smallvoice

I think if you're not ready for therapy, it's really a waste of your time- it was for me, before I got things together a little more. Only time will tell what I'll make of it this time. You'll get to where you need to be, and you'll do it in the way that is right for you, I have no doubt. Hope and Faith are the vampiric siamese twins from Carnaval Diabolique and may only be purchased as a set- One is sugared roses and the other is sugared violets.

Does anyone have thoughts on Nemesis? The lab description reads: Cypress, ginger, fig, dried rose, red patchouli, tonka bean and cyclamen. I don't know what cyclamen smells like, and the cypress may go musty on me, but it has some promising notes, and I didn't see anybody mention it.

My college has classes that begin as early as 6:50 am. The highway to get there is the main highway between the nearby cities. Wouldn't you think that it would be top priority to get cleared off? That and, you know, the streets that run by the college? Excuse my mouth, but holy fuck. Three lanes, and I'm in the middle one. There's a semi and an SUV up ahead and to my right, a car a ways ahead of me, and a truck to my left- and a car behind me. All the sudden, the SUV hits an icy patch and starts veering for the side of the road... but she doesn't. She panicks and starts trying to straighten out the car- in the process, crossing all three lanes and circling more than 350 degrees... and lands smack in the middle of my lane, so that I'm heading for the side of her car, and I'm slowing down and praying that she will figure something out and get moved, and it hits me that she's so freaked out that she's not going to be able to do anything, so I have to do something or hit her car, so at about 30 mph (which I've managed to slow down to, on our 70mph highway), I slip into the right lane at literally the last second, and was shaking and trying not to sob the rest of the way to school... but I didn't wreck my car, and I didn't kill her, or anyone else, but it was SO scary. I don't want to go in tomorrow unless it's all melted away. ALL of it. Dude, that is so scary. I almost threw up. I was so freaked out the entire time I was driving home, too.

I love you guys! Seriously, you don't know how much I needed to hear all that, because out here, even my husband has been like, "You just need to shake it off." which is totally wierd and also not very comforting. I did stay home, and it snowed some more. I missed a math test and turning in a paper, but I don't even care in the slightest. It's so strange, because we have snowplows and ice melty things, and there's just no real excuse for the roads being as bad as they were that late in the morning. And... wow, sand to combat icy roads? That's so bizarre. The only thing I can think is that maybe if the ice is thin enough, the sand will break it down and help provide traction somehow?

My mom used to wear Shalimar exclusively, and she agrees that Haunted smells a lot like it. Hijack: That review of Andrabell's for Dorian is what brought me to the forum!

I swapped for this one recently and it just arrived today. I was worried by some reviews and the description that it would smell too much like an air freshener and/or holiday candle... and that's what it smelled like to me, the moment I sniffed it... and then it bloomed into a perfume. It doesn't smell artificial, but it's not overly sweet like a holiday candle might be. There is something very graceful and almost innocent in this blend. I can't stop sniffing the back of my hand, which is where I tested it earlier. It's not much of a morpher- it just sort of unfurls and gets comfortable- but it is certainly a perfume, rather than a skin scent... if that makes sense? Sometimes the oils wear like a second skin, and sometimes they are perfume-y... and there are other ways they wear, I'm sure, but I'm tired. I think I may end up liking this more than I originally expected to- this one wasn't high on my list.

It's late, and I'm tired, so I know that's mostly why my emotions are all over the place. I suck at this dieting thing, even though I love salad and fresh fruit and wheat bread... I'm just not doing well with it. I need to add exercise, but I'd have to clear out the front room to really do that, plus I don't have the energy to divert in that direction at this point. I found some old floppy disks that had files and photographs on it from years ago, and there were several of the man I don't think I've ever fully recovered from. I love my husband, and I am completely his, but because there was something so raw about the relationship I had with this other guy, my heart still aches a little at the thought of everything that happened. I wouldn't be with my husband if it hadn't happened like that, though. Anyway, I've been feeling nostalgic for all these old things/experiences lately, and I realized that nothing ever stays the same. The saying "You can never go home again"? Really applies to me right now. Not physical homes, but online communities. I miss Charlie. Anyway. I'm going to go play mind-numbing games until I can sleep. Stupid Verizon. I'll update about them later.

