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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
    • 8,993 views
I smell glorious
 

I just said something Imunna get smacked around for

Generally I refrain from commenting on BPAL-related issues because the community is kind of touchy, and if you get a bad name from your opinions that'll likely be reflectected in who will buy, sell, or swap with you. To two community members, I've done the same thing myself; and I've gotten caught up in the fandom's crazy-sensitivity before, and it took a reality check for me to get my head out of my butt.   Against my better judgment I weighed in on the issue of pricing/who to sell to and how. I've gotten really good deals on some bottles I wanted to try, and I've made money when I re-sold those bottles after careful thought and found that they totally failed on me, no matter how much I wanted to like them. I have Snow White 2004 in mind here. I've also lost a lot of money in my obsession, by eating shipping costs, reselling bottles at significantly lower prices than I bought for, and in some cases selling underpriced bottles because I wanted to. On balance, I'm still hugely in the red as far as my obsession goes. The concept of 'profit' is utterly alien. For me, the cost is worth it for the delight of sniffing so many scents -- but that doesn't change the fact that it's money I'll never recoup. I don't think I (or anyone else) should be criticised for trying to decrease our losses as much as we can. There are people who try to squeeze every last dime that they can out of their BPAL -- I'm not one of them, nor I believe are most people who sell at higher than they bought. There are other ways to give back to the community, like offering special discounts for n00bs, or selling them things that you'd otherwise only swap away. I've done the latter, and I've seen and applauded people doing the former. You're also not obliged to sell to just whoever comes your way -- if someone pings you and says "I really really really want this bottle" you can take them at their word and offer it to them, even for a discount if it's what you think is fair.   On the subject of ebay, stop bellyaching about letting the market decide what to pay for things. If you don't want to pay $100 for a bottle of perfume, then don't! It's just perfume! If it matters that much more to someone else, then let them have it and keep quiet. Either shell out the money and lose the exact same amount of options they do*, or realise that if you lose the auction, you'll live.   In my own swapping, I tend to favour first people I've dealt with before. There are a couple of people (Chrisann comes to mind) who are just a joy to deal with, and a few more that I've dealt with so many times that I give them preference because of how good they've always been to me. After that, I tend to deal with people who have a good reputation in the community and n00bs. If I find someone who /really/ wants a scent, I like to give it to them if I reasonably can -- I sold an imp of Beaver Moon that I wanted to save for swaps, because the gal was a newbie and I know how hard it is to break into the market and what you usually have to shell out to do so. But the BPAL community /isn't/ a free market -- it's a heavily controlled market, both by price caps in most selling venues and the politics of the fandom. That's good and bad. The good part is, it limits pure profiteering, and ensures that by and large the emphasis is on enjoying scented art instead of narrowly reducing each purchase to a risk/benefit analysis. The bad part is, the politics of opinion are fierce and a little paranoid, and if you're a rare collector building strong relationships is much more important than it should be. The field of people who hold real rares is small, and the people willing to swap those rares is even smaller. It's a microcosm of the world, impacted more intensely. I'm out of rare-collecting, mostly; I sold off most of my rares a while ago, and those that I've kept are for the purposes of briefly testing, then dangling out as bait for the few scents I collect heavily.   --- *I tend to think of money in terms of how many options you give up when you lose it or give it away. Money is worth different things to different people, some people have more or less, and some people have to work much harder than others to scrape together much less. But it's much easier to compare how much freedom or what kind of options a sum of money gives you, since those are much closer between different groups of people.
myoubi

myoubi

0
Extispicy
 

Pending Orders

I can't believe I once again have 3 pending lab orders. How does this happen?   This time, two of the orders are TAL orders though. I generally don't feel as guilty about TAL orders because they're very practical for me. Very useful. They're also very cost effective compared to how I used to do things.   There was a time when I'd keep an enormous collection of essential oils and use combinations of different ones for different purposes. In my present situation (a lot of moving around since Katrina) it just isn't feasible for me to have such a collection, so the TALs are a godsend. Its great to have a small collection of blends for specific purposes. Those that I'll use often, I'll get big bottles of. And those that I'll use less often, I can always find decants of.   I'm pretty picky about magical ingredients, but I really trust the TALs. I've had such great results with the ones I've used.   Oh and the pending BPAL order is my Blue Moon order.   I keep feeling like I should have ordered a bottle of Gemini. I'm such a total Gemini, but I already have a bunch of lavender blends, and I was a bit put off by the orchid. Though I love Frankencense and Benzoin. It had Benzoin, right? Or was it Sandalwood? Now I don't remember. Doesn't matter, I love both.   I might try to score a decant of it later on, but right now I want to work on getting all the TALs I want, and also buy some of the GCs that I really really want (Black Tower, Oblivion, Dragon's Heart, Delphi).   And now that I've been totally bewitched by Bad Luck Woman Blues, I want to try more mossy, peppery and caramelly scents. No longer afraid of foody scents, I'm diving in. But I want foody scents that aren't TOO foody. I'm sure I'll find something lovely.   Don't I always?
Extispex

