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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!
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Nia's Blog
 

Still beginning

Mission 2: Fusing units 1 to 5, which deal all with very general concepts on language learning & acquisition, and communication theory.   Reward: Five Neil Gaiman imps from a decant circle: Crowley, War, Fairy Market, Tristan, Yvaine.   I want to do one unit a day.   Monday, unit 1: Completed! I have a lovely unit on the history and current tendencies of foreign language teaching. I have earned my Crowley. Tuesday, unit 2: On the relationship between the first and the second language. I have earned War! Friday: I've had a marathon and finished units 3 (left half-finished yesterday), 4 and 5. However, I have not concentrated as much as I should so I'm just adding the Fairy Market imp.   Monday: Unit 6. Tristan is mine! Tuesday: Unit 7: Yvaine is on the lot! Mission accomplished!
Nia

Nia

0
Whiskers and Whispers
 

Now that's an update!

This update was much more my thing than the last one...lots of amber, musk, witches and fairies and Good Omens too? I like that! My prediction for this update bringing hot, sunny scents was correct, as was my prediction for Leo containing amber. I'm now regretting buying second bottles of both Red Moon and Leo...Fairy Market looks so amazing, as does the Witch Queen, and Aziraphale and Crowley are coming home with me when I order on the 13th.   My Saturday evenings will be boring again now that Dr Who is over...   And I wish the weather could warm up a bit, it's almost July and it feels like October, but without the prettiness of autumn leaves. And the rain won't stop. I think the pizza and pasta cravings will return by next week, but the question is, will UK versions satiate them now I've tasted the real Italian stuff?   Oh, and I need a job. Now. Not just for the money but for something to keep me busy during the holidays. It's nice being lazy but it gets boring just lying about doing nothing after some time. I need routine and something constructive to do. And some money would be nice.
yeahbutnobut

yeahbutnobut

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Big update!

First off: I got a raise today! Yeehaw! Here’s a quick run-through of the HUGE update:   Red Moon. Our blend for this Moon mixes traditional lunar oils with the warmth of amber, red musk, and heliotrope, the russet haze of dragon's blood resin, sunflower, and crushed orange peel, with a dusting of summertime herbs: chamomile, rue, elder flower and marigold. I sniffed the previous incarnation at a Meet-n-Sniff which was beautiful, and this looks to have red musk and sunflower added which sounds even better. I’m so glad this is back! I had no inkling this would return.   Allison Gross. Witch-herbs, crushed golden flowers, and a man-made-dragon’s surly musk lightened by the scent of the blossoms and unearthly incense that clings to the Faerie Queen’s hair. Dragon’s blood musk, ambergris, sunflower, chrysanthemum, muguet, and rue, with gingered lily, moonflower, bluebell, peony, nightwort, and white rose. I’m not sure about what may end up being “bubblegum musk.” The unusual flowers (sunflower, gingered lily, bluebell) may make it interesting.   Leo. Egyptian amber, walnut bark, chamomile, frankincense, and saffron. this sounds like a sneezing fit between the amber, bark and chamomile.   Sportive Sun. Heliotrope, amber, almond flower, frangipani, cedar, and calamus. Sounds nice except for the cedar.   Gibbous Moon. Moonflower, Madonna lily, orris, white ginger, cucumber, hyacinth, and Irish moss. Too much floral in this one.   Agnes Nutter. Gunpowder, charred wood, smoke, and rusty nails. When we go to estate sales, many times in the “old man garage” there are saved coffee cans of old nails and nuts and bolts, along with hunting rifles and ammo. So all I’m imagining is this smelling like old man garage.   Azriphale. Ethereal musk, blonde woods, and dusty Bible accord. I want to try this to see what “dusty Bible accord” smells like.   Crowley. Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk. This sounds a bit too masculine with the lilac cologne, mahogany and leather.   Shadwell. Roll-ups, mildewed raincoat, sweet tea, and condensed milk. What are roll-ups, other than the pressed-fruit snack I ate as a kid? Old pants? Ew.   War. Red ginger, black spices, patchouli, honeysuckle, and three blood-soaked red musks. This sounds like a winner, like my beloved Glasya.   Fairy Market. Otherworldy golden incense, blooming wind-flowers, everlasting lavender, bluebell, a faint whiff of exotic sugared candies, and fae mist upon wet green grass. I don’t do lavender, so “everlasting lavender” sounds even worse. Everything else sounds cool.   Tristran. 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. Redwood would probably be too strong on me; another masculine one.   Victoria. Graceful vanilla musk, tea rose, and stargazer lily. Vanilla musk and tea rose sounds lovely.   Witch Queen. Wild plum, red musk, tuberose, calla lily, heliotrope, pimento, ylang ylang and beeswax beneath a dark haze of sinister purple-hued incense smoke. Dang, wild plum and red musk right off the bat, like a one-two punch of favorites.   Yvaine. The high, crystalline scent of a star-filled night with blue lavender and lush magnolia. Lavender again, nah.   Also, more soaps! I recently tried Snake Oil and Shub soaps (Shub is finishing up in the shower). I knew that quite a bit of oil goes into the batches, but I was disappointed personally that the fragrance didn’t last on my skin without the backup boost of oil applied later. I was really hoping for a nice overpowering blast of scent; bowl me over! I don’t care! Alas, I get dressed and can smell the detergent from my clothes more than my nice soap. However, Bordello and Perversion are two of my absolute favorites and I will probably order those eventually.   In conclusion: since I already ordered the 2 Sephiroth bottles, I’m going for Red Moon only.
dawndie

dawndie

4
Nia's Blog
 

The beginning

This is the plan: I need to prepare for a Government exam that is the entry to a teaching position in the State high schools. There are 70 theory units and 15 practical ones. 70-ish is the approximate size of my BPAL wishlist, so I will give myself an imp for every unit I finish, with a few tweaks.   First mission: getting two different sets of units from other people to fuse them and create my own "textbook". Reward: Antique Lace. I'm going to work up a wishlist /shopping list in alphabetical order, although for particularly big hurdles I will promise myself 1/5 or a 1/4 of a TAL bottle.   Sunday the 1st: DONE!
Nia

