forspecial_plate

I went to the zoo again last week, and had a nice relaxing visit. The weather was really great, a little chilly but sunny and windy. I enjoy watching the serval in the cat house.....so graceful and.....willowy? I also love the feathertailed gliders in the nocturnal house. They are incredibly cute. It's funny because the nocturnal house is, of course, dark inside. At first when I looked in on the feathertailed gliders, I didn't see anything moving. So after standing still and watching for a couple minutes, I started to notice little darting movements here and there. They are like small mice, with weird tails that look kind of flattened out, which they use for gliding. I didn't see any of them jump or glide, but they were darting around and moving all over. They are so cute! I watched the Sumatran rhinos eat for a while. I love their eyes. They open their eyes so wide you can see the white parts. The zoo built these really cool sun-shades over the rhino habitat, to protect them from the sun. The insect house has a whole section that you walk into, and it looks like a greenhouse, and it's full of butterflies. There are a few different kinds of birds, too, including hummingbirds, my favorite. For a while I didn't see any hummingbirds but I was determined so I stayed in there for a few minutes, and finally spotted one. It was great.

I don't think I trust the internet enough to really write about some of the things going on right now. I certainly wouldn't post on facebook, and not really on livejournal either, which is dying a slow death anyway (unless I just need to update my friends list a little bit, which is possible). Anyway, change is in the air, and I'm kind of excited. I seem to have gotten stuck in a loop of insanity, repeating really stupid behaviors, and I'm finally feeling like I might be breaking free. One thing I know for sure is I can't keep doing the same things over and over, and expect things to somehow magically become better.....without changing what I'm doing. I don't want to be too cryptic but again, it's not really stuff that I want to post on the internet....even on a 'private' forum. My point (and I do have one) is that I'm really lucky right now. I have 2 real paper journals that are only partially filled, with plenty of room left in them. Also, I bought a membership to our zoo, which is right next door to my apartment building. It is so, so easy to just walk a block, show my card, and walk right in.....skipping the whole line for tickets. And as long as it's not too crowded, it is a great place to walk for some exercise, and sit and relax, while writing in my journal. I'm off work tomorrow night so I think I'm going to take a little trip to the zoo and say hi to my animal friends. The cat house makes me a little sad, though, because I feel like the cats would be happier outdoors, with lots more room to roam around. I guess they don't know what they're missing? I hope not. They look kind of sad all confined as they are.

This is more sharp and nearly soapy than I was expecting. I thought black gum would be a sort of dark resin, and I was also hoping for that sassafras to show up. Mostly what I smell is a sharp piney floral scent that kind of reminds me of Golden Priapus. I do enjoy pine scents, but this one is on the verge of being too sharp. It's another scent that I'm going to put away for a while and come back to later, hoping that it will soften a little bit and some more complexity will emerge. Edit: 5 days later....well hello, totally different scent! Still sharp, I smell mentholated earth, with some other stuff. I'm still not sure about keeping this. It seems to smell different every time I wear it. It's going in a drawer for a while.

I agree that the spices are on the softer side. However, I think it's the frankincense that's giving this a bit of sharp edge that is a little too much for me. It's close to being something I can wear....I'm going to put it away for a few weeks and see if that makes a difference. At first I thought it was like the old Blood Moon, so I tried them side by side, and they are actually quite different. Egg Moon is sharper but, again, it's not the spices that are sharp. Frankincense does have a way of standing out for me....not sure if it's my skin or my nose, but it does seem to come to the forefront in most scents that have it. Hopefully it will mellow out a bit because this scent has a lot of potential to be soft and spicy, and a little sweet and almost creamy.

