Jump to content
BPAL Madness!

Blogs

Featured Entries

  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
    • 5,207 views
Eoywin's Blog
 

On getting older

When I was in college, this is how my typical Saturday would go.   I'd be up at 4 am, so I could be to work at 5 am (I worked at McDonald's). I would work until about noon, then I'd head home.   I've veg around the house until about 3:30, then it would be time to get ready for the LARP (live action role play).   We would LARP from about 5 until midnight, and then we would go to Lil Chef or Shoney's for food.   Afterwards, sometimes a group of people would end up at my townhouse, and we talk until 4 am.   I wonder sometimes how I managed to do that!   Now I usually sleep in until about 9 or 10 am, clean the house, run errands. In the evenings, Todd and I will watch a movie, but I'm usually ready to go to sleep by 10 pm.   Sad, isn't it?
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

A full account

Woah. There is SO much to write about. It was a LONG day.   I woke up early- about 7:30. I got ready, and waited for my cousin/maid of honor to be ready. We left the house around 9:30.   I'm going to sound like a horrible person here, but my meltdown came when I went to make sure my mother would be up and at the church (because she had the key) and she was sick. She has a chronic illness and is genuinely sick quite often, but she also will tend to rely on it as an attention getter, which pisses me off to no end. I just really needed her to pull it together, and it was one more thing going wrong. Just couldn't deal. So I grabbed my dress and left in a hurry. I went to a coffee shop and had a coffee and tried to calm down. The boy called my mom to see what was up and my aunt and her two oldest boys were going to head over to unlock the building. So my cousin and I thought we'd go make sure there were people there setting up.   There weren't. It was just the three of them. So my cousin and I couldn't very well just be like, "Okay, see ya. Have fun with that!" We went in and helped set up and my aunt offered to help with my hair, but she had to run errands. Yeah. We didn't get out of there until after 12. She suggested meeting back up around 2. So my cousin and I ran to the nail salon where she had acryllics put on and that took forever. I never did find pretty underwear, but I found tights.   While I was in the store looking for tights and underwear, I remembered that I wouldn't be going home again until after the wedding (no time!) and I didn't have my aquamarine earrings with me. I phoned the boy, asked him to look for the earrings, and he came up with nothing. So I asked him to look for the ones 'snarky got me from the swap, and he also couldn't find those. That was my big meltdown moment. I couldn't very well walk down the aisle without earrings! I needed those earrings! I was going to DIE without those earrings! (They were in plain sight when we got home, much, MUCH later.) So much drama. Anyway. I needed something borrowed, so I asked one of my bridesmaids to bring me earrings, and then found out that another one already had some with her, and they were GORGEOUS. Pearls with diamonds. Really simple and just lovely.   We had to rush back, but the church was locked. However, we recognized cars, so we knew somebody was there. We're pounding on the doors and trying to get somebody's attention- It took about 15 minutes, and it was only due to the wonder of cell phones and luck that it was that fast. I'd forgotten any sort of hair-doing supplies, so my aunt and I ran to a store nearby and bought bobby pins and hair spray and a hairbrush and then ran back to the church. We scoot on back to the bride's room (It's makeshift; it's just one of the classrooms, but it was our base of operations, so that's what I'm calling it.) and get started on my hair. I'm not one for putting products in my hair, so it didn't feel that great- my hair is oddly really wavy, but hates holding curl.   Continuation: I got sprayed in the eye with hairspray, which sucked. My cousin Donna shows up with 2 of her kids, and we have a little reunion. Her dad died earlier this year, and it was the first time I'd seen her since. She brought me tic tacs from him and came to the rescue when I realized I didn't have "something old" to carry. The second of three bridesmaids shows up with the pretty earrings and lots of hair-doing supplies. It's about 3:00 at this point. Lots of family have arrived and I'm trying to get around to see everybody, but I'm sort of confined to the room, so people are coming around to see me. I'm sorta hungry at this point; haven't had much to eat. And thus, my favourite story from the wedding is born. (To be told much later) Bridesmaid #2 volunteers to get me food, so she runs off to subway around 3:30. I can't remember what else she was doing. (Gah. I should've continued this sooner. I know there's a ton of stuff I'm forgetting.)   And that, chickies, is where I must pause for the night, because... I'm so tired it's literally making me sick to my stomach. I'll pick back up soon.  
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

