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  • Silvertree

    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!
    • 5 comments
    • 5,173 views
this and that from Antaria
 

Piggies

My 4 guinea pigs make me happy every day. I stand up in the morning, go into the bathroom and after that in their room - before I even open the door they are already calling out for me - or better: For food.   When I open the door they start to sit up and beg - against the cage-fence (I'll be so happy when we finish our biiiiig guinea cage with glass), pushing each other away, squeaking so loud that I wonder how my partner can sleep. Even our smallest, now 7 1/2 weeks old, starts to do it and shows her sweet little belly. I call it "The Belly-Parade"   Then I take the bag with the hay and this sound makes them go crazy. They start dashing through the cage, sometimes clashing to each other, bouncing like silly (in German it's called poppcorning) and squeaking even louder. It is so wonderful to watch. And when it start to trickle the hay down on them they jump more and more ... you really could think they don't get any hay for years - in fact they get it 3 times a day, sometimes more often when they eat it fast.   In the end there is a big mountain of hay in the cage and - it's moving! Because Maus - the little one - crawl ito the hay and starts going here and there while eating it ... after 5 minutes there is no mountain left, it's all bulldozed down by the 4 pigs.     I always loved my pets but I never thought that guinea pigs would be that great
Antaria

Antaria

0
this and that from Antaria
 

I love my bed

I always loved my bed - sometimes I start to giggle when I go to bed because I'm just so happy about my bed. Then I think "Everybody should have such a bed".   A week ago I decided that it was time for a bed-change. Since my Sweetheart and I moved together we had a self-made bed because he had his mattress and I had mine, his was to hard for me (but we both could fit in it if we have to) and mine was too small for us both and too soft for him. So each of us kept the own mattress and we built a base where they both fit. So we had a really huge bed - but it was not what we wanted. We have been dreaming about a waterbed since we knew each other and last Friday we finally bought one.   And now I even love my bed more than before! It is wonderful even if the fine-tuning is not perfect yet - I'm still thinking that the wateramount is not perfect but I don't know if I need more or less water. We can change the slow-down (or how it might be called in English) ourselfes when we want and I guess I want it with less slow-down.   It is so nice to lie down in this wonderful bed, nothing aches and it is warm ... the only thing I don't like is the venyl-scent but it will go away, I think. And you can counteract it by applying BPAL before goinig to sleep. Unfortunately I forget that very often and then I am too tired to go and get some - I should place an imp beside the bed ... good idea.   Most of the time at work I think about my bed ... and how wonderful it would be to go to slepp right now. Well, it is nice if you are happy about your bed every day - but it makes it very hard to leave it in the morning.
Antaria

Antaria

0
Diplomatka
 

The Third Worst Day of My Life

There is a reason why you never hear the words “dentist” and “Africa” in the same sentence. There are few places in the world where you would be better off letting that rotten root fester than actually seeking professional help and pretty much the whole continent (except for South Africa and one hospital in Nairobi) qualifies.   Let me start from the beginning: about a month and a half ago, I was lying on the couch one Sunday night, watching Dr. Phil, drinking a St. Georges and eating popcorn when I broke the back off one of my lower front teeth (which was cracked during a raspberry verenyi incident in 2004) by biting down on a kernel. Since I had been medevaced back to my cute little Tennessean dentist, Dr. Gregory, less than a month before for an abscessed tooth, I had little choice but to suck it up and visit a dentist in town.   During the said abscessed tooth episode, which involved a lot of swelling, pain and visits to the dickhead South Asian dentist Dr. Raina (yeah, that’s right, I used your real name) who withheld information about treatment options, I was advised by an American working for a Christian aid agency about a Chinese dentist on Bole Road who did good work. Crumpled in my chair during the food security workshop from the pain, I decided I had nothing to lose by visiting Dr. Ling. Although she could do nothing to help me with my abscessed tooth except pull it (since a root canal had already been done) or “make a little window” to clean the roots by drilling into my jaw, she decided it was in everyone’s best interest to send me back to Dr. Gregory and promptly filled out my insurance paperwork (which Dr. Dickhead Raina refused to do).   This episode solidified the bond between me and Dr. Ling. Inside I swore that if any other dental problem arose I would go to her.   Back to the broken tooth—in August I went to see Dr. Ling who drilled down my two front teeth to little nubs before I knew what was happening or was able to ask for anesthesia. She then made impressions of my teeth, put in temporary (but nice looking) caps, and informed me that my new ceramic teeth would be back from China in a month. Those teeth came in last week and were installed. They looked good, but were a little too big. Dr. Ling told me to wait a week and see if I still thought they were too big and she would sand them down. That visit took place today.   This morning I got up, threw on some jeans and got in the car to Bole. By 9:00 Dr. Ling had ground down the teeth and I was on my way. Looking in the rearview mirror, I realized a mistake had been made—there was a considerable gap between where my top and bottom teeth met in front. I thought about it for a while, got ready and went into the office. By 11:00 I was distraught. Here I had fucked up the only front teeth I would ever have-- I went back to Dr. Ling. She was reassuring, we would fix it, she told me. The next hour was the worst, and nearly the most painful, of my life.   I have a high pain threshold: I have suffered peptic ulcers, burst ovarian cysts, and dry sockets and taken them all like a Pionerka. Something about this visit today made me squeal like a five year old. It took Dr. Ling about 35 minutes to drill the teeth, crack the ceramic, reassure me, shoot me up with anesthesia, and do some more drilling. I screamed, I cried, I squirmed, I bled. I was ashamed of myself for acting like such a big baby. I was mad because I was having this done in East Africa instead of East Tennessee. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Ling took impressions and put in temporary caps. I decided there was no way I could work for the rest of the day and packed it up to come home. Here at my dining room table, four hours later, my jaw and teeth are still aching. The pain and the humiliation of the whole day ranks only behind the riots in 2006 and losing my job three years ago. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Never see a dentist in Africa, NEVER.   Nothing left to do but light up a sheesha and have some wine.
Confection

