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Notes to myself and anyone else

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Planning a Lupercalia order (mini breakdown)

First of all, quoting myself:     .....looks like I got my wish with a few of these. I also noticed a fair bit of chypres or chypre-like scents. I'm excited but I think I can narrow these down to just one or two bottles, and maybe a handful of decants. There were quite a few scents that I was able to remove from the list without hesitation.   Color key: Bottle Decant Shimmery Chypre Black text means still up in the air about whether to hunt down a decant, put it on wish list for later, or let it pass by altogether   OLISBOS 2011 – polished wood, well-loved leather, and olive oil. This has possibilities, but I'm not very hopeful. It's a possible decant just to try it because I don't want to rule it out completely. Olive oil will probably make this smell strange and not for me. We'll see, maybe.   RED LANTERN 2011 – Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. This sounds so sensual and appealing. I'm almost positive I've tried one of the older versions, but I don't own any and I may want a decant this time around.   TIME DOES NOT BRING RELIEF – Remembrance: Parma violet and leather accord with beeswax, Egyptian musk, orange blossom, white tea, lavender, myrrh, and copal. Kind of a half 'n half list of notes, some I like and some I don't like. It's worth a try. I think it could be too soapy or perfumey.     ++ LUPERCALIA: NOVEL IDEAS FOR SECRET AMUSEMENTS   BURNING VULVA – Vanilla-infused amber, leather, beeswax, cyclamen, oakmoss, peru balsam, orange blossom, red ginger, tonka, opoponax, myrrh, and black pepper. This is in the running for a bottle! I will watch the will-call posts for impressions.   COUPLE ENGAGED IN LOVEMAKING – Honey, lemongrass, black tea, white ginger, and grains. Well, this is a possible decant but it might get squeezed out by others with higher priority. There is something appealing in the combination of notes but honey might be a sticking point. I used to think I hated honey in perfume but now I'm not even sure any more. Sometimes it's okay.   COPULATING MICE – Bergamot, clove, hazelnut, pecan, lavender, tonka, and thyme. Perfectly cute scent, would be a good decant choice. I don't like nuts in my perfume but I want to try this. And who knows, it could surprise me.   DANCING KOI – Brown musk, leather accord, toasted sandalwood, clove, labdanum, and champaca. Brown musk worries me but I want a penis scent, and this looks like the one most likely to work for me. Toasted sandalwood in combination with brown musk might be too fuzzy and.....brown. I know I have to try this, for sure, and it might be a bottle purchase.   FESTIVAL MASK – Rubbed sage, ti leaf, osmanthus, immortelle, patchouli, amber, and mandarin. Could be nice, interesting notes, worth a try. Decant but not bottle (unless it surprises me, of course, but that goes for all of these).   HARIGATA II – Coconut, white amber, hazelnut, and anise. See above note about me wanting shimmery white scents. Hello, here is one! Could be odd, but it's worth a try.   LOOSENING OF THE OBI – Rice wine, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, and white musk. Again with the shimmery/white scents for spring. I want to try it!   SPRINGTIME PLAYFULNESS – Green and brown musks, coconut husk, wisteria, lemongrass, hydrangea, cranberry, woody sandalwood, and ripe squash. Hmmmm...another penis possibility (I love trying the penis scents). Can't imagine what this will smell like, so obviously I need to try it, right? That artwork is simply too much. I may have to get it for the label alone. That is high quality comedy.   TEA – Darjeeling tea, lemon verbena, star anise, and honeycomb. Hmmm....sounds like a nice, fresh spring scent. Not my usual thing (and there's that honeycomb.....), but looks to be worth a try.   YOUNG PINE SAPLINGS – Cream, clove, ginger, and honey. Have to really think about this one! I love spicey scents and this looks like a good one. I'm not afraid of the cream as much as the honey, but combined with spices that honey might be tamed. Definitely need to try this one.     ++ LUPERCALIA: ODE TO APHRODITE   APATOUROS – Deceptive One – Black fig, green tea, opoponax, ciste absolute, myrrh, carnation, nutmeg, and Brazilian vetiver. I'm guessing this will have a citrus vibe, grounded by spices and vetiver. It's worth a try but might be too much like some other scents I have. I might have to compare this to some of last year's Lupers that did not work, so I can compare notes and decide if I want to even try it.   APHROGENÊS – Foam Born – Orris root, iris, white honey, white sandalwood, coconut, and cherry blossom. Again with the white and shimmery. I have discovered that I like white sandalwood (I used to think I didn't like it). Yup, probably have to try this one. KYTHERIAN – She Who Conceals Love-Affaris – Black narcissus, purple orchid, neroli, white sandalwood, ambergris, plum musk, jonquil, thyme, oakmoss, and grapefruit. I'm curious bacause this sounds like a floral chypre. It looks interesting.   NIKÊPHOROS – Bringer of Victory – Black currant, patchouli, blood orange, oakmoss, galbanum, benzoin, and white mint. Another chypre? Want to try.     ++ LUPERCALIA: VENUSTAS   MALE NUDE, ARMS UPSTRETCHED – Dark musk, linen, and red chypre. Yes please! My number one choice for immediate bottle purchase, unsniffed. Wasn't there a white chypre in one of the Yule scents? I wish the lab would give us a whole series of chypres of different hues. I'd have to try all of them! MANILUS HURLED FROM THE ROCK – Frankincense, leather accord, sandalwood, Himalayan cedar, nutmeg, and violet leaf. I've been flip-flopping on wanting to try this, but I think I'm going to have to try a decant. I almost want to pass it up but it has just enough potential.   THE RING – Antiqued amber, frankincense, patchouli, hay, oakmoss, skin musk, and white mint. Hmm, another chypre-like scent?? Sounds pretty interesting, and I think I'll definitely have to try this.   WRESTLERS – Vetiver, guiac wood, peru of balsam, two musks, labdanum, saffron, and rum accord. Another must try, but it may not work. This is another scent that I'm having trouble imagining what it will smell like. I'd like to find out!
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Pending....

