Chit Chat and All That...

[Steph1710]

Finally, FINALLY, Rob and me move back into the van this Monday. It's been SO long and I miss life on the road. Just been finishing off the inside because it needed a revamp.

Anyway, for anyone who is interested, this is my little shower room.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Looking across at the oldest ring fort in Ireland, Wicklow, from the top of Keadeen Mountain. Nothing there now but the rock wall and a remain of stone huts.

 

[UKBloke]

Finally, FINALLY, Rob and me move back into the van this Monday. It's been SO long and I miss life on the road.

Good for you. Enjoy!

 

[UKBloke]

Looking across at the oldest ring fort in Ireland, Wicklow, from the top of Keadeen Mountain. Nothing there now but the rock wall and a remain of stone huts.

View attachment 50958

That's incredible. What's the history behind the ring forts? Were they, city-state, kind of setups or part of a larger network?

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

That's incredible. What's the history behind the ring forts? Were they, city-state, kind of setups or part of a larger network?

They were built mostly as defence but families were living there also. There's another reason the forts were built high up or in places that the early Shamans found. The Celts who were before any other people, lived off the land, where they could produce food.

Also these forts were built where the Shamans witched the ground finding positive energy from mother earth. We as modern people don't understand the positive energy, for one simple reason or two, the people back then probably wore leather made shoes or barefoot. Leather absorbs electric current the same as mother earth puts out positive energy. We used to wear leather soled shoes, until someone made rubber shoes, which the energy can not absorb. The native Americans or indigenous people wore leather and they understood that connection between earth and well being.

There ya go, now take your shoes off and go stand in the back garden for 20 minutes to feel positive energy if it's there and connect to your mother.

As for city or state, it is believed that higher kings or head of clans had the forts built for safe living, rituals were performed in some. That mountain we climbed to look down onto the fort, sits a large pile of stones which may be a burial tomb, and it's thought it is connected to the fort although it's a distance away.

 

[Daniel Lion]

Hi friends, I haven't checked in for a while. Took the family from the outback of Laos to see the family in the USA. They are so freaking happy. Bangkok to Korea 8 hour flight, 4 hour layover, and then 15 hour flight to Boston, sitting in economy on top of the engines. I wore Peltor X5A, massive bulky things, had foam earplugs and 80 milligrams of Valium.

I think I am ok, my tinnitus is its usual constant high pitched jerk. But I don't think i worsened anything, touch wood.

I swam an hour across a lake yesterday in a beautiful place and it felt fantastic and magical. The kids played in the water, the wife and granny played and were happy as well. Looking forward to more good times. I am a stranger in a strange land but it's good to be back. I nearly shit my pants when a coffee cost nearly 6 dollars in Boston, you could buy a whole chicken for that at home, or maybe even get a discount hand job.

Anyhoo, just checking in, i will send photos with the help of my more technically sophisticated son and savior Noah.

Daniel

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Hi friends, I haven't checked in for a while. Took the family from the outback of Laos to see the family in the USA. They are so freaking happy. Bangkok to Korea 8 hour flight, 4 hour layover, and then 15 hour flight to Boston, sitting in economy on top of the engines. I wore Peltor X5A, massive bulky things, had foam earplugs and 80 milligrams of Valium.

I think I am ok, my tinnitus is its usual constant high pitched jerk. But I don't think i worsened anything, touch wood.

I swam an hour across a lake yesterday in a beautiful place and it felt fantastic and magical. The kids played in the water, the wife and granny played and were happy as well. Looking forward to more good times. I am a stranger in a strange land but it's good to be back. I nearly shit my pants when a coffee cost nearly 6 dollars in Boston, you could buy a whole chicken for that at home, or maybe even get a discount hand job.

Anyhoo, just checking in, i will send photos with the help of my more technically sophisticated son and savior Noah.

Daniel

Does the flied lice taste as good as the Cow Path?

