Let me say the following right out: I have a slight hoarding problem. In the interest of making space and not being mental, I have decided that I need to use the items up and (here's the important part) not buy new items. This last part has been a challenge, but I'm sticking with it.
I have it broken down by weeks (except for the Dec '08 list at the bottom).
March 2009
03/01/09 to 03/07/09
Bird's Nest Body salt scrub ~ Ice Queen (16 oz)
Can-Do Candles tart ~ Lisa Lemon Bars
Fickle Faerie tart ~ Bogie (pomegranate, pink grapefruit, lemon, vanilla)
HoT tart ~ Key Lime Cotton Candy
IOE body glaze ~ Spearmint Kisses (4 oz)
JJE conditioner ~ Sugared Spruce (4 oz), blue spruce, sugar crystals
Villainess tart - Scintillating
03/08/09 to 3/15/09
BI body mist ~ Blue Sugar
Can-Do Candles tart ~ Peppermint Spa
Can-Do Candles tart ~ Raspberries & Cream
CP anti-frizz hair serum ~ Cotton Candy (1.5 oz)
HoT Scent Boutique tart ~ Iced Rose
Lush Coalface cleanser (sample)
Mel & Chel's tart ~ Vanilla Peppermint
Philosophy The Present (sample)
Tickled Pink Scentsations soap ~ Blue Sugar (5 oz)
03/16/09 to 3/23/09
CCS tart ~ Cactus & Sea Salt
CCS tart ~ Sweet Baby
IOE bath cream ~ Mozambique Spice Ice Cream (8 oz)
LOL Candles ~ Keylime Pie
Serge Lutens Un Bois Sépia solid perfume sample: cypress, oakmoss, vetiver, opoponax, Indonesian patchouli leaves, sandalwood
Serge Lutens Vétiver Oriental solid perfume sample: vetiver, sandalwood, iris, licorice
03/24/09 to 3/31/09
Can-Do Candles tart ~ Strawberry
CP glissade ~ Black Vanilla (1 oz)
IOE sugar scrub ~ Royal Blue Bikini (8 oz)
-- Blue Sugar, Blue Caracao, Blue Violets, Cotton Candy
IOE sweet kisses body butter ~ Blue Ballgown (5 oz)
-- Dark blue sugar and white cake swirled with vanilla pods
LOL Candles tart ~ Strawberry Buttercream
Ojon ultra hydrating conditioner (sample)
February 2009
02/01/09 to 02/07/09
BITP tart ~ Red Velvet Cake
Can-do Candles tart ~ Pomegranate
CCS tart ~ Breezy Meadow
Elementals Refreshing Peppermint Skin Toner (4 oz)
IOE mist ~ Sugar Me! Snow Baby (2 oz)
IOE sugar scrub ~ Rosewater & Mint Ice Cream (8 oz)
JJE ultra luxe lotion ~ Red & White Peppermint Cake (1 oz)
Lush soap ~ Ice Blue (sample)
Lush shower jelly ~ Jingle Jelly (4 oz)
Sassy Suds soap ~ Shane's Mint (5 oz)
Villainess soap ~ Scintillating (4 oz) (thrown out, old)
02/08/09 to 02/15/09
MMU lavish la creme corps lotion ~ L'Hotel Blanche Neige (8 oz) Yellow Pound Cake, buttermint icing, peppermint glaze
02/16/09 to 2/23/09
IOE sugar scrub ~ Sugar Me! Snow Baby (8 oz), sugared candy cane, buttercream frosting, iced cake
MMU angel mist ~ L'Hotel Blanche Neige (4 oz)
Shower Shock caffeinated soap (sample)
Villainess tart ~ Scintillating
WI soap ~ Apple Berry Sorbet (4 oz)
02/24/09 to 2/28/09
BB body butter ~ Cool Cocoa (2 oz)
Moonalisa soap ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Caramel Pecan Pie (5 oz)
January 2009
01/01/09 to 01/07/09
BPAL Gingerbread Poppet imp
CCS Karnataka Sandalwood tart
Elementals Fiji lotion parfait (4 oz)
01/08/09 to 01/15/09
HAEE Gingerbread emollient lotion (2 oz)
IOE Sugar Me! Marshmallow bath cream (8 oz)