Well I'll be damned......how did I end up with all this stuff pending??   Decants.....   Carlin, Feeding The Dead, Hell-Gate Of Ireland, Lambs-Wool, Trick Or Treat, and Devil's Night   Countess Dolingen Of Gratz, Sarah, and Julia Stone   A Fit Of Artistic Enthusiasm, and Hideous Heart   Trevor Bruttenhelm, and Abe Sapien   (a total of lucky 13!)   Lab order.......   Falling Leaf Moon, Kroenen, and 2 bottles for Moonarcana.   Woo Hoo! This always happens at the beginning of fall.
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Order madness

I'm kind of relieved......I think I'm all caught up on my ordering, at least until I get to try my Yule decants (then the madness starts all over again). I am resisting the urge to order a bottle of Meditation In Autumn. I wore it again today, and I realized it smells like November, only greener, with less snow. It does have a bit of icy bite, somehow. But the resemblance to November is close enough that I don't think I really need a whole bottle after all. If, however, someone were to offer a swap, I certainly would take it.   I am excited to try the Yule blends, still have to track down a decant of Mole, but other than that, I'm all caught up on decants I want to try.   I absolutely can't wait for my bottle of Fearful Pleasure to arrive, but it looks like I still have over a week, at least. Hurryhurryhurry!
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Oops

I bought the HP Lovecraft Retrospective book of art. :love!:   Very expensive, but very stunning book. It's huge.
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Oh, the indecision!

As we all know, the Carnaval is leaving town very soon. I have a pretty decent selection of CD scents that I like, even a few bottles. Now is the time to get off the fence and decide on a couple that I've been waffling over.   I had a decant of Wulric the Wolfman, and I did like it a lot. For some reason I swapped it or gave it away, I can't remember....probably because I thought I would end up getting a bottle. Well, I still haven't, and time is running out.   I have a bottle of Doc Constantine, but it's only half full, and I'm wondering if I should get more or just leave it at that.   .......actually now it's getting busy here at work, more later.
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Oh, and also.....

Continuing my previous posts.....how could I overlook the Snake Pit? I bought the whole thing when it first came out, swapped out a couple of those bottles (Asp Viper, Banded Sea Snake, Green Tree Viper, Australian Copperhead....okay, more than a couple), and I still want to get rid of Saw-Scaled Viper, eventually. But with the ones that I've kept, I doubt that I will need any kind of Snake Oil-related scent again, ever.......especially since I have 2 bottles of Snake Oil itself 'cellared' (and it's hard to believe one of them will be 2 years old in November!). Oh and I swapped that imp of Anaconda for Doc Buzzard, a worthy trade in my opinion.   So unless Snake Charmer is re-released, I am good on Snakey scents for a long, long time. At the rate I wear oils, I may never use them up completely.
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Oct wear your Halloweenies challenge 2022

