paper beats golem, fire beats undead nazi zombie freaks
1.) Oh man, it feels so good to have a weekend off. Especially after working nine days straight. Nine stress-filled, maddening days as we integrate a new system that's supposed to make things better, more efficient. So far, not so much.
2.) Not much else has been going on. Been feeling disconnected a lot and have had hardly any time to talk to anyone - anyone important to me, that is.
3.) I believe Supernatural has been on an upswing. I've really enjoyed the last few episodes.
"LARP and the Real Girl" was pure joy.
Despite the retcon regarding John's dad (see "In The Beginning," when Dean meets young!John and some random guy tells young!John to "say hello to your old man for me"), I like the concept of the Men of Letters introduced in "As Time Goes By" and how it's bringing back that contrast between Dean and Sam from the early seasons, but now rendering it something complementary. The clandestine knowledge of the Men of Letters meets the practical application of hunters. There's potential for awesomeness. Also potential for power and the inherent corruption therein.
Anyway, it looks like the soap opera is finally over. (And hopefully the writers won't revisit the teenybopper wretchedness of "Bitten" - one of the few times SPN truly disappointed me.)
I'm an Edlund fangirl, so there's obvious bias, but I adored the re-imagining of the golem myth in "Everybody Hates Hitler." LOVED it.
Also, Sam in a sweater vest!
And Dean playing with a scimitar like a little boy on Christmas morning.
And the bat cave works for me. I'm sure it won't last. But I'm delighted that the boys are together, without any apparent angst or conflict, in a safe haven. For now.
4.) What else? Enjoying the new Frightened Rabbit album, Pedestrian Verse. I wish I could see them when they come to town in April, but it's not only during a working weekend for me but it's also on my mom's birthday. So, nope.
5.) Still spending most of my online time on tumblr. Because, you know, it's actually active.
6.) Spending way too much time lately looking at dresses I can't afford and would have nowhere to wear on ModCloth. Like this one, and this, also this, and also this.
7.) Over the holidays, I received quite a few fragrances, and I don't think I ever reviewed them, although I wrote up notes on them (because I'm a nerd like that). So here.
• From rosemarygrace @ Etsy:
- The Righteous Man
... inspired by Dean Winchester, is a musky, woodsy blend with spicy anise and Cinnamon, smooth sandalwood and a touch of cypress highlighting the unique blend.
Wet: Anise is strong. Definitely spicy. Almost clove-like. Reminds me of Easter ham cooking. LOL
Dry-down: Less intense but much the same. I must admit I like this best when mixed with Wayward Son. Wincest shipper for life. *g*
- The Wayward Son
... celebrates Sam Winchester with a bright, complex scent. Hyssop and Sage provide soothing clean notes, while a hint of Patchouli and Amber add a subtle dark and mysterious presence underlying the scent.
Wet: Warm amber with a lovely earthiness. Light.
Dry-down: Yeah, quite possibly my favorite of this set.
- Thursday’s Child
... was created for Castiel, the Angel of the Lord. His ethereal, natural scent carries the angelic notes of Sweetgrass and Lilac, underscored by earthy Bayberry, sensual Vanilla and Exotic Sandalwood.
Wet: Masculine. Changes quickly. The vanilla and sandalwood combine to make something warm and intriguing.
Dry-down: Loses the masculinity to become more unisex, imho. Lovely.
Okay, a little later, I swear it flutters toward masculine again. Make up your mind, Cas!
- Demonic Forces
... is a dark, loamy scent, based on the Demons of the Supernatural World. Rich Fig, Heavy Myrrh, and Dark Patchouli are punctuated with the sharp tangy notes of Bergamot, Bay and Cedar. Mysterious and Strangely Enticing.
Wet: Enticing indeed. Dense and intoxicating. I get glimpses of each note, but they all fade as quickly as I catch them, coalesce into something dark and sensual, and maybe a little sinister.
Dry-down: Fades too quickly. Fucking demons, always jetting off in their fancy black smoke.