Breakdown for the new scents (I need a break from studying, anyway)........I've never read Neverwhere or the other graphic novels, so these are based on notes, concepts, and imagery. Mr. Croup....."Pompous and predatory: tonka bean, black musk, bourbon geranium, and crushed porcelain". Intrigued by the crushed porcelain, but the bourbon geranium is probably the deal breaker. At least....I know I don't like rose geranium. May try a decant eventually. Mr. Vandemar....."Dark and gangly, with a glint of razor-sharp stainless steel behind it: opopponax, costus, black pepper, black sandalwood, and polished metal". Hmmm.....possibly.....but I'm kind of scared off by the black sandalwood, it hasn't worked much for me.....at least, I didn't like the one Ode To Mars scent that had black sandalwood. This looks interesting enough to try. Door.....golden honey, nope. The Marquis de Carabas....."A splash of bay rum, leather, dusty black wool, massoia bark, and opium residue". This looks pretty good, except maybe for dusty wool, but I'm willing to try a decant at some point. The Rat Speakers...."A snuffling, brown scent: earthy patchouli, sage, russet sandalwood, grimy leather, fig leaf, and lemongrass". This sounds reminiscent of Brown Jenkins, and some of the Wind In The Willows scents.....and none of them worked for me. I would try it if it comes my way but I can most likely skip this one. Anesthesia....."A scent that slips through the cracks: peppermint, lavender, bergamot, and mandrake". Sounds pretty and refreshing, not what I usually go for but I'm kind of attracted to it. Decant might be good at some point. Night's Bridge...."Stone and darkness". This sounds totally intriguing, especially since I loved Sarah from last year's Halloween blends. I will probably end up trying this one. Hunter....."Leonine amber, tanned hides, clove, and clary sage". Yes, I want to try this, definitely. The Floating Market....."A cacophony of curious scents: copaiba balsam, petitgrain, citrus rind, sinicuichi accord, betel nut, wasabi root, coconut palm, and wattleseed layered atop innumerable strange herbs, spices, and woods". Sounds really interesting, sometimes I can do the more herbal scents. some of these things I'm not familiar with but I really don't see anything that worries me. The Velvets....."Smooth inky musk, cathedral incense, ylang ylang, violet leaf, rose-infused amber, red sandalwood, and iris". This is interesting because I'm attracted to the concept and imagery more than the actual notes. Might be fun to risk a decant, and even better if I end up liking it. Lamia....."Deadly elegance: pale orchid, lily of the valley, vanilla amber, black currant, white peach, champaca, coconut, honeysuckle, Arabian myrrh, Burmese vetiver, and oude". Sounds pretty and womanly, but could be worth a try. I like most of the notes.....but lily can be a deal-breaker. Plutonian...."Soapy cleanliness sullied by blood and ashes". I don't like a lot of soapy scents but this could still work, and it's worth a try. Mr. Qubit....."Gleaming metal, electrical discharge, and a whiff of tinny cologne". Sounds kind of like last year's anniversary scents....which didn't really work for me. But I'm still interested in trying most things that are dude-centric, which this appears to be. I'll be watching reviews. Bette Noir.....sounds very womanly, I can probably pass on this one. Kaidan....I already tried this....not bad but didn't knock my socks off. I may try it again some day. Yurei....."White tea, hibiscus, Arabian sandalwood, white amber, ho leaf, pale Japanese flowers, and vetiver". Could be a nice springy scent. Worth a try, for sure. Alana Patel....."Faded perfume, cigarette smoke, and gin". Not my kind of thing, but I'd be interested in smelling it just because it contains a note of cigarette smoke. Witchblade...."Antediluvian, sacred metal, glowing red musk, blessed frankincense, and antiqued amber". Sounds pretty good to me....I think I'll have to try it! Sara Pezzini....honey-dusted.....nope! Det. Patrick Gleason....."A classic men's cologne splashed over a leather trenchcoat and a hint of gunshot residue". Sounds like it could be worth a try. The Curator....."Mysterious herbs and ancient resins. Dust settled on ancient relics, both holy and malevolent". Worth a try, but could be too dusty. Panther Moon....."Gleaming black musk, mandrake, labdanum, black ginger, benzoin, champaca, ambergris accord, myrrh, and star anise". I just don't know.....I mean, it sounds good, but I can't tell for sure if I'd like it, or if it will be too similar to other things I've tried. I didn't end up liking Velvet Panther, and black musk is one of those things that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't for me. This is very much worth a try, and could be worth a whole bottle. I just wish I could decide! All of the honey scents........no. Paduan Killer Swarm....."Tonka, black licorice, amber, golden sandalwood, ginger cream, bitter clove, stinging nettle, cinnamon bark, and coconut shell". I like the combination of notes listed, but what if it has honey, too? That would be a deal breaker for sure. But everything else sounds so good..... Paramatman....."Orange blossom, East Indian sandalwood, and champaca". Yet another 'worth a try', although I don't usually like orange blossom all that much. Ehecatl......"Hibiscus, matcha, white musk, and lime". You guessed it.......worth a try. The Forest Reverie....."A sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke". Roses and lilies.......no, no, no. L'examen de Minuit.....lilac and rose otto......nope. Pyramus......"Dragon's blood resin, frankincense, amber, white tea, lavender, and golden musk". This sounds really good. It would be fun to find someone to split the pair with me, because I know I wouldn't like the other half. Thisbe....."Diaphanous sandalwood, pink rose, lotus root, lemon orpur, and iris stained by mulberry juice". Pink rose and iris? I think not.

