MR CHAS KROLL AND HIS VIDEO

Happy Holidays,

I am deeply delighted to be invited to celebrate this holiday season with the American Tea Masters Association. In conjunction with this grand celebration, I was given opportunity to enjoy this remarkably creative Hallelujah Chorus video produced by the 5th Grade Class at the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat School in Quinhagak, Alaska. Originally intended for an audience of 200, the video has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on YouTube at the link below:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyviyF-N23A.

With this, I write to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Chas Kroll, Certified Tea Master, Executive Director, American Tea Masters Association for his generous invitation to me. 

As a result, I decided to republish it in this blog so that you too have this golden opportunity to view this marvellous video.

Cheers and thank you,

Wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013,

A PERFECT MATCH OF TEA AND DUMPLING

                                                             A PERFECT MATCH

Hi my lovely friends,

Dumpling festival was just over not long ago and trusted that you had a wonderful time during this festival. We believe some of you may have tried various sizes, shapes and types of dumplings, which can be easily obtained in my home country. This is at no exception to me and my family, especially since my eldest son had just come back from overseas this year and had missed this food very much.

As a result, this festival was given special extra attention this year. Dumpling, as photo above, is very much fulfilling to the stomach and it struck my mind as to what is best to go with it so as to ease the digestion. This led me to think of tea.

Do you agree with us that Tea is the perfect fix for such an effective role? We believe many of you may nod your heads in agreement with the title above. Having said so, it is also adviseable for you to continue to read the passage below and perhaps you may add in some convincing points to make this article even more interesting at the end of the day. Alternatively it may turn this to be a lively discussion topic at the comment column provided below. Whichever way it goes, we should make it as an useful platform for our exploration and development. Thanks for your kind participation in advance.

Before we proceed further, we would also like to highlight the well known fact about tea and its digestive properties. That's why you may see some decorators like to pair them with dumpling as a perfect match. We are deeply glad to find such a decoration became the lime light in the recent dumpling making and decoration competition camp held at the Batu Pahat Chin Kang Association.

The annual event held there was much more special this year, in the sense that it is the first time they brought in the single mothers. Besides that, they are also promoting this Chinese traditional culture to the community and celebrate the festival with others, especially the needy ones. We were told that this camp was divided into 2 categories - dumpling making class and dumpling decorating contest.

It was reported that there were some very positive and encouraging feedback from the participants. They found it very wonderful especially to have celebrated the festivity with mothers, who are learning together with their children as how to make dumplings, apart from having a fun, joy and excitement fulfilling activities.

No surprise at all that such a success will drive the association to hold more of such camp next year, such as bringing it to schools. We, of course, at tea art blog, are very glad to see this healthy and long preserved culture being maintained, but also spread further to the schools. Who knows, one day it can even turns to a cooking course, as more people can acquire such a skill either for a living or other purpose of their choices.

Thanks for your time and effort to read this article. Please spread it to your circle of friends if you find that it may enrich their lifestyle.

James Oh

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WONDERFUL LUNCH AT TEA HOUSE IN PENANG

WARMLY WELCOME TO THIS GLOBAL TEA GLOBAL NETWORK BLOG

In my preceding article, you may be aware of my recent fruitful trip back to my home town in Penang. As a result, several articles were written especially on Dr Sun Yet Sen's museum.  I had to run up and down taking photos of those interesting places I visited and to blog out at the end of the day. At the same time, I also collected some reading materials on those tourist areas which I have visited to promote my hometown, which was left far behind for the last couple of decades. Now, it is the time for me to pay back to the state I belong to.

With so much activities, yet I did not feel tired. From my face, you may feel that I have lots of energy to carry out other activities I planned much earlier. I even wrote till 4.00 am at several places, like McDonald (Hamilton road) and Papa Rich (EGate) in Penang and follow up with several of my former classmates and some new friends while I was surfing the net at that place.

With such a hectic time, I still managed to steal some time out from my busy schedule for my lunch at my usual Chinese tea house at QingHuan Chinese Tea House. See the photos below and find out what I had for my lunch. The photos taken after I have taken one Tea Egg and one of the little buns out of three in a set that I had ordered. Then only I became aware that I can take the photos for my tea blog.

That's the reason you don't have a chance to see the entire food range  I had for my lunch. Before I forget, I must let you know that one thing you should not miss at this tea house is its signature dish of lotus rice, rich in content with mushroom, pork, sausage and etc. Really delicious and this is one of the best lotus rice I have tried. Here, can someone tells me where to get the best lotus rice in PJ, KL or Penang?

Hope you like the above photos. Please record down in your diary and pay the tea house a visit whenever you have opportunity to do so. You can be rest assured that you won't regret it.

You may see that the environment is so pleasant and I can even work through out my lunch because I can't resist with so many inspirations flooding my mind that I do not have enough hands to write down all of them. In fact, all those articles you have read the last few days are the products from there and this one as well.

This is totally unexpected from my initial thought when I began my venture in the blogging sphere. At that time, I must confess that I was so worried that I ran out of ideas to write articles continuously. But today, what you see is totally different.

