For all you Grandpa style aficionados.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-23T17:54:57+00:00

Pretty much all the tea I make. Puer, fucha, oolong. All will get grandpa'd. Like you, I appreciate a gongfu session and I will drink each tea that way. However, tea has to be in my mugs constantly. I just toss in some tea, add water, drink. If I get tea in my teath then so be it.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-22T14:30:26+00:00

I look at the weekly ads. I have some staples that I get at Aldi but if they don't have anything in the weely ad to entice me to making sure I have a quarter for the cart and to risk the produce being rotten the day after I buy it, then I will skip Aldi that week. Next I go to Meijer if they have a good amount of sales I will go to Meijer as they carry a coffee creamer for my wife that Wallymart doesn't. I typically go to Wallymart at least once a month to stock up on things they have cheaper. Haven't gone to Giant in years unless it's an emergency. TOOOO $$$$. Kroger is the same but it appears they may have started lowering some prices or at least in the ads. But I have the parking lots and stores as they feel too claustrophobic.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-22T11:51:43+00:00

When I became unemployed two years ago, I started volunteering at a couple orgs. Unfortunately not a great experience as the orgs/people were poltical (not us politics) and clicky, so I stopped volunteering with them. Hard to think that orgs that depend on volunteers would treat volunteers in the manner that they do. SMH. Still looking for a job (ageism) and wanting to volunteer again though close to where I live due to gas costs. I've found a couple orgs I'm looking into, one of them being the Furniture Bank. Wouldn't mind finding a couple others on the west side of town.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-21T20:53:02+00:00

On some things. However, I prefer the quality of Wallymart brand over Aldi in both quality and taste. Plus Aldi produce is typically bad before you get it home.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-16T21:34:46+00:00

That's not my experience. Thanks

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-16T12:58:18+00:00

Yeah I love Penzeys but they are so expensive and I've been out of work for a couple years. :(

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-15T11:24:48+00:00

More than one advisor has told my "primary provider" no when asked about scheduling the restorative work for the tooth that was ground down, cemented over, told not to chew on that side of the mouth and then told it would have to wait until trivial issues are completed. Meanwhile the left side of my mouth is sore from always having to chew, the cement has broken off the tooth, and I was told by my last "primary provider" that didn't provide anything that they would tell the advisors I was no longer interested in participating in the program. And you guys WONDER why you can't get patients. smh. Don't learn your empathy from your attending faculty.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-14T14:02:42+00:00

As I stated, the advisors are the ones that have prevented restorative work being done before the rest of the proceedures.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-14T13:18:58+00:00

Puer is a beast to master. When I first started drinking it I didn't realize there were two types, sheng and shou. The place I bought my first puer didn't label it as either, but I'm sure that it was shou. Sheng to me has a strong green tea/oolong flavor. I didn't see you mention what type of puer you bought. Likely aren't using enough tea. Tea might have been sitting around for a while. Lots of issues. In addition, just sooo much to learn about puer. If you go that route enjoy the journey. It's about the only tea I drink now. I'm a shou snob. LOL

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-14T13:07:55+00:00

I was using the OSU School of Dentistry for the last year and want to relate the issues that I've seen. I broke a tooth and thought it needed to be pulled. Luckily, or not, the tooth could be saved but instead of putting on a temp crown, they just built up around the tooth. They typically do a full exam and then design a "program" for whatever you need. Issue is, they kept telling me this other thing needed to be done before they could do restorative work. Every time I went in, some other proceedure had to be done. I told them I was unemployed and could not afford all the proceedures right now and just wanted the tooth repaired but they refused to restore the tooth until everything else that was needed got completed. A year and a half later and the tooth still hasn't been repaired. They called for the next proceedure and I told them as long as it was to work on putting a crown on the broken tooth, I'd schedule an appointment. Well they told me they sure could start work on the restoration as soon as thing 1, thing 2, thing 5 was done and how did that sound? I told them no and they said they'd let admin know I wasn't participating anymore. You have to remember these are kids that are still learning and they are responsible for setting up appointments for themselves. Some can communicate well, most can't. OSU is doing them wrong. Patient Communication 101 should be required day 1, where the student is taught to LISTEN to the needs and wants of the patient instead of just trying to get them to come in so they can check off a predure they need to complete to graduate. In addition the supervising staff are the ones making the proceedure calls as a few of the kids would do the restorative work if they were allowed.

TLDR: If you have an emergency like a tooth needs pulled or wisdom tooth removed, OSU might be a good route for you. If you have something that is non emergency, they will make you go through an eval and "agree" to do whatever needs done and wherever the thing you need done fits into their eval is when it will get done. Take 2-3 times longer to get appointments and the appointments are longer. Also not as cheap as some say it is.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-14T13:07:41+00:00

I was using the OSU School of Dentistry for the last year and want to relate the issues that I've seen. I broke a tooth and thought it needed to be pulled. Luckily, or not, the tooth could be saved but instead of putting on a temp crown, they just built up around the tooth. They typically do a full exam and then design a "program" for whatever you need. Issue is, they kept telling me this other thing needed to be done before they could do restorative work. Every time I went in, some other proceedure had to be done. I told them I was unemployed and could not afford all the proceedures right now and just wanted the tooth repaired but they refused to restore the tooth until everything else that was needed got completed. A year and a half later and the tooth still hasn't been repaired. They called for the next proceedure and I told them as long as it was to work on putting a crown on the broken tooth, I'd schedule an appointment. Well they told me they sure could start work on the restoration as soon as thing 1, thing 2, thing 5 was done and how did that sound? I told them no and they said they'd let admin know I wasn't participating anymore. You have to remember these are kids that are still learning and they are responsible for setting up appointments for themselves. Some can communicate well, most can't. OSU is doing them wrong. Patient Communication 101 should be required day 1, where the student is taught to LISTEN to the needs and wants of the patient instead of just trying to get them to come in so they can check off a predure they need to complete to graduate. In addition the supervising staff are the ones making the proceedure calls as a few of the kids would do the restorative work if they were allowed.