For me to keep track    Sat Oct 1 - Dead Leaves, Violet Candy and Sugar Crystals  Sun Oct 2 - Magnificent Autumn  Mon Oct 3 - Pumpkin Cheesecake  Tues Oct 4 - Pumpkinville  Weds Oct 5 - Dead Leaves, Black Plum, Bitter Clove, and Oudh  Thurs Oct 6 - Brom Bones  Fri Oct 7 - The Shadowed Veil  Sat Oct 8 - Pumpkin Booze; Sweet Ginger & Patchouli hair gloss  Sun Oct 9 - Icy Drafts  Mon Oct 10 - All Hallows Chaos: Dead Leaves, #82  Tues Oct 11 - Pumpkin Masala Rooibos  Weds Oct 12 - All Souls (2006)  Thurs Oct 13 - Pumpkin Chypre  Fri Oct 14 - Peasants Fleeing (Witchcraft)  Sat Oct 15 - Three People Plucking A Mandrake  Sun Oct 16 - Sugar Skull (2015)  Mon Oct 17 - Alice In the Pumpkin Patch  Tues Oct 18 - Dead Leaves & Ginger Spice  Weds Oct 19 - Nocturnal Witches Scene Thurs Oct 20 - Blade of Grass  Fri Oct 21 - Witches Taking Off For the Sabbath  Sat Oct 22 - Samhain (2006)  Sun Oct 23 - Cognac Stained Sheet Ghost + Supposed To Be A Pretzel  Mon Oct 24 - The Dance of the Farfadets  Tues Oct 25 - Day of the Skulls, 2008  Weds Oct 26 - Elegy IX: the Autumnal  Thurs Oct 27 - Pumpkin Queen + Pomegranate Morocco  Fri Oct 28 - Rickety Staircase  Sat Oct 29 - Fearful Pleasure  Sun Oct 30 - Dusk In Autumn  Mon Oct 31 - Death of Autumn.... And that's a wrap! 
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Not about perfume

I've only been here at work for an hour and a half, and I've already had my fill of these people. I know that supposedly there's no scientific evidence that the full moon affects people's behavior, but I'm here to tell you that it does happen. This current full moon (which was actually last night, I think) has brought out a lot of aggression and anger in many people that I've interacted with. It continues tonight, and I'm just about over it. Scratch that.....I am over it.
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Non-bpal wish list

I need a place to keep track of this. These are bottles I want....   Baghari....tried this again, not sure if I need a whole bottle, but it would be good for special occasions. Bleu de Chanel....waiting for delivery! Bois de Iles EDP.....waiting for delivery! Borneo 1834....lovely patchouli Chanel Pour Monsieur (probably the Concentree).....been back and forth on this, wanted the older formula EDT, but the concentree is good too, can't decide which one I like more, or if Heritage would be just as good. Dior Homme Intense......got it! Dior Homme Sport.....I like this because it's more accessible than Dior Homme but I can smell the spirit of Dior Homme in there, underneath the "Sport" part. Would be good for work. Eau de Guerlain.......keep forgetting about this, would love a large bottle! Again, a good one for work! Egoiste.....old formulation.......got it! Encens et Lavende.....this is gorgeous, need to test it a couple more times. Fille en Aiguilles......have wanted a bottle for quite a long time. Just bite the bullet and get it. Heritage (not sure which formulation though).......okay, tried the older formula, and yes it's very good. Bottle would be nice. Jeux de Peau..........scrumptious! Want it! Either this or 5 O'clock Au Gingembre, not sure I would need both.   More to watch for on ebay: Caron's Third Man Guerlain Samsara Platinum Egoiste.....need to at least try it Serge Lutens, Santal Blanc or Santal de Mysore (either or, both maybe)   ......   7/29/11.....don't feel like editing above right now but I want to add these to my wishes/interests.....   Timbuktu Body Kouros Rochas Man Beyond Paradise Men Dior Homme backup Original Santal by Creed Joseph Statkus Eau de Parfum Querelle by Parfumerie Generale
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non-bpal review/Vetiver Guerlain

Vetiver Guerlain   "fresh and outdoorsy, a blend of vetiver, wood, tobacco and spice." (description from Fragrancenet.com   I love vetiver and having read lots of rave reviews, I really wanted to try this. Wet on the skin, for the first 10 or 15 minutes, this is a glorious, almost dizzying swirl of fresh, bright citrus notes, with some green grassiness peeking in and out. I loved it! After a while, all the top notes fade and what's left is simply vetiver single note. It's a light, fresh vetiver, almost reminiscent of sweet hay. Not a bad thing, but I'd love to smell that first stage longer.
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non-bpal review/Pascal Morabito Or Black

