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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
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Who's an asshole?

I was going to post this in the title thread on the forum, but it's a little too involved to clog up the board with.   Okay. So, we've got a houseguest living here, because he fell apart. He's here on the condition that he gets help and works it out. We want to see him get healthy. So we go the route of trying to get him hospitalized. The hospital says that they can't even put him on the waiting list until he goes to see someone at the crisis response center and have an evaluation there, and then files for medical coupons with the department of social and health services-- and the waiting list is about two years. So we do all that, and try to get him outpatient treatment at the hospital, which they won't do until he gets evaluated by a specific ARNP in the area and gets a different medical coupon. At this point, they won't even evaluate him if he pays out of pocket. So we go to the specific ARNP, and I ranted about him before, because he told me to shut my mouth when I went to ask him to clarify his plan for my housemate's medication. Which still pisses me off, but also keeps me quiet (and that makes me even more mad, because I hate feeling cowed). He's a freak, and he isn't paying attention to what the housemate, S, is saying. He's condescending and just... rude. I don't like him. S missed an appointment with him, and when he went back, ARNP wouldn't let him in without a fee for missing the prior appointment, which S doesn't have. So ARNP told him to leave. The LDS church comes to our aid, and we go see a psychologist who is very nice and very patient, but eventually he insists that we go back to ARNP.   So we go to see the guy, and he's being a prima donna. Seriously harrassing S for never coming back (ARNP didn't offer to reschedule when he sent him away.), and treating him like shit, basically. This man is everything I hate about the mental health professional community. Let me count the ways:   1. He says that hospitalization is an option if S really can't do what he needs to do, so S explains what all we've done to try and get hospitalization. ARNP takes this story and goes, "They didn't tell you that you have the wrong medical coupon. They told you you're not sick enough for hospitalization." Uhh. He goes on to imply that S is faking his condition and that my husband and I will soon have no choice but to throw him out on the street.   2. He tries to put the fear of God into S about what hospitalization is like. Every horror story that ever went through my mind when I thought I'd have to be put away, he brought up. Gee, that's helpful.   3. He says that LDS-guy doesn't know what to do with him anymore, and that's why he sent him back. He says that everybody is frustrated because he's not helping himself, and that he won't put up with it. He tells S that he needs to pull himself together, and that eventually, he's going to look back on this and realize what a dick he is.   4. He reiterates that S is not sick and is using everyone. Then he brings up medication. He prattles on about how S won't notice any changes from any of these medicines, and that's fine- it's perfectly normal. He might notice a slight elevation in his moods at higher doses, but these won't really do anything for him at all. Great motivation to take the little bastards, then.   5. ARNP asks, "So, what do you want to do?" In my mind, I calmly reply, "I'd like to punch you in the face." S asks for clarification, and he snaps, "About the medication!" S is like, "Uh, take it?" So he talks some more about the medication, and I think some more about punching his face, and as he's sending us out, he's all, "It's a good thing I'm not your therapist, huh? You wouldn't like me very much. I'd just tell you to get off your ass." Nice. So then he makes another appointment, and is all, "If you don't make this appointment, then Godspeed. I wish you well. But find somebody else. You won't be coming back here." And I so desperately wanted to say, "There is nobody else, you fucktard! If there were, we wouldn't be here! We would never have come back, ever! But DSHS says that you're the only asshole in the area, so we're stuck with you. Isn't that nice?" But I didn't want to hand him that kind of power, so I just nodded and left. While shaking profusely.   Fucker. Thanks for helping not at all.

