valentina

LaVerna was based upon the wife of the man who inspired Frankensteer and she is an old rip! Fergus was inspired by Michael Keaton in "Beetlejuice," a movie I find funny.

I actually have two other heads, my version of a 21st century Louise Brooks, and Mr. Cigar Head, who is a cigar smoking a cigar. LuLu has taken up residence in my office, and Mr. Cigar Head is easily blown around and it was a bit windy when I took the photos on Saturday. I also did a series of mini-pumpkins with faces. They're only about 4 or 5 inches around. I have couple of doofus guys, a guy in a ball cap, Groucho Marx and a very sublime Zen-like white pumpkin. I get them out every year and display them indoors. Papier mache is a riot, but it's so damn messy and it beats the hell out of your fingernails. Ever the vain thing, am I.

Hee! This little group is rather, uhm.. colorful! I once read that the Valentina comix by Crepax were dark and hallucinatory, kind of like my life, at times. Valentina was a fashion photographer. All I do is photograph papier mache heads on my front porch.

I have the mental image of my friend eating some gumbo, then suddenly yelling: "ARGH BLARGS! I want to watch "Ocean's Eleven!"

Well of course it's fine to use valentina, since my name isn't really valentina, and I stole the name from a Guido Crepax graphic novel series. Crepax's Valentina had her share of adventures, no question about it, and she looked like Louise Brooks, so that's why I love her image.

For whatever it's worth, I hang around this forum because there are rules, because it is well moderated, and because the mods are intelligent and fair-minded individuals. I've visited (but not for very long) a forum that was unmoderated and became complete anarchy, and a forum run by a "forum host" who had to be the expert on everything and would slap down the people who didn't bow at her feet. When I first showed up here, I couldn't believe that someone had finally struck the right balance, and that's why I enjoy this place so much.

 

Every decision that has been made in the H&E matter was done so using very openly-stated rules and guidelines, gathering facts in a thorough and logical progression, and giving the offending party every opportunity to comply. QS and all the mods refused to be manipulated. Because of that, the you are painted as being "mean," when quite simply, you're enforcing the rules that make this forum a pleasant place to visit.

 

I'd also wager that my opinon is a fairly common one among people who visit this forum. There are lot of people who may take your work for granted, but there's also members who do appreciate what's going on behind the scenes.

he's such a sweetheart, too!

 

but he has lousy taste in beer - st pauli's girl and heinie.

 

 

Hey, I'm in Nebraska, and that's damn near gormet here!

I had problems with the IN site to such a degree that I quit subscribing for over a year. It can really start to smack of "the gospel according to Ken," IMHO, and sometimes Ken can get a little around the bend. But I know that by saying that, I'd be accused (by the IN devotees) of being a mean green meme person, blahblahblah. For example, the newsletter that included the article I linked to made some rather patronizingly sniffy remarks about Barak Obama being stuck in the green meme, and I thought, dudes, he's slogging through the mire that is the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate (maybe not for long if the elections change the balance of the Senate) in the Bush-administration D.C., don't be looking down your noses at him. I don't give a shit if the IN people are at the highest level of realization, don't get down on someone who isn't at your level but is out doing his green meme best in the middle of the bullshit. Transpersonal psychology is really fascinating stuff, but when its devotees get into this "nanner-nanner-nanner, I'm more realized than you" bullshit, they do themselves no favors.

 

So obviously, I have issues with the place, but Stuart's music is good and I think he has a wicked funny sense of humor, and he's probably good for the IN community.

Outta curiousity, are you familiar with Stuart Davis? The integral world is small, after all

 

(I was one of the beta testers for II, back in the day)

 

Cool! Another Integral person! Oh yes, Stuart plays at the OM center in Omaha 2 or 3 times a year, and I watch him on the IN site. I don't watch enough of their video clips or listen to the audio clips, but I do have my favorite featured guests and try to catch what they're saying. We could probably chart what level and line BPAL addiction is on, but I'm not going to take the time!

I forwarded it to a coworker, and here was his response, which included a comment about another coworker, whose name has been removed in a merciful gesture, lest his bragging be published on the web. Actually, it's just one of those responses:

 

Perhaps the greatest article I've ever read - now I am really starting to wonder about xxxxx's claim that he is the greatest sex-haver of all time.

 

ETA: Here's another friend's response. I don't think my friend is clueless, because her humor factor is entirely too high!

 

Hubby is going to love this one. His tag line for me (and I believe it is accurate) is "Seldom uncertain, never right." I always think I'm more knowledgeable and more adept at things that I really am! But at least now I know I have lots of company.

Ok-this all does sound really sweet, but why oh why must you be confined to the basement?

 

Believe it or not, the basement/rec room area is where the TV that's hooked up to a DVD player is located. There's not a lot of TV-watching at my house, other than the spouse's football viewing on weekends and me watching TV during the high holy hour of 8 pm CDT on Thursday nights, if CSI is not in reruns. There's a little TV upstairs, but it's mainly just to catch the weather and news.

Filgree Shadow, that was a very detailed research process/explanation, and I'm likewise impressed! I've seen the H&E thread in the retail therapy section of the forum popping up a lot in recent days. I'd looked at it when there was a bit of an Underpants dupe controversy going on, and didn't know what to make of it. I haven't looked at the thread very much since then -- I know she has her ardent fans, and I didn't count myself in the group. You see, I purchased some O from her last spring in her forum sales thread, and she did send me a number of samples. It was then that I realized that she was another etailer. I appreciated the samples, I suppose, but I just didn't like any of them. I didn't even test them, and I gave them all away. I can't even say what didn't work for me, except that they lacked the depth and soul that I get in BPAL blends. There was no vibration there, it was just a smell.

