forspecial_plate

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.....

This scent brings an association that is very unfortunate. I've had asthma and allergies since I was a child, and there was a certain asthma medicine, Theophylinne (sp?), a liquid medicine that I am guessing was supposed to be grape flavored. Unfortunately, it tasted and smelled hideous, and this scent brings it right back......it was a medicine that made me gag the second it entered my mouth. There is only 1 other bpal scent that brought back that memory, and that was Delphi........I had to wash that one off too. I can understand how people might like this. I do like some wine scents like Montressor and the newer Poe one, but there is no way I could ever wear the Zadok Vineyard. In a way, that is appropriate, given the subject matter. I had the same kind of emotional reaction to Al Azif.....I can't even bring myself to try that one again.

Very much not what I was anticipating, this scent is airy, ethereal, somewhat papery.....which I get from sandalwood sometimes, especially when it's white sandalwood. I was expecting warm and a little spicy but that's not at all what I smell. I like it, but it's nothing like I thought it would be. This is what I thought White Phoenix would smell like. It's more white than anything else to me.

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.

I was surprised that bamboo turned up so few results on the lab's site. However, I can think of at least one or two lighter woody scents that might appeal......things like Ochosi: "His ofrenda is the soft shea he shares with Obatala, forest herbs, and sprucewood arrow shafts". More reading about wood scents, if you have the patience to wade through them: "The Woods Are Lovely, Dark & Deep..." Woods Forest and Woods Scents (with & without evergreens)

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)

Wow, the description and concept are really captured in this scent.......it really does hit like a sting! At first I thought I might like the moss and earth. After a while, though, there was a hint of ammonia that kept bothering me. Eventually I just couldn't take it any more and so I tried to wash it off. Six or seven hours later, after a shower, I was sitting at school and I kept thinking "Is someone here wearing bpal?", until I realized it was me.....I could still smell Snowball Fracas. It is so, so strong and tenacious, just like getting an icy snowball in the face......very effective but unfortunately not for me! It's okay, though, I have other snow scents that I really do like and are a little more gentle. : ) Also, I like the warmer earth, grass and bark of The Potter's Field more than the icy assault of Fracas.

This is one of those scents where all I can smell is honey. Honestly, the honey was so strong and rich, I only got the barest hint of any other notes the one time I tried it. I tried! It's okay though.....my decant moved on to a new home, with someone who likes honey in her perfumes a lot more than I do! : )

I am sorry to say that this doesn't work for me. It sounded so good, but it smells overwhelmingly like black musk......I guess that's part of the blackened sandalwood. Too powdery and kind of papery, which turns me off usually. I want to smell the other notes so I will hold onto my decant and maybe it will work out eventually. Or I might swap it, I'm not sure yet.

Naked menz ... oh yes please! lol. Now my husband might not like that but since he get's to look at all of the Naked women on Odes last year I'd say bring it on. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Heck the label doesn't even have to have a face just make them firm and hunky! What say you Beth? Well......Glukuprikos is not my favorite scent, but I kept my partial bottle mainly because of the guy's cute butt on the label!

I have to admit....I want naked menz on my Ode To Ares bottles, just like the Odes from last year w/naked ladies! Oh well, it's what's inside that counts most, right??

Have you tried Metal Phoenix? I'm wondering if Torture Queen is anything like it. I love Metal Phoenix but can't seem to find a bottle for sale. Oh and yes......Ded Moroz is really nice on this man! : ) It has a masculine quality without being 'dood-fume' to the extreme. I like it.

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.

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.

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.

Not a fan.... I still am not sure if I like opium, because some scents that I like have it and some that I don't like also have it. Darkness makes me think of jasmine when first applied, then it starts to turn powdery. Overall just too floral for me, not in the right way. I like myrrh but it can't really save this one for me.

I love this scent! My usual MO of dissecting a scent to bits isn't working here, because nothing really stands out above anything else. I smell soft mint, and maybe a bit of moss and woods. I don't smell any rose. But it's the overall effect that grabs me. I agree with those who found this a lighter scent, and it will be great for wearing to work when I don't want to fill the whole room with scent. I do have to say that this comes off as slightly aftershave-y to me. It reminds me of one of the anniversary Phoenix blends, Quicksilver I think, except Ded Moroz is much softer and more agreeable to me. I am very glad I took a chance on a bottle.

What I smell here is a soft, clean musk, with just a hint of the camellia petals, which sounds like some kind of tea blossom, right? Anyway, this is kind of a posh scent and reminds me of the rice wine and black tea that's in Men Ringing Bells With Penises, except this scent is softer and even more gender-neutral. I was expecting something more sharp because of the leaf and red pepper notes, but I'm really not getting those at all. It's a great scent, and I'm glad I have it! I had a feeling I would like it but I was trying not to get my expectations too high. Oh this also reminds me a little bit of Falling Leaf Moon, so I guess I'm picking up on the leaves after all. I wanted to mention, I don't smell any ice or frost when I wear this.....it's not like other wintery scents, in my opinion.