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

Persephone

In the imp: SWEET! Like, scary sweet, with a dash of something fruity.   On wet: Pure roses - of the cheap bathroom spray variety - and nothing else.   Drydown: Still nothing but super sweet, bubblegum pink, granny bathroom ROSES. There isn't even a *hint* of that initial whiff of fruit I got from the imp - the fruit that I was counting on for balance.   Overall: I can only wear a select handful of rose blends, and sadly, this is not one of them.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Sybaris

In the imp: Sugared violets.   On wet: Violets gone wild - candy sweet and incredibly bright. There's the faintest hint of earthiness peeping out from beneath that swirly floral haze, but it's too soft to tell if it's the incense or the cloves.   Drydown: Mmm...something smooth and warm has risen up and bitch-slapped those wee purple flowers into submission - I'm guessing the tonka. This new, lightly spiced, almost creamy undertone is what transforms this blend into something totally wearable.   Overall: Not a huge fan of violets - or florals in general, but the spicy edge that eventually emerges takes this fragrance to a whole other level. Don't know if I'll be wearing it very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my imp.   A comfortable 3/5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Herr Drosselmeyer

In the bottle: Like herbal...paint?   On wet: A sharp yet decidedly warm scent combination - I'm getting leather, spice, and something burning. Definitely keeping true to the description!   Drydown: Pretty much the same as above - woodsmoke (which has morphed into the dominant note), leather, and I want to attribute that soft, spicy undertone to a liberal dash of either clove or nutmeg, though I'm probably way off. Could I somehow be misinterpreting the tobacco? As a former - though longtime smoker, how lame would that be?   Overall: A slightly smokier, drier, less sweet version of Dee, like some of the past reviewers have mentioned. A good fragrance for when it's cold n' snowy outside, you're inside, bundled into a squishy sweater or blanket, curled up on the couch with a good book, drinking something cidery, chocolatey, or otherwise winterlicious. Very evocative of the season it was created for. 3.5/5

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Harvest Moon 06

Originally reviewed: Aug 08 06   In the bottle: Apples! Gorgeous, golden apples!   On wet: Mmm...more apples!   Drydown: The apples are still there, providing this positively *gorgeous* yellow sweetness - a perfect counterpoint to the dry, slightly spicy undertone that's starting to emerge. It's almost a clean, woody/peppery scent that I'm starting to get now, if that makes any sense.   Overall: Pure Autumn-in-a-Bottle, y'all. I've got a touch of early October smeared on my wrists! This is like a daylight version of my beloved midnight-esque Samhain - THIS is what I'd hoped last year's HM would smell like on me, like I'm sitting in a hay field on the edge of a sun-warmed apple orchard, clear blue skies stretching out above my head, a clean, cool breeze stirring the rust-gold-scarlet leaves... Serious love and a hugely deserved 5/5. Well done, Beth!

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Chaos Theory III - DCLXI 661

Originally reviewed: Aug 12 06   In the bottle: Wow, it's an olfactory cacophony - talk about a mish-mash of notes! I think I'm getting...tea? Definitely something sweet or fruity, maybe a touch of ginger?   On wet: Pretty much the same impression as above - like a bunch of crazy notes are battling it out on my skin. Kinda smells...strange. That initial hint of tea is gone (maybe it never existed), and now I'm mostly getting what I think is ginger and something sweet.   Drydown: Spicy sweetness, now underscored by a drier, peppery smokiness similar to something that I smelled in Laudanum - maybe the nutmeg? I think the tea might be back, too, though it's so soft I could be imagining it...again.   Overall: Started out as something appropriately chaotic, and dried down into this spicy, somewhat smoky, strangely sweet scent that I would definitely classify as an upscale Oriental blend. It's a wonderfully warm skin scent for the colder months, and a beautiful and unique addition to my collection.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Plant pics!

Antimony and darkitysnark have motivated me to post pictures of my favorite plants around the homestead. I take no credit for these, this is all DH's hard work.   Here's the front of the house with a couple of Silverado Sage bushes. This big picture is from last summer; unfortunately we've had a very hot and dry one this year and our grass in front is brown. These bushes are popular here because they're very drought-tolerant:     They seem to love the heat, in fact! This week has been over 100 every day and they're blooming these cute purple flowers like crazy:     My other favorite plant is in the back next to the driveway: a pomegranate tree! It must like the heat too because it has a bunch of small pomegranates:     Here's another good one, it's huge:  

dawndie

dawndie

 

