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dawndie

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  1. dawndie

    More estate sales

    By dawndie,

    I went to two different sales this weekend, which is unusual. One was on the way home from work on Friday, and there must have been 15 cars parked in front of this house. I thought, "Wow, this sale should be great!" and went in. Unfortunately not a whole lot was there, but I did get for $25:
     
    --a Scooby-Doo lunch box from the '70s (no thermos)
    --3 boxes of Japanese coil incense
     
    Then DH and I went to one today that was in one of our favorite neighborhoods, Hollywood Heights -- yes, the houses are all little 1920s bungalows and I wish we could afford to live there. We got for $3:
     
    --a few albums, Mahalia Jackson and a couple of touristy "Songs of Old Mexico" and "Songs of Hawaii" which I picked for the cute front covers
    --a handful of old 45s of stuff DH liked, like Roger Miller (King of the Road!) and Allan Sherman (Hello Muddah!)
    --a hurricane glass from Pat O'Brien's bar in New Orleans
    --a little clay dish with a lid (for salsa or guacamole, I'm thinking ) with Mexican-type designs
    --a green 4-dish appetizer set from a pottery co. in California, probably 1940s
     
    So I probably paid too much at the first one, but made up for it at the second
  2. dawndie

    Quick hits!

    By dawndie,

    --I know I’m evil, but I laughed out loud at the title of a thread in Get Personal, “Anyone ADD?” by “capricious.” I don’t know this forum member (who hasn’t logged on since March) and it’s nothing personal, but how funny is that? A word that means “impulsive or unpredictable” is starting a thread about Attention Deficit. Hee! I haven’t read it, but I want to hop into the thread and say, “oh yes, me too, I will be doing something and – ooh! Shiny! That reminds me, I need tinfoil from the store. What were we talking about again?” I’m going to hell.
     
    --I’m not an Oprah fan, but now that my work schedule includes working from home, and afternoons are quieter than the mornings, I’ll have it on in the background sometimes. She had a great series last week called the Debt Diet which revealed what I have long suspected: many people are living way beyond their means and using credit to inflate their earnings. They followed 3 families, one of which seemed nice enough (2 schoolteachers), but the other 2 families were flat-out clueless. Seriously, one family ate out for every meal, they never cooked, they didn’t own a toaster or coffeemaker or dishes and ate everything off plastic plates and cups. They had 5 cars for 2 people!
     
    So a big part of the series was not just saying “stop spending money” but asking why. At one point one of the women was saying how she didn’t even think about spending money, she just shopped. She didn’t know how much they owed for the second mortgage or credit cards, she just kept it out of her mind. When she was asked, “Why are you absent from your own life?” it was a lightbulb moment. “Oh, so this is my life? It’s not at the mall? It’s not in InStyle or Lucky? It’s not getting the jeans that Jessica’s wearing, or getting my glowing orange MysticTan?”
     
    Celebrity culture is nothing new – I have a Photoplay from 1926, and in between movie reviews are “the latest fashions from Paris” so you could presumably throw out all your old clothes and run out to buy the new ones. But it’s so pervasive now. How do we know where Britney is shopping for baby clothes? Because the store manager is calling every news outlet to report it. Why should we buy the new $500 Louis Vuitton bag? Because they sent a free one to Lindsay Lohan to be photographed as she’s buying coffee.
     
    So be like Chuck D and don’t believe the hype! Yeah boyeeee!
  3. dawndie

    Head Shops!

    By dawndie,

    I confess: I love shopping at head shops. I am not a pot-smoker -- I've tried it a few times at parties and I suppose I enjoyed it, but that was years ago and to me all the trouble of buying it on the "black market" (that sounds funny to say) isn't worth the mild buzz it gives. Not that I'm into stronger drugs, I've never tried anything stronger, but I guess the allure of alternate realities isn't tempting enough for me. Give me some friends and some beer or wine and I'm having a great time.
     
    But head shops are so cool, probably because of the whole dorm-room chic -- I love the bamboo curtains and band posters and black lights. Maybe because I never lived in a dorm or an apartment with roommates and didn't have the "real" college experience, because I lived at home the first 3 years of college and then moved out with my then-boyfriend and now-husband. I kinda feel like I missed out on the fun.
     
    We have a great head shop near us, called "Puff 'n' Stuff." Hee! They actually have a decent beer selection (I Boddington's) and wine and cigars, but they also have the crazy pipes and rolling papers and accoutrements of the serious smokers. I love looking at all the stuff in the glass cases -- maybe because it's illicit, but some of these glass pipes are really beautiful. I don't even smoke cigarettes, but it reminds me of opium dens and lounging on pillows and thinking deep thoughts.
  4. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    Another early posting! It's been fun to hop in and have it be already "live." I ordered Hungry Ghost Moon (ginger candy, sugar cane and rice wine? *falls over dead*) and Et Lux Fuit (amber, vanilla musk and honeycomb? *gets up, then falls over dead again*). Plus a bottle of Madrid, which has been languishing on my big-bottle wishlist for so long that it's starting to sneer and flip me off.
     
