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About this blog

Notes to myself and anyone else

Entries in this blog

 

ebay and other stuff

I can't seem to resist making outrageous bids on ebay, for bpal scents that I've been wanting for a while. I guess I shouldn't feel guilty.....some of these things I've really wanted for a long time, and they never seem to come up in swaps around here. Of course, it doesn't matter in the end, when I'm outbid less than 12 hours after I place my starting bid (this was for the Holly King proto)! And the winning bid is more than twice what I was willing to pay. I was kind of surprised at that one, I guess I'm not the only one who wanted it badly!   But now I have another auction that I placed a bid on, and we'll see how high that goes. I'm not going to raise my highest bid, because I've already bid more than I really should spend. So, we'll see. It's actually a scent that I already have half a bottle of, and this would be a back-up bottle (something nearly unheard of in my collection, except for Snake Oil which is for aging).   In other news........I'm in the middle of my long stretch of work, interrupted only by being off Tuesday night, until the weekend. I'm looking forward to Tuesday and really looking forward to the weekend, although it's pretty far off. I bought an annual pass to the Newport Aquarium, because I miss the Zoo's aquarium, which was made into the manitee exhibit. The manatees are pretty cool, but the aquarium was always my favorite part of the Zoo. And the Newport Aquarium is not even that great.....there are some cool parts, though. I only have to go once more to make up for the cost of my annual pass (and I'm pretty sure I'll go more than once more in the next year).   Anyway, yeah.....spending lots of money when I should be concentrating on credit card debt. Oh well, gotta have fun somehow, right??   Oh and speaking of spending money, I made an order with Nature's Gift. I bought their Sacred emotional synergy for a room scent. I wanted something for a sort of peaceful meditation blend, although I already have their Meditation blend....and it's pretty awesome.....but I wanted another spiritual blend, too. I also bought some jojoba oil and something for my occasional dermatitis/eczema.....now I can't even remember which oil, LOL.....oh yeah, calendula oil for skin care. And I asked for some samples of their fir/pine essential oils. Can't wait to see what they send me! They're always really nice about sending free samples when I ask for them.
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More zoo stuff

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.
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Journals

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.
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Moving on to positive things!

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.
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what a weekend.....

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.
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more breaking down

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.
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Breakdowns and stuff

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.....
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Another one of "those" moods

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.
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More video game stuff

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)
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Excited

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.
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Breaking it down further......

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.
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Jan 2010 Lupercalia breakdown

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.
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That Feeling again

I guess basically it's insecurity that I'm feeling. NYE was fun, but ever since then I've been worrying that I made an ass of myself....said the wrong things.....acted like a dumbass......etc. I hung out with 3 of my friends, 2 of them are a couple I know, both very good looking, good friends, always gracious to me and I know I worry needlessly. They were nothing but nice and let me crash on their couch, invited me to a great dinner, went out of their way to make fun drinks I hadn't tried before (caiphirina? I don't know how to spell it), but I can't seem to just let go of my worries and just have fond memories of the whole night. I envy them because I am single and when I let myself think about it, not really happy about it, so I usually just try to focus on school and work. Anyway.....just feeling totally unworthy and trying to write about it to get it all out. Really nothing new in my world.
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Quick reviews

Gacela.....almost works, clove is really iffy on me and it doesn't quite work for me here. It comes off a little dusty or something.   Faunalia.....Eek....this reminds me of Golden Priapus, a lot, which I hated, except this isn't quite as bad as that was. Still, this isn't for me.   Men Loved Darkness......Another miss.....a lot of times clove and patchouli combine and turn really sour on me, which is what happened here, just like in Smiling Spider. They amp each other up until it's all sour clove and patchouli.   Season Of Ghosts.....Very odd for a citrus scent....actually I don't even get much citrus. I recognize the rose geranium from On Darkness, and overall this scent turns weird and soapy on me. Did not like at all!   Joulumuori......Big winner for me! I love this scent, and I had a feeling I should have gone straight for a bottle. Well, I was right. For all the foody notes, this is a wearable scent that isn't as foody as I thought it would be. The wood smoke or hearth note is very, very much like Djinn, my favorite GC scent. But it has the fabulous cheery spices mixed in, and I just love this. Kind of reminds me of the best parts of Djinn and Jolasveinar, with none of the snow or pine notes from Jolasveinar. Just great.   Pink Snowballs......Not a fan.....I understand the comparisons to Snow White, but Pink Snowballs is more perfumey, fluffy, almost powdery, and not cold at all. Very commercial smelling to me. It's not terrible, but not what I was hoping for.   Snowball Fracas.....Familiar snow note, but I do smell the soil from Graveyard Dirt underneath it. After a while more moss comes out. It's a good scent because I like these things, but doesn't stand out enough for me to want more. The soil note can be a little yucky but mixed with the snow notes, it's not bad.   First Soft Snowfall......At first reminds me of Death Of The Grave Digger, a lot. Then as it dries, it becomes more floral, and I find myself thinking of Archangel Winter. Again, not a bad scent, but not quite as good as Death Of The Grave Digger.
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Wow

