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    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
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Coldfire's Blog
 

February 2010 Shotgun Switch Witch Questions and Answers

2/7 Do you have any personal heroes / heroines and why?   hmmmm my late father. He flew. My daughter...she can row and I can't.   Are there any languages or countries that you're really interested in?   YES! I have been dying to learn Gaelic! And First on our list of dream visits is Scotland...followed by Ireland, and Stonehenge. Not as interested in London...bnring me THE HENGE!   If you could be in any fictional universe, what would it be? (Harry Potter, Firefly, Lord of the Rings, Silent Hill, wtv.)     Hedwig's Theme is my ring tone. I want to go to school at Hogwarts...and then teach there.   2/6   If you were a student at Hogwarts, what house would you be in?   I've been sorted a few times and I'm Gryffndor!     I'm a space junky. Love anything galaxy, space, star, etc related. I'm even getting a milky way tattoo one day. And I am a total Star Trek geek. Anyone else?   When I was a very small coldie...I wanted more than anything to be an Astronaut. I used to be able to name all the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Astronauts and by mission. Sodlynot su much any more. BUt my 2nd grade science fair project was The Moon and I took 2nd place! I've loved her ever since!     (I don't believe that this is actually a question, I think there was discussion about it and then SultryWolf randomly bolded it and people started answering it so I'll put it here for reference but I just can't get behind this question) Severed fingers?     Not so much! Altho we gave severed fingers, eyeballs, noses, ears etc as candies for halloweeen!     If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? Fruity, sweet, chai, plain, black, green, red, white?     Chais and Rooibos! Fruities.....Sweets!     What's your Patronus? Non-Potter fans, what's your Spirit Animal?   I have totem animals.....Owl and Butterfly. I think I did a Patronus quiz and got stag and owl on different occasions.     2/5   How do you feel about handmade stuffed animals?   Cool! Bring it! Send it!     Are there any accessories you'd really like? (Keychains, little purses, etc.)   I'm open...and not too picky I don't think!     What are your favorite animals?   All.....we have bunnehs and sugar gliders and a cat here....and if we had room I'd take a dog...I love all the animals!   Is there anything you've had to give up that you really miss or want back? Maybe something a witch could help out with?   My sanity? time for my business? Time to get my homework done?       2/4   Are you opposed to vegan baked goods? Or baked goods in general?   LOVE baked goods. Never tried vegan ones. I'm a meatatarian. It's a life choice   What's your favourite flower?   Hard to pick one. Blush colored tulips, daffodils, iris,     For those that have dogs, if I were to knit them a sweater, what colour would you like it to be?   No dogs here...     Lip balm: Yay or nay? If yay, what are your favorite kinds (brands, consistency, whatever)?   LOVE Lip balm. CAn't get enough. Like in the tubes. flavored!   How do you feel about home-canned goods, like pickles, jelly, preserves, stuff like that.   I'm the only one in my house that does not eat pickles...but jelly! Bring it!   OPI Alice in Wonderland set?   WANT!   Hair stuff? Clips and things, do you need any?   I never say no to it!           2/3   I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose?   Wow...never heard of that before. I am very select in my colors. I wear a color by Chi called "contract Claws" on my fingers. A deep dark almost dried blood. For my toes I go much wilder since those are not seen at work. So send LOTS of cool colors if that is what mah witch wants to send me.     Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package?   No thank you. I don't need to know this information. I'll be happy with what my witch sends to me!   Do you like keys?   YES! And I want all those ones in the link that AHania posted~!     Do you like guessing who your witch is, or would you prefer to know? Do you mind knowing?   I don't guess....I love when I am surprised at the reveal. Makes it so much better. no expectations~! BUt I love being revealed to!     If it's going to be obvious who your witch is, would you rather she played the ninja and sent one big box at the end, or smaller packages along the way?   She can witch me in any style that is comfortable for her to do so!   What color are your eyes?   GReenish yellow....yellowish green.....unless I am crying and then they are mint green     If you had to choose a color for a nightie to sleep in what color would it be?   What's a nightie? Yoga pants or flannels!     2/2     Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world?   For me? just working hard on MMG and day job so I can pay down debt so I can marry my bird someday...soon I hope!   Ooooh! BPAL's beloved alicia_stardust is having a contest! If you're my Witchee, would you like a chance to win these earrings?   I may have answered before but: HELLS TO THE YES!   How are we feeling about burlesque? Burlesque has a feel? I think Dita Von Teese is simply breathtaking in looks. Do I want to go and watch? no..I am ze modest and easily embarrassed Coldie   Is there anything you're lusting after in the Villainess update?   not from the update...but anything in the Villainess Prosperpina scent rocks mah world.     Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.)   Yes please. I would be honored beyond words and moved beyond tears that someone would go to those lengths for me. Purpose? Business Success, Health or Healing. I'm working on Chakra healing on myself right now.     1/26-2/1   What is everyone's take on Valentine's Day? I've already commented on V day's of the past and how bad this poor Coldie was treated. I get optimistic and then when it arrives I fear and loathe it.   Do you like traditional Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white, more?) ? Darker darker almost blood or wine reds. and the palest of blush pinks.   A Favorite love poem? HmmmI've never thought about that. I'm not sure I know one. But lyrics on the other hand.....     What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal?   Well besides the fact that we have a cat and 3 rabbits...I have a Sugar Glider! Mango is just too cute!     What is your favorite sign that spring is coming? What if I don't want spring to come? really? I guess it would be when the Tulips bloom and then the DAffodils.   Do you like hand-knit Things? ADORE! I have been gifted with some amazing pieces by the bestest of Witches! *blows kisses to TwilightEyes, Yewberry, LunaLiqud, Delphinine, Stariel, Alianthe*   For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? Please no. Loki cannot haz the catnips. He's part Maine coon and a touch feral from being on the streets. If he gets near Catnip he gets worse!   What's your favorite Love Story? The one where I met and fell in love with my LoveBird!   Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things? eeeehhhhh not so much   Who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them?   KUBIANDO! Faerie Fest! I hit the MD and the PA Faerie Fests. Love the VA and MD Renn Fests! I have dressed up before and am assembling and crafting things for dressing up agaiN! oh and the Scottish games! ooooof! men in Kilts!     Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, etc.?   eeehh not so much thank you for thinking of me tho.   What are your feelings on gently used CDs/DVDs? Tis how I built up alot of my collection   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod. Don't have one. I mostly use the Ipod for my homework meditations     Do you play WoW? NO. I'm lame. I get way too competitive and addicted and so no WoW for the Coldinator   Would you like one of those Plush Microbes? Surely!     What are your feelings on Mardi Gras?   Who Dat! a fabulous party is a fabulous party!   Would you like homemade sewn stuff? Any fabrics to avoid?   LOVE! I'm a Taurus so I am sensory driven. Anything that feels fabulous to the touch!   Do you need any kitchen-related gadgetry? Our drawers and gadget pots they overfloweth!   Would you like new nail polish?   I just got 2 new bottles...but would love some of the new darker claw polishes from the Trading Post.       Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? Oh hellst o the yes! Lavender, Patchouli or my fave YC - Autumn Leaves.   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise I can ALWAYS use more!   Would you use a natural sea sponge? No thanks   Are you interested in bacon chocolate? Not sure I have tried that one yet   Coffee, hot chocolate, or tea?   ALL!   Would you like some of my favorite recipes?   SURE! do they include meat?   Would you like posters, pictures, art?   Love some.....but not a fan of all art. Love work by Dali, Jessica Galbreath, Brigid Ashwood, Nene Thomas, Van gogh, Georgia O'Keefe   Would you like soaps? Especially from Paintbox? And ESPECIALLY the Valentines Special Edition Soaps?? Does a polite bear on TV use Charmin in the Woods! HELLS TO THE YES!     New question--I'm calling this "could never happen in a million years": Your Witch is perusing the wares at a local yard sale. S/he looks down and sees [insert impossibly rare item that you've always wanted but could never afford] with a $5-10 sticker on it. Sheepishly s/he takes it to the guy behind the folding table. "Do you know what this is?" s/he inquires. The gentleman states that it belonged to his mother/sister/grandmother/Great Aunt Beulah and he thinks it's for, like, hair or something. With a trembling hand, s/hes pays the man and heads home with the inconceivable riches. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found?   An old BOS from Laurie Cabot or Dorothy Morrison. Or an old Crystal Ball for scrying.   Do you like salted caramels?   Never tried them and would LOVE to!   Imagine that someone hands you their wallet and sends you into a really good bakery. They have everything, from breads to brownies, cookies to croissants, anything you could imagine, and you're allowed to pick out five things for yourself. What do you pick?   A fabulous rustic bread loaded with cheese, A rich chocolate eclair A Pavlova with Strawberries an amazing Panini Sandwitch like the Smokehouse turkey from Panera a dozen chocolate cupcakes to share with my family       It gets asked every round but sockdreams?   OMGS HELLS TO THE YES! I just had a Sock gasm!   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)?   Fruit Wines, Godiva Liquers,   Are you into steampunk?   LOVE it! have not made jewelry like it or costuming.
Coldfire

Coldfire

0
endless ethereal whisperings
 

Winter Shotgun Round Questions and Answers

Your view of Valentine's Day? It's there? Its also two weeks after my husband's birthday and not *that* much before our anniversary in April, and I'd rather go all out for our wedding anniversary than some silly made up holiday.   Do you like traditional Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white, more?) ? Love pink, um.. all the time? Otherwise I just love color!   A Favorite love poem? While I have many favorite poems (Robert Frost is a favorite) none of them are love poems.   Turkish delight? I can't remember if I've tried it and not like it or if I've just been underwhelmed by the concept of it.   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal? One of my favorite exhibits at the Bronx Zoo is the Mouse House, which is full of furry underappreciated animals. I don't know that I could pick a favorite!   What is your favorite sign that spring is coming? I'd say no more snow, but it snows through April here. When I'm at home, it's the crocuses starting to poke through the ground.. but here it's hard to see plants starting to spring forth.   Are you a big Mardi Gras fan? What's your favorite part? I do like Mardi Gras/Carnivale - I have more memories of doing Mardi Gras stuff in high school than I do Valentines Day stuff! Although I don't know that I could pick a favorite part.. (notice a theme yet?)   I have been knitting a lot lately, would something hand knit be nice for you? Hand knit is very nice, but no wool, please! I could definitely use a scarf, as I have a hat and mittens, and white or navy arm warmers would work at work (which is the only place I can see me use them). And actually, a second hat might not be bad, as long as it'll cover my ears.   Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things? I am okay with receiving naughty/sexy things.. not so much games, but the husband and I are dabbling a bit in kinkier things. And stuff that's just for me is fine too - just no latex or natural rubber, as I'm allergic.   who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? I haven't attended any of these, but I'd love to go sometime!   Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, &c.? I could use a case for my ipod shuffle (not the current generation, the one before it), and a case for my Nook (but those are still a bit out of the budget, so don't worry about it, witch!)   Used books/cds/dvds, etc? They're all fine with me!   For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? My questionnaire said I have two cats, but we had to put one to sleep last week so Luna, the one left, is a bit depressed that her semi-buddy isn't coming back. Toys, catnip or otherwise, are good, and we're good on treats at the moment.   Interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture? Sure!   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod I think I mentioned this in the thread, but my computer with my music is currently.. not working so my new computer has only a limited number of songs, and I'm missing a lot of favorites.   If you're a WoW player, do you have the Pandaren Monk and Lil' KT pets? Would you want them? No WoW here.   would you be interested in getting a mix CD from your witch? Sure, but it'll get burned into iTunes anyways so mp3's are just as good.   What's your favourite candy? I don't know that I can pick a favorite?   Think Geek plush microbes? There are probably some somewhere in my kaboodle list. I love the Mad Cow one.   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? Wool is bad, otherwise it's all good.   Kitchen gadgetry? Probably? I tend to put that sort of thing into kaboodle.   Nail polish? My nails are pretty much always polished. There's a bunch in my kaboodle list - but the ones I found on amazon can often be found for less at less kaboodle-friendly sites.   Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? Incense makes me sick, but scented candles and tarts are okay. That said, I have a crap ton of both that I need to burn through first!   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise yes! I could definitely use a new bottle box, and I have no real imp storage. And I'm sure I could find a use for a different size or shaped box, as well.   Would you use a natural sea sponge? Probably not? I only really use sponges for cleaning these days.   Are you interested in bacon chocolate? Kind of. I have tried Lolliphile's Maple Bacon lollipops, and they were.. a little strange. So I'm still intrigued by the Chocolate + Bacon, but the smallest size bar might be the best way to go.   Coffee, hot chocolate, or tea? I drink all three. I'm currently drinking more coffee due to having a K-cup machine, so k-cups are welcome (albeit pricey), but we also have the My K-Cup that lets you use any coffee as long as it's ground coarse (I usually do infusion grind since I do still use my French Press).   I love hot chocolate- as I type this I'm drinking some Mexican hot chocolate that my witch from last round sent me (the sort that goes into hot milk) and I love all sorts of flavors of hot chocolate.   Tea - I can do loose or bagged. I drink mostly black teas, but I love green and red teas as well. I don't care for most herbal teas, and I'd love to try honeybush.   Would you like some of my favorite recipes? Sure! I don't eat beef or most shellfish, but anything else is game!   Would you like posters, pictures, art? I don't really have space for posters, but pictures and art are always welcome. I've got stuff I like on my etsy list.   Would you like soaps? Especially from Paintbox? And ESPECIALLY the Valentines Special Edition Soaps?? I could use some soap, and while I'm curious about Paintbox's soaps, I'm really more of a cold process soap person.   New question--I'm calling this "could never happen in a million years": Your Witch is perusing the wares at a local yard sale. S/he looks down and sees [insert impossibly rare item that you've always wanted but could never afford] with a $5-10 sticker on it. Sheepishly s/he takes it to the guy behind the folding table. "Do you know what this is?" s/he inquires. The gentleman states that it belonged to his mother/sister/grandmother/Great Aunt Beulah and he thinks it's for, like, hair or something. With a trembling hand, s/hes pays the man and heads home with the inconceivable riches. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found?   I've been thinking about this one for a couple days - either a vintage letterpressing set, or vintage (or reproduction) French advertisement prints involving cats (I have this one already)   Do you like salted caramels? I've never tried them.   Imagine that someone hands you their wallet and sends you into a really good bakery. They have everything, from breads to brownies, cookies to croissants, anything you could imagine, and you're allowed to pick out five things for yourself. What do you pick? Probably a really fancy cupcake and four German pretzel rolls. Although that might change once I'm actually in there.   It gets asked every round but sockdreams? Socks are good.   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? I drink some wine, but the husband is uber picky, so I don't drink it often. I do like hard cider, and while I go for all sorts of fruity girlie drinks when out, my staple drink at home is Bailey's on rocks. (My husband's standard everywhere is a White Russian, and our roommate is partial to Screwdrivers - our liquor cabinet consists solely of Kahlua, Bailey's, and Grey Goose vodka )   Are you into steampunk? I love the aesthetic but I don't know that I would wear anything steampunkish. But I'm interested in the art and other more home-y aspects of steampunk. Although I could totally rock a steampunk themed purse.   Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.) I would totally be okay with a charged item. Money-themed would be awesome, but less of a money draw and more of holding onto the money we get already.   Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world? Moving within the next few months (I'm hoping we don't have to leave until late March at the earliest!) and my sister's wedding in May, but otherwise nothing super exciting (although that's not saying that moving is exciting - I hate it).   Ooooh! BPAL's beloved alicia_stardust is having a contest! If you're my Witchee, would you like a chance to win these earrings? I don't wear earrings, so not for me (but I entered my mom!)   How are we feeling about burlesque? Not really my thing.   Is there anything you're lusting after in the Villainess update? Update or no, I will always happily take more Krakatoa. (just I don't have anywhere safe and tall enough to store the perfumes, so none of those, unless it was decanted into a roller bottle or something). Raspberry Swirl and Lipstick Lost are both awesome, as well.   I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose? Frankening intrigues me and I've got eleventybillion ideas for a polish (okay, maybe not quite that many), so sure!   Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package? I don't need it, and I'm not sure I'll be putting one together for my witchee either as it's a bit harder when you're crafting most everything (like, if I buy a $4 strand of beads but only use half, I'd count that in my head as $2 towards my witch even though I spent $4, but even that gets fuzzy when it looks like I'll be buying some of the spray paint for plastic and then only using it on two small pieces of plastic). And I'm not counting the costs of supplies like beads and cigar boxes that I had in my home already.   Do you like keys? They open things? Some are pretty, but not really my thing.   Do you like guessing who your witch is, or would you prefer to know? Do you mind knowing? I am SO BAD at guessing, but I'm okay when witches don't reveal.   If it's going to be obvious who your witch is, would you rather she played the ninja and sent one big box at the end, or smaller packages along the way? Totally up to him or her! (although when I've been in that situation, I use things like etsy or sellers on the forum, so it's not coming from an easy to recognize address)   What color are your eyes? Brown   If you had to choose a color for a nightie to sleep in what color would it be? I sleep nekkid, but leopard print works for me!   Are you opposed to vegan baked goods? Or baked goods in general? No opposition to baked yummy things here!   What's your favourite flower? Lotus flowers have a spiritual significance for me. I love how lilies look, particularly calla lilies. Roses are okay if they've been dethorned. But some of my favorite bouquets have been random less expensive flowers that are splashes of color.   For those that have dogs, if I were to knit them a sweater, what colour would you like it to be? Although my cat Luna would be adorable in a sweater, I rather like having fingers.   Lip balm: Yay or nay? If yay, what are your favorite kinds (brands, consistency, whatever)? Yay! I love My Lip Stuff's consistency, but hate chapstick/blistex consistency. The ones put out by Bath and Body works are nice as well.   How do you feel about home-canned goods, like pickles, jelly, preserves, stuff like that. Jelly and preserves would get used, but I don't know about anything else. Other than applesauce, which I would happily nom.   OPI Alice in Wonderland set? I like the non-reds, but the reds are kinda boring to me.   Hair stuff? Clips and things, do you need any? I can always use more ponytail holders (as long as there's no metal bits) as apparently used ponytail holders are the best kitteh toys evar. Clips to hold hair back are good, but my hair is fine and EVIL so things like bobby pins and decorative but flimsy clips are no match for it - they either fall out or my hair eats them. I'm intrigued by hair forks and sticks and whatnot as well.   How do you feel about handmade stuffed animals? Are there any accessories you'd really like? (Keychains, little purses, etc.) What are your favorite animals? Is there anything you've had to give up that you really miss or want back? Maybe something a witch could help out with?
crazyredhead17