    Madrid was a frimp received with my very first order, placed in October 2004. It's not too clove-heavy, it smells more like sitting outside at a cafe drinking red wine and smoking a clove cigarette.
     
    I'm debating on CT3 -- I have a bottle of CT2, and while it's OK-smelling (it started fruity like Mi-Go, then goes cologney like how Wolf Moon ends) the idea of experimentation is more fun. But there are so many other bottles I want, do I want to spend the funds on something I may dislike? Why not order something I know I'll like? Who knows, I'll probably cave by August and buy a bottle anyway
  5. dawndie
    June 1 is Marilyn Monroe's birthday! She was born June 1, 1926 (the year Rudolph Valentino died). I tried to post a live picture but failed, so here's a link:
     
    http://sourballs.org/icon/marilyn_small
     
    She liked teh smellies too! Her favorite was Chanel No. 5, but she may have liked BPAL for the sheer decadence.
  6. dawndie
    valentina's post got me pawing through the laserdiscs and DVDs for favorite movies in general, and I must babble about Defending Your Life. Albert Brooks wrote, directed and starred in a movie all about what happens after you die. It's a mix of Occidental/Western religion and Buddhism with some bureaucracy thrown in, because we all love that! Woo!
     
    While I don't like everything Albert Brooks does, he's so dry and smart in this one plus it makes you think for days afterward (or years, but I'm slow ). The premise is after you die, you go to Judgment City and you have to "defend your life," and here on Earth we have to prove we weren't conquered by fear so we can move on to the next level. You're assigned a defense attorney and during your trial you're shown scenes from your life and the attorneys argue before a couple of Gods/judges about whether you faced your fears.
     
    One scene is when he's 10 or so and is confronted by a bully at school, and he backs out of a fight. The prosecutor said he was afraid -- getting hurt, looking foolish -- while the defender argues that "he wasn't afraid, he was showing restraint!" Hee!
     
    So what's my fear? Number one is probably not being able to to support myself -- living on the street, no money or security, where every person is a potential predator and enemy. So am I facing my fear, by working and trying to save, or just avoiding it?
     
    *Edited for spelling, duh
  7. dawndie

    ID & package theft

    By dawndie,

    inkdarkmoon posted about a shipment she was afraid was lost/stolen, and luckily she found it, but since we all do quite a bit of shopping and online ordering I wanted to toss in one experience I had last year.
     
    I believe the problem started with a local beauty supply store with a member loyalty program, where you sign up and get a membership card, and they'll send you mailers with coupons and sale notices. No problems by itself, but my mistake was after I used my mailer with the coupon, the salesgirl asked if I wanted to keep the mailer. I said no and didn't give it another thought. Unfortunately (and this is total speculation) I believe the salesgirl kept the mailer with my name and address, and since I paid with a credit card she had my credit card number too.
     
    I didn't know of any problem until my credit card statement, when I saw a charge for almost $250 to a clothing store at a local mall. I hadn't been to that mall in a couple of years, and had never shopped at this store. It was a week or so after my trip to the beauty store. I disputed the charge and paid the rest.
     
    About a month later I got "proof" of my purchase from the clothing store: they had a screen shot of my name and address, and UPS "delivery" to my house that of course wasn't my signature (it looked like Cynthia something). I called bullshit and disputed this "proof," as they didn't have my scanned credit card, just the number manually entered (the credit card company can tell), the store didn't have my signature on file, and UPS' delivery proof wasn't my signature. I also tracked the UPS shipment online and sent to the credit card company, because it showed that right after shipment the "customer" called and rerouted the package to Will Call! So UPS showed the package signed for at my house, but if you brought tracking up it clearly showed the package was diverted.
     
    A month later the credit card company said I wasn't responsible for the charge, mainly because of my UPS tracking proof which the store conveniently didn't include. My guess for all of this is that salesgirl at beauty store called the clothing store and used my info, maybe with an accomplice at the clothing store, charged my card and shipped the goods, but then called as the "customer" and picked up the package at UPS later.
     
    The kicker is that when I was going through receipts, the clerk at the beauty store was "Cynthia." Coincidence? Part of me wanted to call both stores and raise hell and get people fired, but I have no real proof it was even the beauty store salesgirl. I've never gone back to the beauty store though.
  8. dawndie

    Vegas!