I am all moved in now at my new apartment. I like it a lot more than the old one! I'm still unpacking and arranging, which will probably take me a while, but I have 5 closets, which is wonderful. I'm looking forward to a couple of relaxing days just getting settled in.
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Whooooa Nelly

I'm a little exhausted....weekends tend to wear me out (the ones when I work, that is), and I didn't get much sleep before work. My landlady showed the apartment to a couple with a little girl. Having strange people in the apt kind of wakes me up and so I couldn't get to sleep after they left, and also, I'm on at the very end of Under The Dome, and I just couldn't put it down to go to sleep. So I had about 4 hours of sleep before work, maybe 5 hrs tops. Anyway....this is okay because in the morning when I get home I will flop into bed and sleep to my heart's content!   I am excited to be moving, but most of all, ready for it to be done (and I haven't even started). I can't wait to be in my cozy little new apartment! It is a funny apartment, probably the smallest one I've ever lived in, and kind of retro but not in a cool way...it has a tacky, 70's Brady Bunch kind of feel. The living room has fake brick on the walls (which I think is awesome).
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Yule breakdown part 3!

The Adoration Of The Mi-Go....."Luminous, otherworldly wet and piquant odors mingling with black incense, the pitch-stench of Yuggoth, and fungal lichens". Will watch reviews. 2/5   Mother Shub's Spiced Lait De Chevre....."Goat's milk egg nog with coffee liqueur and spices imported from the Crimson Desert!" I should be more interested, but this just isn't calling to me for some reason. 2/5   Mother Shub's Pfancy Pfeffernuesse......"Sugar-sprinkled pepper nuts with a bit of cinnamon, a bit of clove, a little cardamom, and a hint of nutmeg". LOL, it's all spice, all the time! I may end up trying this but I don't like pepper in my perfume. 2/5   Mother Shub's Toothsome Banketstaaf....."Tubular pastries oozing with spijs, glazed with apricot jam, and dotted with glace cherries". Um, what's spijs? I don't get very excited about most fruity scents, so I'll probably pass on this one. 2/5   Mason And Jenkin's Port Jelly....."Red and sticky!" Well, not so much for me. 1/5   Old Man Ackerman's Instructional Toys......I'll be watching reviews for this one. 2/5   The Smilin' Servitors' Hyperdimensional Holiday Hits....."A discordant scent, silvery and strange like a lunatic's tinsel garland: freesia, eucalyptus, and yuzu, with sicilian lemon, massoia, opoponax, night-blooming jasmine, white bergamot, and copaiba oleoresin". Will watch reviews. 2/5   Pet Magah Bird....."A prism of scent, an explosion of multi-colored feathers: blood orange, black plum, sugar cane, guava, frangipani, coconut, pimento berry, violet, caramel, and pear". A prism of scent sounds very pretty, but with all that fruit, I'm going to pass. 1/5   The Black Temple Burlesque Troupe......"Cacao, black musk, and tobacco absolute". Sounds kind of good except for cacao. Once again, I'll be watching reviews, but I bet this will be popular. 2/5   ....okay, I am at work and I should actually do some work. I'll finish the breakdown later!
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Yule breakdown continued