Confection

0
this and that from Antaria
 

Fish

I'm still thhinking about what fish to put in our little aquarium ... it is only 54l big so there is not a lot of choice. I'd love to have Guppys - but someone who is living together with me thinks that they are tacky.   The tank is already a few years old an there is only one fish left in it ... a Characiformes ... don't find the proper English name for it. And as nice they have been - they are colourless. Now I want something bright ... like Guppys or a Betta.   I think I have to reconsider how is in charge for the tabk. Till now it was my partners job because it was his tank. Well, hie care may be the reason why there is only one fish left. I mean, the other were several years old, but I geuess that's not why they are dead by now. So perhaps I should care for it - then all the pet would be in my hands. The guinea pigs, the ants and the fishes ... well ... yes, I guess that would be best.   If I only had time, I would start cleaning up the tank today ...
Antaria

Antaria

0
this and that from Antaria
 

Angry an undecided the 2nd

So I was in the choir yesterday and it was okay. I behaved as if everything would be fine and I guess that's what bothered one Lady, lets call her Tad. She was once the "leader" of our choir. I never liked her, she wants to be in the spot light all the time. We are approx. 100 singers and she was the conductor. She always made such a show herself as if she didn't want the audience to listen to us but to look at her. Anyway, she was sitting next to me, one empty chair between us because she is in a different pitch of voice than I am.   After our warmup someone must have told her that I erased the old homepage - I heared "What?? And now we have none? So close to our big concert?" - and than she went one row back and stayed there for the rest of the rehersal ... guess it was a sign for her disapproval. I have to say: I enjoyed it. And their fault - should have waited till the concert is over and kick me out then   And nothing more happened ... I hope it stays that way - if they announce that somebody new is in charge for the homepage by now they should not mention the reason for the change - if they do and it is not the truth I'll have to stand up and say how it really was and I don't want to do that. I'm terribly afraid of speaking to so many people. But I'll do it if I have to!   But I am proud that I went there and that I smiled and behaved as if it would not bother me how they treated me. Guess that makes people like Tad really angry ...
Antaria

Antaria

0
this and that from Antaria
 

Update

After my holidays I had an unsettling time.   For one we bought a new guinea pig becauce one of the others died before my holidays. It was the first guinea pig of mine that died and it was a shock ... well ... anyway, the new one - Maus (=mice) - is wonderful but had mite. Had to go to the vet with her. After that I got ill - so my partner. Not so nice, especially if you have a baby pig that you want to cuddle and your not allowed because it could be infected. And because it is a summer-flu it takes really long to go away.   My partner had problems at work rightaway after the holidays, so he es trying to stay calm there and search a new job. Right now it seems that he has got the possibility to get a really nice job!   At my department at work we had to say goodbye to a really nice secretary and after 2 weeks of a vacant office we got a new one. She seems nice, is - I guess 55 years old - and I think I like her - but she will mean lots of works for me ... I mean, yesterday she came in to sak me how to write an email ... öhm ... you know, where to click, what to do.   And then the final decision: Enough with our selfmade bed - it was good but now it is time that we buy what we always wanted: A waterbed. So since Sunday we are sleeping in a waterbed. The wateramount is not quite perfect, but I guess thats only a question of time.   And now the choir-thing - I am somehow tired. Well and of course I want to go home only to sleep in the new bed. It is sooooo wonderful!
Antaria

