kebechet

Hi all! I'm back from the dead, so to speak. It's been really rough lately, and its been all I could handle just getting through the day with everything that's been going on. I wanted to post a formal introduction for Nella, but it looks like she's done that herself. She is a very welcome addition to the BPAL family, and is here to help me keep up with emails, public postings and store gossip. Without Nella, the site update would never get done, the emails would keep getting further and further backlogged, and I probably would have ended up in a loony bin within the span of a month. Just prior to Nella coming on board I started having nightmares [no exaggeration] that emails were coming in to my home computer from the theatre and the Lab nonstop and wouldn't pause long enough for me to answer everything. As of the day we hired her, I finally got some sleep. *sigh* I'm going to start a new thread in the announcements and formally introduce everyone that's helping out with the Lab and give an indication of our current status with orders.

This week is being spent redoing a few errant orders and reshipping a few that the USPS sent back to us for reasons unknown. We are shipped out through 3/23 and I believe we will be done with the entire month of March by mid-week. International orders seem to be going agonizingly slowly due to strict probing at customs. There is now a two-week to almost month-long back up on orders. Though we have two people in the Lab full time, one of them was basically replacing me as I had to return to my old full-time job to pay off all the missing package drama from months ago -- we still haven't recovered. In addition, making the new blends costs a heap of money so in order to do so, I need to keep working here at the theatre. It's a treat. Two sample ty'ers quit, so we had to spend some time coercing other people to take up the slack on that [apparantly] unpleasant duty. Anjali and Brian are doing their best to get the orders out, but with me and Ted only there part time it is backing up a little more than its usual slow process. I can only rebuild scents on my one day off a week, or at night when I get back to the Lab, so that's putting a little dent in things, too. I spend so much time chasing down orders that the USPS or CcNow or my crap email ate that I don't do much of anything else at night. I apologize if this delay is inconvenient.

There's a possibility that I might be able to work with some stores in Scotland as potential retailers for BPAL. My question is... will it be easier on you all if you order from us, or from a UK distributor? I know Glasgow and Edinburgh aren't around the corner for all of you, but it may make shipping cheaper in the long run. Just a thought. =)

I had no idea this much discussion was going on.

I received an email this morning asking if BPAL is closing down. I feel weird having to state this, but no, we aren't. Well, at least… if we are, no one’s told me. From what her email said this is some rumor floating around MUA. [Why is that acronym giving me the heebies now?] I just thought I should address this before this rumor got out of hand. The email is still floopy at times, the USPS has a grudge against me, the site update was delayed, and I'm slow at being able to reply to everyone. But... ...well, that's business as usual.

I'm going to do my best to get all the emails and PMs that I've missed replied to by Tuesday night. I haven't had a second to look at the forums or answer anything in depth, but I hope to have a breather over the next day or so. I'll do my best to catch up as quickly as possible. Thanks everyone for your patience. Things are slowly but surely getting back to normal. [famous last words!]

The theatre got super busy [read shitty and hellish] so I've been there almost 60 hours / week recently. I'm FINALLY at the Lab today for a decent amount of time so I should be able to catch up on emails and PMs. Famous last words, right? =P

Everyone who has ordered through 3-20 is out!

If you have Lilith or Oneiroi in your order and have not received the shipment yet there will be a slight delay in getting it out to you.

No worries, L. It's just a day or two delay. I'm out of one of the components, and I don't have a day off until the end of the week to finish distilling the oil we need. I *live* for the day when BPAL can take care of itself [and me!] so I can quit this lousy day job. =(

... when people then email me and tell me they didn't get them. This is particularly plaguing orders I send to apartment buildings. My question is... do I now start to require signatures for delivery? And yes, I'm still behind on emails. Not enough time in the day, guys, but I'm trying my hardest.

Quick update: we're still on a 10-14 day backlog. It seems like this is going to continue to be the average ship time until we make this into some sort of corporate, million-employee conglomerate. =P We cannot seem to get things blended and assembled any faster than this.

If you have emailed me in the last century and have not received a reply, please resend. I fucked up the reinstall royally and wiped the whole archive of old mail. I knew I should have let Brian do it. Don't really feel like talking about it. Sorry for the hassle. =(

It's still in the works. Damn CcNow makes things so difficult. I've tried to activate it three times now with no success.

What she said!

I read the post topic as "Has anyone ever gotten head?" I do, sometimes. Sometimes I get nauseated, too, when I'm bombarded by too many scents for too long -- like if I've worked in the Lab for too many hours without going outside. Because we use organics and essentials, you're dealing with medical quality plant essences, and some people have a very strong reaction to certain notes. It's best to try and isolate the specific note that's bothering you and avoid purchasing scents that contain that component in the future. I don't have that option. You can also dilute the blends with a carrier oil to lessen their potency.

Damn cramps have finally subsided, and I'm almost myself. Of course I'm sickeningly behind on emails [as seems to be the usual case lately] but I'm going to do my best to get some out tonight, and then more when I get back tomorrow. I'm going to caffeine the hell out of myself tomorrow night, so everything should be answered by the time I pass out. Here's hopin', right? =P

How could I *ever* be mad at you, honey? =) It's the kit I promised you that's a-comin'.

Lora, you've got another one coming to you that I'm sending out on Saturday.

I just found out that Brian reshipped some errant international packages yesterday: some are new orders, some are reshipments, some are going out for the third time, some simply because it's been almost a month and they haven't arrived at their destination. Some of you may be lucky enough to end up with three duplicate packages. =P I will make a public post regarding who specifically went out when I get in tonight just so there's no confusion. There's nothing I can do to control the postal office or customs. I'll be happy to issue refunds to whoever requires one. Just please let me know before I reship again. TY.

I'm going to the doctor's for a medical proceedure Friday morning, and I'm in a bit of discomfort tonight, which will likely worsen tomorrow, so I wanted to warn everyone that my replies to shipping inquiries and general emails will have to wait for just a short time. I'm sorry about this. =/

At this time there is still 1 10-14 day delay on all shipments as we are still recovering from the USPS snafu and are still trying to figure out what all is missing.

Oh, Diana, if only you knew... the angry, ANGRY, resentful thoughts I was having while I was in the doctor's office today...

Does this mean there's a 10-14 day delay from when CC Now says an order shipped? For instance, they say my last order "shipped" on 3/13. Does this mean I should expect it sometime between 3/23 and 3/27? If so, no big deal (I'm still busy with my imps from the last order ), but it's good to know so I don't think this one is lost, too, lol! No, just a 10-14 day delay from the day you ordered. =) CcNow marks things as shipped arbitrarily it seems. =P

Warning: Vulgar and Blunt Post Ahead I feel like I had a boiler room coat hanger abortion. Today was HORRIBLE.