On Headaches

I have a disease called 'Daily Chronic Headaches' - the short explanation is that I've had the same headache since August 2003.   I think my ordeal since August 2003 started with a trip to Michigan's Adventure. It's an amusement park in Muskegon, MI, that has a water park and a regular amusement park (their slogan is 2 parks for the price of one).   My best friend at the time and I went there on a very hot August Saturday, and spent nearly all day in the water park.   It was fun, but I'm positive that it lead to an ear infection.   I started feeling sick not long after this, and I went to the doctor several times, only to be told it's a virus (aka they have no clue what's wrong).   I was sick for a month, and so sick that it got to the point that I had to go to the hospital and miss a week's worth of work. At the hospital, I was told I had strep throat and an ear infection. Because my regular doctor never diagnosed the ear infection, my ear was permently damaged.   This is also when my headaches started. My doctor gave me FMLA for my headaches, otherwise I would have been fired for missing the weeks worth of work. It was good that I did get it, because I ended up using nearly all of it up.   The next 9 months, I spent in and out of the hospital with the headaches. My regular doctor put me on every known headache / migraine medicine he knew of, and none of them worked.   I went to a neurologist (he thought I was crazy), and other specialists - no-one could help me and my life was falling apart.   One of my co-workers convinced me to try chiropractic, and it ended up being a Godsend to me. I could return to some degree of normalcy.   Even though, I don't miss work anymore, and I don't usually miss social things, and the fact that I don't look sick, doesn't change the fact that I'm in constant pain.   I have to watch what I eat, how active I am, make sure I get extra sleep, and I still have my bad days.   Today is a bad day - thunderstorms are moving into the area, which always sets off my headaches, and getting upset yesterday didn't help.   So, I'm trying to make it through work, and then I'll go home and go to bed.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Night before...

I'm getting MARRIED tomorrow! And it's already tomorrow in some places! I can't believe how excited and calm I am, all at the same time. My piano player did show up at the rehersal, so we talked about what songs I wanted and what parts. I'm walking to Nightfall and Leaves on the Seine by David Lanz. I love him.   I'm starting to feel self-conscious about my dress not being white or traditional. Woah. Serious anxiety. That's so weird. ...   Ugh. I'm so stressed out now! What happened to being calm? I'm going to be walking in front of who knows how many people in a blue nonwedding dress! Why didn't I get a normal dress, like normal people do?
smallvoice

smallvoice

3
Do you have a flag?
 

Entire GC Swap Reviews - 13bodies Package #1

Cross-posted to the reviews forum.   Ahathoor - Triumphing. Kind of a weird woody/citrus scent. Maybe something like eucalyptus in there. It's kind of a cross between a medicinal scent and a cleaning products scent. From that description you'd probably guess that I don't like it very much, and you'd be right. I can't wear scents like this.   Al-Shairan - His scent is fiery, bright and thick with sweet sinfulness: clove, peach and orange with cinnamon, patchouli and dark incense notes. The Lab has frimped me Al-Shairan imps three times (and they're all different colors), so I've tried it a few times. From the notes, it does seem like something I should like -- and I do like it, but the cinnamon will keep this from being a favorite. If it weren't for the cinnamon I would like it a lot. There's a sweet, thick scent underneath (the kind of scent I like), but the cinnamon makes it too hot and spicy for me. After about an hour it's a great clove and peach scent, with very light oranges. Exactly the type of scent I like. The only problem is getting through that initial cinnamon stage.   Alice - Curiouser and curiouser. Milk and honey with rose, carnation and bergamot. Reviewed on 3/13. Alice and I were not meant to be pals. I suspected the rose would be too much, and I dreaded the honey-induced play-doh scent, and I thought the carnations would be too bitter on me just like they always are. And Alice did exactly what I thought she was going to do.   Bastet - Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus. Mostly almond at first, and then amber and saffron. This is a beautiful golden scent, and I think it's very fitting for Bastet. I can see why this oil is so popular, it's lovely. It gets pretty light after about an hour, but it lasts quite a while.   Bengal - A sultry and unruly blend that emulates the ambient scent of the markets in ancient Bengal: skin musk with honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark and ginger. At first it smells like honey and spices. Can't really smell any cinnamon in this at first, but I do smell a little bit of clove and ginger. After a while I definitely get cinnamon bark, loudly, with a honey undercurrent. Usually with cinnamon I have some trouble with it smelling very strong (the throw is a little too much for me), and it's like that in Bengal too. However after the cinnamon fades it’s a sweet honey scent, very lightly spiced. Quite nice.
filigree_shadow