Antaria

0
this and that from Antaria
 

Angry and undecided

I copy again from the "How are you feeling"-thread ... I really should stop that.   I was in charge for the homepage of my choir ... I waited for 2 years for new information to put on the page, asked several times different people to give me something because I was not in charge for the content, they told me they would provide me with everything.   Well, then I had holidays and received a mail with content. But of course I would not update the page while I am abroad and in holydays! I came back and I took approx. a week when I got ill. Almost 2 weeks went by till I was better again. In this time I got 4 other mails with content. And on Monday I got a call "do you still want to do that, we need the update now" - so I told them I would do it till Wed. I managed to finish the update yesterday morning - and in the afternoon they called and told me that they are not willing to let me do it anymore (have to say that I never wanted to do it ... they begged me and in the end I was okay with it).   Well ... because the main work was the design, I felt really ... silly. They let me do the work an the nice copy and paste stuff would be okay for them - of course if they update the page, they would put their name under the page. So I erased the page to "protect" my design. That may be childish, but I think it is the right way to do it ...   Only point: It keeps bugging me. I hate stuff like this. And today is choir again and I guess I'll have a hard time ... and I am sensitive, I'm afraid they say something and I start to cry in front of all these people ... I'd love to stay at home but I guess that would make it worst, wouldn't it?
Antaria

Antaria

0
a stargirl's addiction
 

BPAL Wishlist

(mostly for my own reference ) last updated: 21 June 2013   ISO (bottles preferable, will take imps though!)     Black Phoenix Trading Post Fee   Knock-a-Dolly atmo spray Red Lantern atmo spray   Prototypes Maiden v7   "a girl can dream..." Voodoo Queen Midwinters Eve 2005 Snow White 2005 Senelion Snake Charmer (original) Silver-Haired Bat   Limited Editions: The Tears of Lilith Expressive Head O Daughter Of Death and Priapus Rapunzel in Ballpoint The Queens Salon Copper Phoenix Sweet Life (Space 15twenty exclusive) Hanami   Neil Gaiman: Jasmine Cottage Pepper The East   Carnaval Diabolique: Kataniya, The Clockwork Woman Eshe, A Vision Of Life-In-Death   Twilight Alchemy Lab White Light   The Salon: Schlafende Baigneuse Silence   General Catalogue:   Would always love more of Snake Oil Snake Charmer (Res or original) Hellion v2     Work in progress... check back again soon  
crushedstars

crushedstars

0
Shellhell - Hermetically Sealed
 

Catch UP! What happened when I went AWOL for 9 months!

Quite a few of you have been wondering what happened to me during my 9 mos. of absence (and no - I did not have a baby! ), and I have promised to blog it. I have to be honest and say that I had blogged a whole novel and as I read it I thought "TMI - WAY MUCH!!!" I erased all of it t and decided to just put it down as simply stated without every single gory detail   As most of you well know, I have a rare disorder that is slowly shutting down my digestive system. If you read below, you will know that I have had my gallbladder and colon removed due to their ceased function.(I have also had surgeries to repair a small bowel obstruction, perferated bowel; I have also had hysterectomy, appendectomy and many other surgeries as well) My stomach now taking 4-5x longer to digest than normal, and I have esophageal spasms and difficulty swallowing. To put it simply my digestive system is SNAFU.   In late Autumn of last year, the pain from this problem began to escalate and slowly became uncontrollable. We barely made it out of town to spend Christmas with my 2 sons, my daughter in law - my oldest son's wife, and of course my adorable grandson - it was his first Christmas!! By the time we arrive home the pain was so intense that I had to be hospitalized to gain control of it. For the next several months I was disabled by the enormous constant pain - even with a huge arsenal of pain medication!! Sometimes it was easier just to sedate me than try more pain meds. If I had to go to emergency or to the doctors, I went in my pj's. I could hardly make it to the bathroom let alone shower on a regualr basis or even communicate to my close friends on this forum. Just getting out of bed was a huge thing and it was so painful. I was also nauseated most of the time.   As July rolled around, I was at my Dr.s for a check up. He put me on a new medication and I started tapering off the huge amounts of pain killers. Needless to say, today, I am feeling much better and it is easier to deal with my pain. I have completely quit 2 of the pain meds I was on and the new perscription (Metformin for Insulin Resistance) has really given me an abundance of energy. I still have debilitating pain but I feel better equipped mentally to handle it. I have only had to reach for the pain killer prescribed for break thru pain twice in the last month. And, No hospital visits either!!! As I made my way back to the forum, I was completely overwhelmed by pms waiting for me - people sending their love and support and wishing me well. I want to thank everyone who wrote me and worried about me while I was AWOL and I want to thank all of you who have welcomed me back with love and friendship. This is truly a forum full of lovely caring people. Thank you!!!   NEXT BLOG: Latest pictures of the grandson!!!
Rhowan

Rhowan

2
Ahania's Blog
 

More Switch Witch Help- soaps!