crazyredhead17

0
endless ethereal whisperings
 

Fall '09 Random Questions - Answered

******9/29***** Suppose I have a bottle of something you (my witchee) really wants, and I want to share it with you. Would you like a rollerball bottle made from oil in my own bottle in it? Sure!   ******Some days after 9/24 and before the end of the month****** What are your thoughts on Incense? answered in my questionnaire, but not for me.   What about handbags/totes/clutches? I am really really hard on purses. I usually gravitate more towards messenger bags and guide bags because of being able to find things quickly, and because they tend to be more durable.   Are there any particular movies you want on DVD? If I do, they'd be on my amazon list.   What about stickers?? I do love stickers, although I don't use them that often.   Do you just need anything from the Possets update? Not really.   ******9/24***** Do you use henna at all (hair or skin)? I'll probably henna my hair once it really starts going grey, but I don't use henna at all now.   What about 2010 Wall calenders? Or 2010 journals or appointment diaries? What subject? answered in the thread   What are your thoughts on Halloween decorations? I love Halloween, but with two cats knick knacks aren't ideal, and I don't really have places to hang things like lights or decorations.   What tarot card do you most identify with? The Hermit, Temperance, and to a lesser degree, Strength.   ******9/23***** Who collects ACEOs/ATCs? I don't collect them but I always look at them while poking around on etsy.   Switch Witches, which shoes do you own that are your favorite? What are your "daily drivers"? My daily shoes are a pair of Saucony sneakers.. I don't really have any shoes that I love.   Any WKAP you're excited about? The scents aren't that appealing to me, and the inspiration for the scents is a bit of a turn off.   How do you feel about stationary? (pens, notepads, cards, pencils, etc.) Pens are always welcome.. I don't really use notepads but I won't turn down nice notecards. And somewhere in this apartment I have a wax seal and sealing wax - more seals and more colors of wax are always welcome.   ******9/21-22***** The New update is next week.....Is everyone ready for the Yules and everything else in store? I'll probably get decants of anything Yule related I'm interested in. Lunar oils rarely work on me (the year of the Asian moons was the exception as they had a different base), but my list of dealbreaker notes helps narrow things down a lot. I've also learned that while aquatics and ozone work for me, snow and ice doesn't. I don't know why.   Cake or death? Cake, please!   Are there any foreign food products that you'd love to get or to try? I miss European chocolate - even the stuff you could buy in a grocery store there.   *****9/20***** Would you object to annonomous postcards (real ones) from your witch before the big reveal??? Fine with me!   ******9/19***** Do you drink alcohol? Wine, beer or liquor? What is your favorite wine/beer/mixed drink? I love hard cider, hate beer, and I enjoy wine but the husbeast is uber-picky so I don't drink it often. As far as mixed drinks go.. fruity girlie drinks are my standards. I especially like Sex On the Beach(es?), margaritas, Sloe Gin Fizzes, and Sloe Comfortable Screws (the last one is fun to have big macho dudes order for you).   Do you like to find out there's a package on the way or to receive a tracking number to stalk, or do you prefer surprise packages? Surprise packages are fun, and while DC is pretty much a must on your end, I don't *have* to have it.   If I were your witch, and I wanted to make you a spell or mojo bag, would you be into that? And, if you were, would you want it for something like love, prosperity or luck? Or would you want it for a certain element? Or would you want it for something more personal- and what might that be? Luck or prosperity would work.. Chakra based would also work, probably heart specifically or something to help balance them.   *****9/18***** Do you wear lip gloss/lip balm? If so, what flavors/scents? Yes - I prefer more natural stuff but I totally bought a Vanilla Pepsi flavored one last week. Nothing overly floral. I prefer slicker balms (like My Lip Stuff) over Chapstick.   What is one thing you constantly keep with you that you constantly loose? Pens, sharpies   What are your favorite fruits? peaches, apples, oranges (some varieties more than others.. blood oranges are probably my fave)   If Beth made a perfume called "switch witch" what notes would be in it? I agree with the person who said it would be like a Chaos Theory blend.   What is your favorite cookie type? There's a couple things that aren't my cup of tea, but I'll pretty much eat any sort of cookie.   ******9/17***** Are you into 80s movies (like i am ) if so, which are your favorites and who are your favorite characters? Eh, not so much. Unless you want to hunt down the My Little Ponies movie so I can torture my husband.   Do you like Villainess soaps? What are your favorite scents? I love Villainess' products, except the soaps dry out my skin. Things in Masala, Scintillating, and Krakatoa are sure hits, I also love Xia but it doesn't love my shower so I can only use the smooch at the gym. I've tried a *ton* of the LE's over the years, but there are a bunch of GC stuff I haven't tried yet. Didn't care for my first go round with Gingersnapped, but that was back in '05 so I'd be up for a re-try on that one.   Do you mind artificial colors in your food? It's fine - don't feel like you have to dye my food red with beets or anything.   Who wants hair pretties?(headbands, barrettes, pony-o's, scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, etc) Hair pretties are fine with me.   I am on an origami crane kick recently, so I wonder if anyone will be interested in origami crane earrings, origami crane in a glass vial (~1.2cm wide) phone charm/pendant or just a container filled with cranes of different sizes. My current phone doesn't have anywhere to hang a charm and I don't wear earrings, but other things could be cute.   How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out? I'm anti-fur, and while I like leather I'm trying to use less of it as leather is not actually acquired from meat animals. Found shells are fine, fake-fake fur is fine   How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind? Good food, tea or hot chocolate, killing things in Guild Wars   You're given the opportunity to apprentice at any trade (or craft) of your choosing for the period of one year. Your mentor may be any currently living person. Which field of study would you choose, and who would be your mentor? Probably the gem cutting and metalsmithing end of jewelry making. Not sure who I'd apprentice under though.   ******9/16***** Who is musically inclined? What instruments (voice counts) do you play? Would you enjoy sheet music? I don't play anything really.   Favorite musicals? Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Chicago, Ragtime, Rent, others I can't think of   Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing? Sloth or Gluttony, probably   Anyone want a nickname and embroidered headband from PandaBite? No thanks?   I have seen a lot of yankee candles haters..... personally i like yankee candle (some of them, anyway). do you or don't you, and if not, what candles do you like? this assumes you like candles. otherwise, what specific home fragrance do you use? I like their tarts (and lots of other people's tarts), I don't use a lot of jar candles. I also use BBW Wallflowers and Scentports in my bathroom (we have both bases), and Scentportables in my car and my husband's car.   Would a "gift" donation to one of the organizations/causes you support be a great gift, or a lame gift? It would be a great gift!   9/15   Does anyone have any symbols they consider to be personally significant or talismanic?   Lotus flowers. I'm still working out the why's, but they keep popping up in enough places that I've taken notice.   Are there any Gods, Goddess, or other mythological figures of whom you're particularly fond?   Bastet, to a lesser extent Kundalini (possibly an Egyptian counterpart?)   Super villain or vigilante? Which would you like to be? Which would you like to receive?   I'm very much the justice driven vigilante.. and I'd want to receive a vigilante.   What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with, and why?   I'm not sure. I'd have to do research (yes, really), because it's not very cut and dry for me.   How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines?   The celebration is interesting, but it's not really part of my path. I'm not adverse to things celebrating it (just like I'm not adverse to things celebrating Christian holidays) but I wouldn't celebrate it on the deeper, non-secular end of things.   Do you have a favorite poem or poet?   Robert Frost is a favorite. I particularly like The Road Less Traveled.   9/14   For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies?   Either! There's all sorts of things I'm no good at making, and more supplies are fun too.   Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc?   I don't know that I'd use a pill box. I have a cute little vinyl ID case, but I could totally use a coil purse (something I could clip onto the carabiner clip I keep my keys and ID case on would be perfect for small runs.   Any songs you are desperately into at the moment?   Not really? Although my husband swiped the cord the goes from my XM radio to my car, so I've been stuck listening to regular radio.   What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it?   I don't know yet - it's my first Fall in Idaho!   What's your favorite product(s) at Trader Joe's?   Don't know, never shopped there.   If you're caught in front of the tv, what are you watching?   Bones or Food Network. There are other shows I used to watch, but I got sooo out of the habit of watching tv while we were overseas and it's a hard habit to pick up again.   Any Amy Brown art fans?   I like some of her fairies, and I like some of the other fairy artists. Fairy doors are neat. I'm interested in the squashed fairies tho.   How do you feel about Halloween music? (mix CDs, what have you)   Not my cup of tea.   Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland?   I didn't know it was a movie until this thread?   Is there a store that you love which does not have a location near you (but that has a physical presence somewhere, not just online? Why do you love it so much?   Probably Sanrio, epicenter of cute!   Lolcats....yeah or nay?   Some are very very clever, and some.. aren't. I tend to poke around the site randomly when I need a giggle.   If you had the funds to commission an original painting for yourself, what would it be of? What would it be like- colors, size, style?   It would probably be of a sunset where we used to live in Italy.. purples, pinks, golds, the water a deep blue, probably pretty big.   9/12-13   What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future?   Have a sort of mini-vacation coming up in October. It's technically a training thing for my husband, but all the recruiters and families in his entire battalion (which spans several states) will be there so it'll be something different from the usual).   Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold?   I have one and I forget to use it.   As a witchee, would you prefer to have many little packages sent to you throughout the round with a not-so-big final package or fewer things throughout the round with one huge final package to seal the sweetness?   Whatever works best for my witch is fine with me. It's all good.   What is your idea of the perfect evening at home?   Good dinner, watching a movie with my husband, cats being cuddly but not attention whores   Are you on any social networks (MySpace, Twitter, LJ, Facebook, Bebo, etc)? If so, make with the links! Are you open to new friends?   I have a myspace but I can't remember the password. I do use twitter (crazyredhead17).. I've been a bit turned off of Facebook recently.   What kind of socks?   Ankle socks, normal socks, maybe knee socks.. dunno if I could anything taller up my not so skinny self.   How often do you update your wishlist?   Kaboodle and etsy get updated fairly often.. Bpal and other perfume companies - I try to update when new releases come out or when I get an order or do a swap. I've been focusing on other companies than Bpal recently, so that one will likely stay pretty static throughout the round but Arcana and Nocturne Alchemy's lists will get tweaked some.   May I help you fill out your costuming wardrobe (assuming you costume)? Are there articles you are seeking to enhance your a) Halloween costume, Renfest attire, c) Cosplay, d) Steampunk accouterment?   I don't really have a costuming wardrobe... and my husband is interested in fursuiting but not much else so I don't know that I'll be picking anything up soon.   Who are your favorite artists/illustrators/art periods?   I like art? There are artists I don't care for in pretty much every period, but I love art.   What's your stance on cranberries?   I like them, but I'm not too fond of cranberry sauce. I like the juice, I like them dried, I like craisins.. Do you mind receiving used (in good condition, of course) CDs or DVDs? (I know this question was on the questionnaire about books, but I didn't see one for DVDs or CDs.)   Used is fine with me!   Do you have a crush on anyone famous? Do you have a crush on any literary characters? Would you like fanfiction or fan art based on this/these people?   Not so much.   You're at home, or out, and you want a snack. Something that will get you through to the next meal, or through to the end of school or what ever. What do you grab?   If I'm at work it's usually a snickers bar, at home it could be almost anything.   Do you have a favorite bpal bottle art?   Possibly Pink Phoenix.   Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving?   I haven't ordered anything from the Hallowween update, so anything on my wishlist from it is fair game for decants.   9/11 There has been a lot of talk about chocolate, but none about Candy! What is your favorite Candy? What candy do you hate?   I don't care for hard candies with the weird fruit fillings, I don't like super sweet caramels, and I don't care for most marshmallows, but anything else is fair game.   Do you have a Blu-Ray player?   Nope.   Do you have any objections to receiving downloads? Is your internet connection fast enough for you to download large files like music easily? Are there any songs, albums, movies, or TV shows that you can't find/haven't been released that you want?   I prefer legal downloads, but I'm open to other downloads. I have a cable modem, so it's certainly fast enough.   9/10   If you do any kind of craft, could you use supplies? What kind? knitting needles, yarn, amazing fabric, pinking shears, cool thimbles or pincushins, jewelery making supplies, beads, etc.?   I could always use beads, fancy clasps or other findings, etc.   What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual?   Depends on the pain, where I currently am, and what I've got on me. I have an aromatherapy roll-on for sinus pain that I'll use at work, but if it's another part of me all I can do is take advil and hope it helps. If I'm at home - hot tea, hot shower, dark room, pain killers.   Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile?   purring kitties, rain, my tea kettle right before it whistles   When you receive your SW packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both?   Both, either, doesn't matter   Of course, we're all going to be grateful no matter what our witches give us, but for the record, what is your anti-present? Tell us something that you think your future witch might give you that you absolutely, unequivocally DO. NOT. WANT.   I posted this in the thread, but on etsy a few years ago I found a purse in ACU fabric (army combat uniform - the digital desert one) that was line with pink toile and had a name tape of ARMY WIFE on it and remembered thinking "please universe, never let my MIL find this." Same goes for any of the "I love my Soldier" things. Yeah, I'm a military spouse, but I don't need to advertise it, nor is it my sole identifying quality.   What BPAL scent have you never tried but always wanted to? What scent have you tried and LOVED, and haven't been able to get more of and why?   I've always wanted to try Mabon. I loved Egg'd Mailbox, but decants and bottles are hard to find.   I know we're all scent sensitive here. What are your favorite non-perfume smells? Day in the life stuff?   Tea or coffee brewing, food in the oven, the air just after it's rained   Coffee drinkers, what types of beans to you like? Kona, Sumatra, Kenya..etc. How do you like them roasted? Do you like flavors, such as hazelnut, vanilla, etc. in your coffee?   I usually go the way of flavored coffee, although I'd love a good Italian espresso blend. I dislike Starbuck's coffee and find it to be a bit over roasted and almost burnt. Who has a birthday falling in this round? This Virgo is an August baby.   For those of us who like chocolate, do you like anything /in/ your chocolate, like fruit, nuts, or for the more daring among us, chilies?   Fruits, nuts, mint, crispy things. The more.. gourmand? fillings intrigue, but I don't know that I'd go for chilies.   Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/etc. that still hold a really special place in your heart?   9/9   Super power?   Flying.   If I send you whole spices or coffee beans, would you be able to grind them or would you prefer them preground for your convenience?   I don't currently own a grinder, but it's something I wouldn't mind picking up for spices. For coffee, I use a French press, so things that can come pre-ground at infusion settings are good as most coffee grinders I look at just do drip coffee grinds.   For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc)How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar?   