I really want to try Death on a Pale Horse- it has my beloved white musk in it, which I think might keep the patchouli in line. Anne Bonny wasn't agreeable, though she wasn't terrible either. I guess I'm undecided. I'm also undecided on Tweedledum, but my husband certainly doesn't like it. I tentatively like it, but that may not be enough. zankoku, I don't mind you posting here at all! Feedback and experience are what I'm looking for, and more questions mean more answers! ETA: Oh, and I am lusting after the Snake Pit.

You've gotten really great recommendations already, but I wanted to throw my support behind Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, Alice, Katharina, and Eat Me- plus add a suggestion for Drink Me, possibly. Black Opal is another one that is beautiful and still grown-up.

I had high hopes for this one, and I have been longing to try it since I discovered that this is a note that really smells amazing on me. My high hopes were not disappointed. If anything, they were exceeded. I could die over how beautiful this smells. It is clean and light, gossamer and ethereal. I don't get any sense of butter and I can possibly imagine a hint of vanilla, but it is mostly just that clean, white musk that lays so softly on my skin and smells stunning. It is magical. THANK YOU!

Kurukulla is lovely- it's rose and lotus, and it's just beautiful.

I mortified myself this morning. I rushed to get to school and was about ten minutes early, and the math classroom was empty except for the instructor, who looked like he was grading papers. So I came in and looked over my math, and I thought about running over to the admin building to get the add sheet I'd forgotten to pick up yesterday (and again today!) but decided against it. People slowly filter in, and this girl sits next to the instructor and starts asking him questions, so I don't want to interrupt that, but I do want to catch him before class starts, so I go over there, pull up a chair, and listen to what they're discussing while I wait my turn. Finally, I'm like, "Hey, I don't mean to be rude, but I forgot to grab an add sheet." He stares at me blankly and is all, "Add sheet?" So I say, "Yeah... to add me to the class... I spoke with you yesterday about it?" And he laughs, and loudly says, "Oh, I'm not the instructor." He glances back and then points to the guy walking in the door. "He's the instructor." Mortified. So I slunk back to my seat in shame. How awful. And everyone heard the exchange, but seriously, I'd only met the guy yesterday and I didn't really remember what he looked like, and... yeah. So freaking embarrassing. The rest of the day was fine, though, surprisingly.

Heh! Yes, he was. The worst part is that they looked nothing alike, other than maybe they were about the same age. I'm feeling better about it, though.

I don't even have an episode of Heroes recorded to soothe my wounded soul from today. My math teacher? Is insane. No calculators on exams or the final. This is an algebra class. He also does pop quizzes and collects homework randomly, and doesn't make use of the online math center that helped me so very much last quarter. This blows. Math was the class I was least worried about. Now I have to upset my whole schedule, and it's just aggravating, and I just don't like the guy, right off the bat. Although I hated my english teacher early on and we're on good terms now. I think I'm going to drop math this quarter and take it next. Now to figure out a good class to pick up in its stead... My eyes ache from my earlier hysterics.

I did get into another class with a much more relaxed environment- my issue with no calculators is that if I need to know what 9 cubed is or the square root of 1728, I want a calculator so I can practice the steps I need to know. Maybe I won't need one on higher levels of algebra, but I've always needed one in my prior two quarters of this. He just didn't mesh with me, and I have a feeling his arithmatic would not have been simple- he came across as the teacher who tries to trip everybody up, and I can't deal with that; I need someone who really wants me to succeed. I do appreciate the reassurance, though! If it had been anyone but this guy, I might've stuck with it, but he just came off as... awful.

The watchdog group didn't work out. We paid stupid Trinsic. They're going to disconnect the number entirely in 24-48 hours, so I'll probably be without DSL until Verizon can get us hooked up. I dunno how long that'll take, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry, for I am not gone. Ugh. I hate this.