Amazon: thanks to the marvelous cordia, I was reminded how to make a link to my amazon wishlist! Yay!   Widdersuds: Yeah, this is a huge list, but so many sound good! Besides, this way, if you decided to order me something from them, you'll be sure of finding something that you want to smell for yourself. Bubble bath, shower gel, bath salts, soap bars, deoderant, solid perfume... they all sound good. (Just not the emu oil, please.)   Alegria Amaretto Tiramisu Apple Cobbler Delight Arabian Spice Asian Plum Bartlett & Basil Beyond Paradise Bermuda Sands Black Amber And Lavender Black Orchid And White Lily Blackberry Blueberry Blood Orange Buttercream and Snickerdoodle Basil Lime Black Currant Rose Bermuda Triangle Black Cherry Black Magic Black Currant Cannoli di Albicocca Caravan Spice Cashmeran Carmelized Pralines Carrot Cake Cranberry Dark Chocolate Solstice (Godiva Type) Fig Gingerlily Got Milk? Grannies Pumpkin Cookies Guinefyr's Tryst Hawaiian Black Heavenly Blue Lotus Jade Mayan Gold Moonlight Musk Nile Queen Night Spirit™ Pineapple Kiawe Pumpkin Harvest Stormwatch Snow Queen™ Turkish Mocha Tahitian Gardenia (Tiare)   Anubis Hathor Nefertum Renenutet Sekhmet Thoth   Anubis- Eternal Version     Villainess: Contrary Crushed Decadence Embargo Jade Krakatoa Shanghaied Silk and Cyanide
eanewsom

eanewsom

0
What My Nose Knows
 

Chasing the Dragons

The Ars Draconis line has been full of surprises. The first one I tried was a frimp of Dragon's Musk back in June. I didn't think I'd like it since I'm picky about musk, but I love it. Dragon's Blood smells like plumeria, which I was not expecting. Dragon's Milk burned, and since I'm not sensitive to DB, honey, or vanilla, I was definitely not expecting that either. I think it must have clove in it, or something smiliar that's not listed.
taramarie

taramarie

0
Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

for Bonnie (my stepmom)

Okay, I found the gardenia thread. I'm adding Euphrosyne to the list, and maybe Pele. I absolutely cannot imagine giving my stepmom something called The Sacred Whore of Babylon, though. Maybe a decant with just 'Babylon' on the label. I wonder....if she ended up liking it, and I told her what it's called, would she still wear it?
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

0
Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

my first post!

I'm starting this because I have 2 livejournal accounts, but I really don't participate in the bpal communities on lj. I used to be a member of a couple of them, but decided that my lj is not the place for my bpal trading. I still write about bpal stuff but I get the feeling that many people on my friends list probably don't care about bpal. So here I am.   Friday I had dinner with my dad and stepmom, and told them a little bit about my perfume obsession. Actually, I told them about Fabienne and Possets. They both expressed interest, and they might go to a Final Friday where Fabienne opens her studio to the public (along with many other artists at the Pendleton Art Center). My point, and I do have one, is that I would like to make lists of imp packs for my dad and stepmom, sort of a bpal introductory selection of scents. My stepmom says she likes gardenia, so I did a search on the lab's site and came up with a few possibilities. The one that stuck out most was Le Serpent Qui Danse. I think she might like Antique Lace, although I myself have never tried it. She works for Clinique and would probably like the more traditional-smelling bpal perfumes, at least to start out. Other than that I have no idea what her tastes might be, so I'd like to come up with a range of styles for her to try.   As for my dad, I would go for more masculine blends, obviously. The first one I thought of was Casanova. Maybe Whitechapel, Calico Jack, possibly Dracul. For both of them I'm going to stay away from limited edition scents, so in case they end up loving a particular scent we can definitely get more. That said, I would probably let them try some of my LE's, particularly from Carnaval Diabolique. Bonnie (my stepmom) might possibly like Midnight On The Midway, and heck, my dad could like it too (I love it, and I'm a guy).   So for the next couple months I'll be keeping my eyes open for possibilities, and I think there are at least a couple recommendation discussions I'm going to peruse also.
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