Extispex

0
Opium and Poison
 

Dear "Wanted" Thread

Okay, I get it, EVERYONE wants the Convergence blends. Well, I'm sorry to be the cynical, somewhat negative voice of reason here, but it's just not going to happen. The people who have the blends are probably far too intimidated by all the ISOs for them to even decide who to share the love with. Either way, I've had sniffies promised to me anyway so I really couldn't ask for more.
ForeverLastcXs

ForeverLastcXs

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

It just didn't happen

I can't believe I am so close to Convergence right now and I can't get there. That seems immeasurably unfair, and I just want to lay in bed and weep. It's within DRIVING distance, and we have $2 to our names.   There's never going to be a way to replicate this, either. Convergence will happen again, but the people attending this year are not all going to be at the next one, and I love Portland, and I just don't know how to handle this.   I think chocolate is in order.
smallvoice

smallvoice

1
Only A Few Weeks Or So
 

My 4/30 Order

... I still have not heard anything from the lab yet about it, and 5/3 orders are going out. This always happens to me and I get worried that one of the scents I ordered had a component issue like Tokyo Stomp and Poisson did last month. Come on, Lab, get your #$%& together!   Tokyo Stomp was *nasty* on me, I swapped it away for Peony Moon, which I tried in decant form--it is lovely. It should be here soon, along with a bottle of Ventriloquist Dummy I purchased, so these should hold me over until I get my CnS for Tamamo-No-Mae, Gemini 2007, White Rabbit, and Meskhenet.   Mood: Wearing now: Bloody Mary
flco

flco

0
Denise's Cool Blog
 

More Adventures in my Crafy (sort of) World...

Well, I've made a few more scarves (can't have enough of them in humid 86 degree weather, right? hehe). And I've also been making a bunch of felt critters out of THIS BOOK (a lovely gift from my most recent Switch Witch!). Here is a picture of those:     I forgot to take pictures of the rest of the scarves. Oopsy! But the animals were a big hit with the children of one of the guys at my new job. So, yay!
eviltemptressdq

eviltemptressdq

2
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

Song of Myself (the prose version)

But you don't seem to see There's so much more to me Than the roving troubadour That everyone thinks I must be.   I'm not a perfect person, but I do think I have my merits. Growing up, I put a lot of stock in my high IQ, and while it's been years since I've believed that standardized test scores are an accurate measure of self-worth, I still get a little rush every time I perform flawlessly on a Mensa test. I appreciate my quick mind and my seemingly universal aptitude for learning. I love that I can pick up languages with ease and grasp complex mathematics with little difficulty. If there's a flaw in my intelligence, it's that I don't exercise it nearly enough.   And I love my creativity. I am not Whitman, Kerouac, Shakespeare, Rilke, Bashō, Millay, Donne, Gilbert, Strand, or Shelley. I am no Berlin, no Bernstein, no Sondheim, no Schubert, no Fauré, no Ravel, no Weelkes, no Hassler, no Poulenc or Lauridsen. Ellison I am not (would that the world could even survive two of Harlan), nor Eco, nor Dostoevsky, nor Faulkner, nor Márquez, nor Le Guin, nor Willis, nor Emschwiller. Not Varo, not Escher, not van Gogh, not Magritte, not Dürer, not even Warhol. But there, my self-effacement ends, for while I am none of these people, I would not like to be any one of them. My poetry, my songs, my paintings, and my prose... I don't know whether they will last the test of time, but they please me, and if, for a moment, they please others as well, that's all I can really ask. And I'm proud of what I've done. I'm proud that I was professionally published before my 21st birthday. I'm proud that I'm not quite thirty and I've written a novel and a musical, numerous short stories, poetry in multiple languages, rock songs and folk songs and a concerto for bassoon. I doubt my art will ever win awards, but I'm glad to have that as well. I'm glad that I can craft images with paint and pencil and pixels. I'm grateful when they are well-received. I'm thrilled that I have had paid commissions.   And while I know I am not an underwear model, I like my body as well. I love my long hair. I feel a surge of pride when people tell me how much I resemble my father. And if you want to know the truth, I'm pretty comfortable with my wheelchair as well. Sometimes I wonder, with all these wonderful things going for me, would I have the empathy for others that I feel today if I didn't have all the experiences that my disability has brought me, and the truth is I don't know. I'm sure I sound egocentric as it is going on about myself, but I wonder if I would've been insufferable if I didn't have this physical reality to face every day.   I write all this as a reminder to myself. Sometimes I get so lost in trying to accommodate other people that I forget what's important about myself. Sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly burdensome, I find myself wondering what the point of my existence is. And the point is here. No ignorant strangers or negligent, hurtful siblings can take that away the things I have done, am doing, will do.   So kindly forgive my indulgence and my tiny celebration of who I am. I hope you'll have a similar celebration for yourself.
Bard