    By dawndie,

    I started responding to the Las Vegas thread and realized I have too much to say We go to Vegas usually once a year. We're not big gamblers, but we end up having a blast without spending (or losing ) a lot of money. Our tried-tested-true tips are:
     
    --Go during the week instead of the weekend. Hotel prices on weeknights can be less than 50% of what you'd pay over the weekend.
    --Don't just look for the cheapest hotel rates, think about what else you want to do and see. A cheap hotel isn't a bargain if it's way off by itself and you have to take a cab to do anything else.
    --Everyone should try a huge Vegas buffet once. Rio has a great one, and like the others, lunch is cheaper than dinner for the same food.
    --Don't forget about free drinks! If you're gambling (even at the penny or nickel slots) cocktail waitresses will walk by and bring you whatever you want, even mixed drinks (although notoriously watered-down and in teeny glasses). Bottled beer or water is best to avoid the teeny glasses.
    --There's technically an "open container" law, but you'll see people walking around all the time (especially downtown) with their beer or crazy half-yard drinks so it's no big deal.
     
    Fun free stuff to do: Rio (west of the Strip) has a Mardi Gras carnival, with floats that hang from the ceiling where people toss beads. Oh! The last time we were there they had both male & female cocktail people who would intermittently hop up onto stages above the slots and dance, then hop back down. It was SURREAL and HILARIOUS
    --Flamingo has a bird sanctuary, nice to walk through
    --Mirage has a nice tropical walk-through, lots of waterfalls, and you can see the white tigers
    --Treasure Island has big pirate boats in front, and at night they'll put on a show. It used to be an "arr, matey" pirate show but the last time we were there they were switching it around to "Sirens of the Sea" or something like that; we haven't seen it
    --Venetian has the canals with singing gondoliers
    --Tons of window shopping: Forum Shops at Caesars is the hugest, but Aladdin has a nice-sized mall too, with a Sephora
    --Downtown is great, especially at night -- a bunch of older, smaller casinos within 3-4 blocks. Plus light shows at night, and a few huge souvenir shops that are cheaper than the Strip hotel gift shops. We bought a pseudo-neon Welcome to Las Vegas sign that was $30 downtown, then back at the Flamingo it was $40!
     
    OK, now I want to go again
  9. dawndie
    Yes, the title is sarcastic. I do not understand the excitement of cultivating your ulcer around some dudes running around. DH isn't a huge football fan, thank goodness -- his drug of choice is basketball. So 5 guys running up and down the court dictate not only his mood for the evening, but it dictates our evening:
     
    --we have to watch the pregame yakking about what a great game this will be. But I can understand anticipation (Update Speculation thread, anyone? )
     
    --then it's the game, 2-3 hours of tense up-and-down, back-and-forth *yawn* At least DH isn't yelling at the TV during all this.
     
    --don't forget, after the game it's post-game commentary! Oh goody. Lots of yakking about how the game went. If the team won then everyone played great against formidable opponents. If the team didn't win then it's the refs' fault.
     
    I'm just bitter because I want to watch CSI reruns instead.
  10. dawndie

    Avatar Love

    By dawndie,

    As a by-product of the LJ drama, I wanted to post about people's avatars. I really like seeing everyone's avatars, especially ones who change them all the time (wink at valentina!). I should change mine more often too.
     
    Avatars are so cool because they're teeny little pictures that represent whole people, and the more avatars seen the better. I don't care if you're changing them every day, or posting extras in your signature -- I love seeing them. Is it someone you're in love with, someone you want to be, or a cool picture of a flower that you think is rad?
     
    Mine came from downtown Las Vegas (different from the Strip, where all the huge hotels are). Downtown is a lot of fun, because there are a bunch of older, smaller casinos within 3-4 blocks and you can walk from one to the next with ease. Someone had the idea of installing neon signs randomly from old bars & restaurants, so as you're walking down Fremont Street you'll look down a side street and there will be 3-4 signs with plaques in front so you can read about them. DH took a crapload of photos, both during the day and at night, and they're way cool -- unfortunately some are so large that they'd look like glowing blobs inside a teeny square. The "Restaurant-Bar-Jackpots" came out so clean and bright, I really like it.
  11. dawndie

    Creating Drama

    By dawndie,

    I know, creative title after all that went on this weekend, right? But it's not just the LJ stuff, it's this latest episode of Intervention I watched. Y'all watch Intervention, right? It's on A&E -- every week is 2 new people addicted to heroin, meth, alcohol, etc. and they're followed around in their pathetic lives until the exciting intervention (sometimes with Jeff! Hi Jeff! He's like Dr. Phil with a spine ) where they're given a choice to either get their lives back or continue their patheticness. The show's addictive, har!
     
    It got me thinking about the LJ drama this weekend. There are some people who can't exist without drama -- either as a willing victim or an active participant. The show seems to feature many people who individually can't seem to handle "life" and all it implies, including "earning a living" and "dealing pleasantly with others." So if the drama exists, they don't have to deal with their own issues. Part of becoming an adult, though, is dealing with these issues. So someone posting anonymously and flaming people they don't even know except by an avatar are in need of drama, and if they have to create it they will.
     
    So if everyone's represented by an avatar, what does that make me? Either I'm a gambling-addicted lush who eats food, or an actual restaurant. OOH! Can I be the Brown Derby? Cool!
  12. dawndie
    This title was stolen from Anchorman, which like many other movies the first 10-15 minutes are the best -- "I love scotch! Scotchy scotch scotch!"
     
