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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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Diplomatka
 

Gorillas, Genocide Part II

On our last day in Rwanda, here I was, sitting by the pool at the Milles des Collines, or Hotel Rwanda. SMP had to have a Coke before she passed out and we sat at the bar and talked about the movie where people taking refuge from the genocide were taking water out of this same pool because the supply had been cut off. It seemed impossible that this could have happened a mere 14 years ago.   Two days before, we had been taken to the genocide museum by our guide, Patrick. I am not sure why I have a penchant for sites of mass murder—Dachau, SI-21, gulags—but these in these places I am always overwhelmed with guilt and a sense of responsibility.   By way of a little background—I am not sure if anyone really remembers how it all happened but I will try to provide a recap so that this whole entry is contextualized (forgive me for historical inaccuracies):   Apparently Hutus and Tutsis have been ethnic groups in the area now known as Rwanda for a long time. In the 1930s, Belgian colonists issued identification cards marking the ethnicity of the two groups which had not been an issue before. (I am a little fuzzy on this point; the museum exhibit reported the demarcation of Hutu or Tutsi to be based on assets [Tutsis had more than 10 cattle and Hutus fewer]. The internets say that these ethnic divisions have been around for centuries, while others have said it was based on facial characteristics and skin tone.) For a long time prior to the issuance of these cards, Tutsis had been the ruling minority; with the Belgian control of the country, Tutsis again were given privilege over their Hutu country(wo)men. For the next few decades, Tutsis were given government jobs and allowed educational opportunities denied Hutus. As the colonists moved out, the problems started.   In the 1960s and 1970s there were isolated “trial runs” for the genocide with Hutus murdering Tutsi villages and Tutsis seeking revenge. As time went on, animosity between the groups grew. In early 1994, a UN informant told the organization that weapons were being stockpiled for genocide and that groups were being trained “to kill 1,000 people every 20 minutes”. In fact, there was a militia of over 30,000 trained when the killing started. The French government had supplied the Hutus with $12 million worth of weapons “on loan”.   No action was taken on the news provided by the informant.   Long story short, the Rwandan President’s plane was shot down on April 6, also killing the Hutu president of Burundi. The Prime Minister was set to give a speech to the country the next day, but she and ten Belgian soldiers protecting her were murdered before she could speak (this is one of the reasons the UN failed to act—for fear that they would also be targeted). The genocide started almost immediately, fueled by radio broadcasts.   One million people were killed in 100 days. At the museum I looked at a chain used to chain two people together and bury them alive. I saw the skulls and the clothes of the victims. I watched videos of churches where people had sought refuge and their pastors had betrayed them—literally hundreds of bodies in the church and the surrounding compound. I read about women raped by HIV positive men. I saw video of five-year-old children with gashes in their heads from machetes. I read about how people would have their Achilles tendons cut so they could not run while they were forced to watch their families bludgeoned to death while they waited their turn to die. I learned that live people were thrown down latrines—dozens of them—and buried alive. I watched the testimony of a woman who, venturing out after her family was killed, witnessed a baby breastfeeding on its dead mother.   The two parts that were the most difficult for me were the sections on the children and the part about Hutus who risked their lives to save their Tutsi neighbors and friends. In the section on children, there were large photos of the victims—babies and small children—with information posted below like:   Name: Jean Phillipe Age: 5 years Favorite food: rice with sauce Best Friend: Daddy How killed: Shot in the head Last words: Mommy, where do I run?   In the part on the heroes of the genocide, the Hutus who helped the Tutsis, I read about an old woman who was suspected of being a sorceress who scared the militia away by threatening to curse them. I read about a man who hid several dozen Tutsis in a trench in his yard which he disguised by planting pumpkins on top of the thatched cover. I read about a woman whose house was filled to capacity with all of the Tutsis she could hide, but refused to turn away her neighbor. I think this section moved me the most because these were ordinary people risking their lives to save others. So many people either took part or failed to act but these people took a stand. It was heartening.   After the museum we went outside to look at the mass graves. These victims had no families to claim their bodies and no one knows who these people are since whole families and neighborhoods were wiped out. This was not just one small patch of land; at least seven large concrete slabs (probably 20 feet long by 15 feet wide) containing hundreds of bodies. Each village has its own mass grave.   On the way out of town we saw trucks with men in pink uniforms on the back. These were the men who committed the genocide being transported to another jail.   Everyone wonders how shit like this can go down without anyone taking action. Guess what? THIS SHIT IS HAPPENING NOW. Genocide is happening right now in Darfur and no one is doing anything. When are we going to become the regular people who take a stand? When are we going to become informed about what is happening in the world and stop the rape and murder?
Confection

Confection

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vultureguy's Blog
 

Buy a book, help Oxfam

I just ordered a cookbook from this company: Good Books. Yes, the site & company is based in NZ but they ship globally (I emailed and checked). Delivery is included in the price you see, which is a bonus. And you help Oxfam out because 100% of the profits go to Oxfam. How cool is that? Buy a book, help a non-profit! "....delivery worldwide is completely free, and with over two million titles in stock our range is one of the largest you will find."   My love of reading + my desire to Make A Difference = PRICELESS   They've got some music too, but the search function doesn't seem to work with music and they don't have a lot right now.   Check them out. Setting up an account & ordering is easy. They use secure encryption. And like I said, delivery is included in the price you see. So unlike Amazon.com you don't have to tack on a hefty (for us) fee to get your package delivered by Slow Boat. Lovely.   They are still growing, they may not have everything but check their selection first.   Go on, ya know you want to. Grab a book for the beach (for those of you going into Summer) or grab one to curl up in front of the heater with (for those of us going into Winter).
vultureguy

vultureguy

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Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

Venom: Halp, sweaty feet!

