5.4.08

Weekly Fish wrap, Saturday edition

Ok it dose not really feel like the week is over.
The reservists are on deck for drill this weekend.

Not much to recap this week. Spun my wheals allot attempting to get something done only to hit roadblock after roadblock. Step 1 step 2,3,4, ect.
So I will also be taking this week’s tasks into next week. Joy!

Tea: Sencha
Rich in vitamin C, its slight bitterness and fresh flavor are fascinating. This tea uses premium greentea leaves only.

This is my standard. I have become accustomed to drinking some quality stuff and I don’t mind paying $20 for 100gr of the good stuff, when I can afford it…
.
Genmai Matcha
This tea includes hulled rice kernels, popped rice, gunpowder leaves, which is very finely grinded soft-top buds(called Matcha), greentea leaves, and stems. Matcha is rich in chlorophyll.

This stuff is ok when you can’t afford Sencha. It will do the trick, and it is not as spendy.

Kuki cha
The top bud stems mixed in greentea leaves add natural sweetness.

Do not believe the above propaganda! This is what I have been drinking lately. It is not green. It pours out brown. It tastes brown. Imagine boiling dirt and drinking the juice left over.
Why am I drinking this? Because it is what I have, and it was free.
And I really do appreciate having it over nothing. Plus it gives me something to blog about.

I am not covering Matcha here. Matcha is the platinum standard. It is more spendy than even sencha and I can not even begin to express how I feel about this stuff.
There is a nice blog that talks about it here:

http://www.sweetpersimmon1.blogspot.com/

Ok back to the Kuki cha. Kuki cha has had an interesting effect on my tea pallet.

I had some tea “sencha” that I was a bit leery of because it came in little mesh baggy thingies. I had been avoiding it. But yesterday I ran out of Genmai cha at work and this is what I had left. Not much in English on the tea package. It says “Hoshi-No-Ocha Tea Pack” I think that means I want tea or some such nonsense. Guessing by the diagrams on the back of the package I think this stuff is meant to be made for cold tea. I am working in the Pacific North West; I decided to drink it hot.
But the whole point it I am really appreciating this tea, and I think that may be a direct result of the Kuki cha. If it had not been for the Kuki cha I may not have opened up this tea pack for a while. Silly human…


Sitting has been regular, morning and night. I got another cold. Been playing the flute every day accept one day where the cold was so bad every time I tried (non-tried) to blow a note I ended up in a coughing fit.


Ted has a book coming out, that is cool.

Aaron nuked his blog “Gangstazen” I hope he is doing well.

My debit to income ratio has been pretty static. The economy is causing food and fuel prices to rise. This makes budgeting more interesting. Also makes getting a tengai hat that much more far fetched.

Speaking of Tengai hats, here are the current objects of desire (but I don’t feel like I am suffering without them:)

Komuso Set

Ok, I know that one seems silly, but I have an Idea about playing in public, and well, it just looks cool to me! On the other hand my wife thinks this is insane/stupid, but then she is 40 and still reads comic books…

Shakuhachi making kit

Stage 1&2 of course!

Now this might actually turn out to be worthwhile.
It might get me to clean up my garage enough to set up a workshop.

http://www.shakuhachi.com/PG-Abbott.html

http://www.shakuhachi.com/CM-Levenson.html

These kind of go along with the one before.

And here is today’s horror scope, just for kicks:

You will probably say what's on your mind now, even if you aren't being socially or politically correct. You can surprise others with your position, but don't waste time worrying about what anyone else thinks. As long as you act with kindness and integrity, you're not responsible for how others react. Nevertheless, you can be compassionate without becoming codependent.

Ok, that is a lot more fish wrap than I planed on creating.

Hope you are well and free from suffering.
Jordan

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Read recently that tea drinkers develop kidney stones at a higher rate.


Lloyd

SlowZen said...

Uncle LLoyd?

Welcome to my little spot on the WWW.