Nia

0
captain diana's log
 

crap for crap

I am freaking out that I only have about a day left to order the Sephiroth & Tarots I still want/need.   I have 14 of the 26 tarot oils, but I don't know if it would be wise to order 12 bottles, especially since I'm trying to clear out all my debt right now. I've kind of narrowed it down to 6 bottles (Chariot, Hermit, Justice, Devil, Tower, Ace of Swords) but that's still a lot. Maybe I can get it down to about 3 and just get an imp pack so that I can at least have a wee bit of the missing ones.   As for the Sephiroth, there are about 3 I still want (Hod, Golachab, Gamaliel), and about 3 I could live without, but I'm eh about them (Geburah, A'Arab Zaraq, Nahemoth). I also want to get a backup Chokmah. Anything remotely Snake Oil-ish is something that I need in mass quantities.     eieieieeeee decisions.
Diana

Diana

0
Whiskers and Whispers
 

I'm back from sunny Sicily....

...in rainy London. I suppose it's nice to have a break from +100 degree heat but I do miss the nice weather. I had a wonderful time. One of my favourite holidays for a long time, it's been memorable and eventful in many ways. Oh, and the food has been stunning. I should have put on weight with all the pizza and pasta and ice cream I wolfed down but all the walking I did (climbing Etna!) must have burnt it all off. Here's a little summary of how it went:   Highs and Lows:   -as I said, the food! I am very pizza and pasta-ed out now but the pizzas here, and my mum's tomato sauce, are nothing compared to the pizza and pasta I had in Sicily. Don't get me started on the ice creams. -Cefalu, the town I stayed in, is possibly the most charming little Mediterranean town I've stayed in so far. Lots of lovely little alleys and wonderful restaurants, and it seems pretty untouched by the full tourist thing (ie, no McD's or Starbucks yet), and with a great beach. -the mozzies treated me like a pizza and I ended up looking like one thanks to their feasting. I've never had bites so big and itchy! -the heat was unreal. I mean, 47C? (not sure what it is in fahrenheit but I know it's over 100) Even on the beach? It was truly Saharan out there. There were wildfires aplenty, followed by blackouts and even water shortages. (As my 'doomsday dad' would say, that's a taster of what's to come for the UK in 20 years time!) I also got a sunburnt arse, which is pretty hurty. -climbing Etna was amazing! It was sweltering at the coast and yet there was snow at the top of the volcano, right alongside hot steaming vents. It looked like another planet. And it was so gusty and dusty. But so worth it. -there was one tour guide we had who was a total bitch and treated the English speakers like shit whilst she was all favouritist with the people who spoke German (and when we asked for translation into English she said 'I already told you this already' really rudely), and her English was crap anyway. At one point the tour guide's 'friends' ganged up against us English speakers and it got really aggressive. I've never had a guide so bad before. -there are some fascinating historical sites all over the place-from ancient Greek temples and theatres, and wonderful Roman and Byzantine mosaics...my favourite though had to be the Palermo mummy catacombs. That place has an amazing collection of dried out dead guys that outrivals the British Museum, I think...   So overall this was a wonderful holiday (despite the mozzies, the fires and that guide) and I really do miss being there-I definitely want to return though.   Now I'm back from hols, I can't wait for the UPDATE!!!
yeahbutnobut

yeahbutnobut

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Last Minute Panic order

I caved today and ordered bottles of Chokmah and Nahemoth, unsniffed and completely swayed by reviews and recommendations of other forumites. Especially filigree_shadow, darn her encouragement! With the collective references to Snake Charmer, Hellion, Snake Oil, Smut and Bordello, I had to give these a whirl.   My only worry is that the update on Friday will be glorious with lots of LEs I will want to purchase. We'll see!
dawndie

dawndie

0
alicia_stardust's blog
 

What It's Like to Be Me

There are some days that my Pisces-stream-of-consciousness is so vibrant and thick that I don't think even the best writer in the world could convey all of it, nor could it be written in a way that links all the colors and emotions that are tied to each thought. So instead I end up quiet while my inner self ends up with so many things that I want to say but can't; thoughts of things I want, things I need, outlandish daydreams, past memories, future hopes; emotions like excitement, dread, gloom, timid, vampy, creative, silly... all crashing into each other.   Sometimes those thoughts and things percolate enough that they form into something more coherent, and when they do they bubble up to the surface and I sit down to write an entry. Other times, it's as if there is no such language in existence to express it all.   That's why sometimes I end up with nothing much to say in my blog entry than this.
alicia_stardust