Teaware - I have a glass teapot already, but I use more infusers for single cups. I generally use splenda in tea so I don't need fancy sugar, but a tea chest to hold at least the bags in something better than the way they're currently packed in my cabinet might be very very good.   Coffee almost always is sweetened and flavored (either it comes pre-flavored, or I add flavored syrups or creamer to it). Tea.. it depends. Sometimes I add milk or cream, I generally always sweeten it, but it depends a lot on the tea and what I've got in the fridge.   Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com?   I haven't been to any of the restaurants they have listed. Idaho Falls is literally two blocks away, Pocatello is about an hour away.   In your perfect world it is chocolate and...? Raspberry, or mint, or hazelnuts.   How do you scent your home: tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles?   I use tarts in the bedroom, and BBW Wallflowers/Scentports in the bathroom (I have both bases). I light candles occasionally. I'm interested in using scented oils to scent my home, but it has to be an electric warmer because cat+flame=bad (cat+reed diffusers=not much better)   What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top?   It depends on mood and time of the month.   Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us?   I don't necessarily believe in destiny. We can choose some of what we do, but much is out of our control (as it's other people's choices of what happens to us, just as it is often our choice in how to act towards another). So while it might not be destiny or fate that has circumstances out of our control, it's others choosing certain ways.. we can still act - but it's very much a situation of getting what you put in.   What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else?   A job that doesn't suck?   I've been musing to myself that I'm 29 and I don't feel like a grown-up and when will I feel like a grown-up, and while I acknowledge that the answer to the second part is likely "never" I've just always had it in my head that when you grow up you get a full time job, and I've yet to work full-time. But then I muse that, if I'm planning on having kids and staying home with them, is it so imperative that I work full time before that, and I dunno. (the having kids part of things is also very up in the air, which doesn't help).   But a job that I actually enjoy and don't dread going to? would be wonderful.   9/8   What was your favouritest job ever, and why?   I don't know that I've had a favorite. The best I've had so far was the hotel I used to work for - the hours were a bit icky but my coworkers were all wonderful people, and I liked the actual job.   Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator?   With the husband being military, it would probably be a big bolthole with lots of people.. otherwise I think I'd go insane.   Although really, I think I'd rather be out there trying to fix things or help people during the apocalypse than be holed away while it happens and hope there's something to come out to. If I die trying or helping, at least I will have tried to make a bad situation a tiny bit better.   What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"?   My lone GC bottle is a four year old bottle of Blood Kiss. Other GC's I'd like in bottle form would be Snake Oil, Black Phoenix, Olokun, Fae, Malediction, and maybe a backup or two of Death Adder.   Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.?   Yes. I'm trying to green up what all we use for cleaning, and I'm always looking for new ideas.   9/7   Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? (like from our very own Pottersville! ) Something else?   Yes? I have some cooking stuff on my kaboodle list, but I'm open to more. Napkins I'd prefer to be cloth.. microfiber or other material paper towel replacements, silicone pot holders (or silicone anything - can't melt it!)   Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series?   I do read a lot, but I don't know that I can pick a favorite.   What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween?   It's a bit less of "stock up" and bit more of "nom on when it's available" - and what it is really depends on mood.   (helpful, I know) What are your phobias? Elevators, fire (though I've made some progress with the fear of fire). Not too fond of bugs, either.   What is your favourite flower (or plant)?   Cut flower wise, I like most anything except roses (which I like, but I dislike working with). I don't currently have any cat-safe vases though.   I used to work for a garden center in the floral department - so there are many many plants and flowers I love. If you're sending plants or flowers though, they need to be okay for cats.   Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so?   Straight up silver duct tape isn't my bag. I don't technically need a wallet, but I'd be game for a duct tape purse as long as it wasn't the silver stuff.   An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money?   Pants and perfume, probably. Maybe some cool cat toys that are usually more than I want to spend on my kitties. The husband recently bought himself a big screen tv and a macbook, so he doesn't need anything else big, but I'd probably get him an itunes card or xbox points (things we don't usually buy ourselves).   Who likes coloring books?   While I wouldn't be adverse to some of the more geometric coloring books, they're not really my thing and I don't have a space where I could really use them (and I'd likely be coloring with colored pencils instead of crayons).   Do you have a Good Reads profile? If so, make with the link! If you don't have one, go make one!   I don't, and I don't know that I'd remember to keep up with it.   9/6 questions:   You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out?   There's a bunch of things that I always have on hand - pasta, rice (basmati and arborio currently), chicken broth (currently there's an open one in the fridge, and a backup in the pantry), milk (even if it's Parmalot), condensed soups, cans of no salt added tomato sauce, couscous, olive oil, and I try to make sure I've always got something with protein - tuna, cheese, chicken, etc, plus all my spices and whatnot. Dinner Wednesday (got paid Thursday) was frozen tilapia with a glaze made from garlic, ginger (I have a tube of ginger and a little jar of minced garlic living in my fridge), reduced sodium teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup, which I thickened and poured over the defrosted fish, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Made up a batch of Egg Drop soup to go with it from a packet I found behind some hot chocolate.   If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it? Probably my bedroom. While I love the combination of colors we have for bedding (sage green, light blues, cream), there's a distinct lack of anything to carry that through the room, so the room seems clunkier and less relaxing.   Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for? Not a big sports person here.   What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.) I love cats - all types. I also like songbirds, eagles, falcons, butterflies, dragonflies, hummingbirds, pretty fish, dolphins, whales, wolves, bunnies.. I could probably go on for while.   This is how the world ends... zombie apocalypse, robot uprising, alien invasion, return of the elder gods... which doomsday scenario do you prefer (or make your own!)?   I kinda like the apocalypse as Good Omens tells it, personally. But ultimately, I imagine it will be some sort of man-made disaster spawned at least in part by global warming and pollution.   In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? (apologies to anyone who gets that song stuck in their head!)   Not that much different than now. Maybe a bit lonelier, hopefully a lot greener, probably more technology in everyday lives, but otherwise probably more of the same.   I do have to say that all the people in the thread who generally feel that 2525 will be the apocalypse, or that humanity will be gone by then.. it's only 15 years from now! While the world (especially the US) has some serious issues, I don't think that the world will have ended in fifteen years. Changed? Yes. Grittier? Maybe. While circumstances and widely held socio-political beliefs will shift, I highly doubt that that which makes us human will change so much to the point that the general experience is grittier for all.   The stance of "I hope we've found a way to get civilians into space" bothers me deeply though.. when watching the movie Wall-E and seeing the people aboard that vessel, I had to wonder to myself - where are all the poor people? Were they left to die? Because everyone on that ship had to have serious $$$ to get on that flight.   Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you?   Magic is a bit like energy potential. It's everywhere, waiting and able to shaped by thoughts and whispers and spoken words. The energy doesn't abide by arbitrary borders or religious boundaries - when someone puts meaning and thought and energy into a prayer, it's no different than someone putting effort and concentration into a spell - you're shaping the energy near you, charging it, and sending it out to release that charge.   If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? ( and would you be able to resist playing with it? )   I would probably try to play with it, give up, and let it get dusty somewhere.   9/5 questions:   Do you like pinup art/images? Not particularly   What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions? Currently no plans.. and we don't have any traditions yet.   Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you! I've know Aiyahh and Wren through other sites for aaaages (Aiyahh is the person who introduced us to Bpal, among other e-tailor enablings)   What is your favorite color? Pink!   Any other steampunk fans/lovers? I love the aesthetic, but I don't currently own any pieces. I love the Girl Genius webcomic (although I've been busy and bad about keeping up with it). I probably wouldn't wear steampunk/victorian clothing (mostly because it's hard to find in my size - if I could find something I liked in my size I'd probably wear it).. but accessory sorts of things would work.   Skipping the picnic question - I can't come up with an answer.   9/4 Questions:   Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? I have a Nintendo DS that's currently being neglected in favor of Guild Wars. My husband and I also have a Wii (but it's in NJ with my bpalz and other perfumes - this will hopefully be rectified before the end of the round) and an Xbox.. 360? I don't use it enough to actually know.   I also play on pogo.com and in Second Life (although in SL I mostly just poke around).   Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls) I love the looks of some of the dolls (and then there are the ones that freak me the heck out), but at the moment I can't justify the cost of one. Maybe someday in the future.   What is your favorite Halloween icon? Creepy trees, leaves, bats, pumpkins, spiderwebs.   (I saw some pretty wired ribbon with velvety spiderwebs - I might pick it up and some solid black ribbon and make a Halloween bow for the door of my apartment.   Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put any number of items in the box that symbolize who you are. The items can be may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but they must fit within the box. Which items do you choose?   A small statue of Bastet, a stuffed ruby throated hummingbird (plush.. not a real bird that's gone to see a taxidermist), a preserved red maple leaf, and a collection of photographs I've taken, places I've been, people I know or miss, etc.   Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? something like decorating your house or saving for a trip to the other end of the world, for example. Currently working on framing a bunch of art that's been accumulating - also need to work on decorating the apartment more and picking up some more furniture.   Favorite kind or take out kinda burger? Whats your burger preference? Veggie,meat or ???? Chicken? I don't eat beef, and I don't care for most vegetable burgers. I do love Boca Burgers though.   Whats your favorite childhood toy? This question is harder than the box question. I loved Barbies, I had an American Girl doll that I loved (I have Molly), and we always had lots of crafty things around - paper, crayons, markers, sidewalk chalk, etc.. and I don't think I can pick a favorite from the three. If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them? I have two kitties, but we've only had one for a week so I'm still working out what he loves vs merely tolerates. Luna loves catnip, the fake mice (unnatural colors only - we've had some scares with natural colored toy mice floating by in the bathtub), fishing poles, sparkly pompoms.. she'd probably go for those crinkly balls and jungle balls too.   Jethro is definitely old enough for catnip but I can't find the refillable mouse to see for sure. He's played a little bit with some of the cat toys we have, but he was hopping all over for the fishing pole.   Treats: Currently I've got a bag of Greenies, but only Luna eats them - that may change after Jethro sees her eating them. I'm in the process of switching kibbles from kitty junk food to Nutro, if that makes a difference. I prefer treats that help with kitty dental needs since I like having fingers too much to try brushing. Neither one of my housemonsters has long enough fur that hairballs are a problem.   Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name? Twitter is crazyredhead17.. I'm lackadaisical about following and twit randomly.   Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name? Not on ravelry.   9/3 questions:   What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to? Not a big fan of spooky/horror sorts of movies. I do want to see Coraline, but I'll probably rent it from Redbox before deciding to buy it or not.   Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? I don't know that I've had pumpkin seeds? I do love chex mix, and I totally love all the sweet ones you can buy. I'm also game for trail mixes/gorp, but I don't care for regular raisins. I'm currently munching the walmart house brand Indulgent mix, but it needs more dried cranberries, more almonds, and less of the chocolate/white chocolate/peanut butter chips (it also has golden raisins, which I can tolerate). My mom makes one with Cracklin' Oat Bran, regular M&M's, a couple kinds of nuts, and raisins and that's aroused.gif too.   Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's? Pretty much anything - notable exceptions are blueberry, cherry, anything meat based.. and that might be it.   And I have peaches for a peach crumble. I made one last month that was wonderful, and I'm thinking of mixing a little bit of powdered ginger in it this time. Should be very very good.   What kinda socks are you wearing tonight? Currently wearing a pair of pink Nike socks - they're girlie but comfy for standing all day in (my shiny new sneakers help tons too) - I'm a cashier at a Walmart supercenter so I stand all shift.   Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? Love socks, love blankets.. could probably pull off a headband. Don't know that I'd wear wrist warmers, but arm warmers in solid white or solid navy could come in handy when I'm stuck at a register with a draft (it's still warm here in ID, but the snow comes sooooooooon). I could also use a scarf.   No wool though - it's in my questionnaire but I'm allergic. The only work-around would be kinda like my hat - it's wool but all the parts that touch my skin are lined with a super soft synthetic fleece. And it covers my ears and has a pompom on top and totally embarrasses my sister but I 00001616.gif it.   How do you feel about ghost stories? Do you like to tell the old tales around a campfire? Read true accounts on the web way past your bedtime? Do you like to pick up a good anthology of Poe stories on a blustery day? Or is all that too scary for you? I'm finding myself more and more prone to nightmares from spooky stuff, so no. Poe is good tho.   Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13? Not familiar with it - but I don't watch much tv.   Nother question! Coffee or Tea? I drink both, but I prefer tea to coffee. I love flavored teas and coffees, generally no decaf (I do have some, but I only drink it if it's late).   Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both?Olive oil? Lavender oils or soaps? Locally produced is great, for food and skin care. I love olive oil. Lavender.. can make me queasy and/or give me a migraine.. but things like BBW's Lavender Vanilla aromatherapy stuff doesn't bother me.   Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? No dangly earrings. I do wear pendants when I remember to. Hair clips and ponytail holders - I'm trying to refrain from cutting my hair until after my sister's wedding (in May!) and it's currently boob-length and I need things to do with it other than just ponytail or braid it. So clips and combs that can hold a good amount of evilly fine hair would be wonderful.   What is your favourite historical period? I don't know that I can pick a favorite. There are generally always some I'm interested in learning more about.   What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall? Hot cider, mulled cider, hot chocolate (flavored is fine)   Did you order anything from the most recent update? Nope. Not super likely, as I've gotten pickier about the blends I'm interested in in the last year or so (which is roughly the same window as when I started trying other perfume companies).   Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster? Because being normal some of the time is a big plus. What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave? I miss a bunch of the European chocolate brands that I used to get all the time in Italy that I can't find here, saltwater taffy from the Jersey Shore, and Badger brand hard cider. My husband misses Yeungling beer, but he's enjoying the local beers for this area so he can deal.
crazyredhead17

