiwan. It was also at the lightest end of the roasting scale an oolong tea can be, making it closer to a green tea. The leaves themselves before bring brewed had a fruity scent. The tea was a light honey color, with a light perfumy taste with a little bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3 stars

comments

tea review: clouds & mist green tea

2026-06-02T05:58:18Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 19

Tea Review
Name: Clouds & Mist Green Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Ohio Tea Co.
Type: green
Loose leaf

Notes:
This was the first tea we tried at the May tea tasting. The name is very fitting. It is a very light light tea, both in color and flavor, with a mild bite at the end. We also got to try it cooled, which mellowed out the aftertaste and it got a bit of a nutty flavor to it.

Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3 stars

comments

Test post

2026-06-01T00:36:38Z

Earlier today I posted the Currently/Last post for May 2026 (it was very long and I didn't write it out by hand first so no other copy to redo it, yay) and now a couple hours later it seems to be gone. So I'm posting this to see if it stays.

Everything seems to have gotten righted with fix dw maintenance did.

comments

Currently/Last May 2026

2026-05-31T23:26:05Z

Currently/Last lists are the last and/or current answer to the categories for a given time period, in this case a month.

In the text box, I've a blank html coded version of the list, including categories I didn't use this month.

Watching: Fafner volume 7 Going Home (episodes 24-26) + Stargate Atlantis s4
Reading: Death Note 13 How to Read by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata (art)
Listening: Today's Oz's Vault Reddit reaction video/"Jealous" by Nick Jonas
Eating: fettuccine Alfredo with chicken & broccoli
Drinking: Powerade Xtra Sour in Peach Pucker
Loving: fan art by Circlearts of Damian Wayne drawing on Jason Todd while he was sleeping
Hating: My nonstop anxiety
Wanting: to actually finish something
Thinking: where am I going to put all this stuff?
Planning: future projects to do on Mondays with Lynne/setting up my calendar for the week & the month
Wishing: I could squeeze either just a little more productivity out of my day without exhausting myself or get some real rest so I'd actually feel like doing something.
Puzzle Books: been ignoring the puzzle books in favor of doing daily Huedoku puzzles and daily Light Brite puzzles
Wearing: PJs
Needing: some help, but I've put feelers out
Enjoying: having a day off
Wondering: Where am I going to put all this stuff?
Playing: Subeta (no special events right now) & lots of Buzzfeed Quizes
Trying: drink more water, get real rest, calm my anxiety enough to be functional, and clean (yes, all at the same time)
Cooking: stroganoff
Calling: Vexed
Texting: Vexed
Crafting: knitting on the cable blanket (still & forever), a sample magnet I want to try making with Lynne
Going: last place I went was the library because I had an escape room reservation there, a book club meeting, photo copying I needed to do, donations (face paint stencils & white glue) to drop off, things to turn in, & holds to pick up all on the same day.
Feeling: anxious
Hoping (For): This summer to go smoothly
Celebrating: I got the post taxes accountant copy incorporated into QuickBooks
Smelling: whatever shampoo it is we are currently using for hand soap in the bathroom
Thanking: That their were some people in my corner this month.
Considering: if I can afford everything I'm planning on doing
Finishing: ani-MAY, MAY-nga, One Book One Coast, clearing out PumpkinSpider's apartment, the flower bouquet project I was doing with Lynne
Starting: the deep clean from hell (I have been told to come up with a more positive name for what is happening to my room, but this feels most appropriate) & the library summer reading program

Notes:
This was an insane month. My anxiety was mostly low, but nonstop, which is not helpful. On top of the normal shenanigans I have every month, I had extra Lynne drama, an advance directive workshop with my mother, a lecture (I was in attendance, not speaking, but let's just say they had to hire security for the event and my person who was going to go with me flaked), preparing for and being part of a public book discussion panel, voting, the azalea festival, the kick off of tourist season, a last minute birthday party, One Book One Coast and its various events, some personal things I don't want to talk about here, some things my friends went through that are not mine to tell, some ongoing issues with my Dad, and clearing out PumpkinSpider's apartment. I feel like I have missed things and most of them were not bad. It was just a lot and I do not see things slowing down for the rest of the year.

comments

tea review: 2013 liu bao dark tea

2026-05-31T06:13:53Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 18

Tea Review
Name: 2013 Liu Bao Dark Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Ohio Tea Co.
Type: fermented
Loose tea

Notes:
This is the other tea that we sampled at both tastings. Dark tea is another name for fermented tea. It is also aged. The 2013 in the name refers to when it was originally harvested. This kind of tea is considered an after dinner tea and is supposed to aid in digestion. It requires hotter water and has a high brewing threshold, which is why Tea Guy prefers to use a clay tea pot to brew it in. The first steeping of this tea is always a rinsing of the tea that is thrown away and not drank. The way it is aged and stored means things accumulate on it that need to be rinsed off. Tea Guy says the first steeping (the one you dump) usually has an "oceany" or fishy flavor. This particular tea is considered an "approachable" tea for beginners wanting to try fermented teas. Even with a light steeping, this tea is almost black in color. It is very dark, with maybe a little red. At the second tasting, I noted it had no scent, but I think that was the leaves before brewing not the tea. It's a very thick tea, not in a syrup kind of a way. It just sort of fills your mouth in a way other tea doesn't. The flavor is hard to pin down. At first, it made me think of the way peat smells, but the more I drank, the more it tasted like figs. I enjoy fermented teas, but they are an acquired taste.

