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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
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Birdsongs
 

Packing randomness

I've packed up some DVDs and a whole passel of imps - that means I can go back online for a little while now, right? (This is why my packing progress has been so slow ... but on the plus side, I remembered to read all the Heroes online graphic novels the other day before the speedy computer & superspeedy fiber internet goes away ...)   I found my long-lost Townes van Zandt cd in Jason's bathroom under some incense! Yay! Moving isn't entirely evil maybe.   I have discovered that Vanilla Coke Zero is a much better packing motivator than beer. Why I needed to discover this through experience instead of just realizing it through thinking, I don't know.   If Chrissy managed to get all her stuff except the flower pots on the patio out in one day while everyone else was at work, then I should be able to get a decent amount of stuff packed up for the movers to transport for me by Saturday morning, right? Seems logical ...   The other night I couldn't go to sleep, so I went downstairs to try to pack & instead ended up looking at old photos. (See above re: slow progress ...) In my head all my college friends all still look the same - there's some weird mental overlay between my eyes and my perception. I showed some pictures to Jason & he didn't believe me that they were the same people he'd met at first. And that wasn't even the album from my freshman year, it was all the way up in 1999.   So, a bunch of stuff-related realizations (why do I have so much junk? What is the best way to pack action figures without smushing them & their accessories? Why have I twice moved two boxes full of magazines that I'll never read again? Whywhywhy?) and dust and torment and cleaning and by July 1st, I'll be free! Just me and the dog - no more roommate stress!!! Freeeeeeeee .....
spanishviolet

spanishviolet

0
grimms_creed's Blog
 

Long overdue reviews

Wanderlust   BAYOU (A lazy, warm deep green scent with a thick aquatic undertone: Spanish moss, evergreen and cypress with watery blue-green notes and an eddy of hothouse flowers and swamp blooms.) Wet: strong! almost putrid coming out of the imp. Dry: blue green. doesn't go soapy on me as I had feared. It's nice enough, but not really grabbing me. 3ish   DUBLIN (The scent of misty forests, damp alder leaf, and the gentlest touch of white rose.) first impression: green and a bit spicy. more evergreen than deciduous. maybe good for my FALO character, in certain seasons? Dry: no major change. I'll need to compare this to the other woodsy scents, like Yew Trees, to really decide if it is worth keeping. It's nice, but so similar to the others that I'm not sure I need more than one of them.   HANGING GARDENS (date palm, ebony, fir, pomegranate, plum, two pears, quince, fig, and grapevine with plumeria, three gardenias and dry rose) a garden full of the ripest fruit and the headiest florals. There are too many different things for me to pick out anything individual, but if Fae is the scent for a clear summer day, this is a scent for a romantic spring/summer night. Not as shifting as some people on the forum found it -- it seems to settle on something fruity and ripe, but supported by the florals. Fades in a few hours, but what doesn't? 3.5?   MACHU PICCHU (Sweet tropical fruits burst through deep, wet rainforest boughs, enormous steamy blossoms, over thin mountaintop breezes, mingled with the soft, rich golden scent of Peruvian a) first impression: green and wet. definately tropical. the hottest nights of the year, in a hamock. a fruity drink. Dry: it is getting a tad soapy. I so hope this is a phase. Please let it be a phase..... Later: might have been a phase, but it disappeared too quickly to be sure. Must try again, possibly during my period, as I will sad if this doesn't work on me.   SHANGHAI (The crisp, clean scent of green tea touched with lemon verbena and honeysuckle.) wet: mm, very fresh and clean. crisp. not in your face lemon like Lolita is. 15 minutes -- clean. fresh. not really crisp. a bit warm, perhaps. dry: subltle. faintly lemony. nice, but nothing special. 3-ish   Bewitching Brews   BLACK PEARL (Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.) wet: subtle. I can smell the coconut, but there is another tone in the background that I'm not sure I like. The iris, maybe? WHatever it is, it's like an entirely separate scent, totally distinct from the rest. Very odd. Later: mellows into something cool, smooth, and creamy, and a bit sweet. Not edible like my foody scents, but nearly so. 4 second try -- went stale. hmmmm.   DANA O'SHEE (Offerings of milk, honey and sweet grains were made to placate these creatures, and it is that the basis of the scent created in their name.) wet: edible. sweetened oatmeal, perhaps? reminds me of a facial scrub I used in high school, that I always wanted to eat because it smelled so good. maybe a bit almondy? Please don't change! Dry: oh, joyful scent gods, it doesn't change! It just mellows a bit and then slowly fades away.... but that just means I need to reapply frequently. I can do that :-) 5   FAE (A brilliant, ethereal scent: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss.) peaches! a happy, sweet, summery fragrance, but mostly peaches. Fades into something deeper and richer, becoming an ensemble cast rather than a vehicle for peach. But it's still happy, sweet, summery,and sparkling 4.5   THE HESPERIDES (Their perfume is that of sturdy oak bark, dew-kissed leaves, twilight mist and crisp apple.) wet: apples and something bitter. as it dries, the bitterness goes away and I am left with a crisp, tart, juicy apple. 4   [bArs Draconis][/b]   DRAGON's HEART (A scent pulsing with vitality, warmth and insurmountable strength: dragon's blood resin, red and black musks, a throb of fig and a sliver of black currant.) warm. I really don't know how else to describe it. I mean, the lab description pretty much says it all. It smells like the best version of dragon's blood ever. As it blends with my skin, it quickly mellows into something that quite literally warms my heart chakra. Some powderyness, but in a good way. Dragon's blood is ussually a bit intense for me, and this mellows it out a bit without taking away from the vitality and strength. Drat. After 2 hours, all that is left is baby powder. I guess this is a 2 then (would have been a 4 otherwise!)   Mad Tea Party   EAT ME (Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants. ) -- wet: tasty, delicious cake. I could eat my wrist. currants come out as it dries, which tempers the sweetness. 4.5   MOCK TURTLE'S LESSONS (blurry aquatic notes, with a confusing, contrary splort of iris, ambrette, green apple, vodka, white mint and a squish of lime.) the precise odor of soap. possibly dawn. 1   Diabolus   HELLCAT (A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond.) I didn't like it wet, but it dried into something very interesting. I'll have to try it again. 3?   Love Potions   La PETIT MORT (Seduction, sensuality, the Act, and the aftermath all in one. The scent of warm, damp skin flushed with the glow of passion, touched by the luxuriant potency of ylang ylang and myrrh) wet: I can pick out ylang ylang, and maybe sandalwood? dry: baby powder. dang. 2   LOLITA (Bright, sweet and youthful, but swelling with a poisonous sexuality. Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena.) wet: lemon! I really get the lemon verbena right away, though it's backed by some other stuff. 15 minutes -- oh, here's the honeysuckle. VERY sweet. dry: attack of the intense killer sweetened florals. This would be tasty as a tea, but it's way too intense to wear. 2
grimms_creed