0
Nia's Blog
 

TALs and web-browsing

I've rewarded myself 2/5 more so the count is now 3 bottles. I'm aiming at a complete bottle this week.   (Monday 1/5!) (Tuesday 2/5!) (Wednesday 3/5!) Thursday and Friday: YES! I have worked very hard for five days and now I can add another bottle to the list.
Nia

Nia

0
What smells in here?
 

The Other Smoked Meat

When one thinks of smoked meat, pork tends to be the first thing that comes to mind. Unless you're from Texas, where beef, it's what's for dinner. But what about chicken? Low and slow, the BBQ mantra, seems overkill when dealing with humble poultry. I wanted the flavor and succulence of smoked meat, but I wanted it fast and easy so a chicken experiment seemed in order.   I made two foil packets heavy with hickory wood chips and poked a few holes in the top. I set them on top of the grates at opposite ends of the grill. I lit all four burners and let the grill heat up to 500 degrees. I prepared the chicken simply, just a whole roaster, rinsed and dried, sprinkled with salt and placed in a tin pan. By now the wood packets were smoking nicely. I turned off the two center burners and placed the chicken between the wood packets and quickly closed the cover, as not to let out too much of the heat and precious hickory smoke. The temperature hovered around 400 degrees and I set the timer for one hour and fifteen minutes.   It was hard not to peek as we poured a glass of wine and sat and set about enjoying the aroma of the hickory smoke as it filled the air. When it was time, we brought the chicken in and set in on a carving board to rest, it was a lovely golden brown and smelled amazing. The meat was perfectly cooked with a lovely pink smoke ring that dipped down into the top layers of the tender and juicy flesh. The joints came apart very easily and the meat pulled away from the bone in a most satisfying way. The flavor and texture was spot on, exactly what I was looking for. All the rich, smoky flavor and meaty yet melt in the mouth texture but without all the time and effort. Sublime.
Ina Garten Davita

Ina Garten Davita

0
What My Nose Knows
 

Squee!

My 8-17 order should come today!   I ordered three imp packs because things were really stressful. That's a good reason, right?   The first imp pack is 6 Ars Draconis scents: Dragon's Blood, Dragon's Eye, Dragon's Milk, Dragon's Reverie, Dragon's Tears, and Ladon.   I've only tried one AD scent so far and that's Dragon's Musk, which I love. Dragons are my favorite fantasy creatures, so the AD category is one I'm very interested in.   The other two imp packs are scents I want because they remind me of Neil Gaiman's Endless:   Death -- Dance of Death, Twilight Delirium -- Delirium, Mania Desire -- Desire, Hunger Despair -- Ode on Melancholy Destiny -- Miskatonic University Destruction -- The Great Sword of War, Antony Dream -- Languor, Oneiroi   I hope I like all of them.   I was going to wear The Sportive Sun today since it's the last day of August but I decided against it since it's an LE and I only have one bottle. So, I'm wearing Faith.
taramarie

taramarie

0
Welcome to the Abatoir
 

The Grass is getting greener

Well PCC financial aid came to my rescue and gave me $7500 for this year instead of the original amount of $3500. I know feel very confident and happy that I'll have a nice financial cushion. I can pay off my credit card and save up for some form of transportation.....maybe a VESPA! who knows. I'm just contented in knowing I've got that coming and although my loans are getting higher in amount I'm going to stay positive that I'll handle it well when I graduate and start my career. Vet Technology may not be a goldmine, but I'll live comfortably enough for one person on what I'm expected to make working in Emergency. Things are looking up, I really love that. Just when you think you've had enough of all the shit, something comes along as a saving grace. WHEW
Meshuganah

Meshuganah

0
heartbreakangel's Blog
 

AUGH!

