New URL, new home for GPF!

I just want to let everyone know that I’ll be posting on the blog at its new location from now on. Please be sure to come over to www.GypsyPoetFool.com.

There will be plenty of new content so I hope you’ll be sure to bookmark it or subscribe to the new feed. If you subscribe to my RSS feed, I hope you’ll be sure to grab it at the new website. I look forward to seeing you all at the new address! P.S. Same thing is happening with my other blog Creating Momentum- you’re invited to visit it at its new address: http://www.CreatingMomentum.info.

I Love You Already!

I thought today I’d scribble about how awesome 2009 is.  The thing is, I don’t watch the news. It’s just bad, bad, bad. Please don’t think I’m making light of people’s troubles because I’m not. I have great compassion for those who are suffering because they’ve lost a job or are having difficult times financially.  I’ve been there plenty of times myself, bouncing checks, living off a bag of rice and chicken boullion, no gas money.  But folks, we are nowhere near the unemployment rate during the Great Depression.  This morning I read that the unemployment rate had increased to 7.2%.  Do you know that during the Great Depression it was 24.9% during its worst year? From 1931 to 1938 there was anywhere from 15 to 24.9% of the working population out of work with no prospects.  Yes, our people are hurting, but we aren’t anywhere near the level of suffering those people endured. 

So, on to 2009… this is just a really good year already.  My main goal for this year is to transition to self-employment as a writer. I believe if I can do it this year- when the news media is tossing around nothing but disaster in the headlines- then my chances for success are spectacular when the economy bounces back.  What better time is there to make the transition?

God, this whole thing sounds so corporate, right? Blah, blah, blah.  Let me cut to the chase… my heart is on fire… words, story, rhythm are what I see when my eyes close.  What an immense, joyful, challenging experience it will be over the next 12 months… to delve deeper into my craft, to carve out little bites of truth on the screen and page, to work so much harder than anybody wants to but knowing that it will pay off in the end (I do believe this). 

Artists and writers have to walk a tightrope.  It takes years, even decades to develop true, longlasting creative skill and craft. Iwas 12 years old when I started penning my first poetry and stories.  And I’ve never stopped since.  All these years have been practice. I was an incredible poet but terribly shy…not so shy these days- but not as much of a poet. Life’s too short- you have to put yourself out there- into the world, let it tear you open, push you down, ruffle your hair, spit on you. Don’t quit, don’t give up - keep picking yourself up, repeating the process. Continue to write crappy story after crappy story until one day that element you’ve been missing just appears. You’ll laugh, you’ll bawl like a baby, and there will be no greater joy. 

Recently I’ve been focusing on non-fiction because it will pay the bills better. I found a mentor to work with and can’t wait to grow in that experience. But most of all I’m thrilled because I’m starting a writing program to focus on fiction and story. 

It’s hard to know how much is too much- my plate is going to be ridiculously full. On top of my writing  and the dayjob, I’m involved in a lay theology program and facilitate a small group, plus I try to keep up my meditation practice.  It’s all part of my experience as gypsypoetfool. When I tried to think about what I might drop off my plate there was nothing that could be removed because there is some element in each of these that I need to thrive. 

You know what makes all of this possible? My partner.  If she weren’t so amazing and supportive we might have problems.  We’ve been together a long time- 12 1/2 years.  When life is undergoing massive shifts and you’re in a relationship, it make all the difference to have the support of your loved one. I thank God for her everyday… 

2009 is freaking amazing…. so saith the poet…

Goodbye 2008

Arrividerci, adios, see ya, old 2008, pal old friend! It’s been a tremendous year- and a long one, at that.  So long, in fact, that I keep messing up my own timeline when I’m telling a story to friends.  This gypsy is coming up on 4 years in one place at one job…. holy crow.  My wings are rusted, milky white roots are shooting out the bottom of my feet and I don’ t know what to do with this nagging urge to rent a Ryder truck! But, I’m staying put… for now.

I went to Minneapolis this week and spent 4 days with my best friends.  On Monday, my parents came down to hang out with me.  They own a cabinetry business up in the North Woods but most of their business is in t he Twin City area so they were on a run to pick up parts, drop off a large unit for a kitchen they are doing next week, and to go with me to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Kindho’s.  Best Friends invited the whole pack of us to eat dinner at their house, which I so greatly appreciated! The folks, for all their city based business, aren’t comfortable just “hanging out” with me at a coffeehouse or something. We played Farkle (awesome dice game), had a couple of drinks, and ate way too much food.

