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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
    • 6,604 views
Filling the Periodic Table
 

Two weeks worth of pictures!

First of all, I'm only including a handful of the pictures I took last weekend, since most of them look just like the week before.   But... I visited my parents last weekend, and while I was there, I grabbed leaves off of my mom's christmas cactus and jade plant. I've got them outside right now since it's hot out, and it hasn't been raining.   The christmas cactus leaf:   The Jade leaves:   And a side shot of one of the beautiful pots I found for them on an obscure shelf at Lowes:   ---   And now, on to this week!   First of all, the bounty we harvested today! The bowl is full of red ripe tomatoes.   A rose bud is opening right now:   The most spectacular thing this weekend, though was the moonflower that finally bloomed this weekend! It smells beautiful   Here it is this afternoon before it opened:   And here are three shots of it this evening after it opened: Unfortunately, my camera doesn't really do well with close ups in the dark.    
antimony

antimony

4
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Star chart

I'm still musing over my star chart reading. I've decided to stick with art (as I mentioned previously) to try and develop that talent. I hope it turns out well. I know there are other venues of opportunity, but I've always thought it would be wonderful to be able to create art.   If art doesn't fit, I'll pursue writing-- which I think I also mentioned. I'm also going to throw myself into fitness this quarter. The reading said something about body movement being important, and that feels right. I'm wondering if that has to do with my growing interest in yoga. I hope it's offered next summer. 5 days a week! That would be marvellous. Exhausting, because it's still a 7am class, but fantastic.   I'm going to need to take some literature classes, and history. I love school. I'm so glad I get to go back!   I really need to make sure I have the focus to succeed this quarter.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Just a word

This doesn't really warrant its own entry, but it's my blog! So it's getting its own entry!   I love the word 'gobsmacked' and I'm not quite sure why. It's so much more evocative than shocked or astounded, even. It's like a perfect sound to represent the feeling.   Did I mention I've been a little dizzy?
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

What the Bleep

One of my favourite movies is about quantum physics. It's one of those mid-level films that a lot of people heard about and then promptly forgot. What the Bleep do we Know? There are little touches to the movie that I love-- glimpsing herself, the crazy mad scientist looking guy, and of course the water.   What we believe creates our own reality, says the movie.   It's also impacted by collective belief; we are not islands.   So, yeah. I totally believe that I'm filthy rich and unchanged by money and seriously, no monkey's paw clauses. That shit freaks me right out.   I'm honestly trying to change my view of myself, though. It has to start small, or it won't work with me. I have to really convince myself.   Not that I'm wealthy or that I can fly or anything; just that I can deal with life better and respond to the needs of people around me without losing who I am.   Anyway. Enough quantum physics.   We had therapy today. Things need to change, but the ways we can go about making those changes are limited. Suggesting hospitalization is all well and good, but we checked that option out months ago. Hopefully having the therapist as an advocate in the matter will open some doors, but there's a lot of red tape. We're having to retrace the steps we took months ago, and that's frustrating, because none of those steps helped at the time.   It's absurd to suggest that he start the process of moving out onto his own. He's barely existing with us prodding him to take a freaking shower. Put him into a situation where he's alone, and it's just going to end badly. Not to mention he doesn't even have a job, his credit is shot, and he's not particularly interested in finding a job. So unless we're talking about him moving out to live under the bridge, it's not viable.   So what is viable? If those two things are out, what next?   I wish I knew.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Birdsongs
 

Woof-bubbles

The dog has been barking a lot in her sleep today. She woke me up that way this morning, but it was so cute I couldn't be annoyed. They just sort of bubble up out of her ... I hope in her dreams she scares all the intruders away, the way she can't in real life because she only weighs 12 pounds.
spanishviolet

spanishviolet

0
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Actual example of ARGH BLARGH conversations