Darkly seductive and lethally compelling: sinuous opponax, galbanum, dark wild berries, a drop of lush jasmine and a sliver of lime.
As we all know, Venom is one of the oldest and most sought-after BPALs. It was discontinued in 2005. With that in mind...

I was frimped a sniffie of this, and I must admit that I'm glad I don't like it. All I get out of it is "feet covered in hair dye". Don't ask me where I get that from, but to me I can smell sweaty-feet-stink with the pervading chemical tang of ammonia-based hair dye. Oh well!
Jenesis

Jenesis

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meeow712's Blog
 

Speed sniff-testing, mostly Excolo

Lust! Oh yes. And I usually don’t like patchouli. Do I smell coconut in here? I believe I do.   Jailbait - I like it, but it smells like Materva (soda) with a little bubblegum! This might be a Cuban/South Florida thing.   Lilith - I can’t pick out anything but I LIKE!   Blood Countess - Fruity and Floral? But I likes!   Obatala - a coconut that works!!! Oh this is delicious!! It's everything I wanted the Tikis to be.   Dirty Viking (HAEE)- Mint or eucalyptus? This will be good for hangovers.   Voodoo Punani (HAEE) - holy crap! More, now, please.   Skuld - OMFG my nose had an orgasm! This is up there in all time favorites. I must have buckets of this, and I’m so happy this is GC!!!!!   Golden Priapus - Amber, juniper and vanilla all in one? And pine that doesn’t smell like cleaning fluid? yay! The pine reminds me of Christmas, this will be a great holidays scent.   13 - I want to eat myself!!
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

Tikis

I got decants of the Tikis that didn't appeal to me too much, and bottles of those that did. The verdict? Most of them didn't work at all on me.   Tiki Queen: Smelled like Bubbleicious Bubblegum on me. I guess that's not bad, but it wasn't what I wanted to smell like.   Tiki King: OMG coconut heaven in the bottle!!! And on me, it turned into a very weird lemony coconut, but the sweet turned to bitter and wasn't all that great. Damn.   Te Po: Smelled like the cherry syrup they put into Cherry Coke. And then upon drydown it was a combination of artificial cherry syrup and red hots. This might be great if I was 12, but it wasn't for me.   Marae: I had high hopes!!! But alas, it smelled like very faint baby cologne on me. Bah.   Boo Bam: Meh   Blue Fire: artificial blueberry explosion??? I'm keeping it to give it a second shot because I really wanted to like it!!!   Moai: Nasty ashes, ick.   Rangoon Riptide: Meh   Tupapau: Meh   The few that worked:   Screeching Parrot: Delicious apricots and pineapple, and some pomegranite too. Yay!   Upa Upa: Oh yes! Coconut and vanilla, and they don't go all weird. Heaven!!   Moana: It's very ocean-y clean.   Opuhi: Delicious!
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

King Cobra

King Cobra: Snake Oil with orris, frankincense, and copal.   In the imp: A very resiney Snake Oil   On me: Snake Oil with incese!!! A dryer incense, not like Temple Viper at all but still very good. After several hours it smells mostly just like snake oil, but that's what reapplying is for. Verdict: Yum! I wouldn't mind swapping for a bottle of this too.
meeow712

meeow712

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ramblings of an art chick...
 

Wishlist!

updated: April 15....   My wishlist is by no means comprehensive or complete. I am not a fan of foody, floral, or aquatic scents for the most part, nor do I like overly “perfumey” scents. I’m not a fan of dirt, but one of my best friends is, so I’m interested in some.. I adore smoke, incense, blood, dust, wood, amber, apple, tobacco, citrus, blueberry, leather... I am always willing to try new things, so if it’s not on here and you think I’d like it – ASK.   I’m also really interested in LEs that came out before I found BPAL.. so pre-2008. Even just small amounts would make me happy.   I would sell my soul for the Blue Phoenix and Orange Phoenix prototypes – if you have them, and want to share the love (just an imp is all I need!), I will bribe you with any BPAL I own, or some kind of pretty jewelry thing (I’m a Jewelry/Metals major at school)… my fat dog? … anything. srsly. WANT:   5ml: Blood Kiss Al-Azif Famine Chaos Theory V: Dorian The Host of the Air     imps/decants: Blue Phoenix - ANY Orange Phoenix - ANY Chaos Theory V: Dorian Devil’s Night Antique Lace Hastur The Phoenix Numb Treat #1 Ecstasy – Infatuation Freakshow (Carnival Noir) Fire Eater (Carnival Noir) Carnivale Medicine Show (Carnival Noir) The Ghost Order of the Dragon: - Count Dracula - The Carpathian Mountains - The Bloody Sword - Lucy Westerna - Quincy Morris - Wilhelmina Murray[/b] Shoggoth – imp Fruit Moon 2005 Harvest Moon 2004 Harvest Moon 2005 Harvest Moon 2006 Desire Les Bijoux Delirium Poisoned Apple Coral Snake Bilquis Samhain Miskatonic University Arkham (discontinued) The Apple of Sodom Bohun Upas The Lotus Tree The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Ya-Te-Vo The Zieba Tree The Ides of March   Great Duets: - Erik - Mr. Edward Hyde - Maud Ruthyn - Silas Ruthyn   B-Movies: - Mutant Hot-Rodders from Hell High - Spawn of the She-Demon - That! The Terror from Over There! - Crimson Christmas   Salon decants: - Death of the Gravedigger - The Fox-woman Kuzonoha Leaving her Child - Lucretia - Satan and Sin with Death Intervening - Silence - The Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil - The Cup of Death - The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed With the Sun - Les Anges Dechus - Melancholia - Three Gorgons - Bat - Death and Life Completed - Fox Fires on New Year's Eve at the Garment Nettle Tree at Oji - Kiyohime Changes from a serpent - Love and Pain - Schlafende Baigneuse - Sunrise with Sea Monsters   Bling: - The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories - A Study in Emerald
lacyjae