Everybody in my life gets weary of me trying to move back to Minneapolis- including my sweet partner. She tells me we ain’t goin’ nowhere- no way, no how, not a chance.  Well, shoot. That really puts a damper on my Ryder truck rental plans.

The year was trying. Plenty of people were greatly affected by the economy and the crisis in the mortgage industry.  My job has somehow been spared. Thank God, right? The beginning of the year there were 7 people on my team- now it’s just me and my last Primate.  Two people moved to new teams, 1 moved to Arizona, 1 was laid off, and 1 was given the axe.  So, I might actually make the 4 year mark at this place after all.  Hmmm.

Mortgage-free living?

Jacob over at EarlyRetirement Extreme (http://earlyretirementextreme.com) is doing a series for 30 days about how to achieve financial independence in 5 years. I’ve been following his blog for awhile.  The first subject he posted on in the series is about living in affordable digs. He suggests not spending more than $200-300 per person.  That would definitely be a quick way to early retirement. I’m at about double that right now but it is still affordable- we could feasibly pay off the house in the next 5 years if we decided to.  But there would not be much extra for anything else.  Our goal is to do it in 7. It is a good goal. Hard for a gypsy, but what kind of freedom will I have when I am mortgage-free? I’ll be free to pursue anything I want without a lot of financial burden- and that’s a HUGE gift to give myself.  This fool can then live the life I sacrificed for the past 10 years.  If it takes longer than 7 it is only because I didn’t bring in as much income as a freelancer. So maybe it takes 10 years. That’s still phenomenal in my opinion.

I want to say that even though  I sacrificed a certain way of living temporarily it has been completely worth it. By going into a more corporate setting I’ve had the chance to learn skills and get over fears. I’ve gained more than I gave up.

New Year, New Adventure

 

The New Year is my favorite time of year. I love fresh starts, as you might guess, since I identify with gypsies. For every twelve-month period I get to start over 2 times. New Year’s and again on my birthday in the summer. And let me tell you, I revel in planning and making lists. I go through my finances, spiritual life, career goals, all of it.

For two years we’ve been getting the finances in order to where I can come home and focus on my writing career. In 2008 we paid off all our debt except for the house. Our mortgage is pretty reasonable considering we bought it 3 ½ years ago- the banks would have easily loaned us another $100,000 – and we could have taken it if we’d lost our minds. But because we restrained ourselves the mortgage amounts to less than a quarter of our combined take-home. The joy that comes from that is many-fold. Namely, in 2009 or 2010 I will be able to quit working full-time to pursue the dream I’ve spent years working on.

I know I’m a rather money-centric gypsypoetfool but since I share my life with another, it caused me to learn about some of these things because my DP is not a gypsypoetfool. When I was single I didn’t care a bit about money so long as I had a roof over my head with one good window and a kitchen to cook in. My DP requires a little more luxury than I do but she’s worth the extra effort.

2009 we are going to make it our goal to live on one income and use the balance to do 3 things:

1. Pay extra each month on the mortgage;

2. Save the balance in a savings account;

3. Put any of her OT and bonuses into an account to replace her car at some point in the future.

As I launch my writing business it will be an easier transition for our household. We’ll be used to living on one primary paycheck and the savings account will be well padded for emergencies. The goal is to be earning income from writing prior to quitting my own full-time job. Those funds will either go into savings or be funneled back into the business for classes, paper, postage, business expenses, traveling, etc.

 

Home,sweet snowy home

In Minneapolis visiting my best friends. The little one is watching Nemo with my other half. I’ve taken over their computer for a little while while my best friend is out shoveling snow.  Snow.. snow…snow…snow! Now sing that like they do on White Christmas!  I love Minneapolis but the past few years there’s been nary a flake in the air or on the ground when I came to visit. Not this time. Snow banks, shovels, plows, cars in the ditch- the whole shebang- it is awesome!  Had to borrow a pair of boots just to go out to dinner last night. My Tennessee tenny-runners are not going to cut it. The Arctic air blows right through the mesh. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY- I wish you the best blessings and biggest love for this season.  Where are you spending your holiday?