Pascal Morabito Or Black   I sought this after reading Luca Turin's perfume blog, he seemed to really like it. This review is from one test on the skin (I'll probably wear it again, so I may add to this entry later).   top Note : bergamote, pepper, leather Note de cœur : benzoin, ciste, cyprus Note de fond : vetiver, ylang-ylang, amber, Tonkin Musk, oak moss.   Didn't refresh my memory on the notes first, so I thought it was primarily an incense scent. Wet on the skin, it was exactly that. Slightly reminiscent of Midnight Mass, but murkier, more 'black'. After a few minutes, very shortly, I realized there was a strong note of leather. It reminded me of something from my past, maybe Drakkar Noir. It seems to be a formal, almost stern scent. Heavy and dark. Not for everyday wear, but probably good for special occasions. The leather comes out strong and lasts for a long time.
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non-bpal review/Czech and Speake No. 88

Czech and Speake No. 88   "No. 88 is the signature fragrance from Czech & Speake. From its Aromatics Collection, No.88 is a blend of woods, bergamot, geranium, rose otto, cassie flower, frangipani, vetiver, and sandalwood. This gorgeous fragrance is worn by both men and women." (description from The Perfumed Court)   I was attracted to this because I read Morrissey wears it (and Elton John, too). I was so glad to find a source for a sample.   This is fabulous! It's a rose scent, but unmistakably gender-neutral, although some may find it masculine. The closest bpal I can think of is Thanatos, but No. 88 is definitely lighter, fresher, and not as powdery (not that I dislike Thanatos). It's definitely woody, but also floral and slightly fruity. It strikes me as a versatile scent.....I could wear this at work (and I did), or out on the town, or for a formal occasion. I would call it almost a studious rose scent, but dark, hinting at naughtiness.   Now I need to try their Cuba scent, because I definitely want a bottle of one or the other. This stuff is pricey and only available from the UK, so it's going to be a treat to splurge and indulge myself. If Cuba is as good as this, it's going to be tough to decide. I could absolutely wear No. 88 on a regular basis.
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Non-bpal fragrances

Seriously, I have way too many samples of non-bpal perfumes and colognes, that I need to test and somehow keep track of what I've tried, what I liked, and what I haven't liked. I've been doing this to a certain extent here on my blog, and I'm going to continue to do it. So far not many of them have "wowed" me to wanting a whole big bottle. I might want to get more Chanel Pour Monsieur, or maybe Parfums de Nicolai's New York.
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New York, Parfums de Nicolai

Well, this was a happy discovery for me. Warm, sweet and woody citrus/ambery scent, light in throw, some kind of vanilla sweetness going on, kind of a simple scent, excellent for work. And reasonably priced! Hallelujah! I bought a bottle and this could be my new signature work scent.
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my first post!

I'm starting this because I have 2 livejournal accounts, but I really don't participate in the bpal communities on lj. I used to be a member of a couple of them, but decided that my lj is not the place for my bpal trading. I still write about bpal stuff but I get the feeling that many people on my friends list probably don't care about bpal. So here I am.   Friday I had dinner with my dad and stepmom, and told them a little bit about my perfume obsession. Actually, I told them about Fabienne and Possets. They both expressed interest, and they might go to a Final Friday where Fabienne opens her studio to the public (along with many other artists at the Pendleton Art Center). My point, and I do have one, is that I would like to make lists of imp packs for my dad and stepmom, sort of a bpal introductory selection of scents. My stepmom says she likes gardenia, so I did a search on the lab's site and came up with a few possibilities. The one that stuck out most was Le Serpent Qui Danse. I think she might like Antique Lace, although I myself have never tried it. She works for Clinique and would probably like the more traditional-smelling bpal perfumes, at least to start out. Other than that I have no idea what her tastes might be, so I'd like to come up with a range of styles for her to try.   As for my dad, I would go for more masculine blends, obviously. The first one I thought of was Casanova. Maybe Whitechapel, Calico Jack, possibly Dracul. For both of them I'm going to stay away from limited edition scents, so in case they end up loving a particular scent we can definitely get more. That said, I would probably let them try some of my LE's, particularly from Carnaval Diabolique. Bonnie (my stepmom) might possibly like Midnight On The Midway, and heck, my dad could like it too (I love it, and I'm a guy).   So for the next couple months I'll be keeping my eyes open for possibilities, and I think there are at least a couple recommendation discussions I'm going to peruse also.
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Moving on to positive things!