lacyjae

1
vultureguy's Blog
 

Music

I really like 5 am. And on Youtube here. (Edited to add: check out the "LOVE" section at the top of their webpage, the first link)   I got turned onto them when I worked at an outdoor store in Sonoma County, one of the women I worked with did the backing vocals and was dating one of the members. She married him eventually and I think had a baby. I don't know if he's still in the band (I'm shocking with names and that was 10 years ago). I'm a bit behind in getting their albums, I need to get their latest, Raise the Sun, as well as their previous, This Morphine Life. Maybe for Christmas.   "Lost and Found is a song off the last cd I bought of theirs. The song really hits home for me.   Lost and Found   Here among the lost and found, I lie and wait For someone to return relieved to find me here Like a twisted pair of sunglasses, like a torn faded cap I lie among the forgotten battered but still intact   If only I could see you again, move around in your heart, feel the touch of your skin If only I could see you again   Here among the lost and found you’ll be surprised who you’ll find Everyone’s got their story and I guess that I’ve got mine I never meant to lose my way, I just wandered a little at a time No one seemed to notice that I was left behind   If only I could see you again, move around in your heart, feel the touch of your skin If only I could see you again My friend, my friend I don’t belong here   Here among the lost and found, I’ve got nothing left but my name I’ve got the scars from where I’ve been I’ve just forgotten where they came Sometimes you take so many hits you drift further away You find yourself in the darkness and there you’ll stay   The last lines are the ones that have been hitting home the most lately.
vultureguy

vultureguy

0
What ever happened to Generation X?
 

Hallmark card holidays

Does Mother's Day qualify for "Hallmark Card Holiday" status with you? I'm beginning to think it does, for me.   A "Hallmark Card" holiday, in my book, is a holiday that's not good for much else other than raising people's expectations of receiving a card and/or gift. Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day are examples of other such holidays.   Ever since my mother died, I really, really hate Mother's Day. I know I no longer have a mother...I don't need a special day on the calendar to underscore it. *sigh*
parrot_suspect

parrot_suspect

0
Archaeopteryx's Blog
 

First blog here!

I've blogged for years on LiveJournal, but I thought it would be nice to have a BPAL blog, too. I have a feeling my friends list gets tired of me going on and on about BPAL all the time.   It's rainy and dreary here today. A good day to stay home and try on BPAL and listen to music.   I'm pretty excited, because I'm seeing Opeth live on Thursday with my husband and a friend.   I've now been into BPAL since March officially. It's been really wonderful so far. It's been really exciting to find new and different scents. I never thought I could get this excited over perfume. I also bought a scent locket last week. I'm hoping that will give some staying power to some of the scents that fade quickly, like Morocco. I'll have to take a picture and post it here. This is the locket I bought.
archaeopteryx

archaeopteryx

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SultryWolf's Blog
 

Archetypes and Animal Totems

I have quite a bit of experience with divination, and have found it to be particularly accurate for me. I use cards, stones, or huacas (sacred objects).   Archetypes determined by the method described in Caroline Myss’s Sacred Contracts; assigned to houses through divination; animals determined through divination.   House 1: Ego & Personality Archetype: Shapeshifter Animal: Swan   House 2: Life Values Archetype: Messiah Animal: Wolf   House 3: Self-expression Archetype: Monk Animal: Dog   House 4: Home Archetype: Victim Animal: Hummingbird   House 5: Creativity & Good Fortune Archetype: Hermit Animal: Salmon   House 6: Occupation & Health Archetype: Prostitute Animal : Owl   House 7: Marriage & Relationships Archetype: Saboteur Animal: Turkey   House 8: Other People’s Resources Archetype: Student Animal: Raven   House 9: Spirituality Archetype: Nature Child Animal: Turtle   House 10: Highest Potential Archetype: Knight Animal: Elk   House 11: Relationship to the World Archetype: Judge Animal: Prairie Dog   House 12: The Unconscious Archetype: Scientist Animal: Jaguar   Animal Totems (David Carson method) Determined through divination, borne out in meditation and life experience.   East: guide to one’s greates spiritualchallenge and guardian to one’s path to illumiatnation. Otter (Woman Medicine)   South: protector of the child within; reminder of when to be humble and when to trust; balancer of innocence in one’s personality. Turtle (Mother Earth)   West: leader to one’s personal truth and inner answers and guide to one’s path to one’s goals. Butterfly (Transformation)   North: giver of wise counsel; reminder of when to speak and when to listen; reminder to be grateful for everyday blessings. Raven (Magic)   Above: teacher in how to honor the Great Star Nation; reminder that one came from the stars and to the stars will return; guardian of the dreamtime. Horse (Power)   Below: teacher about the Inner Earth and how to stay grounded and on the Path. Skunk (Reputation)   Within: teacher of finding one’s heart’s joy and being faithful to one’s personal truths; protetor of one’s sacred space. Wolf (Teacher)   Right Side: protector of one’s male side; center of one’s courage and warrior spirit. Crow (Law)   Left Side: protector of one’s female side Dog (Loyalty)   There are, of course, other Power Animals and Omen Animals in my life! Spider, Hawk, and Phoebe come to mind.
SultryWolf

SultryWolf

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Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

Tristran: Ehh.