Long time gone…

What a year.  What a really good, really blessed,  completely frustrating 12 months. It has been a time just like so many of you have had. Personal growth, spiritual rollercoaster, work hard, work less, play hard, forget what playing even is!

What did I accomplish in 2008? Technically? Wrote 98 pages for a novel in November. NaNoWriMo was a real kick in the pants. I’ve also written the first 80-90 pages of 2 other novels this year.  I think 2009 will involve completing one of these stories.  Had a huge HUGE breakthrough on one of the stories last week.  I think there’s a chance it’s actually going to be good.  But don’t quote me on that, okay?

 Found a place – a church- that gave me a second chance to learn about love.  Love bigger than … everything else. Bigger than marriage, children, family, parents, brothers and sisters, jobs, fights, trangressions, disputes, politics, wars, indiscretions. I got down on my knees and asked for the chance to know as much about this Love as my human heart and mind could take. Give it to me, God- you’re best shot- take me down whatever road required to get it through this very thick skull and this hard heart… please?

Outside of that, the very best thing was getting out of debt. Nothing else hanging over our heads. Sweet Liberation, baby!  (Except for the mortgage… but soon- just a few more years unless I lose my everloving mind and do something radical.) Let me tell you- we finished off the last of it a couple months ago and it’s been.. save some, spend some, save some, spend some.  Still have to watch my mind- even after all the hard work the marketing propaganda remains around every corner. We did give in and purchase a new washer/dryer.  My dad called to thank me for single-handedly jumpstarting the economy.  Yeah, they were a tad on the pricey side! It was a splurge and probably really crazy but we’ve worked hard and they are such a pretty little set… aw shucks (stupid gypsypoetfool).

What about your 2008? Tell me what’s happened in the long year behind us…

The List

I like to cook. It’s true. I invest in good quality pots and pans- and I use them.  Over the years I’ve found a few suppliers of items I can’t get just anywhere. After scouring the grocery stores for quality coffee I decided I needed to expand my horizons. It was in doing research for a novel I was writing that I discovered a wonderful world of coffee that can be ordered over the Internet. If you want exquisite flavor, quality information on the specific coffee you are ordering, and to feel a bit like like an adventurer then I highly recommend Counter Culture Coffee  (www.counterculturecoffee.com).  My favorite is the Red Mountain from Papua New Guinuea. Sweet and luscious.

When I was in Minneapolis visiting my best friend I discovered another fantastic roasting company that delivered not only around the Twin Cities but all over the world via the Internet. Peace Coffee (www.peacecoffee.com) has incredible coffees and you feel like you’re doing your part by ordering from them. I mean, seriously, if you are going to drink coffee you should do it with some care for the planet and both of these companies are the fine  stewards with the best coffees I’ve tasted (and I purchased probably close to 20 different types, only one of which was icky to my tastes).

Over the past year, my tummy has been less welcoming to coffee.  As I’ve always been a big tea drinker I switched primarily over to tea.  It’s not so difficult to find decent tea in the grocery store but I wanted more range and occasionally less caffeine. I’ve done plenty of Lipton and Tetley and still enjoy them. But I wanted more! On my last vist to Minneapolis I visited the SpyHouse, a funky little coffeehouse off of Nicollet Avenue. It was on a grey and cold morning that I strolled up to the counter and looked at the list of teas.  On the list was the Empire Keemun (the Original English Breakfast tea). It was morning, therefore, I figured breakfast tea was in order. They fixed me up with a little teapot and a retro cup from which to drink. The tea steeped. I waited. Then I poured. With some half and half and a little something sweet in the cup, I took my first sip. My heart stopped. My mind exploded. It was the best cup of tea I’d ever had in my life.   The journey began.  I asked if they sold it in bulk. No. But, the store that sells it is not far. I took the name down, looked up the address in the phone book, and drove all around Northeast Minneapolis in search of The TeaSource (www.teasource.com). Eventually, I found it, after calling the store for directions when I couldn’t.  I bought 4 ounces of Empire Keemun, tucked it into my suitcase and flew back to Nashville.  It lasted from December 1 to the end of February. Seeing the bottom of the bag meant it was time to order from their website. I think I ordered a two-year supply of tea- 8 different varieties, some in 2 ounce portions, others in 4 ounce.

