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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
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cuervosueno's blog
 

unfortunate dinners and The Alchemist's Assistant

I guess I need to get used to the whole blog thing. Right now it still feels self-indulgent--who would want to read this? I suppose I should get over that, seeing as I'm a writer, and its a question I've often asked myself before (and discounted as unimportant).   (Dog break: Toby and Bel are playing tug of war with one of my favorite shoes. When I called out Toby, NO! he looked quite surprised.)   Anyway, not a day I can report anything of interest on. Its spring here in NM which is lovely--in the 70's today, and I had a good dinner at a new Japanese restaurant. But the place was more expensive than I expected, and I stressed about the cost, then my BF (who makes twice as much money as me) made a big deal out of the price (though we split the bill), and then went on to say how he was sick of paying for everything. which is a reflection on his previous women, not me, and I was in the odd position of both thinking, well, I've never asked you to pay my way, asshole, and then at the same time thinking: so why'd you pay for all of them and not me?   Ugh. I hate arguing about money, so I just left. Ruined my quite good dinner, I must say. But I did take some very good sushi home and feed it to my fox-dogs--since they're Japanese and all--and they liked it. And Kai, my german shepherd, had a piece too.   Well, I don't know if I'll always put a poem up with each entry, but here's another--this one from book #2 (In an Angry Season). I wrote this long before I ever dreamed of BPAL....   The Alchemist's Assistant   Lovely as the native birds that fly overhead unseen, the alchemist’s assistant feeds him corn gruel and chilies, sweeps the pitiful grate. Sings in her primitive way. Gathers the base stones, silent as severed tongues, which the alchemist cannot force into gold. In the windowless tower, the workshop is frigid with his frustration, dumb with his dogged desire. He has grown old here and still the stones refuse to yield. He mutters incantations and spells, pale eyes unfocused, while around him the world is littered with substances precious and rare: the assistant’s skin--copper ore, her black pearl eyes, and outside the lapis sky and cinnamon hills. The myrrh-thick garden between her thighs. He caresses the stones as another man would her breasts. In his dreams, she rides him like a nightmare, a vortex his secrets are sucked into. Her hands roam over his parchment skin and she plucks at his power like a string. And laughs. She treats him like an arrogant child-- with his foreign formulas, his old world computations, his numerical desires. He’s stubborn and inert as stone.   Tucked away in his tower of useless words, he withers. But the alchemist’s assistant leaves the workshop every day. She gathers the stones by calling their names--clicks of her tongue, syllables of silver, turquoise and jade. They flock to her and sing their stories. For her, the stones unlock their shy mysteries and shine. For her, mistress of the new world.
cuervosueno

cuervosueno

0
attar shanas's blog
 

Wishlist: Somnium

Oneroi - Created to invoke the ancient Greek deities of dreams. On the shores of the ocean, somewhere in the West, they dwell behind their gates of horn and ivory. Soporific, dark, and unfathomable.   Nanshe - The Babylonian Goddess of Dreams, who bestows the power of Oneiromancy onto her priests. This blend opens up psychic sensitivity during sleep and aids in the understanding and correct interpretation of portents and symbols.
sissa125

sissa125

0
attar shanas's blog
 

Wishlist: Excolo

Elegba - He opens all paths of communication, both mundane and Heavenly. His ofrenda contains coconut, tobacco and sweet, sugared rum.   * Gaueko - Blackened sandalwood and misty lavender, with curling wisps of smoky tobacco, nag champa, and labdanum.   Ochosi - He is the protector of children, the weak, the helpless, and the aged. His ofrenda is the soft shea he shares with Obatala, forest herbs, and sprucewood arrow shafts.   Olokun - Though decaying matter settles in His home, the Kingdom itself does not decay or erode. He is represented by the mudfish and his favor is shown through red coral and shark spines. His ofrenda is the scent of the lightless deep: the glorious, unknowable gloom of the ocean floor.   Pele - This perfume embodies her gentler, benign aspect as the capricious Goddess of Dance: muguet and Hawaiian white ginger enveloped by warm, damp tropical blooms.
sissa125