Tristran put down his wooden cup of tea, and stood up, offended.

"What," he asked, in what he was certain were lofty and scornful tones, "would possibly make you imagine that my lady-love would have sent me on some foolish errand?"

The little man stared up at him with eyes like beads of jet. "Because that's the only reason a lad like you would be stupid enough to cross the border into Faerie. The only ones who ever come here from your lands are the minstrels, and the lovers, and the mad. And you don't look like much of a minstrel, and you're - pardon me saying so, lad, but it's true - ordinary as cheese-crumbs. So it's love, if you ask me."

"Because," announces Tristran, "every lover is in his heart a madman, and in his head a minstrel."

Dust on your trousers, mud on your boots, and stars in your eyes: redwood, tonka bean, white sandalwood, lemon peel, patchouli, rosewood, coriander, and crushed mint.

Although nice, this scent is "meh" for me. I love woody scents and I was hoping this could be a new Geek, but it doesn't have the complexity.

Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely scent, but on me it's just straight "wood", with no mint, lemon or anything else to spice it up. It fades quickly. I really can't pick apart the various woods.

If this was a regular price GC I'd go for it, but at $25 a bottle it's a little pricey when there are nicer woody blends for the same price tag (The Smiling Spider).
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
meeow712's Blog
 

Temple Viper

Temple Viper: Snake Oil with sugar cane, frankincense, champaca, opoponax, labdanum, and hyssop.   In the imp: Definitely getting a lot of Snake Oil from it, but it's sweeter and darker. I can't identify individual notes, but I can smell the sugar cake, frankincense, and champaca adding to the blend.   On me: This has to be the sexiest perfume I have ever worn!!! Sex in a bottle. It's Snake Oil, but different. Deeper, darker, definitely getting the sugarcane. The frankincense gives it a touch of incense without making it incensey. The champaca adds more spice to it. The opoponax makes this more vanilla-ey. So this is snake oil, only better and waaaaay sexier! I think I need 2 bottles of this one!!!!
meeow712

meeow712

0
Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

non-bpal review/Czech and Speake No. 88

Czech and Speake No. 88   "No. 88 is the signature fragrance from Czech & Speake. From its Aromatics Collection, No.88 is a blend of woods, bergamot, geranium, rose otto, cassie flower, frangipani, vetiver, and sandalwood. This gorgeous fragrance is worn by both men and women." (description from The Perfumed Court)   I was attracted to this because I read Morrissey wears it (and Elton John, too). I was so glad to find a source for a sample.   This is fabulous! It's a rose scent, but unmistakably gender-neutral, although some may find it masculine. The closest bpal I can think of is Thanatos, but No. 88 is definitely lighter, fresher, and not as powdery (not that I dislike Thanatos). It's definitely woody, but also floral and slightly fruity. It strikes me as a versatile scent.....I could wear this at work (and I did), or out on the town, or for a formal occasion. I would call it almost a studious rose scent, but dark, hinting at naughtiness.   Now I need to try their Cuba scent, because I definitely want a bottle of one or the other. This stuff is pricey and only available from the UK, so it's going to be a treat to splurge and indulge myself. If Cuba is as good as this, it's going to be tough to decide. I could absolutely wear No. 88 on a regular basis.
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

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Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

non-bpal review/Vetiver Guerlain

Vetiver Guerlain   "fresh and outdoorsy, a blend of vetiver, wood, tobacco and spice." (description from Fragrancenet.com   I love vetiver and having read lots of rave reviews, I really wanted to try this. Wet on the skin, for the first 10 or 15 minutes, this is a glorious, almost dizzying swirl of fresh, bright citrus notes, with some green grassiness peeking in and out. I loved it! After a while, all the top notes fade and what's left is simply vetiver single note. It's a light, fresh vetiver, almost reminiscent of sweet hay. Not a bad thing, but I'd love to smell that first stage longer.
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

0
Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

non-bpal review/Pascal Morabito Or Black

Pascal Morabito Or Black   I sought this after reading Luca Turin's perfume blog, he seemed to really like it. This review is from one test on the skin (I'll probably wear it again, so I may add to this entry later).   top Note : bergamote, pepper, leather Note de cœur : benzoin, ciste, cyprus Note de fond : vetiver, ylang-ylang, amber, Tonkin Musk, oak moss.   Didn't refresh my memory on the notes first, so I thought it was primarily an incense scent. Wet on the skin, it was exactly that. Slightly reminiscent of Midnight Mass, but murkier, more 'black'. After a few minutes, very shortly, I realized there was a strong note of leather. It reminded me of something from my past, maybe Drakkar Noir. It seems to be a formal, almost stern scent. Heavy and dark. Not for everyday wear, but probably good for special occasions. The leather comes out strong and lasts for a long time.
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