grimms_creed

0
giant squid!
 

people are rude.

Ugh. I have to vent... sometimes people can really be quite rude...   Today my improvisation class played in the jury of one of the students who is graduating. It did not go well, but that really isn't my problem or anything, for some reason the person whose jury it was decided to take much of a soloistic role and the whole form of the improv fell apart- I couldn't even hear what he was doing at time b/c everyone was playing over him! Anyhow...we had to wait beforehand in the hallway, and everyone was just hanging out and talking. Somehow it comes up that the person whose jury it was has a gig playing in some venue and wants to turn it into a free improv concert. So of course he asks people in our class whom he's played with all year to play with him. Everyone except me, that is. Now, if you're going to invite people to play with you, and you are going to exclude someone, wouldn't it be nice to call these individual people and ask them rather than hurt the feelings of the person you don't want to ask??? I would think so! I just wanted to cry and run away. Seriously. I have never felt that snubbed since high school, or mayb middle school, I am not sure. BUT I have never been musically snubbed like that. The thing is, it wouldn't hurt so bad if I didn't think he was such a great bass player (today's jury aside) and liked working with him. We've played in other things together and blend together really well...I just can't believe it... Maybe he thinks I don't understand French well enough to know what's going on...maybe he thinks I wouldn't understand what he wanted to ask me? I doubt it, since I have been in class for a year now and the class is in French. I dunno. I would think it's because he thinks I suck as a player, but I know that isn't true since I've done a lot of professional improv gigs in friggin' Los Angeles for crying out loud. I know I wouldn't get asked to do those if I actually sucked. (not to be egotistical, just, well, rational about the whole thing). I am just so hurt. This is just one of many times that I have not gotten asked to do things here. There is a soundpainting orchestra (free improv with use of hand signals...it's fun...) here at school and I have a lot of experience with that. I made that known to people involved. Do they ask me to be in the group...nope. I just want to run away. I want to go back to LA where all of my friends are. Where good musicians are that are actually good people, too. I am so sick of this crap.   Ugh. Well at least I got that off my chest. I know I'm going to stick it out here, but man, it seems to get tougher every day. I feel now that I can only be nice for so long before I will eventually lose it and start yelling at someone. I really hope that doesn't happen!
euterpe414

euterpe414

0
Diplomatka
 

Right Down the Road

From the NYT--I knew that the Ethiopian Government was restrictive and authoritarian, but sanctioned rape and torture?     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   June 18, 2007 In Ethiopian Desert, Fear and Cries of Army Brutality By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN IN THE OGADEN DESERT, Ethiopia — The rebels march 300 strong across the crunchy earth, young men with dreadlocks and AK-47s slung over their shoulders.   This is the Ogaden, a spindle-legged corner of Ethiopia that the urbane officials in Addis Ababa, the capital, would rather outsiders never see. It is the epicenter of a separatist war pitting impoverished nomads against one of the biggest armies in Africa.   What goes on here seems to be starkly different from the carefully constructed up-and-coming image that Ethiopia — a country that the United States increasingly relies on to fight militant Islam in the Horn of Africa — tries to project.   In village after village, people said they had been brutalized by government troops. They described a widespread and longstanding reign of terror, with Ethiopian soldiers gang-raping women, burning down huts and killing civilians at will.   It is the same military that the American government helps train and equip — and provides with prized intelligence. The two nations have been allies for years, but recently they have grown especially close, teaming up last winter to oust an Islamic movement that controlled much of Somalia and rid the region of a potential terrorist threat.   The Bush administration, particularly the military, considers Ethiopia its best bet in the volatile Horn — which, with Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, is fast becoming intensely violent, virulently anti-American and an incubator for terrorism.   But an emerging concern for American officials is the way that the Ethiopian military operates inside its own borders, especially in war zones like the Ogaden.   Anab, a 40-year-old camel herder who was too frightened, like many others, to give her last name, said soldiers took her to a police station, put her in a cell and twisted her nipples with pliers. She said government security forces routinely rounded up young women under the pretext that they were rebel supporters so they could bring them to jail and rape them.   “Me, I am old,” she said, “but they raped me, too.”   According to Georgette Gagnon, deputy director for the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Ethiopia is one of the most repressive countries in Africa.   “What the Ethiopian security forces are doing,” she said, “may amount to crimes against humanity.”   Human Rights Watch issued a report in 2005 that documented a rampage by government troops against members of the Anuak, a minority tribe in western Ethiopia, in which soldiers ransacked homes, beat villagers to death with iron bars and in one case, according to a witness, tied up a prisoner and ran over him with a military truck.   After the report came out, the researcher who wrote it was banned by the Ethiopian government from returning to the country. Similarly, three New York Times journalists who visited the Ogaden to cover this story were imprisoned for five days and had all their equipment confiscated before being released without charges.   The violence has been particularly acute against women, villagers said, and many have recently fled.   Asma, 19, who now lives in neighboring Somaliland, said she was stuck in an underground cell for more than six months last year, raped and tortured. “They beat me on the feet and breasts,” she said. She was freed only after her father paid the soldiers ransom, she said, though she did not know how much.
Confection

Confection

0
Starfish & Coffee
 

I got called a "nigger" today.