sissa125

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attar shanas's blog
 

Wishlist: Diabolus

Kumiho - Nine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger.
sissa125

sissa125

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Court's Vices and Musings
 

BPAL Bottle Inventory

I have many more bottles than I actually use, so I'm going to break down what I do use on a regular basis and what I don't into two seperate inventory lists. This is mostly to remind myself to get off my ass and actually sell/swap/decant from the bottles I don't use sometime soon.   Bottles I Love Or Like (divided into two rows of those I regularly use and love and those I like but use less often):   (Love) Fenris Wolf (10ml) The Cracked Bell Luperci Thanatos   (Like) Buck Moon Sed Non Satiata The Pit and the Pendulum Berenice Bloodlust Fallen Jacob's Ladder Blood Moon Temple of the Horned God (TAL) War (TAL)   -----------   Those I Don't Use (for whatever reason, usually because they don't work on me or aren't to my tastes):   Salamander (TAL) Mars The Masque The Rat King Harvest Moon 2005 (Never even opened! What's wrong with me? I think I originally purchased this solely for swapping purposes) Fruit Moon 2005 Dreamland The Haunted Palace Red Lantern Red Phoenix Khajuraho Chaos Theory CDIV The Scales of Deprivation   ----------   I think that's all of them...(not including those I have on order)
attar shanas's blog
 

Wishlist: Sin and Salvation

Bow and Crown of Conquest - Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather.   * Death on a Pale Horse - The End of All Things: empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily.
sissa125

sissa125

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attar shanas's blog
 

Wishlist: Bewitching Brews

Black Pearl - Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.   * Shadow - A subtly menacing blend of lemon verbena, white sandalwood and cedar, dimmed by droplets of the darkest patchouli.   * Ulalume - Starry white lilies lend an eerie brightness to the deep black wooded scents of cypress and oak, layered with a touch of crushed dried leaves and the faintest aquatic note.
sissa125

sissa125

0
littletingoddess' Blog
 

I wish that I was Jesse's Girl....

Once in a while, something comes along that reminds me of the 80's dork I once was. Something gets past the Metallica obsession I've cultivated, and reminds me of my roots in 80's rock and pop. Of when I wallpapered my room with pictures of the heartthrobs in Tiger Beat and Bop magazines. One such man is:     I've had a crush on Rick Springfield since I was 12. I was lucky enough to meet him in 2000, I felt like I was that 12 year old again - I couldn't talk! By the way, he smelled like the bubblegum he was chewing, and when he posed for a picture with me he rested his cheek on my head... not that I'm obsessive or anything.   Now I've discovered that he's coming back to the casino here in town for a concert in July! I bribed a friend to go with me last time, and I don't think I can get her to do it again... so I'll have to find another victim.. I mean, concert buddy.
littletingoddess

littletingoddess

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Straight BPAL-ing, yo

I think I'll do a BPAL-centric entry with current favorites. I first found the site in September 2004, and did my usual hem-and-haw browsing. I try not to be an impulse shopper as I could get in some serious financial trouble. I finally placed an order in October 2004 and received it in December: a 5ml of Perversion and a 6-pack of imps. Oh Perversion, you cheeky thing! What a great first scent to get, and I was immediately hooked.   I started purchasing off the forums and eBay on top of placing orders, but cut that out soon after (see above re: trying not to go overboard). So I place monthly Lab orders for no more than 3 bottles, usually on Lunacy dates, and of course swap whenever something good pops up. No bankruptcy yet!   Here are my current loves, in the order of the bottles hanging out in my box:   Perversion Bordello Dead Man's Hand Corazon Port-au-Prince Wanda Shub-Niggurath Alice Tarot: The Star Snake Charmer Gypsy Queen Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skull Haunted Palace Pink Phoenix Rose Red O Parlement of Foules Smut Antique Lace Black Phoenix Midnight Mass   Yeah. That's a lot, and that's less than half of the total bottles (most of which I like but aren't madly in love with, unlike the above-listed ones). I am utterly hopelessly smitten.
dawndie

dawndie

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Court's Vices and Musings
 

Never Been Blogged

I have never blogged before (please refrain from gasping ) so bear with me if my entries seem alittle too random, I'll try and do my best not to ramble too badly.   A random confession: I've never used an Ipod and I don't care for cellphones (althrough I do own one that my father adopted because he spilled a drink on his own cellphone).
Court's Vices and Musings
 

Swords - Good for Strengthening Stomach Muscles?