I had to explain the purpose of wedding invitations to my intended yesterday.   Yes. You read that right. Explain the purpose of invitations.   See, she's got a bunch of relatives that would like to see this whole marriage thing happen. I have no problems with this. In fact, I'm perfectly content to have them show up, if they're able to make it to the ceremony. So, she's been calling them to let them know what's going on, and asking if they'd like to attend. And she's been getting perplexed over why people aren't just saying that yes, they will be there, when she cannot hand off a date, time, and location. She's just so damn excited that she doesn't see the need to send anything anywhere.   So we had to have a nice conversation about why we need to send these things out.   Me: "See, here's the thing. They can't commit to taking time off from work if they have to to travel, or..." Her: "But it's our wedding!" Me: "I get that. But baby, you've been on disability your entire life. You don't know how it works with putting in a time off request at work." Her: "But wouldn't that be easy?" Me: *looking at ceiling* "Not always, no. Especially not if this is something where they need to find...y'know, nevermind about how this works. It just isn't as easy as saying you need the day and running off. They need the warning." Her: "Oh. But...wait. Wait. How come we need to tell them this stuff so far in advance?" Me: "...because some folks need to travel from upwards of three hours away in province, and then there's your relatives in frickin' CALGARY that are going to need to book flights if they want to come out here for this." Her: "...uhm. So. We have to figure out a date and a time? We already have a location, though!" Me: "Yes. We do. But we don't have a date and time. And I need you to give me a guest list so I know how many invitations I'm going to need to deal with sending out, since you agreed to let me handle this." Her: "Errrmmm..." Me: *siiiiigh*   I'm pretty sure that by the end of this whole thing with invitations and such? I'm going to let out a scream that makes me sound oddly like Howard Dean. My dad's already laughing over the fact that he can mention certain aspects of getting married, and I start twitching while sputtering things out that aren't even coherent, because it's just one more thing I'm going to have to start screwing around with.   Like the whole catering thing he dropped on me the other day. We want a BBQ after the ceremony, back at her parents' house, if at all possible. Standard fare. Hot dogs, burgers, maybe some chicken, chips, salad, beer, ect. Nothing that's going to absolutely bankrupt us. Dad proceeds to inform me that it might be good to have someone hired out to do the cooking, so he and my intended's father don't have to man the grill all day. So now that's yet more money we have to figure on needing, and I get to spent time calling around to different places in North Bay to see if caterers will even do this sort of thing without requiring other stuff we really don't need. I'm half tempted to say that I'll change out of my ceremony attire into a pair of shorts and a tshirt so I can stand there manning the grill myself if it'll make a difference. Just give me a cigarette, a bottle of beer, and the grill tongs, then get the hell out of my way.   But noooooo...it has to be complicated.   I think I'm going to go back to nosing through invitation designs and whatnot. I can't possibly afford half of the stuff I'm seeing, but hey. It's pretty.
heartbreakangel

heartbreakangel

0
Diplomatka
 

The Consequences of Watching Arab Television

(Ain't none of y'all going to get this.)   In East Africa, you have two options for satellite TV: either the European stations that have CNN and ESPN or the Arab stations that have I.Q.-reducing shows like Dr. Phil, Rachel Ray, Wife Swap and Cheerleader Nation (Dubar won, by the way). For all of these reasons, my husband and I chose the latter.   Anyway, there is this juice comercial that runs approximately 300 times an hour on the Saudi station. It features a cross section of Arab society--flight attendants, school children, women in hijabs, Arab men in Kiffeyeh on their knees with arms outstretched--all of them pleading into the camera with varying levels of distress: "Mafi da naw?"   Since I don't speak Arabic, I have no idea what they are saying, but nonetheless, I have somehow absorbed the sentiment. Now, whenever something is unexpected or upsetting, I automatically yell, "MAFI DA NAW?!?!"   Like today, I found out that the Great Ethiopian Race might be postponed from September 9th. (MAFI DA NAW?!?)   And last night Shoa Supermarket did not have fresh strawberries. (MAFI DA NAW?!?)   See? I knew none of y'all was going to get this.
Confection

Confection

3
What My Nose Knows
 

More of What I Know Now That I Didn't Know in March

9. I shouldn't buy a GC bottle until I've finished the imp.   10. I should try a note before I dismiss it altogether. Just because some people hate _____, that doesn't necessarily mean that I will.   11. For any blend with more than three notes, my skin will usually eat half of them. Most likely the ones I'm really interested in.   12. Just because a blend is considered masculine, that doesn't automatically mean it won't work on me.
taramarie

