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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!
    • 5 comments
    • 6,605 views
Gaidig's Blog
 

Woodsy

Also according to the General Recommendations Post, here are woodsy scents:   Anne Bonny Aquarius Belladonna Black Forest Burial Capricorn Darkness Golden Priapus Hamadryad Intrigue Jabberwocky Kweku Anansi Loup Garou Omen Seance The Hesperides Tintagel Tombstone Ulalume Umbra Val Sans Retour Wolfsbane   I am most interestedin more hardwoods type forrests, with dirt & leaves, and mosses... the following look most promising based simply on that post:   Burial Hamadryad Kweku Anansi Tintagel Val Sans Retour   Ok, well Val Sans Retour wasn't in that post, and it isn't even out yet, but I had to read the reviews earlier. After all, it's the Val Sans Retour, in Broceliande, Breizh.
Gaidig

Gaidig

0
Gaidig's Blog
 

Aquatics

According to the General Recommendations Post , folks recommend the following aquatics:   Amsterdam Apothecary Bayou Black Pearl Blue Moon City in the Sea Cold Moon Cthulhu Danube Desdemona Dragon's Tears Dublin Empyreal Mist Glasgow House of Mirrors Hurricane Jolly Roger La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente Lightning Lurid Mock Turtle's Lessons Neo-Tokyo Niflheim Obatala Old Glasgow Ophelia. Paris Penthus Prague R'lyeh Sea of Glass Shattered Szepassony Tarot:Temperance Tears The Isle of Demons The Lady of Shallot The Pool of Tears The Unicorn Two, Five & Seven Ulalume Undertow Virgo/Harlot Water of Notre Dame Yemaya Zephyr   Some sound more floral, etc. I will need to see how my skin reacts. From the descriptions there, the most appealing look to be:   Danube Empyreal Mist Jolly Roger Neo-Tokyo Niflheim Prague R'lyeh Sea of Glass
Gaidig

Gaidig

1
This Old Snark
 

She's Crafty

The first year Snarky learned to knit (the third time, when it stuck) she committed a common knewbie act of ginormous hubris: she decided to knit all of the Darkity's gifts to their family.   It wasn't as bad as it could have been - Snarky only knit for the "-in-law" side of the family, but she had an ambitious - and schizophrenic - to do list: * a pair of convertible fingerless gloves (that turned into mittens) * a Peruvian style fair isle hat (with the ear flaps and braided cords) * a cardigan (Sitcom Chic from Bonne Marie, if you were curious) * a therapy roll filled with flax seeds, chamomile, lavendar, etc. * a felted bucket hat * scarves * beaded eyeglass chain (OK, that one wasn't knitted, but it was crafty!) * cute little tags to amp up the DIY feel of all the gifts   By the time the Day of Giving and Oohing and Aahing finally arrived, Snarky was too delirious from sleep deprivation due to too many nights spent way past her bedtime squinting over poorly lit last minute knitting to really enjoy the season. There are pictures, at least.   But before Snarky could say "never again!" she decided the next year to make felted stockings for every single one of her Aunts and Uncles (and Grandma M) on her mother's side of the family. Because Snarky is some kind of craft martyr. That must be the reason.   Last year the crafting was focused with laser-like intensity on DarkityMa. She received one shawl, a cabled chemo cap, and a fuzzy rasta hat (chemo cap that got too big). She also still has a shawl marinating in the back of the hall closet, but she doesn't know about that one because Snarky is not able to look at it without having knitting-in-the-rain running-after-the-runaway-skein flashbacks.   This year, Snarky thinks she's dialing it back, but maybe she's too far into it to have perspective. She's working on a commissioned Where's Waldo hat, she has two pairs of Fuzzy Feet felted clogs to make for the Darkity'rents, she needs to continue her enviro/animal friendly/yet-still-soft yarn research for a hat for DarkityBro, and there's the matter of a long-delayed sculptural snake scarf that The Mister really, really wants (so far she's using Panache from KnitPicks - cashmere and alpaca and merino, oh my! - and Meunch's Touch Me, which is about the most sinful shiny chenillesque yarn EVAH) (Sometimes Snarky wonders if The Mister is very secretly some sort of drag queen.).   She is designing little logos to silk screen (using the freezer paper method) onto t-shirts for the troubled DeathRockFamily. If this experiment works, she will be making more t-shirts for just about everyone because how cool is that?   And finally tonight she and The Mister are going to some sort of Nerd Mecca to find geekish gifts for her geekish compatriots. There's nothing crafty about this last bit, Snarky's just excited about being able to get her geek on tonight.   Speaking of which: new Doctor Who and BSG tonight!   And now Snarky is officially sidetracked.   The point was: seasonal craftiness is absolutely fine. But much like holiday eatings, holiday craft-making must be done in moderation and with a sense of pacing... or else tragedy will ensue.   Snarky hopes everyone had a fabulous Turkey Day (she had pot roast instead after meeting up with the just-as-lovely-kind-and-generous-in-person Cordia and her Mister and Award Winning Cake). She is still trying to come to grips with the fact that Christmas is three weeks away!
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

