Blogs

Computers and World of Warcraft

Meh. Simple harmonic motion is SO BORING. And the word "simple" is a very inaccurate description. So I've come on here to rant about World of Warcraft and computers instead World of Warcraft I play World of Warcraft. I play it a lot, but it's not the only thing in my life. And no, I don't mind paying for the subscription because it's so good. I play in the Aggramar realm. I'm a gnome Warlock called Jenesis, currently level 37 (trying to level fast though), specialising in Demonology (I want a Felguard!). I was looking around the WoW-Europe site earlier and I found the High-Level Armour Sets - these have given me a new incentive to get to Level 70 and go do some instances! I particularly like the Felheart armour set, a Tier 1 Raid set that can be obtained from mobs in Molten Core. So when I get to Searing Gorge, off to Molten Core I go If any other BPALers are WoW (EU) players, whisper me and say hello! ETA: Molten Core is in Searing Gorge, not Outland. Oops Computers I can't wait to get home on the 26th. Why? Because I will be building my new computer after that I'm aiming to have all the components arrive at my house the following Monday so I can build it/test it/tweak it/swear at it when it doesn't work all that week. Not that any of you are at all interested in this, but check out the specs: Case - This is a sexy case Processor: AMD 64 X2 5200+ Dual-Core 2.6GHz Motherboard: MSI K9N nForce 590 SLI-Ready 8-Channel Audio with Creative Audigy soundcard OS: Vista Ultimate The other specs like hard drive (500GB SATA), memory (2GB at least) and things are all a bit more changeable and so not concrete yet. Total cost: About £900, or $1750. Not bad for a from-scratch dual-core system. A bit annoyed about the graphics card though; I can't afford a new 8800 yet (check out this sexy beast *dribble* ) so I'm using the boyfriend's old 6600 card until I can! He got an 8800 for his machine and gave the old card to me. So I'm gonna have this lightning fast rig bottlenecked by an almost outdated graphics card ETA: Must... resist... getting... credit... card... out... I WANT an 8800!

May 16, 2007

BPAL Postage Price Rise 1

Today's Scent So today I got my bottle of Shub that I swapped with naughteblonde for my backup Gennivre bottle. On first sniff I thought "Oh no!" but on application it mellowed. It takes a while to mellow on me so I had to be patient, but it was worth it in the end: Lovely spicy ginger! This is going to be my "spicy" scent. I don't have any yet, Chimera is just barely spicy enough, and all my other blends are creamy-foody or light. So all in all good. And by the way: DON'T LAYER SHUB WITH CHIMERA. I tried it out of curiosity, and oh boy did I regret it. I was scrubbing my wrists for ten minutes after that gaffe Smelt like baby sick ETA: It does work well with Xanthe though! The uplifting fruitiness of the Clown is darkened and sweetened by the herbal ginger of Shub. Worth a try if you have both USPS Price Hike And so we move onto the main story of the day: The huge increase in International shipping prices by USPS. I started a thread about it myself here, but it's more expertly covered in this thread here. To US customers of BPAL that's not much, but for us UK citizens (and indeed Canada, Australia and the whole of Western Europe) it's crippling. [ETA: The threads have been split, the main one discussing the prices as directly related to BPAL and possible solutions is here. The other thread mentioned above is mainly discussing the hike in general.] The cost of shipping an order from the Lab to me is now $22.00, up from $9. That's over double the price. I don't know about you but this is seriously going to limit my orders. Good for my bank balance maybe, but not so good for the Lab, and definitely not good for new customers and newly enabled peeps. I really hope we can get a UK group order circle going. I don't order LEs much anyway (and certainly no Lunacies), but I definitely won't now. I can't justify spending $20-25 on a bottle and $20 for shipping of something that might not work on me. So my plan is to plan my orders way in advance - say 3 months before I order - and make it at least two or three (GC or long-term LE) bottles and some Imps or other things of equivalent value. That's the only way I can justify spending $20 on shipping, where before I was happy to order one 5ml and a couple of Imps. Such a shame