Here's an example of the office cyber-patter that goes on about the Coworker From Hell, who is seemingly a Seinfeld character come to life. Let me clarify that she likes to pick a sworn enemy in the professional world and rant and rave about them. The sworn enemy is usually a female that she has deemed completely incompetent and of questionable sanity. (To borrow a line that I think was used on Seinfeld: "Hello pot? It's the kettle. You're black!")   First, my original "ARGH BLARGH" email -- I edited out real names:   What is she going to do now that 1) Person A, 2) Person B, 3) Person C and 4) Person D are all out of government? When will a new female sworn enemy emerge, so we don't have to hear retread stories about Person A and Person C?   One coworker's response:   I have 2 semi-crazy women, do I hear 3?   2 going once...   Going twice….   Gone! Sold to the lush with a bad case of bed-head!   Another coworker's observation:   If no viable object for her scorn emerges, I see a possibility that she may simply turn on herself. Let's hope not. The number of aberrant behavior stories that she then would be able to tell would be endless.   The only reason that I stay even slightly sane is because my other colleagues are really funny.
valentina

valentina

0
Goth Hobbit's Blog
 

Color me misanthropic...

(This was originally written on July 11th and should actually be the first entry, but it didn't get published -- probaby due to an ID 10T error on my part.)     To someone who isn't here...   I know that I said I would try not to turn into a hermit. Well, I tried.   It didn't work.   You know why; we discussed it when last we talked. And it's still eating at me. I walk alone these days, separated from people who both of us had counted on to, if not understand, at least refrain from hurtful behavior.   They haven't, nor do I think that they will.   To several other non-present persons, with reference to the first...   When someone mentions a recent, much needed vacation, the correct response upon hearing where the person went is not "I'm sorry." How you feel about the location in question is immaterial; the person had reason for their choice of destination, whether you agree with it or not.   Fine; maybe the place isn't a Vacation Mecca. Maybe the most famous local dish is something of a national joke. Maybe you don't appreciate what that place has to offer. It doesn't matter. There are a number of correct responses: what did you do, did you have fun, take any pictures -- any of those are right and good. "I'm sorry" is not.   And then, to compound it by proving that someone who had considered you to be, if not a friend, at least a good acquaintance, has completely dropped off of your personal radar -- that only compounds the slight.   So you're sorry that I went somewhere that I wanted to be. Well, I'm not. I saw a completely new place; somewhere I had never been before, and I saw it in the company of one who knows it, and considers it to be a Good Place. I saw beauty and wonder. I saw my delight at these new places mirrored in the face of that person, who has seen them many times; lives with them now, in fact. He can now see those things anew, because of my reaction to their new-ness. And we had the joy of seeing places new to us both; discovering them together. Those places will remain dear for that reason alone.   You're sorry? I'm not.   In the words of Gonzo, from "The Muppet Movie": I'm going to go back there someday; someday being sooner rather than later. And one of these days I just might not come back. Will you question my choice? Probably, but you don't get to second-guess me, nor ask me to do so to myself. It is not your decision. And if I also drop from your radar, then so be it. I will know that I have made the correct decision for myself.   If you feel "sorry" for this, then keep it to yourself.
goth_hobbit

goth_hobbit

0
Goth Hobbit's Blog
 

Randomness...