I agree with aquatic, metallic, and ozone. I also get a hint of grape. It's a very light purple tin foil hat. It reminds me of some other aquatic scents that I like, but it has that bracing metallic quality, too. Interesting but it's a little strong and after a while it's a little too much for me.

I deleted my last entry because the negativity was consuming me. I couldn't shake it all weekend and I finally was able to let it go somewhat. I survived the weekend, but I am learning some lessons lately. What should have been a great weekend turned out to be horrible. I can't go back in time so I'll just try to move on, forgive myself, and forget about it.

Yep, this is really good...... It starts out really buttery, kind of like Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener, but also like Glowing Vulva......both of those are very rich to me, and this seems the same......but ASL is a little more restrained. Still, this is buttery at the beginning. As it warms up, I'm getting a more cologne-y element, almost like ozone. This is not what I expected at all, and I can't detect any milk or cream. I thought this scent would be very foody but what I'm getting is a very elegant, refined scent that would be great for special occasions. It seems almost too elegant for everyday wear. I would wear this with a suit and tie (and definitely will, whenever I wear those again!). It's not literally "sarsaparilla and cream".....there is much more going on here. I couldn't say what other notes are here, but I keep thinking of ozone, and someone else mentioned woods, and I'd say that is accurate too. It's exquisite. It's a very special scent that I will savor for special occasions......or for those days when I'm feeling decadent and needing a comfort scent. It works both ways.

I like this scent a lot, and I really can't pick apart any notes although I always try. I'm always drawn to the labs bay rum scents and this is another good one. I have to agree that there is some kind of chemical thing going on here. It has the feel of dood-fume to me, but there's a sour sort of sharpness about it. I also agree that it's very light. I need a larger amount because I apply a lot when I wear this. I thought it was interesting that here is an incense scent that is proper enough for me to wear to work. I like the lab's incense scents but usually wouldn't think of wearing them to work, but this one is different. More, please! : ) When these came out I went straight for Kroenen but as it turns out, this one is more to my liking.

Phantom Time Hypothesis....."A traditional Medieval perfume that never existed: balm, benzoin, damask rose, gumdragon, lignum aloes, orange water, ambergris, and vegetal musk". Hmm, sounds interesting, except for the rose! I can probably pass on this one, honestly. I'm kind of intrigued by vegetal musk, though. Reptoid Dominion....."Malevolent superintelligent para-dimensional shapeshifting reptoid musk". I don't like all musks, but I'd love to try this one! It could be really great. Skytyping With Chemtrails....."Incapacitating poofiness: spun sugar, white amber, white musk, citron, and lemongrass masking a sinister, almost chemical undernote of elemi, zdravetz, and ravintsara". Well, not so interested in this one....reminds me of a few other scents that I've already tried. I could end up liking it but I'm still trying to track down that bottle of Metal Phoenix. I may try this some day, though. Staged Moon Landing....."Prop moon rocks: muguet, orris, white sandalwood, galbanum, cistus, and dusty vanilla". I am generally not fond of papery, dusty scents, with a few notable exceptions, so this one isn't really tripping my radar. White sandalwood can be papery on me, it's probably my least favorite kind of sandalwood. Teatime In Roswell....."Aliens at high tea: Earl Grey, biscuits, Battenberg cake, and strangely-glowing cucumber sandwiches". I'm curious....or is that just the hype getting to me? : ) I would like to try this, though. I'm not totally against the occasional cakey scent. Traipsing Through The Crop Circles....."Miles and miles of flattened wheat, barley, and maize". Not sure about this one. Just from the description, I can't really imagine what it would smell like. I didn't really fall for Bezoar or Hay Moon, and corn doesn't sound all that appealing, but again, this could be another one that surprises me and ends up smelling great. I just can't tell sometimes.