Breakdown for the new scents (I need a break from studying, anyway)........I've never read Neverwhere or the other graphic novels, so these are based on notes, concepts, and imagery.   Mr. Croup....."Pompous and predatory: tonka bean, black musk, bourbon geranium, and crushed porcelain". Intrigued by the crushed porcelain, but the bourbon geranium is probably the deal breaker. At least....I know I don't like rose geranium. May try a decant eventually.   Mr. Vandemar....."Dark and gangly, with a glint of razor-sharp stainless steel behind it: opopponax, costus, black pepper, black sandalwood, and polished metal". Hmmm.....possibly.....but I'm kind of scared off by the black sandalwood, it hasn't worked much for me.....at least, I didn't like the one Ode To Mars scent that had black sandalwood. This looks interesting enough to try.   Door.....golden honey, nope.   The Marquis de Carabas....."A splash of bay rum, leather, dusty black wool, massoia bark, and opium residue". This looks pretty good, except maybe for dusty wool, but I'm willing to try a decant at some point.   The Rat Speakers...."A snuffling, brown scent: earthy patchouli, sage, russet sandalwood, grimy leather, fig leaf, and lemongrass". This sounds reminiscent of Brown Jenkins, and some of the Wind In The Willows scents.....and none of them worked for me. I would try it if it comes my way but I can most likely skip this one.   Anesthesia....."A scent that slips through the cracks: peppermint, lavender, bergamot, and mandrake". Sounds pretty and refreshing, not what I usually go for but I'm kind of attracted to it. Decant might be good at some point.   Night's Bridge...."Stone and darkness". This sounds totally intriguing, especially since I loved Sarah from last year's Halloween blends. I will probably end up trying this one.   Hunter....."Leonine amber, tanned hides, clove, and clary sage". Yes, I want to try this, definitely.   The Floating Market....."A cacophony of curious scents: copaiba balsam, petitgrain, citrus rind, sinicuichi accord, betel nut, wasabi root, coconut palm, and wattleseed layered atop innumerable strange herbs, spices, and woods". Sounds really interesting, sometimes I can do the more herbal scents. some of these things I'm not familiar with but I really don't see anything that worries me.   The Velvets....."Smooth inky musk, cathedral incense, ylang ylang, violet leaf, rose-infused amber, red sandalwood, and iris". This is interesting because I'm attracted to the concept and imagery more than the actual notes. Might be fun to risk a decant, and even better if I end up liking it.   Lamia....."Deadly elegance: pale orchid, lily of the valley, vanilla amber, black currant, white peach, champaca, coconut, honeysuckle, Arabian myrrh, Burmese vetiver, and oude". Sounds pretty and womanly, but could be worth a try. I like most of the notes.....but lily can be a deal-breaker.   Plutonian...."Soapy cleanliness sullied by blood and ashes". I don't like a lot of soapy scents but this could still work, and it's worth a try.   Mr. Qubit....."Gleaming metal, electrical discharge, and a whiff of tinny cologne". Sounds kind of like last year's anniversary scents....which didn't really work for me. But I'm still interested in trying most things that are dude-centric, which this appears to be. I'll be watching reviews.   Bette Noir.....sounds very womanly, I can probably pass on this one.   Kaidan....I already tried this....not bad but didn't knock my socks off. I may try it again some day.   Yurei....."White tea, hibiscus, Arabian sandalwood, white amber, ho leaf, pale Japanese flowers, and vetiver". Could be a nice springy scent. Worth a try, for sure.   Alana Patel....."Faded perfume, cigarette smoke, and gin". Not my kind of thing, but I'd be interested in smelling it just because it contains a note of cigarette smoke.   Witchblade...."Antediluvian, sacred metal, glowing red musk, blessed frankincense, and antiqued amber". Sounds pretty good to me....I think I'll have to try it!   Sara Pezzini....honey-dusted.....nope!   Det. Patrick Gleason....."A classic men's cologne splashed over a leather trenchcoat and a hint of gunshot residue". Sounds like it could be worth a try.   The Curator....."Mysterious herbs and ancient resins. Dust settled on ancient relics, both holy and malevolent". Worth a try, but could be too dusty.   Panther Moon....."Gleaming black musk, mandrake, labdanum, black ginger, benzoin, champaca, ambergris accord, myrrh, and star anise". I just don't know.....I mean, it sounds good, but I can't tell for sure if I'd like it, or if it will be too similar to other things I've tried. I didn't end up liking Velvet Panther, and black musk is one of those things that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't for me. This is very much worth a try, and could be worth a whole bottle. I just wish I could decide!   All of the honey scents........no.   Paduan Killer Swarm....."Tonka, black licorice, amber, golden sandalwood, ginger cream, bitter clove, stinging nettle, cinnamon bark, and coconut shell". I like the combination of notes listed, but what if it has honey, too? That would be a deal breaker for sure. But everything else sounds so good.....   Paramatman....."Orange blossom, East Indian sandalwood, and champaca". Yet another 'worth a try', although I don't usually like orange blossom all that much.   Ehecatl......"Hibiscus, matcha, white musk, and lime". You guessed it.......worth a try.   The Forest Reverie....."A sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke". Roses and lilies.......no, no, no.   L'examen de Minuit.....lilac and rose otto......nope.   Pyramus......"Dragon's blood resin, frankincense, amber, white tea, lavender, and golden musk". This sounds really good. It would be fun to find someone to split the pair with me, because I know I wouldn't like the other half.   Thisbe....."Diaphanous sandalwood, pink rose, lotus root, lemon orpur, and iris stained by mulberry juice". Pink rose and iris? I think not.
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More zoo stuff