crazyredhead17

0
Tielan's Blog
 

v-day switch witch questions

A Favorite love poem? e e cummings   Turkish delight? Oh yes!   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal? I always liked the three-toed sloth myself.   What is your favorite sign that spring is coming? The lack of need of two quilts on the bed.   Are you a big Mardi Gras fan? What's your favorite part? Okay, here in Australia - or, at least, in Sydney - 'Mardi Gras' means the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which happens in late February, early March around these parts. I don't really watch it, actually - I never hear when it's on until after it's happened.   I have been knitting a lot lately, would something hand knit be nice for you? I love hand-knitted stuff: especially since we're going into winter down here in the southern hemisphere.   What is your favourite kind of love story? Partners or equals growing into love over time and through experience, taking turns at being the leader, and supporting each other. both a contrast and a balance - a little of each. I like them to soothe the rough places in each other - to anchor each other and give each other wings to fly - the fixed star and the solid rock.   Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things? No, thanks.   who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? Cons, yes. And I did some cosplay for the last one - I dressed up as Six from Battlestar Galactica.   Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, &c.? I have an iPod classic and I'm learning how to use it. I love music though - fanmixes, your favourite songs and artists, any style, any type.   Used books/cds/dvds, etc? Definitely!   For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? Only if they roll. My kitty isn't one for collars or catnip. She does like things that she can bat away and chase after, though. (The potential of a load of ping-pong balls...oh yes.)   Interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture? Absolutely! Anything you want to send is great.   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod   Top Five Most Played I Won't Say - from Disney's Hercules Anna Rose - Vienna Teng Horobushko - Bond Victory - Bond Explosive - Bond   Top Five Most Played - not including Bond songs I Won't Say - from Disney's Hercules Anna Rose - Vienna Teng I'm A Fool - American Hi-Fi Blood Of CuChulain - The Boondock Saints Everyone Is Totally Insane - Dandy Warhols     If you're a WoW player, do you have the Pandaren Monk and Lil' KT pets? Would you want them? Not a WoW player. I dodged that bullet.   would you be interested in getting a mix CD from your witch? Oh yes! New music = love.   What's your favourite candy? Fruity and sugary. I don't think I have any in particular.   Think Geek plush microbes? Hee. I think they're cute as heck - but really, it would just gather dust.   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? I love sewn gifts - my last witch gave me an awesome cloth bag for carrying stuff around in!   Kitchen gadgetry? Nah, don't need any. I can get it myself if need be.   Nail polish? If you like - browns and dusky pinks are best for me.   Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? I can burn incense and scented candles, I just don't do very much of it.   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise Ooh, yes please!   New question--I'm calling this "could never happen in a million years": Your Witch is perusing the wares at a local yard sale. S/he looks down and sees [insert impossibly rare item that you've always wanted but could never afford] with a $5-10 sticker on it. Sheepishly s/he takes it to the guy behind the folding table. "Do you know what this is?" s/he inquires. The gentleman states that it belonged to his mother/sister/grandmother/Great Aunt Beulah and he thinks it's for, like, hair or something. With a trembling hand, s/hes pays the man and heads home with the inconceivable riches. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? A hand-operated mulcher - something that chops up leaves, twigs, stalks, etc. without chewing petrol. Toss it all in, turn the handle, and bingo! Mulch pieces for the garden!   alcohol Don't think you'd get it past customs. Same with loose teas, or anything that might have seeds in it.   bakery 1. chocolate eclair (evil evil evil) 2. green sugar and icing frog - look halfway down this page http://thebestjudge.com/2009/04/25/still-a-balfours-boy/ - I know, it looks disgusting, but it's the bestest thing EVER. 3. croissant (this is touch and go - some places have really amazing butter croissants, others just taste like they used the same dough mixture as the bread but made it puff pastry) 4. loaf of sourdough bread (I love good sourdough) 5. nenish tart (actually, I've only found one place that makes these really well - and by 'really well' I mean 'has a decent jam layer beneath the cream' - it was half a centimetre thick!   steampunk? Love it, but don't have anything in it right now.   recipes? Yes! Although I need to convert them to metric most of the time, that's okay. I love hearing about people's favourite foods.   salted caramels Not sure I've tried them, but I'm perfectly happy to try anything you think I should try.   coffee, tea, chocolate Would love any of the above! Just watch out with the tea - if it has seeds in it, Australian Customs will open it and inspect it - most chais I've been sent don't through Customs unmolested. Leaf teas are usually safe, though.   Hair stuff? Sure! I'd love some new big comb-clips. My hair is thick and long and black and I snapped all my old http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:qTgsr_D...L500_AA280_.jpg hair clips except for one that's electric blue and goes with maybe two or three tops.   Canned goods? Since I'm in Australia, probably not a good idea!   OPI Alice? They look pretty cool, but I probably wouldn't use them all that much.   Severed Finger? Can I specify whose severed finger? *looks innocent*   Tiny things? Sure! I'd love a keychain!   How do you feel about handmade stuffed animals? Anything handmade is awesome. I have a small collection of stuffed animals who are dotted around the landscape of my room, from Philly pandas to polar bears wearing pink hearts that say 'Australia Or Bust!'   Are there any accessories you'd really like? Not that I can think of right now.   What are your favorite animals? Cats. Without a doubt. So sleek and adorable and their little paddy paws and the way their ears swivel. Plus, they're fiercely independent, softly cuddly, and really cute to snuggle with on wet rainy days.   If you were a student at Hogwarts, what house would you be in? Ravenclaw, I suspect.   Astronomy? Actually, I've been looking for an astronomical map of the Southern Hemisphere for a while - we used to have this really neat 'star chart' that had a moving wheel to depict the stars and constellations visible from south-east Australia...don't know what happened to it.   Star Trek? I love the nuTrek movie! Great story, great acting, great reboot, and I have a girl-crush on Uhura.   Fave flowers: Oh this is tricky. Roses or Freesias for scent. Tulips for restrained elegance. Poppies for casual waywardness. Sunflowers or gerberas for cheerful charm.   Eye color: Brown on brown. Dark brown.   Stuff I collect other than BPAL: I used to collect stamps. I still collect book series I like... Otherwise, only little Swarovski crystal figurines, and, honestly, if my witch happens to find them cheap enough to fit in this round, she'd do better to resell them and make money for herself!   Breakdown of spending: Not necessary. Unless my witch wishes to display her thriftiness, in which case, I shall be appropriately awed!   If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? Fruity, sweet, chai, plain, black, green, red, white? Chai. I love chai! Unfortunately, sending anything with seeds through Australian Customs is liable to either be confiscated or else opened and riffled through. Ever tried to drink apple cinnamon tea from tea-bags that have been stuck back together with yellow tape that says, "Australian Customs And Excise"? I wouldn't recommend it. The glue tastes awful.   Patronus: A Chinese Dragon.   Do you like gardening,growing vegetables, house plants? Need any small tools, seeds, labels?   Dear witch,   Much as I love gardening and growing things, unless you happen to be a fellow Australian (and possibly not even then - WA is under some fairly stringent interdictions in this area), anything you send me of a seedy nature is going to be confiscated by Australian Customs. Anything viable, anything that could be planted, anything they even think could be planted, anything that could carry pestilence, disease, or infection to these shores, is probably going to be taken away.   As an example of the kind of obsessiveness of Australian Customs, a friend once sent me a box of cornbread mix from California. It got confiscated at Customs, we think because of the dried egg product that was listed as an ingredient in the mix. Now, exactly what danger dried egg products are going to be, I can't imagine, but it was 'no cornbread for T' which was very sad-making.   So, uh, yeah. Nothing viable, green, seedy, or with eggs.
tielan

tielan

0
tartchef's Blog
 

Shotgun SW Q&A

What is everyone's take on Valentine's Day? I abhorred it all through school - fabulous, a day specifically designed to publicly humiliate & destroy the unpopular I sent black Valentines one year in HS, all bitter pithy quotes & dead flowers   My first husband's total obliviousness to the holiday is what oddly made me give a rat's about it - it's a gimme, fer chrissakes, you can't go ten feet without some kind of reminder/idea, and he totally whiffed it. Came home 4 hours late from work, empty-handed, looked blankly at the nice dinner I'd made & said, "Oh. I already ate at BK."   When I started seeing now-DH, I told him straight-out, I don't need anything ridiculous, but please, at least get me some flowers & a card so I don't feel totally overlooked. We don't do much, but we do try to go out for a nice dinner at some point around the day. I refuse to go out ON V-Day, having worked fine dining for too long - it's a miserable, overcrowded, over-priced experience, and no one in the kitchen is having much fun...   Valentine's colors? in terms of clothing/accessories/decor, I like a nice, washed-out poppy red, or a deep scarlet, that's about it. Unless we're talking real flowers - then I'm a sucker for blowsy pinks Peonies especially, the huge white ones with the blush of pink in the center, but the hot magenta ones are awesome, too. A Favorite love poem?   We do like Neruda, especially The Sea & the Bells...   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal?   Naked mole rats! (Watch Errol Morris' Fast, Cheap & Out of Control for a primer) Also, hedgehogs, Inca terns, bats, & slugs. I actually have a pet slug right now - a tiny one I found in the lettuce we got at market. I have him in a jar with a lettuce leaf & a damp paper towel. His name is Steve What is your favorite sign that spring is coming?   Oh, so many! Geese overhead, robins in the garden, big fat buds on the trees, snowdrops pushing through the leaves, seed catalogs in the mail, the smell of damp earth...   Knitted things? I'm well-set on nearly all things cozy, but I would die of happiness for a Felicity... Love story?   While I do admit to getting sucked into the likes of The English Patient, my soft spot is for the more When Harry Met Sally-type stories - the friends oblivious to what everyone else can see, the disastrous attempts to find love elsewhere, the gut-punch moment when they realize The One has been sitting next to them the whole damn time... so, basically, how J & I got together   I like the love-not-spoken stories, too... My favorite elements in Gosford Park are Maceachran & Parks' confidences, quiet exchanges & near-clinches (doesn't hurt it's Clive Owen), and then their quiet parting. In theory, you know they'll never see each other again, but Parks is the sort of man who would re-appear out of nowhere years later to make good on what was hinted at...   Naughty bits?   Oooer. We have a precocious 3.75-year-old in the house, so nothing too... memorable. I do like me some Hydra-Smooth...   Pet toys? No pets, but I do feed the birds regularly. Suet cakes, a sock feeder, anything like that would be lovely....   Who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? Once upon a time, I was all over this. I was costume mistress for our HS drama department, which included costuming for the Shakespeare troop... But now? Meh... If I had all the time in the world, I'd give steampunk cons a go, but it's not really in the cards right now. Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, etc.? Erm... I could really use a fun mouse pad!   Gently Used CDs/DVDs? Preferred, actually!   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod No iPod, so here's what's been on heavy rotation in the house/car as of late:   Skinny Love - Bon Iver My Car is Haunted - Royal Bangs Home - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Convinced of the Hex - Flaming Lips Icky Thump - White Stripes Freeway - Kurt Vile Red Dress - TV on the Radio White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes Chicago - Sufjan Stevens I'm Not Looking for a New England - Billy Bragg Too Nice to Talk To - The (English) Beat Interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture? Yes yes yes please!   What about UNTOUCHED make-up samples or any other type of girly-sample thing? Don't wear much at all, but a nice lip-stain is always good...   WoW Nope! Mix CDs Sure!   Favourite candy Anything caramel, esp Goetze's caramel creams/CowTails aroused.gif   Plush microbes No more critters, plz!   Kitchen Gadgetry A new OXO peeler, would be great - I stole ours for soap trimming   Mardi Gras Can take it or leave it...   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? Yes, please! Would you like new nail polish? If so, what colors are you craving? Never paint my nails Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? Overrun with incense, but some bamboo charcoal would be AWESOME.   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise. All set, thanks!   Would you use a natural sea sponge? No, but thank you. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? My witch last round found it - a copy of The Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken   Would you like some of my favourite recipes? Yesyesyes!   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? And finally, is it legal to ship alcohol to your state? I do, but PA has draconian alcohol laws - can't get any shipped here   Are you into steampunk? Not hard-core, but yeah, I appreciate the aesthetic...   Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.) Oh yes. Something to aid in new business ventures/financial fecundity would be well-timed, indeed   Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world? I may well be solely self-employed in a few weeks - whether I like it or not. Part of me is thrilled, but... well. See the above request.   How are we feeling about Burlesque? I don't mind a bit of shimmy now & then   Win some earrings? No holes in these lobes, thanks   I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose? Oooo, yeah! I'd wear something weird & metallic....   Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package? No, unless you were particularly cunning.   What color are your eyes? Dark brown/green/grey If you had to choose a color for a nightie to sleep in what color would it be? I sleep nekkid   What's your favourite flower? Oh man. Not fair. Cut flower? Freesias. Potted plant? My Red Cross & burgundy oxalis. Garden plant? Too many to pick a top favorite - I love bleeding heart, columbine, crocuses, narcissus, peonies, grape hyacinth, lobelia, harebells... if you can imagine it in an English garden, I'm probably a fan. If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? Unflavored black, primarily - I like a good malty Assam, but Ceylon & Assam blends are lovely. I also ADORE Harney & Son's Yellow & Blue herbal tea, but it's so damn spendy I rarely get it. Absolutely no rooibos please   Hogwarts house? Gryffindor all the way.   Space, the final frontier? We are big Star Wars fans, & I do like Star Trek, as well. Not a big astronomy buff, but stars is purdy.   Favorite animals? Birds. Birds. Birds. Sheep. Birds. Are there any languages or countries that you're really interested in? I'd really like to get back to my Welsh some day, as useless as it is... Japan, Scandinavia, New Zealand & Tibet are on my life-list...   If you could be in any fictional universe, what would it be? ***DORK ALERT! DORK ALERT!*** Tolkien's Middle Earth. Yeah, I know. But I'd want to be one of the Rohirrim, or a Hobbit. None of that nancy Elven crap.   Do you like gardening,growing vegetables, house plants? Need any small tools, seeds, labels? Oh heavens, yes! We have a big veg plot we share with the neighbors - any heirloom tomato/bean/melon/lettuce/herb seeds are welcome, as are plant markers, tomato ties & the like...
tartchef

tartchef

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Freznow's fickle feelings
 

Random Candy Corn Perfume Oil

As a freebie in my last order. I HATEDESPISE candy corn. But it came in a nifty roller ball! Maybe I can find something to decant it into and give it away, or use it or throw it out so I can clean out the roller ball for my own use. Hrm...
freznow