    I put on some Smut before DH and I went out to grab some food and beer. Smut starts out almost agressively strong, but ends up a really nice sweet musky YUM. valentina sounds more sophisticated in that she mixes with O to make Smut-O-Rama, which is very creative and I should try. Bottle orgy! Woo!
     
    I have several bottles that may be "in demand" on the resale market, but I would never sell them just because I like them so much. Smut is one of them -- it ends up so nice, I'm sitting like a dope with a smile on my face, that I would never want to sell them even if it was double what I paid.
     
    If anything, I'll swap something I like but am not in love with. I don't care if it's LE for GC either, if it's something I really want. It's all about spreading the love.
  13. dawndie
    --I placed an order today; I got bottles of Litha and Obatala. I ordered only 2 because of the extra April Fool's bottle I ordered -- it's complicated. Basically I limit myself to 3 bottles or about $50/month, and if I go over in one month I try to make it up the next month. Oh, never mind, it's stupid
     
    --Happy Mother's Day to pet moms too! The blog of valentina, she posted her puppy pics and I know DH has our cat pics posted somewhere but I'm an intarweb doofus and don't know how to access them. We have 2 cats, Cookie and Shadow, who are very sweet and very shy. We've had them over 11 years, since they were 8 weeks old.
     
    --One funny Mother's Day story: we were living in Cincinnati and were in some shopping area north of the city on one Mother's Day, maybe 1997. Of course every restaurant was packed and we espied a Kenny Rogers Roasters. We had never eaten there, but had always made jokes, like "Is the piped-in music all Kenny?" and "Do all the workers have to wear fake white beards?" Yes, we crack ourselves up. Anyway, we ended up eating our words as everything was seriously good -- the chicken, the sides, it was like the Seinfeld episode where everyone was addicted like crack. We were moaning at the table, it was some good eatin'.
  14. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl with this update. This was the first one in almost 2 years where I was actually online and then noticed Beth's announcement. It was exciting! Like a rollercoaster, woo! *bounces in chair*
     
    The Salon scents that sound great are And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt and Death of Sarandapal. Both have honey, which due to my love of O are tempting. Plus Litha sounds nice, but it sounds like something with the specific goal of annoying my allergies with all those plants So I'm on the fence, but I have a couple weeks to decide. I knew Lotus Moon wouldn't work because lotus is bubblegummy on me, and paired with pine it became a no-no
     
    This was a great end to a craptastic week.
  15. dawndie

    Power down

    By dawndie,

    No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but almost: we lost our DSL modem in one of the thunderstorms last week. Dial-up is working but obviously slow. Boo.
     
    I'm trying to lurk when I can!
  16. dawndie

    Estate sales

    By dawndie,

    DH and I usually spend Sunday running around doing errands -- today we went to Michaels for a few little things (black silk cord for pendants, sewing needles & thread) and Cost Plus (outside lights and Cafe du Monde coffee), but if we see signs for estate sales we'll pull over to check it out.
     
    Estate sales are like weird garage sales -- garage sales are when people bring stuff out of the house to sell, and it's strange to be walking through someone's house where everything there has a price tag. We went to one several months ago where it was obvious the guy died and if he had relatives they weren't interested in much of his stuff. The house was great though, I wish we could have bought it. We got a way cool telephone table that just needed a new seat cover for $24, plus some souvenir state plates and an electric clock for $1 each.
     
    The one today, from what it sounded like, was an elderly couple who were probably moving to an assisted living place and didn't have room for a whole house full of stuff. They had some really nice things -- lots of crystal and silver, and it seemed weird that no other family members wanted it. Maybe they didn't have any close relatives and once they took what they wanted, didn't want to hassle with the other stuff? Who knows.
     
    I got some 45's of Harry James and Woody Herman in cute little box sets -- the Woody Herman one is called "Dance Date on Mars." Far out, man! But my favorite is a "Host & Hostess Book" from 1940 -- recipes and menus for occasions such as "Week-End Entertaining" and "Give a Barn Dance" and a whole chapter on crazy games to play.
     
    My favorite recipe so far is one "For the Calorie Counters": Hot Clam Boullion with Pimiento Whipped Cream. All together now: ewwww.
  17. dawndie
    I don't consider myself a good cook, but I like it when we're home at night and we can have a simple dinner. I like to try a recipe if it pops up and sounds interesting, the easier the better. Food Network is a total staple of mine. DH is a steak-and-veggies type of guy, so there's never anything too complicated.
     
    We were at Red Lobster the other night, home of the awesomest Cheddar Biscuits. We scarfed a couple down but they seemed a little off. I said, "These taste kinda salty" and DH agreed. Then he floored me by saying, "Yours are much better." I stopped and turned to him, agog: "What a nice thing to say!"
     