I went to the zoo again last week, and had a nice relaxing visit. The weather was really great, a little chilly but sunny and windy.   I enjoy watching the serval in the cat house.....so graceful and.....willowy? I also love the feathertailed gliders in the nocturnal house. They are incredibly cute. It's funny because the nocturnal house is, of course, dark inside. At first when I looked in on the feathertailed gliders, I didn't see anything moving. So after standing still and watching for a couple minutes, I started to notice little darting movements here and there. They are like small mice, with weird tails that look kind of flattened out, which they use for gliding. I didn't see any of them jump or glide, but they were darting around and moving all over. They are so cute!   I watched the Sumatran rhinos eat for a while. I love their eyes. They open their eyes so wide you can see the white parts. The zoo built these really cool sun-shades over the rhino habitat, to protect them from the sun.   The insect house has a whole section that you walk into, and it looks like a greenhouse, and it's full of butterflies. There are a few different kinds of birds, too, including hummingbirds, my favorite. For a while I didn't see any hummingbirds but I was determined so I stayed in there for a few minutes, and finally spotted one. It was great.
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More video game stuff

Played through Bioshock 2 twice, rushed through the first time and then went more slowly the second time (got 2 of the different endings). I do really like it, the story is not as good but game play is a little more fun, more options of what to do with the little sisters, more plasmid upgrades, etc....etc....now I want to go back and play the first Bioshock again! However.....   I want to get some use out of my SNES and I keep feeling this attraction to older games. I ordered Zelda Link To The Past, and also Megaman X, so I can play those, as well as Super Metroid which I really didn't get into, but would like to start it back up again. I also have Earthworm Jim which is really fun but I didn't get very far into it (I played it on the old Sega Genesis, and was never really good at it, although I watched my room-mate at the time beat the game).   So, anyway......oh I also would like to finish Final Fantasy IV, which I started when I was waiting to play Bioshock 2.   (.....and I'm trying to be a student at the same time, LOL)
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More decisions.....

More bottles that I may or may not want....I need to decide!   A Fit Of Artistic Enthusiasm....."Electric jolts of mania: a salt-crusted coffin bobbing through tumultuous ocean waves". This sounds good, I'll have to decide when my decant arrives. If it's close enough to Kingsport, I may not need more. On the other hand, if it's a good substitute for Kingsport, maybe that would be a good backup for when my Kingsport runs out.   Hideous Heart....."A macabre Valentine: wild black cherries, licorice root, and cinnamon". I doubt that I'll need a whole bottle of this, unless it really knocks my socks off.   Trevor Bruttenholm...."A classic men’s cologne mixed with the scent of old, yellowed books, a splash of bay rum, and summoning incense". Could be too masculine, but I perk up at bay rum and incense. Waiting for my decant.   Abe Sapien....."A soft aquatic musk with kelp and juniper". Another aquatic! Can you really have too many? See Artistic Enthusiasm above for my thoughts on this one, they're pretty much the same. I have a feeling Abe might be more on the powdery side, but the decant will decide it.   Still need decants of Bite Me, Shadowless Like Silence, and Summer's Last Will And Testament. Rose kind of scares me off sometimes but you never know. You just never know.
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more Chaos squeeing

I want these!!   Dorian with......   Sunflower accord (like the Salon blend) Clove and autumn leaves     Snake Oil with.....   red wine
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more breaking down