May 16, 2007

BPAL Reviews

BPAL Reviews Whenever I review a scent, I'll post a link to my post in the review thread here. This is also partly for me so I can keep track of all my reviews 13 (July 2007) Aziraphale Black Pearl Bon Vivant Brown Jenkins The Candy Butcher Carnivale Creepy Crowley Death Adder Death of the Grave Digger Delousing Powder Dorian Eat Me Enraged Groundhog Musk Fire Pig Geek Gennivre Imp Kumiho Lampades Mania Monster Bait: Bloody Mary Monster Bait: Ventriloquist Dummy Obatala Odin The Red Queen Saw-Scaled Viper Shub-Niggurath Spooky Tanin'iver Tenochtitlan Two Monsters White Rabbit Xanthe

May 16, 2007

Introductions

Where to start..? Well, explaining the title for those who don't know would be a good idea! Yuggoth is the name given to the ninth planet (Pluto, to us) in the works of H.P. Lovecraft*. In some of his stories a race of monstrous alien beings from another solar system have a base in our own solar system on the ninth planet, as they call it, Yuggoth ...Not that Pluto is technically a planet anymore. While I do understand the reason for the reclassification (i.e. some asteroids are bigger than Pluto) it still tugs at my heartstrings a little. If Pluto had feelings (and indeed a personality and a brain etc.) it would be very upset. My Astronomy lecturer expressed the sentiment: "When I was young, Pluto was a planet!" Anyway, I guess introductions are in order! Hi there everyone, I'm Jenny and I've been a member of this forum since December of last year (06). I got into BPAL when I saw "BPAL" referred to on the Lush UK forums, had no idea what it was and Googled it, coming up with the Lab's pages! I was intrigued and placed a small order (Hell's Belle 5ml and a couple of Imps) before joining the forum. I began to buy on the For Sale forum to further my collection. I placed another Lab order in January and I've continued to be a BPAL addict since! Notes My first order of Hell's Belle has since dropped off my "Likes" list, as my tastes have changed somewhat. I (now) love foody scents, especially fruit. Florals and I really don't get on; they go straight to "old lady nasty cloying soap" on me, and citrus and I have declared all-out war. I cannot wear a citrus blend without either gagging or spending the whole day with a nagging feeling I should have my hands in a bowl of artificial-lemon-scent washing up water. As I do enough washing up already as a student, this is a bad thing. Layering I don't wear layered scents exclusively, but I do layer some of mine. As far as layering goes, I'll try anything once! My favourite layering is Vice with Velvet or The Candy Butcher - sweet cherries rounded by the dark cocoa. I also layer Shub and Xanthe sometimes. Thankfully, foody scents tend to layer well, and as 90% of my BPAL chest is foody stuff this works quite well for me! Favourites See my signature link or the link on the right for my current Top Ten, but suffice to say, I will crawl over hot coals for Imp, run through a lion's cage for Xanthe, and maybe suffer a small paper cut for Shub or Chimera. Well, I would, if I didn't already have bottles of them Thanks for reading this far, and keep watching for the updates of the BPAL-obsessed-physicist-gamer-violist-computer-geek! *It should also be pointed out that BPAL is soley and wholly responsible for my Lovecraft fandom. I looked up "Arkham" after seeing it on the BPAL site and the rest, as they say, is history!

