continuing on with gwen bell's best of 2009 blog challenge ..
rush .. you'll laugh, but my biggest rush of the year came this weekend, as i sat in a chair and had a hole poked in each year. i have wanted to pierce my ears for forever and a day, but (she confesses) i was scared. i thought it was going to hurt. if i had known how little it actually did hurt, i would have done it long ago.
packaging .. if i had bought anything from apple this year, they would win hands down. i saved my computer box for six years. but i haven't. i have, however, bought quite a few things from etsy sellers. i like supporting home-made but, even more, i like getting something in the mail from an etsy seller. it feels more like getting a present than a product. almost everything i receive is packaged so beautifully - sometimes even with a extra surprise inside. (truth be told, part of the reason i want to open an etsy shop is for the fun of packaging things. forget the sales. i just want to package. hmmmm .. perhaps i should partner with someone instead and be the shipping arm.)
tea .. you know, i wasn't a tea drinker at the start of 2009. did not like it at all. (it is deceiving - you smell the wonderful smell and then you taste it and it does not taste at all like it smells.) this summer, however, i discovered honest tea's pomegranate and goji berry iced red tea. that stuff is fantastic. fruity and red and caffeine free. then, this winter, i started drinking african red tea in the morning - with a giant (and i do mean giant) spoonful of manuka honey and a glug of cream or half-and-half. i am growing to love the ritual of a hot mug of tea on cold mornings - and it turns out that, with the addition of honey, i do enjoy the taste. we are becoming friends this year, tea and i.
word or phrase .. "yes" was my word of 2009. truth be told, i forgot about it almost immediately after i chose it. regardless, in reflecting back on the year, it was indeed my year of yes.
the goji stuff sounds good...where do you get it? i'm slowly converting darrel to teadom...and my kids...tea will rule the world! Ah-HAHAHAHA!
'
Posted by: Ann Bimberg | 12/20/2009 at 07:43 PM
@ann: it's bottled iced tea, made by honest tea. i find it in the cold drink section, where they sell individual bottles of soda or tea or .. if you can find bottles of honest tea somewhere (i think they're pretty popular), you should (hopefully) be able to find it.
Posted by: elizabeth @ retinal perspectives | 12/20/2009 at 07:47 PM
oh elizabeth..i've missed you and you're insights and wisdom. i am typing on my NEW MAC! AHHHHH! it is beyond unbelievable...so i'm back online and back on your wonderful awesome blog. love ya!
Posted by: chrissy | 12/20/2009 at 08:26 PM
...and you so recently responded to one of my posts on your dislike of hot tea....I'm so glad you're crossing over! ;)
Posted by: Becca | 12/20/2009 at 08:44 PM
@becca: i know! it was shortly after that that i started drinking it. mostly because it was just so doggone cold that cold water was no fun at all. how quickly things change. ;)
@chrissy: hurrah for new macs!!! so glad you have one. love you too!
Posted by: elizabeth @ retinal perspectives | 12/20/2009 at 08:52 PM
Funny as I am not a coffee drinker but I do love tea. I've never had African Red tea before, it sounds very nice the way you have described it.
Merry Christmas if I don't pop over before friday, but I do hope to be back before then.
Posted by: Liss | 12/21/2009 at 03:06 AM
So nice to look back at all of the 'good'..and all of the 'changes'...like your newly developed taste for good tea!!! Love the image!!
Posted by: Marcie | 12/21/2009 at 04:51 AM
my eyes got so big as i read about your rush! i love it! i've had my holes for 9 years. my then friend from work came with me and literally held my (sweaty) hand. When Habtamu got his done, there was a little blond haired, fair skinned 4 year old in front of him. He whole face turned red after the first little pinch and Habtamu was ready to leave earring free. I made him stay with "peer pressure," and he still wears it. Fun sharing :)
Posted by: jen t | 12/21/2009 at 09:10 AM
...HER whole face...:)
Posted by: jen t | 12/21/2009 at 09:10 AM
YES!!!! love it!!!
I am going to have to try this tea you are raving about...i usually just stick with basic green or peppermint...need to shake things up a bit!!!
loves to you sweet Elizabeth!
xxoo
Posted by: kolleen | 12/21/2009 at 06:26 PM
I haven't tried that kind of tea before- it sounds yummy. Especially the way you make it! I think I would look forward to that kind of ritual to start the day.
And I like that "yes" was your word for the year, even if you didn't conciously think about it. You are inspiring- the things you've faced and the positive, sweet outlook of yours. Good luck in 2010. :)
Posted by: Julie M. | 12/21/2009 at 08:18 PM
I just replaced my old nano with a shiny new one--Merry Christmas to me. Apple does have the best packaging, hands down. I thought the packaging for the old one was cool...
Posted by: jenG | 12/22/2009 at 06:07 AM
@jenG: merry christmas indeed. cannot think of a better gift. i want a nano myself - the pretty blue one.
@julie: it's called african safari - darn, cannot think of the brand without running downstairs. it's in a red tin. it's a pretty popular brand - they have tall narrow tins with off-white labels.
@kolleen: let me know how you like it! i like the idea of green tea, but it does have caffeine. :)
@jen t: so glad you shared that - i loved reading it. props to habtamu - i would have run myself. ;)
@marcie: well .. i can't be sure it's good .. i am not very discerning. ;)
@liss: merry christmas to you too, my friend!
Posted by: elizabeth @ retinal perspectives | 12/22/2009 at 08:06 PM
Hi Lib -
I didn't know about the tea... this was an enjoyable read. :) Happy rest of 2009 to you. :)
love, me :)
Posted by: Amy | 12/23/2009 at 06:14 AM