freznow

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Freznow's fickle feelings
 

Hurricane

Smells quite a bit like La Belle Dame Sans Merci. I guess it's the aquatics. It settled down very nicely, I quite like it. Not so air freshenery, though still a bit. Do I want to smell like this...?
freznow

freznow

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Freznow's fickle feelings
 

Black Annis

Oh my oh my. What is that? Anise? Oooh, and under it, licorice. I smell so yummy! And cave-y at the same time too. I like it. I really like it. But will I wear it? It's really strongly licorice, I don't know if I want to smell that much like licorice.
freznow

freznow

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Freznow's fickle feelings
 

Yggdrasil

Pine. Pine. Why so pine?   This one seemed complex in the imp, but mostly I'm getting pine when first applied. It reminds me of... track. Running outside, plus shoe freshener. Hrm... Maybe. Still not really feeling it.
freznow

freznow

0
Freznow's fickle feelings
 

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

BPAL number two!   VERY sharp, biting. It's not as strong a scent as Hymn to Proserpine, or maybe I just didn't put on as much. The 'clean' of the reviews is right. Kinda air freshener-y. Dries down a little less sharp. Rather floral.   I wish I liked this one more. *try again later*   (Though, smelling my wrists together, I think this could actually layer well with HtP, but maybe that's just me. )
freznow

freznow

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Freznow's fickle feelings
 

Hymn to Proserpine

My first BPAL to try!   When I first put it on, it seemed very sweet. Lots of fruit. Now a few minutes later, it has dried a bit into more amber, with that touch of fruit.   Throughout this whole thing, it has screamed 'PERFUME' at me. Maybe it's the amber. Maybe it's some florals in there. I dunno, don't have a good nose yet. This prevents me from loving it, at the moment, but I'll be keeping it to try again later. It's still nice. Just... yeah.
freznow

freznow

0
velvetelvis' Blog
 

Imp List

Imps I Have/Have Tried   #20 Love Oil - herby, then spicy cinnamon foody, subtle, lovely Agrat-Bat-Mahlat Al Azif Ashlultum Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo Ave Maria Gratia Plena - light, sweet, ethereal Azathoth Bastet - Amber, cherry? But not artificial cherry. Bayou - photo realistic flower petals, camellias? Belle Epoque Black Cat Bliss Blockbuster Blood Lotus - Centzon Totochtil- Come to Me Danse Macabre Devil's Claw - Dia De Los Muertos Diwali Dove's Heart Dracul Dragon's Tears Eden Elegba Emma Eos Ephemera Fire of Love - deep musk, strong wood Goblin Golden Priapus Grandmother of Ghosts Grand Guignol Greed Havana - delicious, sweet but low wood scent Hellfire - similar HoP & SD, lovely tobacco? note Hermia High John the Conqueror Highwayman Hollywood Babylon Horn of Plenty - perfect musk with lighter foody/amber note Hurricane Hymn Hymn to Prosperpine I Married a Vampire from Planet X Jester- very sweet and light, neroli predominant Kill Devil La Petit Mort Le Serpent Qui Danse Lightning L'Ecole des Filles- London Love Me - Cinnamon and sugar awesome yum! Love's Torments Machu Picchu Morocco Namaste Nero New Orleans Oberon Obsidian Widow Othello- Ouija Oya Penumbra Penny Dreadful Perversion Phoenix Steamworks Phantasm Port Royal - rum, yum, slightly woodier more cologney than HoP Psychological Horror Quincey Morris Roadhouse Santo Domingo- awesome, same rum note as horn of plenty Satyr Seance Sed Non Satiata Severin Shub-Niggurath Skuld Spawn of the She-Demon Tenochtitlan Thanatopsis The Premature Burial The Scales of Deprivation Tintagel Tupapau Tushnamatay Tweedledum Uruk Utrennyaya Van Van - Incense-y to start with, then more like a sweet vanilla Vasakasajja Verdandi Violet Ray Vixen - only one so far that disagrees with me - cat pee (may be the patchouli?) Voodoo Whippoorwill Wilde - wonderful, like a soft men's cologne   Autēn autēs kurian. -Neaera   My Wishlist | My Bottles | My Imps Icon credits: Storme, Mer & Me.
velvetelvis

velvetelvis

0
Ellebelle's Blog
 

February Shot Gun 2010 SW help

Girly things? Makeup samples are welcome. i don't really need moisturizer/soap samples.   coffe/tea/hotchocolate? coffee, coffee, coffee. Then hot cocoa. And at a distant third is tea (and I tend to like strong teas - darjeeling and chai in particularly)   recipes? Sure, why not?   art: I love art, though I do tend to be picky. If you yourself is an artist, then I would love it to death as I love original art. If you're thinking of buying me something, you're better off going with something small. I love old book plates and things from natural science books.   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? And finally, is it legal to ship alcohol to your state? I love classic cocktails, so any booze is welcome. I also like to try random things, so any kind of interesting, off the wall liqueur would also be very welcome. I am a huge wine drinker too. Wow, I sound like an alcoholic. I don't know what the legality if of shipping here, though I have ordered wine before and it has shipped here fine.   Imagine that someone hands you their wallet and sends you into a really good bakery. They have everything, from breads to brownies, cookies to croissants, anything you could imagine, and you're allowed to pick out five things for yourself. What do you pick? (1) Pain au chocolat (preferably fresh from the oven - my taste memories of the first time I was in Paris and I was jetlagged so I got one fresh from the oven and ate it while I walked to the Eiffel Tower are vivid) (2) Blondie (3) Honey Spelt Bread (4) Those crunchy, buttery pinwheel things (I'll try and find a picture) (5) white chocolate macadamia nut cookies   Would you like soaps? Especially from Paintbox? And ESPECIALLY the Valentines Special Edition Soaps?? Could never turn them down!   Sockdreams?: I've never ordered from there, but they look lovely! I am not one for thigh highs or knee highs though.   Steampunk: I love the aesthetic, but I don't have anything that is steampunk.   Salty caramels? Chocolate bacon? Oh my! I'll try anything once.   Any big events coming up in your life? Nope!   Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.)?: As indicated on my questionnaire, I do not practice (nor have ever practiced) any kind of religion/spiritual faith. While I find all religions and beliefs systems fascinating in an academic, anthropological kind of way, they aren't really for me.   Villianess update?: I've only tried their perfumes, but they slide right off of my skin. I am always willing to be enabled though!!   How are we feeling about Burlesque? I LOVE burlesque as an art form. I saw "A Burlesque Christmas Carol" this year - not a particularly artful burlesque, but interesting nevertheless. I'm more interested in the art/history/fashion of it than practicing it myself.   Win some earrings from alicia_stardust? They are beautiful, but copper is not a good metals for my ears. They tend to be a little sensitive to low grade metals.     Do I want my witch to reveal? I hope so! I would like to know in the end.   Do I want a lot of little packages or one big one? Whatever she wants. Everyone has a different style. I believe I will be witched eventually!   Keys? They are really cool, but I'm not sure I'd know what to do with one. I'm not a collector, so ... seems more like something I would admire rather wish to acquire.   favorite flowers: Gerbera daisies.   Sleepytime? : I wear oversize t-shirts and shorts/pants.   Frankenpolish?: sure, why not?   vegan baked goods: ... would be greatly appreciated by the BF since he's lactose intolerant (bordering on totally allergic to all dairy - like, he can't even have butter) and I don't mind.   Dog sweater? I have no pups, and I'm pretty sure the kittehs would destroy any kind of sweatery goodness.   Lipbalm: I tend to use lip gloss or some kind of medicated balm when my lips get chapped. Nothing super fun, I'm afraid.   fictional universe: Mmm, His Dark Materials is a good one. I want to ride one of the bears!! (Though The Subtle Knife is my favorite of the three books)   The final frontier?: I am a total ST: Voyager fangrrl. There, I said it. I like TNG, but Voyager was the only one I was every really, really into. I DVR the repeats on Spike. I need to buy the DVDs.   astronomy? Not so much - it has never really been my thing.   HP House? Gryffindor! And my patronus would probably be something like a mountain lion.   What have I lost that I can never get back? I had this fabulous little cream colored shell that I got at the HUGE H&M in Stockholm. It was cheap (maybe $12.00 US?) but it looked good with dressy clothes. I have no idea where it went to, and I curse the day I lost it.   Have I bought anything? My dear witch, I haven't bought anything but I have been trading on the V-Day thread. I am sorry. BAD ELLEBELLE.   canned/jarred goods? Nommy, nom nom nom nom! But I'm not into berries.   Whew, okay let's see if I got all of this ...   Nail polish - I don't really wear it very much, sadly. If you're going to go that way, I like deep sparkling reds.   natural sea sponge - no thanks!   BPAL boxes - I am desperately in need of an other bpal box. Also, I need a portable imp case or something so I can carry them in my purse.   incense/scented candles - not so big on the incense. Candles are fine, though the BF and I currently have an overabundance of them. If you go that way, no too many and I tend towards foody and/or citrus scents.   WoW - can't say I've ever played.   amazing yard sale/garage sale find - (1) I collect antique (pre-1900) bottles, so any one that is RED would be totally amazing (they are very rare because the red coloration was made with gold) (2) An antique box - I love the old cashboxes that were popular in colonical India/Africa.   Turkish Delight:You know, I don't think I've ever tried it. And my rule is that I'll try anything once!   Mardi Gras: I've never lived anywhere that it is truly celebrated. My best friend lived in New Orleans for two years, and never did get down there to see her during Mardi Gras - too expensive. The photos look like she had a good time!   Mix CDs? I love making and receiving mix CDs more than I could ever say.   Some of my friends and I have group mix CDs where we are each allowed to pick 9 minutes of music on a theme. It has led to some weird, but wonderful, mixes!   Candy? The BF thinks it is disgusting, but I love those night-crawler jelly worm things. They are so artificially delicious! And, of course, chocolate in any form.   What are the first five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on your ipod? Heh, get ready for this:   Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood Jet Black Ash - Bain Mattox All The Girls Love Alive - Sir Elton (yes, I like him, so sue me) Green River - M. Ward Save and Horse, Ride a Cowboy - Big and Rich My Light, Maria - Pale Young Gentlemen Possum Kingdom - The Toadies Bullet With Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins Murray - Pete Yorn Apple of my Eye - Ed Harcourt Movin' Out - Billy Joel Can't Stand Losing You - The Police Swim - Ani Difranco Western States (demo) - Jay Mankind In Love With A Girl - Gavin DeGraw Red Flags and Long Nights - She Wants Revenge I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett Never Been to Spain - Three Dog Night When I'm Down - Chris Cornell I Know Where I've Been - Queen Latifah (from the Hairspray soundtrack) Train - Sonya Kitchell Feeling Good - Muse Identity Theft - Nellie McKay Everybody Loves Me - The 88 Gangsta Paradise - Coolio   So when I said my taste in music is eclectic on the Qaire, I meant it!!   If your witch was international, would you be interested in receiving gifts that were representative of her country or culture? Absolutely! Would love it.   Pet toys? The kittehs love their catnip, but don't eat cat-treats.   Naughty Things: As I said in the No-Baby Swap, I'm not so into the toys and games. But naughty BOOKS are fine.   Gently Used CDs/DVDs: Certainly! I often buy used for myself anyway since it is so much cheaper.   Favorite Love Story: Much Ado About Nothing is STILL my favorite Shakespearean play. I tend to like the romantic comedies where you know two people are perfect for each other but it takes them until the very end to admit it. (See also: While You Were Sleeping, French Kiss, Bridget Jones's Diary - three of my favorite mindless, I just want to relax and have a good time movies). My least favorite are when two people are perfect for each other and ridiculous obstacles come in the way of them being together. (See: every soap opera ever made.0   Gagetry!: I would love a cover for my ipod nano (I have the most recent version). Some of you crafty folks could probably easily even make one!! I'd love a laptop envelope also (Dell Latitutde D620). Otherwise, I have pretty much all of the accessories I need.   ComiCon/Ren Faires: I have never been, but if I went I am not the type to dress up. Actually, the closest I come to any of that are the Jazz Age events that are held here. I kind of dress up for those - I don't have the vintage clothes, but I have some in kind of a vintage-style and I wear my estate jewelry. EDIT: For those that are curious, you can search Michael Arenella and the Dreamland Orchestra - they put together the Lawn Parties, and you can see my series of photos from the event last summer here.   Oh, and my dear future witch: I believe I forgot to include on my Qaire that I am severely allergic to (I think) BPAL's cassia oil scent.   Hand knit: Absolutely! My mom is a huge knitter and she has made me several lovely things. She does mostly lace knitting now, so shawls and things. My cousin knitted me a wonderful soft had for Christmas. I loves the knitted goodies!   Love poem: Yeah, I'm not so big on those, apparently. Though my favorite poem is "The Wanderer", an old english poem. Google books has the translation I like: http://books.google....r...;q=&f=false (scroll up to page 7 for the beginning)   Valentine's Colors: I particularly love deep, dark reds but I'm okay with pretty much all valentiens colors.   Hand-sewn?: I would love anything art-ed, sewn, or crafted by my witch. If you send me art, it will be lovingly framed and displayed in my home. If you send me clothing goods, they will be lovingly worn! I love it all.   Microbes: My friend works in a genetics lab and her fiance got her the microbes one year for her birthday. My favorite is the mad cow - because it's cow patterned!!! But I probably don't need any for me.   Favorite sign of spring - days getting longer and cherry blossoms in bloom! I love the first day I can take a walk outside with just a light jacket.   Favorite obsure animal: I am fond of quokkas.
ellebelle

ellebelle

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syrenemyst's Blog
 

Spring Shotgun SW 2010

Stuff I collect other than BPAL? gargoyles, groundhogs, watch parts   What patronus would you have? i have no idea   What color are your eyes? greenish-brown   I'm a space junky. Love anything galaxy, space, star, etc related. I like space stuff, depending on what is it. I'm sure if my witch got me anything I would love it.   Severed fingers? No thanks   If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? I don't like tea, so please please don't send any. Thanks!   How do you feel about handmade stuffed animals? I like them.   Are there any accessories you'd really like? i can't think of anything   Is there anything you've had to give up that you really miss or want back? nothing right now   Are you opposed to vegan baked goods? Or baked goods in general? not at all. I'm willing to try something new.   What's your favourite flower?tiger lilies   For those that have dogs, if I were to knit them a sweater, what colour would you like it to be?no sweater, thanks   Lip balm?sure   OPI Alice in Wonderland set? no thanks   Hair stuff? Clips and things, do you need any? I can always use scrunchies and clips   Your view of Valentine's Day?Meh. I prefer Groundhog's Day   Do you like traditional Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white, more?) ?not really   A Favorite love poem? I don't think I really have one, I'll have to think on it more   Turkish delight?I've never had it, but I'd be open to trying it.   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal?   What is your favorite sign that spring is coming?seeing the groundhogs out and about   Are you a big Mardi Gras fan? What's your favorite part? not really   I have been knitting a lot lately, would something hand knit be nice for you?   What is your favourite kind of love story? romantic ,against all odds stories. I enjoy many different kinds of romance novels so I come across some really wonderful love stories of all different kinds   Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things?no thanks   who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? I used to love to go to RenFaires, but I haven't been in a while. I never had the courage to dress up.   Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, &c.? not that I can think of.   Used books/cds/dvds, etc?I am totally fine with used books, dvds, cds   For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? Sure, ,I have two dogs and two cats. The dogs like things that squeak and the cats love the nip.   Interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture?That would be awesome   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod:   The Pretender-Foo Fighters I Write Sins Not Tragedies- Panic at the Disco One Step Closer- Linkin Park A Beautiful Lie-30 Seconds to Mars Fireflies- OwlCity   And then just for a little more insight, just a few more:   For Your Entertainment- Adam Lambert Prayer- Disturbed All the Right Move- One Republic Thnks Fr Th Mmrs- Fall Out Boy All Around me- Flyleaf In Love With A Girl- Gavin Degraw Mad About You- Sting Wordplay- Jason Mraz But It's Better If You Do- Panic at the Disco Straight Lines- Silverchair Live Like Music- Alexz Johnson Dance, Dance- Fall Out Boy Drive- Incubus Broken Open -Adam Lambert Evacuate the Dancefloor- Cascade Warning- Incubus Everlong- Foo Fighters Anna Molly- Incubus In Between- Duncan Sheik Boom Boom Pow- Black Eyed Peas   If you're a WoW player, do you have the Pandaren Monk and Lil' KT pets? Would you want them? I don't play WoW   would you be interested in getting a mix CD from your witch? Absolutely!   What's your favourite candy?I love chocolate but as a diabetic, I need to stay away from it.   Think Geek plush microbes?I think they are cute but could never decide on whih one I liked the most.   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? No allegies and I would love anything my witch made for me.   Kitchen gadgetry? none I can think of   Nail polish?no thanks   Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? No thanks   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise. No thanks. I make my own boxes, so I have plenty of storage space. But, I'd be willing to help someone else out, should they need it. But, if my witch made me something, again, I would love it!!!   So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? I honestly can't think of anything I would want. again, I'd need to think about this.
syrenemyst