Rate
Appearance: 8
Aroma: 5
Flavor: 8

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

comments

tea review: formosa black tea

2026-05-30T06:14:42Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 17

Tea Review
Name: Formosa Black Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Tao of Tea
Type: black
Loose leaf

Notes:
This was another tea from Taiwan. I did not write enough notes to describe this properly, but according to Tea Guy, Taiwan has a program to incentivize farmers to experiment with different ways to cultivate tea and bring out different flavors in the tea. And this tea is possibly part of that. This one was grown in such a way that it has a fruity flavor. All of us experienced that slightly differently. For me, it tasted and smelled a bit like raspberry hard candy, but everyone either tasted something similar to raspberries or citrus. It's a very light black tea, flavor wise. We did two infusions of this one. With the first infusion, it was a very dark amber color and the fruity scent was very strong. For the second infusion though, the color became more golden and the fruity scent was gone. Tea Guy said this happened because the more you brew it the more it brings out the tannins I'm the tea. He also said this one makes an excellent iced tea.

Rate
Appearance: 8
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

comments

tea review: medium roast "fancy grade" ben shan varietal oolong tea

2026-05-29T00:55:43Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 16

Tea Review
Name: Medium Roast "Fancy Grade" Ben Shan Varietal Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Yunnan Sourcing
Type: oolong
Loose leaf

Notes:
I tried this at the March tea tasting. It was imported from China. I do not know what "fancy grade" means. It had a really heavy coffee-esque scent while it was steeping. Tea Guy said he gave it a "light steep to bring out the sweetness." Apparently, it can get pretty bitter. The tea was a ruby color. It tasted mostly like a light roast coffee, but had a citrus flavor to it. We did try four infusions of this tea and it didn't change much, except for the flavor intensifying with each one.

Rate
Appearance: 8
Aroma: 8
Flavor: 8

Overall Rating: 4 stars

comments

tea review: gaba oolong tea

2026-05-26T23:07:26Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 15

Tea Review
Name: Gaba Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Boulder Tea Co.
Type: oolong
Loose leaf

Notes:
This was my other favorite from the March tea tasting. It's another selection from Taiwan. I, unfortunately, did not get all the details written down for this, but this tea is exposed to nitrogen gas in someway while it's growing to increase the amount of GABA in the tea leaves, which is supposed to make it more relaxing. It is considered an afternoon tea. We dubbed it the cookie tea because it smells like brown sugar and tastes faintly of nutmeg. While still being a light roast, it is darker and a lot closer to being a black tea than the Tung Ting Oolong was. The later infusions of this tea we tasted had the same color, scent, and flavor of the early ones, just stronger.

Rate
Appearance: 9
Aroma: 9
Flavor: 9

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars

comments

tea review: tung ting oolong tea

2026-05-24T17:03:50Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 14

Tea Review
Name: Tung Ting Oolong Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Boulder Tea Co.
Type: oolong
Loose tea

Notes:
This was one of my two favorite teas from the tea tasting in March. It's from Taiwan. We tried six infusions of this tea. It is at the least roasted end of the scale. The color stayed pretty consistent across the infusions, a lighter black tea color. The first two infusions had a very grassy/leafy scent and taste. It became more floral tasting over the next infusions until the 6th one, where it had a slightly smokey aftertaste.

Rate
Appearance: 8
Aroma: 8
Flavor: 8

Overall Rating: 4 stars

comments

tea review: 2015 guan yang gong mei "wild white"

2026-05-23T23:49:40Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 13

Tea Review
Name: 2015 Guan Yang Gong Mei "Wild White" Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Yunnan Sourcing
Type: white
Loose leaf

Notes:
This tea is one of the two that I had at both the tea tasting in March and the one earlier this month. It is another tea imported from China. "White Wild" usually means that the tea comes from older trees. This is an aged tea. The 2015 in the name is when the tea was originally harvested. It is also minimally processed. At the first tasting, we tried six different infusions of the tea, and at the second tasting we did two. At both tastings, I noted the color changing from a golden yellow at the first infusion and getting a deeper, more amber, like a light black tea color with further infusions. I also noted at both tastings the strong smell of the leaves and how the flavor of the tea is sort of thick and fills your mouth, kinda of like thinned down honey. It was also the second tea at both tastings. Here is where things differ. At the tasting in March, I describe the flavor as starting off like a mellow, light black tea, getting more of a bite as the infusions when on, with the sixth infusion being described as having a "nutty" flavor. At the more recent tea tasting, I described the taste of the first infusion as "almost like a light black tea with a lingering not quite honey after taste" and the second infusion as more "grassy/dry hay." Did they taste different because we had different teas before them on the different days or was it that on the second tasting day, Tea Guy did shorter infusions/brewings, or both? I do not know.