filigree_shadow

0
captain diana's log
 

Fiddledragon Imp Pack #1

Bliss: This is one of my staples. Goes on smelling like hot cocoa. Really rich & chocolatey. Makes me want to lick myself. It slowly dissipates, but I generally keep a spray of this in my purse for touchups to stay as chocolatey as possible.   Ravenous: Wet: Oddly enough, this smelled like leather & bandaids with lemony-citrus notes when I put it on. Drydown: As it dries, the actual patchouli note come through and it smells less like plastic. The red patchouli starts taking on a slighly herbal/slightly spicy tone to it, but it does have a bit of a musty odor to it. The orange blossom receeds quite a bit, adding a bit of a lightness to it, but it isn't sharp at all.   I'm not sure if it's something I'd ever need a full 5mL of, since I'm not totally sold on the red patchouli. It's an interesting blend, though, and not too far off of something I'd wear regularly.   Crossroads: Wet: very perfumey-floral. Dry: The floral is bright & sweet; it's almost citrus-like... I think this is magnolia maybe? There are some slightly earthy/mossy notes in the background. After a bit, some of the incense notes come out. They're soft and powdery, quite like the incense notes of Sybaris. They obscure the moss notes, but not enough of the florals, which stay fairly bright. An interesting blend, but a bit too floral for my tastes.   Salome: Wet: sweet almonds & a bit of jasmine. i really like the wet stage. Dry: The sweet almond fades quite a bit, and the jasmine becomes more prominent. Then it fades into a weak floral, but the sweetness and warmth of the musk & sandalwood remain. I think I'd like this a lot more if it had better throw; this on me is a nose-to-wrist scent. I really really really like the musk, and wish it were stronger. Overall, it's a nice, sweet, pretty blend. It reminds me a bit of Bastet, but a little softer and less "golden" smelling.   Nero: Wet: very sharp & astringent; smells like eucalyptus Dry: the eucaltypus-ish scent fades and becomes more herbal and also a bit medicinal. The bay is an interesting note, but not one i'd want to really smell like. Then it fades quickly into nothing. I am not a big fan of this blend.   Masquerade: Wet: slightly perfumey, can detect orange blossom & patchouli right away. Dry: the scent becomes a bit spicy, possibly from the carnation. the patchouli is warm and slightly woodsy. Sweet & spicy & earthy all at the same time. The spiciness fades a bit, then it is a warm scent with just a hint of the orange blossom fruitiness. I really like this one... it might have to be an eventual 5mL.   Faustus: Wet: soap & oil. Dry: becomes more spicy as it dries; the cinnamon & frankincense start to appear. It still smells fairly soapy, which oddly enough, I think is due to the violets. I usually love violets in almost any blend, but here they are just not my cup of tea. After a while, the sharp soap note fades a bit to a warm, spicy scent, but it's a little bit too astringent-smelling for me. It's a neat scent, just not one I think I'd really get much wear out of. This probably would smell amazing on a guy, FWIW.   Masabakes: Wet: rich, heavy, but sweet. Currants + resins = yay Dry: Smells a bit like a relative of Lurid. Sweet, but mysterious. The sweetness of the black currants is strong, but not overwhelming, and is balanced nicely by the myrrh. The other notes add almost a dusty, dry base to it. For some reason, I thought I didn't or wouldn't like this blend, but this is actually very much a scent I would wear a lot!
Diana

Diana

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

My old job

My first job in the company I currently work in was the best job in the world. I loved it so much, but I was only temping for two ladies who were out on materinty leave.   I bawled on my last day, on the way home from work, because I loved this job so much.   My boss thought I was a great worker and he tried to A) keep me in his department or keep me in the company.   I'm still in the company, but I don't like my current job nearly as much. Plus my boss in the old job was great, and my current boss is too busy to do much of anything besides sit in meetings.   I just got a company wide email that one of the ladies who had a baby is leaving, tomorrow. Since this is the first I've heard of it, I'm guessing that they have someone else taking her place.   I told my old boss that I would come back in a moment's notice, but I guess that's not going to happen.   I sent him an email - to see if her position was filled. I know if I could go back there, I would have a wonderful job, with wonderful co-workers, and I'd be hired in right away.   Because my mindset is of a depressed one, I feel that someone else is already working in her place, and it makes me want to cry. I can't even apply for the posting for her job, because I'm not hired in.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Gone Batty
 

Nice veins!

I feel like I should get a sticker that says "I made a phlebotomist happy today!" Every time I have to have blood drawn for tests they always tell me "oh, you have such nice veins". I guess that's cool. Though I'm not thrilled that you can see most of my veins because I'm pretty pale, I'd rather have an easy time giving blood than not. I'd have to say I'm lucky that no one's ever missed a vein or had to dig in my arm.
miss apple