Forget Everything And Remember

May 16, 2007

sigh

I swear, one of these days I'll remember I have this thing when I have GOOD news. But for now, notsomuch. A friend just found out that she can't get the money to go to Thailand to get her surgery. She's getting gender-reversal surgery, or whatever the technical name is. As she puts it, she's making her outie an innie. Except that now, due to the selfishness of certain people, she can't. And I'm terribly afraid that this may be the last straw between her and her wife, who is taking the side of the selfish people. (I'd give more details, but it's not my story to tell.) I don't want that upheaval for her. I want things to work out, desperately, because she is a very dear friend. If I had the money, I'd give it to her, no questions asked, no repayment. She NEEDS this. Another very dear friend is having family issues as well. And while they somewhat mirror some of my family issues, yet again, there's nothing I can do to help besides listen and be a shoulder. Apparently that's enough, but I feel like I could do more... but I can't figure out what. I have no idea what's going on with the house, because after the owner verbally accepted our agreement to his counteroffer last Wednesday, and told the realtor to fax the papers to him, he has been incognito. No contact with anyone that we've heard of, and both we and the realtor have been calling him. My husband finally got ahold of the owner's boss (although I think the owner is actually just another realtor or something, not sure) and the boss said he'd look into it and call us back. Nothing yet, but we found out the other day that the listing isn't on the website anymore. Could be good, could be bad. I don't know, because, oh yeah! WE CAN'T CONTACT HIM. Another random 'friend' IMed my husband out of the blue and started whining about how his wife is leaving him and he's so put-upon, blahblahblah. Whatever. Only contact us when you want something? Sorry, got enough worries on my plate right now, leave a message and I'll call you back. I blocked my ex from my IM list today, after his amazingly insensitive and ignorant performance yesterday. I'd go into detail, but eh. Suffice it to say he was quite the know-it-all despite the fact that I've had depression about, oh, 12 years longer than him? But my life is great, I have no reason to be depressed. Hi, ever heard of clinical depression? And yeah, beta-blockers are just fantastic for depression. Except for, y'know, being for heart disease and not depression. And pregnant women just LOVE being called lazy for sleeping in! So I told him I didn't appreciate that, and he logged off in a huff. Oh well. And now it's bedtime. Mrrrrrr.

Kitrona

May 16, 2007

Is Anybody Out There?

Top Favourites

Quick post- more to come 51 Alice Arkham Bengal Black Opal Dorian Jailbait Katharina The Lion Mouse's Long and Sad Tale Persephone Queen of Sheba Whitechapel LE: Asp Viper Beaver Moon Boomslang Et Lux Fuit Green Tree Viper Hungry Ghost Moon Lotus Moon Pink Moon '05 Punkie Night Snow-Flakes

smallvoice

May 15, 2007

circe_blue's Blog

designer dogs

A quick blog entry before I begin my exam studying/project finishing/essay writing in earnest. ----------------- I confess that I've been really judgemental towards one of my close friends lately. Of course I never said anything to her face but I certainly thought it and I've ranted to the bf about it. You see, my friend recently dropped $860 (!!!) on one of those "designer dogs" that seem to be a trend now (ugh.) She bought her from some breeder in Delaware. First of all, I'm totally not down with designer dogs, cats, etc. even though I know that some pure breeds are in a way, designer. I just think that there are so many animals that need a home already, and once certain types of people (I don't think my friend is this type though) realize that caring for an animal requires time, patience (and the willingness to scoop poop), love, and yes, money (for vets, and shots) that these poor animals will end up at the shelter. Of course, I know I shouldn't be judging her becuase it's her money after all, and she can afford it. She also has a bunch of other pets that she cares for very well. I dunno, I guess these thoughts reared their ugly heads Saturday afternoon when the bf and I stopped by PetSmart to buy cat food and toys. They had a bunch of animals there that needed homes, and were up for adoption. We met two Welsh Corgis one of which recently had back surgery so her two back paws were still not functioning as they should be. There was also a mini pinscher that had been rescued from a puppy mill and a bunch of cats and kittens. I was particularly smitten with "Erin" who was an adorable 6 month old calico. So cute I wish I could have taken in another pet but the cat I have now is most definitely more comfortable being an only. I made a donation but I still think of those cats and dogs. I hope they're going to good homes soon. I got my own cat 7 years ago from a woman who found him as a kitten, in a paper bag in the dumpster. She heard him mewling and actually thought he was a baby that had been left in there. Ugh, some people disgust me Oooh! There was also this Great Dane that was someone's pet. I looove Great Danes so it was so awesome to see and pet one. He was lovely. Times like this I wish I just had a huge house filled with animals.