Sugarelle Kiss of the Gingerbread Follies scrub bar sample
01/16/09 to 01/23/09
BBW Sea Island Cotton anti-bac hand soap (8 oz)
Bird’s Nest Body Gingersnap salt scrub (16 oz)
JJE Travel Through Tibet triple sugar smoother (4 oz)
RFSS Santa’s Little Helpers body frosting (2 oz)
01/24/09-01/31/09
BB Flapjacks softest hair conditioner (2 oz)
BI Cremasse lotion sample
CLC Chamomile Tea aloe smoothie lotion sample
Gramma Fran’s Fixins Peppermint tart
JJE Gingerbread Man soap (4 oz)
LOL Honey I Washed the Kids type tart
Nikki Makes Scents Hawaiian White Ginger lotion (1 oz)
RFSS Winter Day scrub (5 oz) – chestnuts, brown sugar, hot rum, marshmallows
Scent Peddler Japanese Magnolia simmering aroma granules
Sugarelle Sheik of the Amber Veil sugar duo scrub (8 oz)
December 2008
Elementals Pink Sugar Type body wash (4 oz)
IOE Blood Orange Sunset sugar scrub (2 oz. decant)
IOE Cherry Cola sugar scrub (11 oz)
IOE Frosted Sugarcubes sugar scrub (11 oz)
IOE Miss Rose Fouchet body butter (5 oz)
IOE Raspberry Kisses body butter (5 oz)
Just Right Candle Co. Pumpkin Vanilla
LOL Candles tart in Frooty Loops
LPB sugar scrub sample in Kumquat Ice
Lush shower gel decant of Snow Fairy
Mollycoddle Cherry Cola soap (6 oz)
Philosophy Purity cleanser sample
Sandi's Soap Scents Sunset Magic soap sample
Savor Coconut Mochi soap (4 oz)
TPS tart in Blue Sugar
TPS body spray in Dark Chocolate Solstice (1 oz)
TPS Mandarin Orange Freezer Pop soap sample
TPS Pink Bubbles Cooling Creme (4 oz)
TPS Pink Bubbles Shower Sorbet (16 oz)
WI Beachin' Berries soap sample
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Manifesto #1 - STFU
See, I lent voice to thought and that was my mistake.
- Toby Ziegler, The West Wing: "Debate Camp"
Think before you speak. Simple, right? Then why does it seem like nobody does?
Before you talk, pause and ask yourself: Does this need to be stated? What am I trying to accomplish by saying it?
If the answer to the first question is no, and you don't immediately know the answer to the second... shut up. With practice, the pause will go by faster. Soon, just thinking of the pause will be enough.
It's amazing, what little needs to be said. After awhile, it's a mental exercise like haiku. How do I convey this in ten words or less? While others are reacting, stay in the moment and pay attention. If the moment isn't worth your attention, stockpile some polite, noncommittal phrases. (In a pinch, you can lose the politeness.)
Over time, you'll become more aware of how often people blather on idiotically. People give themselves away without realizing it, giving you details they didn't intend, especially if your focus and relative lack of chatter makes them uncomfortable.
- Toby Ziegler, The West Wing: "Debate Camp"
Think before you speak. Simple, right? Then why does it seem like nobody does?
Before you talk, pause and ask yourself: Does this need to be stated? What am I trying to accomplish by saying it?
If the answer to the first question is no, and you don't immediately know the answer to the second... shut up. With practice, the pause will go by faster. Soon, just thinking of the pause will be enough.
