Blogs

Gym - we did it!

So, we did it. We went there, we made a contract for 2 years and we had our first training. And I loved it! For the first time in quite a long time I felt healthy and great and I was in a wonderful mood - well, I am still It was great, I would like to go right there again. NOW! Well, but now I am stitting in our living room - alone - Olli went to meet with a friend to fly their model planes, I'm not really happy with being alone, but it's not that bad. I just watched the last 2 episodes of Friends - I'm addicted to them and now I'm again trough all the seasons. Since we don't receive any TV-channels we often watch DVDs - will have to search for something to watch again to relax after work and so on. Or I simply start over again. Hmmmm. Will have to think about that.

October 7, 2007

Gym - or not?

We are thinking about a membership in a gym. It is really cheap, the place looks good and so on - but we have to sign in for a 2 year memberchip. For 19,95€ each. Inclusive isotonic drinks and all kind of classes. And since we moved together, we haven't done any sports. I stopped horse riding when we started to date, stopped my normal dancing but went on with ballet. Now I'm doing nothing and I obviously gain weight + I don't feel good anymore. So - I need to do something. But gym? Haven't been there! Don't know if I like it. But it would be good for me ... and we still can't decide ...

October 7, 2007

heartbreakangel's Blog

Huh.

I think we've come to an agreement on wedding bands. Unless something else jumps out and kicks me in the shin next time I'm at the jeweler, we've got stuff picked out. This is weird. I figured planning all of this stuff out would be way harder than it already has been. I mean, the invitations and getting stuff like that sorted will probably be like herding cats, but this was always something I'd watched other people get incredibly stressed over. And yet, in 24 hours, we've got it basically covered. So now the list is whittled down to the following: picking a date that isn't during next May/June's freakin' Mercury Retrograde invitations food sorting RSVPs when they roll in maybe setting up a wedding registry somewhere clothing flowers I'm probably forgetting something somewhere in there. Gah.

heartbreakangel

October 7, 2007

heartbreakangel's Blog

More forward progress...

Picked out my engagement ring today. C. has been shown a picture from the catalog I was given to bring home regarding the wedding jewelery sale going on until the end of the month. She had the anticipated response, and began singing the praises of my father for covering the remaining balance on it when I do finally go up there to get things sized and such. I just have to wait for him to get his end of things together, and that's all set. From here, we just need to deal with wedding bands, and then this entire ring thing is done. One less issue to worry about. Which is amusing, since most folks I know that are married didn't even deal with wedding bands until really close to their wedding date. Our's is tentatively set for June, so we're waaaaay early on this one. The next big hurdle with planning will be the invitations. I'm still dawdling with going out looking for stuff to put them together myself. All I can do right now is estimate costs, anyway. Probably won't even touch actually starting to deal with picking up supplies and working out the rest of it until after Christmas. And I still have to tell my mother that I'm getting married. Oh God, that's going to be nerve wracking. She's probably going to throttle me for not telling her until well after the fact. I just keep getting distracted by loads of other stuff, and I'd kind of like to actually have my ring on my finger when I talk to her face to face about this. Everything else that needs to get dealt with revolves around school, at this point. I anticipate a nice TAL purchase somewhere in the not too distant future, so I can get rid of some of my scatter-brained problems with not being able to concentrate on an as needed basis.