circe_blue

May 14, 2007

HJackson's Blog

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

Or "Why Heather Shouldn't be let loose in a grocery store without supervision" I just went slightly insane in the grocery store. No, I didn't create a scene. I decided to take cookies to game night, but I wanted to take homemade cookies, but not too much work, so I settled on getting a mix. Now, which mix... Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate, Sugar, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal?? I discarded double chocolate immediately; I adore them, but not everyone worships chocolate like I do. I also discarded sugar, because of the assumed time and effort involved. Chocolate chip was tempting, but I can make ANY cookie a chocolate chip cookie... so no. Peanut butter was finally eliminated, after much hemming and hawing, out of fears of possible peanut allergies... not that choosing oatmeal prevents a peanut reaction, but it is less likely. Anyway... having decided on oatmeal, I then selected some chocolate chips... some semi sweet and some special dark... after hemming and hawing over the size of which to buy, I remembered I had Bible Stoday tomorrow morning, and am taking dinner to a couple with a new baby... so off to fetch more mixes, etc. Then I recall reading on the package (as I looked to see what I needed to make them) that I could add butterscotch to them, too... so back to get some butterscotch chips. What I haven't told you is that in the midst of all of this, I'm still shopping for other things... so I must have looked like a loon zooming all over the store, and then back to the same aisle over and over and over again to get more of the same stuff every time!! Oh well. At the end of the day, I'll have: Oatmeal, Oatmeal Scotchies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chip. But no oatmeal raisins, because I just don't like them. If I come across a dark chunk in a cookie, I want it to be chocolate, not fruit. And that's today's insanity... I have to go... I have 5 pacakages of cookies to make, and a kitchen to clean before that can happen!! ACK!

hjourdenjackson

May 14, 2007

portalkat's ramblings

Missing Pavo

February 11, 2007 - Totally devastated Back on the 24th of January, about 2 hours before I had to leave on a long business trip, our huge Moluccan Cockatoo, Pavo, fell in her cage and broke her wing. It was touch and go fo awhile, but Thursday, the vet thought that she was on the slow road to recovery. Unfortunately, a fungal infection must have originated in the wing and she began to have respiratory distress yesterday evening. We rushed her to the emergency vet at 4am and then had to make the horrible decision. We couldn't leave for 2 hours because we couldn't stop crying long enough to handle anything. We finally, now, just dragged ourselves out of bed, only to find an empty cage and her medications and food. She was with us for 18 years. RIP, dear sweet Pavo, RIP

portalkat

May 14, 2007

My name is not Saint-Germain.

So I tried Saint-Germain last night. It's sharp lavender backed with mellow amber (and carnation and moss, which I can't really pick out). It's a really good blend, but I think I'd like it much better on someone else. Specifically, someone male. It's kind of edgy for me, kind of aggressive, and I just can't get comfortable with it on myself. Too intense and attention-demanding. I wonder how much of that is me associating it with other scents I've smelled on guys, and how much of it is the scent really not being a good fit for me. That reminds me, a cute guy sat down next to me on the bus the other morning, and I caught just the faintest whiff of his aftershave, and it was so yummy. I kept trying to inhale more of it without being conspicuous, and trying to pick out notes, and wondering if I would have liked it as well if it had been on someone I wasn't attracted to. I might not even have noticed it before I started this whole nose self-education program. I've been a lot more tuned in to smells lately.

May 13, 2007

grimms_creed's Blog

I want my smellies!