Chaos Theory III - CLIV 154

Originally reviewed: July 28 06   In the bottle: I smell something...sweet, woodsy, maybe a dark floral or two, with just a hint of dryer sheet.   On wet: Wow, what a jumble of notes - everything that was mentioned above, only much more intense. No dominant scent to go by, either. I have no idea what I'm smelling.   Drydown: I *still* can't tell what's in this blend. The possibilities that spring to mind are jasmine, myrrh, and/or ylang ylang, and maybe a touch of something resinous? It's a darkly golden, sweet, perfume-y, and somewhat dry kind of scent.   Overall: An elegant, expensive-smelling blend - not quite my taste, but lovely nonetheless.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

The Hierophant

Originally reviewed: July 23 06   In the imp: Dry, herbal, vaguely sweet and woody.   On wet: If there's cinnamon in this blend - like so many before me have mentioned smelling - then it's very well hidden. All I'm getting is something sweet and resinous.   Drydown: Still a very sweet, yet somewhat dusty and subdued wood-sap type of scent. I think I'm picking up on cedar and myrrh...and if frankincense is what's driving that incensey undernote, then I may have to reconsider my completely random anti-frank policy (he kinda scares me...).   Overall: This blend has totally surprised me - it's not like anything I'd normally wear, but I can't stop sniffing myself! It's warm and sweet and spicy (though if it's cinnamon, it's still too well-blended for me to distinguish it), and definitely lovely. Reminds me of La Petite Mort, Eclipse and, to a lesser degree, Black Phoenix. Maybe if they were layered together... Either way, a very yummy, skin-licious scent, and an easy 4/5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Cheshire Cat

Originally reviewed: July 01 06   In the imp: Faint lavender, something herbal.   On wet: A jumble of notes swirl up - currants and grapefruit in the foreground, herbs and musk underneath.   Drydown: Mmm... Soft, sweet, candyliciousness. I seriously smell edible. It's like the currants and grapefruit have merged into some kind of pink Super Fruit, all glowing and gorgeous and glazed with sugar. The lavender, chamomile, and musk are bundled together just underneath - like a softly fragrant, herbal serving platter for all that yummy fruit.   Overall: Lovely and light, sweet without being overpowering, a beautiful, interesting skin scent, and yet another addition to my bottle wishlist. A strong 4.5/5

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Phobos

Originally reviewed: July 01 06   In the imp: Extra lemony lemon!   On wet: Sharp lemon, a sliver of what I'm thinking is grapefruit, and the barest whisper of white musk lurking underneath.   Drydown: The musk has risen up to form a partnership with those incredibly bright, yet slightly tamer citrus notes. It's become a sweeter, faintly powdery scent, reminiscent of those hard lemon drops you'd get in a tin, all dusted with icing sugar. Very straightforward, but also very yummy.   Overall: I'm a huge white musk fan, so this blend was destined to please. It's uncomplicated, fresh, and lasted for *hours*! Especially gorgeous in this disgustingly humid weather. A strong 4/5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Frumious Bandersnatch

Originally reviewed: April 26 06   In the imp: Smells kinda like fruity paint.   On wet: A sweet splash of non-descript fruit that darkens into rich, syrupy, spiced plum-goodness after only a few seconds.   Drydown: Mmmm... Warm, spicy plums... Underscored by the barest hint of creamy carnations... Sooooo goooood....   Overall: This is a seriously delicious combination of notes - not really candle-esque to me, but I can understand how the scent of spiced fruit might smell like such to other noses. Likewise, to *this* grrl's nose, FB's warm, sweet darkness seems better suited to late summer/autumn/winter or as an evening fragrance, not so much for spring. No doubt this blend will be a bottle purchase, to be slathered with abandon come fall.   4.5 out of 5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