2
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Drama queen suckage: Updated

I suck.   Gah. Sorry for the drama queen syndrome. I just got the results of my last math exam and I sucked, and it pulled my GPA down and I'm really really depressed over it. So, yeah. I got a little intense with the poor me and thus we have suckage.
smallvoice

smallvoice

3
Gaidig's Blog
 

Skin Impacts Scent

I have several concerns with scent usage, as follows:   1) I have rather dry skin, and I am afraid that I will need to be a slatherer. I would like to have good unscented lotion that I can use to couteract this, but I don't know what to look for. There was a thread, but I lost track of it. I am alergic to some things, so I have to look for a number of options, just in case. Right now, I am using 100% Cocoa Butter, which -- logically -- makes me smell faintly of chocolate.   On the other hand, I had good staying power in the past with just a few drops of Planitary Perfumes on the pulse points.   2) I would like to find (or make) good unscented moisturizing soap, shampoo & conditioner that would work well, and also not conflict with my BPAL scents. For reference, currently, I use Oil of Olay bar soap with shea butter, Aussie Moist shampoo, Garnier Nutrisse Sleek & Shine conditioner. I also use leave in conditioner. My favorite is Sheer Blonde spray in, but I am now using Garnier Nutrisse, or Sheer Blonde detangler & shine gel. Some of this should become unnessisary after I cut a good two feet off of my hair, but I'm not sure how soon that will happen.
Gaidig

Gaidig

3
Gaidig's Blog
 

Firefly

The Firefly thread might be useful.   I'd follow the pattern of Zoe or Inara. According to the thread, that would give me:   Zoe:   O Snake Oil Dead Man's Hand + Bastet or The Lion Anne Bonny Dirty Dragon's Heart Loviatar   Inara:   Kurukulla Silk Road Lust Scherezade Snake Charmer Queen of Clubs Seraglio Hetairae F'54 Aglaea
Gaidig

Gaidig

0
Gaidig's Blog
 

And so it begins

I am new to BPAL. Yes, I have been signed up for quite a while, but I agonized over what I would choose for my first order. Then I got laid off, concentrated on a new job, etc., etc. Now, I'm still overwhelmed by the vast selection and my lack of olfactory knowledge, and a large dose of perfectionism.   I had narrowed it down quite a bit, but now I can't remember my conclusions. So, I had the (not so) revolutionary idea of chronicling my search here. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll even get some input from more knowledgeable noses.   My known preferences: I am not a girly girl. I do not like flowery perfumes or fruity or sweet scents. The prospect of smelling like food scares me; I am not a snack! I like the smell of the woods after rain. I am drawn to nature, and I plant flowers and vegetables; knit, spin, and dye yarn; make candles, bake from scratch, and have intentions of making soap from scratch as well. I also paint watercolors, draw with conte crayon, sculpt clay, sew, make chain mail and venetian masks. I am drawn to Native American traditions, medieval knights, & the exoticism of the Marrakesh Market or the holy Ganges. But I also like steampunk. I like the simplicity, asymmetry, and elegence of ikebana. I ride bikes a lot and hang out with indie hipsters. If that makes any sense to you, then you are starting to develop an idea of me.   I wish to first develop a framework to hang my further explorations of BPAL on. I plan to start by trying some musky scents, some earthy scents, some aquatic scents, some exotic scents, and some bohemian scents. This blog will chronicle my plans & reactions to the scents.
Gaidig