Rate
Appearance: 8
Aroma: 9
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

comments

april 2026 media

2026-05-20T22:18:36Z

series
Stargate SG-1 s9
Endeavour s4
Stargate Atlantis s2
Star Trek: Discovery s2
Penn & Teller Fool Me (YouTube episodes)
Law & Order (live tv)

movies & short films
Agent Red (2000)
Heat (1995)
Hell in the Pacific (1968)
Mechanic: Resurrection (2016)
American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950)
Hatari (1962)
Batman: Death in the Family (all plot options) (2020)
SGT. Rock Short (DCC Showcase Animated Shorts)
Adam Strange Short (DCC Showcase Animated Shorts)
The Phantom Stranger Short (DCC Showcase Animated Shorts)
Death Shorts (DCC Showcase Animated Shorts)
Harmony in Despair - Cartoon Cartoons/Warner Bros TV

novels
Mr Kato Plays Family by Milena Michiko Flasar
There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (75th anniversary edition)
The Compound by Aisling Rawle (Book Talk Book Club)

graphic novels
Batman/Elmer Fudd: The Deluxe Edition written by Tom King & art by Lee Weeks ("Pway For Me") & Byron Vaughns ("Rabbit Season")
Hunger's Bite by Robin Taylor (Pub Grub Book Club)

youth & children's
Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections by Ian Rosenberg, art by Mike Cavallaro (World Citizen Comics)
Beavers: The Super Power Field Guide by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Nicholas John Frith

podcasts
Philip Defranco Show
1 800 Drama - Shaaba.

reaction content
r/BestOf- Oz's Vault
r/AITA - Oz's Vault
The Most Controversial Wife Swap UK episode - Luxeria
r/UhOhConsequences - Oz's Vault
Reddit - Kallmekris & Kallmekris2
E Dirty Rotten Scandals ANTM Documentary, all parts - Jessica Kobeissi
r/NotHowGirlsWork - The Click
r/AmITheDevil - Oz's Vault
RPG Horror Stories - Crispy's Tavern and Tales
Accidental Trans allies posts - Jammidodger
ANTM episode reactions - Luxeria
r/InsaneParents - The Click
r/AddressMe & r/HoldUp - The Click
Kitchen Nightmares' Burger Kitchen Episode (both parts) - Luxeria
r/ImVeryBadass - The Click
The worst gender reveals - Jammidodger
Decorating Cents episodes - Luxeria
r/ImTheMainCharacter - The Click
'Why I Became Right Wing' - Jammidodger
Ladette to Lady episodes - Luxeria
r/ConfidentlyIncorrect - The Click

video essays & deep dives
The Queer Rebrand Pipeline (JoJo Siwa Isn't the Only One) - Jessica Kellgren-Fozard
A TERF Tried to Sue Me - Jammidodger
The Edwardian "Dark Woke" Cartoon Character That I'm so Obsessed With - Kaz Rowe
Trans Women BANNED From the Olympics - Jammidodger
How the Crocodiles Survived the Ice Age - ExtinctZoo
Bees Have Unlocked Meat Honey - LivingZoo
The Red Panda Problem Not Being Talked About Enough - Casual Geographic
The History of Rats (That We Know Of) - Lindsay Nikole
This Recent D&D "Scandal" Proved Something - Bob World Builder
The Largest Bird to Ever Fly - ExtinctZoo
A Very Normal Oil Painting Tutorial - A Brush with Bekah
The Last of Us Cast a Cis Actor in a Trans Role, so Let's Talk About it - Council of Geeks
Cheaterbuster Has Gone Too Far - Funky Frog Bait
Tumblr Executives Are Very Confused About Tumblr - Strange Aeons
The Myth of a Clean House - Nicole Rudolph
The Victorian Language of Flowers, Explained - The Generalist Papers
The Moon isn't the color you think it is - A Brush with Bekah
Dinosaur "Myths" That Are True - ExtinctZoo
The MANY Lies About HH Holmes and the "Murder Castle" - Kaz Rowe

ambiance
music to make your brain shut up - nobody
you're in a comfort place for 10 hours, 37 minutes and 29 seconds - nobody
ASMR for sleep
Jurassic Park Help Line - Good Knights Sleep