Many things are making me both sad and annoyed right now.   First off, people who probably consider themselves to be friends are running roughshod over my business. I have a pair of earrings on perpetual hold (okay, since December) for someone who desperately wants them ...but not enough to put them on lay-away. I keep reminding her that I have them, she keeps telling me that she still wants them, but finances have been tight, things have been hellish ...and then she talks about a cute new outfit that she bought to wear to an upcoming show, which probably cost more than the earrings.   If she had put them on lay-away, and kicked me five bucks with every other paycheck -- certainly less than she spends at the local hangout for coffee, or cigarettes -- she would have had them long before now. And I certainly could have used the $35 more than once since November.   Her boyfriend / fiancee (depending on the week, resident pain-in-her-ass at other times) wants me to make specialty pendants for him and some of his friends, on the basis that they'd "sell like hotcakes". I very much doubt that; even though I mostly agree that TOPY crosses would go over well with the local industrial community, I'm not tying up more money into making something relatively esoteric for people who consistently gripe about how broke they are. The crosses would sit in inventory for six months while they all go "damn, I wish I had the money"; once I get tired of it and scrap them, the same people would gripe about how they were going to buy one.   One of my good friends wanted to commission one for one of these people for his birthday; I roughed out a design, gave her an estimate, and she was supposed to give me a down-payment with her next check. Needless to say, it didn't happen, and she is someone that I consider to be chosen family. Yet, it seems that lately she gets in contact with me only when she wants something; a repair made on a dress because she can't sew worth a damn, to borrow $20 until her next payday even though she knows that I'm self-employed. Her work schedule has been such that we can't really hang out, but she hasn't even called me to check in more than once or twice in the past 2 months. I ran into her this evening; she was on her way home from an interview, and that's the most time we've spent together since May.   I post something that it seems would be at least *hugs* worthy to my LJ, but have no comments. Not even from my SO. Yes, we talked for a couple of hours last night, yes, we'll be seeing each other in 2 weeks, but he made comments in a couple of other people's journals today on relatively frivolous things, and I can't help but feel somewhat ...slighted. It's probably the exhaustion talking, but only partially. Sometimes, I just want a little reassurance, especially from him; and when disturbing dreams keep me up half the night, the want is especially sharp. No e-mails, no comments, and no 5 minute "are you okay" calls.   Sometimes I wonder if I've become such a hermit from work and finances that nobody will notice when I'm not in Denver anymore. Lord knows it's looking that way. People who I thought were at least good acquaintances have dropped off the radar for the most part -- or, rather, I've dropped off of theirs. I'm tired of unanswered phone calls, and I know that while my guy would like me to keep in touch with them since they're his friends as well, he also knows that some of them have been guilty of some damned callous behavior towards me since he moved. And, I think, if he wasn't giving them benefit if the doubt, he'd look back at some of the things that they said to him, supposedly in jest, and realize that there's more to it. It was supposedly a joke when they told him that he couldn't go, even while they were outwardly supporting his furtherance of his education. He couldn't get the PhD in the field that he wanted, not with the department here in its infancy. But these same people have shut me out of their lives, even knowing since Christmas break last year that our relationship has blossomed into something more than the deep friendship that it was. I can only think that he's not readily available for their anger at his "desertion" (in their eyes), whereas I am. And it makes me sad that I can't tell him how they're doing when we talk, because I know that he misses them -- and Home, Denver; the rodina -- terribly.   My social life is most active on IM with my dear friend, chosen sister, and shared brain owner (who is, coincidentally, my SO's ex-girlfriend, and still his dear friend as well. He had hoped that we'd get along well, and I think that we've exceeded his expectations -- but that's another story.) The thing is, she's three-quarters of the way across the continent, and we get to see one another maybe once or twice a year. At least we can keep each other company in our isolation, but it's not the same thing as being able to watch bad movies and drink margaritas together whenever the whim hits.   On the grand scale, life doesn't suck. I have a business that is starting to take off locally -- which gives me hope for what it'll do once I can take it to the 'Net, at least one good friend that I can talk about anything to, a wonderful and affirming relationship, and the distinct possibility of starting the next phase of my life in a whole new city that I'm looking forward to exploring more of before then. Right this second, though, I'm having trouble seeing the forest for the trees.
goth_hobbit

goth_hobbit

0
circe_blue's Blog
 

Confession Post + teeny updates

I confess that I love a certain band but I don't like most of their fans.   I confess that I lose respect for certain celebrities/artists/whatevers when they start dating supermodels. Who wants some chick whose only job in life is to look "pretty", stay thin and not talk when you could have a supercool artist, scientist, teacher, businesswoman, archeologist, etc. for a girlfriend?! Bonus: there's a pretty good chance she won't boink you on the head with a cell phone either ....I love that line from 13 Going on 30: "Oh, honey, those aren't people those are models!"   I confess I was tempted to turn my "roomate wanted" ad into a "friend wanted" ad.   I confess that now that I can confidently load podcasts onto my iPod, I've gone nuts. Now I have a weird collection of 'em in my iPod. Style.com fashion shows, Tim Gunn's ( ) Project Runway, Paris travel, NPR books, National Geographic, science-y ones, and a geeky podcast (yay, comicbooks!).   I confess that I'm thinking about not going to my 5 year high school reunion this November if I don't get down to my ideal weight. ----------- teeny updates:   -Found more furniture for the apartment (thanks to cheap stuff from Ikea and Wal-Mart). Got my desk, my "entertainment center", two floor lamps, a bunch of accent rugs, a dining set, extra plates, some pens and highlighters for about $180.   -Two people have called about the apartment so far; a guy, and a freshman girl. I don't feel comfortable living with a guy and I have no idea why the girl called. The university guarantees housing for all incoming freshmen...so..maybe she was on the waiting list? I'll give her the room if no one else calls, but I don't think I wanna live with someone that young since our lifestyles will be pretty different. I'm meeting her this Saturday to show her the apartment.   -I'm starting to stress out about my gajillion doctor's apointments this month. Argh. And moving all of my crap in. And driving (I haaate driving) far away.   -I think I've lost a bit of weight since I'm not working anymore. Makes sense since I'm not running around the lab and overeating when I finally get to sit in the office. I just eat when I'm hungry which ends up being about once or twice a day. But I still want some spicy tuna rolls!   ETA: another update: someone else just contacted me for the apartment and one of the first things she wrote was about how she thought the price was too high. Well, hell, the two bedroom is $1145 not including utilities and the wireless internet, so yeah, I'll be charging around $600 to cover all that. Sheesh. > I can think of better ways to make money than to cheat pennyless grad students!
circe_blue