miss apple

1
Eoywin's Blog
 

4th of July BBQ

Since we bought our house in February, I've been itching to have a party. Since Todd's parents are coming up for the 4th, we are hosting our first party, a 4th of July BBQ.   It will be mostly Todd's familly and friends, though it does sound like a couple we are both friends with are probably going to be able to come.   I'm excited, but I'm sad at the same time - going back to my very whiny comment that I wish I had more friends.   I'm not really sure how to make friends anymore. I tried and organized an Asheville meet & sniff, and it was fun, but it didn't lead anywhere in the friendship department.   I'm not sure where someone goes to meet people in their late twenties / early thirties who like some of the same things I do. I'd love to find another gaming group, but I'm not sure where to find those either (I have looked in every comic shop I go into to see if there is anyone looking for gamers to join a game).   I'm at a loss, and I'm sad about it... mostly because the two friends I have in this town (not counting Todd) seem to be distanting themselves from me (of course, this could be my paranoia when it comes to friends).   This is reason I have issues with friends - in my life I've lost (driven away?) two groups of friends.   I'm shy, though less than I used to be. I was painfully shy in my childhood, and so I didn't have a real friend until I was in the 6th grade. Her name was Heather and we were 'best friends' for the middle school years. We even shared a locker throughout high school.   In high school, I began to discover who I am - the weird, geeky girl I am today. And Heather was more interested in being mainstream, a follower. Plus she could only have one good friend at a time. We had a group of friends, and in my senior year of high school, I began to realize how these people were ditching me, and not really my friends.   They'd talk about trips they were going on, right in front of me, but I was never invited. If I wanted to do anything with them, I'd have to be the one to ask, and plan out the details - that got old really fast. I wasn't invested that emotionally with these people, so I decided one day that I didn't need them, and I'd find good friends in college.   And I did - at least I thought I did. I met Sara freshman year in German class, and we became best friends quickly. We had other friends too, and a group formed that there were about 6 or 7 of us by the time we all graduated from college.   I tried really hard to keep in touch, but as time went on they were less and less interested in keeping in touch with me, to the point that I was doing all the work. Unfortunely, I was very much emotionally invested in these people. I loved them like family, and I would have done anything for any of them.   Unfortunely, they all decided (on their own, or as a group - I'm not sure) they didn't want to be my friend, which ended up them all ditching me on my birthday (Birthdays are big deals for me, especially since my mom died - and they knew this).   This started a very hard time for me, because I ended up getting told that I was a horrible person (via livejournal no less), and it was really hard. I knew they weren't good friends, and that I was better off with out them. But it was like losing my entire family - I really did love them.   So, about 6 months after this happened, we moved to NC, and make 2 friends right away. It was nice, but I couldn't seem to make any more friends.   I'm not as whiney and depressing in real life as I am on online (online = venting), so I don't know what the problem is.   I began to think that whatever drove both sets of friends away must be me... but I don't know why I'm so undesirable as a friend.   Anyway, I've rambled enough - if you read this, and have any ideas why I see to be an anti-friend magnet, please let me know.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

Wedding thoughts

Since my own wedding is 3 months away, my thoughts are pretty much focused on the wedding, and how much crap I still have to do for it.   When I couldn't get to sleep last night, I flipped on the tv, and found the show 'Bridezillas' on which I watched for about 20 minutes.   One of the brides made the comment that 'the wedding is all about the bride, and the groom doesn't matter'.   I'd like to say that it's the first time I've heard that idea, but it's not. I know of several people who felt that way about their own wedding.   Our wedding will be focused not just on me, because honestly it's not just me getting married. It's Todd and I.   Besides, he might get more attention, since he's inviting more people   I did get some wedding stuff done - I got the cloaks for the bridal party ordered yesterday, and I'll get them in a couple of weeks, which is awesome.   This weekend, beyond cleaning, I'm going to get my invitations weighed, so I can buy stamps, so I can start to get those finished.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

48 Hours

I'll be married in 48 hours!! I got shoes (they're pretty much hideous, but I don't imagine I'll end up caring a lot about them!) and my nails done- I'm loving them, but not the typing with them on. I hung out with one of my dearest friends from high school for several hours today, and that was fun. She actually learned the first two pages of one of the songs I had wanted to walk to, in case my piano player flakes out, as she is wont to do. That is very nice of her, and quite unexpected. Hopefully we'll be able to get together tomorrow, but tomorrow is going to be very busy. We were able to find a bakery that was SO reasonably priced and extremely sympathetic to my case and just incredibly nice overall who would also be able to get it done by friday, which is so awesome. It's going to be a lovely cake, and there's carrot cake! It's extremely good carrot cake. The other layers are white with different fillings- odd that I won't be having chocolate. I may grab a chocolate sheet cake to make sure we have enough.
smallvoice