I have read conflicting reports on that. here is one:

Kidney stones

Two large prospective studies found that the risk of developing symptomatic kidney stones decreased by 8% in women (61) and 14% in men (62) for each 8-ounce (235 mL) mug of tea consumed daily. A study in rats concluded that the antioxidants in green tea may be involved in inhibiting calcium oxalate precipitation and thus kidney stone formation (63). The implications of these findings for individuals with a previous history of calcium oxalate stone formation are unclear. High fluid intake, including tea intake, is generally considered the most effective and economical means of preventing kidney stones (64). However, tea consumption has been found to increase urinary oxalate levels in healthy individuals (65), and some experts continue to advise people with a history of calcium oxalate stones to limit tea consumption (66).


Source: Oregon State

and another

FindArticles - Preventive effects of green tea on renal stone formation and the role of oxidative stress in nephrolithiasis
Alternative Medicine Review, March, 2005, by Y. Itoh,
T. Yasui,
A. Okada


I also consume high volumes of h20 which I understand is a good preventitive.

I am really glad to hear from you. It will be nice here soon, would you concider making a trip up to see the gardens?

Jordan

Anonymous said...

Yes, drinking lots of fluids is likely the best way of avoiding K stones. Evelyn once accused me of being part camel, due to my low fluid consumption. That changed by willful imperative after my first stone! No recurrence, so far.

Anyway. there are several types of stones. Here's a note from a researcher in the field.

"I work in this area of research.....here is something that you may find useful (see below for possible causes - not its usually not just one thing) - we are currently investigating the role of oxalate transport in the kidney - oxalate is endogenously produced but also comes in the diet - things like tea, green vegetables etc....so if you are susceptible (for whatever reason) you may want to watch what you eat....

In most people the underlying cause isn't known. Some people with kidney stones have lower levels of citrate in their urine, which usually stops the stones forming.

Different kinds of kidney stones form from different salts in the urine.

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. They are either spiky or large and smooth, and are made up of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate.

Calcium stones are more common in people who have excess levels of vitamin D or who have an overactive parathyroid gland. People who have medical conditions such as cancer, some kidney diseases, or a disease called sarcoidosis are also more likely to develop calcium stones.

Uric acid stones are smooth, brown and soft. Excess amounts of uric acid can be caused by eating a lot of meat. Conditions such as gout and treatments such as chemotherapy can also increase the risk of getting uric acid stones.

Struvite stones (infection stones) are usually large and have a horn-like shape. They develop when there is too much ammonia in the urine. This can happen if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), because the bacteria that cause these infections can generate ammonia. This kind of kidney stone is most often found in women.

Cystine stones are yellow and crystalline. They develop if you have high levels of cystine in your urine, which happens if you have a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Only one in a hundred kidney stones are caused by this condition. Cystine stones tend to develop earlier in life than other kidney stones, usually between the ages of 10 and 30 years."

I'm no expert on stones and prevention/causes. I CAN tell you they aren't at all desirable for those not into masochism. :-)

A trip? Hadn't thought of it before. Not out of the question, though. More interested in seeing you and the family, rather than gardens. But, I imagine such an outing would be fun. Got an airport nearby?

Lloyd

SlowZen said...

I hope I never need to know so much bout kidney stones!

Here is an Airport not to far from me:

5WA9 - BRUSH PRAIRIE AERODROME

The rainy season should be over in May, making flying conditions a bit better I think...

hope to see you soon!

Jordan

sweetpersimmon said...

hello Jordan,
Thank you for linking to my blog at sweetpersimmon1.blogspot.com.

Are you interested in Japanese Tea Ceremony? If you like matcha, send me an email sweetpersimmon1 at gmail dot com.

Margie

SlowZen said...

Margie,
You are so welcome!
I have only seen tea-ceremony done once, at the time I was a bit more course than I am today.
I would like to be present for it again.
I have sent you an e-mail and would appreciate some Matcha, thank you so much for the generous offering!

Take care,
Jordan

Gregor said...

I love Mathca, something special about that roasted flavor.


Tea is some good stuff.

SlowZen said...

Greg,
I have often thought of Genmaicha as having a roasted flavor.
Matcha I generaly equate (idealisticly perhaps) with the taste of freshly fallen snow from a mountain top.

Take care,
Jordan

sweetpersimmon said...

Or matcha can taste like the wild coast with the waves breaking, too.

Margie

Thanks for looking!