Phantom Time Hypothesis....."A traditional Medieval perfume that never existed: balm, benzoin, damask rose, gumdragon, lignum aloes, orange water, ambergris, and vegetal musk". Hmm, sounds interesting, except for the rose! I can probably pass on this one, honestly. I'm kind of intrigued by vegetal musk, though.   Reptoid Dominion....."Malevolent superintelligent para-dimensional shapeshifting reptoid musk". I don't like all musks, but I'd love to try this one! It could be really great.   Skytyping With Chemtrails....."Incapacitating poofiness: spun sugar, white amber, white musk, citron, and lemongrass masking a sinister, almost chemical undernote of elemi, zdravetz, and ravintsara". Well, not so interested in this one....reminds me of a few other scents that I've already tried. I could end up liking it but I'm still trying to track down that bottle of Metal Phoenix. I may try this some day, though.   Staged Moon Landing....."Prop moon rocks: muguet, orris, white sandalwood, galbanum, cistus, and dusty vanilla". I am generally not fond of papery, dusty scents, with a few notable exceptions, so this one isn't really tripping my radar. White sandalwood can be papery on me, it's probably my least favorite kind of sandalwood.   Teatime In Roswell....."Aliens at high tea: Earl Grey, biscuits, Battenberg cake, and strangely-glowing cucumber sandwiches". I'm curious....or is that just the hype getting to me? : ) I would like to try this, though. I'm not totally against the occasional cakey scent.   Traipsing Through The Crop Circles....."Miles and miles of flattened wheat, barley, and maize". Not sure about this one. Just from the description, I can't really imagine what it would smell like. I didn't really fall for Bezoar or Hay Moon, and corn doesn't sound all that appealing, but again, this could be another one that surprises me and ends up smelling great. I just can't tell sometimes.
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Moody Myrtle

I have quit smoking again. I worked myself up to it, picked a date, and took the plunge. Please excuse any moody outbursts, I apologize in advance.   I also quit drinking, since that usually leads to smoking (music leads to dancing, and dancing leads to touching).   Anyway, this shouldn't be hard for me, I have already quit both for over 7 years in the past, and I was pretty dumb to start again.
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M. Micallef, Avant Garde

Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, cocoa bean, tobacco, incense, Russian leather, tonka bean, grey amber   I better review this now because this is the 2nd time I've worn it and probably won't try it again.   It's not terrible, just not for me. Basically it reminds me of Miller Vs. California. It has a very similar mix of leather and fruits, and there is even something papery, maybe the grey amber, or something about the incense notes. Sometimes incensey blends smell sort of papery to me (Heavenly Love And Earthly Love). Not a lot of cocoa bean or grapefruit that I can detect, and the bergamot is more of a suggestion of fruit than a specific citrussy note. Anyway, this is actually a nice scent. I think I just don't like leather scents all that much, with a couple of exceptions.
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Lupers breakdown 2023

Rating by interest on a scale of 1-5, for a few selected scents...   Cacao and Scorched Milk Perfume Oil - kind of interested, because it sounds like maybe the milk note from Snake Milk and I love that one.  3/5    Chocolate Chypre - not sure if chypre always works for me, but I'm definitely intrigued!  3/5    Femdom Perfume Oil An eagerly-anticipated whip crack of wild plum, champagne, and blackcurrant - I'm recently loving the Lab's champagne note, and I also enjoy fruity notes, so this is a no-brainer for me.  4/5    Silk Daffodil Perfume Oil Daffodil petals, spiced amber, and neroli - I'm somewhat curious except I think daffodil = narcissus, and I can't hang w/narcissus.. might try it somewhere down the line.. 2/5    Silk Tiger Lily Perfume Oil Ginger-splattered lily petals - now this one I am very curious about.  Sometimes lily can be really nice, and paired with ginger, it has my interest.  3/5    Sister Death Perfume Oil A sorrowful white lily fougere shadowed by yew branches - another lily to keep my eye on.  3/5    The Morning Star Among the Living Perfume Oil Black fig encased in saffron-threaded amber - sounds interesting, 3/5    The Serpent in the Roses Perfume Oil Snake Oil dribbling across a cluster of amber-flecked, blackened rose petals - heck yeah I want this, I'm another of those who has been wishing for a rosey Snake Oil!  4/5    A Medley of Vulvas Perfume Oil Bourbon vanilla, pink labdanum, pink pepper, honey, and bushman’s candle absolute - I tend to steer clear of honey but this almost sounds like a sweet bubble-gum type of scent, in which case I would want to try it.  3/5    An Introduction to Illustrious Kabuki Actors Perfume Oil White sandalwood, vanilla bean, fig froth, and buttercream - I feel like I need to smell this, lol.  4/5    At the Tea Drinking Perfume Oil Kamairicha, blood orange, and champaca blossom - there's the champaca I love - need to smell this.  4/5    Call of the Geese Meeting at Night Perfume Oil A raucous honk of red currant snuggled in downy orris root, coconut, and sandalwood smoke - I feel this one is calling out to me too, somewhat.  3/5    Copulating Couple Mimicking a Pose in a Shunga Book Perfume Oil Washi, matcha, crushed mint, green bergamot, white moss, patchouli, and lichen - sounds nice as long as the moss and lichen behave.  Possible decant somewhere along the way, although I've totally gone off buying decants lately.     Four Penises Perfume Oil Amber cream, lotus root, white sandalwood, teak, pear blossom, and white tea - looking forward to smelling this, and I enjoy trying the "penis" scents, when the notes look agreeable, lol.  4/5    Highest Quality Vagina Perfume Oil Golden amber and vanilla milk, sweet almond, honey, and soft incense - looks very sweet and honey isn't always my thing.  I'm curious, though.  3/5    Inspection Perfume Oil Black tea, smoked jasmine, cedarwood, sandalwood incense, and sweet sage - sounds pretty good, actually.  3/5    Kiseru Perfume Oil Red sandalwood, vanilla husk, and tobacco smoke - sounds good, would like to try.  3/5    The Tea House Perfume Oil Green tea, sandalwood incense, hinoki cypress, bamboo reeds, lemon petals, and plum wine - sounds good but maybe a little basic?  There's a lot of competition for my attention with this update!  3/5    Yanagi No Arashi Perfume Oil Pale amber musk and linden blossom splashed by a torrent of coconut milk, hazelnut foam, and heliotrope - very interested, something about the combination of these notes is calling to me.  4/5 
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Lupercalia scents