circe_blue

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Annnnd... limbo again

We talked to him. He cried and admitted to feeling... void. Life sucks. I don't know what I'm doing here.   Annnd... I've been there. It does suck. But we're getting frustrated, and we don't know how to help. Resentment is building up, and he has to feel it too, and that isn't helpful at all. We're plotting a trip to Spokane for the sole purpose of having some time alone, and we can't afford it, but we also can't afford not to do it.   It's just... I don't know. At least we have a therapy appointment tomorrow morning.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Staredown with the houseguest

With three of us living here, it doesn't take long for dishes to pile up. We've asked out houseguest to please do them. We remind him that we'd like him to do them every other day. Because if they get done every day, then they don't pile up, and it's a ten minute job. When they don't get done for, say, a week. . . there aren't any clean glasses or plates in the entire house, and it's a whole day's work, more or less.   I know what it's like to be depressed and just want to be on the internet at all times (And I really do), but it's offensive to clean around him and realize that he hasn't bathed in days, let alone thought about doing any dishes.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Eoywin's Blog
 

On Bridezillas and Terrorists

On the way into work this morning, I heard about the foiled terrorist plot that has shut down the big airport in London, and has made changes come about even over here, about what you can or cannot have in a carryon.   This makes me very nervous when I think about flying again. I'm really hoping to talk Todd out of flying to Disney, since it would be a waste of money. But, we are going to have to fly, when we go to Europe in 2008.     This whole thing also effects my job, as parts from overseas are air freighted in. I even have a supplier in England, and the parts I get from there are air freighted from London. I'm glad that I wasn't needing a shipment to go out today, and hopefully the airport will be back in business soon.   Now, on to bridezillas!   There is a show on WE that is called 'Bridezillas'. I tape it every Sunday night, and usually watch it on Monday. A lot times the brides that are featured on the show, are being unreasonable and overly stressing themselves out, but usually calm down once the ceremony is over.   Not the girl on last Sunday's episode. She was pissed off her entire wedding day. She had a pretty decent reason to be pissed (her in-laws were late, causing her wedding to start an hour and a half late), but I would hate to be that bride and look back at the video and see how unhappy I was on my wedding day.   Yes, I'm pretty stressed out over everything right now (though honestly work is more a stressor than the wedding right now), but I'm going to be happy and enjoy my special day. And I don't think I've ever been as unreasonable as the brides on 'Bridezilla'.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

My star chart

It is imperative that you find a way to use whatever talents and gifts you have--the more you use them, the more ability you will develop. Do not neglect them (given your 5th house stellium I'm betting on creative something or another, maybe very public, dramatic work/play...but whatever it is, don't just think something like "well, if I can't be the best {fill in the blank} I shouldn't even do it.." Do it, whatever it is.   Jarvenpa read my chart based on my birthdate, location and time of birth. That's a brief snippet of what she said-- I'm still processing it all. The above seemed really personal and relevent right now, given my whole art obsession- could my talent lie there? It's possible.   I really think that was the nudge I needed to decide to stick with the art class and not watch for another class to open up in that time slot instead. However, I am not convinced that drawing will be my creative talent. I might need to start writing again soon. English 201 is on my list for winter quarter, and then in the spring or next fall I'll probably take creative writing. I. . . guess we'll see where life takes me this year.   I'm really rather excited.   Now all I have to do is wait for the financial aid to be awarded. . . I really, really hope it happens soon, so I don't have to drop all my classes and scrounge around at the last minute for open ones. That would be terribly sad.   I've got a lot to think about.
smallvoice