That's all for this time and seeing you again,

James Oh

Skype me at james.oh18

LIFE IS LIKE TEA QUOTATION

WARM WELCOME TO THIS BLOG,
Firstly let me express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Parang Desai, one of my Face Book (FB) contacts, for allowing me to use his beautiful quotation, below, on his FB wall, to write the article to its effect:-


"Life is Like Making Tea - Boil Your Ego, Evaporate Your Worries, Dilute Your Sorrows, Filter Your Mistakes and Get a Taste of Happiness."


Before I proceed to give my view on it, may I hear some of your views. Do you think that this statement is true? or is it myth? Let us know your views and your arguments to support your views for both answers. Thanks for your feedback. If you disagree with both the answers, then do let us know your views too. Do not have to worry because there is no right answer to it. You have the liberty to voice out your view here.


To kick start the ball rolling, I write to tell you how it really caught my immediate attention. This is because, the author have expressed its value so precisely, which I can't find anything not to agree with him. As you are well aware, TEA has impacted me so much. It enriches my live so much that it drives me to share with you its value through this blog. The name of this blog was chosen after my long and serious thought so as to suggest its KEY message.


As such, I must say that TEA, in nutshell, removed all my negative feelings and bring out its ultimate goal, Happiness, to me. I believe it can do the same to you, as it did to me. Happiness is all about your choice as life is a choice. It solely depends on its beholder. Here, may I obtain your permission to elaborate the 5 feelings stated above.


1 FEELINGS


1.1 EGO


I rather classify ego as negative feeling because it blocks us from listening and learning from others no matter what. History has well demonstrated this crucial point that caused many MIGHTY persons to fall by their own destructive actions. By drinking tea, it boils your ego which removes all the barriers that enable you to think and listen relatively much better.


1.2 WORRIES


As we used to say worry will not add value to any issue. As such, why worry? If not check properly, your energy will be drained out unnecessarily. Alternatively, you should save this energy to search for its solution. Isn't it more logical for you to look for solutions and not worry about the issues? By drinking tea, it will evaporate your worries - So good as it says. Hope you too have this resultant feeling when you savour tea.


1.3 SORROWS

It is difficult to not feel sorrowful especially when something unfortunates happened. However, let us be mindful that we can't change history. For those, especially who know me long, are aware that I have suffered numerous bad incidents in the past and I made serious mistakes of feeling sorry for substantial long periods. It is very natural to have this feeling.

Let me share with you that it brought some bad experience for me. Not only bad for me, but the people surrounding me were also affected by this adverse impact as well. Now, these have moulded me to be forward looking and I keep moving forward. Therefore, I choose not to dwell with my past sorrows. So, by drinking tea it will dilute your sorrow. Have you experienced such feeling?


1.4 MISTAKES


Let TEA be your mentor to filter your mistakes. It is true that you can learn from your OWN mistakes. But, the question is why not learnt from others and moreover it is always better to realise it before you commit it. By drinking tea, it could keep you cool and calm. As such, you are likely to make better and wiser decisions on the issues because you would have better thoughts.


1.5 GOOD FEELING- HAPPINESS


For those who can get a taste of happiness from tea, please share with us how you achieve it. For me, the pure taste of tea coupled with its right ambience will give me the inner sensation - Happiness, which is far beyond words. Imagine when you have tea with like minded people, you will enjoy the beauty of nature and it will definitely give you the happiness you sought after.


Thanks and trust the above article is helpful to you. Please spread it to your contacts of friends so that they also enjoy its valuable benefits as described in the above quotation.


Look forward to seeing you again and your support is greatly appreciated.






James Oh

TEA BLEND WELL WITH COMIC

Hi, folks,


Hope you guys were not get shock when I blogged on a political cartoonist, Mr. Zunar. You may click at the title of this article to make access to it. I never intend to offend anyone, but if there is any offence taken, I apologise for it.


Today, I like to share with you my purpose of doing so. First, I believe it blends well with tea. It can be used as our conversation topic, just like what is commonly happening in Malaysia's tea and coffee outlets. It is also another way of enhancing lives especially for those who have that passion.

Secondly, it adds humour to our conversation as this artist is great and is able to turn the current issues into a laughing stock and crafting a fortune for him, while defending the country he loves. He is not only brave, but also dare to voice out for the public interest. This is a very healthy attitude and need to be encouraged.

At times, it is a noble act and we need to give him due respect to express his views freely as provided in the constitution in this country, especially those matters that are of great interest to the public.

Another interesting point to note in regard to enjoying this comic while we savor our team is that this book is handy and we can just flick through it. It is so rich in content and you can be assured to grasp its key message without much thinking. I have read through more than one time and find it so lively and entertaining. At least, I can laugh it out, from the portion of taxes I have to bear, if it is really true.

And last but not least I urge the government to reconsider their decision and lift the ban on this comic. To me, it may not be deem as a threat to the nation. In fact, the government should encourage this free flow of expression so as to act a check and balance to the executive arm in any democratic country, so to speak. I strongly believe we are not going to go Myanmar's way of administration of their affairs, which we also joined other nations to condemn their acts.



James Oh






Skype me at james.oh18