 

I agree that the "oh oops, I just didn't understand" excuse was lame, especially after it was used over and over and then she set up a second account. That's just plain sneaky and dirty pool. I saw the moderator's post about how second accounts weren't allowed, and wondered what had prompted it. I think the mods bend over backwards to inform people of the rules and give them a chance to comply; this once again seems to be the case -- they were very fair in their process.

 

I did scan the H&E thread a bit before commenting here, and some of the posts were effusive to the point of excess, IMHO. I have to wonder if some people were getting freebies in exchange for exceedingly glowing commentary on this forum. This might be a goofball conspiracy theory on my part, but seriously, I haven't seen people on this forum rave about BPAL/BPTP to such a fawningly effusive extent. Maybe H&E products are that good to some people, it's just from my experience, they didn't deserve such a lathering up.

 

So again, thanks for the summary of events -- I had no idea that this was going on. And just as a counterpoint, for the epitome of class, look at how olympia handled the opening of her Possets perfume company. Filgree, I know you've probably seen it, but if anyone else hasn't seen it and they're reading my long-winded response, go look at it. Her first post really impressed me as how a person of integrity would handle such a situation, and she continues to handle it with grace and style. Beth came on to wish her well, and that likewise was a very gracious and lovely gesture.

I really like your postings, actually -- and they're much better than Carrie Bradshaw's. Those would always revolve around some cliche or bad pun, like "to pee or not to pee?" Ugh.

 

Thank you! I don't feel as bad about somehow absorbing a vaugely Carrie-ish writing style. My photo is not on the side of a bus, either. That's a good thing! However, if Chris Noth (aka "Mr. Big") wanted to show up and smooch on me for a while, I probably wouldn't say no.

Conflicting feelings aside (that's easy for me to say!), I think you and your hubby should declare yourself to be newly-newlyweds, and act accordingly! You need to live as just the two of you and celebrate your marriage, and it's never too late to do that!

I'm sure you watched him leave with some relief and some remorse. You and your hubby were very kind to take him in for as long as you did, especially as newlyweds.

I want a Pumpkin Queen review from you! (Or maybe you've already reviewed in the regular reviews...) I keep thinking I might enjoy it, although it's not like I need it -- I have my Lab imp packet on order, a 7 or 8 imp decant circle order, a bottle of 13 and three bottles from Possets on their way. And I have bottles of Snake Oil sitting in the "Snake Oil cellar" to age, since I'm obsessed with aged Snake Oil. Just why would I think I need Pumpkin Queen? But I do.

 

It sounds like you are going to be quickly employed after the current gig ends... and I hope the hubby can do the tech transfer for so you can at least have the laptop!

Though I agree, lunges are of the devil. (Your post inspired me to do thirty lunges around the tight circular path from the kitchen to the hallway, through the living room and dining room, and back again to the kitchen. Eegads!)

 

The mental image that you presented here is priceless. I have a vision of darkity spontaneously breaking into lunge-walk and the Mister looking up with mild curiosity.

I'm guessing I was wearing either Smut-O-Rama or Snake Oil.

Hi Betty Baker! I'm one of the pride of Leos who showed up on your intro thread. Give up your power to BPAL and smell better than any human could dare to smell.

 

Welcome to the blog island! We're a small, friendly, stream-of-consciousness group.

Lucretia said what I was thinking when I read your, and even if the people in your former group do look really good, pretty does not always equate to happy. I've known a lot of physically gorgeous, but tortured souls in my time. Besides, I'm guessing that you're still beautiful (I've always pictured you that way), it's just that we're all our own worst critics.

Wonderful photos! I remember visiting Tilamook when I was in the Northwest. I see their cheeses in a few stores here in the middle of it all, and it brings fond memories. And look at Snarky in that photo with her long hair and the sideswept bangs! You look lovely, and I don't think you were just reflecting the artichoke's radiance!

I'm doing a decant circle on some the Yule scents that you're interested in, and I ordered an imp package with at least one of the new GCs you want to try, so for everything that doesn't work on me, I now know who will need to try them next! The new 13 formulation did sound rather nice, didn't it? And Beth said it was sexy as hell, and when her royal high priestess Beth-ness says its sexy, I sit up and listen!

 

What's happening on the job front, as far as timelines/other possiblities? It's always hard to part from a group of people that you enjoy. I work for a legislature and a term limits constitutional amendment passed a few years back, so the first (very large) group of term limited senators had their last session this year. It was really sad; I'd known and worked with a lot of those people for years and I like and respect many of them. It felt like a part of the job died; I didn't realize how sad it would make me until the goodbyes during the last day. So I understand your feeling of melancholy.

 

May a nice order of 13 bring you happiness good luck!

 

Congratulations, girlfriend! It looks lovely, that lush wooded view is wonderful. Good for you! Hooray!!!

Eating apples with protein does seem to alleviate whatever it is with the acid in the apple that tends to make you hungrier... I am in no way as elegant as minilux and I tend to use peanut butter. I don't like peanut butter that much, except if it's on an apple or a banana. And I'll actually drink milk all on its own if I have it with peanut butter and bananas.

 

And I love to cook with apples... ah, really good apple crisp, or apple pies, or baked apples. If I get some sugar and butter and cinnamon on them, then they don't make me hungry when I eat them.

I am with you in my link-challenged tendencies. I used to be able to do it, and then it quit working. Actually, I think there was something going on with my computer software that was messing me up, and I think I fixed it. But I'll have to try today to insert a link, and if it doesn't work, you'll be getting a PM to give me a tutorial...

 

I think my recent fixation on oranges is because my body simply craves more raw food. I'll have to look into that some more; eating properly is something I always intend to do, but sometimes I don't...

 

Good to see you back on blog island!