syrenemyst

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NaturalCyber's Blog
 

Himerus and Ded Moroz thoughts

I must have had something on my skin or something the first try because no soap smell with Himerus the second time either. However, it was a horrible sleeping scent. It aggravated my insomnia like whoa for some reason. It took a long while for me to drop off (the smart thing to do would have been to wash it off but, alas). It was still there when I woke up and I was still getting very faint whiffs when I did wash it off. I'm going to take a guess and say my average wear-time will end up around 10-12 hours.   Note to self: check out the Somnium scents sometime. The reviews all seem to mention lavender, which I love on the plant itself (my poor dead root-shocked lavender plant, oh how I miss thee), but I have no ideas besides that. The name of Baku definitely pings me so maybe I'll try that first.   My random pick of the day is Ded Moroz. It's so sharp and clean and amazing. I think I may have to get a bottle because I can see myself wearing it a lot. But definitely washing this one off before bed--I feel wide awake, even though I was tired before. And I haven't had any caffeine today.   ... Huh, now that the Ded Moroz has settled I'm noticing that my wrists smell different! The left sweetened and got a bit flowery and the right is more like when it was first put on. Weird.
naturalcyber

naturalcyber

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jencallisto's Blog
 

February 2010 Shotgun Switch Witch Questions & Answers

~posted 2/16/10~   Fellow witches, if you were to give up something for 40 days, what would it be and why? Hmm. Pork, maybe, because pigs are really smart, and while it would be pretty difficult for me, it's definitely possible. I already don't usually eat octopus for that reason, but then, I don't find them that tasty. Pork is another story. I'd also consider giving up chocolate or cheese or eating out or something along those lines. Honestly, though, I'm not much into restrictions of that nature.   Are you following the Olympics? What's your favorite sport to watch? Would you be interested in merch? I am only vaguely following the Olympics; I tend to not even realize that they're coming and then for one reason or another I end up watching just a little and get dragged in completely. I have to admit that for the Winter Olympics I do love the figure skating -- I am so thrilled for the Chinese pairs right now! But I actually enjoy almost everything that involves speed and grace... which is pretty much the entire Winter Olympics. Skating (I think hockey is awesome outside of the Olympics, too!) and skiing and snowboarding are all just darn fun to watch! For the summer olympics, gymnastics is totally where it's at, but I like to watch the swimming and diving events as well, and I wish rhythmic gymnastics got more airtime. I also now have a soft spot for handball after getting to see an actual match in Beijing, and archery and pistol are surprisingly mesmerizing, too (I think I might just enjoy watching women shoot things). Merch-wise, well, sure, I guess. I like merch!   ~posted 2/13/10~   These are a few of my favourite things: ...? BOOKS! Food and drink! History and mythology (especially related to China or Ancient Greece, but I like pretty much all of it)! Abstract mathematics! (I would especially love some linear algebra or topology.) Earth science -- especially geophysics, petrology, hydrology, and environmental science. Winter! I also like autumn a lot, and have some fondness for spring. Lakes and rivers and waterfalls and glaciers and mountains. Water in general, really. Fjords. Storms, especially thunderstorms and tornados. Sexuality and polyamory and gender and ethnic studies. Jewelry, the color black, dancing, singing, sex, friends, love. Philosophy, metaphysics, the human condition. MUSIC! Travel! Games of all types! Geeks. (ETA: Oh, and I love wartime propaganda posters -- US ones, but also ones from different countries (Russian and Chinese cold war posters are some of my favorites). And movie and musical and theatre posters (I love books the most, but really I love all kinds of storytelling -- movies, television, plays, poetry, etc). And art in general.)   I love to decoupage/collage boxes and notebooks. If you were my witchee, would you like one? What colors/themes would you want it to have? Find cute pictures--inspire me (and other crafty witches)! Sure! Any of the colors I like would work! I am not picky. Themes that sound fun off the top of my head: steampunk, space or space exploration or constellations, mythology, books or libraries, dance, music, mathematics (the abstract kind, not so much the numerical kind, retro, classic science... but I'm sure there are others I'd like. Picture-wise... hmm. I don't know. How abut this astronomical clock: http://www.hickerphoto.com/astronomical-cl...87-pictures.htm or the sheet music for Grieg's "Papillon": http://everynote.com/piano.show/1136.note or the surface of Mars: http://crism.jhuapl.edu/science/images/marsGeo/VL1.jpg or Sandman as illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano: http://readcomics.org/wp-content/uploads/2...m_hunters_1.jpg and http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/images/San..._1185846084.jpg -- just a few random thoughts.   Alan Rickman? I adore him and find him (and oh, his voice) endlessly sexy. I loved him even when he (er, his character) had the bad taste to cheat on Emma Thompson in Love Actually! For a long time he was my top choice to play Crowley from Good Omens if a film version ever happened; he's probably too far out of the age range these days but I have a hard time bringing myself to care -- it's hard for me to imagine anyone else, at this point. Basically, he's amazing!   Which 5 celebrities are on your "LIST"? Christian Kane -- down-to-earth, tough but sweet, gorgeous voice, gorgeous hair, can kick serious ass Jon Huertas -- dead hot, nice build, endearing sense of humor Naveen Andrews -- beautiful, incredibly hot, passionate Bob Bryar -- super talented and sturdy and sweet and quiet and stubborn Drew Barrymore -- adorable and fun and sweet and real, and with a sensual streak that absolutely works for me   Next five: Kevin Zegers -- pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty, exudes sensuality, takes risks Clive Owen -- has a wryness about him that is extremely appealing, plus the magnificent combination of direct and rough and reserved and focused and all-around amazing Joaquin Phoenix -- maybe crazy but also crazy intense and super, super, super hot Clea DuVall -- is just hot, not to mention truly engaging and full of personality Angelina Jolie -- confident, interesting, has this aura of pure, luscious sex about her   I could go on and on (I didn't even get to most of the musicians!), but I'll content myself with this.   ~posted 2/12/10~   If you could have one "unselfish" wish (but personal) what would it be? For my super-sweet, super hard-working SO to get the job he wants -- he had the second interview for it yesterday! But honestly, there's a tiny bit of selfishness in that wish, so... I would like one of my friends to find long-term happiness with someone, either the guy she's with now or someone else. Or I'd like a different friend of mine to make it through her graduate program with flying colors, without driving herself tooooooooo crazy (and I am not using that term flippantly). I would also love it if yet a different friend of mine could find a job that she likes that also doesn't hurt her wrists, and one of my brothers needs a job while the other needs some friends in the city he just moved to... I'm having a hard time choosing!   Are there any books you particularly want to read that you don't mind being 2nd hand (or 3rd or 4th ) I happy with almost any books being second hand, as long as they're in decent condition (I don't like writing in my books unless I put it there, it's one of the few things I'm picky about). I guess there are a few collectible things I'd probably want in near-perfect condition, but those are both few and far between and likely above the price cap anyway.   If you had to choose SHOES or PURSES? Er. If I could only ever have one, I'd go barefoot (being able to feel the ground is really good for my weak ankles) and have a nice, mid-size, sturdy black purse (more like a courier bag than your average fashion purse) with lots of inner pockets. I don't really wear pants, you see, and skirt pockets only hold so much, even when they exist, so a purse or bag is essential. However, if we're talking about buying most often and collecting, then definitely shoes. I prefer to have only one purse at a time, though it must be a perfect purse that goes with everything and carries what I want, how I want it (perfect purse -- probably ballistic nylon or super sturdy but soft leather, water resistant, lots of useful compartments, will carry a hardcover book in a pinch and a trade paperback without much complaint but prefers mass market paperbacks, solid black with no accenting colors, a big inner pocket and at least one easy access outer pocket, and adjustable shoulder strap because while I usually carry it just on my left shoulder, in certain situations I prefer to I sling it across my body, usually for safety or for balance).   But shoes... Even when I find a perfect pair of shoes, they wear out and get discontinued, and then I'm on the search again. Practicality and comfort are an absolute must for me, and I've been living in a warm climate (and tend to overheat easily and almost never get too cold), so I'm wearing more sandals and open shoes than other kinds of shoes (and I am super picky about my sneakers). I do have a beloved pair of beat-up steel-toed combat boots that I wear to shows, though, and could probably use something similar. In my wildest dreams, I'd love the Fluevog 40th Anniversary Derby Swirl boots -- the blackened gold is so gorgeous (http://www.fluevog.com/code/?pp=1&view=detail&p=1&colourID=2647). But in general, I like my shoes to be either really chunky (think Doc Martens, though I no longer buy them since they discontinued my favorite boot; I also love Earth shoes with their awesome negative heel -- terrific for my ankles as well) or super flexible and thin-soled.   Butler Bags? Not even a little bit my style, but I do like the jewelry box: http://www.butlerbag.com/ProductDetails.as...=98&SCID=42 -- but then I'm always on the lookout for good jewelry storage.   If you could have 5 mL of ANY ONE BPAL scent, what would it be? If this is in addition to what I already have... probably Champagne and Roses or Pumpkin Queen, or for a GC, maybe The Miller's Daughter. But if this were the only BPAL I could have ever, probably Baku. But Visiting the Temple of Auspicious Fortune Alone on the Winter Solstice, Agape, Gennivre, and Aglaea would all be close behind.   Loose tea or bagged tea? Or both? Both! (And that Teeli Infuser looks awesome!)   Do you like gardening,growing vegetables, house plants? Need any small tools, seeds, labels? No, I am an accidental killer of house plants. I just don't pay enough attention, and I might be moving around quite a bit in the next year or three, and house plants aren't that easy to move, and gardens are even more difficult. I guess I'm just more of a trees/woods/wetlands/arboretums/national and state parks sort of girl.   Are there any soundtracks you'd be interested in getting a copy of? Glee! Whip It! Mysterious Skin, Were the World Mine, Zombieland, Newcastle, In the Mood for Love, 2046, Fallen Angels, High Fidelity, and Crazy Heart. Working (the 2000 CR and/or the orig 1978 BCR), Guys and Dolls (movie songs especially, but I'd take whatever), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, West Side Story, and Fiddler on the Roof. I'm sure there are more, too, but that's what I can think of offhand.   Non-soundtrack CD-wise, if I could pick one thing, it would be the Joy Division Heart and Soul boxset or RT: The Life and Music of Richard Thompson boxset. (Note that already have a ton of Richard Thompson, but for Joy Division I only have the best of album and would welcome any other albums.) Within the price cap... probably Tool, Undertow because I had it on cassette in high school but never got around to buying a cd.   ~posted 2/7/10~   OPI Alice in Wonderland? Love the concept, but I wouldn't ever wear those two reds, I'd prefer a black that's less multicolor, and while I do really like the blue, I'm a little worried about the glitter effects this reviewer: http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2009/12/opi-...hes-review.html mentions -- I like my nail polish to be super-smooth. (I haven't tried Seche Vite Topcoat, though, maybe that would help, though the idea of doing four layers on my nails does not thrill me, or five if I use a basecoat, which I probably should.) Oh wow. The China Glaze Wizard of Oz ones are really pretty, though. Glittery, but almost subtle. The blue, purple, silver, and gold all appeal to me, and even the pink and red have a strange hold (though I still kind of want the red to be darker).   How do you feel about handmade stuffed animals? I love them! I have a little green knit Cthulhu who could use some friends.   Are there any accessories you'd really like? (Keychains, little purses, etc.) Things to hold other things in -- boxes, pouches, purses, jars, tins, etc.   What are your favorite animals? Cats (both big cats and housecats -- tigers and panthers and lynxes and the black and grey striped domestic shorthair are my favorites), bears (with a special soft spot for polar bears and black bears), octopi (they're so <i>smart</i>), spiders and bats (anything that eats mosquitos gets my vote, plus I feel like they're underappreciated), beavers (nature's engineers!) , and hedgehogs (prickly and adorable).   Is there anything you've had to give up that you really miss or want back? Maybe something a witch could help out with? Well, I didn't exactly mean to give it up, but my signed, gorgeous, first printing hardcover of The Wake (the concluding trade compilation of the <i>Sandman</i> series by Neil Gaiman) somehow disappeared between when I moved out of my college dorm and into a house with four friends, and when I moved out of that house three years later. I have a sneaking suspicion one of my old housemates might have accidentally packed it up with his stuff (I lent him and his gf the series, with the caveat that the hardcovers didn't leave the house), but he didn't think he had it when I mentioned it in passing, and I've never actually pressed him about it -- for all that I loved that copy of the book (I'm not a fan of the graphic design of the current set of trade paperbacks; plus it's hard to beat a silver line drawing of Dream personalized to you and signed by Neil Gaiman on the endpapers of your book... though honestly, I'd love to have a copy of that edition (such a beautiful dark green) even without the drawing and signature), I'd rather keep the peace and his friendship.   In the slightly more likely realm, when I moved away from Boston I gave one of my old housemates (she helped me finish packing, so she definitely deserved the bounty) a black skirt that I had gotten a little too skinny for. Of course, grad school was not exactly good for my health and that size 16 skirt would probably fit me perfectly again. It was paneled with an adorable fitted-then-flared shape and crisp cotton feel, black eyelet (the larger kind of eyelets rather than the really tiny kind; it had kind of swirling pattern, iirc) over a solid black lining; I think it was DKNY but I might be misremembering that -- I gave it away in 2004 so the details are a little hazy. I loved that skirt, and I like a lot of skirts like it, too.   Tiny things? I like some tiny things, sure. The website is cute! I think I'm more likely to enjoy the papers and labels and flat decorative objects and cards (some of the cards are incredibly cool, especially the game cards and playing cards, though I wish there were more actual decks) and maybe some of the jewelry than random tiny things, but perhaps the right tiny thing would change my mind!   If you were a student at Hogwarts, what house would you be in? Ravenclaw, all the way. I have the occasional Slytherin, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff traits, but I am so much a Ravenclaw it's not even funny.   Space & Star Trek? I think space is really cool, at least in the abstract and aesthetic senses. I'm most interested in planetary geology out of all the space-related disciplines, probably because of my latent love of geophysics from my undergraduate years. I like Star Trek a lot -- I grew up with TNG and so have a huge soft spot, but I do enjoy the original series as well and I loved the reboot movie. I never watched much Deep Space 9, alas, but wouldn't be averse to trying it out. My top six shows in space: Babylon 5, Firefly, the recent Battlestar Galactica miniseries (I haven't watched the rest of the show yet), Stargate: Atlantis, Star Wars, and Star Trek.   Severed fingers? Well, if they're tasty or otherwise awesome...   What's your Patronus? Non-Potter fans, what's your Spirit Animal? Almost certainly a bear. My last name means "bear" in Chinese, and though I am probably more like a cat in a lot of ways (my animagus form could well be a cat of some kind), I've always felt close to bears somehow. They look cuddly but can be seriously dangerous, they're by nature independent but not necessarily unfriendly (and can be incredibly nurturing; something I used to rebel against but have become more okay with over time), and they place high importance on eating (and generally like variety!) and are creative in doing so. Sun bears are even nocturnal, and polar bears like cold weather. Polar bears and black bears like water and swimming, too! Basically, bears are awesome.   If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? Fruity, sweet, chai, plain, black, green, red, white? I like pretty much all tea. A sampling of what I like: pretty much all chai unless they're overwhelmingly licorice, earl grey, lady grey, chrysanthemum tea with rock sugar, chocolate mint rooibus, Infusions of Tea Lillian's Treasure, rose tea, lavender tea, Moroccan mint tea, fresh green tea, genmai cha, pu-erh, white tea (white tea is especially good for fruit flavors, but I do like others as well), English breakfast, oolong, jasmine, bubble tea... Most Chinese and Japanese teas I like plain (with the obvious exception -- it's how they serve chrysanthemum tea in China!), most British teas I like with cream and sugar (preferably raw sugar or honey), other than that it really varies by the tea and my mood.   Do you have any personal heroes / heroines and why? It's so cheesy, but definitely my parents. They came here as students and then got stuck and couldn't go back, but they made the best of it; I had a very happy childhood, and as I get older I appreciate more and more their philosophies about life and family. On a less personal level -- Hua Mulan, for obvious reasons, Yu Xuanji (a Tang dynasty female poet whose feminist bent makes me love her even though she was executed young for killing her maid; there's a translation of all her extant poetry here: http://web.archive.org/web/20080803054524/...edu/chinese/yu/ -- click the "Text" link and check out number 19; there are also a bunch of other translations listed here: http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/yuxuanji.html), and, um, Belle from Beauty and the Beast.   Are there any languages or countries that you're really interested in? ... Chinese and China, pretty obviously. I have some interest in Japan as well, but in a more analytical way than a purely Japanophile way. I also love French and am very interested in learning Ancient Greek (and am certainly interested in their countries), and I love Italy and Hungary (and find their languages cool, too). I'm interested in Norway's fjords, does that count? I think the UK is pretty interesting, too, and Australia and New Zealand, and Russia, and I've heard Turkey is amazing. I'd love to learn any ancient or unusual language, really; I picked up a handwritten book about Indonesian at a thrift store once, and a book about Etruscan at a used book store, and anything like Sumerian or Ancient Egyptian or whatnot would be kickass. I also think linguistics is really cool in general -- I love historical and comparative linguistics and etymology and language drift, linguistic anthropology, semiotics and the study of meaning, language acquisition, etc, etc. Creole languages are amazing, secret languages (thieves' cant!) are amazing, constructed and engineered languages are amazing, hybrid languages and language interactions are amazing. I haven't really seriously studied linguistics, but it's just inherently fascinating to me.   If you could be in any fictional universe, what would it be? (Harry Potter, Firefly, Lord of the Rings, Silent Hill, wtv.) Hmmmmm. Maybe the world of the Chrestomanci novels by Diana Wynne Jones. So many possibilities! And not tooooooo creepy or difficult or distressing -- things that do make good literature, but that I wouldn't necessarily want to live in. The Chrestomanci universe does have those things, but it would be so easy to just experience one little slice of it; plus, in general, good prevails!   ~posted 2/4/10~   I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose? Absolutely!   Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package? That might be interesting! But I'm okay with it either way.   Do you like guessing who your witch is, or would you prefer to know? Do you mind knowing? I am fine with whatever, though a small part of me would at least like to know eventually (but, you know, if you don't want to reveal, no worries! it's alllllll good). My natural inclination is not to guess, but if you want me to guess, just let me know and I'll give it a shot!   If it's going to be obvious who your witch is, would you rather she played the ninja and sent one big box at the end, or smaller packages along the way? Anything goes! I have no preference.   Keys? Keys are awesome. I like jewelry with them, I like them in general, especially the old-fashioned kind.   Sleepwear? I LOVE light, long or medium-length sleepshirts (in XL), preferably in natural, stretchy, comfy materials. Black is my favorite color for them, but really any darker color is welcome, and even some lighter ones. For sleeping, t's really more about feel. I also go through a lot of pajama pants, but those are really more for lounging about the house than for sleeping per se.   Eye color? Dark warm brown.   Are you opposed to vegan baked goods? Or baked goods in general? I am the opposite of opposed. To both questions! I will note also that I love many bakery items besides the ones listed in the 5-things bakery question. I am easy to please on that front, really.   Roller derby? I adored Whip It, and would absolutely be interested in roller derby related things, and am thinking about going to a match one of these days. But I don't know that I'd ever actually participate in it myself... I'm just not all that sporty. I like to dance, but I'm not as into sports for whatever reason.   What's your favourite flower? Probably roses, especially deep red and Texas yellow and deep rose, and even white (especially when mixed with red); not a huge fan of light pink by itself, but it can be nice mixed with yellow. (Two-tone roses are often really pretty.) Any flower in black or a deep purple or blue so dark that it almost looks like black will make me happy -- there are tulips of this type that I think are beautiful (for example, "Queen of the Night," which has a fabulous name to boot -- the aria is absolutely amazing). I also love lilacs, apple and cherry blossoms, honeysuckle, osmanthus (they smell so amazing), lavender, orchids, irises, daffodils, hibiscus (hibiscus tea and sprite is one of my favorite drinks), some sweet peas, and african violets and violets if they are actually purple (not a fan of some of these scents, but I do think they're pretty). I also like cactus flowers and a lot of wildflowers, but I couldn't tell you what they're called.   hair stuff? I adore hair sticks and those little hair clips (I think they're called snap clips). I like decorative pins and combs as well, and no-snag elastics and fun stuff. I don't really wear headbands, and while I like some jaw clips only a few specific types work on my hair (in general they have to have a built-in space for hair, like those ones with the triangular cross-section, like these: http://www.scunci.com/product_detail.aspx?...id=78&lp=13 -- my hair is long and thick enough that holding it all up can be difficult for the standard jaw clip. I also like some other kinds of clips and enjoy trying new kind of hair toys. For example if I saw this: http://www.scunci.com/product_detail.aspx?...id=21&lp=22 in a store in the large size, I'd probably be tempted to get it. I also wear the occasional large barrette. My very favorite hair toy maker is The Bronze Jewelers: http://www.bronzejewelers.com/ but I like many, many, many others as well.   For those that have dogs, if I were to knit them a sweater, what colour would you like it to be? No dog.   Lip balm: Yay or nay? If yay, what are your favorite kinds (brands, consistency, whatever)? YAY! I used to wear a lot of Burt's Bees Beeswax, but it started to seem drying to me, so I switched to the Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil, which I still do like. But nowadays I mostly use the mango-melon (I think that's the right flavor) lip balm I bought at the Antonana's Fine Products aka Rituals booth in the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis, MN (this is their website: http://www.ritualsmn.net/ but the lip balm isn't listed and I'm not quire sure if it's even orderable online), and I like their rose one, too. It's really smooth, more buttery than waxy, and really natural and pure. I would definitely be interested in trying other lip balms from small-scale, natural retailers. I am also fond of Korres tinted lip butter, though I wish it came in tube form. I also really like lip gloss (especially less sticky, more smooth kinds), but for anything with color, darker is almost always better.   