BBQ Tea and song discovery!

I am madly in love with Lapsang Souchong tea - I think of it as BBQ tea since it has a tarry, burnt taste - something about the smokiness just hits the spot every time. Does anyone know if the nutritional properties of the tea are in any way altered from the smoking process?

I've only listened to bits and peices of Joni Mitchell in the past few years, more so hearing her most popular hits in passing. I was going through my CDs and realized that I had Court and Spark, her most commercially successful album released in 1974. I purchased it only b/c I fell in love with "Help Me" while singing an acapella version of it when I was a member of a choir in university. I decided to listen to the whole album and fell in love with #7, "Down to You". I think it's such a perfect summary of love and freedom of choice in our times - so relevant even after 30 something years. Check out the lyrics:

Everything comes and goes
Marked by lovers and styles of clothes
Things that you held high
And told yourself were true
Lost or changing as the days come down to you

Down to you
Constant stranger
Youre a kind person
Youre a cold person too
Its down to you
It all comes down to you.

You go down to the pick up station
Craving warmth and beauty
You settle for less than fascination
A few drinks later youre not so choosy
When the closing lights strip off the shadows
On this strange new flesh youve found
Clutching the night to you like a fig leaf
You hurry
To the blackness
And the blankets
To lay down an impression
And your loneliness

In the morning there are lovers in the street
They look so high
You brush against a stranger
And you both apologize

Old friends seem indifferent
You must have brought that on
Old bonds have broken down
Love is gone
Ooh, love is gone
Written on your spirit this sad song
Love is gone

Everything comes and goes
Pleasure moves on too early
And trouble leaves too slow
Just when youre thinking
Youve finally got it made
Bad news comes knocking
At your garden gate

Knocking for you
Constant stranger
Youre a brute - youre an angel
You can crawl - you can fly too
Its down to you
It all comes down to you

Rant about "Meditation Music"

I'm always suspicious of anyone trying to sell music for meditation or claiming that their music can help the listener attain "a higher state of wisdom". Meditation is an internal activity that shouldn't need to rely on external crutches such as images, sounds, or mantras. (Not that these can't be deeply relaxing or positive, but they shouldn't be confused with meditation"). While I think that music can be inspired by or be a sonic representation of meditation, I believe that music made specifically for use with meditation is both pretentious and misleading.

Cuteness

Snowy day...

Incredible...