taramarie

0
What My Nose Knows
 

Intro to my blog

I've been part of this forum since March so it's about time I had a BPAL blog.   I still consider myself a BPAL newbie -- I've only been wearing BPAL for 5 months. I've tried over 100 blends and I'm still exploring what works for me and what doesn't.   What I know now that I didn't know in March:   1. I need to stay away from anything with clove, cinnamon, and mint since these burn.   2. My skin chemistry morphs lotus to bubblegum, so I can't wear anything with lotus in it either.   3. I love vetiver.   4. BPAL rose notes rock, but tea rose can overpower everything else.   5. If I'm on the fence about a GC blend, it's better to not get it. I can always try it later.   6. If I'm on the fence about a LE blend, it's better to get it then pass it on if it doesn't work.   7. Ordering as soon as I see the update is great, but waiting and deciding when I'm not as excited is better.   8. Any obsession is better when there are people to share it with.   Anyway, I ordered twelve bottles yesterday morning -- October's lunacy Hunter Moon, it's companion Aeaea, and eleven Halloweenies: bottles All Souls '07, Bonfire Night, Dia De Los Muertos '07, October, Sugar Skull '07, and Pumkins I - V, and the imp of A Murder of Crows. I still can't believe I ordered a dozen bottles at once. I blame it on this being my first BPAL Halloween -- I got too excited. Well, whatever doesn't work for me will be appreciated by others, I'm sure. My best friend is already wanting October, but that and Pumpkin III are the ones I'm really interested in, so she may have to fight me for it.
taramarie

taramarie

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Sourball Ho!
 

Halloween update!