- Angelic Visions
... for the Heavenly Host. Clear sweet Verbena, Holy Frankincense, and Calming Sweetgrass blend seamlessly with masculine Musk and Rich, Spicy Vetiver to create a scent highlight both the Warrior and the Otherworldly aspects of these divine beings.
Wet: Spicy and sweet. Vaguely citrusy and rather clean.
Dry-down: Stays strong and about the same as wet.
• From falsenostalgia @ Etsy:
- Don't Forget The Pie
Don't Forget The Pie! - A pie buffet that Dean would not be able to resist: cherry and apple with luscious double crusts, along with a dollop of vanilla "PUDDING!" (because crazy works), with just a touch of oak for a sexy base.
Wet and dry-down: Cherry pie, full stop. Unabashedly foody. Quite nice.
• From delightfulriot @ Etsy:
- Hufflepuff
A homey, comforting scent, built out of several woodsy notes overlaying an earthy, herbal base, sweetened with a touch of maple.
Wet: Warm, low-key. The maple isn't distinctive, but I think it centers this in a foodiness that makes me think of campfires, fire pits and hearths. It is earthy, grounding, and inviting.
Dry-down: Definitely homey and comforting. I only wish it had a bit more strength.
- Gryffindor
A bright, valorous scent, bursting with warm notes of verbena, mandarin, spicy jasmine and a deep amber musk.
Wet: Very bright and citrusy-sweet. A bit strident, actually.
Dry-down: Slight spicy quality. More appealing, but still sharp.
- Slytherin
A cauldron bubbling over with tart apple, spicy caraway and a heady cloud of dark incense smoke.
Not as apple-strong as I'd like, but a mysterious, mutable scent fitting the head of that house, Snape. The incense quality is most apparent with this one, but not a total head shop smell either.
(I don't know why I didn't try Ravenclaw too. Maybe next time.)
- Catwoman
A sophisticated and captivating urban scent. Feminine musk paired with just a teeny bit of sweetness, dusted over with touches of leather and catnip.
Wet: Sweet and pleasant.
Dry-down: Kind of sexy and fun with a good lightness. Could use more leather, but the musk is lovely. My only complaint is that it could have more throw. Something named after this character seems like it ought to be stronger.
- Leaf on the Wind
I am a leaf on the wind - watch how I soar. This quote ushered in one of the most triumphant and then suddenly tragic moments in cinematic history. The scent reflects both the triumphant, with a bright and sweet green top note, and the tragic, with a gentle, aquatic undercurrent of tears drying in the wind.
Wet: Urgh. No. Does what BPAL's jasmine notes do with my body chemistry and turns to a quasi-piss smell.
Dry-down: No.
- Persinette
Before Rapunzel, there was Persinette. A beautiful, alluring woman, blessed by the fairy, this scent reflects an entirely girly and sexy combination of pink grapefruit and sweet ginger, with sassy hints of pink peppercorn and a light musk.
Wet: Sweet, in that space between fruity and floral.
Dry-down: Getting the grapefruit most strongly, without smelling like I've squirted grapefruit juice on myself (as I have many times, eating them). It gives it an edge. Maybe that's the peppercorn working, without being obtrusive. This smells pink. But in a good way. A bold pink, not girly-girl. A pink with a bit of fuck you behind it.
- Setite
A slithery, seductive smell. A mixture of sweet forbidden fruit coated with snake venom and an alluring and subtle lemon-lime musk.
Wet: Somewhat soapy, with a hint of spice, a stronger hint of floral.
Dry down: Bitey and bordering on pungent. Not bad but a bit too harsh for my taste. The lemon-lime thankfully does not make it all like cleaning solution or candy - two common results with those notes plus my chemistry.
My favorite recently-acquired scent remains Saltwater by FirebirdBathBody @ Etsy, which is meant to capture the nostalgia of the ocean/seashore... and it does so perfectly. <3
8.) Finally, for those of you who didn't see Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer participating in Amoeba Records "What's In My Bag?": watch it and fall in love with them even more.