By someone I've never had any exchange with whatsoever:   http://johnblack13.livejournal.com/2007/06/15/   This was said to piss off my boyfriend, possibly to provoke a physical fight. I think it was the dating equivalent of a "yo mama" jab.   I'm still trying ot figure out how I feel about it.
byrdie

byrdie

2
Y Ffwrnais Awen
 

A Lovely Birth Chart Analysis from Jarvenpa

Since Jarvenpa was gracious enough to offer this incredible reading, I thought I would post it here with my own commentary for her personal edification as well as in the interest of those astrology students who are keeping score at home.For those of you who would like to have a chart to look at, here's my birth information:Name: Kevin James KageBorn: October 22, 1977, 1:06 a.m.Birth Location: Hinsdale, Illinois I've always felt like I wear my moon on my sleeve, so to speak.Even with a cursory training in astrology, much of this is Greek to me. I'm so glad we have jarvenpa to help us make heads or tails of this mess!This entire reading is something of a test for me. My Leo ascendant loves the attention, particularly since jarvenpa is always so very kind in her assessments. On the other hand, Leo does not like to be reminded publicly of his faults. What's more, a public reading like this plays havoc with my Scorpio-in-for-Fourth-House need for an privacy and an inner sanctum of sorts. I'll discuss more about that when it comes up in the reading.I don't like to admit that I crave attention (Leo doesn't like to be seen as needy), but if I'm to be honest with myself, then yes, of course I do. And, of course, I feel somewhat guilty about it, because I wonder if I'm really worthy of the attention I do receive. It's a constant war.It's interesting, because I've warred with this a lot. I've always attributed it to my Libran need to be fair-minded. How can I always be right? How can I be at the center of the universe when the universe is filled with so many incredible people with their own ideas and opinions. Instinctively, I trust my judgment first and foremost, but, particularly as I grow older, I find myself contended with the idea that I am not THE center of the universe, but from a certain angle, I am A center of the universe. I have to say that my childhood was never particularly serious in terms of hardship, but I was a particularly adult child. My parents pushed me hard to be the best of everything, and when I placed in the 99th percentile and won awards, it only encouraged them to push me harder. I was a very intellectual child, and by the age of seven or eight I was spending my time discussing important philosophers and winning games of chess against men who were old enough to be my grandfather. I liked hanging out with older people as much as I liked hanging out with kids my own age. They offered so much insight and wisdom. And conversely, the older I get, the more I enjoy spending time with children. As we grow older, I think many of us lose our appreciation for the beauty of the ordinary. Children have that appreciation in droves. For children, the ripple of the wind playing in the grass is magical, and so it is for me as well. I wish I could share that feeling with everyone in the world.I am the lord and master of the worst-case scenario. I'm not sure I ever felt distant to my parents, however. At a very young age, both my parents worked and I was raised by my grandmother. I suppose that could be the distance, but it feels like a stretch to me. I came from a very loving household, and while my father in particular could be overzealous about my talents and at times hypercritical of my performance, I don't know that there was real distance between us. He was a fiery Aries with two Libra children. I think our inherent Libraness drove him batty.Yes, yes, yes. There is such a profound difference between order and organization. I am not an insanely organized person (although I make valiant efforts to be, there is only so much time in the day, and one must pick and choose one's battles, and in the end, the forces of entropy are going to win anyway, and ohh.... that's a lovely rock...). But order, patterns, neatness... yes, these things are beautiful, satisfying, safe.Not that I don't appreciate a little chaos, but I don't want to live in it. And in the moonlight... and on a moonless night under the stars... and in the rain... and when it's snowing like the onset of Fimbulwinter....Singing is so much better than stuff. There is a party in my third house, and everyone is invited. I love big eyed kittens. I draw the line at babies dressed as bumblebees.I find this interesting, because right now, the relationship between my brother and I is very strained, and in part it's because I can't get away from him. I don't have a quiet place to retreat. I love my brother dearly, and ever since we were children I have always been his translator. But I would never call our relationship graceful. I can say we've ever been good siblings to one another, although I think by turns, one of the other of us has tried.I'm not going to comment too much on the arts/literature/poetry parts of this reading. They seem to be fairly all pervasive, and everyone knows I'm a creative person anyway. This is one of the things that really struck my best friend when I showed her the reading. She was quick to stress that my words often carry more weight (for good or ill) than I intend. This is something that I've grown more conscious of as I've grown older, and particularly with mercury in Scorpio, I have to be extra careful to rein in my sharp comments.*sigh* As I mentioned before, my parents put a lot of emphasis on my "brilliance," and so it was natural that I did as well. I don't think it's as true anymore, but for a long time I really did feel that my self-worth was measured in IQ points.And any time I'm trying to come to terms with something difficult or profound in my life, I write something.This is, by far, the best description of what being a Libra is like, ever. so true... so true...My brother has mercury in Scorpio also. When we squabble, one can hear the rapiers ringing. So very true. Twice in the past year I've had good friends from online come to visit me. The first time, one of these friends brought her boyfriend with only the shortest possible notice. That was worthy of a panic attack, but ultimately, I came to accept that he was coming, and everything went well. In the spring, this happened again (almost) when another one of my friends was planning a visit and casually mentioned that she'd invited two of her other friends to come hang out with us. That time, it was just too much for me, and I politely but firmly told her I wasn't comfortable with that.Like jarvenpa, I have a very permeable outer life, but I have to have my sanctuary, and no one enters my sanctuary without my permission.I grew up surrounded by computers, which is not a strange thing anymore, but it was pretty new and different when I was born in the late 70s. My father was quite bright and he did a lot of programming and made a lot of special modifications to his hardware. He would receive letters from people from all over the world asking him computer questions. He was a brilliant problem solver, and he really liked nothing better than finding a solution to a seemingly insurmountable task. I did almost die as a baby, and the doctors didn't believe that I'd live past two years of age.I can't say much about this in my life currently, but it's definitely interesting.Hard on my heart indeed....I've been told repeatedly that much of my success would come later in life. I think you're echoing that here.Me? Fall in love with my friends? Never!(.... you aren't buying it, are you?)I suppose it's happened once or twice. This could, in part, explain why I enjoy physical labor so much. Whether it's gardening, or molding things with my hands, or just physical exertion of any kind.I don't think I've ever been terribly attracted to earth signs. At least, not sun signs. It's true, I dated a Virgo for quite some time, but her perfectionism tended to be a source of stress for me. She was a wonderful lady and a gifted artist, but rather than being a grounding force in my life, I think she tended to be a barrier instead. (Perhaps I'm reaching with the metaphors here).I tend to be attracted to Geminis and Leos, sometimes Pisces or Cancer. Food for thought.Strangers do indeed seemingly seek me out and unload their problems on me. It's gotten the point where I often just put the offer on the board because invariably there comes that awkward moment of, "I can't believe I'm telling you all this," and sometimes it's easier for them if they've already been invited inside (more sanctuary metaphors).In retrospect, I think it must be this tendency in conjunction with fourth house Scorpio that makes me crave privacy so adamantly. I'm more than willing to be friend, confidant, therapist...etc, but I have to have the ability to say, "okay, you are a lovely person, but we'll have to make an appointment for tomorrow, because the doctor is out." That really sounds lovely. I have dreams like that. Of course, I also have dreams of being an intergalactic rockstar, so make of that what you will.Joint ventures.... that's a little troubling....What's interesting here is I've been feeling this a lot lately. There are many pursuits that I enjoy, but I'm feeling unsatisfied in all of them. I have this sense that I should or must be a writer, but at the end of the day, I don't feel particularly fulfilled by what I'm writing. The same can be said of graphic design, web design, even music in a way, although I must say I've felt more drawn to music of late than to any of my other creative passions.Lately, I feel drained by everything. I have no idea what my true calling is, or whether I even have one.I'm not sure if misgivings is accurate here. I don't think I've ever really felt that way. However, my physical disability is definitely a limiting factor, on multiple levels.Allow me to recoil in horror at the thought of being perceived as "slow." I can't really say much about this, but now I wonder if it's true.Forever young and forever in movement and delight. I definitely appreciate those qualities.This part may take some time to fathom.This is one of those incisive bits of this chart that really leave me feeling flayed open. I really can't say much more without crossing my own boundary lines.No pressure now.You have such amazing perception. When you say something like that, I suddenly wonder if you've been watching me all this time.In a good way, I hope.Yes, yes, yes.Resolution? Really? That sounds so wonderful. This has really summed up most of what I've been facing lately. The feeling of totally being out of control, the need on the fundamental level to know who I am and what I should be doing with my life. Particularly since the beginning of this year, self-image issues that I thought I had long since overcome have resurfaced with a vengeance. Feelings of unworthiness, or of being worthy yet receiving no recognition. It's a mess, really. Thank you, so much. Yes, you've hit the nail on the head. I don't really feel comfortable sharing how closely you hit the mark, but you most certainly did.Thank you for so many wonderful insights. You are truly a kind and generous person.
Bard