Some Nam Kang helps to wash it down.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Hi friends, I haven't checked in for a while. Took the family from the outback of Laos to see the family in the USA. They are so freaking happy. Bangkok to Korea 8 hour flight, 4 hour layover, and then 15 hour flight to Boston, sitting in economy on top of the engines. I wore Peltor X5A, massive bulky things, had foam earplugs and 80 milligrams of Valium.

I think I am ok, my tinnitus is its usual constant high pitched jerk. But I don't think i worsened anything, touch wood.

I swam an hour across a lake yesterday in a beautiful place and it felt fantastic and magical. The kids played in the water, the wife and granny played and were happy as well. Looking forward to more good times. I am a stranger in a strange land but it's good to be back. I nearly shit my pants when a coffee cost nearly 6 dollars in Boston, you could buy a whole chicken for that at home, or maybe even get a discount hand job.

Anyhoo, just checking in, i will send photos with the help of my more technically sophisticated son and savior Noah.

Daniel

Brilliant Daniel, I hope you and the family are enjoying a break from every day life.

Stay safe,
Elmer

 

[Daniel Lion]

Brilliant Daniel, I hope you and the family are enjoying a break from every day life.

Stay safe,
Elmer

Hi big brother,

I am grateful for your kind words and warm wishes. And of course, our friendship.

I promise to have a blast and expect you to keep hiking, doing some wood work when you have time (with ear protection) and nipping at Jamerson every now and again as well.

Talk soon!

Sincerely,
DL
Xxxxxx

 

[UKBloke]

They were built mostly as defence but families were living there also. There's another reason the forts were built high up or in places that the early Shamans found. The Celts who were before any other people, lived off the land, where they could produce food.

Also these forts were built where the Shamans witched the ground finding positive energy from mother earth. We as modern people don't understand the positive energy, for one simple reason or two, the people back then probably wore leather made shoes or barefoot. Leather absorbs electric current the same as mother earth puts out positive energy. We used to wear leather soled shoes, until someone made rubber shoes, which the energy can not absorb. The native Americans or indigenous people wore leather and they understood that connection between earth and well being.

There ya go, now take your shoes off and go stand in the back garden for 20 minutes to feel positive energy if it's there and connect to your mother.

As for city or state, it is believed that higher kings or head of clans had the forts built for safe living, rituals were performed in some. That mountain we climbed to look down onto the fort, sits a large pile of stones which may be a burial tomb, and it's thought it is connected to the fort although it's a distance away.

Ah, Elmer... One day I hope to come and do that walk with you.

The stuff you've mentioned here plays directly into many of my own thoughts that have been changing over the past few years regarding where we are as a species, particularly in the realm of health (both spiritual and physical).

In fact the energy thing, drawing on mother earth's energy as a healer, and the ether, is the main reason I started looking more into the work of Nikola Tesla and ultimately Georges Lakhovsky (and others) to try and understand if there might be a solution for tinnitus in there somewhere.

Toward the end of the 1800's and through the early/mid 1900's there was clearly a growing movement in the West (even in mainstream medicine) that acknowledged the human body as electrical energy and advocated treating/healing various illnesses on that basis using electrical energy.

I don't know whether or not this (supposed) new way of thinking was perceived as 'new-age' or even 'anti-Christian' at the time but it certainly seems to have caused the establishment concern and feel under threat. Closing down this 'alternative' type of healing and shoving allopathic medicine down our necks instead has always felt more political to me than actually having anything to do with our general wellbeing. For what it's worth, I reckon our ancestral Shaman, the Celt, and the Pagans all had the right idea about this stuff. Not the Rockefellers.

Anyhow... Enjoy your Sunday! I'm off to walk barefoot in the garden...

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Ah, Elmer... One day I hope to come and do that walk with you.

The stuff you've mentioned here plays directly into many of my own thoughts that have been changing over the past few years regarding where we are as a species, particularly in the realm of health (both spiritual and physical).

