What To Do When ...

The heat is getting more intense outside and inside there is no relief.

August is well on its way OUT and that means that Autumn is on its way IN. 

But that doesn't mean that these wonderful Michigan temperature spikes are done yet. So? What do you guys like to do when the weather is not the greatest? 

For example, today .. August 28th, 2013 ... it was 90 degrees. So it was HOT. 

Now because of my love for Iced Tea, I had to have one. It seemed like a really good day for one. But how do you PICK when there are so. Many. Options. Because at ChocolaTea, they will turn ANY of their teas into an Iced Tea. 

One wall of various loose leaf teas

I wound up picking a basic vanilla tea and paired it with a passion fruit tea. It was delicious and needed no sweetener.

Also on a really HOT day like today ... especially with Autumn right around the corner, I like to take a good book and sit by the window in the sunlight. (Yeah, another fact about me ... I'm not a real outdoorsy kind of woman so windows are about the closest I get to the outdoors) 

And right now ... I'm on book two of the Mortal Instruments series. 

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. 

Clary Fray is back in book two and she's still dealing with the fact that her mother is in a magically induced coma, the love of her life Jace Morgenstern is in fact her BROTHER? And what are you supposed to do when your evil father is trying to take over both the Mundane world and the Shadow world? Clary is going to have to use her newfound talents to save her friends and family again in City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.

I know, I know. This was a pretty short blogpost. But I've been working a lot. So therefore. I give you my solemn vow. 

I will post again this weekend.

I wish you all a pleasant evening and that you have enjoyed this particular posting. 

And don't forget to throw in your comments about what you like to do on these hot days now that Autumn is here. 

-Taryn

I'm a Movie Junkie

Hello Again,

Been a little while, I know. A whole week in fact. Maybe a little more than a week. *shrugs* I don't know. That would be expecting me to do math and I refuse to attempt that on principle. 

All right, so here's what you missed since I last posted. Sunday, August 18th, I went to the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly, Michigan. Now for those who haven't been there before, this is probably the BIGGEST Renaissance Faire in the state. The vendors are all set up in these permanent structures situated like a little village. Ideal for shopping. To give you an idea of what it looks like .... 

Map of the Michigan Renaissance Festival. 

So you can see that this was a large circuit to go through. And it was very difficult to see everything. I only hope that I can go one more time before the season ends. 

In case you were also wondering, I'm a HUGE Renaissance Faire fan. 

Here's ME all decked out in my garb and with my dragon, Fae

September 28th is the Chocolate Festival. I ... kinda want to go. Just saying.

The next thing you missed while I was away. Monday, August 19th. My 27th birthday. I had to work, but it turned out to be just fine. And when I went home, I had a little cake waiting for me and we went to Olga's for dinner with my auntie. I also got this nifty mug from my sister that made me laugh really hard. 

Wednesday, August 21st! THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS MOVIE WAS RELEASED IN THEATRES!!!!!!
Everyone who knows me knows that I have developed an obsession for this series. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare started it all. Her prequels starting with Clockwork Angel only exacerbated the obsession further. Now that the movie is out, I'm even more psyched. I went to the first showing in IMAX at the theatre and ... It. Was. Worth. Every. Penny. 

The Mortal Instruments series follows the story of Clary Fray, a seemingly average girl who lives with her mother in Brooklyn, New York. In one night, her world is thrown out of orbit when she sees another teenage boy kill another person in a club. And it seems that she was the only one who saw it. From there, Clary's mother mysteriously vanishes and her home devastated, leaving Clary to lean on the one person who seems to be able to help her and explain just who she really is. The boy in the club. Jace Wayland is a Shadowhunter. Nephilim. Half angel and half human who fight the forces of evil to keep the world in balance and the humans "mundanes" safe. 

I could go on forever. 

Which I won't. 

I promise. 

ANYWAY, things are going very well this week. I learned how to do some other tasks at work so I feel like I'm finally taking on more responsibility. It's something I always wanted. If I can work hard, I can move UP in the company little by little. That would get me one step closer to my dream job of Acquisitions Editor. 