Gaidig

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Weather and sewing

I'm taking a little break from sewing -- yesterday I made pillows for the living room sleeper sofa (Ugliest in the World, but it's nice to have a queen-size sleeper). We hide it under a cheapy slipcover. Today I'm working on finally finishing a sleepshirt with bacon and eggs fabric. Today's the perfect day to sew as we got a huge cold snap, or ARCTIC BLAST OH NO EVERYBODY PANIC according to the local news channels.     I feel sorry for the saps who have to shlep out in the cold just to stand there for the "live spots," but then I laugh and laugh as they're trying to fill time and describe how cold it is Ooh, look at the ice I'm holding! Brr!   But it's been snowing most of the day which is unusual for here. Grass and roofs are covered, but the streets seem fine. I made mushroom soup which was good
dawndie

dawndie

2
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Quandry

I arranged for a swap on October 24th with a fairly recognizable person on BPAL.org. I sent a message checking the status of the swap probably the first week of November and on the 14th or 15th, got an apology; she said she was behind in her swaps (which I understand as I get overwhelmed by them sometimes) and that she had sent out a mass PM to her swap partners a while ago but must've left me off, and that she was going to get them out that day. Again, understandable. However, I still don't have the swap. I sent another message to her on the 24th of this month and still haven't heard anything back. She hasn't been on the forum since the 15th. So I'm in a quandry. Do I report a swaplifting? I don't want to be a bitch.
smallvoice

smallvoice

3
Lucretia's Blog
 

grad school essays

I posted two of the essays I'm working on in my LJ (see link in my sig) for those of you who are interested. It's friends only, but if you mention you're from bpal I'll add you.   Other than that, GRE scores have been sent, transcipts have been sent, most of my letters of recommendation are in (but not all yet I still have a month though, soooo I just need to chill about that). Things are on track!
Lucretia

Lucretia

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

ANTM

ANTM: I haven't ever watched it during the season before, but I usually catch at least part of a marathon afterwards. (I'm going to try and break this up, since it was sort of a stream of thought and was in one huge clump.)   I don't think the remaining girls are all that pretty, especially the twins. I don't get all the fuss over their features, though admittedly, I'm no expert. Still, they seem pretty... average, I guess? I don't think they'd really stand out all that much, even. However, Michelle is the one I've been hoping would go home since the episode where Nicole left.   I like Melrose, and I like that all the other girls hate her. It just makes me laugh.   I have a really big issue with girls who can't deal with having their look changed- when they whine about having short hair, it is a complete annoyance and I hope they go home right away. I may be insensitive in that area, though. But seriously, just deal.   My favourite was Anchal- I think I spelled that wrong. Gah. Anyway. She was gorgeous! They really played up how much everyone told her that she was fat and wouldn't make it with that body, though, but she annoyed me because she really did the job of sending herself home. If she had carried herself just a bit differently, with more confidence, I don't think she would've taken any shit from the girls at least about her size. Anyone remember Dee? She's, like, half of Dee's size, and they weren't half that cruel about Dee's weight. I have come into this late, admittedly.   I actually think that Eugena has the prettiest face of the models that are left. Melrose is my pick to win, though. They usually have a clear leader, which makes it more about watching the girls interact than about the competition, but sometimes people do stupid things, so that's always interesting.   I like Carridee, but I don't think she's the winner. They're probably going to send her home next and leave the top three as Melrose, Eugena and Amanda. Hell, maybe Amanda will be their pick, but I kind of doubt it. Yeah, I doubt it a lot.   Oh, and with regards to Tyra? She is absofrickinlutely batshit insane. I just don't find her likeable at all.   Off to watch the Heroes marathon and put off doing my homework! Whee!   I'm done with fall quarter in one week! I'll be home from doing my last final a week from right now! Woohoo!
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
circe_blue's Blog
 

Argh!