In fact the energy thing, drawing on mother earth's energy as a healer, and the ether, is the main reason I started looking more into the work of Nikola Tesla and ultimately Georges Lakhovsky (and others) to try and understand if there might be a solution for tinnitus in there somewhere.

Toward the end of the 1800's and through the early/mid 1900's there was clearly a growing movement in the West (even in mainstream medicine) that acknowledged the human body as electrical energy and advocated treating/healing various illnesses on that basis using electrical energy.

I don't know whether or not this (supposed) new way of thinking was perceived as 'new-age' or even 'anti-Christian' at the time but it certainly seems to have caused the establishment concern and feel under threat. Closing down this 'alternative' type of healing and shoving allopathic medicine down our necks instead has always felt more political to me than actually having anything to do with our general wellbeing. For what it's worth, I reckon our ancestral Shaman, the Celt, and the Pagans all had the right idea about this stuff. Not the Rockefellers.

Anyhow... Enjoy your Sunday! I'm off to walk barefoot in the garden...

You would be welcome to come any time to walk.

As for natural healing, let me tell you about a very dear friend. She was Kootenai indigenous people, her knowledge of curable plants Bfuddled me. Winter months in Montana can be extreme, never know when a cold or flu is going to strike. If I felt like a spring cold was coming on, I would ring her (yeah they do have phones) and say I've got a cold or flu coming on. Her reply, come now, I will take care of you. So an hour drive later, I would appear. Then out to the sweat lodge, take your clothes off fire is hot and the water is dripping to make steam, see you in an hour, if you can last that long. Nope, no hour, best I could get was 40 minutes. Then as soon as I came out bare ass naked, it was into the cold river which ran next to her home. While I was doing this, she was out gathering plants from along the stream bed. Back home a tea was made from root and leaves. Now drink this. And when it's gone go to the spare room and get under that bear skin rug. Two days of tea from some plant which she wouldn't tell me what it was, I was back to feeling perfectly well.

Now go to the local doctor and they tell you, take pain killers, or buy some expensive cold remedies plus a bottle of useless cough medicine. All at the cost of 200 dollars. Oh and be sure to bend over as big pharmacy rips you off. Think about the chemicals they are injecting for the COVID-19.

As for anti-Christian, I won't even go there.

 

[aura]

 

[Wrfortiscue]

View attachment 50974

Only if you're wet lol.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Ah, Elmer... One day I hope to come and do that walk with you.

The stuff you've mentioned here plays directly into many of my own thoughts that have been changing over the past few years regarding where we are as a species, particularly in the realm of health (both spiritual and physical).

In fact the energy thing, drawing on mother earth's energy as a healer, and the ether, is the main reason I started looking more into the work of Nikola Tesla and ultimately Georges Lakhovsky (and others) to try and understand if there might be a solution for tinnitus in there somewhere.

Toward the end of the 1800's and through the early/mid 1900's there was clearly a growing movement in the West (even in mainstream medicine) that acknowledged the human body as electrical energy and advocated treating/healing various illnesses on that basis using electrical energy.

I don't know whether or not this (supposed) new way of thinking was perceived as 'new-age' or even 'anti-Christian' at the time but it certainly seems to have caused the establishment concern and feel under threat. Closing down this 'alternative' type of healing and shoving allopathic medicine down our necks instead has always felt more political to me than actually having anything to do with our general wellbeing. For what it's worth, I reckon our ancestral Shaman, the Celt, and the Pagans all had the right idea about this stuff. Not the Rockefellers.

Anyhow... Enjoy your Sunday! I'm off to walk barefoot in the garden...

You speak of the human species, it's beyond any experience you will ever know. As Mark Twain said, "The human race should be hung and end the farce".

Sometimes I believe he was actually correct. We are the most greedy and destructive animals on the planet. It's this knowledge that keeps leading the human species onto the eve of destruction. Our children will never know peace between themselves or world peace where they live in harmony with the planet.

Elmer

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

View attachment 50974

Nope but go ahead, sit in it, I can't imagine rice in my knickers.