0
meeow712's Blog
 

Dragon Moon '08

Dragon Moon '08: Our Dragon Moon represents the forces of rebirth and the vigor that springtime brings: dragon's blood resin, galbanum, blue sage, lavender, peppermint, sweetgrass, frankincense, moonglow magnolia, bergamot, and green cedar.   In the bottle: A delicious herbal blend of mainly sage, sweetgrass, bergamont, and a bit of cedar. Where is the dragon's blood?   On me: This is deliciously sweet herbal. I'm getting a lot of sage, frankincense, and cedar. The other notes are there, but blended so well that I can't pick them out. I like this very much, and it is very different from all the other BPAL I have.
meeow712

meeow712

0
meeow712's Blog
 

Australian Copperhead

Australian Copperhead: Snake Oil with acai berry, amber, cardamom, neroli, and smoked vanilla.   In the imp: A deliciously sweeter snake oil.   On me: The Snake Oil is very faint underneath the acai berry, neroli, and smoked vanilla. I didn't get much amber or cardamom out of this, mainly a lot of acai and neroli sweetness. But if I sniff deeply enough, I get the precious snake oil too. Sniffs at different distances also smelled different, so this one is very complex. And it has become my favorote snake. I definitely need a bottle.
meeow712

meeow712

0
SultryWolf's Blog
 

Cosmetics Wishlist

Link to Sephora Wishlist   I've got a Favorites list at MAC, but it can't be made public or, apparently, emailed. *shrug*   Victoria's Secret Heidi Collection for Very Sexy Makeup Perfect Lipstick (it's sort of a sparkly clear, if there's more than one color - that name is so long and I still can't tell if it's specific or not!!)
SultryWolf

SultryWolf

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meeow712's Blog
 

Boomslang

Boomslang: Snake Oil with cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk.   In the imp: Strong snake oil presence and some cocoa. Teakwood and rice milk? They are hiding.   On me: HEAVEN! Slather PLEASE! Delicious snake oil with a lot of cocoa yumminess. I think I may sniff a teeny bit of teakwood, but I still don't know where the rice milk is. This smells sooooo good! It's got more throw than Snake Oil, or any of the other snakes I've tried so far. Boomslang is a dark oil, and when it was wet I could see it on my skin. I'm sure if I hadn't rubbed it in it would have stained my skin, so must be careful with that. This is most definitely a bottle need.
meeow712