This post is getting quite long so I will finish the list on another post. Until then, be sure you drink the best whenever you can.

How To Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

How to Make Tea

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
A well-made cup of hot tea can warm the heart and soul of any tea lover, but it can be unpleasantly bitter or disappointingly tasteless when improperly steeped. A conscientious approach to tea preparation can maximize the flavor and health benefits provided by the tea bush, Camellia sinensis. Here’s how to get it just right.

Steps

1. METHOD 1
2. Bring more than enough water to a boil in a non-reactive tea kettle.
   • The better tasting your water, the better tasting your tea. The best water is filtered or bottled (but not distilled). If using tap water, let it run cold for 10 seconds before using it for tea.[1] (To not waste water, let it run into another container and use it to water plants or rinse dishes later.)
3. Pre-heat the vessel. This will prevent the steeping water from dropping in temperature as soon as it is poured in. Add a little boiling water to a ceramic or porcelain tea pot or the individual cups–wherever the tea will be steeped (ceramic and porcelain retain heat well). Cover the tea pot with the lid and a cozy, if you have one. Let stand until the vessel is warm, then pour out the water and proceed immediately to the next step.
4. Put the tea in an infuser, strainer, or directly in the bottom of the tea pot. Steeping without an infuser or strainer gives the tea more room to unfold and release additional flavor.[2][1] Start with one heaped teaspoon per cup of tea to be made, unless you have instructions which say otherwise. The amount of loose tea you use will depend on the type and strength of the tea, as well as your individual taste, so a little experimentation may be in order.
   • If using tea bags, the measuring has already been done for you – generally it’s one tea bag per cup. However, make sure that the bags are fresh, since most commercially produced bags consist of small pieces of leaves that are susceptible to becoming stale faster than the loose leaf variety.[1]
5. Add hot water. Pour it over the tea. Use an amount in proportion to the quantity of tea you’ve added (e.g. 5 cups of water for 5 teaspoons of tea). The ideal water temperature varies based on the type of tea being steeped. The more oxidized (fermented) the tea (e.g. black tea) the hotter the water should be, whereas less oxidized teas (white, green) should be steeped in water that isn’t as hot.[3]
   • white or green teas, well below boiling (170-185 F or 76-85 C)[2] When the water boils, turn off the heat and let the water cool for 30 seconds for white tea and 60 seconds for green tea before pouring it over the leaves[4]
   • oolongs (185-210 F or 85-98 C)[2]
   • black teas, just off a boil (212 F or 100 C)[2] The most common mistake is to steep black tea with water that is not hot enough, which can prevent the active substances in black tea from developing[3]
   • pu-erhs, full rolling boil (212 F or 100 C).[2]
6. Let steep. Cover with the cozy to retain warmth. Different teas require different steeping times. Check the box for guidance. If there are no instructions, steep for a minute or two, then taste frequently until it’s flavorful but not bitter.
7. Remove the tea leaves from the pot (if you have a strainer or infuser) or pour the liquid into another vessel (a cup or a pot, with a strainer to catch any tea leaves). Tuck the tea pot back inside a tea cozy if there is tea remaining in the pot after serving everyone. This helps keep the tea hot longer.
8. Infuse again. Many teas can be infused multiple times, so repeat the above steps, increasing the steeping time with each infusion, to get the most out of your tea.[2] In some Chinese traditions, the tea is first steeped for 15-30 seconds to rinse any surface contaminants from the leaves, and the resulting liquid is also used to rinse any cups and utensils that will come in contact with the following infusions, which are the ones to be served.[5]
9. Serve the hot tea with milk, sugar, lemon or honey. Do not serve the tea with lemon and milk. Choose one or the other. If you use milk, add the milk to the cup first, then add the tea. This prevents the hot tea from scalding the milk, by heating it up gradually, this happens if you add the milk to the hot tea rather than the other way around.
12. METHOD 2
13. If you just want a mug of ‘proper’ English brew, boil the kettle, chuck a teabag in the mug, pour in the water, leave for a couple of minutes, squeeze the teabag against the side of the mug to get all the flavour out, then add the milk and stir. Behold, a proper mug of tea. You can’t get better than that!