Alice is a creamy rose, but the carnation gives it a hint of spice, too. Euphrosyne reads as a really green rose to me, but it is sweet, too. Finally, Moon Rose is really lovely, and I know someone mentioned it upthread.

As has become expected, I am doing much better today than I was yesterday. I am SUCH a freak the first day of a new quarter, seriously. Speech is going to be challenging, but I think it'll be good for me, and I already like the instructor. I got into the 8:00 math class and dropped the one that traumatized me, so even though I'll have to get up at 6am, I'll be totally done with school by 11:30, and that is really nice. I have missed that. I'm half tempted to do a 7:00 class next spring so I'll get out at around 10. But... eh. I'm not that much of a morning person, and dragging myself to yoga at that time was seriously difficult, and that was only two days a week. I like my Lord of the Rings instructor, too. I have a feeling that is going to be a good class for me; I just need to get reading. For now, though, I need to do some math! to everyone! Thanks for all the support!

I spent tonight with my husband, cleaning up our kitchen and playing Baldur's Gate and watching the ball drop, and it was fantastic. It's our second New Year together, but our first as husband and wife, obviously, so it was special. I know how lucky I am. It's going to be a great year, even if the going isn't always smooth, because all I see when I think about 2006 are the shining moments, even if I was a basket-case for so much of it. Thus, the good outweighed the bad. By a lot. Happy New Year everyone! Oh, and my new watch? Is beautiful. In case I forgot to mention that among the Christmas postings.

This has to do with teh sex. There's your warning. First of all, I'm in the midst of an anxiety attack so bad that I'm about to cry. This doesn't have to do with sex, but it does sort of explain my mindset. I've even tried applying Whitechapel, and I'm still this bad. Okay, so, intimate time with the husband was minimal while we had the roommate to look after, and I've kind of gotten used to it being that way. I love sex, and I love him, but I have so much trouble getting my head into the right frame of mind. It almost makes me panic, and I dread even cuddling with him because I'm always tense, because I know he's going to ask for it, and you guys don't know how much I wish I could make this entry friends only. I've got more to say, but when it feels like 6000 eyes are prying, I just freeze up. How fitting. Now I'm pissed, for no reason at all. Gah. PMS already? I need to get it together, because I'll be in school on tuesday. I'm really glad we're only having a 3 day week. I'm so nervous about having to read LoTR. And I'm nervous about math. I really want to do very well in it.

I have tried talking to him, but he's so freaking understanding. That sounds awful of me, right? But he's just all, "Well, stress can have that effect. We'll get it all worked out, trust me." He's so considerate, too. He tries not to ask often, but... yeah. I just wish our sex drives were in synch again. (Dude, I feel dirty saying "in synch" and it's all because of N'Sync... anyway. /minor rant)

This one needs more mention- I hadn't really heard much about this blend, but I got a frimp in a swap a while back and never got around to testing it. I was going through my imp box, and found it today and, wow! It smells like almonds, the way almost every one of BPAL's almond blends do, in the imp. On my skin, it seems like the almonds may stomp out everything else, but then the honey comes to visit, and some spices creep in, until there's this exotic atmosphere- it's everything I wanted from O, but better. I love the richness of the honey in this one! The Queen of Sheba is right next to Bengal in my bottle wishlist.

The Hesperides are the first ones that come to mind, followed by Verdandi. You might also look into blends with apple blossom as a note. G'luck!