The Mock Turtle's Lessons

Originally reviewed: April 26 06   In the imp: Fresh n' minty green apple.   On wet: Fresh n' minty green apple - with a sweet, somewhat licorice-y undertone.   Drydown: The apple faded, the minty licorice notes remained, and now I'm (finally!) getting a soft breath of lime swirling into the mix - a fresh and subtle combination of scents. If I really press my nose against my skin, I can also detect something kinda warm and faintly...amberish (the ambrette?). I tend to dislike ambery stuff as a rule, but it seems subdued in this blend - like the other notes are keeping it on a tight leash so that it peeks out *just* enough to ground everything.   Overall: A perfect summer fragrance, but I have to agree with many of the above reviews: After about half an hour, I can barely detect any scent on my wrist at all. This Turtle *should* rate at least a 4/5 for sheer prettiness, but lack of staying power (on me, anyway) drops it down to a 2.5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Hetairae

Originally reviewed: May 27 06   In the imp: Not quite sure *what* I'm smelling - maybe something...figgy? It sure ain't any of the other listed notes...   On wet: Okay, weird smell overload - kinda clovey, kinda patchouli-y, but mostly (and I hate to say this about *any* BPAL blend) icksome burnt playdoh mixed with paint.   Drydown: Reeeeally tried to give this one a chance to morph, but, aside from softening slightly, the strangely stinky factor hasn't gone away.   Overall: I smell like spicy charred playdoh.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Scherezade

Originally reviewed: May 27 06   In the imp: Sweet with a faintly woody undertone.   On wet: Mmm...sweet and incense-y - but kinda dry? (If that makes any sense, lol.) A tiny hint of spice underneath the prominent notes tickles my nose.   Drydown: Still sweet and incensey, complimented perfectly by a much more instense spiciness than before. Extremely pretty - I can't stop sniffing myself!   Overall: It's lovely and warm and kinda reminds me of the deliciousness that is teh Smut. How could I not love this?

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Obatala

Originally reviewed: April 19 06   In the imp: Sweet, soft, buttery coconut.   On Wet: Same as above, though with the addition of a refreshing, aquatic undertone that cuts through the creamy sweetness.   Drydown: Over an hour later, I'm still getting delicious whiffs of gorgeous, milky, sun-warmed coconut. If I close my eyes, I'm back in Mexico - reclining by the pool under an umbrella, slathered in suntan lotion and downing pina coladas, soaking up all that steamy heat and inhaling the scent of the ocean...aaahhhh....   Overall: Obatala stirred up vivid memories of childhood summers and amazing times spent abroad. With the exception of Sleepy Moon (which reminds me of how summer evenings used to smell when I was a kid), this is the only BPAL blend to hit me with such an intense wave of nostalgia/remembrance/"being there". In short: Pure love. Destined to become my signature summer scent, and a definite 10ml purchase. A well-deserved 5/5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Berenice

Originally reviewed: Mar 31 06   In the imp: A soft, barely detectable fragrance - the first word that springs to mind to describe it is 'clean'.   On wet: Interesting blend of notes I'm picking up - definitely lily in the forefront, something pale, watery, and greenish just underneath (the aloe?), followed by a vaguely unpleasant sour sliver (the linen note? the amber? I'm guessing amber, 'cause it usually smells funny to me), and finally, the sweetness of the white musk.   Drydown: Mmmm.... Wow, this fragrance has really come together. The source of that initial sour tang I was first able to detect (and was scared would ruin the whole blend for me), has either dissipated or been overpowered by its better-smelling buddies. Now all I can smell is a gorgeous combination of white musk, lily, and whatever's providing that faintly greenish/aquatic "freshness" - again, I'm assuming it's the aloe.   Overall: This scent scared me for the first 5 minutes - I was *sure* that weird stab of sourness was going to stick around and screw me over. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and now I've got yet another bottle to add to my next order - and order I must. This is just the kind of fragrance I know I'll be wearing often during the warm summer nights that are just around the corner: fresh, soft, and skin-huggingly sexy.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Black Phoenix