smallvoice

5
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Puddin' Tom update

It occurs to me that I have not provided a definitive update on the cat who took up residence on my front porch nearly two weeks ago. I was calling the kitty Puddy or Puds or Puddin', and a week ago I took the little geek into the vet to get the giant hairballs cut out of his fur and to get a general health assessment.   So here's the news: the kitty is a neutered male, the vet guesses he's about 10 years old. He'd probably lived on his own for a while, considering the extent of the matted hair on his back, but he obviously was someone's pet for most of his life. He had no microchip, and no lost cat report fits his description. His ears were simply very dirty, he had no mites or parasites except of evidence of some fleas, so he was treated for the nasty fleasters. His bloodwork came out clean and vet gave him vaccinations. The vet also said he was in amazingly good shape, considering his age and his recent "on the road" lifestyle. The shambling gait that he has is probably due to general age and perhaps some sort of old injury. But some of it, I believe, was due to the fact that the poor guy was skin and bones and half-starved.   So for now, he's living contentedly on the front porch with his little kennel for shelter and his food and water. He isn't going anywhere, believe me! He's filling out, I'm brushing him daily to get more of the dead hair out of his coat, and his wobbly gait is improving. He loves to crawl onto your your lap, purr and knead his paws. Ella Bean, Basset Queen, was taken out on the porch to meet him, restrained by her harness and her leash, and Puddin' Tom just watched her and gave a warning growl every now and then. She didn't push it. Mugzy the Boxer was curious, but not aggressive. If they keep meeting up, a truce may be established over time   And as you can see, I'm calling him Puddin' Tom. I think it sounds like a cross between a children's book title and a good ol' southern boy. He apparently feels like he's found his retirement home!
valentina

valentina

4
Eoywin's Blog
 

I feel bad...

I feel bad that:   I didn't make the picture slideshow on my cousin's Myspace page, and that there are two pictures of my selfish sister on there.   my husband's eBay auctions aren't going to sell.   my kitty loves my husband more than me.   my mom is gone, and lots of people still have theirs.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

More cake

The pans that my mother was borrowing to bake the cakes? Yeah, not available after all. And I've officially been overruled. We're buying sheet cakes from Costco on friday. I can't go to the bakery to find out how much their cakes would be (and I can't find the number anywhere, because I don't know the name, I just know it's on the parkway.) because I'm under house arrest for a day of rest. And cleaning. I'm in major meltdown mode- but I appreciate all the offers of help and ranting in unison and encouragement to become ze bridezilla within. I think I need that right now. And the boy wants to watch House now. So very not in the mood.
smallvoice

smallvoice

3
Eoywin's Blog
 

An addition

I tend to go through phases where I'm highly interested in one television show, or one series of books.   Currently, it's 7th Heaven.   My husband had watched it much longer than me, and when we started living together, we'd watch it on and off. This winter though, I started to watch it faithfully every Monday.   I found a used copy of Season 1 at a game store, and it sat on my shelf for a while. I picked it up and started watching it a couple of weeks ago.   I was watching it nearly every day, and I went through Season 1 pretty quick, so I went to eBay to find a copy of Season 2.   I, against my better judgement, bid on a copy, and won, and it arrived yesterday. So, there will be lots of 7th Heaven-ness at my house tonight.   I don't know what I'll do after I finish Season 2 though... Season 3 isn't on DVD yet.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

Sad

I've been really sad this week... overwhemling so.   Wedding planning is hard, especially since my mom is gone, and I don't really have any help in NC. Todd helps when he can, but it's at the stage that he isn't interested in - making favors, getting the invitations ready, and such.   I was looking forward to having the couple days off over the 4th to get some of this wedding stuff done, and now I'm dreading the 4th because my in-laws are coming to visit.   I'm afraid I'll be kicked out of my own bedroom (my in-laws helped us move, and took over our bedroom. The first week of our marriage we couldn't even sleep together!) - I don't sleep well to begin with, but I really don't want to have to sleep on a blow up bed, then have to go to work for 10 + hours, then have to come home to 'entertain'. The very thought makes me want to cry.   I'm really sad that the SC meet and sniff isn't going to happen. I know I shouldn't have gone anyway because of the money, and because of the messy house, but I probably would have gone. I had been looking forward to it for quite a while now   And again, I wish I had friends - girl friends, mostly. I don't have anyone really to blather on about wedding stuff, to come to my fittings with me, to help me with invitations, to watch girly movies, and talk about things only girls can understand.   I miss having a best girl friend... and I even miss the best girl friend I had in college (though she become quite a crappy friend the last couple years of our friendship).   Life is hard... and I really try to keep upbeat (I know, it's hard to tell from my posts), but with feeling sick all the time (my lovely headaches insure that I'm in pain, all day every day) and being so lonely, it's hard to keep happy.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Do you have a flag?
 