meeow712

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Precious things
 

SW Summer 08 Q&As

Post #323   Little treats: Not much of a candy person m'self, but I love tiny (pocket-sized or smaller) school supplies and sketchpads! It's so hard to resist buying one whenever I go to the campus store/an art supply store. My favorites have plain brown covers and spines, but spiral bound ones are nice too.   Hair: I once got my hair highlighted with red and violet... It was at a Japanese hair parlor. They had to bleach first because I have blackblack hair... and apparently my hair was traumatized by the experience. From now on the only chemical treatment I'm going to use is permanent straightening...   BPAL storage: I use unfinished wooden boxes from Michael's with simple handmade cardboard partitions. I have three right now, but they're overflowing... But I don't really want any more boxes; they take up too much space. I might instead make second stories inside them.   Checkout eye-catchers: Hmmmmm, iTunes cards maybe...   Characters/theme: I've got a post about this on my BPAL blog Tada! My favorite characters/themes are my own -- a bunch of them are detailed here. I love stuff that relates to them, especially Moon (who sort of represents "soul" or "the child" to me), Uriel (gentle professor/tragic lover figure), Cosimo (spunky but complex nerdy mageboy), and Isaac (himself!). A couple of the "other people's characters" from that post: Zhang Liao (Dynasty Warriors, Romance of the Three Kingdoms), Lezard Valeth (Valkyrie Profile), Crowley (Good Omens), and the Spy (Team Fortress 2.)   Used books, CDs, DvDs: Sure! The only exception would be video games that require (or practically require) you to register online. These are better new for obvious reasons.   What are your favorite flavors? Oily, salty, deep-fried... errrr, you mean for candy and stuff? In ice cream, my favorite flavor is coffee. I like chocolate and French vanilla, too. What few candies I like, I tend to like citrus fruits. In general, I like things that are a little bit sweet, but not super-sweet.   What's your favorite flower? Tree? Flower: Lavender. Tree: Apricot tree, 'cause my dorky Japanese name is 杏.   Sports? Nope -- don't watch or play any.   How do people feel about homemade items? And what about mix CDs? I welcome them!   Pirates or Ninjas? ROBOTS   Are you an indoor person or outdoor person? Totally indoor. I go outside sometimes, but I spend most of my day in my room. Think neurotic nest-guarding Cancer.   Is any witchee opposed to "naughty" gifts? I explain here why naughty's not really my style. I don't mind it, it's just not my thing.   What's your guilty pleasure? Do I have to pick just one? Video games... the guiltiest of the guilty are the horrible pink sparkly otome dating sims. Don't tar and feather me, please!!   What's your favorite color? Brown, lavender, pastelly and grayish tints For wearing? Black, jewel tones, Flaming Fuschia, white For decorating? Uhhhhhh... Do you have a particular decorating style? I think my decorating style is "Gee, I don't have anywhere to put this. I guess I have to store it on the floor!"   Do you have pets and what kind of gifts would be good for them? I have one beautiful, aloof, senile, dog-eating female Shiba at home. I looooove her so much, but she doesn't love me Either that or she's not the type to reveal her true feelings. Anyway, I can't seem to get her interested in toys anymore... She will steal tennis balls and carry them home if she finds them on a walk, but she never plays! Probably the only thing she's interested in any more is food, and she tends to be pretty picky. Not sure my witchee would be able to find something the Empress would deign to participate in, but you're welcome to try. ;;   What sort of crafites do you do and what sort of crafty supplies do you like? I'm more of a digital person than a crafty person, but I do love sewing little felt dolls. The current generation is around 6" and almost totally naked, so I'd love fabric for clothing them. This is my gallery of them on my LJ. Ceri is now owned by a good friend of mine.   Witch remain a secret? I would like to know who my Witch is! But she doesn't have to reveal if she really doesn't want. I hope that won't be the case, though.   LiveJournal: mine is isaacblack.   Are they up to being gifted with anime? Sure, I like some anime. I prefer comedy to action, deep angsty stuff, etc. And I'm sure my witchee knows from my questionnaire that I'm a history freak.   #328   For those of you who play video games, what consoles do you own? I've got a massive PC, 2 years old now, that's been able to take everything I've thrown at it -- BioShock, TF2, etc., all look great! I've also got a PS2 and Nintendo DS. I'm permanently borrowing my brother's PSP because he never plays it. Not interested in other consoles... not yet.   #354   How would you describe yourself--do you feel that you're shy or outgoing, laidback, high-strung... and in what ways? I am extremely weird. Not just in the superficial senses (super shy, nerdy gamer, crossdresser, illithid-lover, biggest crush ever on Al Jahiz,) but I feel I relate to people in strange ways and have strange aspirations. My dream is to make a particular story in the shape of a video game, "Moon's Apologia," about... all sorts of stuff. Though I have a tendency to get derailed by a gazillion other game ideas that just get out of control... Currently working on a Harvest Moon-style dog breeding sim set in a fantasy Arabia around 602. Errr... yeah. That alone should tell you a lot about me...   Mailbox situation: At home, our mail gets stuffed in through the mail slot in the door if it's thin enough or left on the steps if it's too big. We've never had problems with people stealing packages, and usually someone's home to answer the door. Not sure what it's going to be like this summer, though, with dad in the hospital.   What’s your favorite genre of books to read? History, biographies of really really really dead people.   What’s a talent you are most proud of? Hard for me to say... probably my ability to come up with new stories? I'll never run out of ideas. Of course, this is also my most hated talent. I'll never finish my ideas!!   Can I send you chocolate and melty treats from Lush, or are they going to wind up being really decadent goo? Texas. They'll be goo. Also, I can't eat most chocolate.   What was your favorite childhood toy? I loved tinker toys, but my favorite "toy"? Construction paper and scissors. I would cut out silhouettes of animals and trees and things and would arrange them in epic outward-spiraling pictographic stories, covering the floors of whole rooms. And my poor parents would pick up after me!   How much do you still enjoy playing with toys? I like soft toys like my felt dolls and plush animals, but more for dressing up/arranging than playing. Nowadays my "toys" are on the computer -- Photoshop, RPG Maker, Excel (srsly), MIDI editors, etc.   What practical goals to you have for the upcoming summer? I'm gonna work on my projects and do at least a little cooking. I'm not going to set any really heavy goals, though, at least until I've got a better idea of how my dad is doing.   How would you describe your sense of humor? I'd like to say I utilize fabulously witty wordplay, but really I'm not that clever. I'm more easily amused; I laugh at a lot of things other people don't seem to find funny. Occasionally I come out with a riposte though, and I gloat for days afterwards.   Things I find offensive? I'm pretty sure none of you are going to send anything actually horribly racist or queer-phobic or similar, so I'm probably safe. Except that I'd like to ask not to receive anything really heavy-handedly religious -- though I often find religious imagery interesting aesthetically, the messages sometimes make me uncomfortable.   