Ok, so I've recently gotten myself and the boy into Battlestar Galactica. I knew I was gone when I exclaimed "Frak you!" to the car that cut me off the other day in traffic. I knew the boy was gone when he made Cylon jokes. So far I've only seen the miniseries and a part of season 1 up to "Act of Contrition". The "Argh!" that is the title of this post is in response to my weird ability to attract spoilers from all over. And once I see/hear a bit of it, I can't stop! I'll be reading through some random LJs of people I only kind of know, or be listening to conversations in class, and now I know stuff and I can't un-know it. For example, Sharon "Boomer" is now "Athena", there's a weird/crazy pairing between Lee and Kara (imho, so wrong,ew, because it's a real possibility that they hate each others guts) and then there's also possibly Helo/Kara-which is so wrong becuase....well, it should be Helo/circe_blue Or at the very least Helo/Boomer...Aaa!   I hope this show continues to be amazing. I used to be a really, really big X-Files fan but then season 8/9 came along and while I still wanted to watch, I would check out spoilers for the episodes to steel myself for whatever convoluted plot twist they threw at me on Sunday nights. Anyone else remember that "Fox/Dana" e-mail?? ::shudder::   PS-I am totally NetFlixing these of course. There's no way I'm waiting a week for each new episode again. Of course, I would have to dodge the spoilers more... Alright, I should get to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow and I'll most likely have to come back to this post to make it more comprehensible. G'nite!     ETA: I am now finishing up season 2.5. So far Helo/"Boomer" or new model #8, and seemingly Lee/Kara. Stupid me-I forgot the number 1 rule of TV/movie romances. If they hate each other's guts, of course they will end up together Also, the boy and I have started calling Anders Dane Cook. Sharon Screaming "Let them try to take this baby!!!!" and Slamming Her Head Against the Wall = Creepy Last Parting Shot of Sharon's Pregnant Belly Set to Creepy Music = Double Creepy Gauis Having Invisible Naughty Dirty Cylon Sex and Getting Caught by Starbuck = Hilarious!
circe_blue

circe_blue

1
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Math and other stuff- Switch Witch signups!

I stared blankly at my math problems for quite some time today. Ugh. My brain just doesn't have focus right now. Hopefully I'll be thinking more clearly tomorrow so that I can regain my footing before the last test and then the final. I haven't even looked at psych.   It snowed here today. I like the snow, but I hope it doesn't get icy overnight, because I hate the way people here drive in the snow. They're okay if it's been around a while, but that first stint is just awful. And, okay, I'm nervous about driving my car on ice. Though I was still pretty clumsy with it last year and I'm still alive, so hopefully I'll be okay... yeah, I'm a spaz.   For those of you who don't obsessively read the swap area, the switch witch winter round is open until the 28th, so hurry. I have some really great ideas for this round and I'm staying optimistic this time, rather than panicking over being poor. I am going to get it together this round and be memorable.   I have a good feeling about this round.   I wish one of the questions was about colours a person dislikes.   My hair smells good. Actually, it smells a little like Freakshow.   I have a half-imp of Trick 2 that needs to be swapped because it is a deathmatch between the patchouli and the tobacco with my chemistry, and that's just not pretty. So if anybody here is interested, you know I love you best. I should've brought it to my mini-meet n'sniff with 'snarky, really. s'gone   She had this cute little case to carry all her stuff in, and then I had hurriedly wrapped mine up in plastic grocery bags... classy! Okay, but seriously, I need to find that bag. Not only will I store perfume in it, I will get one to bring my lunch in, because it's that cool.   Speaking of lunch, I need a thermos. Hrm.   Dude, I want rice krispie treats. SO. BADLY.   I have to do 3 more hours at the fitness lab and then I'm done, because I chickened out and dropped down to one credit. That puts me on financial aid probation next quarter, which worries me slightly.   Huh. I really like how Freak Show smells on me. How did I miss this one? Fig and cocoa are nice together.   So, I go back to school tomorrow. Woah! How did my break go by so quickly? Heh. I need a vacation from my vacation. It was good to get out of town, though.   Okay, I'm done. Eee, new ANTM tonight! And new Heroes tomorrow!!!! Very, very excited about those two things. Next Christmas, somebody is getting me Heroes on DVD. Somebody who is my husband, probably.   I'm really done now. G'night lovelies!
smallvoice

smallvoice

7
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Award Winning Cake!