So, and this is a truly random topic, but I was reading the manga (graphic novel) Berserk Volume 3 a few days ago. The reason this is relevent is because the main character uses a huge broadsword, and has done a strength training exercise since childhood that involves doing a hundred repetitions of raising the broadsword in both hands above his head and bringing the blade slashing downward (keeping the sword held steady and aimed straight in front of him the whole time) in a controlled arc. He repeats this until he's reached a hundred repetitions of the movement. Being the Middle Ages freak that I am, I own several swords in my collection of medieval time-period related items and I suddenly, inexplicably, decided to try this very strength training exercise in the middle of reading the manga in question.   All of the swords in my collection are of decent or good grade metal but some are better made than others, or worth more, and all are of different styles. I chose a light-weight sword to practice this out with because I hadn't worked out in a while and still wanted to do all of the hundred repetitions.   I tried out this exercise in my upstairs living room (it was 11 pm at night; I am a bit of a night owl, and I couldn't practice out in the yard where there would be more space for safety reasons), so I took care to avoid the ceiling fan in particular amongst the furniture that might prove bothersome. I have practiced sword technique in my living room before so I know what to avoid (by previous trial and error of course! ). I started to ground (balance) my stance, one foot slightly in front of the other, and grasped the grip (basically, the handle/bottom portion of the sword below the blade) of the sword with both of my hands, bringing the blade to point straight north (as linear I could make it, anyway) in front of me. I raised the sword carefully over my head and then swung the blade downward in my best attempt to keep the swing of the blade in a steadily aligned arc of motion and then raised the blade again and repeated. I rested a few seconds after 20 repetitions and then repeated 20 more, and because I like to make things an even number, I did do this atleast hundred times, resting a few minutes every 20 reps or so. I watched Cartoon Network (which is basically comprised of shows like Family Guy around 11pm or 12am 6 out of 7 nights a week) while I did this and this exercise really was a nice change from doing pushups/sit-ups, etc. Afterwords, I could really feel the burn in my stomach area and upper arms, and I've been doing the hundred repetitions every few nights these last few days because the experiment has thus far proved a success, and works the stomach area alot more than I thought it would.   Its a much simpler exercise than practicing a whole routine of blade or staff moves (which is pretty difficult to do since my living room has a lot of furniture to worry about avoiding when moving around with a sword or staff) and its not as annoying as doing sit-ups on a hardwood panelled floor(ouch!). Plus, the act of swinging the sword up and downwards in an arc works the arms as well as the stomach and to a lesser extent the shoulders/back. Comparatively, I have found crunches (which is my most regularly used exercise move) to have much less (if practically any) impact on the arms and to often end up making my neck hurt. I also plan on trying this with my heavier staff (I own two staffs, one of a lighter weight and one that is much heavier and longer) just for a change of pace. I'll still do crunches, but I've found its good to have variety.   So there you have it. I got a workout move from reading a manga. Yet another reason to read graphic novels. And to be eclectic and bored.
This Old Snark
 

Trust

He trusts her. He continues to work silently over blueprints scattered across the living room rug as she presses her lotion-chilled fingers into the welts, all the angry red patches on his back. She works to cover all the places his skin has betrayed him.   His body seems, in all its solidity, horribly frail. He is an unbalanced chemical equation tipping forward on his haunches, always threatening to tumble away from her. Away and down into the dark valleys where she can't find a path to follow.   She tries to hold on with her slippery hands. Her palms linger on his shoulders, much longer than needed to set the medicine into his skin.   She resists the urge to shake him roughly, shake him back into the man he was.   He trusts her not to do this, not to stomp and wail and disrupt the little bit of foothold he has left. He trusts her to hold on, keep an anchor, keep him steady. He trusts her to trust that he will come back.
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

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Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Cosmos and Sea Breezes and Dirty Martinis

I'm sleeeeeepy today. I worked late last night, didn't eat enough the entire day (that happens when I get hyped) and then a girlfriend from work wanted to get a quick martini after the legislature finally adjourned at 8:30 pm.   A Cosmopolitan on an empty stomach is rather potent. It pisses me off that I have to love the sterotypical "Sex and the City" drink, but I do, in spite of myself. I love Sea Breezes too, and maybe I should start ordering them. I just love booze and cranberry juice and I still prefer Cosmos to Sea Breezes because I could take or leave the grapefruit juice.   My friend had a dirty martini with olives and a little bit of blue cheese, or something like that, sprinkled on the olives. She said it was yum, it looked kind of good, but ugh, I know I would have hated it with a deep and abiding passion. I am a fruity sort, in so many ways.   My girlfriend is fun, a diva, and we had a nice chat. We've both been so busy with work that we haven't talked that much recently. Once the legislative session ends, we have to get back to that periodic check-in over martinis.   OK, my perfume is still in the Tunisian Patchouli and O rut, loving it, my bra is a pretty shiny pale blue fabric with almost goldish undertones, with a gold-bronze lace accent. The bits are covered by a thong, in this great retro tattoo print fabric. Mainly blue and white, but with some red tattoo heart designs.   I anxiously await a CnS on my first Monster Bait order (underbed) and a GC order. I've been tracking the CnS thread this week, and my time is growing near. I always feel like a virgin bride awaiting her beloved when I know an order is coming...
valentina

valentina

2
*
 

top ten

bewitched
lampades
queen mab
shadow witch orchid
mabon
numb
hunter moon
kitsuni tsuki