other
Stargate SG-1 s9 DVD special features
Stargate Atlantis s2 DVD special features
Stargate Atlantis s3 DVD special features
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors clips
Bad Design series - RefashionedHippie
Cat compilation videos
Canceling Ourselves Before Anyone Else Can - Megan and Ben
Dramatic readings of TTRPG & fantasy Tumblr world heritage posts - Zacspeaksgiant
Lucy Darling Clips
Stupid Rich People Fashion series - RefashionedHippie
February Vlog - Toxic Tears
That Good News Girl
Answering Your Most Intrusive Questions About Raising Children in a Queer Household - Jessica Kellgren-Fozard
Good News You May Have Missed - Sam Bentley
SkyeBluez order packing shorts
Soldier Boy World War II Found Footage - Vought International
Soldier Boy Really Hates Doing Public Service Announcements - Amazon Prime Video UK & IE
Soldier Boy PSA | 1984 - Vought International
Soldier Boy | Guest Appearance on Solid Gold - Vought International
The Boys: "From A Logical Point of View" by Soldier Boy
Soldier Boy - VNN Interview - Vought International
[Comic dub] Batman: Wayne Family Adventures - Lucky Derp Productions chapters 183 & 184
Bowl Goals Playlist (Ramen shorts)

ongoing
Stargate SG-1 s10
Stargate Atlantis s3
How to be a Saint by Kate Sidley
[Monster Week] Kraken Week '24 playlist
[Monster Week] Fey Week '26 Playlist

comments

Currently/Last April 2026

2026-05-19T21:14:29Z

I actually sat down and wrote this out before bed on April 30th, the forgot to post >.>

Currently/Last lists are the last and/or current answer to the categories for a given time period, in this case a month.

In the text box, I've a blank html coded version of the list, including categories I didn't use this month.

Making: some kind of progress, hopefully
Watching: Batman Death in the Family interactive movie, plus the animated shorts that came with it.
Reading: How to be a Saint by Kate Sidley
Listening: "Irresponsible" by Voltaire / r/ConfidentlyIncorrect - Bad Women's Anatomy tm - The Click
Eating: toffee ice cream bar thing
Drinking: Cosmic Swirl (berry vanilla) flavored sparkling water
Loving: that I have snacks available, 3weeks4dreamwidth memes, and my finger seems healed
Hating: whatever is wrong with my mom & my lovely month long low grade anxiety that spikes into worse anxiety
Wanting: a restful spot
Thinking: how am I going to do all this?
Planning: summer cleaning project
Wishing: I felt better
Puzzle Books: PennyPress Puzzler's Giant Book of Crosswords #49, February 2014
Weathering: so much drama around me
Wearing: My pjs
Needing: a snack
Enjoying: Knitting to Stargate special features
Wondering: if what I'm doing is sustainable
Playing: Subeta (Vesnali)
Trying: different flavored waters
Cooking: pork steaks
Calling: Vexed
Texting: Vexed
Crafting: paper flowers and knitting on the cable blanket
Going: grocery store
Feeling: ANXIOUS
Hoping (For): Sleep
Smelling: laundry detergent
Considering: how much I'm going to do before bed
Finishing: water challenge
Starting: ani-MAY & MAY-nga (among other things)

comments

tea review: pai mu tan white tea

2026-05-19T19:48:40Z

Tea Month 2026: Tea 12

Tea Review
Name: Pai Mu Tan White Tea
Brand: unsure, vendor: Ohio Tea Co.
Type: white
Loose leaf

Notes:
This tea was part of the tea tasting in March and the one I probably have the fewest notes on. The tea is also known as "White Peony" tea. It was the starter tea of the day being the lightest and only one tasting of. (Most of the teas we got to sample multiple brewing of.) For a delicate looking white tea, it had more body than expected. This is also where I was reminded that we don't all use the same words to describe things. I used the word "woodsy" to describe it, meaning a flavor profile that is sort of comparable to how you would describe a woodsy fragrance, somewhat of wood, not quite earthy. Everyone else in the room would later be using the word "woodsy" to describe things (though not this tea) I would consider "floral," with the meaning of things that are flowery/notes similar to floral perfume. It was an interesting time to try an communicate.

Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7

Overall Rating: 3 stars

comments

2026 Snowflake Challenge #7

2026-05-19T19:25:40Z

Challenge #7

LIST THREE (or more) THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF. They don’t have to be your favorite things, just things that you think are good. Feel free to expand as much or as little as you want.

1. I'm strong. In the physical sense, sure, and I do take it for granted, which I shouldn't, but also in the "Everything feels like it's hard and I get up and do it anyway" way.

