ThinkDamnit

[Originally asked in the Health section, but maybe the people answering here know more about it. The question is partly about taste, after all.]

I love my black tea, and I've been drinking it to help with writing energy throughout the day. The problem is this: when I drink enough of it, I get tons of energy, but the jitters are still going to come eventually, and it makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of the night -- and sometimes to get sleep. I make a very strong, organic Irish Breakfast type tea and add organic clover honey, so the sugar and stimulant effects start to nag, especially after the big energy boost is fading.

My main question is this, though: has anyone tried infusing tea with German chamomile? Are the stimulant effects buffered out a little bit using this combination? I know chamomile helps to calm me, and I love the flavor, but the combined flavors and effects (with the tea) are important to me.

Need an answer before I rush off to buy chamomile! Store's almost closed.

Thanks!

I thought this would be better to ask in the health section than the food sections, seeing as how, from my experience, health-interested people tend to be heavier tea-drinkers than general foodies.

I love my black tea, and I've been drinking it to help with writing energy throughout the day. The problem is this: when I drink enough of it, I get tons of energy, but the jitters are still going to come eventually, and it makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of the night -- and sometimes to get sleep. I make a very strong, organic Irish Breakfast type tea and add organic clover honey, so the sugar and stimulant effects start to nag, especially after the big energy boost is fading.

My main question is this, though: has anyone tried infusing tea with German chamomile? Are the stimulant effects buffered out a little bit using this combination? I know chamomile helps to calm me, and I love the flavor, but the combined flavors and effects (with the tea) are important to me.

Need an answer before I rush off to buy chamomile! Store's almost closed.

Thanks!

Taken from myth, legend, lore, books, movies, or your imagination -- or whatever else! What do you think dragons eat? Are they the Chinese god figures that tend to favor certain types of food over others? Or are they more like Western varieties that eat humans, bats, livestock, and sea creatures? I imagine a dragon being very picky with its selection of food! When I picture dragons, I get more of an Eastern-Western cross and think of foods like nectar, honey, wheat, birds, and maybe some fish. I don't see'm going for the larger things unless they're running out of the other, though.

What do you think? Have you created a dragon in one of your stories? What does it eat?

I'm looking for an online library of known molecules, their common (known) sources, their general effects and uses within the human body, etc. Does anyone here know of a site online where I can browse through this type of information? I'm particularly interested in the xanthine group, but I'm not a chemist; I don't know whether "group" or "family" is the right term, and I have no idea whether or not there's a free library of this type of information I can access.

Thanks for any help you give! (Looking for links. Also, it has to be in English, Spanish, or French -- I won't be able to personally translate anything but Spanish or French into English.)

During my first and second novel, I drank hard-dark coffee with some intense sweeteners. Espresso frappes and sometimes hot holiday drinks were my favorites from Hastings Hardback Cafe. During my third novel, I sometimes mixed it up with home-brewed organic coffee blends -- usually french roast with a thousand tablespoons of dark agave nectar -- but I mainly kept to the frappes and such at the cafe.

But now I think I'm getting hooked on unsweetened (yerba) mate -- steeped for bitterness, hardiness, and strength. It seems to do the job almost just as well while being a much healthier choice. Plus, I figured out how to brew it even stronger today, and I can't stop myself from pouring cup after cup!

Do you drink any sort of tisane, tea, or coffee while writing? Have you discovered any combinations or secrets to brewing that help you to bring out the creativity? What about temperature -- do you prefer hot or cold drinks while writing? And do you like something strong or light?

(I was bored of answering, so I thought I'd actually ask a question this time.)

During my first and second novel, I drank hard-dark coffee with some intense sweeteners. Espresso frappes and sometimes hot holiday drinks were my favorites from Hastings Hardback Cafe. During my third novel, I sometimes mixed it up with home-brewed organic coffee blends -- usually french roast with a thousand tablespoons of dark agave nectar -- but I mainly kept to the frappes and such at the cafe.

But now I think I'm getting hooked on unsweetened (yerba) mate -- steeped for bitterness, hardiness, and strength. It seems to do the job almost just as well while being a much healthier choice. Plus, I figured out how to brew it even stronger today, and I can't stop myself from pouring cup after cup!

Do you drink any sort of tisane tea, or coffee while writing? Have you discovered any combinations or secrets to brewing that help you to bring out the creativity? What about temperature -- do you prefer hot or cold drinks while writing? And do you like something strong or light?

(I was bored of answering, so I thought I'd actually ask a question this time.)

*raises hand* What do you think? Should they?

Ever heard of HR2640? No? Well, of course not. However, that won't stop it from being passed and signed by Bush within the next couple of months.

http://www.gunowners.org/a061807.htm

http://www.gunowners.org/a061407.htm

The bill, officially documented as HR2640, will limit anyone and everyone that has been said to have a mental disorder in gun ownership. Of course, when I say "limit," what I really mean is "cripple." This country and our freedoms were formed and based on a bloody hill of violence, death, and rebellion. You would have nothing but rice and a good whip gash if it weren't for a couple pieces of lead between the eyes of those who held power before.

For those too lazy or blind to research this bill for themselves, when passed it will disable anyone who has been diagnosed with any mental illness from being able to own, sell, or purchase a fire arm. (by the way, Bush has publicly stated that he's FOR this law) OH, and yes, this includes ADHD and ADD. Believe it? Research.