alicia_stardust

0
Korshka's BPAL Ramblings
 

Very Sad News

My Grandmother is dieing. Her health has been up and down for awhile now, but she was getting better. She was even released from the hospital in time for Sister's wedding. But when she went back into the hospital this second time, it has been one problem after another.   I some how knew all day that I need to talk to my parents. I actually called and left a message on the home answering machine about 5 mins before my dad called with the news. They don't expect her to make it through the night.   I love my Grandmother. We didn't get along very well when I was younger. She wasn't the "milk and cookies" type grandmother that my Dad's Mother was. She may have missed the boat with my sister and I, but by the time my little cousins came around, she had learned how to be more of a grandmother. Over the past 10 years or so, we had actually grown closer. She had become a wonderful grandmother.   I will be going out of town for a couple of days...Take care everyone...
korshka

korshka

0
Odd Thoughts from an Odd Duck
 

Tea-Time Adventures

I made myself a cup of the blackberry tea yesterday. Mmmm. I even boiled water on the stove instead of sticking cup, water, and teabag all in the nuker together.   I tasted it plain at first. Potential. After adding a touch of honey -- just right.
odd_duck71

odd_duck71

0
Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

World of Warcraft

Just in case any forumites are also WoW players and fancy having a lil' virtual chat some time!   Realm: Aggramar (EU) Character: Jenesis, Warlock, level 80 (Gnome), Jenyria, Death Knight, level 60 (Gnome), Namaron, Druid, level 60 (Night Elf)   My guild is Magisters, I enjoy raiding and solo questing/levelling, but I hate PVP - both battlegrounds and world combat. I'm just not cut out for it!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

Happy... for the first time for months

I feel oddly happy and peaceful today. I shouldn't be; I'm at home for the summer, bored, unemployed, nothing to do, and the boyfriend has gone away for the week to NY. I think that's one of the reasons I'm happy: He's even worse at being idle than I am, he was getting really edgy and angry from being at home all the time with nothing to do. I'm so glad he's going away for the week with his family, he'll have a great time and come back refreshed and happy. (...Also he's staying at mine next week. My parents will be away. )   I also think it's my pills. I started taking the birth control pill Cerazette 3.5 months ago, and I have been miserable and hormonal for those three months. I kept taking them because the other side effects (such as no periods and better skin) are so good, and now I'm very glad that I seem to be adapting to the hormones too. I'm still not quite as bouncy (or as, erm, horny ) as I used to be, but oh well. Like I said, the benefits far outweigh the minor downsides.
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

What Amounts to 2 CnS in 2 Days!

You know that bottle of Geek that was up on eBay UK? I won it! I can't wait for it to get here. It's all paid for and is being sent First Class, but there was no indication of when it would actually be posted. I've bought a bottle off the seller before (waaaaaaay back in 2006) and that was fine.   I also got my CnS for my last (and for once, only pending) Lab order! March Hare and Saw-Scaled Viper, both second bottles - March Hare because I just love it so much, and SSV because it fades fast so needs lots of reapplications. I didn't order Pruno in the end, I couldn't justify the cost of three bottles + shipping
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
readiness' Blog
 

Freak out

My first entry here and it's going to be a freak out :rollseyes: I thought I could pretend to be normal for a bit   This current freak out is brought about by several things:   1) Effexor withdrawal. I know this saga has now reached epic proportions but I've only just (as in the last day) stop taking ANY Effexor. This has sent my anxiety through the roof. Yah for panic attacks (or not - well thank god for brad paisley and klonopin). I think this is contributing to my freak out   2) I just really realized I have a month and a week before I LEAVE. I've kinda been avoiding mom's house cause I'll miss the kids so much. It seems stupid withdraw BEFORE I leave (I should be spending all this extra time right?) but now I'm freaking that I won't see everyone I want to/need to see before I leave. I'm always home during summer so this didn't feel too weird. but now I'm like FREAK   3) What if I Go Crazy Completely? while in nyc? I have done the really nutso thing before and it's not fun. (I had an eating disorder throughout high school and part of college which required hospitalization. I've been in remission for three years.) I'm totally freaking about not having a job yet (I know I have a month and I've been submitting for 2-3 weeks). What if I can't get hired at all and am generally totally fucked? Huge knot about that.   Anytime now I really think about anything I flip out completely. No medium. This has happened for the last two days and needs to fucking stop.   And I want Amy SO BAD right now. She would calm me down and we are back to think about amy then cry or at least tear up. I was <i>so</i> over that stage. It means you can't wear any eye makeup.    
readiness

readiness

0
Korshka's BPAL Ramblings
 

Wedding Ramblings

Mr Man and I had a small argument Thursday about wedding planning. Basically, he is only interested in wedding plans b/c he feels that his mother and I have told him he has to be, and he feels like I am pushing to plan too much too soon. Everyone keeps telling him that we are on the ball and ahead of things. In my opinion we are and we aren't. I think a lot of people don't realize how early you have to thing to make sure you get your first choice. Yes, you can wait longer to book things, but it just means that you may not get *exactly* what you want. This is especially true when you are trying to do all this on a budget. Deals go quick.   On the plus side, I think we've decided on the photographer - <a href="http://marciasimmons.com/intro.html">Marcia Simmons</a>. She is giving us a fairly good price for 4 hours of photography. I would rather <a href="http://bludomain10.com/daynaschroeder/">Dayna</a>, but the price she is giving us for only 3.5 hrs is $300 more. And while practically all of her pictures are at the quality shown on her website, Marcia can still hit about 85%, which for $300 I'm willing to do. I can use that money somewhere else.   I feel there are many things about the wedding that are beyond over priced; however, I gotta say, I didn't think i would be looking at spending $150-$250 on chairs for the ceremony. Just plain ol' chairs. *thud* When you look at it being only 2.00-3.00 a chair, you don't think much about it until you multiply it by 75. *sigh* So much money...I'm starting to see how people spend $10,000-15,000 on a wedding, and that is sad.
korshka

korshka

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

A Bpal Fanfic (kinda)