2. I am resourceful.

3. People enjoy my company.

comments

#mymusic meme

2026-05-19T01:47:32Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

#mymusic

Songs

Last song I listened to:
"Dragula" by Rob Zombie

Favorite song ever:
"Clones (We're All)" by Alice Cooper

Current song on repeat:
"Lil Boo Thang" by Paul Russell

Song that reminds me of my childhood (positive, I actually enjoy getting reminded of this):
"Take it Easy" by Eagles

Song that reminds me of my first crush (romantic or platonic):
O.O

Song that reminds me of a person important to me now:

I love this song I will add it to playlists for no reason:
An exact song doesn't come to mind, but I tend to worm whatever Fall Out Boy song I have on repeat at the moment into any playlist I'm making.

I love this song and I wish I could listen to it again for the first time:
"Baby You're a Haunted House" by GerardWay

A playlist about me would start with this song:
"I Will Buy You a New Life" or "Father of Mine" by Everclear

Artists

My top 5 artists of all time are:
Fall Out Boy, HIM, My Chemical Romance, Aerosmith, Florence and the Machines

My current top 5 is (current rotation for the last month or so):
Fall Out Boy, Pink, Adam Lambert, Anthony Vincent, Noah Kahan

When I want to feel at home I listen to:
Location-wise: 80s/early 90s Country (pretty much anyone) or Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show
In my skin: My Chemical Romance

When I want to feel somewhere else I listen to:
LO

Last artist I discovered:
Chloe Adams

Albums

Last album I listened to:
Sisters of Mercy First and Last and Always

Favorite album of all time:
HIM Venus Doom

Comfort album that I listen to to feel better:
My Chemical Romance Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Album I'd pay to listen to again for the first time:
HIM Razorblade Romance

Album that reminds me of my teenage years:
Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication

Album I would love to listen to live from start to finish:
Hozier (self titled)

Last album I bought:
Red Elvises Greatest Hits

Last album I received as a gift:
I'm not, I was given a stack of CDs yesterday and I haven't been able to look at them yet.

Last album I recommended:
I've been recommending Dirty Space Groove singles to people. Does that count?

Playlists

Last playlist I made:
It's called "Icky Feelings." It's less about getting rid of the icky feelings and more about being seen.

Last playlist I listened to:
My Jason Todd/OC playlist

Last playlist I recommended:
The four character playlists for Hunger's Bite's main characters made by the author

A playlist that makes me feel at home:
Pretty much any YouTube generated 80s & 90s country playlist I used to listen to while housesitting 5+ years ago

A playlist I made for an artist I love:
I'm currently making a Fall Out Boy playlist

A playlist I made for a ship/tv show/movie/book:
I no longer have access to it, but I had a pretty good McShep playlist

Concerts

Last concert I went to:
I'm not sure, but it was probably the concert at Pirate Fest 6+ years ago

Last music festival I went to:
Our Summer Music in the Park Festival, I'm not sure how long ago.

Next concert I will go to:
I don't know.

First concert I went to:
Slow Children (local band in the 90s & and early 2000s)

Concert I wish I could have gone to:
HIM's Bang & Whimper 2017 Farewell Tour

Concert that I'm glad has been preserved by the internet:
Nirvana MTV Unplugged

This concert was healing for me:
HIM Roseland Theater Portland, OR 2005

#mymusic Songs Last song I listened to: Favorite song ever: Current song on repeat: Song that reminds me of my childhood (positive, I actually enjoy getting reminded of this): Song that reminds me of my first crush (romantic or platonic): Song that reminds me of a person important to me now: I love this song I will add it to playlists for no reason: I love this song and I wish I could listen to it again for the first time: A playlist about me would start with this song: Artists My top 5 artists of all time are: My current top 5 is (current rotation for the last month or so): When I want to feel at home I listen to: When I want to feel somewhere else I listen to: Last artist I discovered: Albums Last album I listened to: Favorite album of all time: Comfort album that I listen to to feel better: Album I'd pay to listen to again for the first time: Album that reminds me of my teenage years: Album I would love to listen to live from start to finish: Last album I bought: Last album I received as a gift: Last album I recommended: Playlists Last playlist I made: Last playlist I listened to: Last playlist I recommended: A playlist that makes me feel at home: A playlist I made for an artist I love: A playlist I made for a ship/tv show/movie/book: Concerts Last concert I went to: Last music festival I went to: Next concert I will go to: First concert I went to: Concert I wish I could have gone to: Concert that I'm glad has been preserved by the internet: This concert was healing for me:

comments

Tea Tastings

2026-05-17T19:45:07Z

In March and yesterday, I was lucky enough to be part of tea tasting presentations. Both were lead by same person, who I will be calling Tea Guy, since this is a public post. Seating was limited to 10 people at both events. The two I went to were hosted in the small meeting room at the library, but he does travel to other spaces to hold these events. It was two hours of discussing tea in general and sampling seven different teas from Tea Guy's collection. (There were two overlapping teas, so between both events, I've gotten to sample 12 new to me teas.) Part of what made these so enjoyable was that Tea Guy is not a tea snob or an elitist. He just really loves tea and wants to share tea with others.