I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get back in here, but thank you all for the replies! I'm going to try to cover this basically in the order the recommendations came, though I may flub up here and there- and I'm also going to be doing catalog scents first and then LE's. Let me first try to summarize the length of my post, because this sucker is long. Here's the short list of catalog scents I'm most interested in trying: Tweedledum, Iambe, Depraved, Oberon, Vixen, Ravenous, Masquerade, Desire and maybe Sri-Lanka. (If I had to choose a six-pack, I'd cut out Sri-Lanka, Desire and I guess Iambe... that was tough, though.) I have an imp of Urd on the way already! LE's I'll be watching for: Mme. Moriarty and Red Phoenix. And here's the rest! Thanks for all the help, guys! Tweedledum is on my must try list, because I'm hoping the sweetness will balance out the patchouli. Plus, I really liked Tweedledee. I'm fully convinced that I must try Iambe, as well. I tried and tried not to be a floral girl, but I think I might be, because this one sounds really pretty. Depraved has apricot, which means I must try it. Umbra sounds like the spices might make it wearable, but it's not on the top of my list. Ravenous is appealing because of the orange blossom, and because it's red patchouli- which, I believe, is sweeter than black. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, though! Tisiphone makes me nervous because of the oleander, and neroli is hit or miss with me. However, ylang ylang with patchouli has potential. I don't have a problem with jasmine, so the Caterpillar is on my list now. The complexity of the notes bodes well for it, I hope! Plus there were several recommendations for it! I'm generally okay with vetiver, but I'm a tinge concerned about it reacting badly with the patchouli. I am going to try to get around to testing some of the Salon- so far I've only gotten to Lucretia, but I'm thinking there may be others I'd want to try before Two Monsters- who knows, though? The notes make it seem quite unfriendly, as well. Tezcatlipoca came up a lot, and I had forgotten all about it having any patchouli in it. I tested it in July, and I really loved the way the scents came together. The cocoa was perfection, but it ended up smelling really musty. Because of the white musk, I really want to try Oberon. I don't know if I even noticed it had patchouli in it when it went on my wishlist, heh! Sin makes me nervous because of the sandalwood being listed so prominently on top of the patchouli, but it's worth a try. Vixen is one that's at the top of my list because it has orange and ginger in it! It sounds lovely, for sure. Does Spellbound have patchouli in it? It's not a listed note, but if it's in there as an undercurrent, all the better! I have an imp of Urd coming to me, and I am very excited about that. It doesn't sound like my kind of scent, but that doesn't mean it's not. Plus, everyone needs some fate in their lives. I have an imp of Anne Bonny that I need to try. Something really soured the honey in Hetairae and it just didn't work on me. Masquerade sounds perfect for me. It's right up there with Vixen. Sri-Lanka sounds yummy and unique. Mantis was okay on me, but nothing wonderful either. I'll have to give it another try. Sed Non Satiata has the potential of being very good or very bad, as I look over the notes. Still, it has cognac, and I'm always interested in trying blends with cognac! Wanton sounds like it has potential, though it's not high on my list of things to try- I'm still unsure about roses, for some reason. I may have to look for both aged and new Snake Oil and give it one more go- although I'm pretty sure the Snake Oil I tried was aged. I tried Verchernyaya recently, and it was soapy mcsoaperson. It wasn't deadly sweat bunnies, or whatever it was I said, but it wasn't something I'd want to wear regularly, either. I think poppy is a note I can't pull off. Desire has caught my eye, and I think it is on my most wanted list, as well. Imp, as I recall, wasn't horrible on me. It was like a sweeter version of Hollywood Babylon with less of the overpowering musk. I may have to try it again! Lust is flashing warning lights galore at me. It's got three danger notes and one good one- but then again, Euphrosyne had no business working, sooo... I can't rule anything out. Limited Editions that were mentioned: I've tried Mme. Moriarty, and I liked it, but didn't love it. I may have to give her another go, however! I also tried the Phantom, and did NOT like it. I'm not sure what it was, it just didn't do it for me at all. Trick 1 and 2- I haven't tried Trick 1, because there are other things I'd prefer to swap for with the things people are seeking in exchange that I own. (Did that sentence make sense at all? Heh.) Trick 2 was sweaty death bunnies- well, musty death bunnies, anyway. Red Phoenix is one I will have to keep a lookout for!

Hee. If you look at the list of scents I want to buy right now, check out how many of them are predominantly florals. MLST isn't, and Alice isn't quite, and there's also Bengal, which certainly isn't one... But by and large, those are floral scents! How did that happen? Also, look at how many of those feature rose! I came in to BPAL with a strong dislike of rose, but I have, as they say, seen the light. Hah. I also didn't like vanilla very much. Hopefully that was just my own scent discovery, and it won't change so drastically over this year.