But as for phobias! Vomit-phobic Pretty much OK with images of spiders and bugs (don't send me live ones though.) Love snakes.   What goodies do you love that you can't usually get? Pokka canned jasmine green tea. ! But I can get most other things I like at home, since it's a big city. My school is in a teeny tiny teeny town, though, and I have to mail order or mom-order almost everything!   What is the hottest and coldest it gets where you live? At my home (where I will be during this round) it's usually 60F to 105-110F. At school, usually -30F to 80F.   What's your most obscure interest? I'm not even sure I can answer my own question because all my interests are pretty darn obscure... Aforementioned illithids, Silla Korea & pre-Islamic Arabia, Takarazuka Revue are probably some of the stranger ones... and I've never met anyone trying to learn Venetian either.   #404   favorite books as a kid? I'm having trouble remembering. I know my first book was Chicka Chika Boom Boom with which I was omgobsessed, but I don't remember childhood/preteen books very well, other than a few like Trumpet of the Swan, Island of the Blue Dolphins, ... a bit of Jack London when I was slightly older... ... ... nope, amnesia.   But I can tell you about my: Favorite TV shows as a kid. Nature. Nova. And Bill Nye the Science Guy.   ... This may have contributed to the development of my weirdness, watching lions tear apart their prey on TV and all that. And I knew aaaaall about reproduction way before sex ed. I never understood all the hype and giggles... ... ... in fact, I still don't really...   #466   Rice Krispy treats, yes or no? Homemade or prepackaged? No thanks, too sweet for me!   Religious preferences and such: I am an utterly unspiritual atheist, while at the same time I love to read about mythology and like a lot of the imagery, like I mentioned before. Pictures of angels, goddesses, sacred animals, and so forth, they can all be quite beautiful. But I hate being proselytized, don't want to hear about how your god(s) love me (or don't love me,) etc.   Chex Mix or Puppy Chow? Chex Mix I guess; Puppy Chow sounds too sweet for me?   I'm a big soap fan, so which kinds of soaps do YOU like? I am not a big soap fan, but I loves me some Silk Road Trading Company! I love Clear Wind Rice, lovelovelovelove. I like Chogori, too.   #557   What's hanging on your walls? What do you want hanging on your walls? I've got a poster of one of my other deadguycrushes, Zhang Liao! I think I might like to add something by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, but I can't decide on one. Or maybe something by Arthur Rackham ... Raphael... but again, having to pick is hard.   What things (that you can put in a box) make you giggle wildly, catch your breath, and touch you deeply? Tentacles for me, too My Witch from last round, likie, did this for me with the most amazing Dante and Shakespeare cards. Squee! It's hard for me to say, though, since the best things tend to be surprises! Things that are just me, but that I never expected.   #602   Other forms of burned media? I prefer legal things in general, but if it's something rare that only appears on ebay once every 3 years and goes for hundreds of dollars? (There may or may not be such things I want O_O)   #686   Maple syrup? I like it OK, but I can only stand teeny amounts at a time. Sweet!!!!   as for Corset or Cami? ... Um... no. Not for me!   #895   Incense or candles? I wrote about this in my questionnaire; I can't have them in my dorm and I'm too afraid to burn them at home although I use tarts as potpourri-type-stuff sometimes.   Tattoos? Piercings? No tattoos, piercings, or other body modifications here. Washable only for me!   Receiving (NEW AND UNUSED/non-crunchy) cute undies in a SW package: awesome or creepy? ... Crunchy? How... how does underwear get crunchy -- no, don't tell me. No. I guess it depends on what "cute" means here. Nobody's ever going to see my undies but me, so something cute/sexy but uncomfortable's not for me. But cute as in octopus-print boxers? Yes! Yes!   #1157   Anything you really absolutely don't want to get? There are a few things I can imagine... but I don't suspect that my witchee, having read my questionnaire, would send. Giant heavy stuff, cheese, etc. Live animals?   How conventional/weird are you comfortable with? I guess it depends on what "conventional" and "weird" here mean. I often seem to have pretty conventional tastes, but I am also myself pretty weird. I don't really like either hoity-toity or kitschy-flashy, but I like unique, cute, clean, odd...   What kind of socks do you like and wear? I mostly wear black dress socks. I don't wear a lot of knitted things...   Most coveted BPALs at the moment: I'm actually pretty much OK right now... just the usual Gaimans and untried GCs. The only one for which I have an ongoing melancholy longing is Chokmah.   Are you a good witch or a bad witch? I'm a bumbling, good-natured Switch Wizard!   what's everyone's favorite new music find? Not applicable, though I've been searching...   #1191   First concert? I'm... not much of a concert-goer...   Top 10? Here's mine!   #1319   Most obscure vacation? Possibly Kakogawa in Japan. Apparently it's considered "countryside" by our Osaka and Kobe friends. For several years we went in the summer and stayed in a house that belonged to the parents of one of mom's friends. It was really nice... much more comfortable than hotels, for sure!   Who are your favorite Disney characters? I'm not that much of a Disney person anymore, but my parents would take me when I was little. I tended to attach to supporting characters, though, not the heroes or heroines. Like--   ... ... ...   Actually, you guys have just given me a deep revelation about my psychological development. Lumiere. Holy crap.   What's your idea of a great weekend? Waking up late, working on my own projects until late, and going to bed late. There's nothing better in the world.   What about makeup? Not really -- eyebrow pencil for drag, and I own a concealer stick but I almost never bother using it...   Do you play online games? I don't really play browser games, but I play some computer games online (mostly just TF2, occasionally NWN or NWN2.)   #2392   Do you like hair things? Hair's too short for stuff! Plus I usually wear a hat...   Lip Balm? Don't usually do anything fancier than ChapStick types of things...   Nails? It's a good day when I remember to clip them   How do you feel about leather/leather scraps? I am not veggie, but I don't really care for real leather for a variety of reasons. Even though I like the scent in perfume... o.O   Do you prefer one large package, a couple of medium packages or a handful small ones spaced out? I like to get lots of contact, but these could be a bunch of ecards and then 1 package, so... whatever my Witch likes!   Plants? I wish I could say yes but we're too busy/distracted to take proper care of them, I'm afraid...   Stuff for kids? Well, we've got one 19-going-on-20-year-old kid at home here who loves video games...   What insects do you delight in where you come from? Not many... O_O Ladybugs sometimes.   How do people feel about feet. I don't like my own feet for TMI reasons...   What are five simple things that you just can't get through the day without? 1. Proper food and drink; if I have to fast I get super-cranky 2. A word processor or notebook so I can record things 3. The internet or some books so I can learn things 4. Alone time, pretty much as much as possible (ideally I'd interact with other people for only 1-2 hours of the day) 5. Uhhh... not sure. Those four are the most important.   