Bard

0
Whiskers and Whispers
 

Sad news.

It's really bad that this occurs on the day before I head off to Sicily. I was going to write a little entry about how much I looked forward to tucking into real Italian food, the best pizzas with the thin crispy crusts, pasta cooked in the best tomato sauce, and the finest ice cream in the world. But then I hear some truly saddening news.   My aunt passed away today. The melanoma which I thought was being cured successfully with chemo (in the last phone call I had with her, she was so optimistic) finally claimed her life. It is really terrible, I didn't know her that well have haven't seen her much, I wish I'd seen her more. Now it's too late...cancer is a horrible thing and it has claimed many of my relatives, my aunts, uncles and grandmothers. It frightens me and has made me a little scared to go out in the sun (and I'm going to Sicily of all places) even if my skin tone is more sun-resistant than hers. I wish I got to know her better in life, and I did say some things about her in life which I regret a little now (mainly jokes about her obsession with Cliff Richard and her phone calls where she constantly went off at tangents about friends of her friend's boyfriends mothers...) but nothing too serious. It's bad timing that it happens before I leave for what should be a relaxing holiday, but life and death like that-full of bad timing, sadly. I suppose the good thing is that now the pain and sickness really is over, she's free from it, in a better place.
PurringPulsar

PurringPulsar

0
Toasty Blog
 

bats in my belfry

I haven't been sleeping well, so I took a hot bath around 10:30 last night with the hopes that it would help knock me out. My soothing bath was interrupted by an angry and persistant bat. My apologies to anyone who may have seen a scantily-clad woman releasing an agitated bat from a towel sometime around 11:00 last night.*   Playing naked hide and seek with an ill-tempered bat frazzled my nerves. The cold medicine I had taken earlier backfired, so I was nervous and exhausted but wide awake. I tried to sleep anyway. Dogs barked. My mouse would not get off of his squeaky wheel, except to noisily chew on his toys. Dogs howled in 3-part harmony. Bat-like noises were heard. My son alternated between crying beside my bed because he didn't want to sleep in his bedroom alone, and crying in my bed because he wanted to sleep in his bedroom alone. I ended up putting the mouse habitat in my closet for the night. Even though my closet is huge and as nice as my bedroom, I still felt guilty. I had nightmares about mice when I did manage to sleep. Huge vengeful mice with squeaky bat wings. Sad mice with tears running down their little mouse faces.   So today I am functioning on three non-consecutive hours of sleep. That might not be so bad, except that I haven't gotten more than 5 hours of sleep on any night in the past two weeks. I am beyond sleep deprived at this point. I really wouldn't be surprised if I do start hallucinating bats.   Today of all days, I was railroaded into having lunch with my Mom and four year old son. I love them both dearly and normally welcome the chance to spend time with either of them, but today was just not the day. They insisted on eating at Burger King, of all places. My son, who is usually an angel, was on his worst behavior. So was my Mom. They both took pleasure in pushing my buttons, which were admittedly easier to push today than they usually are. Hooray, temper tantrums and crappy food for everyone! I've never been so glad to get back to the office. I'm the only one working today, which is good, but I can't leave before at least 6:30, which is bad.   *Note to those of you with an interest in bat welfare: I tried to be very kind to the bat. I gently picked him up with a towel after he roosted on a windowshade. He tried to bite me, but I think that's because he was upset, not because I was hurting him in any way. He appeared to fly away unharmed when I released him. Bats get into our house all of the time, so any advice on getting them out safely would be welcome.
kwsix

