simplydivine and I have posted part 1 of our Sense and Sensibility commentary here. Enjoy!


Cross-posted everywhere!

What do you think of Teavana and places like it?

Quick backstory:
My mom and I are tea drinkers, but bagged tea from the grocery store (Lipton, Celestial Seasonings, etc). We were in the mall today and passed by Teavana, which apparently just opened 2 months ago. We were intrigued by all the teas and bought 3 of them, as well as a porcelain tea cup with a strainer.

So far we've tried two of them (Peach Momotaro and Fruta Bomba) and while they smell and look delicious, the taste is very very mild. Are we missing something? I get more flavor from my Lipton black tea...

We're brewing them in the cups with the strainers for the recommended time and amount of tea. They also mention water temperature for each tea, which is hard for us to gauge (I don't have a thermometer) but I get the water off the stove before it boils.

Also, the clerk at the store said that these are fresh teas and not "stale tea" like the kind you find in the store. So these teas are supposed to be more beneficial and fresh... Sounds like that's probably true, right? I guess I never thought of store-bought tea as being stale... but considering how long they're on the shelf... maybe that's true? Teavana teas are stored in airtight stainless steel containers away from light, moisture, air, etc.

So really, is Teavana worth it's weight in gold? Or are we buying into another gimmick that really isn't all that amazing? How are these teas better than others?

I bought a lamp last week on clearance at Target. I need a shade to go with it.

( Lamp help )

I have been very, very bad lately at getting down and doing what I want to do - silversmithing at home. I have set up a workshop area but have spent months getting distracted away from doing it.

So I was rather pleased to have decided the afternoon before a bithday party (a meal at 9:30.. so can't be late!) that I would make something out of silver for my friend. She used to be very into Lolita fashion, and while she doesn't wear the skirts and the lace as much, she is still very into the iconography - the keys and crowns and stuff.

I decided initially to make the idea I had been toying with for ages, of a key whose top is a fleur-de-lis and whose key-bit is a crown, but it is very complicated and I still can't draw a crown shape that I'm happy with :P

So I opted for a simplified version, a simple silver key with an initial. Her name begins with a K, which is useful, as there's a side of the letter to attach to the shaft... A's not so easy!

Materials are sterling silver sheet and tube, and what I thought was a large sterling silver jump ring but which yellowed when heated, so I don't believe that it is :/

( pictures )

My other project is a set of two rings for another pair of friends. I opted for D-wire which is basically the cylindrical wire cut in half and found it impossibly hard to bend into the oval for the ring even when heated, and perhaps my struggle with it is what has put me off sitting down to do anything for a while. I have however just discovered the existance of 'low dome' wire which is what I should have been using all along. I was expecting to have to flatten the D-wire down somewhat on the ring mandrel, but this low dome wire will be SOOO much more easy. I may even get them done by Christmas!

Quote from this weekend:

TV Show about Thankgiving: "Each year, it is customary for the President of the United States to pardon a single turkey on Thanksgiving."
Daddy: "So do you think this year President Obama is going to pardon George W. Bush?"

I am wearing a new dress, I am way behind on comics this week, and I will post more later!

How is everyone else today?

http://www.jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=pretending&date=2009-11-16

わざとらしい (pretending)

    Meaning: fake, pretending
    Example: it seems like he is faking his injury

  [ View this entry online ]

  Notes:  
I ran into this grammar in a song I was translating.

it is a set phrase, using わざと　meaning intentionaly and らしい it appears or it seems. to imply that what ever the case may be, it is being faked.

this is the kind of Japanese that is best wispered that spoken. 使ったら気を付けってね


  Examples:  
Note: visit WWWJDIC to lookup any unknown words found in the example(s)...
Alternatively, view this page on POPjisyo.com or Rikai.com

• わざとらしい笑い。   [ex #6680]
An artificial smile.

• 彼のわざとらしい話し方が嫌いだ。   [ex #6681]
I don't like his affected manner of speaking.