smallvoice

2
Filling the Periodic Table
 

Disjoint thoughts

My brain is all over the place... come back, brain! I did take garden pictures last weekend, I'll post them tonight.
Last weekend, I took my parents' cat back home to Kentucky. She was staying with me while my parents were out of town. Well, according to my mom, the cat is totally out of sorts since I left, sulking, only coming out when she's on the phone. My poor kitty. I am giving my mom instructions to pick the cat up a lot, call her silly pet names, and basically do all of the things she never tolerated when she was younger and snootier.
I have a nasty headache. I took advil and drank a big glass of water, but neither is helping.
Rusty was out late at the campaign office waiting for the primary results to come in. This would be the 2nd night in a row of crummy sleep because I hate to sleep in our bed alone. (Though I sleep fine alone in my old room at my parents house, but that kind-of makes sense)
Perhaps the bad sleep and the headach are related. Nah, that would make too much sense.
The guy whose campaign Rusty was working on didn't win the primary. He was the leader in St. Louis County, but lost in St. Charles and Lincoln counties. Damn. Also, there was a pretty sane, rational guy runing against the incumbent in the Republican primary, I would have liked to see him in the election, but he got crushed.
Mercifully, no one here is stomping around about running as an independent.
Dear Joe Lieberman,
Put on your big boy pants and deal with it. You lost. Fair and square, you lost. If you wanted to run as an independent you should have started there to begin with, but you threw your hat in the ring with the democrats, and you lost. YOU LOST. Seriously, grow up.
I love my plants. I snagged leaves off of my mom's jade plant and christmas cactus when I was home visiting. They're both suposedly pretty easy to propagate, so I hope I can convince them to sprout. I've got them outside in the heat with ust a tiny bit of water every couple of days, so I'm hoping the mama leaves don't succumb to rotting. As long as the mama leaves are ok, there will be baby plants... eventually. Though I'm hoping the warm weather will help them sprout a little faster.
I am so in love with the idea of sharing plants, and growing plants off of cuttings from friends and family. There's something warmer and sweeter about it than just buying something at Lowes (not that I don't have a bunch of Lowes plants too)
Yesterday, we cleaned the kitchen so I could make lasagna. I love my clean kitchen. I just want to stand in the middle of it and bask in its wonderfulness.
Tonight, I'm going to do something similar with the living room, so I can lie on the couch and bask in its wonderfulness too.
When I'm PMS-y, I get the overwhelming urge to clean. This is good, since it means the apartment is clean once a month, at least. Today, while I'm home for lunch, I'm going to fold laundry. Fun! I need to remember to pick up some mesh laundry bags next time I'm at Target.
I am absolutely enchanted by those liquid soaps that foam by themselves. I've got one from Method in the bathroom, it smells like green tea and aloe, and feels so soft and nice. In the kitchen, I've got Dial that's all yummy and pear-scented. And when I was visiting my parents, I used the Aveno facial cleanser that foams itself, and loved it too. I just really love the foam texture, and the fact that it soesn't leave you with little soapy blobs or slimy smears to try and rinse off your hands and face. Plush, I just enjoy foam.
Saturday morning, I am hauling myself to the salon as soon as it opens, and getting my legs, underarms and eyebrows waxed, and getting a manicure and pedicure. In a spa chair. And I'm going to ask them to paint cherry blossoms on my big toenails. (In general, I am against "nail art" on principle... but I like having little sakura blossoms on my big toes. Everybody needs a little whimsy in their life)
Why won't this damn headache go away?
antimony

antimony

1
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

ARGH BLARGH!