kwsix

0
elbow's scentblog
 

Tokyo Stomp, Milk Moon

Yesterday I tested Monster Bait: Tokyo Stomp. It smells like butterscotch in the vial, but on my skin it's a warm minty vanilla, like a pipe shop minus the tobacco. I kept sniffing for the tobacco. This one probably won't be a fave -- too sweet for everyday -- but it's funky and fun.   And I just tried out the other LE I got from that order: Milk Moon. It's really grape-y at first, almost like fruit candy. But then it calms down and gets more figgy. Mm, I love me some fig. And just a hint of pomegranate. I can detect the honey, but the milk never makes an appearance on my skin. I like Milk Moon, but I don't like it as much as Eden (which also has fig and honey). Which is a relief, because I can get more Eden whenever I want, but Milk Moon is kind of a one-shot deal.   So out of the three scents I ordered from the Milk Moon Update, my favorite is the last-minute impulse addition (Minotaur), not the two whose descriptions I drooled over most. Interesting....
elbow

elbow

0
blood*rose*flowers' Blog
 

Tried #5

Excolo   AIZEN-MYOO- no AL-SHAIRAN- ok ANUBIS-no BARON SAMEDI- NO BASTET- wanted to love her more but ok CENTZON TOTOCHTIN- no COYOTE- no CZERNOBOG- no ELEGBA- no EOS- no ERIS-no EVE- no GAUEKO- no GRANDMOTHER OF GHOSTS-no HADES- no HECATE- ok KALI- ok KURUKULLA- ok LILITH- ok LOVIATAR- no NEMESIS- ok I think NUIT- no NYX- no I think OBATALA- no ODIN- sadly no OGUN- no OLD SCRATCH- ok PANNYCHIS-no PEITHO- no PELE- Really, Really like why don't I have a bottle ????? SACRED WHORE of BABYLON- ok SHANGO-no TEZCATLIPOCA- NO! THANATOS-no XIUHTECUHTLI- NO YEMAYA-no CALLIOPE-no CLIO-no MELPOMENE- no POLYHYMNIA- I think no TERPSICHORE-no I think THALEIA- good and I have actually been debating a bottle of this one EUPHROSYNE-no THALIA- #1 summer scent I LOVE THIS SCENT I have approx. 1/8 of a bottle left but a 10ml all full and waiting YUMMY! AGLAEA-no THE NORNS- I don't think so but I would like too re-try them because I have no memory   ALECTO- NO MEGAERA [reformulated 5/1/2005]- ok I think UTRENNYAYA-no VECHERNYAYA-no ZORYA- no   THE STATIONS OF THE SUN- I have tried some but off hand can't remember what and what I thought   Next my favorite most untested section   Voodoo Blends   AUNT CAROLINE'S JOY MOJO- REALLY WANT A BOTTLE this stuff rocks! BLACK CAT- good BLOCK BUSTER- would like more CHUPAROSA- no FIRE of LOVE- ok FRENCH LOVE- ok HAS NO HANNA- have an imp I need to work with HIGH JOHN the CONQUEROR- I love this stuff (not for scent) it works great I need a bottle LOVE ME- ok RED DEVIL- good VAN VAN- have an imp but need to pull it out WATER of NOTRE DAME- no   I tried a lot of Tarot oils and I only liked the Sun but felt odd using them so my imps still sit mostly untouched. I might need to re-pull out The Sun though.   Same with the Sephiroth but am curious about GAMALIEL due to the Lilith connection.   The Chakras I have sniffed here and there but haven't been able to afford the entire imp scent to work with them to see if I want bottles, my Libra balance hates the idea of working only with one chakra.   Panacea   ELIXIR V: MOXIE- yes would like more ELIXIR VI: DETOX- LOVE! I have my 10ml down to 3/4 full ELIXIR VII: SAFARI- liked my imp would like to use it for what it is for   I would love to try more of these though for what they are for.   Sonium Somnus- LOVE   Would like to try more   Carnaval Diabolque- I have tried most all of them but only liked   Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller MELISANDE, THE PUPPET MISTRESS- Own a bottle Faith and Hope- split with friend but still need my Hope like both   Slightly interested in Privilidge, sadly no Pruno though, and that one seemed so funny hahaha!   I Hope this helps!!! If you want a list of favorites of LE's I can definetly expand my list hahaha! But most of my most favorites are listed and sadly many have become expensive over time Curse you beautiful Poppet, Strawberry and Pink Moons and Midwinters Eve!!!!!!!!!   But how can I completely complain since I no longer have to sell my soul for Shub!   That is the end of the current scents YIPPEE!!!
blood*rose*flowers