Gacela Of The Dark Death....."Terebinth pine, pitch, and clove". After reading the poem, I'm wondering if there will be a sneaky note of apple that wasn't listed? Anyway, clove is the only thing I'm not really sure of here. Sometimes it smells sour to me. Probable decant. 3/5   Hypothermia....."Bone-chilling, heart-stopping cold". Hmm, could this be like Archangel Winter, or something totally different? I do like the cold scents. Probable decant. 3/5   In Winter In My Room....."Pink, lank, and warm: grapefruit, yuzu, tuberose, peony, violet leaf, pikaki, Indian frankincense, and tonka". I don't really get the poem, and the notes aren't really calling to me either. Possible sniff somewhere down the road....unless the reviews catch my eye. 2/5   Joulumuori....."Old Lady Christmas, the sweet, smiling wife of Finland's Joulupukki. Her scent invokes the comforts of Christmastime and the warmth of love and cheerful companionship: a glowing hearth, luumukiisseli, riisipuuro, and sima". So apparently this has prunes soaked in sugar, rice pudding, and a certain mead made with lemons and raisins (in addition to the glowing hearth). Could be a nice warm and cozy scent. Possible decant. 2/5   Lick It Til It's Sticky.....another one I can safely pass on. : ) 1/5   Midnight Mass 2009.....I don't need a bottle, but a decant might be nice. I already have 2 or 3 decants from the past Yules, and I don't really wear this scent, but I always feel drawn to it. Go figure. 2/5   Nes Gadol Haya Sham....one scent in four parts?? I'm so confused! The notes all sound nice enough, but if they're all together in one scent, it will be complex indeed. I'll be watching with interest for reviews and clarification. 2/5   Now Winter Nights Enlarge....."Shorten those tedious nights with a surge of body heat: vanilla-infused red musk, champaca, petitgrain, ylang ylang, patchouli, nutmeg, honey, galbanum, and traces of caramel". This just isn't calling to me all that much.....and there's the dreaded honey, too. I'll be watching reviews. 2/5   On Darkness 2009...."An embrace: black poppy, lavender, thick black incense, black amber, rose geranium, Brazilian rosewood, and benzoin". At first I liked my decant from last year, but after a while I decided it was a little too rich. I might still want some more of this, but I'm just not sure. 2/5   The Peacock Queen.....thanks but not for me. I still have an older decant that I never wear. 1/5   Pink Snowballs...."A lighthearted winter scent: chilly vanilla rose snowballs! Dainty, soft, and certainly unfit for flinging!" Hee hee, I kind of want a decant just because it would be funny for a guy to wear this. What's that perfume you're wearing? Oh, this is Pink Snowballs. So butch!! It does actually sound pretty. 2/5   The Season Of Ghosts....."A scent created to burn away sorrow: bergamot, frankincense, rose geranium, ginger, lemongrass, and blood orange". Lots of citrus, but where's the fire? This could be something nice. 2/5   The Shivering Boy 2009......I probably don't need more of this one. Probably. 2/5   Sleipnir...."Confections spun of hazelnuts, honey, elderberries, and bilberries with a dusting of hay and a bit of carrot". Well......not so much. I just don't like honey (in perfume, that is). 1/5   Snow-Flakes 2009......"The radiance and desolation of winter". I used to have a decant of the older one, and I gave it to my sister. I can barely remember what it smelled like. I might end up wanting a decant this year. 3/5   The Snow Maiden......?? I have a blank spot in my memory for this scent. Are their older versions? No notes? I'll have to look up reviews, but I have a feeling I can pass. 2/5   Snow White 2009.....I'm happy with my decant from '07. 1/5   Snowball Fracas....."Muddy dirt and frost-covered moss from the trenches rubbed into winter clothes and snow impact overspray". Not sure, possible decant. 3/5   Sol Invictus 2009.....never had much of a hankering for this one. I think I actually tried it one time, and it turned to powder. 1/5   When The Winter Chrysanthemums Go....."A gentle flurry of snow dusting the season's last chrysanthemums, illuminated by pale rays of winter's amber-tinted sunlight". Yes, please......possible bottle. 4/5   Yule Cat....."Malevolent musk, a drop of infernal civet, vetiver, club moss, birch, goosefoot, and rowan". No civet for me, thank you! 1/5   ......to be continued.
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Yule update....breakdown

Rated on a scale of 1-5, as being relevant to my interest.   But Men Loved Darkness Rather Than Light...."The world will love its darkness: cistus labdanum, ginger, East Indian patchouli, pimento berry, oakmoss, saffron, smoky vanilla, sage, myrrh, and bitter blove". Sounds like Schwarzer Mond. With both patchouli and clove, this could turn out to be sour. Or it could be great. Decant. 3/5   Ded Moroz....."Light, darkness, kindness, and malice: golden amber, white amber, redwood, teak, bois du rose, sage, tree moss, and snow". I've sniffed the prototype....it was pretty nice. From the notes, it looks like it could be a touch powdery. I'm interested, though. Decant, or bottle? 3/5   Diable En Boite...."There are few things more disturbing than a Jack in the Box. A strangely sinister, unnerving holiday scent: redwood, bitter clove, tonka, hemp accord, and tobacco with peach blossom, black currant, and red musk". I can't really imagine what this will smell like. Possible decant? 2/5   El Dia De Los Reyes.....didn't like it last time, I can safely skip this one. 1/5   Evening Cicadas And Red Peppers...."Frost-limned, ice-bejeweled branches, scattered blood-red maple leaves, a few camellia petals, red peppers, and nacreous, multi-colored musks that shimmer like gently-beating cicada wings". This sounds freakin' awesome. I suppose something could go wrong in those notes, but I am feeling a bottle purchase on this one. Possibly. 4/5   Faunalia...."The scent of a thick, starlit, unspoiled forest, with a burst of wild musk, opobalsamum, black bryony, mandragora, and hemlock". The forest part catches my interest. What in holy heck is opobalsamum? Is that a typo? I'd like a decant of this one, I think. 3/5   The First Soft Snow....."Heavy drifts of snow blanketing winter's narcissus". I don't know what narcissus smells like! I'll have to do a little research. Possible decant. 3/5   The Fruit Of Paradise 2009.....still have my decant from '07 I think, and never wear it.....another one I can skip. 1/5   .......to be continued.
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Conclusion