Bard

0
Korshka's BPAL Ramblings
 

Parenting

I wrote this yesterday at the plant while I waited for my co-worker to finish up his part of the work.   To all the parents, I salute you.   On the way to the plant my co-worker and I got into a conversation about different decisions you have to make as a parent (he is one & we often talk about his kids as he has two wonderful little boys) and just parenting in general. It really got me thinking. With the wedding coming up, Mr Man and I have started talking about kids as well. (No, put the knitting needles away. It's not time start making booties yet.)   Parenting is hard (Duh - I know). Trying to decide what is best for this whole other life and not screwing them up for life. My parents did well by me, and I think I came out OK. However, the thought that I may one day be a parent, is rather scary. What if I screw up? There is no do over with parenting. How do I know that I'll make a good parent, and my kids will turn out ok? How does one weight what your child wants versus what one feels is right for them? There is so much that must be done to help develop the child into a functioning adult that can make the "right decisions" by themselves. I see a disfunctional child/teen, and I think that parenting must have gone wrong somewhere to make the child act in such a manner, but I don't know that I would be any better. I just don't know how you do it.   Ya know, it's really intimidating. Being a parent is a huge responsibility. I want to believe that I won't fail my childern, but how do I know? *sigh* I guess I just don't. I just need to have faith that I can somehow do it and hope that it'll work out.   Parents, I am in awe of what you do.
korshka

korshka

0
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

The Two of Wands

Grandfather Thorn Hedge What sharp lessons you teach to Unwary children.   Here's the final, approved version of the Two of Wands. This card will appear in The Giants' Tarot to be published through Asphodel Press.     The Jotun featured in this card is Bolthorn, whose name means "Terrible Thorn." He is the father of Bestla and the grandfather of Odin. He was a rather nonconventional subject for the Two of Wands, but he was quite a lot of fun to paint.
Bard

Bard

0
GypsyFae's Blog
 

Switch Witch Help (Or the crazy long wishlist that wouldn't end!)

BPAL Wishlist     Trading Post Wishlist Misk U Soap Carnival Dibolique Scent Locket BPAL Ouija magnet explorers Society or Carnival Dibolique T-shirts.   Jewelry: Tartx Wishlist Also, the Pins and badges can't be wishlisted, so here're the ones I like: Butterfly Emily Dickenson Gypsy Snake Charmer Gypsy with Ouija Herald Rabbit Lady Shalott Memento Mori Mermaid Jones Mona Butterfly Oscar Wilde (Either) Paris Flapper Pandora's Box Persephone Poe Raven Rose Fairy Voodoo Queen (And magnets don't even show up unless you get them with a mirror or necklace, but magnets are always good!)   Bath stuff Toadstool Soaps Soap, Body Butter, or Body Lotion: Witches Potion Chai Tea   Greenhaven Soap Puck - LE Avebury Dragon Faerie Quest Sherwood Warrior Wench   Wylde Ivy Soap, body lotion: African Vanilla Bean Little Shop in Salem Rasberry Lemonade Sandcastle   Villianess soap: Antihero Asphyxiate Byzantium Crushed   Arcana Either Soap or Oils Absinthe Buresque Byzantuim Dia de los Muertos Filthy Viking Mutany Murder Ballad Blues Shambhala Shipwrecked Sleepy Hollow Swashbuckler   Fairy Made Soaps Gypsy Spice Patchouli Rose   Lush Bubble Bars Flosty Glitter French Kiss Temple of Truth   My Lip Stuff OMG, I don't even know where to start here. I'd like to start with some of the weirder stuff, to that end: Tube Lip Balm Cannoli Cat Pee (?!) Chai Cheese Pizza clove * coconut Lime Lemon Meringue London Fog Pomegranate Pumpkin Pie   Other Candles Dark Candles Cain Dark Grove Falling Leaves Haunted House Lilith Mage Nosferatu   Dice http://q-workshop.com The Dragon or Celtic dice, any color combo, 10 sided or 20 sided Or (under special) the D20 or D10 in Mystic, any color. AND http://www.rpgshop.com Any glitter, marble, satin, silk, frosted... heck, any pretty dice!   Cross stitch Also, some cool cross stitch patterns are here And here   Books Amazon
GypsyFae