I ordered a bunch of imps and a 5ml of Eden 2 weeks ago. I know that the lab has a long turn around time, and that I need to be patient and wait my turn, but I want them now!!!!! In other news, Yew Trees has suddenly become my favorite scent. It's been a lovely outdoorsy fragrance for these nice spring days. Mantis, on the other hand, has become something sickly and almost alcohol-y. wtf?

grimms_creed

May 12, 2007

Eoywin's Blog

Mother's Day

I really don't like Mother's Day since I don't have a mother. My mom passed away on August 8, 2002 from cancer. Every since then, Mother's Day really makes me sad. This year hasn't bothered me too much until I just read a post about a mom surprising her daughter with a visit. Reading that made me want to cry, because that's something my mom would have done. I was 25 when I lost my mom, an adult, but barely. She didn't get to come to my wedding (or my sister's), and she won't be here when her grandchildren are born. My dad remarried last year, and I'm super happy for him. But I barely know his wife, mostly because their entire courtship happen after Todd and I move to NC. I like Todd's mom okay, but we will never be close because of the distance and because she is really, really opionated, and I don't share her views all of the time (we had several fights about the wedding because she wanted to do things different). I'm sad because I'm not really close to any of my family. My sister is so self absorbed that she never returns my phone calls when I call, stating that she is always too busy to have a phone conversation. She doesn't reply to emails often either. Todd's brother is married, but his wife is super shy, and even though I try to talk to her when we are together for family get together's, she never really responses. If anything happened to Todd, I don't know what I would do. I don't really have much of a support system, at least as family is concerned. Anyway, I'll stop being emo for today

Eoywin

May 12, 2007

No sleepy, no sniffy

I haven't been wearing much scent lately. I've been pretty sleep-deprived, and when that happens my nose gets extra-sensitive and I don't really want unnecessary odors around. I am getting more rest now, though. I still have two untried scents and several that I want to give a second chance, so I'd better get on that. I did wear a little scent under my arms yesterday and today to counteract expected sweatiness. Yesterday I rode my bike to work (for the first time!) and wore Jabberwocky. (Jabberwocky = Adventure!) Today I had to move a bajillion books around and wore Delphi. When I put it on this morning, I was struck by how potently green it is straight out of the vial, punch-you-in-the-nose green; it would be too much if it stayed that way. But the drydown is so sweet and mellow. ALSO. I got annoyed with my shot glasses as imp containers, so I read a sizeable chunk of the mammoth "How do you store your oils?" thread. Then I found a spare wooden box w/lid (about the size of a cigar box), filled it an inch deep with short grain rice, and stuck the imps in upright. It's not very portable, but I'm pleased with it -- the labels aren't getting bent, I can read them easily, and there's no leakage issues. Plus, it looks (and smells) cool. I would post photos if I had a digital camera. I need a digital camera.

May 12, 2007

I smell glorious

Christmas Presents

Wheeee! I have Christmas presents for seven people on my list already! Next year's roommates' gifts are already wrapped, as are the gifts for my four older-than-me Toronto friends. I have a good idea what I'm getting my mother and my Godmother, and I have a present for Janet, my Spiritual Advisor (in heavy quotation marks). I also know what I'm getting one of my grandmothers, and I have half of the gift for my beloved girlfriend in the hand and the other half planned out. The following are the gifts I still need to organise: DONE: Allison(vanilla), Kirsten(jasmine), Care(orange), Tory(pink sugar), Janet(gardenia), Haiwen(honeysuckle), Lisa(mint and black tea), Eleanor(vanilla sugar), Mom(sugar pear and earrings), Nanny Greene(apricot freesia), my Godmother(cocoa sandalwood), Amy (she reads this journal so she doesn't get to know yet!) TO FIND: Hannah -- this has to be special Jenny -- ditto Daddy -- will probably be a CD Nanny Rowe -- looking for something in Rome Caitlin -- something small but appropriate and shiny. must be shiny. Isaac W -- almost certainly a book Ian -- not sure if I'm getting him anything. Only if I see something. TO FIND FOR MY MOTHER TO GIVE TO PEOPLE: Brenda, Joan, Mary -- I have gifts in mind for these three, from Tval! Gary -- he's a challenge to buy for, and I'm better at gifts than mother. Jane and Stewart -- if Mom won't find them anything nice I will take it upon myself to correct her rudeness. Luffluffluff buying presents for people I have 100 Euros for my 10 days in Rome (not nearly enough, but Mom will probably be willing to lend me another 25 or so). I'm looking for a gift for Nanny, with a budget of 35; something small for Caitlin, with a budget of 12; something for Jenny, with a tentative budget of 13 (if I find something she'll love, though, I won't pay any attention to that); and something for Amy, but I've no idea what it will be so I suppose we'll have to see. Ah well.