My exams went really well, what a relief! Moving on....... I wanted to do my own breakdown of some recent updates. I'm at work and it's busy, so we'll see how far I get. Starting with the Black Helicopter scents......... The Aurora Spaceship Takes A Dive...."Texas thistle, bluebell, red corn poppy, magnolia, sunflower, cedar sage, and smashed, flaming windmill". A little on the floral side for me, and I've learned that I'm not a big fan of poppy. But still, I could end up liking this. I may track down a decant. The Committee Of 300: Meeting Minutes......"An ominous round table for the quintessential Round Table Group: polished wood, tobacco smoke, faded cologne, and neon discharge". Sounds discordant, with wood and smoke, but also cologne and neon discharge? I just don't know about this one, it could go either way. I suppose I'll have to try a decant sooner or later. Illuminati Cotillion......"Ceremonial incense, pipe tobacco, temple roses, and shittim wood". If not for the roses, I would really want to try this. As it stands, I might want to try it anyway. I'm always attracted to incense scents, and even some of the ones with rose end up being nice. Menacing Ionospheric Research Instrument......"Electrically charged white amber, violet, sage, mint, and neroli flanked by dazzling metals and shining wires". I usually stay away from violet, and I'm not a big fan of neroli, but yet again, this could go either way. I'm just not sure! Decant, somewhere down the line. The Montauk Project....."Breathtaking native flora concealing a bastion of covert government experiments: shagbark hickory, sassafras, black gum, bald cypress, pine, dogwood, wild comfrey, swamp sunflower, and trumpet creeper". Bottle already ordered! The florals scare me a little, but I'm very attracted by the sassafras and pine. I love taking a chance with a scent and being pleasantly surprised. I'm not completely sure I'll like this but I can hardly wait to find out. .....more later.....

This scent brings an association that is very unfortunate. I've had asthma and allergies since I was a child, and there was a certain asthma medicine, Theophylinne (sp?), a liquid medicine that I am guessing was supposed to be grape flavored. Unfortunately, it tasted and smelled hideous, and this scent brings it right back......it was a medicine that made me gag the second it entered my mouth. There is only 1 other bpal scent that brought back that memory, and that was Delphi........I had to wash that one off too. I can understand how people might like this. I do like some wine scents like Montressor and the newer Poe one, but there is no way I could ever wear the Zadok Vineyard. In a way, that is appropriate, given the subject matter. I had the same kind of emotional reaction to Al Azif.....I can't even bring myself to try that one again.

Very much not what I was anticipating, this scent is airy, ethereal, somewhat papery.....which I get from sandalwood sometimes, especially when it's white sandalwood. I was expecting warm and a little spicy but that's not at all what I smell. I like it, but it's nothing like I thought it would be. This is what I thought White Phoenix would smell like. It's more white than anything else to me.

I'm at work....I'm bored, anxious, and nervous all at the same time. I want to write things but it's all random and unconnected. I have 2 final exams Saturday.....well, another one online that is due by Saturday, so 3 all together. I'm freaking out because I think my grades are right on the C/D edge, and I need to do really well on my exams. I can't get any D's, I just can't. If I do, my tuition won't get paid by my employer, and I will most likely have to wait another year to move forward in this program. So yeah, I'm freaking out. Speaking of work, I am in need of some nights off. I am off this weekend, but Saturday's final exams kind of ruin the weekend. Sure I'm off Saturday night, but then I go back Sunday night, which doesn't leave me much time to do anything. What do I want to do? Well, I've been wanting to visit my friend Kevin in Columbus (Ohio), and to really relax I want more than one night off to do this. Then, next week is my spring break, except I work almost every night. I'm off Wednesday night but that's it. Long story short, I am getting burned out and I need a break. And these people that I deal with at work are driving me crazy! In fact I have to cut this short because we're getting busy again and I have to actually work instead of typing in a blog.

I was surprised that bamboo turned up so few results on the lab's site. However, I can think of at least one or two lighter woody scents that might appeal......things like Ochosi: "His ofrenda is the soft shea he shares with Obatala, forest herbs, and sprucewood arrow shafts". More reading about wood scents, if you have the patience to wade through them: "The Woods Are Lovely, Dark & Deep..." Woods Forest and Woods Scents (with & without evergreens)

Played through Bioshock 2 twice, rushed through the first time and then went more slowly the second time (got 2 of the different endings). I do really like it, the story is not as good but game play is a little more fun, more options of what to do with the little sisters, more plasmid upgrades, etc....etc....now I want to go back and play the first Bioshock again! However..... I want to get some use out of my SNES and I keep feeling this attraction to older games. I ordered Zelda Link To The Past, and also Megaman X, so I can play those, as well as Super Metroid which I really didn't get into, but would like to start it back up again. I also have Earthworm Jim which is really fun but I didn't get very far into it (I played it on the old Sega Genesis, and was never really good at it, although I watched my room-mate at the time beat the game). So, anyway......oh I also would like to finish Final Fantasy IV, which I started when I was waiting to play Bioshock 2. (.....and I'm trying to be a student at the same time, LOL)

Wow, the description and concept are really captured in this scent.......it really does hit like a sting! At first I thought I might like the moss and earth. After a while, though, there was a hint of ammonia that kept bothering me. Eventually I just couldn't take it any more and so I tried to wash it off. Six or seven hours later, after a shower, I was sitting at school and I kept thinking "Is someone here wearing bpal?", until I realized it was me.....I could still smell Snowball Fracas. It is so, so strong and tenacious, just like getting an icy snowball in the face......very effective but unfortunately not for me! It's okay, though, I have other snow scents that I really do like and are a little more gentle. : ) Also, I like the warmer earth, grass and bark of The Potter's Field more than the icy assault of Fracas.