 

[UKBloke]

You would be welcome to come any time to walk.

As for natural healing, let me tell you about a very dear friend. She was Kootenai indigenous people, her knowledge of curable plants Bfuddled me. Winter months in Montana can be extreme, never know when a cold or flu is going to strike. If I felt like a spring cold was coming on, I would ring her (yeah they do have phones) and say I've got a cold or flu coming on. Her reply, come now, I will take care of you. So an hour drive later, I would appear. Then out to the sweat lodge, take your clothes off fire is hot and the water is dripping to make steam, see you in an hour, if you can last that long. Nope, no hour, best I could get was 40 minutes. Then as soon as I came out bare ass naked, it was into the cold river which ran next to her home. While I was doing this, she was out gathering plants from along the stream bed. Back home a tea was made from root and leaves. Now drink this. And when it's gone go to the spare room and get under that bear skin rug. Two days of tea from some plant which she wouldn't tell me what it was, I was back to feeling perfectly well.

Now go to the local doctor and they tell you, take pain killers, or buy some expensive cold remedies plus a bottle of useless cough medicine. All at the cost of 200 dollars. Oh and be sure to bend over as big pharmacy rips you off. Think about the chemicals they are injecting for the COVID-19.

As for anti-Christian, I won't even go there.

I'd never heard of the Kootenai people before. But what a privilege to actually know one of the tribe as a friend. Are you still in touch? I wonder what she thinks about the direction the 'developed' world is going in...

On Mark Twain's quote, for what it's worth, I don't tend to view modern humanity as a kind of scourge that should be hung. But what I do think (and this has been compounded by much of what I've witnessed during the COVID-19 era) is that our species, or at least a very large part of it, lacks maturity. And I tend to think this has retarded it's ability to evolve utilising an evident brilliance at science and technology to harmonise with nature (for example).

In the past I've had conversations with people who actually punch the air and call for revolution. But when I ask, What do you want the world to revolution into? They've not had an answer. Suffice to say, if the answer were, well, I want the freedom to continue with tap-and-swipe consumerism, then I fear we're destined to go round in ever-decreasing circles.

We probably can't go back to living in forts like at Wicklow but I reckon trying to sympathise technology by harnessing the energy of the ether (so not solar panels!) is a good blue print to start again (especially where health is concerned). Try and have that conversation with the average Joe in the street, however, and they just laugh at ya

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Japanese Tea

Hey Buzz! Your method of brewing the Japanese tea.

The first pouring is straightforward: Warm the pot, put in the tea-leaves and pour in the water at 80 degrees Celsius.

Then after 1-2 minutes you pour it into your cup and drink it.

The second time, do you pour more water at 80 degrees or hotter or at what temperature? After all the teapot and tea-leaves have cooled down a bit. How long do you let the tea-leaves steep before the second pouring?

Likewise the third?

Ta

 

[Steph1710]

Only if you're wet lol.

Damn! You're on fire!

 

[El BUZZ]

Hey Buzz! Your method of brewing the Japanese tea.

The first pouring is straightforward: Warm the pot, put in the tea-leaves and pour in the water at 80 degrees Celsius.

Then after 1-2 minutes you pour it into your cup and drink it.

The second time, do you pour more water at 80 degrees or hotter or at what temperature? After all the teapot and tea-leaves have cooled down a bit. How long do you let the tea-leaves steep before the second pouring?

Likewise the third?

Ta

Hi Joeseph!

Each Japanese green tea requires different brewing parameters.

Let's take three different types:

- Sencha (non shaded)
- Kabusecha (half shade)
- Gyokuro (full shaded)

What does shaded mean? Well, tea fields could be covered with large pieces of "cloth" in order to prevent sun light to reach the leaves. This generates a stress in the plant which makes it produce more or less quantity of different compounds which will impact the flavor and caffeine content (among others). Hal shaded teas have been covered with a less thick cloth than fully shaded, allowing some sun to reach the leaves but not as much as non shaded ones.