Entire GC Swap Reviews - WaltzForZizi Package #2

Cross-posted to the reviews forum.   Antique Lace - A soft, wistful blend of dry flowers, aged linens, and the faint breath of long-faded perfumes. This oil doesn't seem to smell as good on me as what many other people describe in their reviews. It's kind of a stale perfumey scent. Milky and vaguely floral. It does smell white, but it doesn't smell fresh to me.   Belle Epoque - Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood. Very sweet, very pretty, but also very light. I like the scent a lot, but it just doesn't last one me. I once spilled a whole imp on myself and could barely smell it 30 minutes later. Phooey.   Chimera - The fiery, volatile scent of cinnamon, thickened by myrrh, honeysuckle, and copal. At first it's a lot of cinnamon, but there's a syrupy feel to it, kind of like that sticky frosting on cinnabons. As it dries down it's still quite a lot of cinnamon, more than I generally like. And by the time the cinnamon fades out, any other scent that was under there is gone too.   Lightning - The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain. Wooo, very ozoney. Slightly salty, kind of a weird twang to it. This isn't the kind of scent I would wear as a personal fragrance, but it is the sort of scent I would use for a linen spray. It smells clean and fresh.   March Hare - A twisted teatime tart: apricot and sweet clove. At first the apricot smells a bit like an artificial peach scent used in air fresheners. I used to have a "peach potporri" powdered carpet freshener that smelled very similar. The clove isn't very strong, but it gives the scent an earthy foundation and balances out the sweet fruitiness. And after 20 minutes or so the apricot doesn't smell nearly as aritifical, and the apricot/clove combination is more balanced. It's a pretty scent, but it still reminds me too much of that carpet freshener for me to wear it.   Swank - Simply cool, the essence of Lounge: the scent of a crisp pomegranate martini. Reminds me of a cross between generic bath beads and bubblegum. Plus it's strong. It reminds me of a cheap fragrance for some reason, like a bathroom spray. The second imp I tried smelled better, less like bubblegum, but it's still too much of a sweet artificial scent for me. I'll stick with the peach and apricot ones.   White Rabbit - Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen. A clean-smelling white tea scent, and the ginger is pleasant. It smells polite. It's kind of like Dorian plus fabric softener. It has more of a crispness to it and less creaminess than Dorian. And the honey in this doesn't smell like play-doh like it does in other blends.
filigree_shadow

filigree_shadow

0
Do you have a flag?
 

Entire GC Swap Reviews - WaltzForZizi Package #1

Cross-posting to the reviews forum.   Blood Kiss - Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. At first I mainly get vetiver from this (I love vetiver) with clove and a little bit of cherry. It's smoky and warm. After a while the honey comes out a little more and makes it creamy... it ends up as kind of a husky smooth clove scent, with only a little bit of vetiver underneath. Complex and wonderful. I like it a lot.   Hollywood Babylon - The essence of innocence shattered: glittering Egyptian amber and heliotrope, infused with the sweetness of strawberry and vanilla - dragged into debauch by lusty red musk and a dribble of black cherry. Hmmm... black cherry and red musk, very lovely. Lusty and dark. I don't really get much strawberry, which is okay with me. I love heliotrope, and I always love amber and vanilla. Seriously, the only note in this whole blend that might not have worked on me was the strawberry, and I can't really detect it. This is exactly the sort of oil I'd like to wear 5 days out of 7. I tried this again as part of the GC circular swap after not trying it for a couple of months, and now I realize I need a bottle of it.   Katharina - A strong, willful blend with a soft, utterly lovely soul: white musk with a trickle of bright, sharp apricot and orange blossom. Katharina is a very bright, very springtime scent. There is something in it that reminds me of popsicle sticks. You know that woody flavor combined with the last drops of fruit-flavored popsicle left on the stick. It's very soft though, it doesn't have strong throw.   Queen Mab - A very complex scent, both shadowy and fierce: black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk. I loooooove this oil. It's beautiful and womanly, sexy and powerful. There's nothing young and innocent about this scent, it's the scent of a woman who knows what she wants. The black orchid is wonderful, and I love the sandalwood and musk with it. To be honest I'm not sure what night-blooming jasmine and osmanthus smell like, but if they're in this blend I'm pretty sure I like them. Mmmmm, this smells good. Can't believe I don't have a bottle of this yet... it's going on the list right now.   Rosalind - Dew-covered berries and fresh green grasses with a faint breath of spring flowers. This oil smells mainly grassy, but very fresh. The florals are very faint and not all that noticeable. It does smell a bit dewy as well. It's a young, clean, fresh scent. It's pretty, but too feminine for me personally.   Tempest - A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm. This doesn't smell much like ozone to me, but it does smell breezy. There's kind of a citrus scent to it as well. It smells much brighter than most ozone scents.   Thanatopsis - A deep, solomn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk. Thanatopsis was pretty far down on my "to try" list because of the pine and juniper, which are traditionally urgh for me. I put it on, sniffed, thought "eugh, pine," then went back to typing something. About 10 minutes later I started to wonder where that lovely scent was coming from. I traced it to the little swipe of Thanatopsis. So I swiped on a whole bunch more, and waited for the pine to go away again. Is anyone else getting red musk out of this? I swear the musk smells like red musk... and at one point I thought I faintly detected some leather. Very animalistic, and to be honest I don't mind the pine. It actually makes the whole thing seem slightly fresh, giving a pleasant respite from the feral undertone. I can see this being masculine, but I'm reluctant to hand over the imp to the hubby. I kinda want to keep it for myself.
filigree_shadow