I want to thank Dawndie for her observation that at the end of "Ocean's 11," it sounds like Andy Garcia is yelling "ARGHBLARGS!"   The reason being, I have this really, really annoying co-worker. I won't bore you with endless descriptions of her behavior, except to say that she drives everyone nuts. Those of us who have offices close to her frequently send each other emails to vent about her behavior. I have taken to giving all the blowing-off-steam emails the title of "ARGH BLARG!" so my coworkers know instantly that the subject matter is "her." It truly is what I'd like to yell at her when she comes in and starts reading the paper to me. And OK, here's a micro-vent: this woman is the consummate idea-stealer and funny quip swiper. Yesterday I made a comment about something that she felt was rather clever, so she promptly trotted off to tell other people in the office about her idea, then came back, got on the phone, and started calling people to tell them about her wonderful idea. And she does this within earshot of me -- once it goes into her head, it becomes her idea. Let's just say, if it's important, I won't even say it within earshot of her.   And my evilness is really minimal in this category, because every now and then I could plant an either bizarre or completely incorrect story in her brain, and watch her carry it around to half the world. She would say it with all the certainty of the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. But I do believe in karma, or the golden rule, or guardian angels shaking their finger angrily at you, so I don't try it. Plus, lest you think I'm too pure, if I told her something stupid just to watch her carry it off, she'd probably tell everyone it was my idea once it was exposed as being stupid and/or false. So my karma would jump up and bite me in the ass rather quickly.   But I have evil coworkers. Last fall I impaled the underside of my forearm on a dried-up shrub. I didn't realize I'd driven a shard of the shrub into my arm until about a week later, when the doctor extracted it. Being rather amused, and knowing a few of my friends at the office just love a good gross-out, I brought the shard in so they could see it. Crude jokes about me going to no end to have a woody in me ensued. Word spread and people who hadn't even known about the boo-boo on my arm came in to see what became known as "the branch."   Not to be outdone, a few days later "she" started carrying on that the had somehow scratched her eye, that she was in agony, that she could barely keep it open, how it was watering so hard that she could'n't see, and infection was probably setting in. (It didn't look any worse than the non-injured eye -- her eyes are normally bloodshot.) I can't tell you the number of times she stuck her face in mine, pulling down her lower eyelid and yelling about her pain. Having utterly HAD IT with her competitive and attention-seeking bullshit, a couple of my coworkers tried to convince her that she should go purchase an eye patch. They told her it was critical that she keep her eye closed and protected. And SHE DID IT. The two people who talked her into it still high-five each other when they think about it. Of course, the next day, she showed up to work sans the eye patch, claiming a miraculous recovery, due to her superior immune system.   There must be a Twilight Alchemy Lab formulation that could work on this person. If there was, I'd do a group order with at least 4 or 5 other people. We'd all need our own bottle. Beth could make a cool $150 or so, thanks to the office battle-ax.   And hey, how about that Mum Moon formulation? I realized after I'd put in my update order last week that I should have ordered Mme. Moriarity. I read the Mum Moon description and decided, oh well, there's a good excuse to order the Lunacy upate and a bottle o' the misfortune teller. So, I'm back to having more than one outstanding order. My disjointed little universe once again has its requisite suspense and deferred gratification factors!
valentina

valentina

9
Sourball Ho!
 

Update!

I didn't post after the Carnaval Diabolique update because I wanted to wait for Chrysanthemum Moon to place an order. So now that Chrysanthemum Moon is up: HOLY CRAP! What a great update! I'm truly blown away by the size and scope of CD, and that there are more scents over the next year to look forward to. The art! The descriptions! The potential wonderful smellies!   I didn't think I'd like Chrysanthemum Moon, but sure enough I read the description (linking to CD, natch) and decided to go for it. I also ordered bottles of F5 and Mme. Moriarty. CDs I would like to try in upcoming orders:   Carnaval Diabolique -- what the heck will opium smoke smell like? Gennivre -- I haven't tried much of the tea blends, and this sounds nice Midnight on the Midway -- sugared incense?? This I gotta try! Xanthe -- this might go on the back-burner just because of all the fruit. I love the fruity blends, but more so when they're paired with something dark or boozy (like Perversion or Bordello)   And the GC additions were great! I want to try:   Caliban -- ugh, it's been so hot here and I've really been trying to find a nice summery fun blend to wear, as most of my BPAL bottles are dark and brooding. So salty seas, wine and tropical ferns sound great Cockaigne -- milk, honey, sweet cakes and wine? Yes please! Death of the Gravedigger -- snow and soil sound intriguing Les Bijoux -- skin musk and honey? Yum! Lyonesse -- so many favorite ingredients, like vanilla and amber and musk, but with sea moss added? Weird and cool! Port Royal -- see above re: summery scent
dawndie