• 彼のけがするのは、わざとらしいですね   [ex #6682]
It`s like he is faking his injury.

Help JGram by picking and editing examples!!

• Search big database for more examples of わざとらしい
  
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</ul>
  Comments:  

• Is this really JLPT 4?? (contributor: seifip)
  
  [ Add a Comment ]
  

http://www.jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=Try+to%81%40%81%60&date=2009-11-16

〜ようとする (Try to　〜)

    Meaning: Try to do something, but the nuance is that it was unsuccessful.
    Example: I tried to kiss her, but she said no.　

  [ View this entry online ]

  Notes:  
過去記事を紹介しようとする気持ちだ

uses the conjectural/hortatory form of the verb


  Examples:  
Note: visit WWWJDIC to lookup any unknown words found in the example(s)...
Alternatively, view this page on POPjisyo.com or Rikai.com

• このコンピューターを使おうとしたが、ダメだった。   [ex #6739]
I tried to use this computer, but I couldn't.

• 電車に乗ろうとしたら、ドアが閉まってしまいました。   [ex #7005]
I was about to get on the train when the door closed on me.

• 彼が彼女にキスしようとした時、,お母さんが 部屋に入って来た（のでキスできなかった）。   [ex #7006]
He was trying to kiss his girlfriend when his mom walked in the room. (so I did not get to kiss her)

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</ul>
  Comments:  

• I'm not sure if this is warranted... but I think so. I'll try to clean it up once I get home tonight :)
  
  (contributor: ninja_k)
  
  [ Add a Comment ]
  

Where do these lamps come from? I've seen quite a few rooms with them. They're white and look like they have ...embroidery or something on them? Anyway, they are too cute. Thanks!

i've posted my room before, but not here. and it was a while ago. things change! sorry for the inconsistent lighting, it was getting dark as i was taking pictures.



( more here )

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=e0aa67fa1ec0a1f3ebf94ca8fde0c383

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/11/16.html

hoi polloi: the common people; the masses.

thedivinerpg is a brand new panfandom RPG with a twist you've never seen before. We just opened this November 1st and we are looking for a cast of characters from the Lost fandom to come join us for some otherworldly fun.

Premise ♦ Rules ♦ Cast ♦ Application ♦ FAQs ♦ Members & PBs ♦ Wishlist ♦ Torment Log thedivinerpg ♦ pubparadiso ♦ thecomedy In the 14th century, Dante Alighieri gave the world a glimpse into Hell. But, like medieval Florence and everything around it, Hell has changed, and unlike Earth not necessarily for the better. However even across the span of centuries some things remain steadfast – the despair is tantamount, the torture ironic, pity is scarce, reprieve impossible – Abandon all hope ye who enter here. This is a literature and live-action panfandom RPG that takes character torture to a whole new level. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to comment to this entry or contact the mods at either madestatic@gmail.com or morbidly.gwenny@gmail.com. Opened November 1st 2009

(1)crossover: Milo Ventimiglia/Emily De Ravin,
(2)lost: Matthew Fox/Evangeline Lilly, Jack/Juliet
(2)x-files: Mulder/Scully




here @ comes_shining

Where do these lamps come from? I've seen quite a few rooms with them. They're white and look like they have ...embroidery or something on them? Anyway, they are too cute. Thanks! (Click can on the pic to make it bigger btw...)

I am about to paint my bathroom. It is going to be white and I was thinking of painting a stencil of some sort (just one big one, not a row of them or anything). I was considering a pirate ship or a whale or some other sea-inspired design. I would do a mural but I'm not talented enough with a paintbrush.

Has anyone else done stencils before? Do you have pictures to share of your finished project? How did you go about it? (print design on paper then transfer to cardboard/plastic etc?) Where did you find your stencil or did you design it yourself? I've googled but couldn't find anything I like! Any suggestions for design or how to go about doing it would be appreciated. I'd rather not pay a ton of money to buy one if I can help it. I'm in Australia if anyone has local knowledge.