GypsyFae

0
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

The earnestness of being important

How can I be lost? North, South, East, or West, I am Where I need to be.   I'm feeling a bit better than I was two days ago. That isn't really saying a whole lot, as two days ago was a pretty low point for me. Still, it is something.   I have always felt that I am meant to do something truly important. And ironically, I've never had a clear idea of what that something is. Writing, music, art, these are all pastimes that I have enjoyed, but all of them, at one time or another have been stripped of their joy by obligation: this internal struggle to find what I am meant to be doing.   It's time to set aside this notion of doing something important. It strangles everything I love. Instead, it's time to go back to doing things I love simply because I love them.   And as for importance, if the universe needs me, I'm sure it will let me know.
Bard

Bard

1
elbow's scentblog
 

In Bed with Two Mages: Theodosius, St-Germain

Last night before I went to bed, I dabbed a little Saint-Germain on my left wrist and a little Theodosius the Legerdemain on my right. I thought it would be interesting to compare the two most masculine scents in my possession, especially because they're both named after magicians. As it turned out, I had insomnia (too much caffeine and popcorn!), and so I had plenty of time to consider both.   Saint-Germain has a really strong personality. He's used to getting his way, and doesn't much care how that affects other people. He's outspoken and impossible to ignore. This is the smell of a powerful man, probably physically and definitely intellectually. He's arrogant, though admittedly not without good reason. I admire but don't really like him.   Theodosius is quieter and more introverted. Where Saint-Germain has power, Theo has subtlety. He's got a flair for the dramatic, because legerdemain (sleight of hand) relies on misdirection and distraction, but you never know what he's really up to until it's too late. He's much smoother than S-G, more polite and pleasant to be around. But you can't trust him.   As for the scents themselves: I actually like S-G at first, but as it dries down, the lavender note just gets louder and louder and LOUDER. Theo is much easier to live with; his scent may have a little lavender in it too (I'm still not clear on this whole "fougere" thing), but the most prominent notes on me are vanilla and white musk, which combine to smell a bit like sweet pipe smoke. I like that, but there is something about Theo that I just don't like, something I can't put my finger on. It's probably just my chemistry clashing with his... anyway, I won't be keeping company with either of these gentlemen in the future. I'd still like to test both scents on a guy, if I can get one to hold still long enough. I. seems like he'd be a good guinea pig, aside from his total lack of a sense of smell.   Aaand today, in the mail, I received another package of imps... from Finland! Amazingly, it got here in less than a week. I tried one of them (Yew Trees) this morning, but my shirt smells like the random imps that I left sitting on it, and my jacket smells like Green Tree Viper, so I can't actually tell what it smells like.   Written 5/21/07.
elbow

elbow

0
circe_blue's Blog
 

Urg.

