Fun, Amazing, Etc.

This is the official blog of indie author / adventure writer Andy R. Bunch, author of the fantasy book, "Suffering Rancor." As always, I'll post funny or amazing things I find in my travels or from poking around online. This is a great place to kick back and relax a bit. You may note that I’m not too clean or too dirty. For more information on my book, go to http://andyrbunch.weebly.com/. Here are links to first two books http://goo.gl/iHP1i and http://goo.gl/kK13W

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

How to Brew a Perfect Cup of Tea

I ran across these directions and thought I'd post it for all. It's from an article by Dr. Mercola about the dangers of plastic tea bags leaching Cancerous Compounds into your tea. So its a good article to read. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/24/tea-bags.aspx?e_cid=20130424_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130424 How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea There is an art to brewing tea using loose tea leaves, but once you find your “sweet spot” you may never go back to bagged tea again. Here are a few simple guidelines for making the “perfect” cup of tea: Bring water to a boil in a tea kettle (avoid using a non-stick pot, as they too can release harmful chemicals when heated) Preheat your tea pot or cup to prevent the water from cooling too quickly when transferred. Simply add a small amount of boiling water to the pot or tea cup that you’re going to steep the tea in. Ceramic and porcelain retain heat well. Then cover the pot or cup with a lid. Add a tea cozy if you have one, or drape with a towel. Let stand until warm, then pour out the water Put the tea into an infuser, strainer, or add loose into the tea pot. Steeping without an infuser or strainer will produce a more flavorful tea. Start with one heaped teaspoon per cup of tea, or follow the instructions on the tea package. The robustness of the flavor can be tweaked by using more or less tea Add boiling water. Use the correct amount for the amount of tea you added (i.e. for four teaspoons of tea, add four cups of water). The ideal water temperature varies based on the type of tea being steeped: White or green teas (full leaf): Well below boiling (170-185 F or 76-85 C). Once the water has been brought to a boil, remove from heat and let the water cool for about 30 seconds for white tea and 60 seconds for green tea before pouring it over the leaves Oolongs (full leaf): 185-210 F or 85-98 C Black teas (full leaf) and Pu-erhs: Full rolling boil (212 F or 100 C) Cover the pot with a cozy and let steep. Follow steeping instructions on the package. If there are none, here are some general steeping guidelines. Taste frequently as you want it to be flavorful but not bitter: Oolong teas: 4-7 minutes Black teas: 3-5 minutes Green teas: 2-3 minutes Once desired flavor has been achieved you need to remove the strainer or infuser. If using loose leaves, pour the tea through a strainer into your cup and any leftover into another vessel (cover with a cozy to retain heat)

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Ways to Write Healthy

Here's a great article I found on a topic I'm passionate about--The art of writing without going insane. Good practices for a healthier writing life The writing life can be awfully sedentary. You sit at a desk, your shoulders hunched, typing, thinking, fidgeting, stressing — sometimes for 10 or more hours a day. If you’re not mindful of your posture, your breathing, your movements and your attitude, this creative act that is so vital to your mental health (writing!) can become harmful to you. And when your body suffers, your creative flow generally slows down too. Here’s a few tips to help you break bad habits and restore your body to a more balanced state 1. Invest in an ergonomic writing setup OSHA’s website is a good place to start your research; you can see what an ergonomic computer desk looks like, as well as the ideal posture to limit joint, tendon, muscle, and eye stress. Once you know what you’re looking for, do some comparison shopping and purchase a desk, chair, and any necessary computer accessories (stands, monitors, keyboards, etc.) 2. Take a 10-minute break every 2 hours A longer break would be even better (especially if you can go for a walk, run, workout routine), though I know how it is when you’re really working on something good; you want to stay in the zone. But force yourself to take at least 10 minutes to get up and move your legs. Shake out your arms and shoulders. Breathe some fresh air. 3. Practice seated Yoga Yes, seated Yoga. There are a whole range of stretches and postures you can do while at your desk. So if you feel a twinge in your neck, or a strange pull in your back, or your leg cramps up — take 60 seconds to work it out. Yoga also helps you stay mindful of your breathing. Shallow breathing can often lead to lots of other physical stresses — so be alert to how your lungs are functioning. 4. Drink lots of water Not soda. Not whiskey. Not Red Bull. Not coffee. Water. Lots and lots of water. If you’ve got to get up to pee more often, great! Extra breaks to stretch and… get another glass of water. 5. Change up your writing routine If you’re always in a home-office on your computer, try writing with a pen and notepad while sitting in the park. If you’re always in the coffee shop taking notes on your iPad, go for a walk and record yourself reciting your thoughts onto your iPhone. If you’re used to slugging through a 14-hour writing marathon on the weekends, try writing 2 hours every single morning instead. You get the point. Change it up. Your body will thank you. BookBaby.com