Originally reviewed: Jan 09 06   In the Imp: Almonds or cherries.   On Wet: Almonds or cherries - supersized!   Drydown: Woo-woo! Sweet, soapy, spicy, vaguely peppery - a complex and potentially addictive scent. It actually reminds me of how Thrills Gum used to taste (peppery/soapy/violet gum - little purple Chicklet-y guys that lived in a small yellow box). Great staying power, too. I slathered this on before bed last night, and woke up to spicy candy wrists this morning.   Overall: Another winner, another addition to the Big Bottle Wishlist. A 5/5 in this grrl's book.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

The Great Sword of War

Originally reviewed: Dec 29 05   In the Imp: Predominantly cocoa with a faintly sweet background.   Wet: Citrus explosion! Mmmm...smells really good, though - like my skin's been dusted with orange sugar.   Drydown: The sweet mandarin backs off a bit, politely mingling with its imp-mates as it mellows. I get distinct whiffs of tobacco...musk...tea... It's like a different note is peeping out every time I inhale. Very, *very* nice.   Overall: Warm, spicy, musky - and a kickass name to boot. What's not to love?

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Mistletoe

Originally reviewed: Jan 02 06   In the Imp: Pine and something faintly sweet.   On Wet: PINE TREE. Super crazy pine-aliciousness. I concur with many of the reviews previous to mine: this is the freshest, most realisitc evergreen smell I have ever come across. It's positively gorgeous.   Drydown: The intense pine mellows slightly. If I put my nose to my wrist, I can smell a vaguely sweet undertone mixing beautifully with an almost effervescent, Sprite-like bubbliness (the pop, not the fairytale critter.) I actually get the same aquatic-bubbly-sweet combo in Talvikuu, though it's much more pronounced in that blend. It's the evergreen that dominates *this* scent, and that's certainly not a bad thing, imo.   Overall: This is 99% tree, 1% something fizzy, and zero berries or anything else. I think it's a perfect holiday fragrance, most definitely suitable for wearing or burning. As for me, I'll be using my imp for the former - I rather enjoy smelling like a Christmas tree.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Snow White

Originally reviewed: Dec 21 05   In the Imp: Very faint smell of sweet, pine-tinged snow. Incredibly pretty - I can't wait to try it out!   On Wet: Uh-oh...I'm getting flashes of that burnt plastic/chemical scent that others have mentioned, and prepare myself for disappointment. Will this be my first bout with wonky skin chemistry?   Drydown: Thank goodness - that horrible burnt smell completely dissipates after only a few seconds! I'm finally getting exactly what I smelled in the vial - delicate, creamy sweetness, tinged with a hint of fresh pine. Though aside from an undercurrent of vanilla and that smudge of greenery, I don't get any specific notes from this blend - no coconut, almondy marzipan, or pina colada. Not that I'm complaining, mind you - it's delicious just the way it is. It's both subtle and complex, and my nose is delighted. I can't stop sniffing myself!   Overall: Snow White is a totally gorgeous fragrance, and a nice departure from my usual spicy preferences. I'll definitely be ordering a bottle (or two) before the Yules go away.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Rose Red

Originally reviewed: Dec 26 05   In the Imp: I smell something light and green, something fresh.   Wet: The fresh foliage smell intensifies, immediately evoking images of new spring leaves dripping with cool rainwater. Equally dewy rosebuds sprout from my wrist seconds later - but phew! Are they ever *strong*!   Drydown: This scent settles down both quickly and dutifully, coming together with just enough rose, just enough green, just enough misty freshness to impress even a non-rose fan like myself. Sniff. Sniff...sniff. SNIFFFFFFF! Uh...did I say impress? I meant astound - amaze - make my eyes go all sparkly with surprised delight. This is what the center of a living, rain-spattered rosebush smells like. Seriously. I'm a florist, I would know.   Overall: I was convinced this would smell like a granny perfume at best - a granny bathroom at worst - and likely wouldn't have even tried it had I not stumbled across a half imp's worth in the swaps section. I'm VERY glad I thought to toss it into the mix, and that it proved to be such a stunner. Extremely bottle-worthy.

furygrrl

furygrrl

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