heartbreakangel

October 6, 2007

Diplomatka

As If

(from the BBC) US targets Ethiopia for sanctions Correspondents say Ethiopia has come in for increased criticism over its human rights record since the violent crackdown on post poll protests in 2005; opposition leaders imprisoned as a consequence have subsequently been released. And since Ethiopia's went into Somalia last December to help the transitional government- a rebellion in its eastern Ogaden region which borders Somalia has escalated. 'Correct wrongdoings' The US representatives approved the Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Act on Tuesday, which puts Ethiopian government officials at risk of being denied entry visas over human rights violations. It also threatens to withhold military aid of at least $1.5m Mr Payne said the bill was bipartisan and secured unanimous approval. "It's something that's been discussed ever since the killing of civilians, gunned down in the streets of Addis [Ababa] almost two years ago," the Democratic Congressman told the BBC's Network Africa. "There was a feeling that Ethiopia, being an ally of the United States, should have an opportunity to correct some of the wrongdoings, and that has not happened. "Two years later people are still being imprisoned. There's still problems in the Ogaden region. People are having food kept away from them. That's why we finally said we need to move forward with it." Samuel Assefa, Ethiopia's ambassador to the US, called the bill "irresponsible" and said it would hamper efforts to improve things. "The legislation also would undermine regional stability in the Horn of Africa by jeopardising vital security cooperation between the United States and Ethiopia," he said in a statement, Reuters news agency reports. The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says as Ethiopia is such a strong ally of the US in the Horn of Africa, it is unlikely that President George Bush's administratation will be sympathetic to the bill.

Confection

October 5, 2007

Dreamy mood

Today I'm in a really dreamy mood. It's really nice. I enjoyed the strange bird-voices I heard this morning, I was thinking about the "Phantom of the Opera" musical. We saw it approx. a year ago and it was so wonderful. Well, after I was there I had a strange problem coming back into real life again. It took me weeks. I think I will watch the Phantom movie when I go home. And enjoy my chocolate yogurt. I bought it yesterday. I don't even like it very much - well I like parts of it. There a tree: One tiny sort of skin on the top of it which is great. Then comes the yogurt itself. Not so interesting. And at the bottom there is 1mm of a kind of cocoa something. Well, I eat the yogurt because of 1mm skin + 1mm cocoa. Great. But I'm really looking forward to it. Somehow I don't take this day very seriously. And I like it. For Olli it will be serious - he has to make a call to make an appointment for a job interview. He's so excited. I really hope he gets the job even if it would mean that he has to drive even more than now. But his current job is just too boring for him + his (female) boss is a pain in the ... but I don't dare to hope. I'm always afraid to hope anything ... The last 2 weeks have not been so good for me and I was so happy about my BPALs - even in the worst mood and in pain I started to smile while sniffing my wrists. Now I want a smile from Olli - because he can quit his current job and somehow I hope that he tells why he is quitting - because the pain in the ...

October 5, 2007

Dragon's Claw

In the imp: Sharp, almost bitter sandalwood, and the lilac air freshener scent that is dragon's blood to my nose. On wet: Sharp and bitter is duking it out with woody, almost peanutty sweetness. Ah, and here comes the detested DB... Drydown: The sandalwood's totally taken over (yay!), and I smell divine! I'm getting the sweet, pink-gold sandalwood that's present in Tushnamatay, another that's dry and woody, and another that's almost spicy - although I suppose the dragon's blood could be contributing to either of those effects. DB's only ever made me smell like a bathroom spray, so I can honestly say that I'm absolutely clueless as to what it might be doing at this point, lol! Overall: I fully expected the dragon's blood to kill this blend for me (because it hates me with a fiery passion), but thanks to my beloved sandalwood, I smell fan-freakin'-tastic - something I *never* thought possible where DB was concerned. I am positively delighted at finding my first wearable dragon's blood scent. 4.5/5

October 4, 2007

Lady MacBeth

In the imp: Sweeeeet reddish-purple-fruity-berry-ness. A hint of what I think is thyme. On wet: Kool-Aid! Drydown: 10 minutes in, and it's faded quite a bit. It's lost a lot of that berrylicious/fruity edge in favour of just pure sugary sweetness - it's actually making my teeth hurt every time I inhale! There's also a soapy, shampoo-esque thing going on now, too. I'm reminded of the "perfume" I used to get as a kid - the kind that wasn't much more than scented pink liquid in a pretty pink-capped bottle. I can't recall exactly, but I think the brand was called Tinkerbell (no relation to Disney). Not getting anything even remotely boozy or herby. Overall: WAY too sweet for this grrl - though I'd definitely recommend it for the junior BPALers out there. A kid-friendly scent to be sure - and SO much nicer than that chemical playtime crap I'm sure is still being sold today. As I am no longer a kidlet, however, this ranks a 2/5 on my skin.