blood*rose*flowers

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blood*rose*flowers' Blog
 

Tried #4

Ars Draconis   DRAGON'S BLOOD- yes DRAGON'S BONE- no DRAGON'S CLAW- no DRAGON'S EYE- no DRAGON'S HEART- no DRAGON'S HIDE- no DRAGON'S MILK- ok DRAGON'S MUSK- no DRAGON'S TEARS- ok own a bottle LADON- no   Rappaccini's Garden   ASPHODEL- ok BANEBERRY- no I think BELLADONNA- no BLACK HELLEBORE- no BLACK LILY- no BLACK LOTUS- no BLACK ROSE- ok BLOOD LOTUS- ok BLOOD ROSE- LOVE! sadly close to a 1/4 of a bottle left in mine COBRA LILY- no DEATH CAP- no DESTROYING ANGEL- no DEVIL'S CLAW- no MANDRAKE- no MOON ROSE- ok SHADOW WITCH ORCHID- no SLOBBERING PINE- no SQUIRTING CUCUMBER- no! STRANGLER FIG- no SUNDEW- no WOLFSBANE- no YEW-TREES- no   I have tried some Salon's but I don't remember which off hand so I am skipping that list for now.   Picnic in Arkham   AL AZIF- ok ARKHAM- no AZATHOTH- no CTHULHU- the only aquatic I like, DH has a bottle THE DEEP ONES- no THE HIGH PRIEST NOT TO BE DESCRIBED- no MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY- NO! THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZAHN- no NIGHT-GAUNT- ok, need to re-try NYARLATHOTEP- no R'LYEH- ok I think SHOGGOTH- no SHUB-NIGGURATH- HELL YEAH!!! One of my top scents, I still have my first series bottles but can always bathe in more HERBERT WEST- no Y'HA-NTHLEI- no
blood*rose*flowers

blood*rose*flowers

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blood*rose*flowers' Blog
 

Tried #3

Diabolus   AKUMA- ok BAOBHAN SITH- no I think BLACK ANNIS- like so many others NO BLACK PHOENIX- ok BLOOD COUNTESS- no BLOODLUST- ok BLUEBEARD- no CATHERINE- no I think DJINN-no DRACUL- no FENRIS WOLF- no HELL'S BELLE- ok HELLCAT- like have a bottle IMP- like KITSUNE-TSUKI- like have a bottle KUMIHO- ok LOUP GAROU- no MALICE- ok MEDEA- ok i think NEPHILIM- ok PAIN- no PHANTOM- no PHANTOM QUEEN- no RAGE- no SERPENT'S KISS- ok SZEPASSZONY- no VILLAIN- no WICKED- no   Carousol   BILQUIS- no MAD SWEENEY- no MAMA-JI- sadly no MR. IBIS- no MR. JACQUEL- would like to own MR. NANCY- sadly no SPIDER- ok I think   Mad Tea Party   ALICE- Yes THE CATERPILLAR- no CHESHIRE CAT- ok THE DODO- no THE DORMOUSE- no DRINK ME- no EAT ME- sadly no, I so wanted to like this and layer it with Beaver moon FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH- Like have a bottle I need to use more JABBERWOCKY- no THE LION- ok MAD HATTER- no MARCH HARE- Love sadly I have less then a 1/4 left in my bottle THE MOCK TURTLE'S LESSONS- no MOUSE'S LONG AND SAD TALE- no THE QUEEN OF HEARTS- no THE RED QUEEN- no TWEEDLEDEE: no TWEEDLEDUM: no TWO, FIVE & SEVEN- like WHITE RABBIT- No, No, No, No this is one of the four scents that does AWFUL things on my skin, its ugly.     Illyria   THE APOTHECARY- no DESDEMONA- ok GONERIL- no HELENA- no IAGO- no JESTER- ok LADY MACBETH- yes have a bottle LEAR- no OBERON- no OPHELIA- no OTHELLO- ok QUEEN GERTRUDE- no ROBIN GOODFELLOW- no ROSALIND- no TAMORA- ok TITANIA- ok TITUS ANDRONICUS- no VIOLA- no Wanderlust   AMSTERDAM-no ATHENS- no BAGHDAD- like BAYOU- no BENGAL- ok CAIRO- no CROSSROADS- no DANUBE- no DELPHI- no DUBLIN- no thank goodness better this then Glasgow EDEN- no GLASGOW- Like and would like to get more then an imp GOMORRAH- no THE HAMPTONS- liked I think I need to re-try this one THE HANGING GARDENS- Like have a bottle HOLLYWOOD BABYLON- yes KYOTO- ok LONDON- no MACHU PICCHU- no MADRID- ok MAG MELL-no MOROCCO- ok MOSCOW- no NEO-TOKYO- no (thank goodness) NIFLHEIM- ok PARIS- ok PORT-AU-PRINCE- no PORT ROYAL- no PRAGUE- no R'LYEH- no ROME- no SANTA EULÀRIA DES RIU- no SANTO DOMINGO- no SHANGHAI- no SILK ROAD- nice SRI LANKA- nice TENOCHTITLAN- no TINTAGEL- no TOMBSTONE- no VENICE- no VERSAILLES- no VINLAND- no WHITECHAPEL- no JEZIRAT AL TENNYN- no LYONESSE- no           COCKAIGNE- how did I miss this one I really need to try it! yerevan
blood*rose*flowers

blood*rose*flowers

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blood*rose*flowers' Blog
 

Tried Take 2!

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ENVY- no GLUTTONY- yes have bottle GREED- YES have bottle that hubby stole LUST- ok from memory PRIDE- no SLOTH- no WRATH- ok from memory     COME AND SEE   THE BOW & CROWN OF CONQUEST- no THE GREAT SWORD OF WAR- ok THE SCALES OF DEPRIVATION- no DEATH ON A PALE HORSE- ok   ANATHEMA- no BLACK DAHLIA- no CATHEDRAL- no DE SADE-no DIRTY- no DORIAN-no FAUSTUS- ok from memory HELLFIRE- no HYMN- no JAILBAIT- Love it and FINALLY bought the bottle LAUDANUM- no LES INFORTUNES DE LA VERTU- no MAGDALENE- no MALEDICTION- ok from memory NERO- no PENITENCE- no ROADHOUSE- NO ROSE CROSS- no SEA OF GLASS- no SERAPHIM- no SIN- Ok TZADIKIM NISTARIM- NO VICE- no   Love Potions   AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA- no BATHSHEBA- no BORDELLO- yes have a bottle BRISINGAMEN- no CARNAL- ok CASANOVA- no DEBAUCHERY- no DELIGHT- ok DEPRAVED- Good DESIRE- ok FORBIDDEN FRUIT- no I think HARLOT- ok HETAIRAE- ok HUNGER- ok JEZEBEL- good have a bottle KABUKI- ok LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT- ok LA PETITE MORT- no THE LADY OF SHALOTT- no LE SERPENT QUI DANSE- ok LUCY'S KISS- ok MUSE- ok NEFERTITI- nice O- O as in NO! PERVERSION- yes PSYCHE- no QUEEN OF SHEBA- ok RAPTURE ok RAVENOUS- I wish this didn't smell like bandaids on me SALOMÉ- no SATURNALIA- no SED NON SATIATA- no SERAGLIO- ok SEVERIN- no SNAKE OIL- sadly no I sent mine off into the world SUCCUBUS- no VICOMTE de VALMONT- no VIXEN- ok WANDA- no WHIP- no
blood*rose*flowers