So! I went to Portland for Thanksgiving and we just got home and there's already a bunch of stuff to write about, but I have to talk about meeting up with Snarky! We ended up getting together Wednesday evening, and we drove around trying to find someplace that was open and even Starbucks was closed! Well, Ms. Snarky found a little cake shop that was closed, but the owner said we could come in while she finished her receipts and she'd make us coffee. We were going to try to find somewhere else to go, but the owner sort of insisted that we stay, so we did, and we learned that she had this award-winning cake. The carrot cake was not particularly wonderful, so I think I should have gone with the special cake, but eh. Anyway! It was a great meeting and she's every bit as wonderful in person as you would imagine she is from here. I got to try a bunch of scents I haven't had a chance to test yet and it was just loads of fun. I was very tired, so if I nattered on a bit, I apologise. Okay... gotta go unwind a bit now. Hope everybody who's local had a great Thanksgiving!
smallvoice

smallvoice

1
Squash Soup
 

no matter what I do....all I think about is you

I have a very serious dilemma! My list of bottles that I need to buy before December 1st is seriously straining (if not trampling on) my budget. I was able to try an imp of Pumpkin Queen thanks to the fantastic portalkat so I know I want that. I've dying to try Glitter for so long, it seems sad not to scoop up a bottle with the resurrection! There are a few others that are calling to me too but I have to be strong. I'm thinking of just getting 3 bottles period. Whether that's two Queens and one Glitter or one Queen, one Glitter and another scent is another matter.....I don't even know why I want Glitter so desperately anyway. All the notes are pretty much guaranteed to not like me but there is something about wearing a scent called Glitter that is too awesome for words. Well I suppose we'll see what happens. I suppose reading the reviews might help narrow it down a bit. :sighs and trudges back to work:
jessiesquash

jessiesquash

0
This Old Snark
 

Saw my Reflection in the Burrito

Snarky has Stevie Nicks by way of Lucy Lawless stuck in her head now... though sometimes the voice switches over to that Smashing Pumpkins guy.   Which is really, really annoying. She really missed the Smashing Pumpkins boat mostly because of Corgan. Sure his voice (grating, nasal, tremulous) was the angry yawp of her "generation", but Snarky hasn't been all that keen about her generation either.   The Snarks are going into this short work week completely unprepared for Turkey Day. They have a vague idea of a menu, but since the only attendants to The Feast will be themselves, they haven't really put a great deal of pressure on the timeliness of said meal.   They are still hosting family, though. The difference is that that particular meal is happening tonight (!!) and Snarky came up with the menu for tonight's meal while trying to get to sleep last night. DarkityMa (she of the "start cooking three days in advance" method) would be ashamed.   So tonight Snarky's father's older sister's middle son and his wife (ie her cousins) will be fed gingered catfish and mysteriously cooked spring pea tips & tendrils. "Mysteriously" because Snarky has only cooked these kinds of greens twice (boiled the first time, stir fried the second) with varying results. Tonight she'll probably par-boil then finish off in the wok after she's done with the catfish. The Snarks love to experiment on their guests. (insert hand rubbing and low, evil laugh here)   Shoot. Now Snarky's hungry.   PS More proof positive that The Mister is a perfect match for Snarky: she called to touch base over her lunch break about tonight, and he's gone and added about three more dishes to include with the meal (appetizer, additional side, and dessert).
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

6
Diplomatka
 

Return from Amrika

I know you all thought that an UXO (unexploded ordinance) had gotten to me, but in reality I was in America ("Amrika") for the past month.   Some disturbing American trends:   -Crocs (you saw that coming): mostly sighted on overweight women who do not comb their hair and, cruelly, small children under the age of six;   -Drivers from Virginia and Ohio taking to the roads;   -Cell phone usage: On at least three occasions women were talking on their phones IN THE TOILET STALL NEXT TO ME. This seemed to happen often at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. (Why is it so impossible to conjure up disgusting noises when they are most appropriate?);   -Cell phone usage with the cyber head gear: A guy in CVS paced up and down the aisles breaking up with his girlfriend LOUDLY while I was trying to select glitter for my workshop poster session--he was wearing one of this god-awful things;   -Leggings: Need I explain?   -Capri Pants (AKA "Clam Diggers"): Again, do I really need to tell all of the 5'1" women out there that these make you look dowdy and even shorter? Nothing says "granny" like capri knit pants and a matching shirt and cardigan!   Well, at least the disturbing things in America are not this disturbing.   Hey Afghanistan--things are not all bad. In a few months all of those unbought Crocs will turn up over here as American aid.
Confection

Confection

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

News!