October 4, 2007

First LE Order

I am pretty excited about my first LE-order. I tried to avoid LEs because I'm the kind of person who won't use something that might be unique and only once in a lifetime. Or I buy 3 or more (in this case bottles) and use the first one. But I think it is time to move on and to learn that even such things should be used. It makes no sense to keep them for years and then you realize that they are not good anymore. So here is my order: 5ml: 1 Beaver Moon, 1 Pumpkin Patch III, 1 Blood Amber, 1 The Perilous Parlor, 1 Dragon’s Blood (I wish I did buy Dragon's Milk ... well I will order again when the yules are online - Dragon's Milk then!) 2 Imp packs containing: Windward Passage, Kill Devil, Dragon’s Eye, Dragon’s Heart, Squirting Cucumber, Obatala, Eclipse, Miskatonic University, Event Horizon, Cathode, Moon Rose, Bloodlust Everything with Dragon's Blood just seem to be perfect for me - so I am really looking forward to Dragon's Heart and Eye and as I recall Bloodlust was with DB, too.

October 4, 2007

Back

My hands - yes, now both - are still in pain, but it is going better and better.

October 4, 2007

Forspecial Plate's Blog

this that and the other

I went camping this weekend (well, I was in a cabin at a camp-site), and didn't bring any scent at all! I just figured, what's the point. I did bring my pillow and blanket. So I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into my cabin after a few hours and smelled......Snake Oil! Just the remnants that rubbed off my skin were enough to scent the whole cabin, not really strongly but enough that I knew it was from Snake Oil or the variations that I wear. Cool! As for the inquisition, I think I got the one I wanted most. I may swap a decant or two to try some of the other ones. I'm mostly interested in Egg'd Mailbox and maybe Pumpkin Smash. We'll see. I am so antsy to get my hands on my Halloween decants! Gimme! The CnS came yesterday. Now I'm worrying that Bonfire Night is going to be too sweet, based on the reviews so far. And still am up in the air about Sugar Skull. I really don't wear it that much, even though I love how it smells. Do I really need a whole bottle? And finally, the Possets Halloween update is enormous, even bigger than I thought it would be. There is one scent that I feel like came from a suggestion I made in the Possets forum, so obviously I need to get that one. And of course 7 or 8 others that sound tantalizing. I like how Fabienne doesn't list the notes for us. For me that makes it more fun when the scents are actually in my hands, and there's more anticipation, wondering what the hell is this going to smell like (Infernal Bar-B-Que, anyone??). So, I think I'll make a smallish order first, then read reviews, and make one more larger order in a couple weeks. I could wait and order everything at once, and get free shipping, but I really don't think I can wait that long. I really want to know what Bat Fur Cloak smells like, among others.

forspecial_plate

October 2, 2007

Elegba

In the imp: Mmm...smells like buttered rum lifesavers! On wet: Lightly buttered rum. Coconut. A dry, almost herbal bitterness that I'm thinking is the tobacco. Strangely enough, I'm also getting a hint of something...minty? Weird - and yummy! Drydown: The caramel-esque rum and sugary coconut are both deliciously straightforward. I'm not getting tobacco (or that phantom mint note) any more, but I'm sure it's helping cut the sweetness and ground the other two components. Overall: Edible! Drink Me and Obatala's love child. Definitely a warm weather party scent - also perfect for those cold days when all you can think about is escaping the snow by jetting off to the Caribbean. Elegba is that 'one sniff and you're there' scent. 4/5