How do you feel about home-canned goods, like pickles, jelly, preserves, stuff like that. I love preserves and jelly, and also things like canned tomato sauce or fudge sauce or other such things. I do like lightly-pickled cucumbers, and dill pickles, and probably some other pickles as well though I'm a little picky about them.   ~posted 2/2/10~   Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world? I actually just moved to a different part of the US and quit my graduate program. Now I'm looking for a job in this area; if I don't find one in the next few months, I'm moving back in with my parents in Minneapolis/St. Paul suburbs. So I've got nothing planned, exactly, but a lot of things hoped for.   If you're my Witchee, would you like a chance to win these (alicia_stardust) earrings? I think the earrings are utterly gorgeous, but I'm not sure how my ears would react to the copper.   How are we feeling about Burlesque? I love the aesthetics and shows, but I don't do it myself. I might get into it in the future, though.   Is there anything you're lusting after in the Villainess update? I would adore anything Raspberry Swirl, Lipstick Lost, or possibly Miss Edith. Truffle Trade Smack! also looks promising. I've tried only the tiniest bit of Villainess, there's so much stuff I've be psyched to experience.   Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.) I would! That's a nifty idea. I'm currently in search of serenity, luck, and money (I'm unemployed and jobsearching at the moment, coming off a bad experience and making a lot of changes to my life).   Sock Dreams? I'd be interested, certainly. I don't need any thick/heavy/warm socks, but gothy knee-highs (I have thick calves, if that makes a difference in sizing) and ankle-length socks would be welcomed and worn.   Would you use a natural sea sponge? I'd certainly at least try it out.   So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? Most likely, the first edition of some book that I adore (for example, Alice in Wonderland, or maybe The Joy of Cooking; I'd love other classic cookbooks, too -- LaRousse Gastronomique (translated into English), or Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child). Or, really, I'd want a complete set of 1st edition hardback Sandman graphic novels. Also, I love antique jewelry, especially Asian stuff and Art Deco, and Ming dynasty furniture. I'd love to own musical instruments, too -- a cello would be my top choice, but a viola, violin, hammered dulcimer, harp, guitar, pipa (a traditional Chinese instrument -- guzheng are my favorite, but there's already one in the family), weighted keyboard, or nice piano would also cause much glee, and a drum set, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trombone, or nice recorder would probably intrigue me. What else... the complete set of Akira Kurosawa movies put out by the Criterion Collection? Oh, and The Cambridge History of China complete set to date (there are still a few not yet published). And, well, one more thing: I would adore a letterpress, or a even a fancy antique calligraphy set. Make that two more things: also, a classic mocha-colored (the sort of shimmery brown coffee color, not the orangey one) English Raleigh. I used to have one, but it was stolen at the Palo Alto Caltrain station while I was at a conference in downtown SF. Yes, I'm still bitter about that. A digital SLR should also be on this list, and Fluevog "Gorgeous" heels in black, size 8.5. Hmm. If I were forced to pick just one of these, I'd go with the cello. But I figured the thought process and rambling might help you, so I'm leaving it in.   What about UNTOUCHED make-up samples or any other type of girly-sample thing? Sure, and even lightly used stuff would be all right with me.   Bacon chocolate? I've had the Vosges bar, and it was tasty enough, but not nearly my favorite Vosges (Barcelona's my all-time favorite, and there are a couple more listed under the "favorite candy" question, and I'm sure there are a several more I'd like to try (or have again, because YUM). I'll note that the Enchanted Mushroom one evoked the same reaction as the Bacon Chocolate one (good but not great), though I bet the SO would be interested in trying some of that. I would be more interested in trying other bacon chocolate items, preferably actual bacon (cooked super crispy but not quite blackened) covered in high-quality dark chocolate. Actually, though, looking at the Vosges page, I think I had the milk chocolate bacon bar; maybe the dark chocolate would be better. The pancake mix and toffee also look intriguing. Especially the toffee. I am a sucker for caramel and salt together, and the addition of bacon and toffee sounds delicious.   Do you prefer coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? What flavors? If I were forced to pick only one, hot chocolate. I just love the stuff, all sorts of flavors (Chuao Chocolatier's Spicy Maya and Winter are my absolute favorites, but Burdick's is close behind, and I'm always up for trying new hot chocolate), with lots of whipped cream if possible. Tea is a very close second, though -- I love all kinds of tea. Top five: chrysanthemum tea with rock sugar (as you have probably guessed from my Questionnaire), earl grey, Infusions of Tea chocolate mint rooibus, chai of most kinds (I like the kinds with more ginger and pepper and cardamom and less anise better, but I don't think I've ever met a chai that I disliked, and... hmm. Lavender green tea with lychee jellies, or maybe just almond milk tea. I like lots of other tea as well, though, and adore trying new ones! I have to admit, though, that I also love coffee a whole lot. Kona and Blue Mountain, mochas and lattes and freezes, Vietnamese iced coffee and affogato, basically coffee is delicious. I don't make it at home, though -- I don't have any machines or methods (maybe I would if I did? maybe). So I mostly have it when I go out.   Would you like some of my favourite recipes? Yes, please!   posters, pictures, art? I like those things.   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? And finally, is it legal to ship alcohol to your state? I do. I don't drink a ton (I'm a serious lightweight), but I do like a fair number of alcoholic beverages. My favorite thing in the world of alcohol is dessert wine -- I am especially fond of black muscat (which produces a gorgeous dark red wine with a lot of depth; my favorite dessert wine (and alcoholic beverage, really), is Quady Elysium (of the years I've tasted 2003 has been my favorite, but they're all delicious) and ice wine. I also like port and sherry and madeira, especially ruby port. I like non-dessert wines, too -- Syrah/Shiraz and Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, lots of others. The only one that I know I have issues with is Chardonnay -- it's a very rare chard that I actually like (I think it's because I'm very not fond of tannins, even the ones from oak).   Liquor-wise, I'm mostly a froofy drink kind of girl -- Grand Marnier, Baileys, Kahlua, Frangelico, peach schnapps, creme de menthe, Chambord, Amaretto, creme de cassis, and dark rum, among other things. I've been wanting to try St. Germain.   Sadly, I'm not so into beer. I can drink the occasional hefeweizen, stout, or lambic, and I do like hard ciders and lemonades.   Even more sadly, I believe that shipping into Texas requires a license, and that individuals just can't ship alcohol at all.   I'd love wine or bar accessories, though! Or you might be able to get a retailer within the state or some licensed winery to ship.   Would you like soaps? Especially from Paintbox? And ESPECIALLY the Valentines Special Edition Soaps?? I would love soaps! I would love Paintbox soaps especially! The Sweetheart looks especially delicious, but The Black Heart and Lavender Truffle also very much appeal to me, as do many of the other soaps. I'm totally intrigued now.   Imagine that someone hands you their wallet and sends you into a really good bakery. They have everything, from breads to brownies, cookies to croissants, anything you could imagine, and you're allowed to pick out five things for yourself. What do you pick? Slot 1: A fresh fruit cream cake -- preferably includes blueberries, strawberries, peaches, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries, and mango. Extra points for edible flowers and/or flower flavoring -- rose or lavender especially. Slot 2: A butter-sugar pineapple bun (like your normal pineapple bun but with a center layer that was butter and sugar mixed together before baking, and when the bun is eaten is basically crunchy, buttery sugar). Slot 3: A peanut butter brownie or mint brownie, depending on my mood (the ones with the fudge-y brownie layer on the bottom, then a thick layer of peanut butter or mint cream on top, then a thin layer of chocolate on top). Slot 4: A pear-almond tart or sunrise danish (pastry cream and an apricot half centered on a croissant-like base), depending on my mood. Slot 5: An almond croissant if I got the sunrise danish, a chocolate croissant if I got the pear-almond tart. I would probably mean to get a really delicious french bread or or sourdough or dark rye or pumpernickel or challah, or a ham and cheese kolache or something, but I suspect I'd forget and end up with all sweets instead.   Anyone like steampunk? I like steampunk a whole lot! I'm not deep into the scene or anything, but I love the whole concept of it as well as the aesthetic.   Salted caramels? YUM.   ~posted 1/31/10~   A Favorite love poem? My favorite love poem of all time is W.H. Auden's "Stop all the clocks," aka "Funeral Blues," aka that amazing poem from Four Weddings and a Funeral.   Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.   Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead, Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves, Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.   He was my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and my Sunday rest, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.   The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good.   I am also fond of Rainer Maria Rilke's "Again and Again," for something that involves less death.   Again and again, however we know the landscape of love and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names, and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others fall: again and again the two of us walk out together under the ancient trees, lie down again and again   Song-wise, my favorite is probably "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson. I like to sing this with the genders swapped for a friend of mine.   Said Red Molly to James, that's a fine motorbike A girl could feel special on any such like Said James to Red Molly, well my hat's off to you It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952 And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems Red hair and black leather, my favorite color scheme And he pulled her on behind And down to Box Hill they did ride   Said James to Red Molly, here's a ring for your right hand But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man I've fought with the law since I was seventeen I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine Now I'm 21 years, I might make 22 And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you And if fate should break my stride Then I'll give you my Vincent to ride   Come down, come down, Red Molly, called Sergeant McRae For they've taken young James Adie for armed robbery Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside Oh, come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left He was running out of road, he was running out of breath But he smiled to see her cry And said I'll give you my Vincent to ride   Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl Now Nortons and Indians and Greeveses won't do They don't have a soul like a Vincent '52 He reached for her hand and he slipped her the keys He said I've got no further use for these I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome Swooping down from heaven to carry me home And he gave her one last kiss and died And he gave her his Vincent to ride   For something a little more traditional (that, say, involves less death), I do love "All I Want Is You" by U2.   You say you want Diamonds on a ring of gold You say you want Your story to remain untold   But all the promises we make From the cradle to the grave When all I want is you   You say you'll give me A highway with no one on it Treasure just to look upon it All the riches in the night   You say you'll give me Eyes in a moon of blindness A river in a time of dryness A harbour in the tempest But all the promises we make From the cradle to the grave When all I want is you   You say you want Your love to work out right To last with me through the night   You say you want Diamonds on a ring of gold Your story to remain untold Your love not to grow cold   All the promises we break From the cradle to the grave When all I want is you   You...all I want is... You...all I want is... You...all I want is... You...   One last quote about love, this one by the playwright Marivaux. I don't love its heteronormativity, but I think it's gorgeous anyway, and true.   We deceive ourselves. And the world. We forget who we are. Forget what love makes us. If we could remember. What a man is. Or a woman. Or a man. What a woman is. All the pain of the world would be powerless to touch us.   What is your favourite kind of love story? I am a fan of smart, competent, heroic, imperfect, devoted, snarky, stubborn, insistent, persistent love. I am not a fan of love that seems to inspire stupidity and uselessness and insipidity. In Sense & Sensibility, I adore Elinor and I want to strangle Marianne pretty much perpetually. I love love love Pride & Prejudice (and also The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, for that matter!), and if I had to pick any set of lovers from a play by Shakespeare, Beatrice & Benedict from Much Ado About Nothing are my favorite pair, by far.   I also really love it when love stories don't necessarily reinforce heterosexual and/or monogamous norms; sadly this doesn't happen very often in mainstream published fiction. The song "Apple Candy" by Ben Lee has a sense of what I mean here, as at least it acknowledges the reality of these feelings:   I wanna know what he knows I wanna feel what he felt I wanna go where he's been   I wanna know what he knows I wanna hear your secrets I want you and I want him   'Cause you smell like apple candy And we're singin hallelujah And the edge in your affection broke my skin   But I wanna know what he knows I wanna touch what he touched Call me by his name   'Cause I know you made a promise Told him he's your lover Make me feel the same   'Cause you smell like apple candy And we're singing hallelujah And I'm feeling so much younger than my years   And I wanna know what he knows And I wanna go where he's been I want you and I want him   So you said "go find some trouble" And you would do the same And we opened up our hearts so we could change   But you smell apple candy And we're singing hallelujah And you smell like apple candy And we're singing hallelujah   I wanna know what he knows I wanna feel what he felt I wanna touch what he touched I wanna go where he's been I want you and I want him   What are the first five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on your ipod? "Kill All Your Friends" by My Chemical Romance "My Vampire Heart" by Tom McRae "Cinder and Smoke" by Iron & Wine "Apple Candy" by Ben Lee "The Step and The Walk" by The Duke Spirit   And because I've loved looking at other people's Top 25s, here's the 25 more (though I admit I fudged a little and stripped out repeat artists; plus I feel like it's skewing more recent -- there's a lot of other stuff I love, too!):   "Windowsill" by The Arcade Fire "The Way" by Bonnie "Prince" Billy "Goddess on a Hiway" by Mercury Rev "Where Is My Mind" by Yoav "All My Little Words" The Magnetic Fields "Gasoline" by The Airborne Toxic Event "Lullaby" by James "Country" by Ghost of an American Airman "Bang the Doldrums" by Fall Out Boy "The Age of Understatement" by The Last Shadow Puppets "Shores of California" by The Dresden Dolls "Disarm" by The Smashing Pumpkins "The House Rules" by Kane "Start Again" by War Tapes "Bullet and a Target (live acoustic)" by Citizen Cope "She's a Rebel" by Green Day "How Will You Meet Your End" by AA Bondy "The Golden Age" by Beck "Lull" by Andrew Bird "Been Smokin' Too Long" by Nick Drake "Take My Hands, We're Free" by Oakley Hall "Guilty Pleasure" by Cobra Starship "Rangers" by A Fine Frenzy "Home" by Joshua Morrison "Ophelia" by Natalie Merchant   What is everyone's take on Valentine's Day? I was never a big fan as a kid, too much social anxiety, though I guess I did also find it a little exciting. I do have a really distinct memory of my mom making glue out of rice to stick the envelopes down one year in very early elementary school when we ran out of Elmer's, so that's kind of sweet. By high school, I was all jaded and cynical, but come to think of it I did get the occasional card or flower (that's what comes from being a queen of the geeks, I guess). After high school, I'd say I've been half in relationships and half not, give or take, but for whatever reason I've never been much of a celebrant. I was probably at Boskone (a Boston-area SF con) if it fell on a weekend, and the SO I had the longest was definitely more of the anti-commercialism, shows love all the time kind (as am I, overall), though once on V-day, he did give me one of the best presents I've ever gotten, period -- a double-headed throwing axe. A different Valentine's Day and a different SO garnered one of the most poly experiences I've ever had as we went to a concert with a hilariously extended web of people who were dating. This year, my boyfriend as of last May seems really excited to do the whole dinner thing, so we'll do that. I might also find a place to go for dim sum earlier in the day, too, or maybe I'll just make some at home. Possibly his present will go to him in a red envelope for Chinese New Year...   Do you like traditional Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white, more)? I love some reds, mostly deep reds that lean more blue than orange; I have a huge thing for the classic Chinese red, that intense color of high-quality red silk. Red and black is one of my favorite color schemes and is probably what I'll be wearing for V-day if I don't go with just black. I also really like purple -- the mardi gras colors are more my speed than the Valentine's day colors, really. I'm not really against white but I'm not really a fan either (though red and white is an acceptable color scheme for me, and I do like black and white a lot), and while I don't dislike pink as much as I used do, I'm still kind of really picky about it. It can look good with black, at least. I'm just not that fond of pastels in general -- pale blue is pretty much the only one I would normally consider wearing. But at least I'm not kneejerk strictly against pink anymore. I'm not a big fan of the heart motif, either. I belong in the "anatomical hearts yes, heart-shaped symbol not so much" category. There are some things for which it's fine (generally purely decorative things -- Valentine's Day specific things get more leeway!), but if it's for jewelry or clothing, it's unlikely to be for me. Though if it's a black heart, that always helps.   Turkish Delight? Yum, but not as inherently yum as some other sweets. I'd love to try homemade ones, though.   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal? I became quite attached to the tapirs at the Minnesota Zoo when I was growing up. I'm also a big fan of hedgehogs, and I think spiders and bats are unappreciated -- they get rid of so many annoying insects! -- and they're cute it their own ways.   What is your favorite sign that spring is coming? That water-trickling sound that pervades Minnesota as the snow melts. And lilacs for May Day! (In Minnesota, spring comes a little later than February.) Mostly I love winter and hate summer, so I'm more of an autumn gal. But spring itself can be nice.   Would something hand knit be nice for you? Sure! I prefer super lightweight things, though -- heavier-weight stuff only gets use while I'm visiting Minnesota for a couple of weeks in the winter. I'm living in a pretty summer-intensive place now, so I spend a lot more time wishing to be cooler than wishing to be warmer, and even when I wish to be warmer, I only want to be the tiniest bit warmer, and probably for not very long.   Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things? Sure! I prefer high-quality useful (but fun!) stuff to silly novelty stuff. TMI: I am pretty kinky myself, but my boyfriend is less so -- mild, intro-to-kink sorts of things would be especially welcome. But really, all sorts of things would be welcome.   Who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? I attend Ren Faires every once in awhile and sometimes dress up. I attend the occasional SF/book/Comic con; for Comic-Con itself I tend to dress up a little but always comfortably, for smaller cons (say, Arisia) I sometimes dress up more extensively as it's easier to get back to the hotel room and change during smaller cons. I have played live-action role-playing games in the past and hope to again, so more costuming is always nice. I also go to goth clubs and dress up more or less for those.   The Qaire mentioned used books, but what about used CDs, DVDs, etc. Yup, it's all good.   Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, &c.? I've been wanting a speaker dock for my iPod (3G nano), but that's most likely over the $ limit for the round. As for smaller things... well, I could use a case for it that actually had room for my Etymotic earbuds to fit in it along with the nano in its sleek rubber case.   For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? No pets for me at the moment.   And if your witch was international, would you be interested in receiving gifts that were representative of her country or culture? Absolutely, and I'd love regional US stuff, too.   Would you be interested in getting a mix CD from your witch? Hell yes! I am always in favor of more music!   What's your favourite candy? Besides chocolates, I like fleur de sel caramels, Reeses Pieces (and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, though they might count as chocolate), fruit-flavored Mentos, and fruit-flavored and flower-flavored hard candy. In chocolates, I like usually like dark chocolate more than milk, though sometimes milk (or even white) does really work for me, especially if it has lots of stuff in it. A few of my favorite chocolate bars: Vosges Barcelona, Vosges Woolloomooloo, Vosges Naga, Chuao Caracas (milk chocolate), Chuao Spicy Maya, Chuao Earl Grey, Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit, Ritter Sport Whole Hazelnut (I actually prefer the original milk chocolate for this one), Dolfin Chocolat Au Lait Hot Masala, Dolfin Chocolat Noir Au Thé Earl Grey, Dolfin Chocolat Noir Au Gingembre Frais, Scharffen Berger Milk Chocolate with Sea Salted Almonds, Theo Cherry & Almond, 3400 Phinney Chai Tea, 3400 Phinney Coconut Curry, Cadbury Fruit & Nut, and (the staple of my childhood) Hershey's milk chocolate with almonds. I also really adore Chuao Chocolatier's truffles and have a soft spot for Trader Joe's truffles, chocolate raspberry sticks, and dark chocolate almonds. And I love mint chocolate!   Are you a big Mardi Gras fan? What's your favorite part? I wouldn't say I'm a big fan, exactly, but I do like Mardi Gras. King cake is delicious and fun, and I think the beads are pretty cool, too, especially in the green-purple-gold Mardi Gras colors.   If you're a WoW player, do you have the Pandaren Monk and Lil' KT pets? Would you want them? Not a WoW player, though I do like video games. But I'm really more of a general gamer -- tabletop RPGs, LARPs, card games, board games, etc.   Plush microbes? I've always found these cute and I don't own any yet.   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? Totally in favor! I don't have any allergies that I know of, but coarser wools do sometimes make me itch when next to my skin.   Would you like new nail polish? If so, what colors are you craving? Sure! Deep, dark reds, variations on black, and super dark versions of most colors, especially blue and green and purple. I like swirls and pearls and iridescents and sometimes glitters. I like shiny a lot, but something more matte might be interesting, too. I don't wear nail polish a ton, but I do enjoy it, and would probably wear it more if I were gifted some fabulous stuff. I also think it would be neat to have some nail care stuff.   Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? Yes, and yes. For candles, I like foodie scents that aren't too cake-y -- I like spices, I like fruits, I like vanilla. I like some floral scents, pretty much the same ones as I like in perfume -- lavender, rose, lilac. I'm not a fan of clean scents and I am neutral on resins and woods. For incense... you know, I'm not that sure. I don't like things that are too heady, but I do like the scent of smoke; I'm willing to try whatever on the incense front, I guess.   Kitchen gadgets? Generally in favor. I think the only thing of that sort that I currently own is a microplane grater.   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise. Always! I adore boxes and containers and could always use more, especially for bpal but just in general, too.
jencallisto

