Eccentric Tea Woman

  I once met a woman Who told me that the dead spoke to her. Was it a gift? I asked. No, she replied, but a responsibility Since the dead are the regrets That no longer have a voice. But if they no longer have a voice, I asked, Then how do they speak to you? By revealing a person’s weakness, she replied. Tears that slowly fall Are not normal tears But a wet reality Of what they have done. But should it be hidden? I asked To keep away the questions Asked for too long and too repetitive. The woman was gone -  A ghost of herself -  And all that is left Are my tears of regret. Viridian Tea Company - Strange and Unusual Tea Blends! Click HERE for the Etsy store link!

  Me: (grinning like an idiot) Guess what today is?! Tea Muse: Ummmm, well yesterday was International Tea Day . . . .  Frederica: (checking her calendar) It's nothing violin-related, right? Me: NO! It's World Goth Day! Woot! Time to let my Elder Goth ways run wild! Just like every other day! Har har! Tea Muse: Heck yeah! I had no idea this was a day!  Frederica: (grinning like a wild woman) Did you know that it ALL began with the song Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus in a BRITISH club called The Bat Cave? And that most of the Goth bands during the first wave were BRITISH? And that I simply adore Siouxsie and the Banshees??? Tea Muse: Wow. Had no idea you were into Goth, Freddie. I thought you were all into Classical music, not that there's anything wrong with that! Frederica: Oh my. So you two think I'm always such a fuddy-duddy, right? Be right back! (runs to her room and slams the door) Tea Muse: Why am I suddenly scared? Me: (laughing) Scared of Frederica? Wow, tha

 I grew up with the idea that I had to please everyone. Bend over backward and don't forget to smile! So what if you have plans? So what if you wanted to stay at home and enjoy a quiet evening? Saying YES meant doing the right thing no matter what. Saying YES meant that my needs were not important enough and if I dared to question . . .  At times, it felt as though I had to ask permission to go out and enjoy myself. Do things that I wanted to do. And then one day, I learned about the word NO. No, I will not give up my plans tonight just because. No, I don't need anyone's permission to do whatever I want to do.  Funny how the people who couldn't accept me saying NO to them were the same ones who didn't respect my boundaries. Or even knew I had boundaries, mostly because I didn't speak up. I didn't tell those people - I really feel uncomfortable discussing this matter. Please find someone else who is more suitable. Or: Please call me before showing up at my ap

 (Tea Muse artwork by Brittany Lewis. Frederica artwork by J.W. Bullard.) Me: (fast asleep and dreaming of meeting Marcel Proust) Tea Muse: (lands on the bed) Happy first day of SPRING!!! Me: Ugh, what? Who? Where?  Tea Muse: C'mon, get up and let's go outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine! Me: (slowly getting out of bed) Alright, alright, can I at least get dressed? Tea Muse: (huffing) Fine, whatever (storms out of the bedroom so I can get dressed) LATER . . .  Tea Muse: (sitting at the table and drinking a cup of sencha tea)  Me: (coming out of the bedroom fully dressed) Okay, NOW let's go outside! Tea Muse: (setting down her cup and grabbing my hand) WOOT! Frederica: (in the living room with red itchy eyes and a fit of sneezing) Ugh, I HATE Spring! All that pollen in the air! Tea Muse: Yeah well, that's what Claritin is for!  Me: Wait a minute, I didn't know imaginary friends can have allergies?! Tea Muse: Oh yeah, we can get colds AND the flu! Frederica: (

  Jessica knew she would be late for her get-together, but she didn't care. She had to find her purse or else she couldn't go anywhere. After throwing out half of her items in her closet, she finally located the small bag tucked way in the back. She grabbed it and raced out of her apartment and down the street to the coffeehouse. As she sprinted, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She stopped and pulled it out, only to smile as Michael texted that he was running fifteen minutes late. She placed the phone in her pocket because her purse was too small to carry anything more than her plum flavour lip gloss and wallet. Jessica strolled the rest of the way to the coffeehouse and enjoyed a little bit of window shopping. The store next to the coffeehouse carried all sorts of bohemian and hippie items, and Jessica felt compelled to walk in. She was never into the whole 'free spirit' way of life, preferring her heels that killed her feet, small purses that were easily lost yet look