    Mine have a twist -- instead of using milk or buttermilk I use beer, so they become Beer-Cheddar Biscuits. I can't use something cheap, like Miller Lite; I like using something hoppy like Bridgeport or Trademark Pale Ale. I made a batch tonight while watching the end of Ghost Whisperer, which is slowly becoming a favorite TV show, but I'm a huge fan of bangs and false eyelashes.
  18. dawndie

    Old skool, part 2

    By dawndie,

    After reading darkity's previous posts about going to see Thomas Dolby, I just had to post about old skool concerts. Granted, it's been awhile since I've gone to a show -- I'm at the point now where seeing someone "live" means paying $50 to go to a crowded, smelly place and hear someone perform the CD that I could be listening to in the comfort of my home. Bleh. So here's my index:
     
    First concert: Rick Nelson at the Palomino in LA, about 8th grade, 1984? This was the ex-50's-teen-idol-turned-country-singer and my friend had an obsession with him. He was pretty good! And looked damn fine!
     
    Most memorable concert: Jane's Addiction, Pixies and Primus at the Hollywood Palladium, December 1990. I remember Primus started, and while I had never heard of them they were amazing live, great musicians. Pixies were next, and they were about to break up and probably couldn't stand each other -- Frank Black screamed a lot, that was the gist of it. Jane's Addiction was great, I love them.
     
    Other concerts: (this is me looking through my ticket stubs)
     
    --Monkees reunion tour in 1986 *hangs head*, but I was a sophomore in high school! What do you expect?
    --Duran Duran at the Forum in July 1987 (with Erasure opening) -- I love both of them
    --David Bowie at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, August 1987 -- this was the first instance where I got up at 5:00 a.m. to wait in line for tickets, and we had the worst nosebleed seats ever! Never again, I swore. He was OK live, but Siouxsie and the Banshees opened and they were fab
    --Sting at the Forum, March 1988 -- he was great
    --Hothouse Flowers at the Coach House (teeny restaurant/club in San Juan Capistrano), February 1989 -- they were great, a crazy Irish jam band
    --Midge Ure at the Coach House, April 1989 -- lead singer of Ultravox, yum. He didn't have to play a note and I would have sat there dreamy-eyed
    --Replacements at the Hollywood Palladium, May 1989 -- just before they broke up and they probably all hated each other at that point. All I remember is LOUD
    --Love and Rockets at Irvine Meadows, July 1989 (Godfathers opened) -- they were pretty good. Dang, I went to a lot of concerts in 1989!
    --B-52's at Universal Amphitheater, January 1990 -- they were great
    --Pearl Jam at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, November 1993 -- they were great live, but it was butt-ass cold standing outside in a field. My cousin and his wife live there and we all went to the concert and stayed overnight at their house so we had a great time, I just remember COLD COLD COLD
    --Dave Matthews Band at Riverbend in Cincinnati, June 1997 -- I thought they were incredibly boring live. I'm not a huge fan, but every song I recognized sounded exactly like the songs on CD or the radio. *yawn* We wanted to see Los Lobos open for them, then we left afterwards. Los Lobos is great, always -- we saw them at Jazz Fest in Columbus (2000?) and the place was mobbed.
    --Beck at Veterans in Columbus, Ohio, February 2000 -- he's crazy and the show was a heap o'fun. Hank Williams III opened and he brought the house down, everyone went nuts.
    --Moby at Newport Music Hall, Columbus, October 2000 -- since DH worked at Virgin Music we were able to meet him before the show. He was very nice and signed our ticket stubs and CD, and drew little pictures. His show was GREAT -- seriously, I thought it would be him noodling on a keyboard but he had a full band and was jumping all over the stage
     
    That's really been it -- since we've moved to Dallas we haven't gone to a concert. I'm old.
  19. dawndie

    '80s old skool

    By dawndie,

    DH and I kid each other about music tastes -- he managed music retail stores for over 10 years and his tastes run the gamut, while I'm more in a rut. I grew up listening to one of the biggest "college rock" stations in the country, KROQ in LA, so my CDs are a ton of Ultravox, Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Siouxsie, Cure, old U2 and REM. He likes those too (how irresistible is a man with a Kate Bush CD? ) but makes fun of me for listening to nothing past 1987. But I do! The most recent CDs I burned off iTunes to play in the car are Killers and White Stripes, but he says they don't count because they "sound retro."
     
    I listen to some things he's brought home -- I like the Chemical Brothers, Twilight Singers (Greg Dulli from Afghan Whigs' new band), Beck and Fatboy Slim. But Radiohead? Flaming Lips? (I just typed Flying Lips, that's how out-of-touch I am ) They're arty and I don't get them.
     
    We've been together so long that it's just a part of our relationship; he's more diverse in music than I am and if he talks about something enough I'll try to listen to it. But I'm stubborn and like my old skool stuff. Now where's my Adam Ant?
  20. dawndie
    One guy from work flew into town tonight for a meeting tomorrow, and DH and I were going to take him to dinner. We're driving to his hotel and almost got run off the road!
     