jencallisto

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NaturalCyber's Blog
 

Iron Phoenix second try and a bit on Himerus

Wow, Iron Phoenix lasted even longer than Hay Moon. At 12 hours it was still very noticeable--I had to wash it off. Still having trouble washing them off too--I must remember to look for something that will help.   Randomly picked out Himerus from my tiny tiny stash for tonight. I really like how this smells in the bottle, sharp and herby. It gets sweet on me very fast--my sister claims to smell honey--but it keeps that sharp scent too. I love it and when the imp runs out I will probably buy a bottle.   Going to bed now; will report how long it lasts tomorrow. Hoping it's like Hay Moon and doesn't turn to soap at the end like they both did first try.
naturalcyber

naturalcyber

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NaturalCyber's Blog
 

Hay Moon, second try

Lasted a good 12 hours before I couldn't smell it anymore. So long lasting!   Applied with a toothpick this time and wasn't all overwhelmed--toothpicks from now on for me!   Still can't quite figure out what it smells like, but this time I smelled a grassy scent in it--not hay, or at least, not the hay up in the hay-loft hay-- and it was nice.   And no soap smell this time! Whatever it was the last time seems to have changed (or maybe I slept through the soap smell).   I think I need to find a new container to store my imps in. When I reach in to pick one out my fingers come away smelling like the scents--maybe one is leaking? must check.   Today I randomly picked a scent without looking and picked up Iron Phoenix again, and I really like how it smells about a half hour after applying. I'll see how long it lasts and then pick out something else to try long-term after it fades.
naturalcyber

naturalcyber

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