2.) Not much else has been going on. Been feeling disconnected a lot and have had hardly any time to talk to anyone - anyone important to me, that is.
3.) I believe Supernatural has been on an upswing. I've really enjoyed the last few episodes.
"LARP and the Real Girl" was pure joy.
Despite the retcon regarding John's dad (see "In The Beginning," when Dean meets young!John and some random guy tells young!John to "say hello to your old man for me"), I like the concept of the Men of Letters introduced in "As Time Goes By" and how it's bringing back that contrast between Dean and Sam from the early seasons, but now rendering it something complementary. The clandestine knowledge of the Men of Letters meets the practical application of hunters. There's potential for awesomeness. Also potential for power and the inherent corruption therein.
Anyway, it looks like the soap opera is finally over. (And hopefully the writers won't revisit the teenybopper wretchedness of "Bitten" - one of the few times SPN truly disappointed me.)
I'm an Edlund fangirl, so there's obvious bias, but I adored the re-imagining of the golem myth in "Everybody Hates Hitler." LOVED it.
Also, Sam in a sweater vest!
And Dean playing with a scimitar like a little boy on Christmas morning.
And the bat cave works for me. I'm sure it won't last. But I'm delighted that the boys are together, without any apparent angst or conflict, in a safe haven. For now.
4.) What else? Enjoying the new Frightened Rabbit album, Pedestrian Verse. I wish I could see them when they come to town in April, but it's not only during a working weekend for me but it's also on my mom's birthday. So, nope.
5.) Still spending most of my online time on tumblr. Because, you know, it's actually active.
6.) Spending way too much time lately looking at dresses I can't afford and would have nowhere to wear on ModCloth. Like this one, and this, also this, and also this.
7.) Over the holidays, I received quite a few fragrances, and I don't think I ever reviewed them, although I wrote up notes on them (because I'm a nerd like that). So here.
• From rosemarygrace @ Etsy:
- The Righteous Man
... inspired by Dean Winchester, is a musky, woodsy blend with spicy anise and Cinnamon, smooth sandalwood and a touch of cypress highlighting the unique blend.
Wet: Anise is strong. Definitely spicy. Almost clove-like. Reminds me of Easter ham cooking. LOL
Dry-down: Less intense but much the same. I must admit I like this best when mixed with Wayward Son. Wincest shipper for life. *g*
- The Wayward Son
... celebrates Sam Winchester with a bright, complex scent. Hyssop and Sage provide soothing clean notes, while a hint of Patchouli and Amber add a subtle dark and mysterious presence underlying the scent.
Wet: Warm amber with a lovely earthiness. Light.
Dry-down: Yeah, quite possibly my favorite of this set.
- Thursday’s Child
... was created for Castiel, the Angel of the Lord. His ethereal, natural scent carries the angelic notes of Sweetgrass and Lilac, underscored by earthy Bayberry, sensual Vanilla and Exotic Sandalwood.
Wet: Masculine. Changes quickly. The vanilla and sandalwood combine to make something warm and intriguing.
Dry-down: Loses the masculinity to become more unisex, imho. Lovely.
Okay, a little later, I swear it flutters toward masculine again. Make up your mind, Cas!
- Demonic Forces
... is a dark, loamy scent, based on the Demons of the Supernatural World. Rich Fig, Heavy Myrrh, and Dark Patchouli are punctuated with the sharp tangy notes of Bergamot, Bay and Cedar. Mysterious and Strangely Enticing.
Wet: Enticing indeed. Dense and intoxicating. I get glimpses of each note, but they all fade as quickly as I catch them, coalesce into something dark and sensual, and maybe a little sinister.
Dry-down: Fades too quickly. Fucking demons, always jetting off in their fancy black smoke.