Tips

• Store tea in an airtight container to limit exposure to oxygen or moisture in a container that won’t impart flavor on the tea.[6] Black tea has a longer shelf-life than green tea, while Pu-erh tea actually improves with age.[3] If you might be storing the tea for an extended period of time, use desiccant packets or oxygen absorbing packets and vacuum seal.[3]
• If making tea from whole leaves, it can be enjoyable to steep them in a French press and watch the colors radiate from the unfolding leaves.[4]
• Descale your kettle often to remove mineral deposits.
• Many people like their tea one way, unlike the exact way of anyone else. Find the way you like tea the best — some like it with only cream, others just sugar; some like honey instead of sugar, while others prefer an artificial sweetner; yet others prefer both cream and honey; some like nothing but lemon or lemon and honey.
• Perhaps the most common way is with cream and sugar. Depending on if you want a strong tea flavor and a more watery tea or a creamier tea, you may want to adjust the amount of cream you put in, and how much sugar or sweetner you put in obviously depends on how sweet you want your tea.
• For a sweet, creamy dessert-like tea, add half cream and half tea, and then add three hefty spoons of sugar.

Warnings

• If you live in a mountainous, high-altitude area, the lower boiling point can make it difficult to properly steep teas that require a high temperature (e.g. black, pu-erh).[3]
• If you boil water in the microwave, take precautions to make sure the water doesn’t explode (a dangerous phenomenon known as superheating).[7]

• Water cycles endlessly through the earths atmosphere, over and under its surface, as such it cannot be wasted. Money, used to purchase water, can be wasted.

Things You’ll Need

• Non-reactive tea kettle to boil the water
• Ceramic or porcelain tea pot
• A bowl to pour the leftover hot water from the tea pot
• Tea strainer or tea ball
• Sugar and creamer
• Tea cozy (optional)

Related wikiHows

• How to Serve Low Tea
• How to Make Iced Tea
• How to Make Herbal Tea
• How to Make Chai Tea
• How to Brew Kung Fu Tea
• How to Minimize Green Tea Caffeine
• How to Make a Good Cup of Tea
• How to Make a Cup of Tea Using the Microwave
• How to Make Tea in a Pot
• How to Make Scones
• How to Make Lemon Curd
• How to Make Strawberry Tarts

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.learn-about-tea.com/brewing-tea.html
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/Brewing_Guide_s/30.htm
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea#Preparation
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.2basnob.com/brewing-tea.html
5. ↑ https://secure.worldsourceintl.com/infusion.htm
6. ↑ http://www.timanatea.com/teafacts.shtml
7. ↑ http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/superheating.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Tea. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Decisions, decisions, decisions

So, it’s been a great while since last I posted. The past year has been heavy with grown up choices and responsibilities which I highly recommend trying out periodically. I tried it out- taking on a “career” type position and laying aside the dreaminess of my former life. Funny, the way a person convinces herself she should do a thing because it’s the right and grownup thing to do. And even funnier, the way it doesn’t work when a thing is done for the wrong reasons.

Does a person choose their career or does it choose them? It’s easy for a gypsypoetfool to don the clothes, the position, and play hard for a period of time, even if it is a full press contact sport like insurance underwriting. Eventually, though, the choice must be be made. Does she stick it out, fit in with “responsible” folk everywhere- or run, baby, run and do what she is here for? Anybody seen my track shoes?

The amazing thing that happens when you try on other lifestyles for a time is that you LEARN. In the past year, I have learned more about myself and my capabilities than I probably did in the past 10 years. The position introduced me to other sides of myself, both strengths and weaknesses. My tolerance for challenges and stress was tested repeatedly. After a lifetime of phone phobias, I learned how to pick up a phone without fear and trembling. I discovered I’m more visual than auditory when it comes to grasping foreign concepts (probably comes from a lifetime of writing- I can’t even sort out my own thoughts without a pen and paper.) And, the most important discovery was that if you are going to sacrifice for something it has to be for that which makes you more true.

So, although I have no desire to extend this experiment for more than another year, I don’t begrudge the time it took away from my real vocation. When I started this position I had finished writing my novel and needed time to let it rest. It allowed space for my dreams and goals to replenish and come back into focus. It made an easily frightened gypsy anchor herself for a time. I’m happy for the opportunity and highly advise you go get your own challenge for a couple years. You might not like it along the way but you won’t regret the education.