I'm a bit of a writer and here is a new story I've been working on the last couple of days. It's based on a very vivid dream I had last week, and it does involve Bpal, so it's kinda like a fan fic, but not really since the story and world are mine (pretty much). I thought some of you might be interested in reading it. If you are, let me know and I'll post more once I have it written:   Ashley Frogert was a fairly normal young woman. She was a blonde, blue-eyed college graduate who worked at a good, but boring job as an admin. assistant at a big auto manufactor. Her life was a steady routine of work, home time, weekends with friends and then more work.   It was a beautiful day, as Ashley sat at a little outdoor cafe, soaking up sunshine and drinking sweet tea. She looked around, watching the bustle of people who were shopping in the small downtown area.   Her eyes were drawn to an oddity in the crowd. A man with black hair and piercing grey eyes started to move in the direction of the cafe. He looked so out of place because he wore a long black trenchcoat despite the heat out.   Ashley continued to watch him, as she sipped her tea and was quite startled when he stopped and sat at her table.   "Can I help you?" she asked, as a frown came to her lips.   He wasn't looking at her when he sat, but when she spoke his eyes turned on her. A shiver went up her spine when their eyes met.   "I'd just like to sit here for a moment, if you don't mind," he said softly.   She just gave a nod, finding his gaze made it hard for her to breath, let alone speak.   He looked away, surveying the crowded. After a moment, he nearly jumped to his feet, saying "Thank you for the use of your table, ma'am."   Without giving her a chance to reply, he darted away, melting into the crowd. Left alone, Ashley was surprised to realize her heart was racing.   "Who was he," she mumured to herself. She took a few moments to collect herself before she finished her tea, paid her bill and made her way back to work.   She sild into her chair, back at the office, and resumed the project she had been working on before lunch. After a few moment, she noticed her boss, Anne, walk up with a scowl on her face.   "Why did you take such a long lunch?" Anne asked, her voice sounding very angry.   Ashley looked perplexed. "It was the same length as always. An hour on the dot."   "It was longer than that. You need to pay more attention or your job could be in jeopardy!" Anne nearly shouted, then stormed off.   Ashley just blinked with a rather shocked look on her face. Anne never raised her voice to anyone and was usually very cheerful. And lunch breaks were never something that was exact, even on Ashley's first day she was told that she could take as long a lunch as she wanted, just to make it about an hour.   She just tried to shake it off and concentrate on her work. But as the afternoon went on, she became increasely more uncomfortable as all her co-workers seemed to be angry, like Anne was. And oddly enough they all seemed to be watching her every move.   At five, she slipped out of work and was more than a little freaked out to see a pair of large men following her. She hurried her pace, darting into a side street trying to lose them.   She stumbled a bit when she saw that she hadn't lost them, but they were gaining on her. She sped up to a full run, moving out of the alley and into the busy downtown street.   Ashley was running as fast as she could, but the men were now also running and still gaining on her. She was paying more attention to her pursuers than what was in front of her.   She was only a few blocks from the police station when she crashed into someone and tumbled to the ground.   "I'm so sorry," she said, scrambling to her feet, then she got a look at who she ran into. Her eyes widened as she saw it was the man from lunch.   He grabbed her by the arm and began to run. They ducked in and out of alleyways and busy streets until Ashley felt completely lost. After a while, they managed to lose the men who were after her.   "What is going on?" Ashley demanded, after she had caught her breath.   "I'm sorry, it isn't safe to talk here. There is a safehouse nearby," he replied, "I know you have no reason to trust me and I'm really sorry you've become involved."   "Involved in what?!" Ashley exlaimed, "And yes, I don't trust you! I'm not going anywhere with you!"   She turned to walk away but he grabbed her arm and pushed a few small vials into her hand. "I understand, but you won't be safe. If you throw one of those at them, it will slow them down," he said, then told her the address of the safehouse.   She pulled her arm from him and watched as he strode away. Once he was out of sight, she looked down at the vials he had given her. Each had a little paper lable with different names. The names were Vice, Bliss, Dorien and Grog. They also all had the name "Black Phoenix Alchemy Laboratory" on the back of the label.   She put them in her pocket, glanced around and started towards the direction they had come from. She was all turned around, but her plan was to find the police station.   It took her a while but she finally found a street she was familar with. She hurried in the direction of the police, feeling relived when the station was in sight.   As she walked into the station, she felt a shiver go up her back. She turned and saw the two men who were after her earlier.   All the police had angry looks on their faces. Chief Adams walked out of his office. "You gave my boys quite the chase, Miss Froegert. Now if you'll follow me we have much to discuss," he said, giving her a smile that made him look very sadistic.   "What do we need to talk about?" she replied, as she moved one hand very slowly into the pocket with the vials in it "I've never broken the law."   Adam's smile widened "You have something we want and we will have it."   Ashley pulled out the first vial she could put her fingers around. She threw it at the Police Chief's head who laughed until the vial fell to the floor, breaking.   Everyone in the room except Ashley began to act like they couldn't breath. Ashley felt confused since all she smelled was the lovely scent of freshly baked brownies. She didn't linger and ran out of the station feeling utterly bewildered and scared.   Since she had very few options, she turned the direction of the safehouse. The walk was a long one, nearly ten blocks, and a nervous one as well. She kept looking behind her and tried to keep her head down at the same time.   When she reached the address that she was given, she found herself in front of a small store she had never seen before.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Birdsongs
 