As much as I can remember, Lupercalia is my least favorite of the yearly 'big updates' from Black Phoenix. Every year, I get excited about trying some new scents, but overall, they've had the lowest success rate for me. I like a couple of the Shunga scents from '08, like Ebisu Making Love, and Men Ringing Bells (actually bought a whole bottle of that one, even though I don't wear it much). They both remind me of some kind of fabulous, expensive hair care products. And I really like Chintimani-Dhupa, which I think was a Lupercalia scent.   Today I got some of my decants from this year's update, and so far I've briefly tested Miller Vs. California, Lovers In A Rice Field, and Lovers With Rutting Cats. I think the Rice Field is the best out of those, but again, it smells like some kind of fancy shampoo or conditioner. Not so much foody as drinky to me, it starts out rather like shampoo or soap. Then it drifts into plum tea, then later into plum wine. This scent, in the early stages especially, is extremely reminiscent of one of the 4 Fat Cats wax tarts, but I can't remember which one. Basmati Rice, or maybe White Plum Chutney. This is nice because it reminds me of when I lived in northern Kentucky, three years ago, which although not the greatest time of my life, does have some pleasant memories.   Lovers With Rutting Cats is probably my least favorite of the three. It reminds me of Love's Philosophy, but not as sweet or sugary. Or maybe Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener, without the sassafras. Basically I get a lot of vanilla that comes off a little plasticky, and as a whole, the scent just feels a little flat or one-dimensional to me. I might be spoiled because so many other bpal scents seem 'deep' to me, and this one just falls flat on my skin, unfortunately. Of course, this is from a first impression, and those sometimes change.   Miller Vs. California is an interesting one. This scent actually smells more complex than the notes suggest. I first smelled a lot of sweetness, fruit, berries, and cream. The leather seems to be a supporting note only, nothing like the leather in Quincey Morris, or other leathery blends. As this one dries, it changes a lot. The papery note and the leather both come out stronger, and it also seems to get spicier, which I attribute to either the leather, fig, or possibly both (or maybe something else entirely!). At the beginning, this reminds me a lot of the newer Milk Moon, which I hated, but this is better....the cream isn't so sour or cloying. It's creamy, but the sweetness of the berries and fig balance it out a little more. I think the leather is actually helping to ground the scent a lot, even though I couldn't really smell it at first. Later, after drying, this scent smells entirely different.....it does remind me of some other GC scent, but I can't think of which one. Nephelim? Or the one I can never spell, Tzadikim Nasturtium or something. Anyway, I swear there is another scent that smells something like this, but I can't place which one it is. I like the early sweet and creamy stage more than the later, dry, papery/spicy stage of this one.   So far I can't say that I'm likely to get much wear out of these, but I also have yet to try my other decants. I have Flowering Chrysanthemums and Phallus Head still to try, as well as decants from another circle still on the way. I'm really looking forward to Dia and Glukuprikos (sp?).
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