Dudes. My mom called and was mad at me becuase I missed one of her calls! I was out getting lunch and left my cell phone in my apartment by mistake. I didn't check it when I got back so I had no idea she even called in the first place. Also, she is mad at me because I've decided to stay at my apartment after I took my last exam and start packing a bit (we're moving out Saturday), instead of returning home right away. I can't stand this. This is completely ridiculous, and I have no idea how I'm gonna live with her for 2-3 months when I move back home (my lease wasn't renewed because they're renovating etc).   Also, a couple weeks ago, I transfered $8,000 from my savings to hers becuase she wanted her account to look good (she's applying for to own part of a franchise). She wasn't going to use it, it's just gonna sit there until they/she gets all the papers in order and then she'll transfer it back. Well, it's been a couple weeks, and it's still not back in my account. I don't think she'll actually use it/steal it, but I'd like my savings back now please. I'll ask her about it in a subtle way, after she stops being pissed at me for no reason. It was going to be my "Texas" money (which brings me to my next issue).   My bf of more than two years might be moving to Texas (or Ohio) depending on if he gets the internship (residency?) he wants after he's done with med school (spring '08). I refuse to do long distance relationship that is MD to Texas long, so most likely I'll be moving with him. I won't be living with him, but I'll get a job and an apartment in the area. I'm kind of looking forward to it, so I can get away and become more independent of my parents. This is my issue. My parents are super conservative and overprotective to the extreme. I cannot imagine how they are going to react when I tell them. In fact, this is the thing that I worry about the most. It seems that every serious conversation we have, ends with them yelling at me, becoming angry, and me in tears. I'm 24, and I can't believe I'm still in this situation with them. What should I do? How do I tell them?
circe_blue

circe_blue

1
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

Tarot Card

Sharp-toothed beggarman: Hungry thistles growing through Cracks in the pavement.   I've been working on a tarot card for a joint project, and while it still needs a bit more work, I thought I would share it with those of you who are interested.  
Bard

Bard

0
Diplomatka
 

Confection's Travel Tips

Hit the road!     Since it is almost time for all Americans to travel for the Memorial Day weekend, I thought it was time to pass on the knowledge I have gained in my travels.   On the road:   1. Check your tire pressure and fluids before you hit the road. Take a cell phone and make sure your ipod is charged. 2. Time your trip to avoid rush-hour traffic in urban areas. While this usually means 5:00 pm, take into account lunch traffic and church-goers heading to buffet restaurants on Sundays. 3. When your tank gets to ¼ full, pull over and get more gas. You never know when there is going to be a slow-down on the interstate and you definitely don’t want to be the dumbass who ran out of gas and is stuck on the side of the road. Use your fill up as an opportunity to powder your nose and replenish your supply of Diet Coke, Camel Lights, Rold Gold pretzels and Ephedrine. 4. Only pass in the left-hand lane, even if you are the only one on the road. 5. Use your turn-signals, even when changing lanes. Truckers appreciate this. 6. Truckers also appreciate if you blink your lights to let them know they can pass. 7. Scan stations when you hit college towns. There are usually good college stations out there, or at the very least you can catch some NPR. 8. If you turn off and the next gas station is over a mile away, get back on the interstate and go to the next exit. Trust me.     In the air:   1. Before you check in, call the airlines and let them know your seating preference. Ain’t no need being in the middle if you can have the window! 2. If you have a small bladder, take the aisle seat. 3. If you are on a short flight and have only carry-on luggage, be the first one on the plane. This way, you can guarantee that your carry on is in the bin above you and not somewhere in aisle 55, thus ensuring you can jump up as soon as the plane hits the ground, grab your shit and muscle your way to the door. (By the way, all of that blather about people traveling with children boarding first is bullshit. They never check.) 4. If you are on a long-haul flight and have checked bags, be the last one on the plane. This way, if there are extra seats on the back of the plane, you can take a few and stretch out. 5. Order a special meal. Special meals come first, so you can eat, take your Xanax, drink your wine and be ass-out before the rest of the plane has gotten their meals. 6. After meals everyone goes to the bathroom. Be first to avoid the post-meal rush: when you hear the food cart a rumblin’, get up and pee. Having a special meal makes this easier. 7. If you are traveling on an African airline, be sure to confirm your ticket at all stages of the process—when booking, prior to departure, at check-in and at the gate. African airlines sometimes have trouble accounting for their passengers, so these steps are necessary (perhaps Afghan airlines should take a lesson!). 8. Wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily. Danskos are ideal. Crocs might cause an international incident. 9. Be sure to bring your eye mask and earplugs if you plan on sleeping. The airline knows how much you hate screaming babies and will place you directly behind one without fail. 10. Never get behind Russians in the security check if you can avoid it. Russians will NEVER remove any article of clothing without explicitly being told to do so and they always wear lots of spangly, bedazzled items that set off the metal detector. You will know they are Russians because the men are wearing off-white, pointed, fake crocodile shoes and have tucked in shirts. The women have bleached hair, high heels, egregious eye make-up and tight pants. It will take them and their requisite two children at least 15 minutes to be cleared by security, all the time bitching at the security people in Russian and acting like they don't understand what is going on. 11. Getting schnockered before a flight originating outside of the US is perfectly OK and flight attendants are usually more than happy to facilitate this process. However, no more than two drinks before you board in the US. (Haven’t you all seen the TV show “Airline”?) 12. Xanax. Never fly without it.
Confection

Confection

1
Squash Soup
 

More aquatics!