Packing randomness

I've packed up some DVDs and a whole passel of imps - that means I can go back online for a little while now, right? (This is why my packing progress has been so slow ... but on the plus side, I remembered to read all the Heroes online graphic novels the other day before the speedy computer & superspeedy fiber internet goes away ...)   I found my long-lost Townes van Zandt cd in Jason's bathroom under some incense! Yay! Moving isn't entirely evil maybe.   I have discovered that Vanilla Coke Zero is a much better packing motivator than beer. Why I needed to discover this through experience instead of just realizing it through thinking, I don't know.   If Chrissy managed to get all her stuff except the flower pots on the patio out in one day while everyone else was at work, then I should be able to get a decent amount of stuff packed up for the movers to transport for me by Saturday morning, right? Seems logical ...   The other night I couldn't go to sleep, so I went downstairs to try to pack & instead ended up looking at old photos. (See above re: slow progress ...) In my head all my college friends all still look the same - there's some weird mental overlay between my eyes and my perception. I showed some pictures to Jason & he didn't believe me that they were the same people he'd met at first. And that wasn't even the album from my freshman year, it was all the way up in 1999.   So, a bunch of stuff-related realizations (why do I have so much junk? What is the best way to pack action figures without smushing them & their accessories? Why have I twice moved two boxes full of magazines that I'll never read again? Whywhywhy?) and dust and torment and cleaning and by July 1st, I'll be free! Just me and the dog - no more roommate stress!!! Freeeeeeeee .....
spanishviolet

spanishviolet

0
grimms_creed's Blog
 

Long overdue reviews

Wanderlust   BAYOU (A lazy, warm deep green scent with a thick aquatic undertone: Spanish moss, evergreen and cypress with watery blue-green notes and an eddy of hothouse flowers and swamp blooms.) Wet: strong! almost putrid coming out of the imp. Dry: blue green. doesn't go soapy on me as I had feared. It's nice enough, but not really grabbing me. 3ish   DUBLIN (The scent of misty forests, damp alder leaf, and the gentlest touch of white rose.) first impression: green and a bit spicy. more evergreen than deciduous. maybe good for my FALO character, in certain seasons? Dry: no major change. I'll need to compare this to the other woodsy scents, like Yew Trees, to really decide if it is worth keeping. It's nice, but so similar to the others that I'm not sure I need more than one of them.   HANGING GARDENS (date palm, ebony, fir, pomegranate, plum, two pears, quince, fig, and grapevine with plumeria, three gardenias and dry rose) a garden full of the ripest fruit and the headiest florals. There are too many different things for me to pick out anything individual, but if Fae is the scent for a clear summer day, this is a scent for a romantic spring/summer night. Not as shifting as some people on the forum found it -- it seems to settle on something fruity and ripe, but supported by the florals. Fades in a few hours, but what doesn't? 3.5?   MACHU PICCHU (Sweet tropical fruits burst through deep, wet rainforest boughs, enormous steamy blossoms, over thin mountaintop breezes, mingled with the soft, rich golden scent of Peruvian a) first impression: green and wet. definately tropical. the hottest nights of the year, in a hamock. a fruity drink. Dry: it is getting a tad soapy. I so hope this is a phase. Please let it be a phase..... Later: might have been a phase, but it disappeared too quickly to be sure. Must try again, possibly during my period, as I will sad if this doesn't work on me.   SHANGHAI (The crisp, clean scent of green tea touched with lemon verbena and honeysuckle.) wet: mm, very fresh and clean. crisp. not in your face lemon like Lolita is. 15 minutes -- clean. fresh. not really crisp. a bit warm, perhaps. dry: subltle. faintly lemony. nice, but nothing special. 3-ish   Bewitching Brews   BLACK PEARL (Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.) wet: subtle. I can smell the coconut, but there is another tone in the background that I'm not sure I like. The iris, maybe? WHatever it is, it's like an entirely separate scent, totally distinct from the rest. Very odd. Later: mellows into something cool, smooth, and creamy, and a bit sweet. Not edible like my foody scents, but nearly so. 4 second try -- went stale. hmmmm.   DANA O'SHEE (Offerings of milk, honey and sweet grains were made to placate these creatures, and it is that the basis of the scent created in their name.) wet: edible. sweetened oatmeal, perhaps? reminds me of a facial scrub I used in high school, that I always wanted to eat because it smelled so good. maybe a bit almondy? Please don't change! Dry: oh, joyful scent gods, it doesn't change! It just mellows a bit and then slowly fades away.... but that just means I need to reapply frequently. I can do that :-) 5   FAE (A brilliant, ethereal scent: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss.) peaches! a happy, sweet, summery fragrance, but mostly peaches. Fades into something deeper and richer, becoming an ensemble cast rather than a vehicle for peach. But it's still happy, sweet, summery,and sparkling 4.5   THE HESPERIDES (Their perfume is that of sturdy oak bark, dew-kissed leaves, twilight mist and crisp apple.) wet: apples and something bitter. as it dries, the bitterness goes away and I am left with a crisp, tart, juicy apple. 4   [bArs Draconis][/b]   DRAGON's HEART (A scent pulsing with vitality, warmth and insurmountable strength: dragon's blood resin, red and black musks, a throb of fig and a sliver of black currant.) warm. I really don't know how else to describe it. I mean, the lab description pretty much says it all. It smells like the best version of dragon's blood ever. As it blends with my skin, it quickly mellows into something that quite literally warms my heart chakra. Some powderyness, but in a good way. Dragon's blood is ussually a bit intense for me, and this mellows it out a bit without taking away from the vitality and strength. Drat. After 2 hours, all that is left is baby powder. I guess this is a 2 then (would have been a 4 otherwise!)   Mad Tea Party   EAT ME (Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants. ) -- wet: tasty, delicious cake. I could eat my wrist. currants come out as it dries, which tempers the sweetness. 4.5   MOCK TURTLE'S LESSONS (blurry aquatic notes, with a confusing, contrary splort of iris, ambrette, green apple, vodka, white mint and a squish of lime.) the precise odor of soap. possibly dawn. 1   Diabolus   HELLCAT (A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond.) I didn't like it wet, but it dried into something very interesting. I'll have to try it again. 3?   Love Potions   La PETIT MORT (Seduction, sensuality, the Act, and the aftermath all in one. The scent of warm, damp skin flushed with the glow of passion, touched by the luxuriant potency of ylang ylang and myrrh) wet: I can pick out ylang ylang, and maybe sandalwood? dry: baby powder. dang. 2   LOLITA (Bright, sweet and youthful, but swelling with a poisonous sexuality. Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena.) wet: lemon! I really get the lemon verbena right away, though it's backed by some other stuff. 15 minutes -- oh, here's the honeysuckle. VERY sweet. dry: attack of the intense killer sweetened florals. This would be tasty as a tea, but it's way too intense to wear. 2
grimms_creed