filigree_shadow

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Cake

Remember my wedding cake decorator? Free cake, as a wedding gift? Yeah, apparently, she's not going to be able to do that anymore. The move that she told me she'd be in the middle of when she offered to do it has caused her to be unable to do it. Her pans are all lost and she can't find anything for her kitchen and... dude. DUDE! My wedding is on freaking friday!! YYRRRAAAAARRRGGHHH!
smallvoice

smallvoice

8
Ancilla's Blog
 

reviews this.machine#1

AGLAEA: Three golden ambers, bright musk, peach wine and myrtle. A BEAUTIFUL, bright sweet peach! Smells just like Bath and Body Works discontinued scent Peach Nectar. I LOVE this. The ambers are non-existant on me, either that or they blend in/emphasize the peach perfectly. I also can't detect the musk, but it may be also emphasizing the peach. I don't know what myrtle smells like, but I *maybe* can detect a hint of floral behind the peach? (it may be just because I WANT to smell the floral ) I love this scent so much. I am definitely buying a 5ml.   BLUEBEARD: A scent swirling with dark rage, unbridled jealousy, and murderous intent. Violet, lavender, white musk and vetiver. The lavender hit me at once. Now I can smell those dreadful violets... and they are almost as strong as the lavender. despite my hatred for violets I must say how perfect they blend with lavender. I couldn't detect the vetiver, which I know is a pretty strong, bitter note. The scent didn't smell murdeous to me, but it is definitely masculine and reminds me of the sea.   GAUEKO: The Basque God of Night and all the perils of the darkness. Though he is the God of the Danger that Lurks in the Gloom, he is kind to men and warns them against the nighttime hazards and sets rules of conduct for both the living and the dead as they travel through his domain. It is said that since the warm, vibrant daylight is for the living, the abodes of night are reserved for the dead. All who heed his counsel are protected, but woe be to any man that disobeys the laws of Gaueko: he is swift to punish those that would scorn his advice. Blackened sandalwood and misty lavender, with curling wisps of smoky tobacco, nag champa, and labdanum. Wow. Nag champa and lavender! I love Nag champa with a passion and I let out a huge squee when I first sniffed this in my imp. Wow, I never knew that Nag Champa and lavender could blend together and compliment each other so wonderfully! The nag champa is most noticeable in the vial, wet on skin it is mostly lavender, dry on skin it is mostly nag champa! Oh, my love! Another to add to my 5ml wishlist. I'm also going to have to make room on my top 10!   REGAN A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis. When wet, it is VERY STRONG, and smells very much like Follow Me Boy (which sometimes gives me a headache) smells like jasmine and baby powder, and nothing like the orchids I am used to (like Shadow Witch Orchid). However, after it dries down there is a lovely vanilla (it was disguised as jasmine! it was SOMEHOW really vanilla!)   SLOTH VERY dark and murky. musky. I'm not sure I can handle much of this without a headache. reminds me a bit of cheap drugstore cologne from the early 90's. But it also smells almost like depression, stagnation.   LIBER RESH VEL HELIOS: TUM Hail unto Thee who art Tum in Thy setting, even unto Thee who art Tum in Thy joy, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Down-going of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Day! GRAPES. Smells just like grape bubblegum, which is not a bad thing but it also means it smells artificial. Myrrh or frankincense, patchouli? musk of some sort. hard to detect what is beyond that. It is very calming even though the scent is strong. I could totally see how it can describe the setting sun. The grape remindsme of this weird air freshener my grandmother has. I'm not sure whether I like this or not.   UTRENNYAYA The Morning Star Osmanthus, Damascus rose, violet, delphinium, white mint, palmarosa and white sandalwood. When wet it is very herbally, minty. Very green smelling. It reminds me a bit of Envy with its smell of fresh green cut grass and of mint. Sweet though, as I can smell the florals through it as if the green smells were a fence or a screen. A lot of notes I can't quite place, but it definitely smells like a late spring/early summer scent. ETA: definitely more floral as it dries.   WINNERS OF THIS REVIEW: Gaueko and Aglaea!
ancilla_morte