This is one of those scents where all I can smell is honey. Honestly, the honey was so strong and rich, I only got the barest hint of any other notes the one time I tried it. I tried! It's okay though.....my decant moved on to a new home, with someone who likes honey in her perfumes a lot more than I do! : )

I am sorry to say that this doesn't work for me. It sounded so good, but it smells overwhelmingly like black musk......I guess that's part of the blackened sandalwood. Too powdery and kind of papery, which turns me off usually. I want to smell the other notes so I will hold onto my decant and maybe it will work out eventually. Or I might swap it, I'm not sure yet.

Naked menz ... oh yes please! lol. Now my husband might not like that but since he get's to look at all of the Naked women on Odes last year I'd say bring it on. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Heck the label doesn't even have to have a face just make them firm and hunky! What say you Beth? Well......Glukuprikos is not my favorite scent, but I kept my partial bottle mainly because of the guy's cute butt on the label!

I have to admit....I want naked menz on my Ode To Ares bottles, just like the Odes from last year w/naked ladies! Oh well, it's what's inside that counts most, right??

Have you tried Metal Phoenix? I'm wondering if Torture Queen is anything like it. I love Metal Phoenix but can't seem to find a bottle for sale. Oh and yes......Ded Moroz is really nice on this man! : ) It has a masculine quality without being 'dood-fume' to the extreme. I like it.

I am so excited about Bioshock 2! I hope it doesn't suck. I pre-ordered the special edition, which has some nifty extras like a soundtrack CD, and also the orchestral soundtrack from the first game on vinyl. My turntable currently needs a new stylus but that's neither here nor there. It also has an art book of some sort. Kind of an impulsive purchase but there ya go. Now the only bad part is, it will take a few days for it to be delivered, and meanwhile other people will be playing the game already...... But....I've waited this long, I can wait a while longer.

These are worth a try...... Bijoux Y'Ha-Nthlei......."A strangely proportioned, opulent, lustrous scent: neroli, Hawaiian ginger, white musk, tarragon, beeswax, heliotrope, yellow rose, oud, coriander, amber, and lime peel"......worth a decant Inganok Jewelers....."Gleaming stone and silver"......might be cologney but worth a decant. The Steeple....."Otherworldly fungus, Provençal herbs, and dark, shadowy woods".....fungus might contain a dirt note, which doesn't always work......worth a try, though. Signior Dildo....."A scent of pearls and ivory: orris, violet leaf, narcissus, and Madagascar vanilla".....can't remember if I mentioned this in my first breakdown....might be too perfumey but I'd like to try it.

For my own selfish reasons, because I have to sort out which ones I want, for now I'm only including wants or might-wants. First the Shungas...... Konseishin The Penis God......"Apple blossom, champaca, fir needle, cistus, myrrh, Peru balsam, and Tan Xiang".....I think Tan Xiang is sandalwood, and I don't see much about this scent that I don't like! Okayaki....."Olive blossom, cardamom pod, amber, morning star lily, bergamot, and a well-aimed snowball".....will be watching reviews. Penis Admiration....."Lilac, ho wood, smoky vanilla, galbanum, and tonka".....not sure about a couple notes here, lilac and galbanum, but I'll be watching reviews with interest. Prosperity Of A Country....."Frankincense, orris root, asuhi, leather, and ginger-infused cream accord"......I think asuhi is hiba wood. I'm really interested in this scent. Could be my "take-a-chance" scent. Ronin......"White sandalwood, rice flower, honey, black pepper, and oakmoss".....sometimes don't like white sandalwood, or black pepper, and usually don't like honey, but I like the art of this one and will watch reviews. Now Ode To Ares...... Andreiphontes......"Tonka, benzoin, black sandalwood, and nutmeg".....has potential. Enkhespalos......."Elder wood, leather, blonde tobacco, and cognac"......has potential. Enyalios......"Patchouli, frankincense, olibanum, thyme, cocoa absolute, Peru balsam, oakmoss, and juniper".......this could be too much dood-fume, or it could be really fantastic. Khalkokorustes......"Champaca, pear, cedar, black pepper, jasmine, and red sandalwood".....this sounds like some fabulous love-child between Quincey Morris and Dr. John Seward. I need to try this one. That is about it for now. I'll be reading others' breakdowns and thinking some more but really, those are the most interesting right now.