Catnip, anyone?

Due to our flight schedule this year, we ended up in Detroit for New Year's Eve. I learned about a couple of interesting things that night: most notably that in the city of Detroit, gunshots are fired off at midnight all around the city to celebrate the New Year. Also of note, though perhaps less exciting, was the discussion we had after watching my sister-in-law's cat rolling around like a drug addict in some catnip. I learned that catnip is also an herb that is used in tea (sipped by humans, not kitty cats), and that it supposed to have a relaxing effect. (You can read more information about catnip here, if you like. Because that's what I did.) After being enlightened to the other uses of catnip, I put the information aside. That is, until I returned to Japan and saw a drink called Lemorea:


The ingredients on the front label include catnip, passionflower leaf, blueberry leaf, chamomile, lemon verbena and lemongrass. It also says it's low calorie, so I thought, hey, why not? I tried the sweet tea and hoped to feel the relaxation set in. I did feel sleepy soon afterwards, but I don't know how much of that can be attributed to jet lag yet. I also felt relaxed, but that could be because I had been really thirsty. So, the verdict is still up in the air.

Anyway, hope you've been finding ways to relax. We're in the third term of the year--a short one, but full of work nonetheless! Luckily, with sweet students and a wonderful husband to come home to each night, I think I'll get by just fine. One day at a time!