myoubi

May 11, 2007

Squash Soup

Search for the perfect Aquatic 2007

Some of you may have seen me around the forum, searching like the madwoman I am for the perfect ocean blend. It all started when I received Thalassa (which is amazing!!) and I just became obsessed with aquatics. I pretty much love any aquatic (unless they are heavy because those give me a migraine) probably because I am a water sign. So I thought I'd keep track of all the scents as I try them on my little quest. A huge thank you to all those that have offered suggestions and samples. You all are very awesome! Thalassa the Galapagos Mermaid - The scent that started it all! This one is actually just a shade to the left of perfect. It has other things going on though and I'm looking for a pure ocean scent. That is actually why I'm looking to other perfumers for this because Beth doesn't do the single note thing anymore. This one gives me my fix in the meantime and I just love it for those days when I'm feeling the spring fever and I can pretend I'm a mermaid....or something. Mara Fox: Mermaids in Atlantis - Sensing a theme here? This had no aquatic in it whatsoever but it is a lovely, sweet melon! Very nice and cool for summer. High Priest Not to be Described - I actually knew this wouldn't be a straight aquatic but I thought I'd include it anyway. I really like the way that the Arkham scents really evoke that sense of impending danger I get from Lovecraft stories. Roux-ga-Roux - This one definitely has that deep, brackish bog water aquatic and I love it but it still isn't quite IT. Caliban - OMG this is GREAT! It's not exactly the scent I'm looking for but it's very salty and oceanic and probably the closest so far.

jessiesquash

May 11, 2007

I smell glorious

Sleeping Paralysis

Am I the only one that this happens to? Sometimes when I wake up, I can't move. Or I can move imperfectly. I'll be awake and conscious inside my head, screaming at my body to forget getting up, just move my fingers properly, and they just won't. Sometimes I can't move at all, oftentimes I can kind of flop around -- like I'll be able to shift my arm a little bit, but forget fine motor control, and moving anything major is out of the question. Oftentimes I have some degree of control over my head -- I can turn my neck, but occasionally I have imperfect control over parts of my face, so I either can't open my eyes properly or it's a struggle to close my mouth. It doesn't happen often, but although it's been happening since I was about nine it still creeps me out every time. It lasts anywhere from ten or fifteen seconds to, on one memorable occasion, about a minute and a half. Usually what happens is I have to focus on the part of the body I can move, and make it move as much as I can, which will often increase slightly with time -- and then all of a sudden I'll manage to jerk it particularly far, and my control will come flooding back again all at once. I wonder what this is?