Ava Luxe: The Beach - This is so close to what I'm looking for. It's beautiful and very much like a day at the beach but it's not quite IT. God I'm so picky!!   Nocturne Alchemy: The Nile - This is all sweet melon. I LOVE it but it's not what I'm looking for.   I'll have more later but I have to get back to work!
jessiesquash

jessiesquash

0
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

once I felt like a bard...

Beautiful blank page What unforgivable sin My pen now commits!       For days now I've been lurking in the 'Confessional' and 'How Are You Feeling' threads. I offer my support, my condolences, my advice if I feel compelled to intrude. About myself, I have been saying little, or nothing at all.   For weeks, it seems, I've come—sometimes several times daily—to stare at this very page. Prepared to craft a journal entry: microphone poised near slightly parted lips; dictation software listening, attentive and loyal as Border Collie. Sometimes there are no words to be said. Sometimes there are, but they crack and crumble in my throat and are gone. Hastily, I return to the forum and caring for the bright, brazen, funny, frantic, scintillating, sad, moving, moody, happy, hyper, decadent, dulcet, bashful, beautiful souls that grace this board. In that, at least, I find comfort.   Once, I called myself a writer, but I do not write. Staring numbly at folders of fragmented, unfinished stories, I wonder where that joy went.   I called myself a composer, too, but the notes come hard and ring hollow now. My instrument is broken; I am lost without it.   I have lost all sense of living for myself. I no longer understand what I am meant to do. If this was the lesson meant to be imparted by Saturn when it began its return three years ago, then I congratulate it. It has succeeded. I am decimated. Who I was is gone. Who I am now?   How ironic that I named this journal The Furnace of Inspiration when I seemingly have none. Hubris, or a plea for help? I leave that as an exercise for you, dear reader.
Bard

Bard

3
elbow's scentblog
 

Florence and Kumiho: amber and ginger

So I wore my last untried scent, Florence, to work on Thursday. It went on pretty nice, lightly sweet, almost the way a marshmallow smells. But as it dried down, it began to smell distinctly granny-ish. I felt self-conscious about how granny-ish I smelled. The throw was like department store perfume. I might try it once more, but I'm thinking it's definitely not for me.   I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that most amber scents are not for me (though I still love Aglaea). I don't like the fuzzy way amber hits my nose when it's on my skin. Florence is described as containing "velvety spices," but I think it's the amber note that gives it the really fuzzy/velvety texture, and I don't like it. Ironically, I do like fuzzy/velvety textiles. Just not odors.   Friday I wore Kumiho again. This was the ginger/white tea scent that I said smelled like something you'd find in a mall shop. Not a crappy mall shop, I want to add; maybe Bath & Body Works or GAP or something. Anyway, I've concluded that I don't really like Kumiho, and that maybe I'm just not into scents that are heavy on the ginger. Small amounts, like in Bengal and The Apothecary, are fine. But scents that rely on it as a major note are just so sharp, so spiky in my nose, that they're not fun for me to wear. Again, this is ironic because ginger is one of my very favorite things to eat.   So that probably sounds like I'm complaining, but actually I'm thrilled (thrilled!) to have learned to identify these two notes, amber and ginger, and what they do on my skin. It's like learning the landmarks in a new town. The more you know....   And then Friday night I went to a party, and wore Green Tree Viper again. And this time I really liked it. It didn't smell like Mom's perfume at all. It's still not a smell I'm 100% comfortable with; it's sensual in ways that I'm not. But it's a good smell, and it's happy on my skin, and I look forward to wearing it again.   I think maybe another factor in how I perceive scents (especially new scents) is how I'm feeling when I wear them; if I'm relaxed and enjoying myself, I'm usually enjoying my perfume too. If I'm tense and worried, my scent can get all tangled up with my discomfort so that I confuse the two a little. And maybe my chemistry actually alters the perfume to some degree based on how I'm feeling? Anyway, that's how I explain the difference between my experience with the Viper at the work-related banquet, and at the party the other night. I realize that my favorite non-BPAL scent, a Tenzing Momo oil labeled "Pomegranate" that C. gave me a few years ago, is one I save for occasions when I know I'm going to have a good time. I always felt like it was too special to wear when I wasn't pretty sure I'd enjoy myself. And now I think that was a really good instinct, because I always associate it with feeling happy and sexy and having fun.   I finally gave E. her BPAL birthday present yesterday: R'lyeh for creatures of the deep, Calico Jack for pirateyness, and Miskatonic University for mad scientists (all three things she loves). I included the descriptions on little slips of paper, so she'd know what they were meant to be. She sniffed them and said appreciative things about all of them. When she opened the box and said "Oooh," her wife asked what it was, and E. said gleefully, "It's perfumes for evil people!" She had already heard of BPAL, and said she'd been wanting to try their stuff. So of course I was happy to have provided her with the opportunity!
elbow