I think that's all for now. I'll try and post again soon. 

Au Revoir,

Taryn

All That Glitters....

Today is a 'Glitter and Gold' day. 

This is a black tea with a rather broad leaf and is flavored with vanilla, other spices, and little silver candy pieces. When the candies melt, it makes the whole cup of tea glitter and shine. Not kidding. It's my very favorite tea. 

It's supposed to look glittery, but the camera was dumb

Plus it's caffeinated. I appreciate that after a busy day like I had. 

I work at Barnes & Noble. And it's probably the best job I could ask for. I had applied every 6 months for over 7 years before I got in. Now that I'm in, I see no future where I'm NOT working there. At least for the foreseeable future. And I'm okay with that. 

Here's where I stand on my soapbox for a second. 

Working in retail is nothing to be ashamed of. There's no reason to feel like a failure if you choose to stick with a job in retail. I like working with people. I love seeing regular customers come through those doors (of any job) and smile and say "Hi, nice to see you again". I graduated from Cornerstone University with a Bachelors in English. My dream is to be an Acquisitions Editor and I know that that means packing up everything I own, moving somewhere I've never been, and stepping out of my comfort zone. But right now ... I have student loans that I have to get down. So yes, I AM still living with my parents at 26 years old. But that's okay. To other college graduates out there, reading this and in this same situation...It. Is. Okay. We are all going to be fine and there's nothing for us to be embarrassed about. We're in a transition period. That's all. Getting through this? It's going to only help us reach our goals. I'm saving money, I'm saving gas, and ultimately, I'm keeping my head above water. 

*steps off soapbox* 

I'm done now! 

ANYWAY ... today I heard about this awesome series that I absolutely MUST READ!!!! 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hounded-kevin-hearne/1031186473?ean=9780345522474

Apparently, it's part of a six-book series about the last of the Druids. His name is Atticus O'Sullivan and he pretty much spends his time in solitude with his dog. My friend at co-worker was really talking up this book to me and how she is thoroughly hooked on this character because his sense of humor makes the WHOLE book. 

Anyone read this yet? Because if so ... would you recommend it? I'm anxious to get my hands on a copy. 

This is what I love AND hate about working in a bookstore. You find SO many books you want them all, but you know you should stop buying everything because you know that eventually you'll need to focus on the more important things. Like bills. Car payments. Cell phone payments. Food. Shelter. Etc. But why, why, WHY are they so pretty? With their covers and stories and ... stuff. 

*sighs* The life of a reader is indeed a trying one. 

Well, I think I'm going to wrap this up for now. But I'm glad to see that people are enjoying this blog and anxious to read more. I'll keep posting. 

Always remember that you never have to fear being lonely when you read for a book is a true friend that will remain with you. Books become part of you.

Dear Wednesday

Dear Wednesday,

Today you have given me two things. 1.) A significantly wonderful day at Barnes and Noble working the cash register. 2.) But then you had to bring balance by throwing in a really sucky, extremely LOUD muffler on my car. 

Poor Henry (my car's name)! He goes through so much with me. 

Has anyone else had this problem? Show of hands please! You know, when your muffler suddenly makes the car SO loud that you can't think straight, but you also feel a bit embarrassed to be driving around that you want nothing more than to put a paper bag over your head so no one can see who you are. ( <----Insert fragmented sentence here) 

Sadly, I think this would just add more problems when driving around. And no, that's not me above. I got it off google. That's right. I googled. 

Anyway, so I'm sitting here at the tea shop and waiting for my friend to arrive. I think we're going to have lattes so I'm thinking .... *ponders* .... a RoboCup tealatte. This is a Rooibos or Red tea that is poured over steamed milk with hints of chocolate and caramel.

Here's my two cents on the Red teas. Rooibos tea comes from South Africa and kind of looks like a broom bristle and feels like a pine needle. They're a naturally sweet or even sometimes nutty tea that has many health benefits which includes promoting healthy kidneys. 

