Andy Laub's Blog, Tea Info, Healthy Lifestyle, Farmers Market Tea

Tea with Billy

Andy Laub — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:18:33 +0000

[caption id="attachment_146" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Billy Enjoying a Fine Black Yunnan Tea"][/caption] Billy, a homeless friend in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego took me canning this morning. Afterwards I served him the rare Yunnan black tea from the Dadugang Tea Company that we had visited in July on a cool, misty day in Yunnan, China.

“Canning” is the act of picking up used aluminum cans and plastic bottles from trash cans to sell to the recycling truck. For about two and one half hours of canning and tea drinking we made $26.75. Billy asked me a number of times if I wanted to split the money. As his apprentice, it was not right; I was there to learn a little about life on the streets. Besides, Billy would have made the same amount if I wasn’t there. It wasn’t like I found cans he would not have found. Billy said once you learn the craft of canning your harvest is based upon luck. At the end of the canning harvest Billy deemed us lucky.

The air was foggy; the sounds were dampened and the light gave a soft glow to the immediate surroundings. With Billy as my mentor he showed me how to jump up and lean on my stomach over the side of the large commercial trash containers in a modified approach to the complete immersion of dumpster diving. He also showed me how to pour water out of plastic water bottles over my hands to wash them as we moved through the alleys behind businesses, homes and churches. Billy knows from his canning work where the heavy drinkers live; even what mornings are likely to have a good haul of aluminum beer cans. Billy has memorized the combination lock number to many of the commercial trash cans that are locked. He has earned this trust by keeping the area clean and doing his work quietly.

Tea with Billy

Andy Laub — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:40:29 +0000

[caption id="attachment_142" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Billy Enjoying a Fine Black Yunnan Tea"][/caption] Billy, a homeless friend in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego took me canning this morning. Afterwards I served him the rare Yunnan black tea from the Dadugang Tea Company that we had visited in July on a cool, misty day in Yunnan, China. "Canning" is the act of picking up used aluminum cans and plastic bottles from trash cans to sell to the recycling truck. For about two and one half hours of canning and tea drinking we made $26.75. Billy asked me a number of times if I wanted to split the money. As his apprentice, it was not right; I was there to learn a little about life on the streets. Besides, Billy would have made the same amount if I wasn't there. It wasn't like I found cans he would not have found. Billy said once you learn the craft of canning your harvest is based upon luck. At the end of the canning harvest Billy deemed us lucky. The air was foggy; the sounds were dampened and the light gave a soft glow to the immediate surroundings. With Billy as my mentor he showed me how to jump up and lean on my stomach over the side of the large commercial trash containers in a modified approach to the complete immersion of dumpster diving. He also showed me how to pour water out of plastic water bottles over my hands to wash them as we moved through the alleys behind businesses, homes and churches. Billy knows from his canning work where the heavy drinkers live; even what mornings are likely to have a good haul of aluminum beer cans. Billy has memorized the combination lock number to many of the commercial trash cans that are locked. He has earned this trust by keeping the area clean and doing his work quietly.

Tea With A Shaman

Andy Laub — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:23:08 +0000

Jade Wah’oo Grigori is a practising shaman living in Sedona. Jade is a gregarious and self effacing man in his late fifties and has been a practising shaman for over thirty years. He came to his calling the way so many of us come to our own life’s path: by accident and with the beneficial trickery [...]

Tea With Uqualla

Andy Laub — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:42:39 +0000

The road to Nirvana is loud, real loud. The kids are playing the Doors as loud as I played the Doors when I was a kid. It was my first rock and roll album. I am trapped in the back seat of a Harley Davidson themed Chevy pick up truck returning from a week in the [...]

The Oldest Man to Climb Everest drinks tea from Nepal

Andy Laub — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:57:53 +0000

I attended a lecture by hiking buddy Bill Burke last week. On May 23 of this year he became the oldest man to climb Mount Everest. You can track his three attempts and past ascents of the tallest mountains on all of the seven continents in the world at his web site: http://www.eightsummits.com. Bill is [...]

Earl Grey: Perhaps the most ardent fans in the tea family

Andy Laub — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:33:02 +0000

Earl Grey may have the most ardent fans in the tea family. I won’t debate that today; however I am interested in what the best tasting Earl Grey may be. I will be selling a tea that was judged by the World Tea Expo to be the best Earl Grey at this year’s World Championship of [...]

A Professional Look at the Puer Tour

Andy Laub — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:26:12 +0000

Tim Bowen, the wiley hockey player from Tucson who saved the basketball pride of the US when we played in Jinguu against the Chinese tea factory workers is also a web site developer and a great photographer. Tim has posted pictures and commentary at the site http://www.puertour.com . Tim will be taking the photos of others, [...]

Yunnan tea adventure about to start

Andy Laub — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:00:32 +0000

I will meet the affable giant, Austin Hodge in the Kunming airport in about 30 hours. In the entourage will be the famous young tea drinker, Kevin Rose also founder of Digg.com and his friend, the best selling author Timothy Ferriss. ("The 4 Hour Work Week". I can't say enough about the importance of this book to everybody.) There are several other wise and experienced tea drinkers on this adventure and Timothy and Kevin will be recording the adventure, I suspect for an Internet broadcast that they have developed.

Tea and revolution: A member of our tea family must go

Andy Laub — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:59:34 +0000

I have been carrying a samovar in my car two weeks to give to my friend Hamid. Hamid is a recent American citizen. He is also Iranian. We hugged and made the exchange this morning. After profusely thanking me for the gift, Hamid told me I may I never see him again. But I am ahead [...]

Andy Laub's Blog, Tea Info, Healthy Lifestyle, Farmers Market Tea

Tea with Billy

Tea with Billy

Tea With A Shaman

Tea With Uqualla

The Oldest Man to Climb Everest drinks tea from Nepal

Earl Grey: Perhaps the most ardent fans in the tea family

Recommended Readings

A Professional Look at the Puer Tour

Yunnan tea adventure about to start

Tea and revolution: A member of our tea family must go