grimms_creed

0
giant squid!
 

people are rude.

Ugh. I have to vent... sometimes people can really be quite rude...   Today my improvisation class played in the jury of one of the students who is graduating. It did not go well, but that really isn't my problem or anything, for some reason the person whose jury it was decided to take much of a soloistic role and the whole form of the improv fell apart- I couldn't even hear what he was doing at time b/c everyone was playing over him! Anyhow...we had to wait beforehand in the hallway, and everyone was just hanging out and talking. Somehow it comes up that the person whose jury it was has a gig playing in some venue and wants to turn it into a free improv concert. So of course he asks people in our class whom he's played with all year to play with him. Everyone except me, that is. Now, if you're going to invite people to play with you, and you are going to exclude someone, wouldn't it be nice to call these individual people and ask them rather than hurt the feelings of the person you don't want to ask??? I would think so! I just wanted to cry and run away. Seriously. I have never felt that snubbed since high school, or mayb middle school, I am not sure. BUT I have never been musically snubbed like that. The thing is, it wouldn't hurt so bad if I didn't think he was such a great bass player (today's jury aside) and liked working with him. We've played in other things together and blend together really well...I just can't believe it... Maybe he thinks I don't understand French well enough to know what's going on...maybe he thinks I wouldn't understand what he wanted to ask me? I doubt it, since I have been in class for a year now and the class is in French. I dunno. I would think it's because he thinks I suck as a player, but I know that isn't true since I've done a lot of professional improv gigs in friggin' Los Angeles for crying out loud. I know I wouldn't get asked to do those if I actually sucked. (not to be egotistical, just, well, rational about the whole thing). I am just so hurt. This is just one of many times that I have not gotten asked to do things here. There is a soundpainting orchestra (free improv with use of hand signals...it's fun...) here at school and I have a lot of experience with that. I made that known to people involved. Do they ask me to be in the group...nope. I just want to run away. I want to go back to LA where all of my friends are. Where good musicians are that are actually good people, too. I am so sick of this crap.   Ugh. Well at least I got that off my chest. I know I'm going to stick it out here, but man, it seems to get tougher every day. I feel now that I can only be nice for so long before I will eventually lose it and start yelling at someone. I really hope that doesn't happen!
euterpe414

euterpe414

0
Thoughts from Yuggoth
 

Alton Towers!

My boy is off to New York next week. Lucky him. Yes I am jealous! We've been talking about going to Alton Towers (a Six Flags type theme park) for a while, and we decided to go this week so we can go before the schools break up and it's full of kids.   We're going tomorrow! And not only that, but I get to stay at his place tonight (he's closer than I am to it) and go with him tomorrow. Yay! So I get to act like I'm 12 again. I love rollercoasters, and I used to go to the various theme parks all the time with my Dad when I was younger, but I haven't been for years. I'm so glad I'll get the chance again - and I'm so glad that I have a man who understands wanting to feel 12 again!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
Diplomatka
 