Well, brewing parameters for a good quality sencha would be 80ºC for one minute. Kabusecha, 65ºC for two minutes. Gyokuro, 50ºC for three to five minutes. As you see, the hotter the water, the less time you brew the tea.

Ok, first brewing will require of a preheated teapot. You just pour some hot water and close the teapot while youre preparing the rest of the tea set. Same goes for the cup. Then you pour the hot water from the teapot and put the tea leaves in it, pour the hot water (let's say 80ºC as it was sencha the content of the teapot) and leave it brewing for one minute. Drink your tea.

Second and third brewing: Add 10ºC to the original temperature, and this goes for every variety, as you haven't preheated the teapot and it's estimated that temperature of the water decreases by 10ºC every time you change vessel. This time let it sit for 30 seconds (for every variety secong steep should be half of the time you left it the first steep).

And pretty much that's it!

Ideally don't leave your wet leaves not being brewed for more than half an hour. Ah, also make sure the lid is opened between steeps otherwise the leaves will keep cooking inside there and will give you a more astringent flavor. Always pour until the last drop and youre good to go.

As everything in life, play with the "rules" until you find your sweet point.

Enjoy, mate!

 

[Damocles]

@ZFire

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Hi Joeseph!

Each Japanese green tea requires different brewing parameters.

Let's take three different types:

- Sencha (non shaded)
- Kabusecha (half shade)
- Gyokuro (full shaded)

What does shaded mean? Well, tea fields could be covered with large pieces of "cloth" in order to prevent sun light to reach the leaves. This generates a stress in the plant which makes it produce more or less quantity of different compounds which will impact the flavor and caffeine content (among others). Hal shaded teas have been covered with a less thick cloth than fully shaded, allowing some sun to reach the leaves but not as much as non shaded ones.

Well, brewing parameters for a good quality sencha would be 80ºC for one minute. Kabusecha, 65ºC for two minutes. Gyokuro, 50ºC for three to five minutes. As you see, the hotter the water, the less time you brew the tea.

Ok, first brewing will require of a preheated teapot. You just pour some hot water and close the teapot while youre preparing the rest of the tea set. Same goes for the cup. Then you pour the hot water from the teapot and put the tea leaves in it, pour the hot water (let's say 80ºC as it was sencha the content of the teapot) and leave it brewing for one minute. Drink your tea.

Second and third brewing: Add 10ºC to the original temperature, and this goes for every variety, as you haven't preheated the teapot and it's estimated that temperature of the water decreases by 10ºC every time you change vessel. This time let it sit for 30 seconds (for every variety secong steep should be half of the time you left it the first steep).

And pretty much that's it!


Ideally don't leave your wet leaves not being brewed for more than half an hour. Ah, also make sure the lid is opened between steeps otherwise the leaves will keep cooking inside there and will give you a more astringent flavor. Always pour until the last drop and youre good to go.

As everything in life, play with the "rules" until you find your sweet point.

Enjoy, mate!

Much obliged for your explanation.

For the newbies who are contemplating going down this route:

As my lotto winnings have not come in yet, I decided to see would it work with a regular made-in-china clay teapot I already had.

I located a tea store... I got some Sencha tea... organic, like... and the first brew turned out real nice. You know what the Germans describe as... diese herrliche Geschmack. But I was playing by ear, had no thermometer or that. Just good luck. The next day I tried it out... good but not so good. Perhaps being extra careful to prevent moisture in the air getting at your tea is a good idea.

Then in a charity store I found a Chinese teapot... real small and yes -- size does seem to make a difference. So my procedure is as follows:

1) boil your water
2) pour some of it into the teapot to warm it
3) leave it in to warm it up and place your thermometer in the kettle of hot water (or a jug if you like) and wait till the temperature decreases to 80 degrees Celsius
4) then empty the teapot, put in the tea-leaves and pour your 80 degrees water in.

As for the rest, I refer you to El Buzz's excellent directions above.