    Why is it instinct with some people that when there are 2 lanes going in one direction with no turn bays, and someone's stopped to try to make a left turn, the person behind them simply veers into the right lane? It's like the tradeoff between waiting behind someone and causing an accident is a toss-up. So we're in the right lane and luckily DH swerved in time, was able to hop the curb, not hit the electric pole and pull into a Brothers Chicken parking lot. The other car slowed down, some guy in the passenger seat half-assed waved to us, like "sorry you almost wrecked your car," then pulled away.
     
    DH was so mad, and we didn't even know if our car was damaged at that point, that he took off running down the street waving after the car. I in the meantime was writing down the license number, but after I hopped out of the car I checked the front and everything looked fine. One guy came out of the restaurant making sure the car wasn't hit. He saw DH take off down the street and said, "Damn! He's mad!" Hee!
     
    Anyway, I didn't want to go on about bad drivers. We had a great dinner and I pick him up first thing tomorrow to go to the meeting. So tomorrow will be a beating, then it's the weekend! *boogies in my chair* And my rash went away, so I'm trying to wear my BPAL smellies without being all itchy! I'm wearing Pink Phoenix and I smell goooood.
  21. dawndie

    Broke? Who, me?

    By dawndie,

    OK, so I mentioned bankruptcy before. I have several temptations other than BPAL that are dying to make me broke:
     
    Villainess soaps (Brooke) -- currently I have One-Eyed Willy soap with Sugar Buzz Smooch in the shower. I'm not a bubble bath person
    feMaledictions (sCara) -- her perfumes are OK, but I really like her soaps, incense, sprays, etc.
    Goth Rosary (AntiSally) -- her conditioner is great, with interesting scents
    Dark Candles (Helena) -- strongest candles and simmering oils in gothy scents. I'm an armchair goth; I don't dress like one, but like the themes (and the music).
    My Lady's Chamber -- I find myself hoarding the incense instead of burning, which I shouldn't do. Really stinky incense, great themes and prices
    Instant Living -- I love retro culture. Cocktail lounges, '50s decor. I'm not in any "scene" but I like the shopping. Really cute jewelry and home stuff
    Reprodepot Fabrics -- I have a sewing machine but should really use it more. I still buy fabric though, especially if it's on sale. I'll get inspired every so often
    Candles and incense -- Pier 1 and Illuminations have good candles in interesting scents. I'm always up for some good headshop incense, wherever I find it
     
    General collecting and admiring:
     
    Souvenirs -- matchbooks, charms for my bracelet, tablecloths, plates and ashtrays, light-up signs; anything that reminds me of trips or where I've lived before
    Disneyland -- I'm in love/obsessed with the Haunted Mansion. I grew up 15 minutes from Disneyland and have been there more times than I can count, so the "golden age" of Disneyland is especially nostalgic
    Old Hollywood, through 1950s -- again, where I grew up in Southern California it seemd obvious that you watched old movies and knew all the big names
    Old Vegas -- like Hollywood, seedy and glitzy at the same time
     
    Are they collections or hobbies? They seem like hobbies, in that the pursuit of them are as interesting as actually possessing them. DH grew up in Cincinnati during the Reds' World Series runs ('75 and '80) so we like Cincinnati and Reds stuff. I love hearing about what others collect too, as I live vicariously.
  22. dawndie

    Update and my stash!

    By dawndie,

    I got bogged down and couldn’t update my BPAL blog, but have continued to purchase. Since the last entry I’ve purchased bottles of:
     
    Minotaur
    Temple Viper (these two were purchased from a forum buddy, both smell amazing)
    Black Lace
    Prospero (these two were my “normal” purchase one month from Dark Delicacies instead of the Lab. Both are really nice)
    Hony Mone
    Blood Phoenix
    Chanukkiyah (I was underwhelmed by these 3, but hopefully aging will help)
    Numb
    Peacock Queen 2005 (these two recently purchased from another forumite)
    I Married a Vampire from Planet X
    Diary of a Lovestruck Teenage Cannibal (Vampire is a bit too masculine, but Teenage Cannibal is nice)
    Anactoria
    Lunar Eclipse (recent update)
     
    Regarding Numb: it’s gotten a bad rap and I don’t know why. I bought Numb brand-new from the Lab when it was offered in July 2005. I liked it well enough, it was like frozen sugared violets, but unfortunately I broke out in a rash the few times I wore it. I gave it to my mom, and when we went to visit for Christmas I was looking at her stash (I’ve also given her Harvest Moon 2004 and Taurus 2007) and noticed that Numb was almost empty. She loves it! It’s her favorite and she asked if I could get her another bottle for her birthday.
     