Right Down the Road

From the NYT--I knew that the Ethiopian Government was restrictive and authoritarian, but sanctioned rape and torture?     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   June 18, 2007 In Ethiopian Desert, Fear and Cries of Army Brutality By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN IN THE OGADEN DESERT, Ethiopia — The rebels march 300 strong across the crunchy earth, young men with dreadlocks and AK-47s slung over their shoulders.   This is the Ogaden, a spindle-legged corner of Ethiopia that the urbane officials in Addis Ababa, the capital, would rather outsiders never see. It is the epicenter of a separatist war pitting impoverished nomads against one of the biggest armies in Africa.   What goes on here seems to be starkly different from the carefully constructed up-and-coming image that Ethiopia — a country that the United States increasingly relies on to fight militant Islam in the Horn of Africa — tries to project.   In village after village, people said they had been brutalized by government troops. They described a widespread and longstanding reign of terror, with Ethiopian soldiers gang-raping women, burning down huts and killing civilians at will.   It is the same military that the American government helps train and equip — and provides with prized intelligence. The two nations have been allies for years, but recently they have grown especially close, teaming up last winter to oust an Islamic movement that controlled much of Somalia and rid the region of a potential terrorist threat.   The Bush administration, particularly the military, considers Ethiopia its best bet in the volatile Horn — which, with Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, is fast becoming intensely violent, virulently anti-American and an incubator for terrorism.   But an emerging concern for American officials is the way that the Ethiopian military operates inside its own borders, especially in war zones like the Ogaden.   Anab, a 40-year-old camel herder who was too frightened, like many others, to give her last name, said soldiers took her to a police station, put her in a cell and twisted her nipples with pliers. She said government security forces routinely rounded up young women under the pretext that they were rebel supporters so they could bring them to jail and rape them.   “Me, I am old,” she said, “but they raped me, too.”   According to Georgette Gagnon, deputy director for the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Ethiopia is one of the most repressive countries in Africa.   “What the Ethiopian security forces are doing,” she said, “may amount to crimes against humanity.”   Human Rights Watch issued a report in 2005 that documented a rampage by government troops against members of the Anuak, a minority tribe in western Ethiopia, in which soldiers ransacked homes, beat villagers to death with iron bars and in one case, according to a witness, tied up a prisoner and ran over him with a military truck.   After the report came out, the researcher who wrote it was banned by the Ethiopian government from returning to the country. Similarly, three New York Times journalists who visited the Ogaden to cover this story were imprisoned for five days and had all their equipment confiscated before being released without charges.   The violence has been particularly acute against women, villagers said, and many have recently fled.   Asma, 19, who now lives in neighboring Somaliland, said she was stuck in an underground cell for more than six months last year, raped and tortured. “They beat me on the feet and breasts,” she said. She was freed only after her father paid the soldiers ransom, she said, though she did not know how much.
Confection

Confection

0
Starfish & Coffee
 

I got called a "nigger" today.

By someone I've never had any exchange with whatsoever:   http://johnblack13.livejournal.com/2007/06/15/   This was said to piss off my boyfriend, possibly to provoke a physical fight. I think it was the dating equivalent of a "yo mama" jab.   I'm still trying ot figure out how I feel about it.
byrdie