I will do individual reviews of the teas we drank in separate tea review posts, but this is what we discussed otherwise.

One of the first things we discussed were the seven different kinds of tea (that are made from tea leaves, so no herbals, etc) and how those processes differ: white tea, green tea, matcha, oolong tea, black tea, and fermented/dark teas. At the first event, we got to take home a little chart with the explanation as well. We also briefly discussed the existence of yellow tea, which wasn't on the chart and we aren't likely to come across as it's rare and some people don't consider it it's own tea.

Fermented or dark teas are teas like pu-erh and Liu bao. According to Tea Guy, their names are based on what region of China they're produced in and each producer/farm has their own method.

We also discussed caffeine content in tea. The basic take away there is trying to calculate how much caffeine is in tea is way more complicated than coffee. And while there are general guidelines to help people make choices, caffeine content varies wildly within types, let alone between them. Also fun fact, when tea leaves sprout, they have all the caffeine in them they will ever have and it remains stable and no amount of aging will increase it. Though smaller leaves tend to have more caffeine per volume.

Brewing did not have as many hard and fast rules as you'd expect. Water temperature really isn't important. It's easier to overbrew bagged tea then loose tea because of how finely the leaves are chopped up. Water quality is important in that, if you don't like how your water tastes, it will not make tasty tea. Tea Guy prefers a tea basket over a tea ball because the tea doesn't get as smoothed together. When he tests a new tea he hasn't drank before, his first brewing of it is a heaping teaspoon of tea per 16 oz of water for three minutes, then adjusts for future brewing. Basically, the correct way to brew is to your taste.

Tea Guy does have tea vessel brewing preferences. He prefers a glass teapot for white teas and lighter teas, a clay teapot for fermented/dark teas that benefit from the heat retention, and a gai wan for everything else.

The tea tasting itself was pretty simple. Tea Guy brewed the tea and told us what we would be drinking. We each were poured tea in itty-bitty tea cups and sampled the tea, then discussed what we thought it tasted like as a group. We were also given paper and pens if we wanted to write anything down. There was also an assortment of cookies for snacking or palette cleansing.

All the teas we sampled were imported from China & Taiwan. One day, Tea Guy would like to do a tea tasting where every tea was from another country.

The vibes of the groups both times was very different. The group in March was very rowdy and a couple of people there were very pushy with their opinions. The group yesterday was so very chill. It was great.

The last thing we talked about was tea vendors. Tea Guy recommends never buying tea from eBay. These are the places he recommends:

Tao of Tea

Eco-Cha - especially for oolongs

Boulder Tea Co. - they can be hit or miss

Ohio Tea Co. - this is his highest recommended vendor, especially because most of their teas can be bought in one ounce quantities.

Yunnan Sourcing USA - this is not recommended for beginners because of the overwhelming amount of information they provide, but they do sampler /variety boxes and they are the best place for tea supplies.

Bana Tea Co. - more specialized stock

And I hope to go to another one in the future.

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DW History Meme

2026-05-16T06:56:29Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

Dw history meme

When did you join Dreamwidth?
August 2, 2011

Why did you join Dreamwidth?
At the time, I had been on LJ since 2006 and I liked the udea of having a place to import/back up my journal. There were also several writing challenges and communities I wanted to take part in that were only on DW.

What's the meaning behind your Dreamwidth username?
As I said in another meme: Way back in the day, I made sure none of my usernames matched for reasons and at the time I made my AO3 account, this was a recent nickname because of my hair. I made my DW account not long afterwards and for some reason on a whim, I decided that my AO3 & my DW names should match, but only them.

What's your favorite thing about Dreamwidth?
The long form blogging. The familiarity. The slower pace. The fact that you can actuallyhave conversations with people. The vibe. It's pretty chill here.

What's your least favorite thing about Dreamwidth?
It feels harder to connect with people than it used to.

Dreamwidth free, paid or premium?
Free

What do you get out of Dreamwidth that you don't get from anywhere else?
I feel more connected with people I interact with here.

Dreamwidth tip for beginners?
For the most part, you get out of Dreamwidth what you put into it. Go ahead and post that post or comment on that fic you like.

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Ani-MAY & MAY-nga

2026-05-15T03:41:39Z

I cross-posted this to anime_manga

I know we are halfway through the month, but is anyone else doing anything for ani-MAY or MAY-nga this year? Are they even still things?

I've been challenging myself to watch or rewatch through one disc a day of my anime DVD collection and to reread one volume a day of my physical manga collection.