    I finally took recent pictures of my collection. I enjoy reading about other collections and what people love. I’ve been buying directly from the Lab for over 3 years and have over 100 bottles of favorites. Here’s the main box, it’s a tin from a men’s cologne set that DH had received. I was so excited when the shipments started arriving with special BPAL orange shipping tape, *dork alert* I would carefully peel it off to stick on the tin.
     

    Here’s a picture of the inside, it’s totally full and I’ve started a second box. The bottles are in order based on when they were received, which makes less and less sense. If I’m looking for a bottle I can make a good guess where it will be, but it’s hard to browse if I’m trying to decide what to wear out of the blue.
     

     
    My special imp tin: these are imps or decants that I want to keep. There’s my one tarted imp (Alice); even though I have a bottle I’ll never get rid of the imp just because it’s the way imps aren’t done anymore. I also have some single note decants, Tomato Leaf is peeking out. The labels have the She-Devil forum skin logo, there are a few others floating around in there. These were won in the forum fundraising raffle in April 2006.
     

     
    My backup box contains Arcana and Possets bottles, new BPAL bottles arriving and tested imps that I don’t care to keep.
    I’d love to have a nice display rack of some kind, because the labels are kick-ass and I could see everything. But how is that possible? I’d need a wall at this point.
     

  23. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    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!
  24. dawndie

    Halloween update!

    By dawndie,

    Wowee, another big update. Work has been busy -- don’t they know that there was a huge BPAL update? GO AWAY, I’M BUSY READING ABOUT THESE NEW SMELLIES! This will be a quick run-through for me to remind myself what to watch for in reviews.
     
    Hunter Moon -- Dry leaves, autumn bonfires, blood red wine, feral, animalistic notes and the chill of approaching winter. Ah, the fabled Hunter Moon! I’m so glad this is back, it sounds great.
    Aeaea -- A dark ocean breeze, electric with adrenaline, magic, and fear, clashing with the thick scent of poisoned berries and spiny aloe, against a backdrop of snowdrop, cedar, and cypress. While the name is fun to say over and over again (Aeaeaeaeaeaeaeaea) I’m afraid this would be too floral and/or soapy.
    Libra 2007 -- Rose, black cherry, carnation, fig, honey, plum, and black currant. Rose and black cherry AND honey AND BLACK CURRANT? I got more and more excited reading the notes. Even with the carnation and fig, this was made just for me!
     
    All Souls 2007 -- An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes. I was intrigued by this last year, as I love incense blends, but it sounds a bit too cakey-foody which isn’t my favorite.
    Bonfire Night -- Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. It’s funny, Villainess recently updated with Mosh, a beer soap. Is beer going to be the new hotness for fragrance? I’ve brewed several batches of beer and needless to say it doesn’t smell like a stinky biker bar when it’s fermenting in the vat, it’s sweet and yeasty. Wait for reviews.
    The Death of Autumn -- Dark amber, dead leaves, khus, saffron, bitter clove, chrysanthemum, camellia, galangal, and a drop of oud. This sounds very musty-dusty which I’ve enjoyed in Mum Moon. Wait for reviews
    Dia de los Muertos 2007 -- dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus. I have Dia ’05 which is nice, but I don’t need more.
    Hexennacht 2007 -- German fir and forest lichen, incense and bonfire smoke, and the wet, glimmering scent of skin warmed by dance. How great that Hexennacht is back! I bought the original way back in March 2005 and I love it, smoky and sweet. Update: it looks like this was included by mistake. Too bad, it's a beautiful blend.
    October -- A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. This sounds really interesting; sometimes a blend with the shortest, vaguest description turns out to be so beautiful. Wait for reviews.
    Samhain 2007 -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. The classic Halloween blend. I have bottles of ’04 and ’05, a truly unique fall scent.
    Samhainophobia 2007 -- Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves. Another reappearance, but too woodsy for me.
    Sugar Skull 2007 -- Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. I have a 2005 bottle which I love, I get a strong booze note which keeps it from being too sweet.
    The Atrocious Attic -- The air of the room is dusty, laced with the scent of a child’s perfume and the remnants of a dried, crumbling bridal bouquet: tea rose, violet, white sandalwood, French lavender, and Calla lily. Cool description, like Havisham. I’m not much for ethereal florals, though.
    The Chilling Cellar -- Wine just turning to vinegar, crumbling mortar, red clay, and the coppery tang of old blood. I love wine, it’s one of my favorite notes, but I don’t want wine that’s “turned.” Wait for reviews.
    The Forbidding Foyer -- The faint scent of brimstone, ghostly breath laced with cognac, neglected mahogany panels, and rot. Smoke and rotting wood? Wait for reviews.
    The Ghastly Garden -- Overgrown oleander, marshy water hemlock, the sugared nectar of carnivorous blooms, putrefying wet greenery, oozing sap, crushed rosary peas, withered climbing roses, and nightshade berries. Lots of greenery, wait for reviews.
    The Lurid Library -- The incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants. This one sounds awesome, incense and musk.
    The Perilous Parlor -- Faint echoes of laughter and the distorted music of a harp drift by, along with the scent of soft white pear and sweet vanilla. Maybe too soft and sweet? Wait for reviews.
    The Twisted Oak Tree -- Blackened, rotted oak wood blanketed in moss and choked by a cloak of grasping ivy. Probably too masculine with the wood and moss, wait for reviews.
    Pumpkin I -- Pumpkin with pear, white wine grapes, and jasmine-laced tea. I have to be careful with these pumpkin blends, as they sometimes come out way too foody and heavy, almost like baking bread. For this one with “white” notes, wait for reviews.
    Pumpkin II -- Pumpkin with tobacco, champaca flower, carnation, and tonka. This sounds a little better, as I really like the champaca flower blends. Wait for reviews.
    Pumpkin III -- Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream. Probably too foody, wait for reviews.
    Pumpkin IV -- Pumpkin with cactus blossom, sage, and sweetgrass. Interesting florals, wait for reviews.
    Pumpkin V -- Pumpkin with benzoin, bourbon vanilla, lemon peel, neroli, blood orange, and red ginger. This sounds like Pumpkin Queen version 2, which I really enjoyed. Wait for reviews.
    A Murder of Crows -- Sleek iris and verbena, grey amber, benzoin, davana, and glossy herbs. Iris is one of those overpowering notes on me, so it’s good I won’t have to order the whole Patch to try this.
     