KymbaKhan

KymbaKhan

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Sourball Ho!
 

intro entry

Hey! What's happening? I feel elderly as I have never blogged. So I'm testing!   I guess I'm pretty happy in general, as opposed to my blog title. Matt Groening (pre-Simpsons) used to have a little comic in LA Weekly called "Life in Hell" (maybe he still does? I haven't checked) and there were a few collections that were published in the '80s with such titles as "Love Is Hell" and "Work Is Hell." One of his strips was the 9 types of couples, and DH and I fit the mold of Sourballs vs. the World, i.e. "can you believe the crap that is on TV?" Hence the title of my blog and DH's website.   We started dating in January 1991, when I was 20 and he was 25. I know! That sounds like I was a baby, but of course I didn't feel like a baby because I was so effing mature. Heh. We got our own place in July '91, and my parents were pretty accepting considering their 20-year-old was moving out with some guy she knew for a year. But here we are, 15 years later. Things turned out fine, Mom.
dawndie

dawndie

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Rheliwen of the Weeds
 

I think I'm dying

Well, maybe not...that's a case of shock advertising for ya!   Last week Thursday-ish I developed chest pains, like I had been screaming for hours and my throat was raw. I wish my life was that exciting . It was accompanied by minor blah cold symptoms, but were easily forgotten and gone within 3 days. However, my cough is still here and is getting worse. It's a dry cough and I can't do anything about it. Cough drops, medicine, and liquids just don't seem to help. I blame moving to NJ with all its deciduous trees.   Anyways, I still prepared myself with these defense mechanisms for my evening international political economy class. Just as it was getting started, I was seized with an uncontrollable coughing fit. I'm not kidding you, I must have beet red, my eyes were streaming the tears as I desperately tried to make it stop. Class was stopped so everyone could stare at me...so embarrassing. Single-handedly the most out of control coughing fit I have ever had (and I've had nmeumonia and mono)   I spent the next 20 mins convulsing as the coughs tried coming up while I fought to keep them down. I must have looked so silly.   Cut to the end of the class where I'm walking out with the professor and she says to me, "you were quiet in class today."   ...ummmm...
Rheliwen

Rheliwen

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shelldoo's Blog
 

labret

whoo hoo, years or desire for the small bar have finally come to fruition! yahooooooo happy birthday to me, i gave myself a trip to the piercer, he custom ordered an 18g black crome cute wee labret, it didn't hurt a bit and looks fabu.   the flip side i had pt which once again kicked my ass, seems i am sliding backwards not getting better. i hate pt
shelldoo

shelldoo

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Is Anybody Out There?
 

School

I was all excited about placing into the college level algebra... went in today, and the instructor jumped into chapter 5. Chapter 5!!!@#$#$!!~@@#!!~!#$%&(#! Dude, I'm not that smart. Seriously. And it's the first day! I don't have my freaking books! I didn't get the financial aid check until saturday!! Then, she tried to play it off like it was school policy for us to have to get the customized book with the cd-tutorial thing so that we could all take our quizzes from it or some crazy shit, but when I went to the bookstore, the manager (not some student employee, but the actual manager) seemed flabbergasted that we'd be required to get that book. Also, a bunch of people in the class had already gotten the book, and hadn't gotten the one with the tutorial, which cost them an extra $40. And I knew it'd be hard, but I wasn't expecting it to sound like she was speaking a foreign tongue.   So I looked over the homework, and none of it is making any sense to me. At all. And it makes me feel awful, because it's not even that advanced, I just don't have the foundation I need, apparently. And I'm starting to panic because I need this class... If I can't cut it, I'll have to spend 3 quarters on JUST math. Which means it'll be a whole year of waiting to accomplish the prereq's for the radiology program, so it'll be pushed back to the summer of '08 instead of next year, and that's if I'm lucky and all the stars align and.... Wow, I'm insane. And english is sounding like it may become a class I'll hate, sadly. But I'm going to stay with it because I think I may like the instructor... tentatively. I don't know. I'm pretty insane.
smallvoice

smallvoice

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