The anime part is going well. It's given me an excuse to make time to watch some things I haven't in awhile and helping me decide what maybe could leave my collection.

I am very behind on the manga reading, but it has been fun. I actually set out a bunch of volumes to do this with last year and never got it, so it's kinda like a weird Advent calendar, full of nostalgia. There doesn't seem to be any sort of rhyme or reason to why I picked the volumes off the shelf that I did. It's an adventure. (And yes, that means there was a very large stack of manga on my nightstand for a year that I grew blind to. The poor things.)

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My Characters Meme

2026-05-11T22:56:25Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

#mycharacters
Rules: make a list of your top 10 favorite characters to think about. Then let people in the comments choose one question for you to answer about them.

My characters:

1. Jack O'Neill (Stargate SG-1)
2. Daniel Jackson (Stargate SG-1)
3. John Sheppard (Stargate Atlantis)
4. Rodney McKay (Stargate Atlantis)
5. Bobby Singer (Supernatural)
6. Jason Todd (DC Comics/Batfam)
7. Bruce Wayne (DC Comics/Batman)
8. Mugen (Samurai Champloo)
9. Gwendal von Voltaire (Kyo Kara Maoh!)
10. Zuko (Avatar the Last Airbender)

The questions:
1- What’s the one thing they refuse to admit they want, even to themselves?
2- If they could undo one moment, would they actually do it—or has it become part of who they are?
3- What kind of love do they think they deserve vs. what they actually accept?
4- What’s their “I’m fine” behavior that clearly means they are not fine?
5-What song would absolutely destroy them emotionally if it came on at the wrong moment?
6- In another life, who would they have been if things had gone right?
7- What’s the smallest, most insignificant thing that still reminds them of someone they lost?
8- What's something they desperately want people to know about them but won't tell a single soul?

#mycharacters Rules: make a list of your top 10 favorite characters to think about. Then let people in the comments choose one question for you to answer about them. My characters: The questions: 1- What’s the one thing they refuse to admit they want, even to themselves? 2- If they could undo one moment, would they actually do it—or has it become part of who they are? 3- What kind of love do they think they deserve vs. what they actually accept? 4- What’s their “I’m fine” behavior that clearly means they are not fine? 5-What song would absolutely destroy them emotionally if it came on at the wrong moment? 6- In another life, who would they have been if things had gone right? 7- What’s the smallest, most insignificant thing that still reminds them of someone they lost? 8- What's something they desperately want people to know about them but won't tell a single soul?

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Stay Whimsical Meme

2026-05-10T20:16:58Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆stay whimsy⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆
1- How many pigeons would you have to see in your house until you start to question if someone is putting them there?
Hmm, possibly only 2 just because we rarely have pigeons anywhere near here, but definitely after 3.

2- What color is math?
Orangey yellow

3- What does June smell like?
Warm pavement, dried sticky syrup, salty air, paint, and freshly cut grass.

4- If you woke up tomorrow with the ability to read a single mind, whose mind would you want to read?
Honestly, that sounds terrifying.
I guess Tuxedo's so I could help my mother be less bonkers when trying to figure out what he wants and where he goes when he's not here and who else is feeding him.

5- Which day of the week do you think best matches your vibe? Wednesday

6- Which kitchen utensil do you feel the most connected to? The large slotted spoon

7- Quick! Fuck, Marry, Kill: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean fuck Pacific Ocean, marry Indian Ocean, & kill Atlantic Ocean (sorry, Atlantic Ocean, it's not personal)

8- If you could only dress in one pattern for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
Plaid. It's about the only kind of pattern I wear anyway.

9- What did you dream about last night?
I don't remember beyond being vaguely unsettled by it.

10- If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? Personal wishes only. And no wishing for more wishes.
1. A new mattress (with very specific specifications). After that, I don't know. In most of these wishes scenarios, I give them back.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆stay whimsy⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ 1- How many pigeons would you have to see in your house until you start to question if someone is putting them there? 2- What color is math? 3- What does June smell like? 4- If you woke up tomorrow with the ability to read a single mind, whose mind would you want to read? 5- Which day of the week do you think best matches your vibe? 6- Which kitchen utensil do you feel the most connected to? 7- Quick! Fuck, Marry, Kill: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean 8- If you could only dress in one pattern for the rest of your life, which would you choose? 9- What did you dream about last night? 10- If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? Personal wishes only. And no wishing for more wishes.

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Soft Questions Meme

2026-05-09T19:38:54Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

soft questions
What song makes you feel better?
I have a whole playlist for this, but "Shake it Out" by Florence and the Machines is definitely a go to.