dawndie

0
This Old Snark
 

Color B(l)ind

The living room, formerly a sort of cranberry red - which was lovely when the living room was a cool grey but clashes badly with the candy apple green, is currently a decidedly horrid first-coat shade of yellow-orange papaya.   It's a fun shade. Festive, even, but just not what should go next to such a bright, vibrant, glowing green. Just... no.   So The Mister just got off the phone with Snarky to propose... black.     His reasons: 1) the Snarks already have a gallon matte black (not because they are goths, but because they wanted to use it as the base coat for the gumball red going up down in the basement... because they are goths)   2) the ultimate wall treatment for the living room will be nothing more than a framing device for all the state plates (The Mister's new Goodwill scavanger hunt obsession) large art posters (Mucha and other Arts & Crafts/pre-Raphaelite/etc. type work) and other various arty things. The walls will be crowded with stuff, and any color will be even less than background in the end.   3) the tenative theme for the living/dining room is "chinoiserie", with the brilliant green accented by laquered blacks, clear reds, and crisp whites. Using black in the dining room would in the end clash much less than the Bango-Mango-Madness currently erupting along two-thirds of the dining room (and ringing the windows and trim)   4) resale, schmesale.   So... Snarky's convinced. Worst case scenario: they end up using a gallon of Kilz to remove all proof of their folly. Best case: they continue to make this house truly and uniquely ChezSnark.   Still, yikes!
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

7
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Rain

We had thunder and lightning last night and it's been all gray and drizzly outside today. Now it's raining- I love the rain. There's just something about it that is soothing and refreshing to me. I'm happy for it. It's going to be a good day.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Art

I signed up for the design class. It's my first class of the day! And then I have math! And then a break! And only then do I have my favourite instructor! This feels scary. Not to mention that I don't actually have any financial aid at the moment. All my classes are way far away from each other, too! Okay, the math to psych doesn't matter much, since I have my break then, but dude! They are really far apart.   Winter I'll be taking math, english 201 and. . . Dunno. Maybe another art class, if this one works out.   Spring. . . Biology and speech for sure. Maybe archaeology, too. Maybe art.   I'm obsessing, and that's never a good thing.   My emoticon favourites don't show up here. That's sad!   Ooh! I got my checks in the mail today! And I've got my license and social security card (I think I already mentioned those) and my new debit card! So friggin' exciting!
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Flashbacks

It was a geography class of some sort. Everything about it was unfamiliar. Faces, carpet, desk, rules. . . Everything. It was painful. I wanted to cry all the time. It was so very hot during the day; unrelenting heat, and so early in the year. Everything was wrong. I dreamed about home everytime I closed my eyes.   A scrap of paper was delivered, and it was a small note; pre-typed and a single word scribbled out: home. I was going to be excused from the rest of my classes because I was going home. Home didn't mean the drab little tent in the RV park where we lived. I was certain to the core that home meant leaving this cruel desert and returning to my beloved desert.   As it turns out, I was right.   I wish I knew what happened to the little girl who lived next "door" to us. She was a sweet kid.   Over the course of one or two months, I lost about 40lbs. There was just no money for food. I had lunch at school. That is a diet I would fall back on several times in my life.   It didn't help.   I left that place, but it never left me.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

More death, less angst

I am thankful that I'm related to my father for one reason: His mother.   I love my grandmother. She passed away in October of 1998 in Vancouver, Washington while I was in Provo, Utah. I didn't cry when I got the news. I wish I could've spent a little more time with her, and it wasn't expected, but I was surprisingly at peace with it.   She was a sweet, willowy, classy lady. Her hair was always done. She loved cheerful colors, her grandchildren, and petunias. She was tiny and smelled like powder and cigarettes, and she always wore lipstick. I think I would look a lot like she did when she was young if I lost, like, more than half of my total body weight. She really was an amazing lady, and I really, really miss her.   I wish she could've been at my wedding. She would like my husband. He would adore her. Everyone did.   She never lost her wits, mobility, or sense of humor. I am glad I didn't have to go through watching her health decline, like so many other people have done and seem to be in the process of doing right now. A lot of people are talking about their grandparents on the forums right now, and that's what made me think of her.   She was one of a kind. I'm certainly not eager for death or anything, but I sure can't wait to see her again.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
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