blood*rose*flowers

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blood*rose*flowers' Blog
 

What Scents I have tried and Opinions

My opinions on tried Scents, these are to the best of my memory and tried to include if I only have a bottle, not if I own an imp. If it isn't on the list I either totally can't remember it or haven't tried it.   Bewitching Blends   ABSINTHE- Ok AEVAL- I think only ok ANNE BONNY- NO AntIQUE LACE- NO ARCANA- OK BELLE ÉPOQUE- OK BEWITCHED- no BLACK FOREST- NOOOOOOO BLACK OPAL- Ok BLACK PEARL- smells like suntan lotion so sadly no THE BLACK TOWER- same no as BF BLISS- no BLOOD- YES own bottle BLOOD PEARL- same as BP BON VIVANT- Uber love and I have less then half a bottle BRIMSTONE- no CATHODE- no CALICO JACK- no CHIMERA- I think this was good I need to re-check it out THE COILED SERPENT- wanted to but no DEE- no DELIRIUM- this scent stalked me and I still dont like it ECLIPSE- yes own a bottle EPHEMERA- I don't think so FAE- ok GRAND GUIGNOL- I like this one GROG- no HAMADRYAD- no THE HESPERIDES- apple is a no HYMN TO PROSERPINE- I don't think so, I need to re-check this one out INCANTATION- no INTRIGUE- no JACK- I tried to love it but no JOLLY ROGER- No pirates life for me JUKE JOINT- no LA BELLA DONNA DELLA MIA MENTE- sadly most of the La's and Le's didn't work for me I know I found one ok but I have it in Imps LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI- " LAMPADES- Yes, I believe I have a bottle LEANAN SIDHE- no LIGHTNING- NO MAGUS- no MASQUERADE- no MATA HARI- sadly no MORGAUSE- I tried it and was on the fence but I think I liked it ok, need to re-try NAMASTE- ok PENNY DREADFUL- with the name I wanted to but no POISONED APPLE- no apple RAKSHASA- ok SAINT-GERMAIN- no SCARECROW- NO SCHEREZADE- ok SHATTERED- sadly no SUDHA SEGARA- yes SWANK- OH YEAH! Another halfed filled bottle of yum! TWENTY-ONE- no ULALUME- no ULTRAVIOLET- no UMBRA- ok VEIL- I think ok VELVET- no chocolate VOODOO- ok WILDE- love it on hubby not me YGGDRASIL- ok   Funeral Oils   DANCE OF DEATH- No DANSE MACABRE- No EMBALMING FLUID- No HAUNTED- Ok HOUSE OF NIGHT- no JAZZ FUNERAL- no LES FLEURS du MAL- no MIDNIGHT- no NOCTURNE- no SHROUD- no THANATOPSIS- no TWILIGHT- no WINGS of AZRAEL- no ZOMBI-no   Elements   BURIAL- no HURRICANE- no INFERNO- yes UNDERTOW- no
blood*rose*flowers

blood*rose*flowers

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elbow's scentblog
 

Minotaur, Hesperides, Crow Moon, Coyote, TKO...

I tested out Minotaur last night. It's a different kind of scent than I've tried before, heavy on the resins, which gives it an edged, dark, weighty kind of odor. On me it's very sweet, though most reviews don't seem to reflect this. I really like it. This morning all that's left of it is a hint of black musk, which I have just about sniffed right off of my arm.   Other scents I've tried, but not mentioned, in the last few crazy weeks:   Hesperides reminds me of sweet, dark apple cider. Definitely a winner.   Yew Trees and Yggdrasil, both tree-themed scents, have not made a great impression on me. I wore them both on days when I didn't have a lot of time to pay attention to them, so I haven't given up on them yet, but I remember both as underwhelming and not entirely pleasant.   Crow Moon - I admit I was hooked by the name; I really like crows, when they're not waking me at five in the morning. The description is very accurate: "This is the final Full Moon of winter. The call of the crow signals the end of the frost, and their scent, of vervain, black violet, white musk, and Chinese cedar, is brushed by the last cold wind of winter on their wings, and the scent of evergreen boughs touched by the season's final flowers and the first blossoms of spring...." So, okay, it starts out smelling like frost, light musk, and cedar, kind of a bracing scent, and then as it dries down, all of a sudden -- spring flowers. That's pretty freakin' amazing. I don't actually like the floral part very well, but I'm still totally impressed.   Coyote is a sweet, light muskiness on me, not dark and heavy like the Minotaur, but the warm golden brown of a smaller, swifter critter. It's a lot like what I hoped The Lion would be. This makes two amber scents I really love (the other one's Aglaea), so I may have to retract my verdict that amber doesn't work for me. Yum.   TKO is a profoundly comforting scent; it's sweet and warm and reassures me that everything's okay. It doesn't magically put me to sleep, or keep me asleep; instead, it soothes and calms me so that I can allow myself the sleep I need. I definitely wouldn't wear this in the daytime, as it kinda makes my brain shut down -- which is exactly what you want when you can't sleep. I adore it.
elbow