The Rooibos plant 

I don't profess to be a HUGE Red tea fan. My favorites tend to fall in the Black tea line. But here at ChocolaTea (link featured in previous post), they have a whole wall dedicated to the Rooibos teas in a variety flavors and I encourage everyone to go to a local tea shop and ask for a sample. They will without hesitation, I can assure you. 

Moving on ... 

Wednesday! It's wacky, it's classy ... it's educational? 

There are some things that I can't stress enough and it's a healthy book education as well as the teas. So here's also one of my major Book Recommendations of the week. 

Snapper by Brian Kimberling! 

Nathan Lochmueller studies birds, an ornithologist. He earns just enough money to get by. And he's in love with a woman with Lola and in a love/hate relationship with the state of Indiana ... that he lives in. With Snapper you get a book that revolves around a quirky little town with quirky characters, a lot of bird species, a snapping turtle with a taste for thumbs, and a love story that makes you yearn for Lola to open her eyes and see Nathan. I'm only on page 20. (See? Brutal honesty on my part. I'm recommending a book I haven't even finished) 

And it looks like my dear friend, Sarah has arrived? Wave hi to my blog readers, Sarah! 

She waved. Honest. 

Talk to you again soon,
Taryn

Another Day! Another Cup of Tea!

It's THURSDAY!!!!!! Yeah! Thursday!

All right, so there's absolutely nothing special necessarily about a Thursday. Except for the fact that it's the day before Friday. Who cares? 

Well ... me ... I guess. 

As this is my first blog, I am looking for a good day to make a regular post. One everyone can truly depend on. So for now, this might be a little haphazard. 

So here is a little more information about myself, your humble host. 

I'm Taryn. I'm 26 years old and I'm a college graduate from Cornerstone University with a Bachelors in English. Like a lot of college grads, I had that naive mentality that after graduation, life would come up roses. I'd immediately find a job in my career field, pay off all those pesky student loans, and move to a big city high rise in New York City. 

Reality is a harsh mistress, let me tell you. So in this blog, you're going to get my realism. My practicality that I've gained from my experience. 

Anyway, my dream is to be an Acquisitions Editor for Simon and Schuster in their NYC offices. If there was a ever a job where a reader could be PAID to read, that would be it. I also want to be a novelist and I have no problem with living in that fantasy that it will happen. Confidence is key. And 12 rejection letters later, I'm still writing. How many rejections did J.K. Rowling get for Harry Potter? Way more than 12, I can tell you that much. 

Something else about me ... I love tea. I love Black, Green, White, Pu-Erh, Rooibos, Herbal, and Fruit teas. I love tea lattes with extra milk or just steeped to perfection by themselves. And I love this tea shop that's in my town. ChocolaTea. 

Seriously. You should check them out if you're ever in Portage, Michigan. 

Chocola-Tea's seating area

 

This place has been my home away from home and the Queen of Tea, the owner herself, Polly Kragt has poured her heart and soul into this shop. http://www.chocola-tea.com/

So yes, I will be sharing my tealattes of the day, some tidbits of information about tea leaf reading (my instructor at a class said I had the 'gift' and I've had fun exploring the shapes at the bottom of a tea cup), and lastly, my own growing passion for tea. 

A bit more about myself, then! My books! I've read a lot and can't stop. I won't stop reading until I'm dead. I'm sure of that. I will talk about my favorite writers, my favorite books, and I will be throwing recommendations shamelessly around so people will take a chance and pick up even the controversial titles. 

When I first started really getting into reading, I remember bringing the books home with me from school and reading them in a single sitting and then wondering ... 'is there any more?' I was 6. I am still like that even with the 500 plus pages available in some titles. *cough* Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire *cough* 

That's me! You'll hear more about me, but what I really want to do is get into this blog writing thing. So I'll give you something really good in my next post. I swear! Pinky Promise. Handshake. Fist bump. Whatever you want. 

Take care everyone!

-Taryn