Wolf Moon '07 ....I also have '04, and I'm trying to remember what it looks like.... .....I'm pretty sure it's the same as the older-style GC labels. Mine is in a cobalt blue bottle.

After trying most of the latest batch of Yule scents.....and after trying many other snowy scents in the past......I can honestly say that Cloister Graveyard In The Snow is my absolute favorite snowy scent. Nothing else comes close. : )

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.

I had a hard time deciding tonight....I finally settled on CB I Hate Perfume, Fire From Heaven. Not sure why....I was considering Midnight Mass, but then changed my mind. So there ya go. Happy New Year!!!!

I've tried this a couple times, and it doesn't quite work for me, I'm sad to say. It smells interesting, and I kind of like how it smells, but in the end one or two notes just go wrong for me. I'm blaming the lettuce but it could also be the tobacco. I want to like tobacco in perfume but it hardly ever works. As for the lettuce, it just give me an association with kitchens and compost, and unfortunately ends up reminding me of garbage. I hate to say that, but.....well, I wasn't sure how else to put it. That is not to say that I wear this and think, "Ew, garbage!". In fact, I smell a lot of potential, kind of sexy and dark, very much illustrative of the concept.......with sneaky little hints of wilted lettuce. It smells good for a while but after a couple hours, I just grow weary of it, and it has really good staying power. I might hang onto the decant just to try it again in a few months, because of the potential great smell that I do get when I wear it. So, bottom line, I want to love this, and I almost do, and maybe with time I'll be able to accept it. This happens a lot with me....I have certain expectations for a scent, and get disappointed, only to come back to it later and end up loving it. I hope that happens!

I found this description on ebay: "Hana is a citrus-spice composition highlighting sandalwood and lemon. The Japanese "Hana", or floral bouquet, reflects an artistic tradition of order and purpose and serenity. The word means "flower scent" in Japanese and the Japanese tradition in Hawai'i is reflected in the beautiful undeveloped town of Hana on the isle of Maui, appropriately named for the scent of flowers in its warm breezes. In Japan, there is a tradition of repose called "hana-mi", in which eager sufferers of spring-fever may indulge themselves in an orgy of celebration when the delicate pink cherry blossoms first make their appearance after a cold and bare winter. During this time, they go to a park or beautifully-planted area, spread out a mat, drink sake, and do hana-mi -- THAT IS, to lie down and look up at the blossom-filled trees above." Based on that, I found a couple of possibilities on the Lab's site: Ave Maria Gratia Plena..."A pale, delicate, truly angelic blend. A scent created to emulate Adonis' halo of beauty: fragile, distant, and radiant. Rosewood with Sicilian lemon peel, red Mysore sandalwood, pale musks, sweet mountain sage and a dusting of lily, night-blooming jasmine and orris." Namaste...."Sandalwood, jasmine, rose, patchouli, cedarwood and lemongrass." Zephyr...."A gentle white scent, breezes laced with the scent of springtime blooms and citrus. Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla." Carnaval Diabolique (currently limited edition)....."Straight from the twisted alleys of Dis, by way of the City of Angels: opium smoke, lemon flower, heliotrope, tuberose, black musk, vanilla, coconut, apricot flower." Cordelia...."The essence of faith, love and devotion: lilac, lemon, green tea, wisteria, osmanthus, white cedar, and Chinese musk." The Zieba Tree....."A dreamlike, listless scent, misty and hazed, with wisps of white sandalwood, eddying musks the colors of eventide, shimmering pale resins, davana, lemon blossom, orange blossom, and white peach." The Scales Of Deprivation...."Thin, dark, and shadowed. A scent that offers no sustenance, comfort or satiety: lemon peel, white sage, frankincense, lavender fougere, sandalwood, vetiver and labdanum." Death And Life Completed....."Grey amber, carnation, lemon balm, hydrangea, Chinese peony, white sandalwood, cypress, juniper, cedar, hibiscus, and African daisy." Manhattan....."A meeting of modern, sleek elegance and rich, passionate history: sheer amber, black leather, white mint, lemon peel, white tea, grapefruit, kush, teakwood and orchid." New Orleans....."Reminiscent of hothouse blooms on a humid night, ripe, but touched with decay. Sweet honeysuckle and jasmine with a hint of lemon and spice." Venice....."A complex, voluptuous scent that captures the robust beauty of the Italian Renaissance: lemon, red currant, wisteria, red rose petals, heady jasmine, Florentine orris root, waterlily, red sandalwood, violet plum, and violet leaf." I've never tried Hana, so I don't know if any of those would actually resemble it. But I just did a search for lemon and combed the results for anything sounding remotely like the description. Hope that helps a little bit!

Snowball Fracas is incredibly similar to Death Of The Grave Digger in the beginning, and as it dries, more of the moss comes out. I think I like Grave Digger a little better, because I like the myrrh. Iron Phoenix reminds me a bit of Bloodlust, except...well, more metallic, obviously! : ) And not as gritty as Bloodlust. Iron Phoenix is more sleek, but still has a bite from the pepper and other spices.