Wowee, another big update. Work has been busy -- don’t they know that there was a huge BPAL update? GO AWAY, I’M BUSY READING ABOUT THESE NEW SMELLIES! This will be a quick run-through for me to remind myself what to watch for in reviews.   Hunter Moon -- Dry leaves, autumn bonfires, blood red wine, feral, animalistic notes and the chill of approaching winter. Ah, the fabled Hunter Moon! I’m so glad this is back, it sounds great. Aeaea -- A dark ocean breeze, electric with adrenaline, magic, and fear, clashing with the thick scent of poisoned berries and spiny aloe, against a backdrop of snowdrop, cedar, and cypress. While the name is fun to say over and over again (Aeaeaeaeaeaeaeaea) I’m afraid this would be too floral and/or soapy. Libra 2007 -- Rose, black cherry, carnation, fig, honey, plum, and black currant. Rose and black cherry AND honey AND BLACK CURRANT? I got more and more excited reading the notes. Even with the carnation and fig, this was made just for me!   All Souls 2007 -- An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes. I was intrigued by this last year, as I love incense blends, but it sounds a bit too cakey-foody which isn’t my favorite. Bonfire Night -- Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. It’s funny, Villainess recently updated with Mosh, a beer soap. Is beer going to be the new hotness for fragrance? I’ve brewed several batches of beer and needless to say it doesn’t smell like a stinky biker bar when it’s fermenting in the vat, it’s sweet and yeasty. Wait for reviews. The Death of Autumn -- Dark amber, dead leaves, khus, saffron, bitter clove, chrysanthemum, camellia, galangal, and a drop of oud. This sounds very musty-dusty which I’ve enjoyed in Mum Moon. Wait for reviews Dia de los Muertos 2007 -- dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus. I have Dia ’05 which is nice, but I don’t need more. Hexennacht 2007 -- German fir and forest lichen, incense and bonfire smoke, and the wet, glimmering scent of skin warmed by dance. How great that Hexennacht is back! I bought the original way back in March 2005 and I love it, smoky and sweet. Update: it looks like this was included by mistake. Too bad, it's a beautiful blend. October -- A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. This sounds really interesting; sometimes a blend with the shortest, vaguest description turns out to be so beautiful. Wait for reviews. Samhain 2007 -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. The classic Halloween blend. I have bottles of ’04 and ’05, a truly unique fall scent. Samhainophobia 2007 -- Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves. Another reappearance, but too woodsy for me. Sugar Skull 2007 -- Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. I have a 2005 bottle which I love, I get a strong booze note which keeps it from being too sweet. The Atrocious Attic -- The air of the room is dusty, laced with the scent of a child’s perfume and the remnants of a dried, crumbling bridal bouquet: tea rose, violet, white sandalwood, French lavender, and Calla lily. Cool description, like Havisham. I’m not much for ethereal florals, though. The Chilling Cellar -- Wine just turning to vinegar, crumbling mortar, red clay, and the coppery tang of old blood. I love wine, it’s one of my favorite notes, but I don’t want wine that’s “turned.” Wait for reviews. The Forbidding Foyer -- The faint scent of brimstone, ghostly breath laced with cognac, neglected mahogany panels, and rot. Smoke and rotting wood? Wait for reviews. The Ghastly Garden -- Overgrown oleander, marshy water hemlock, the sugared nectar of carnivorous blooms, putrefying wet greenery, oozing sap, crushed rosary peas, withered climbing roses, and nightshade berries. Lots of greenery, wait for reviews. The Lurid Library -- The incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants. This one sounds awesome, incense and musk. The Perilous Parlor -- Faint echoes of laughter and the distorted music of a harp drift by, along with the scent of soft white pear and sweet vanilla. Maybe too soft and sweet? Wait for reviews. The Twisted Oak Tree -- Blackened, rotted oak wood blanketed in moss and choked by a cloak of grasping ivy. Probably too masculine with the wood and moss, wait for reviews. Pumpkin I -- Pumpkin with pear, white wine grapes, and jasmine-laced tea. I have to be careful with these pumpkin blends, as they sometimes come out way too foody and heavy, almost like baking bread. For this one with “white” notes, wait for reviews. Pumpkin II -- Pumpkin with tobacco, champaca flower, carnation, and tonka. This sounds a little better, as I really like the champaca flower blends. Wait for reviews. Pumpkin III -- Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream. Probably too foody, wait for reviews. Pumpkin IV -- Pumpkin with cactus blossom, sage, and sweetgrass. Interesting florals, wait for reviews. Pumpkin V -- Pumpkin with benzoin, bourbon vanilla, lemon peel, neroli, blood orange, and red ginger. This sounds like Pumpkin Queen version 2, which I really enjoyed. Wait for reviews. A Murder of Crows -- Sleek iris and verbena, grey amber, benzoin, davana, and glossy herbs. Iris is one of those overpowering notes on me, so it’s good I won’t have to order the whole Patch to try this.   Event Horizon -- Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin. Dark sophisticated floral, wait for reviews. Mary Read -- Salt air, ocean mist, aged patchouli, sarsaparilla, watered-down rum, leather-tinged musk, and a spray of gunpowder. I recently tried Olokun and was impressed that the ocean notes didn’t turn into laundry detergent on me. This sounds a bit more masculine but I’ll anxiously await reviews. Schrodinger’s Cat -- A paradoxical scent experiment! – tangerine, sugared lime, pink grapefruit, oakmoss, lavender, zdravetz, and chocolate peppermint. Flat-out citrus blends aren’t my favorite, as they don’t hang around long enough. Kubla Khan -- Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine. What a beautiful-sounding blend with a bunch of favorite notes. Anxiously await reviews. Epitaph -- Roses and funeral lilies perceived, faintly, through an indistinct, ghostly mist. Roses are Yay!, lilies not so much. The Phantom Wooer -- A lifeless love song: stargazer lily, bone dust, tomb mosses, buttonweed, moonflower, and honey myrtle. Lots of florals, nah. A Countenance Forboding Evil -- Patchouli, ylang ylang, blood orange, and vetiver. This may or may not be stinky on me, with the blood orange sweetening up the darkness. Goblin -- Black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin. I am a sucker for coconut, even though I haven’t found my one true love yet. Wait for reviews. Incubus -- Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage. Reminds me of Red Lantern, hopefully another smutty musk blend. Troll -- A lurching, hateful, bitter scent. This is a gruesome blend of ghastly greens and blacks: vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke, and scorched cumin. Probably too dark and masculine for me. Hairy Toad Lily -- Spotty, hairy, purple, sweet! I haven’t had much luck with the Rappaccini Florals. Havana -- Date palm, dried tobacco, snakeroot, and leather. Ooh, date palm! Sweet, but not too sweet. Wait for reviews. Hi’iaka -- mai’a, hibiscus, white ginger, akala, na'u, Hawaiian moon flower, yellow ilima, pink lokelani, jewel orchid, and fringed orchid. I was just thinking the other day that BPAL doesn’t have many Hawaiian floral blends. This sounds like a nice addition.   Plus a Trading Post exclusive! Crypt Queen -- As sweet as death, as deep as the grave: pomegranate, raspberry, gardenia, plum, and rose with patchouli, black pepper, rose musk, and a hint of blood accord. Yum, how I love dark fruits like pomegranate and raspberry and plum. Trick or Treat blends -- Spiked Punch sounds the best, as I love the fruity boozy blends. All the other blends sound good though, except for the piney TP’d Trees which I know wouldn’t work on me. I might sign up for this next month.   In conclusion: I ordered Hunter Moon and Libra 2007 as my normal monthly order, and Crypt Queen for my birthday present to myself.
dawndie

dawndie

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Nia's Blog
 

First week of September

Wow, two months already working on this!   The really abstruse Gender Theory book: I give up, the book is useless. Sea of Glass is waiting for its chance to join the rest....   Unit 50: "Schrodinger's Cat". DONE Unit 51: Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo DONE Unit 52: Block Buster DONE Unit 53: Chuparosa DONE Unit 54: Water of Notre Dame. DONE   This week I also need to do two stacks of photocopies, and go to Uni to request a certificate. These boring tasks get Bien Loin D'Ici. DONE
Nia

Nia

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