- Angelic Visions
... for the Heavenly Host. Clear sweet Verbena, Holy Frankincense, and Calming Sweetgrass blend seamlessly with masculine Musk and Rich, Spicy Vetiver to create a scent highlight both the Warrior and the Otherworldly aspects of these divine beings.
Wet: Spicy and sweet. Vaguely citrusy and rather clean.
Dry-down: Stays strong and about the same as wet.
• From falsenostalgia @ Etsy:
- Don't Forget The Pie
Don't Forget The Pie! - A pie buffet that Dean would not be able to resist: cherry and apple with luscious double crusts, along with a dollop of vanilla "PUDDING!" (because crazy works), with just a touch of oak for a sexy base.
Wet and dry-down: Cherry pie, full stop. Unabashedly foody. Quite nice.
• From delightfulriot @ Etsy:
- Hufflepuff
A homey, comforting scent, built out of several woodsy notes overlaying an earthy, herbal base, sweetened with a touch of maple.
Wet: Warm, low-key. The maple isn't distinctive, but I think it centers this in a foodiness that makes me think of campfires, fire pits and hearths. It is earthy, grounding, and inviting.
Dry-down: Definitely homey and comforting. I only wish it had a bit more strength.
- Gryffindor
A bright, valorous scent, bursting with warm notes of verbena, mandarin, spicy jasmine and a deep amber musk.
Wet: Very bright and citrusy-sweet. A bit strident, actually.
Dry-down: Slight spicy quality. More appealing, but still sharp.
- Slytherin
A cauldron bubbling over with tart apple, spicy caraway and a heady cloud of dark incense smoke.
Not as apple-strong as I'd like, but a mysterious, mutable scent fitting the head of that house, Snape. The incense quality is most apparent with this one, but not a total head shop smell either.
(I don't know why I didn't try Ravenclaw too. Maybe next time.)
- Catwoman
A sophisticated and captivating urban scent. Feminine musk paired with just a teeny bit of sweetness, dusted over with touches of leather and catnip.
Wet: Sweet and pleasant.
Dry-down: Kind of sexy and fun with a good lightness. Could use more leather, but the musk is lovely. My only complaint is that it could have more throw. Something named after this character seems like it ought to be stronger.
- Leaf on the Wind
I am a leaf on the wind - watch how I soar. This quote ushered in one of the most triumphant and then suddenly tragic moments in cinematic history. The scent reflects both the triumphant, with a bright and sweet green top note, and the tragic, with a gentle, aquatic undercurrent of tears drying in the wind.
Wet: Urgh. No. Does what BPAL's jasmine notes do with my body chemistry and turns to a quasi-piss smell.
Dry-down: No.
- Persinette
Before Rapunzel, there was Persinette. A beautiful, alluring woman, blessed by the fairy, this scent reflects an entirely girly and sexy combination of pink grapefruit and sweet ginger, with sassy hints of pink peppercorn and a light musk.
Wet: Sweet, in that space between fruity and floral.
Dry-down: Getting the grapefruit most strongly, without smelling like I've squirted grapefruit juice on myself (as I have many times, eating them). It gives it an edge. Maybe that's the peppercorn working, without being obtrusive. This smells pink. But in a good way. A bold pink, not girly-girl. A pink with a bit of fuck you behind it.
- Setite
A slithery, seductive smell. A mixture of sweet forbidden fruit coated with snake venom and an alluring and subtle lemon-lime musk.
Wet: Somewhat soapy, with a hint of spice, a stronger hint of floral.
Dry down: Bitey and bordering on pungent. Not bad but a bit too harsh for my taste. The lemon-lime thankfully does not make it all like cleaning solution or candy - two common results with those notes plus my chemistry.
My favorite recently-acquired scent remains Saltwater by FirebirdBathBody @ Etsy, which is meant to capture the nostalgia of the ocean/seashore... and it does so perfectly. <3
8.) Finally, for those of you who didn't see Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer participating in Amoeba Records "What's In My Bag?": watch it and fall in love with them even more.