October 1, 2007

Blood Countess

In the imp: Sweet fruityness - almost apple-like - and a touch of something floral. On wet: Nothing distinct beyond sweeeeet and frooooooty. Drydown: Blackberry at first, then that dark berry vibe gets even darker - definitely the plum. A floral haze sorta clings to the edges of those two emo fruits, and the lilac is the most notable. Still an incredibly sweeeeet blend with just a *hint* of something spicy/cinnamony underneath. Lovely. Overall: I don't really enjoy blackberry scents as a rule (they tend to not like me very much), but this one works thanks to the plum (one of my favourite fruit notes). The fruit/light floral/spice combo makes for a very warm n' wearable blend - and it's not going potpourri/holiday candle on me, either - another bonus. My nose says it's reminiscent of Frumious Bandersnatch. I rather enjoy these plummy-spicy scents, but don't really wear them very often (just because *I* don't get candles or an Xmas sachet from them doesn't mean others don't - like my DH ) - even still, I'll be keeping my imp. 3.5/5

October 1, 2007

Toasty Blog

Decanting the pumpkins

Ok, here are my early, slightly incoherent thoughts on the 2007 Pumpkin Patch scents. I didn't intentionally try any of these on, but I did get some spatter on Chief Running Wolf (that would be me) while I was decanting them. Pumpkin I: Pumpkin with pear, white wine grapes, and jasmine-laced tea. Holy well-behaved jasmine, batman! This is a contender for my favorite of all of the Pumpkins this year. It's lightly fruited and sparkling, and just absolutely perfect on my skin. No butter, and actually no pumpkin to speak of after it dries. It reminds me of some kind of white grape soda - I think it's the Diet Rite brand. It isn't sticky sweet - just sweet enough and slightly fizzy. The jasmine stays strangely subdued. I think I will wear this frequently. Pumpkin II: Pumpkin with tobacco, champa flower, carnation, and tonka. This is another winner for me. I've entered the twilight zone, because on me, this turns into a kissing cousin of Hellion. How that happens, I have no idea. I'm too tired to go check the notes for Hellion, but I can't imagine what they might have in common. On the extreme drydown, the tobacco gets stronger. Again, no butter, and basically no pumpkin to speak of after it dries. It also seems a little "fizzy" to me, in the same way that Hellion does. Contender for my favorite, although I think I and V edge it out just a little, if only because it's so similar to Hellion on me yet has no chance of replacing it. Pumpkin III: Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream. I predicted that this would be my favorite of the pumpkins, because, hello, yummy foody wonderfulness. But, it's not my favorite, and I'm not even 100% sure that it works on my skin. At first it was way too creamy, too tooth-achingly sweet, and too rich. I haven't been able to detect the pomegranate at all yet. Right after the first stage of the drydown, it showed signs of mellowing a bit, but I accidentally washed the scent off during decant circus intermission. (I scrub my hands after I finish decanting each scent so as not to corrupt the next one, but I usually don't wash my upper arms. I guess I got a little over zealous)This one requires further testing, but I think it's going to be a bit too foody for me. Pumpkin IV: Pumpkin with cactus blossom, sage, and sweetgrass. Well, this was on the underside of the arm with Pumpkin III, and it hadn't even really gotten to the drydown when it was corrupted by soap. So, I can't really say if this will work for me or not, but it does have promise. This one seemed to have a fresh, summery edge. Pumpkin V: Pumpkin with benzoin, bourbon vanilla, lemon peel, neroli, blood orange, and red ginger. Ummm, yes please! So far this seems to be my 2nd favorite of the pumpkin blends, after Pumpkin I. But with further testing, it could prove to be the best. It's complex and spicy, and I'm really loving the deep citrus edge. It seems perfectly balanced, as I can detect all the listed notes yet nothing is taking over the blend. It reminds me a little of something I tried before . . . maybe Oct 2006 13? But this is better on me, and I'm very eager to give it an actual test run.