I got lucky again. I picked up a second such teapot for half nothing, even smaller. Both of them are glazed... so maybe if you are a die-hard Jap-tea connoisseur, you should take the plunge on a purchase of the Japanese clay teapots.

And then I found... sacrilege... the tea leaves I had bought were Chinese.

Anyway,
Enjoy.

 

[ZFire]

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@ZFire


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To be honest with you, I was half asleep when writing that (on my phone). Too dazed to even include myself in the list. (@Raphael7713 is the dude btw).

 

[El BUZZ]

My people!

Just curious. Who here is able to hear her/his tinnitus everywhere and who hears it just in completely quiet spaces?

I can hear mine everywhere despite the surrounding sounds.

Please, if you can hear it everywhere give this post a heart If you only hear it in complete silence give it a rainbow.

By that way we will know who is who in this brotherhood.

 

[Damocles]

My people!

Just curious. Who here is able to hear her/his tinnitus everywhere and who hears it just in completely quiet spaces?

I can hear mine everywhere despite the surrounding sounds.

Please, if you can hear it everywhere give this post a heart If you only hear it in complete silence give it a rainbow.

By that way we will know who is who in this brotherhood.

BUZZ, I'd love to give you a heart (in fact, I'd really love to give you a rainbow), but the thing is, I don't know. I haven't stepped outside my front door without some form of hearing protection on in over 7 years.

Last time I did, yeah, I could. But I was somewhat more focused on the heart attack I was having from being out in the middle of London with reactive tinnitus, and no hearing protection on; so suffice to say, it wasn't bothering me much that day (not directly, anyhow).

With earplugs in (or ear defenders on) wherever I go, I guess I could say I hear my tinnitus everywhere, but then, I'm pretty sure that isn't what you meant.

It'll be cool though, in the future, when we can routinely request objective measurements of our tinnitus.

Then we'll really know who is who in the brotherhood.

 

[tpj]

I don't hear it in the shower. Is anyone else's masked in the shower?

 

[El BUZZ]

BUZZ, I'd love to give you a heart (in fact, I'd really love to give you a rainbow), but the thing is, I don't know.
View attachment 51044

I'd love you not having to choose just because you weren't in this forum and never had heard what tinnitus is, mate.

Fck this sht!!!

I don't hear it in the shower. Is anyone else's masked in the shower?

There are times shower masks mine but I mainly can hear it there. I'm going through a nightmarish spike for a week now and I can hear it crystal clear even with the shower full force.

 

[UKBloke]

Is anyone else's masked in the shower?

Sometimes and sometimes not. Mine's definitely a, law unto itself.

 

[Joe Cuber]

Sometimes and sometimes not. Mine's definitely a, law unto itself.

Same here, my tinnitus volume changes daily, so sometimes the shower masks it, sometimes not.

 

[sakrt]

Ideally don't leave your wet leaves not being brewed for more than half an hour. Ah, also make sure the lid is opened between steeps otherwise the leaves will keep cooking inside there and will give you a more astringent flavor....

Hi @El BUZZ - Interesting tea info! I drink a lot of tea, not limited to green tea, depending on my mood. Question: Did you mean to be steeping the same wet tea leaves, 2nd, 3rd time after the 1st brew (repeats up to half an hour?)

Japanese teapots are customarily small and we have evolved to the "king-size" American way, due to busy fast-paced lifestyle using large mugs on-the-go, often larger than your Japanese teapots (which is why many end up in 2nd hand-stores).

Any modification tips for larger cups and still get the same quality benefits?

 

[UKBloke]

Same here, my tinnitus volume changes daily, so sometimes the shower masks it, sometimes not.

Been reading a few more articles recently on the inflammation theory that suggest this can happen within various nerve networks around the inner ear and may play a role in the tinnitus percept (and even hyperacusis signalling back through the trigeminal).

Kind of makes sense especially with things like say, changing cortisol levels, that might explain why some days (or even weeks) tinnitus is crazy and non-maskable and other days not.