byrdie

2
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

A Lovely Birth Chart Analysis from Jarvenpa

Since Jarvenpa was gracious enough to offer this incredible reading, I thought I would post it here with my own commentary for her personal edification as well as in the interest of those astrology students who are keeping score at home.For those of you who would like to have a chart to look at, here's my birth information:Name: Kevin James KageBorn: October 22, 1977, 1:06 a.m.Birth Location: Hinsdale, Illinois I've always felt like I wear my moon on my sleeve, so to speak.Even with a cursory training in astrology, much of this is Greek to me. I'm so glad we have jarvenpa to help us make heads or tails of this mess!This entire reading is something of a test for me. My Leo ascendant loves the attention, particularly since jarvenpa is always so very kind in her assessments. On the other hand, Leo does not like to be reminded publicly of his faults. What's more, a public reading like this plays havoc with my Scorpio-in-for-Fourth-House need for an privacy and an inner sanctum of sorts. I'll discuss more about that when it comes up in the reading.I don't like to admit that I crave attention (Leo doesn't like to be seen as needy), but if I'm to be honest with myself, then yes, of course I do. And, of course, I feel somewhat guilty about it, because I wonder if I'm really worthy of the attention I do receive. It's a constant war.It's interesting, because I've warred with this a lot. I've always attributed it to my Libran need to be fair-minded. How can I always be right? How can I be at the center of the universe when the universe is filled with so many incredible people with their own ideas and opinions. Instinctively, I trust my judgment first and foremost, but, particularly as I grow older, I find myself contended with the idea that I am not THE center of the universe, but from a certain angle, I am A center of the universe. I have to say that my childhood was never particularly serious in terms of hardship, but I was a particularly adult child. My parents pushed me hard to be the best of everything, and when I placed in the 99th percentile and won awards, it only encouraged them to push me harder. I was a very intellectual child, and by the age of seven or eight I was spending my time discussing important philosophers and winning games of chess against men who were old enough to be my grandfather. I liked hanging out with older people as much as I liked hanging out with kids my own age. They offered so much insight and wisdom. And conversely, the older I get, the more I enjoy spending time with children. As we grow older, I think many of us lose our appreciation for the beauty of the ordinary. Children have that appreciation in droves. For children, the ripple of the wind playing in the grass is magical, and so it is for me as well. I wish I could share that feeling with everyone in the world.I am the lord and master of the worst-case scenario. I'm not sure I ever felt distant to my parents, however. At a very young age, both my parents worked and I was raised by my grandmother. I suppose that could be the distance, but it feels like a stretch to me. I came from a very loving household, and while my father in particular could be overzealous about my talents and at times hypercritical of my performance, I don't know that there was real distance between us. He was a fiery Aries with two Libra children. I think our inherent Libraness drove him batty.Yes, yes, yes. There is such a profound difference between order and organization. I am not an insanely organized person (although I make valiant efforts to be, there is only so much time in the day, and one must pick and choose one's battles, and in the end, the forces of entropy are going to win anyway, and ohh.... that's a lovely rock...). But order, patterns, neatness... yes, these things are beautiful, satisfying, safe.Not that I don't appreciate a little chaos, but I don't want to live in it. And in the moonlight... and on a moonless night under the stars... and in the rain... and when it's snowing like the onset of Fimbulwinter....Singing is so much better than stuff. There is a party in my third house, and everyone is invited. I love big eyed kittens. I draw the line at babies dressed as bumblebees.I find this interesting, because right now, the relationship between my brother and I is very strained, and in part it's because I can't get away from him. I don't have a quiet place to retreat. I love my brother dearly, and ever since we were children I have always been his translator. But I would never call our relationship graceful. I can say we've ever been good siblings to one another, although I think by turns, one of the other of us has tried.I'm not going to comment too much on the arts/literature/poetry parts of this reading. They seem to be fairly all pervasive, and everyone knows I'm a creative person anyway. This is one of the things that really struck my best friend when I showed her the reading. She was quick to stress that my words often carry more weight (for good or ill) than I intend. This is something that I've grown more conscious of as I've grown older, and particularly with mercury in Scorpio, I have to be extra careful to rein in my sharp comments.*sigh* As I mentioned before, my parents put a lot of emphasis on my "brilliance," and so it was natural that I did as well. I don't think it's as true anymore, but for a long time I really did feel that my self-worth was measured in IQ points.And any time I'm trying to come to terms with something difficult or profound in my life, I write something.This is, by far, the best description of what being a Libra is like, ever. so true... so true...My brother has mercury in Scorpio also. When we squabble, one can hear the rapiers ringing. So very true. Twice in the past year I've had good friends from online come to visit me. The first time, one of these friends brought her boyfriend with only the shortest possible notice. That was worthy of a panic attack, but ultimately, I came to accept that he was coming, and everything went well. In the spring, this happened again (almost) when another one of my friends was planning a visit and casually mentioned that she'd invited two of her other friends to come hang out with us. That time, it was just too much for me, and I politely but firmly told her I wasn't comfortable with that.Like jarvenpa, I have a very permeable outer life, but I have to have my sanctuary, and no one enters my sanctuary without my permission.I grew up surrounded by computers, which is not a strange thing anymore, but it was pretty new and different when I was born in the late 70s. My father was quite bright and he did a lot of programming and made a lot of special modifications to his hardware. He would receive letters from people from all over the world asking him computer questions. He was a brilliant problem solver, and he really liked nothing better than finding a solution to a seemingly insurmountable task. I did almost die as a baby, and the doctors didn't believe that I'd live past two years of age.I can't say much about this in my life currently, but it's definitely interesting.Hard on my heart indeed....I've been told repeatedly that much of my success would come later in life. I think you're echoing that here.Me? Fall in love with my friends? Never!(.... you aren't buying it, are you?)I suppose it's happened once or twice. This could, in part, explain why I enjoy physical labor so much. Whether it's gardening, or molding things with my hands, or just physical exertion of any kind.I don't think I've ever been terribly attracted to earth signs. At least, not sun signs. It's true, I dated a Virgo for quite some time, but her perfectionism tended to be a source of stress for me. She was a wonderful lady and a gifted artist, but rather than being a grounding force in my life, I think she tended to be a barrier instead. (Perhaps I'm reaching with the metaphors here).I tend to be attracted to Geminis and Leos, sometimes Pisces or Cancer. Food for thought.Strangers do indeed seemingly seek me out and unload their problems on me. It's gotten the point where I often just put the offer on the board because invariably there comes that awkward moment of, "I can't believe I'm telling you all this," and sometimes it's easier for them if they've already been invited inside (more sanctuary metaphors).In retrospect, I think it must be this tendency in conjunction with fourth house Scorpio that makes me crave privacy so adamantly. I'm more than willing to be friend, confidant, therapist...etc, but I have to have the ability to say, "okay, you are a lovely person, but we'll have to make an appointment for tomorrow, because the doctor is out." That really sounds lovely. I have dreams like that. Of course, I also have dreams of being an intergalactic rockstar, so make of that what you will.Joint ventures.... that's a little troubling....What's interesting here is I've been feeling this a lot lately. There are many pursuits that I enjoy, but I'm feeling unsatisfied in all of them. I have this sense that I should or must be a writer, but at the end of the day, I don't feel particularly fulfilled by what I'm writing. The same can be said of graphic design, web design, even music in a way, although I must say I've felt more drawn to music of late than to any of my other creative passions.Lately, I feel drained by everything. I have no idea what my true calling is, or whether I even have one.I'm not sure if misgivings is accurate here. I don't think I've ever really felt that way. However, my physical disability is definitely a limiting factor, on multiple levels.Allow me to recoil in horror at the thought of being perceived as "slow." I can't really say much about this, but now I wonder if it's true.Forever young and forever in movement and delight. I definitely appreciate those qualities.This part may take some time to fathom.This is one of those incisive bits of this chart that really leave me feeling flayed open. I really can't say much more without crossing my own boundary lines.No pressure now.You have such amazing perception. When you say something like that, I suddenly wonder if you've been watching me all this time.In a good way, I hope.Yes, yes, yes.Resolution? Really? That sounds so wonderful. This has really summed up most of what I've been facing lately. The feeling of totally being out of control, the need on the fundamental level to know who I am and what I should be doing with my life. Particularly since the beginning of this year, self-image issues that I thought I had long since overcome have resurfaced with a vengeance. Feelings of unworthiness, or of being worthy yet receiving no recognition. It's a mess, really. Thank you, so much. Yes, you've hit the nail on the head. I don't really feel comfortable sharing how closely you hit the mark, but you most certainly did.Thank you for so many wonderful insights. You are truly a kind and generous person.
Bard

Bard

0
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