kwsix

September 28, 2007

Velvet

In the imp: Straight-up cocoa beans - powdery and almost bitter. On wet: Chocolate. Then the sandalwood tries to peek through - not enough to be distinct, though, so I currently smell like a Reese's PB cup, lol!! Drydown: Mmm...starting to get a little sweeter (vanilla), a little woodier (sandalwood), a little smokier (myrrh). Hey you - myrrh - yeah, you! I think you need to calm down a bit, buddy - you're getting to be a tad too acrid for your own good. We really don't want to pull another Priala-fiasco, now do we? I want to amp choco-vanilla-sandalwood, darnit - NOT smouldering erasers. Overall: I still smell...burnt...and somewhat sweet. I am a blackened campfire marshmallow - my charred exterior is hiding all that perfectly edible vanilla goo underneath. Not what I was looking for. I blame this unsatisfying result on wonky-PMS-skin chemistry, and will keep my imp to test again when I am *not* all hormonally unbalanced. At the moment, though, this ranks a majorly disappointing 2/5.

September 27, 2007

Kubla Khan

In the imp: An almost golden-sweet vanilla. Something bright and a little sharp, too - like a high-end, citrussy hairspray. On wet: Sweet creaminess. Jasmine. The nailpolish-remover scent of champaca. Oooh...but here comes the sandalwood, already starting to ground everything. Very, very nice. Drydown: Complex and lovely. The vanilla and sandalwood make for a wonderfully sweet-yet-stable base - creamy, warm, and golden. The champaca - a note that never fails to hate me regardless of how many times I try it out - has finally decided to pull back and play nice, making friends with the jasmine, tag-teaming to become this general haze of pretty floral-ness. I can smell an undercurrent of spicy smokiness, too - opium and ginger making the scene at last. There's the leather - it's slightly sour against the other notes. Roses, lily, hay, tobacco...I'm sure they're all in there too, but I can't pick them out specifically - that's how busy and well-blended this scent is. Overall: I'm really enjoying this! It's an almost syrupy sweet floral, saved from being too heady or too generic or too frou-frou (ie. only to be worn to expensive restaurants or similarly classy engagements) by that deliciously smoky, lightly spiced, golden cream combo of the vanilla-sandalwood-opium-ginger (and possibly tobacco). It *did* start off a bit...louder...than I usually like, but within 5-10 minutes, it settled down into the gorgeous, darkly playful skin-scent I'm getting - and can't stop sniffing! - now. A unique composition (to my nose, at any rate), one that might need to be upgraded to a bottle in the near future. 4/5

September 27, 2007

giant squid!

Beaver Moon... !