elbow

0
I smell glorious
 

I have a tea set!

I am very pleased with myself. I managed to find a tea set that I like and that didn't toally break the bank. Between Mom (for my birthday present) and I, I have a teapot, two teacups, three mugs (which don't quite match but whatever), a cream and sugar set, and a tea caddy. Yaaay materialism!
myoubi

myoubi

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Esscentual's Blog
 

RAMBLINGS possibly rated "R"

O.K., let's get one thing clear; I came out of the closet YEARS ago. Right in front of EVERYBODY. My staff, clients, Mom, adopted daughter, next door shopkeeper, suppliers, the whole shebang. I told them, loud and proud; I'm here, I'm STRAIGHT, get used to it. ................It took about 5 seconds for everyone to shrug their shoulders and say, "yeah, so?"........ And I thought it was a big deal to come out of the closet. I don't have any closets. Maybe I will try another subject next time I come out. Maybe that I became a Christian. That could create a little excitement, considering my "oh so bad girl" past. Or that I don't like clowns in any form or fashion. They scare me for some reason.   AHHHHH< I KNOW what to come out with next! The guy I am supposed to marry? I am not ready for it. Might never be. How's that for a screamer . ========================================================================== In order to blog here, the rules are;   You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this Blog system to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law.   Now, what fun is that? What if you don't know you are being inaccurate or profane? Didn't George Carlin do a bit in the seventies about the words you couldn't say on T.V? That's not a valid list anymore anywhere, is it? And the certain words you could say in one way, but not another? Something about pricking your finger... Ok, I understand not threatening, hateful (although I have seen some of that on the forum threads), harassing, illegal, but it IS a blog, which could mean a little levity would be nice. You know, let off a little steam? And all the above listed may be one thing to one person, and another thing totally to another. Am I being a rabble rouser? Sorry. Guess I will get another warning (BAD GIRL!! baad baad!!). Maybe I could put a rating on my blog, like the movies. PG for the kiddies, R for the adults, X for someone elses' blog. ========================================================================   I hate being broke. I am not used to this amount of brokeness. I am not good at poor. I am good at giving things to people. I enjoy making people smile. I can't do this at this level. It is very depressing. ==============================================================================
impadua@aol.com

impadua@aol.com

0
circe_blue's Blog
 

Exams etc.

I feel like doing this   Just calculated my grade and I need to do very well on the final (at least 95%) to get an A in Virology. Arrrrrhgggh! I don't think I can.....I've got a project for this class too, and ...just.....there's too much stuff going on Now I just feel like not putting in so much effort into the project and studying if I'm just going to get a B anyways. I'm not this grade-grubby usually, I swear. I just liked this class a lot, put a lot of effort into it so I wish I did better.   On top of that, I've been running around trying to find a moving truck for the apartment becuase while it was *implied* that we reserve the truck when we reserved the storage space, it is not so. I miss my friends, and I miss my bf. I'm tired of being cooped up in my room studying or writing papers/projects with no one to talk to. I am burnt out! And obviously I don't handle stress well.   All I wanna do snuggle up in bed with hot cocoa, turn down all the lights watch my new Pan's Labyrinth DVD and take a nap.
circe_blue

circe_blue

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