So, after all that fuss, it turns out I was right after all.....my current lease is from December to December. With a little more planning and communication, I could have avoided that whole awkward situation.   The good news is that I'm moving next month. My new apartment is almost exactly halfway between work and school (a mile and a half to either one). In a pinch if my car broke down, I could walk to either work or school. It also has: off street parking, secure entry/building, laundry in the basement, and paid heat and water. I am really excited.   Now for the big pain in the ass of moving again. Once again, I should just throw a lot of stuff away, useless junk that I tend to hold onto. Time to look for boxes!
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The continuing saga

I talked to my landlady and she might let me out of my lease even though I'm technically already into my next year. Not only that but I might have to be out by the end of October.....which is faster than I was planning on. I need to get all this resolved soon, because it's making my anxiety worse than ever. I need to know where I'm going to live! She's going to look over the lease and call me back (I guess tomorrow....I thought she would call me back tonight but she never did).
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Chaos Theory IV.....I forget the number

.....and the bottle is at home. I'll edit later with the Roman numeral.   Herbs? Licorice, black leather? Eucalyptus?   This is scent is weird. Very weird. It starts out herbal and..........jeez, I can't even think of a word. It reminds me of chemicals, magic markers, or maybe hairspray, with eucalyptus.   After it dries for a while, I would still call it herbal, but the nearly menthol quality fades. It changes to something like black jelly beans with no sugar, more synthetic, not like anise the herb. I also smell asphalt, and something that reminds me of sleet. The slightly sour hairspray note can still be detected.   This reminds me strongly of a conceptual scent, an H.R. Giger painting, maybe? Grey pipes hissing with mist......cold, not hot. The colors would be all grays and blacks. There is not a drop or ounce of color in this scent. It could be called Black Ice if there weren't already a Black Ice. This one has no flowers or sweetness whatsoever (unlike the existing Black Ice scent). I'll be honest, at first I hated it, but I have to admit that it's strangely compelling.
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Possets wish list

This is for my future swap post. I'll have some Possets bottles up for grabs, and here are some that I would swap for:   Adamus The Awakening Conscience Cootie Dark Lady Margot Queen Of The Night Risk Sex With The Spirits Tulipomania Warmth
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Grrrr

I am an idiot.   My lease is over at the end of this month (October, not November). It's too late for me to move out. And the landlady already told me she won't go month-to-month.   The reason I got confused, is because the last time I moved, I got sick in the middle of the process. I spent 2 or 3 weeks recovering, and had to stop the whole moving process, which means I stayed over a couple weeks at my old apartment. I actually should have paid them another month's rent, but they let it slide.   Anyway, looks like I'm staying put for another year after all.
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HOOOO-boy

Lots on my mind, and lots to do in the next week or so....and beyond. I've pretty much decided to move when my lease is out which is at the end of November, which means I'm looking at an apartment tomorrow, so I can get things moving ASAP.   The apartment sounds really great, and it's in an area that I like, so I'm really excited and I hope that I like it. It has many more pros than the place where I live now, and honestly, I can hardly wait to move out of there. Cat friendly, laundry in basement, off-street parking, secure building, paid heat and water, nicer neighborhood.....and the landlady seems okay to me, just from the phone conversations we've had. Also it's only a couple of blocks away from the Cincinnati Zoo, which I think is really great (the Zoo is in kind of a bad area but that's not the part where I'm looking.....I'm a little further south of that which is more of a college- and medical-student area).   Other than that, I have a whole bunch of smaller stuff that I need to get done, including cleaning up my current apt so I can be sure to get my deposit back. I will feel a little bad telling my current landlady that I'm not staying, but......well, I can't think of a but. I just never felt at home there, can't stand the neighbors, can't get comfortable in the space....what more really needs to be said? It's a nice apartment but I just for whatever reason couldn't get myself adjusted there. And I'm definitely not staying for another year, and she won't go month-to-month, so there ya go.
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