Wow what an update- I certainly was not prepared for all of this...my bank account most definitely wasn't prepared either, lol. Once again, I'm wishing I had a money tree... Beaver Moon Wild cherry with vanilla cream accord, and a hint of strawberry I loved Bloody Mary, so I am thinking I will probably love this, too. Bottle... Swan Maiden White gardenia, white iris, sandalwood, calla lily, French magnolia, muguet, jonquil, and orchid hm... I love gardenia, iris, sandalwood and orchid, but I really don't like magnolia at all. I think for the sake of my finances I'm going to miss taking a gamble on this one for now. If the reviews turn out to downplay the magnolia then I will try and hunt down some of it. Scorpio Dark musk, wormwood, basil, dragon’s blood resin, galangal, and opoponax Mmmmmm. Dark, musky, and resinous. with basil. definitely buying a bottle of this! Ile de la Tortue Damp air trapped in limestone caverns, heady greenery, hothouse orchids, nicotiana blossoms, bois de chandel, elemi, palm wine, garambullo, pega-pega, flame of the forest, and a swirl of Haitian vetiver This sounds promising. I love the idea of caverns and greenery- add vetiver and that makes me even happier. I would love to order a bottle unsniffed since I'm pretty sure I'll love it, but I don't have enough money- for now I'll get an imp. Windward Passage Marine accord, seaweed, and bladderwrack Hmm..I think this might not be one for me. I am not an aquatic lover (although I used to be in high school and when I was a young child- weird) so I think I will put off trying this... Kill-Devil Sugar cane, molasses, oak wood, and honey Grog really didn't work on me but I have a feeling this might. I love oak and honey, so let's hope the other notes don't turn it too sickly sweet! Imp for now... Plunder Tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg I think I may need to buy a bottle of this unsniffed. This sounds like an amazing spicy tea blend...I love spices, so I can't see how this could possibly go wrong on me. Pirate Moon Red musk, ambergris, coconut palm, red sandalwood, balsam, date, warm leather, tobacco, ebony, lingum vitae wood, pandanus grass, an' a touch o' lime This also sounds delicious. There's not a note in this one that I don't like. I am definitey ordering multiple bottles if I can. I am so interested to see how the lime plays into the darker notes... The Phoenix Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil Eeeeee... another Snake Oil blend!!! I ordered two bottle of this right away. I think it will be absolutely phenomenal with the lime, smokiness and touch of salt. Midnight Kiss Red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine Oh my goodness...this one sounds so rich and sensual! I ordered this right away since I didn't want to miss it (like I did with Crypt Queen ). I hope it's somewhat like a richer Tezcatlipoca or Centzon Totochtin. I love those rich and spicy cocoa blends. Vampire Tears Wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka I was not so crazy about this one when I read the notes....I am not the biggest jasmine fan as it can go sharp on me, and jasmine plus honeysuckle and iris might equal a floral disaster. I am going to pass on this for now- hopefully it doesn't turn out to be something I would have loved.

euterpe414

September 26, 2007

Sourball Ho!

Update!

Lottsa stuffs! Beaver Moon -- wild cherry with vanilla cream accord, and a hint of strawberry. Boy howdy, this sounds a lot like MB: Bloody Mary. I like Bloody Mary but it seems to disappear quickly. Swan Maiden -- White gardenia, white iris, sandalwood, calla lily, French magnolia, muguet, jonquil, and orchid. Lots of white florals, not my thing. Scorpio 2007 -- Dark musk, wormwood, basil, dragon's blood resin, galangal, and opoponax. While I love the musky blends, I don't like wormwood. Midnight Kiss -- Eternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine. Mmmm, every single ingredient sounds great. Vampire Tears -- Regret born from ceaseless longing: wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka. This blend definitely has an Asian vibe, but doesn't sound great for me. Ile de la Tortue -- Damp air trapped in limestone caverns, heady greenery, hothouse orchids, nicotiana blossoms, bois de chandel, elemi, palm wine, garambullo, pega-pega, flame of the forest, and a swirl of Haitian vetiver. These ingredients sound really cool (pega-pega? flame of the forest?), but I'm afraid it will be too green and aquatic. Windward Passage -- Breezes blowing off of the waters of the Caribbean: marine accord, seaweed, and bladderwrack. Another aquatic, we'll wait and see on this one. Kill-Devil -- Sugar cane, molasses, oak wood, and honey. Oooh, I have yet to try a blend featuring molasses. Definitely want to read reviews. Plunder -- The scent of a pirate's bumboat, overflowing with stolen wares: tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg. Cassia and cinnamon really amp on me and aren't a favorite. And a couple of forum-only blends! Pirate Moon -- Red musk, ambergris, coconut palm, red sandalwood, balsam, date, warm leather, tobacco, ebony, lingum vitae wood, pandanus grass, an' a touch o' lime. Two red musk blends in an update? I can't resist this one, it sounds bootylicious (yarr!). The Phoenix -- Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil. Probably too masculine with the assorted manly ingredients. I do like when Snake Oil makes an appearance. In conclusion: I ordered Midnight Kiss and Pirate Moon!

dawndie

September 26, 2007

tendovaginitis - short break

i guess i won't be able to write a lot in this week - i haven't seen a doctor but it's quite obvious: i have a tendovaginitis. i try to write with my left hand and to handle the mouse with the left hand. it's not as funny as i hoped ...