What is your go to comfort show?
Depending on where I am and what I have access to: Stargate SG-1, Bob's Burgers, or original Law & Order

What’s your favorite candle scent?
"Flannel"

Who do you feel most like yourself around?
Vexed

What calms you down?
Music (with space to move while listening), reading, my small army of fidget toys, an "emotional support phone call," cozying up with a blanket in a dark room with something to cuddle while watching a movie/TV show, my breathing exercises. It just kinda depends on the situation.

What's something upcoming that you’re excited for?
I'm on the official discussion panel on They Called Us Enemy by George Takei as part of One Book One Coast. Though excitement is turning into major anxiety as it gets closer.

Have you ever written or received a love letter?
I have tried.

Tea, Coffee, or hot cocoa?
This was difficult. Tea, but I do love hot cocoa.

How many pillows do you sleep with?
This is going to sound mildly insane, but 7, sometimes 8. One body pillow is so when the mattress slides down, something is still supporting my head, and it's not in a hole. Two body pillows are to keep me from banging into the wall while I move around at night and so I don't accidentally end up in the gap between my mattress and the wall when the mattress slides that direction. One regular pillow is for my head. One bonus small regular pillow in case I need some extra support somewhere. Another body pillow when my hips or knees are bothering me and sometimes a neck pillow when I need that extra support. To be clear, I only need so many pillows in my bed. Housesitting, I've never needed more than one or two.

Do you have a comfort book? Which one?
Not really. I find reading in general comforting, but rereading an old manga series I like (Bleach, Blue Exorcist, Ranma 1/2, InuYasha, etc.) can be extra comforting.

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The Characters: Superlatives Meme

2026-05-08T23:09:37Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

The Characters: Superlatives
Rules: Choose one piece of media (book, tv show, movie, video game, whatever), then answer the questions.

I choose... Stargate Atlantis

The questions:
Most likely to be unemployed: John

Most likely to do drugs at work: Rodney

Most likely to get caught breaking the law: All of them

Most likely to do crime and escape unscathed: Ronon

Most likely to commit arson: Zelenka

Most likely to get scammed: Carson

Most likely to lose their cool in an emergency: Rodney

Most likely to have a threesome: Lorne

Most likely to sleep with their ex: Weir

Most likely to forget someone's name during sex: Rodney

Most likely to lie to their friends about something they did: All of them

Most likely to have a one-night stand: John

Most likely to get caught having sex in public: Cadman

Most likely to marry someone they just met: John (and it would be an accident)

Most likely to sleep with a friend's family member: Rodney

Most likely to fake their own death: Zelenka (though most of them have done it)

Most likely to forget the name of a person they hooked up with: Rodney (he wouldn't forget a hook up, he just absolutely sucks with names)

Most likely to make a sex tape: Cadman

Most likely to join the Mile-High Club: John

Most likely to bring up astrology to explain literally everything: Teyla

Most likely to have a crush on three people at the same time: Miko

Most likely to win at trivia: Zelenka

Most likely to know zero memes: Carson

Most likely to start a band just for the aesthetic: John

Most likely to flirt their way out of trouble: John

Most likely to end up in a news headline: Rodney

Most likely to open a PowerPoint presentation about why they deserve the last slice of pizza: Rodney

The Characters: Superlatives Rules: Choose one piece of media (book, tv show, movie, video game, whatever), then answer the questions. I choose... The questions: Most likely to be unemployed: Most likely to do drugs at work: also Most likely to get caught breaking the law: Most likely to do crime and escape unscathed: Most likely to commit arson: Most likely to get scammed: Most likely to lose their cool in an emergency: Most likely to have a threesome: Most likely to sleep with their ex: Most likely to forget someone's name during sex: Most likely to lie to their friends about something they did: Most likely to have a one-night stand: Most likely to get caught having sex in public: Most likely to marry someone they just met: Most likely to sleep with a friend's family member: Most likely to fake their own death: Most likely to forget the name of a person they hooked up with: Most likely to make a sex tape: Most likely to join the Mile-High Club: Most likely to bring up astrology to explain literally everything: Most likely to have a crush on three people at the same time: Most likely to win at trivia: Most likely to know zero memes: Most likely to start a band just for the aesthetic: Most likely to flirt their way out of trouble: Most likely to end up in a news headline: Most likely to open a PowerPoint presentation about why they deserve the last slice of pizza:

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DW Community Meme

2026-05-07T22:59:03Z

Snagged from maevedarcy

I may have gone a bit overboard with my answers.

DW community meme

A comm I check frequently: get_knitted, endings, fandom_checkin

A comm I would like to see more active: whatif_au, softtoys, queerly_beloved

A comm I find useful: whenisitdue, bitesizedcleaning, stargateficrec

A comm that makes me smile: allbingo, vampiremedia, fandomtrees

A comm that fills a very specific niche:sga_saturday, anime_manga

A comm I wish I had discovered earlier: halfamoon, holiday_wishes

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