ancilla_morte

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

Stress

I fear that I'm not a good person. I don't have very many friends, and those I do have seem to be pulling away from me.   I'm not sure why I have such a hard time making and keeping friends. My whole history of friendships show how people end up not liking me as a friend, and then dumping me.   I just want a couple of good friends that I can call and talk to, or hang out with. I have my husband, and he's great (and I do wonder sometimes how he can stand me), but I only see him on the weekends.   I had really wanted to go to the meet & sniff in SC this weekend, and now it appears that no-one is going. I was really looking forward to it, and now all I have to look forward to is a weekend of lots and lots of cleaning.   I'm sad and I'm lonely, and I'm super stressed out over work and the wedding, and now that my in-laws are coming to visit, I'm stressed about that.
Eoywin

Eoywin

2
This Old Snark
 

It's all in your head.

Snarky developed some psychosomatic quirks during her senior year back in Nerd School. She was falling into a mild depression, feeling the strain of separation from her first serious boyfriend (the relationship was a bit co-dependent), and she was at a complete loss as to where/what she wanted to go/do/be after graduation.   About once a month she would come down with symptoms of a particularly virulent stomach virus that didn't exist. Two days of debilitating gastro-intestinal distress then suddenly nothing, and back to her self-imposed hermit-like existance of skipping meals in the cafeteria in lieu of a pseudo-monastic supper of rye bread and onion soup (She's not sure why she settled on this particular combination, it was probably something she picked up from reading The Name of the Rose and/or the better option compared to flagellation.). Naturally her suitemates didn't take any of this seriously and did their best to harrass her into being more sociable.   The psychosomatic weirdness climaxed with a spectacular presentation of a raging case of hives during final exams. Every where her skin was constantly touched - her bra strap, necklines and waistlines, where her low pony tail rested against the nape of her neck, bloomed with red, itchy welts. She added two Benadryls to her rye bread and onion soup communion every night and had nightmares about physics exams and botany practicals.   Eventually her skin cleared and she graduated (probably in that order) and after that traumatic senior semester, nothing quite so extreme happened to her again.   But she remembers that it's possible. A crouching gremlin hiding in her meat and bones, waiting for the right triggers.   Last week The Mister took two days off of work because of stomach problems. Today, a full week later, he's still not quite back to normal. He comes from a family that doesn't always think to go to the doctor until the problem becomes much worse, so Snarky's attempts at getting him to Get Help have been treated as Chiken Little-style freakouts.   Finally, though, he is thinking about seeing his doctor. Even if this ends up being all in his head (his work is approaching a critical turning point this week) she hopes that seeing the doctor will help him somehow.   In the meantime, her own stomach has been a bit sour and sullen as well. Whether it is in sympathy (the closest to synced menses they'll ever get), or due to exposure to him (if it is an actual bug), or due to a whole new resurgence of her old sub-conscious mind/body craziness (always an underlying possiblity), she's unclear. Perhaps she'll never fully focus on the cause. She just hopes the effects for both The Mister and herself go away soon.
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

4
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

No Coast

I just love this -- there's a roller derby club in the town that I live in called the No Coast Derby Girls. The name alone is priceless. There's two teams -- Gang Green (team color green, obviously) and the Mary Kay Mafia (wearing pink, of course). There's a match in early July and I hope to attend. Several of the girls on the teams go to my favorite coffeehouse, and come limping in, sporting large bruises, all that jazz. They are just wild maniacs, and I do so appreciate that.   And speaking of being in No Coast land, if there's a beach near you, please go to it for me. I have a good friend in Tampa and I'm always asking her to at least drive by the beach and honk at it for me. For those of you who live near very large lakes with quasi-beaches, that works too.   I must share a bit of kitsch from my home state that is probably more evidence that since there's no beach or large body of water or mountains, we fixate on phallic symbols. (You need look no further than me for evidence of that. ) I believe it was in the 1930's that someone decided to create a lake and a faux beach between Lincoln and Omaha near the Platte River. It's called Linoma Beach (heh, heh, Lincoln and Omaha, get it?)   And below is a photo of Linoma beach, and yes, that is a light house. It's often said there have been no shipwrecks there, so it must be doing its job. That may be because the lake is so shallow and it's so dry in this state that only an inner tube can make its way out onto the water. I think I'll have to go there at least once this summer, if only for the amusement value.  
valentina

valentina

1
×