Eccentric Tea Woman

  When Olivia woke up on a rainy Saturday, she realized that everything had changed. She looked at the rain storm outside her old windows in her bedroom then smiled as she slid out of bed. She walked down the narrow hall to her kitchen to prepare a cup of tea then stopped as she reached her living room. There were beer bottles all over the floor, along with issues of The New Yorker , several poetry books, and an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts, some lipstick stained, and others just stained. She glanced at the sight, then plodded towards her kitchen. She really wanted a cup of tea. A rainy Saturday means that I can stay in and watch movies , she thought as she prepared her kettle. Olivia lowered her bag of Earl Grey tea into the mug and said aloud, “I don’t care anymore. All of it. None of it.” Although her words barely came out in a whisper, she felt as though the world heard her finalizations. Once everything was ready and the kettle slowly boiled the water, Olivia returne

  Ever since I decided to move my small business from Etsy to Shopify, I have received several emails from supposed people who claim that while they LOVE my website, they have the power to make it SO MUCH BETTER! They have the tools to increase my followers, drive more traffic, and make more money because honestly, who wouldn't want to make more money? Yesterday, I received an email from a man who had seen my YouTube channel  and told me that while it looked good, he was able to make it SO MUCH BETTER! More followers, bigger, faster, the works! I reached out and told him that I was fine with what I had. He thanked me for replying and added that if I changed my mind, I could reach out to him. I blocked him. I took a deep breath and asked myself (and later my boyfriend): why are we so consumed with making everything bigger, faster, cooler, with more dollar signs? Why can't we just accept it (whatever IT is) as what it is? Why not enjoy the moderately designed website, the moderat

  For the longest time, I worked in Corporate America by way of investment firms and banks. I completed my tasks, got paid, made some friends/associates, and felt a little empty inside but it was what I had to do. I had bills to pay, an apartment to upkeep, and my life to enjoy. One day in 2019, I decided to leave my current job because I learned that my manager not only threw me under the bus with regard to a work assignment but also when I confronted her with the truth that yes, I had completed what she claimed I didn't, she never replied or acknowledged that she was wrong. I couldn't work under those conditions, and so I turned in my notice and began the shaky path of being self-employed. For those of you who don't know, I own an online tea business plus I am a published author. I guess I am a creative professional or something along those lines. I spent some time working solely on my loose leaf tea blends and my novels that would be published either through my publisher

For quite some time, I have been an avid player of MMORPGs, specifically World of Warcraft and recently, Guild Wars 2 . I love the feeling of when I am about to delve into the fantasy world riddled with quests, meeting NPCs, and avoiding/engaging with other players. The scenery of each area, coupled with the sweeping music, makes me happily lose an hour or two of my day. However, it has recently dawned on me that while these games are fantastic to play, there are many lessons to learn regarding life. Here are several that I learned: One - Life is NEVER black and white. When you begin your journey into WoW or GW 2, you spend time creating your character. The race, gender, profession, and even colour of hair are quite important. You even get to choose your affiliation (Horde vs. Alliance) and so when you strike out into the world, you steadfastly hold on to what you believe in. However, the more you level up, the more you begin to see the blurred lines, that not everyone is pure evil no

  Paul stood before the blank canvas as he smoked his third cigarette within an hour. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his empty hand. He had nothing. After all these years of crawling through muck and insults, he finally became one of the top artists in the country. He adored the fame and the riches that came from pieces that he created, yet he had no idea it would all come crashing down around him. He opened his eyes and took a long drag off his cigarette, then blew the smoke at the canvas that silently cried out to him to be used. Use me, the canvas wailed. Put your mark on me, for god's sake, and don't think too hard about it. You're a master, or have you forgotten? Paul nodded to himself, agreeing with the desperate voice. He glanced down at his paints and brushes and for a moment, wondered what they were. What in the hell was he doing? He finished his cigarette and then threw it into his extremely cold cup of green tea that he neglected to drink this mo

I dreamt I saw you before me. You hadn't changed a bit. Still the same asshole that I thought could change my life. In this dream, you smiled and I wondered if you were sad. How strange our minds can become when we are broken like discarded dolls. Perhaps when I awaken I shall realize my mistake of ever taking you seriously. Forgive me; my sins are still Being washed from my skin.  Viridian Tea Company - Tea, Books, and Artwork! Click HERE for the website!