myoubi

May 10, 2007

Bandersnatch, Aglaea, Hearth '05

Yesterday I wore Frumious Bandersnatch to work. When it was still fresh on my skin, it smelled really spicy and good up close -- I bet that was the carnation. It had a weird throw though, kind of an odd dry smell (chrysanthemum?). Overall, it was really mild and faded quickly. By the end of the day, the plum note had mixed with my sweat and smelled kind of tomatoey. I'm not so sure about that. I definitely want to try more carnation scents now, though. In the evening I went to see my cousin's band play a May Day show. I decided to give Aglaea a try. I couldn't remember what was in it, but I knew I liked the description -- "splendor" and something to do with fruit and alcohol, which sounded May Day appropriate. Whew, sex-ay. I love it! I was way off on the notes though -- I guessed pear and vanilla and a flower of some sort, but it was "Three golden ambers, bright musk, peach wine and myrtle." I'm glad to find an amber scent that I like, as I haven't had much luck with it in the past. I just tried on Hearth, a limited edition from 2005 (not to be confused with the Hearth from 2004, which was apparently COMPLETELY DIFFERENT). I like it. It smells sweet and nutty. There are supposed to be more notes there -- cedar smoke and pine -- and I'm not getting either of those, which disappoints me a little. But it's still a good smell to have on your arms. Written 5/2/07.

May 9, 2007

19, 156

Today I tried an old Chanel scent (19) -- it was the last of the sample vials that I wanted to try one last time before getting rid of them. I wish I knew how much of the weird alcohol scent is due to the original composition of the perfume and how much is due to its age. But it definitely smelled weird to me. I liked some of the notes, but I can't get over that sickly alcohol-y scent -- not like alcohol you'd drink, the other kind. The only Chanel perfume I have that I really like is Gardenia, which still doesn't have that tang for some reason. Yesterday I tried on a Chaos Theory scent (CT II, CLVI). "Each bottle of Chaos Theory is truly unique, a fragrant fractal, and exercise in the joy of chance and uncertainty! Each is a one-of-a-kind, utterly random combination of scents, the composition of which is based on whim, mood and gut instinct." Which is a cool idea, but the downside of it is that there's no way to confirm what I'm smelling, and I am still too ignorant to guess. With a list of notes, I can say, oh, obviously that's musk and eucalyptus and, I dunno, burnt toast. Without one, I'm just making stabs in the dark -- and I want to LEARN from what I'm wearing! My stab in the dark for this one is that it's spicy and musky. A little strong for me. Written 4/30/07.

May 9, 2007

Die Eier von Satan

I Love Quotes...

...I actually collect them. Lately I've been trying to keep them in this little book I got but I'm way too disorganized. Anyhoo, in honor of the new icon I made, here are some of my favorite Henry Rollins quotes: "“Somewhere someone is thinking of you. Someone is calling you an angel. This person is using celestial colors to paint your image. Someone is making you into a vision so beautiful that it can only live in the mind. Someone is thinking of the way your breath escapes your lips when you are touched. How your eyes close and your jaw tightens with concentration as you give pleasure a home. These thoughts are saving a life somewhere right now. In some airless apartment on a dark, urine stained, whore lined street, someone is calling out to you silently and you are answering without even being there. So crystalline. So pure. Such life saving power when you smile. You will never know how you have cauterized my wounds. So sad that we will never touch. How it hurts me to know that I will never be able to give you everything I have."” “It is no surprise to me that hardly anyone tells the truth about how they feel. The smart ones keep themselves to themselves for good reason. Why would you want to tell anyone anything that's dear to you? Even when you like them and want nothing more than to be closer than close to them? It's so painful to be next to someone you feel strongly about and know you can't say the things you want to.” “Half of life is fucking up the other half is dealing with it.” “When was the last time you wanted to say it all to the right person? To have it all come out right, to surprise yourself at how together you could be. When was the last time you ever met someone who made you want to give it all to them? I mean give yourself to them. Where you couldn't express yourself enough - like you wanted to cut off one of your arms to be understood. That's it - you would cut your head off to have someone understand you. You know how pointless that one is. You know how many times you've smashed yourself to bits on the rocks.” I think about the meaning of pain. Pain is personal. It really belongs to the one feeling it. Probably the only thing that is your own. I like mine.” “Why do you think the old stories tell of men who set out on great journeys to impress the gods? Because trying to impress people just isn't worth the time and effort.” “There are so many hammocks to catch you if you fall, so many laws to keep you from experience. All these cities I have been in the last few weeks make me fully understand the cozy, stifling state in which most people pass through life. I don't want to pass through life like a smooth plane ride. All you do is get to breathe and copulate and finally die. I don't want to go with the smooth skin and the calm brow. I hope I end up a blithering idiot cursing the sun - hallucinating, screaming, giving obscene and inane lectures on street corners and public parks. People will walk by and say, "Look at that drooling idiot. What a basket case." I will turn and say to them "It is you who are the basket case. For every moment you hated your job, cursed your wife and sold yourself to a dream that you didn't even conceive. For the times your soul screamed yes and you said no. For all of that. For your self-torture, I see the glowing eyes of the sun! The air talks to me! I am at all times!" And maybe, the passers by will drop a coin into my cup -Henry Rollins