elbow

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elbow's scentblog
 

Enabling, Black Forest, Coyote

While visiting C, I gave her some of my unloved imps: Mag Mell, Frumious Bandersnatch, Kumiho. They all smell a little funky on me, but behaved themselves on her. I was going to give her Florence, too, but we dropped it on the floor of a public restroom (really, we both did; it was a botched hand-off) and even though it didn't all spill, I made her throw it away because, yuck, public restroom floor. But she liked that one as well. I'm going to order her a few secondhand imps as a thank-you for her hospitality, and Florence will be among them if possible.   She gave back the Black Forest imp I gave her last year -- said she liked the concept but not the oil. Not much left in it, but I'm really glad to have it again. I only tried it once, and my impression of it was a darker, dirtier evergreen than Jabberwocky, with a lingering musk note (musk always lasts forever on me). I was unsure about the musk at the time. But I recently tried Coyote and decided that maybe I really like musk. Because I sure do like Coyote.
elbow

elbow

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captain diana's log
 

quikslvr #3

trying to get back on track here...   Elegba wet: sweet, milky caramel & coconut dry: still sweet, reminds me a lot of spooky minus the mint. for some reason i swapped away my bottle. i guess this goes back on the wishlist.   Cairo wet: soft spices, a little sweet dry: turned mostly floral with a touch of a resin. almost like a rose incense, but a little too heavy on the rose.   Arachne this just got discontinued, and it's one that i've always wondered about... wet: wet, dewy florals, a little ozoney dry: dry woodsy notes, fresh airy notes. it's very lovely! too bad it's discontinued. it's one of the few vaguely-ozone scents that have ever appealed to me.   Death on a Pale Horse wet: pale indeed. it's fairly faint, but there's a bit of a citrus note that i can detect, and just a hint of vetiver dry: this is so incredibly amazing. it's clean, fresh, slightly manly. but absolutely no throw. I'd be all over a 5mL if I could smell it apart from when my nose is pressed up against it.   Desire wet: powdery neroli dry: dry, nondescript floral; slightly woodsy, a bit of musk. it's nice but a little too soft for my tastes.   Polyhymnia wet: lemon candy dry: the citrusy note is completely gone, but there's a herbal/woodsy note left behind. not too much punch, but pretty all the same.   High John the Conqueror wet: oddly sweet. since this is presumably made with high john the conqueror root, it thought it would smell more herbal or earthy. dry: still very sweet. it almost has a suntan lotion kind of aroma to it, oddly enough. i have a high john the conqueror root--it doesn't smell at all like this. it's not a bad scent, but this is one that would probably get relegated to perfume, and not be used for its magical qualities. it doesn't remind me enough of the real root for my brain to make the connection.
Diana

Diana

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Venus in Retrograde
 

Pruno and Privilege

I love the message behind the Pruno and Privilege update, but I also understand where people are coming from who think it's cruel to stomp on someone when they're down, no matter who they are. Paris - for all her privilege, beauty and relatively middling wealth - has had been treated horribly by the public.   First, a con artist stole all the data from her ubiquitous cell phone, posted it on the internet, and then crowed about how he pulled it off. Then her ex-boyfriend sold one of their sex tapes. Then salvagers bought the contents of her storage locker and posted everything they found - from her Social Security card to deeply personal medical records - online.   People won't let her get away with being famous-just-for-being-famous. Whether she likes it or not people are determined to make her entertain them - however cruelly - in exhange for her fame.   But then there's Paris herself. When the sex tape came out, she tried to smother it by telling Page Six that Rick Solomon had raped her. And her drunk driving charge and suspended license arrest afterwards is truly the height of arrogance - from the way she tarted up her courtroom outfits for the benefit of the cameras outside to the fact that she more than almost anyone on the planet can arrange alternate means of transportation. She just chose to drive like it's the role of everyone else on the street to jump out of her way.   And she never seems to let anyone forget that she is a bigot.
noumenon

noumenon

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Whiskers and Whispers
 

Bastille Day comes early!

I completely forgot that Paris was being banged up until I saw today's wonderfully unexpected update. I think it is fantastic, myself. I love the way that Beth is doing something new with fragrance...parody by perfume, satire by scent. I've always admired the way Beth can excel with both her serious and intellectual fragrances, and her light-hearted, sillier scents. I also love the way that Beth appears to be taking the piss out of the whole 'celebrity perfume' thing as well (among other things-most notably, the farce that is Paris herself). I've never been into celebrity scents and I just get fed up when every tabloid-hogger and reality TV star releases their own brand of cat piss perfume with a pretentious name and a stinky scent. I think Privilege is the closest I'll ever get to owning a 'celebrity scent'. It's got a pretty name too which I don't need to associate with that vacuous attention seeking airheaded twit when I wear it (despite this being the scent description). And it's got some winning notes-tiare, rose, lemon blossoms, armoise, linden and vanilla? I think it will smell perfumey, but in the best way possible. Pruno on the other hand...with a description of 'toilets', 'droppings' and 'ketchup', I honestly thought that wasn't a real scent for sale! But it is...and I'm getting a decant just to see how Beth turns that into a wearable scent! I'm wondering if it will be a joke scent with a foul fragrance or if it will be wearable...from Beth's comments it may be the latter. And of course, Beth's an alchemist, it seems she's highly able to turn any smell that should smell like crap into gold But I do have a viable skin-chem reason not to get it: scents that are much too dominant on the apple turn bizarre on me, and it sounds almost Punkie Night-ish, wasn't keen on PN.   But major kudos for Beth updating with these hilarious scents and donating the money to a good cause. I had to order some Paris to go with it-I've been meaning to buy a bottle of Paris, now I have an excuse
PurringPulsar

PurringPulsar

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Starfish & Coffee
 

I drank what?

And I'm finally having some of the bagged Assam that I picked up at the Portland Stash store. Either I kept the teabag in for too long or this is only one step above Lipton.
byrdie

byrdie

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