In my excitement over not being pregnant, I forgot to share one of my main causes of anxiety, and that is my new nephew! My sister in law had her baby on the 16th and he is beautiful! Obviously they both came through it fine, which was worriesome at the time, and they got to leave the day afterwards, even though it had originally been projected that she'd have to stay at least three days. So, yes. There's much happiness over the new addition to the family.  
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Goth Hobbit's Blog
 

Well, I'm back.

By all rights, I should be in bed right now, but I'm at the point of "too awake to sleep and too tired to be properly awake". This is not a good state for coherency, but an excellent one for random thought-dumping.   A month on the road, almost exactly. Driving from south Florida to Minneapolis, and then to Denver -- alone, no less -- is not the sort of thing that I would recommend doing on a regular basis, but it gave me much-needed time to sort some things out in my head -- when I wasn't dodging 18-wheelers, that is. Trying to get used to the idea that Granddad's car is now my car, as he doesn't need it anymore. Granted, he hadn't driven it in about three years, but Mom offered him the option on a regular basis. Trying to get used to the idea that the heirloom vase that was always Granddaddy and Grandmama's is now mine as well; not so much a possession as a trust, and certainly worthy of its own entry. Trying to get used to a lot of things, in fact; some of which I will have help in adjusting to, and some of which I'll have to process on my own.   There is quite a lot that I want to say, some of which will have to wait.   I can say that the more I see of Minneapolis, the more I like the city. I have good friends there, and people who have potential to become good friends. There's a thriving arts scene, lots of interesting architecture, and beautiful scenery. I spent almost three weeks there this time, and I'll be there for almost a month on my next trip. I'm looking forward to it, even if it means my first taste of a Northern Plains winter.   My Dear One says that I still move like a dancer, and told me that one of the many things that he finds so attractive is my grace. Given that he knows that I had a reputation for being able to trip over the pattern in the linoleum when I was younger, this means more to me than almost any other compliment that he could have paid me.   Thinking about the future occupies a great deal of my time lately. The immediate future involves holiday shows which I need to firm up, and all of the work that I need to get done for them, as well as the hope that grinding myself to a nub will prove to be lucrative. Long-term plans are forming as well; some of them I can shape, but others depend on things which are out of my control. Oddly enough, it's the ones over which I have the most mastery that are causing me the most stress, because they're the ones into which I have to put the most effort. In that respect, the stress that these plans are causing isn't odd at all. Such is the way of these things.   Further typing is going to have to wait for another time, though. Sleep is calling my name, and while sleep may not completely knit the raveled sleeve of my cares, it will probably manage a solid basting stitch. Enough to go on with, at least.
goth_hobbit

goth_hobbit

1
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Hooray and ow!

I'm not pregnant!   I almost wrote a post here last night that I thought I was pregnant, because I was having huge anxiety over it, but then I freaked out about how saying it might help it to be real or whatever. Anyway, I'm not. Hooray!   I hurt my neck today somehow. It is not comfortable. I think I'm going to try and sleep now, though. Just wanted to share the good news!
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Sourball Ho!
 

All the time in the world

This was the 2nd week of unemployment; I have several resumes sent out, and a placement service sent me to another law firm where I've gone through a couple of interviews and will hopefully hear something on Monday or Tuesday. I know it's funky timing with the holidays coming up, so I'm trying to relax while waiting.   In the meantime, I've actually completed a project: I reupholstered the dining room chairs. It's not a huge deal, because they're rattan and basically consist of a seat cushion and an attached back. Here they were before: The seat cushions on a couple chairs were really wearing through. Here they are now: You can't see the fabric well, but it's coffee brown with light green and blue circles. It reminded me of our funky lamp from Pier 1 that DH hardwired into the ceiling (which has a green center, but it looks yellow/orange in the picture).   While we're in the dining room, I'll give you a tour. Here are the souvenir plates recently acquired in estate sales; Darkitysnark motivated me to hang them up where they can look swell: We have Six Flags Over Texas, Disneyland, Ohio, Hawaii, New Mexico, Hollywood, California, Wyoming, New York City, New Orleans, Victoria BC, Winchester Mystery House, Tennessee and Kentucky. I have an Arkansas one too, I need to get another plate hanger.   Well, that's the tour of the dining room!
dawndie

dawndie

3
Whiskers and Whispers
 

It's almost a year to the day since...