eternalargus

May 8, 2007

Mighty Delphi

Yesterday I got to wear baggy jeans and a t-shirt and Tevas to work. I had to move hundreds of videotapes from a storage area in the basement of a dorm into the library (2nd story, no elevator). Also, the storage area was full of horrible black mold. It was the day after finals so I felt sort of free, that end-of-the-semester who-cares glee... caught from the students, I think. So I was ready to get my hands dirty and not care what anybody else thought. Anyway I decided to wear Delphi, even though it smells like alcohol (i.e. mead). It seemed right for the day -- I don't know how I knew this at 9 a.m., but it was. This is the first time I've worn it since I got it, so I wasn't quite sure what I was in for, just remembered that I liked it at first whiff. It's so good. I think it's my new second-favorite (after Jabberwocky). It smells like greenery and mead -- the sweet, smooth kind, not the kind that tastes like pickles! I felt like Michaelangelo's Delphica (http://www.verbeat.org/blogs/miltonribeiro/Delphica.jpg), beautiful and muscular and wise and slightly mad. I loved it so much I put on more, instead of a different scent, before I went out that evening. This isn't a sissy-girl perfume, and it's not formal. It's MIGHTY. And today (commencement) was a Glasgow day. Glasgow is my go-to scent for social occasions when I'm on my best behavior. It's so friendly and sweet. I haven't had the chance to try any of the new imps yet, though, and it's really getting to me! Written 4/28/07.

May 7, 2007

Top Ten - 2007

GC -=-=-=- Bewitched Blood Countess Black Lily Dragon's Heart Dragon's Milk Frumious Bandersnatch Kitsuni-Tsuki Lampades Queen Mab Shadow Witch Orchid LE =-=-=-= Ace of Hearts Black Moon Dragon Moon Harvest Moon Hungry Ghost Moon The Living Flame Schwarzer Mond Snake Charmer Sugar Skull Venom

KymbaKhan

May 7, 2007

Old Vinland, New Siren

Oh no. Oh yes. I got a second package of smellies today... Miskatonic University (completing the three-scent gift for the friend I mentioned), and five others that sounded interesting and were a buck or two apiece. About these, you will hear more soon. Wore Vinland (one I've had for months) to work today. Just needed something that smelled nice but wouldn't affect my mood in any particular way. Vinland is almost disappointingly low-key (used to have a harsh chemical note, which disappeared as it "aged" into a mild fruity floral) but it doesn't have a lot of "throw", so it's good for a day when you don't want your perfume bugging your nose every minute. I just put on Siren (from the last order): "Bewitching, tantalizing and dangerously seductive. A thrilling, exotic blend -- deceptively sweet, but spiked with malice. White ginger, jasmine, and a touch of vanilla." On me, it is GROSS. Smells like mothballs. I'm serious. Just BAD. I've smelled other BPAL scents that I hated, but in a "somebody else should wear this" kind of way. This smells like something nobody should wear. BUT. Your chemistry is supposed to be "off" right before you start your period, so I will give it another chance some other week. Whew. I keep sniffing my arms out of sheer incredulity that it could smell so bad. Written 4/25/07.