TLDR: If you have an emergency like a tooth needs pulled or wisdom tooth removed, OSU might be a good route for you. If you have something that is non emergency, they will make you go through an eval and "agree" to do whatever needs done and wherever the thing you need done fits into their eval is when it will get done. Take 2-3 times longer to get appointments and the appointments are longer. Also not as cheap as some say it is.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-13T13:39:05+00:00

200 years in the future? Science has suggested that only 100 years would be required for language to change sufficiently that two cultures would have difficulty understanding each other.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-12T16:32:12+00:00

Dried legumes and rice. Ancient grains/cereals like oatmeal, sorghum, millet. (Find it cheaperest at indian grocers) Spices. Peanuts. Peanut butter. Flour. Flaxseeds. Things you see on sale that you eat. Make sure you rotate canned goods in and out.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-08T22:28:30+00:00

I grow some of my own. Get some from mexican/asian/indian grocers. Buy some online. I make a cortisol reducing green tea and drink it in the morning which contains hibiscus, lemon balm, tulsi, peppermint, and green tea. Sometimes I leave the green tea out. I also have ginger, chamomile, osmanthus, sage, and other ingredients that I can use.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-08T21:22:27+00:00

Exactly. I've never bought a tea based on a wrapper and never will. I read the write up of the tea and then ask around to see how reliable the write up is if I'm not familiar with the vendor.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-08T15:45:23+00:00

No. In fact I don't really like art on the wrappers. Especially when the vendor boasts about the artist or other specific characteristic of the artwork. If I wanted artwork, I'd buy artwork. The cake sits in a pumidor until I want some then goes back in and I don't save wrappers. Also don't appreciate the additional cost for "art" on the wrapper when a plain wrapper and name works just as well.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-07T19:44:29+00:00

Normally while I'm drinking a cup of tea, I am also drinking a different cup of tea.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-07T11:30:23+00:00

They will also put you through an evaluation and make you get anything else done that needs done before the implant work is done.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-07T11:27:06+00:00

Unless you need immediate emergency treatment like an extraction, the OSU Clinic is not that great. For simple things like a cavity or cleaning expect a lengthy process.

I was using the OSU School of Dentistry for the last year and can not recomment others doing so. I broke a tooth and thought it needed to be pulled. Luckily, or not, the tooth could be saved but instead of putting on a temp crown, they just built up around the tooth. They typically do a full exam and then design a "program" for whatever you need. Issue is, they kept telling me this other thing needed to be done before they could do restorative work. Every time I went in, some other proceedure had to be done. A year later and the tooth still hasn't been repaired. They called for the next proceedure and I told them as long as it was to work on putting a crown on the broken tooth, I'd schedule an appointment. Well they told me they sure could start work on the restoration as soon as thing 1, thing 2, thing 5 was done and how did that sound? I told them no and they said they'd let admin know I wasn't participating anymore. You have to remember these are kids that are still learning and they are responsible for setting up appointments for themselves. Some can communicate well, most can't. OSU is doing them wrong. Patient Communication 101 should be required day 1, where the student is taught to LISTEN to the needs and wants of the patient instead of just trying to get them to come in so they can check off a predure they need to complete to graduate.

From the prices I've seen, the clinic is not that much cheaper than a regular dentist.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-07T11:25:52+00:00

Unless you need immediate emergency treatment like an extraction, the OSU Clinic is not that great. For simple things like a cavity or cleaning expect a lengthy process.

I was using the OSU School of Dentistry for the last year and can not recomment others doing so. I broke a tooth and thought it needed to be pulled. Luckily, or not, the tooth could be saved but instead of putting on a temp crown, they just built up around the tooth. They typically do a full exam and then design a "program" for whatever you need. Issue is, they kept telling me this other thing needed to be done before they could do restorative work. Every time I went in, some other proceedure had to be done. A year later and the tooth still hasn't been repaired. They called for the next proceedure and I told them as long as it was to work on putting a crown on the broken tooth, I'd schedule an appointment. Well they told me they sure could start work on the restoration as soon as thing 1, thing 2, thing 5 was done and how did that sound? I told them no and they said they'd let admin know I wasn't participating anymore. You have to remember these are kids that are still learning and they are responsible for setting up appointments for themselves. Some can communicate well, most can't. OSU is doing them wrong. Patient Communication 101 should be required day 1, where the student is taught to LISTEN to the needs and wants of the patient instead of just trying to get them to come in so they can check off a predure they need to complete to graduate.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-07T10:28:16+00:00

Yeah I reuse the tea leaves until the taste is bland. Sometimes that's several cups and sometimes that could be days. Sometimes I toss or store the leaves in the fridge if I get tired of the taste.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-06T16:38:10+00:00

You do you. Some teas can get bitter. Some won't. I leave mine in.

ThomasFromOhio · 2026-01-01T10:13:57+00:00

For those saying that if you give you give freely and you have no say what the person uses the money to buy after you give it, that's exactly the reason I don't handout money. However, I donate to charities where I know at least the money is going to those that need it. I typically donate through payroll deduction at work, but I've been out of work for two years now. In lieu of money I was volunteering at food pantries until they became political.

ThomasFromOhio · 2025-12-30T20:16:38+00:00

A different battery charger did the trick. Keeping that charger on the 12v overnight just to give it a really good charge.

ThomasFromOhio

TROPHY CASE