    Event Horizon -- Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin. Dark sophisticated floral, wait for reviews.
    Mary Read -- Salt air, ocean mist, aged patchouli, sarsaparilla, watered-down rum, leather-tinged musk, and a spray of gunpowder. I recently tried Olokun and was impressed that the ocean notes didn’t turn into laundry detergent on me. This sounds a bit more masculine but I’ll anxiously await reviews.
    Schrodinger’s Cat -- A paradoxical scent experiment! – tangerine, sugared lime, pink grapefruit, oakmoss, lavender, zdravetz, and chocolate peppermint. Flat-out citrus blends aren’t my favorite, as they don’t hang around long enough.
    Kubla Khan -- Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine. What a beautiful-sounding blend with a bunch of favorite notes. Anxiously await reviews.
    Epitaph -- Roses and funeral lilies perceived, faintly, through an indistinct, ghostly mist. Roses are Yay!, lilies not so much.
    The Phantom Wooer -- A lifeless love song: stargazer lily, bone dust, tomb mosses, buttonweed, moonflower, and honey myrtle. Lots of florals, nah.
    A Countenance Forboding Evil -- Patchouli, ylang ylang, blood orange, and vetiver. This may or may not be stinky on me, with the blood orange sweetening up the darkness.
    Goblin -- Black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin. I am a sucker for coconut, even though I haven’t found my one true love yet. Wait for reviews.
    Incubus -- Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage. Reminds me of Red Lantern, hopefully another smutty musk blend.
    Troll -- A lurching, hateful, bitter scent. This is a gruesome blend of ghastly greens and blacks: vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke, and scorched cumin. Probably too dark and masculine for me.
    Hairy Toad Lily -- Spotty, hairy, purple, sweet! I haven’t had much luck with the Rappaccini Florals.
    Havana -- Date palm, dried tobacco, snakeroot, and leather. Ooh, date palm! Sweet, but not too sweet. Wait for reviews.
    Hi’iaka -- mai’a, hibiscus, white ginger, akala, na'u, Hawaiian moon flower, yellow ilima, pink lokelani, jewel orchid, and fringed orchid. I was just thinking the other day that BPAL doesn’t have many Hawaiian floral blends. This sounds like a nice addition.
     
    Plus a Trading Post exclusive!
    Crypt Queen -- As sweet as death, as deep as the grave: pomegranate, raspberry, gardenia, plum, and rose with patchouli, black pepper, rose musk, and a hint of blood accord. Yum, how I love dark fruits like pomegranate and raspberry and plum.
    Trick or Treat blends -- Spiked Punch sounds the best, as I love the fruity boozy blends. All the other blends sound good though, except for the piney TP’d Trees which I know wouldn’t work on me. I might sign up for this next month.
     
    In conclusion: I ordered Hunter Moon and Libra 2007 as my normal monthly order, and Crypt Queen for my birthday present to myself.
  25. dawndie

    13 update

    By dawndie,

    13 has been reformulated yet again; by my count this is version #4:
     
    A base of cocoa absolute and white chocolate with thirteen baneful and beneficial bits including vanilla bean, white ginger, orchid, golden peach, massoia bark, clove, honey, and starfruit.
     
    I see vanilla bean and honey and my eyes roll back in my head, all ...must order... but Beth made a comment that this version is very chocolate-heavy, so I think I'll pass. I have the October 2006 version (which I'm wearing today, natch!) and I'm really enjoying it. It's a little bit less foody and more sophisticated than the original, which I tried and ended up swapping away. I'll wait for the next update!
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