...my cat passed away because of a tumour.   I know some might find it odd still mourning the death of a pet long after it happened, but to me animals are just as important as people to have as company, my cat was like a sister to me, a warm, fuzzy, purring companion, and cats don't have the emotional complexes that humans have.   It was also the closest experience I've had with death for a very long time. I can't really remember when my grandfather and aunt passed away as I must have been five at the time, but my kitty's passing is so vivid. That last stilted purr she gave me at the animal hospital was such a sorrowful sound, the way she looked so pained and couldn't move made me cry, and will haunt me forever.   My mind still sometimes thinks she's not 'dead', but she's just moved on to a place that's inaccessible to me, but where she'll be happier. I'm still not clear cut on my ideas of what happens after death but when she passed away, that came to mind almost intuitively, that she's in a place that's intangible to the living, but still there, in a way. I also believe she's still visiting me in spirit, in dreams, in some of those dreams she actually protects me from anything malevolent. And one thing's for sure, the memories will stay alive for a very long time.
PurringPulsar

PurringPulsar

0
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Stevie Nicks on satellite radio

I have my satellite radio in my car and it is such a novel experience for me, because I'm used to playing CDs all the time and generally controlling what I listen to. I have all my presets so I can move around if a station that I'm on is playing something that I don't like. But today, at noon, it was like a train wreck. I wanted so badly to change channels but something was keeping me there. Before the signal came over the radio, the digital read-out was telling me "Stevie Nicks." Then I was "treated" to Stevie playing the piano and talking in this dreamy-stoned-stream-of-consciousness way about Rhiannon, what a beautiful name, and how she loved her story, oh Rhiannon, the name, the story...and then the music rose a bit and she began to sing "Rhiannon rings like a bell in the night..." but all I could hear was "baaaaah-baaaah-baaaah." The woman bleats like a goat. I swear the reason she wears those long floaty dresses and big-ass platforms (even when they weren't in style) is to cover up her cloven hooves. (Hmmm... french manicured hooves?)   So then I did switch channels, because vomiting and driving just don't go hand-in-hand. If I have a bitch about Sirius, it's that whoever is doing their music blends gets into a rut and they play the same stinking people ad nauseum on any number of channels. For instance, for the last two weeks, Dave Matthews and Coldplay were getting flat worn-out. Now they're on a kick where if they can find an excuse to play Bob Dylan or Springsteen, they will. It is wearisome. I switch to jazz or electronica when that happens.   I also get a kick out of the Met Opera channel, especially when they're playing the ending of an opera, and the announcer is talking about what's happening on stage during the curtain call, describing the costumes, what the audience is doing, and all that festive stuff. It reminds me of listening to golf when they're broadcasting from the actual green that the players are on, and they're whispering "and now, for a birdie on the 16th hole..." I don't think they do that anymore when golf is on TV, do they? The announcers are in a remote truck somewhere? It's not like I watch a lot of golf. Maybe they do it even if they are in a remote truck, because it's just fun to whisper melodramatically.   If they did a wrap-up of a Stevie Nicks concert over the radio, the announcers would be saying: "And now, the audience that actually purchased tickets to see Ms. Nicks are standing and applauding, and their companions who came along as part of their martial obligation or who simply lost a bet are removing their ear plugs. Ah, Ms. Nicks bows again, and oh, now a lovely, lovely curtsy with her long flowing gown, oh my, her mammoth platform shoe just ripped a piece of her dress! Oh well, no one will notice on that tattered hemline anyway. Oh, and how lovely, how dramatic! Now the goat-herding Australian Shepherds and Border Collies are escorting Ms. Nicks from the stage..."   Oh, that was just too mean. I did see Fleetwood Mac in concert once because the guy I was dating got free tickets, and I was never so bored in my life as when Stevie was on stage doing her Welsh-witch ballerina swirling around bullshit. I think we left before the concert was over, because it did make me want to go drink beer and listen to the blues at The Zoo Bar. If anyone is a fan of Ms. Nicks, sorry, but that faux witchy woman behavior always drove me crazy. If she'd just gone with the California hippie chick all hopped up on coke image, I would have a lot more respect for her.
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