What is your favorite beverage (adult bev. if you are of age)? I am not of age, so: tea (Pokka canned jasmine green tea, Earl Grey, oolong, genmaicha, etc., tea plant tea,) orange juice, apple juice, citrussy fruit juice blends with orange, pineapple, etc. I like these things for their taste. I'm not a tea addict... I don't seem to need it, and I don't notice any effect from it, actually -- juice, with the sugar, seems to wake me up just as much. I don't like coffee or vegetable juice.   Who here reads comics/graphic novels? And Which ones? I used to read a lot of manga but sort of stopped when I got into college because they were a pain to get and really expensive to buy. The last manga I followed all the way to the end was Angel Sanctuary, which I loved even though it wasn't the typical comedy fare I like.   Is it rude to send soap that's been opened to sniff? If it's BPTP soap? I don't have any problem with it!   Gemstones? What's your favorite? And why? (including precious and semi-precious). My favorite decorative thingie is mother of pearl, which is not really a stone, but I love it. I also like pearl, lapis lazuli, opal, etc... I don't like crystally stones (brain fried, not sure what the correct term would be ^^ ; ) like ruby, aquamarine, etc. More opaque, milky-colored things appeal to me. ...Though I don't really wear jewelry...   Earrings? No pierced ears here!   New question! Anyone need scent lockets? I would never refuse one, but I'm not sure how I would wear it, 'cause I'm usually wearing a tie. Maybe scent pocketwatch...?!   Do you like spicy/asian food? Asian food seasoning, anyone? I don't like spicy -- my stomach is pretty delicate and cranky -- but I love the less spicy Asian foods. I like a lot of my mom's Korean food, for example, but we leave off the hot bean paste or whatever.   How adventurous are you when it comes to food/candies? Not terribly adventurous, but I'll try new things.   what websites MUST everyone visit at least daily? My webmail, LiveJournal, bpal.org, and Wikipedia. The other ones switch up depending on the day.   Beloved TV shows? MythBusters! And Nature and NOVA still, depending on program. I love all sorts of programs relating to animal behavior, emotions, intelligence, etc..   Tarot? I don't use tarot, but I love the symbolism and the art is often quite beautiful, so I'm thinking of getting a Shadowscapes tarot when they become available.   Who likes hats, and what styles? I love fedoras! I have only one proper one, a black with a medium-size brim, but I would really like a white-with-black ribbon (or maybe light gray with black, or white with dark gray) especially if I can find a white suit jacket to wear this summer.   How important is BPAL in your Switch Witch packages? Not important -- of course I love it, but I wouldn't mind if I didn't get any.   "Used" BPAL? Ugly BPAL? Empties? Love 'em!   deadly sin? My primary sin is Sloth: Getting myself to do anything (other than work on my insane schemes) is a chore. Eating, exercising, meeting friends? Bleeeeeeh, too hard! Secondary sins are Avarice, Wrath, and Pride. Lust and Envy aren't too troublesome for me, and I need to figure out how to induce Gluttony in myself   What did you sing along to in the shower this morning? "Honor To Us All"   if you could meet anyone living and anyone dead, who would it be? I should totally answer this question but it's too hard!!!! There are so many awesome people!   Webcomics: I used to read Order of the Stick, 9th Elsewhere, and Mind Flayed, but fell behind and ended up stopping last semester.   #3042   How much would everyone want their Witch to be in touch with them? I like lots of little bits of contact, but whatever is most convenient for my Witch is fine! I'm not too needy.   What things make you feel as though you have brought a pleasing sense of order to the world? Organizing my BPAL and related spreadsheets!   How much personal swapping/purchasing do you plan on doing this round, and what if your witch gets you something you've already ordered? As far as BPAL goes, I don't think I'm going to do all that much -- we'll see. But I don't really mind getting duplicates of BPAL.   Do you use scent diffusers? I didn't much because I lived in a double last year (but now, roommate no more!! Squee!!) but now I have the opportunity. We'll see if I do.   what flavored hard candies do you or don't like? and are you willing to try different things like green tea or some other strange flavors? Green tea is a "strange" flavor? Well, I'm willing to try most things once. I prefer to stick to my favorites, though: apple, citrus, coffee, and a couple other things.   what is your favorite time waster? Wikipedia *thud*   Favorite mailable food-items? Hmmmm... Senbei?   Strangest dream you've ever had? Wow... Well... Most of my dreams don't seem that strange to me, but they're apparently all pretty strange. I don't generally dream about things happening to me, but I dream narratives (video games mostly) in which I'm both a character and the author or player. (When I'm the player, I often restart from the last save if things don't turn out right. ; ) Some of the weirder ones have been stuff like a Valkyrie Profile and Pokemon crossover and one dream where I had to dodge bullets made of yogurt...   What is your favorite cuisine/food? Mom's home cooking! After that, probably Japanese.   #3219   Favorite Halloween costume: Not sure. I've sure been having a lot of fun these past few Halloweens, though, 'cause it's a great opportunity to do drag and not be stared at (too much.)   A scent that you adore but have decided that it's impossible to find? I don't have too many of these. Maybe Sugar-Slathered Candied Apple.   Is there a perfume company that you've never tried that you are curious about? I Hate Perfume, maybe. I'm interested in trying mainstream perfumes with the notes I like, too.   If you could design your own perfume oil, which notes would it have? Man... I'd have a hard time choosing between Moon-blend, Uriel-blend, and Isaac-blend. They are: Moon - snow, pear, cucumber, honeydew, blackcurrant, lavender, lychee, bamboo, pine, and myrrh. Uriel - lavender, cocoa, coffee bean, frankincense, myrrh, agarwood, benzoin, tobacco leaf, and rosewood. Isaac - ozone, coffee, vanilla, leather, white musk, and a bit of cocoa.   #3566   As far as Vintage goes, I don't mind it at all -- I've got a few items, like an old kimono, that were worn by untold, unnamed musky men in the previous century...   Scarf: skinny or fat? Medium-fat, I suppose, although I have sooo many now -- don't need any more for a while!   What's your purse preference? I have a black shoulder-bag with lots of pockets. It's reasonably manly and doesn't clash too badly with my outfits.   Pecan brittle? I like brittle OK, but I can only have a bit at a time 'cause it's sweeeet. But I like pecan, sesame, all different kinds!   Salty food? Yes please!   What bpal didn't work on you? Man, a lot of BPALs don't work on me... I have around a 30-40% success rate! Plum and white florals tend to go especially weird on my skin.   Homemade body care products? Sure! Why not?   #3708   What kind of peni... err... pens do I like? Hmm... rollerball pens and those whatchamacallit fine line drawing pens. I like to draw and write with the same pens. I'm not a pen geek though, since I do most of my work on the computer.   #4600   So, bath products. I mentioned in my questionnaire that I am bath-challenged and don't have the slightest clue what to do with most exotic fancy stuff... soap, shampoo, conditioner, that's it for me.   But I can tell you about my favorite textures in soap: I don't like things too exfoliating because my skin is apparently really sensitive to scratching, but just a wee bit of texture is nice. I don't care for gooey.
kuroitsuki

kuroitsuki

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