It's amazing, what little needs to be said. After awhile, it's a mental exercise like haiku. How do I convey this in ten words or less? While others are reacting, stay in the moment and pay attention. If the moment isn't worth your attention, stockpile some polite, noncommittal phrases. (In a pinch, you can lose the politeness.)
Over time, you'll become more aware of how often people blather on idiotically. People give themselves away without realizing it, giving you details they didn't intend, especially if your focus and relative lack of chatter makes them uncomfortable.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Queen Califia
So, let the record show that the birthday turned out fine after all. We went to dinner and just made a relaxing day of it. Click on any image here to see it larger (and pardon me while I practice my HTML with the images).
There was quite a bit of disrepair. Lots of the mirror pieces set into the mosaic (especially in the maze portion) were busted. Just in the hour we were there, several kids tore through on scooters and skateboards, the likely culprits. They seemed loud, bored and oblivious to how special and unusual it is. To them, it's just that weird art thing that's a short ride from the skate park/sports complex. They looped in, rode roughshod through it, and back out again. It made me sad.
Is anyone looking after it? I guess maintenance of these things is probably the first to go in a budget crisis, like the one we're currently having. I remember mentioning that I should let my son climb one of the snake walls to take a picture. Someone within earshot sternly informed us that it wasn't allowed, and we were properly chastised.
Some pics from the day (click on any image to the larger version):
This is a path leading up to the sculpture garden. I don't remember it from last time, and it looks like a work in progress. It looks like they've repurposed some concrete pieces. A mosaic, connecting to a path that leads to many mosaics. I wonder if it was intentional?
One of the (many) snake walls:
The bird creature centerpiece:
The mosaic pieces themselves are a wonder. I love the tactile sensation of running my fingers over the stones.
Niki's signature plate on the inside of the centerpiece:
A pretty little orange tree within the park's citrus orchard:
A sweetgum tree we saw on the way out, and the same sweetgum tree after I was playing around with embossment filters in Photoshop. I don't know why I like the original image so much. It has a sort of zen-like simplicity to it, I guess.
A good birthday, after all.
 | I made one of my frequent pilgrimages to Niki de Saint Phalle's Queen Califia's Magical Circle and I spent some time just sitting there and absorbing it. I've decided that what it makes me think of Dr. Seuss, Alice in Wonderland and American Gods. |
There was quite a bit of disrepair. Lots of the mirror pieces set into the mosaic (especially in the maze portion) were busted. Just in the hour we were there, several kids tore through on scooters and skateboards, the likely culprits. They seemed loud, bored and oblivious to how special and unusual it is. To them, it's just that weird art thing that's a short ride from the skate park/sports complex. They looped in, rode roughshod through it, and back out again. It made me sad.
Is anyone looking after it? I guess maintenance of these things is probably the first to go in a budget crisis, like the one we're currently having. I remember mentioning that I should let my son climb one of the snake walls to take a picture. Someone within earshot sternly informed us that it wasn't allowed, and we were properly chastised.
Some pics from the day (click on any image to the larger version):
This is a path leading up to the sculpture garden. I don't remember it from last time, and it looks like a work in progress. It looks like they've repurposed some concrete pieces. A mosaic, connecting to a path that leads to many mosaics. I wonder if it was intentional?
One of the (many) snake walls:
The bird creature centerpiece:
The mosaic pieces themselves are a wonder. I love the tactile sensation of running my fingers over the stones.
Niki's signature plate on the inside of the centerpiece:
A pretty little orange tree within the park's citrus orchard:
A sweetgum tree we saw on the way out, and the same sweetgum tree after I was playing around with embossment filters in Photoshop. I don't know why I like the original image so much. It has a sort of zen-like simplicity to it, I guess.
A good birthday, after all.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
It's my birthday. Whee.
I'm feeling a little whiny, since we can't do anything for said birthday. Money's tight. And then I thought, "Wait, have we been able to do anything on my previous birthdays?"
This year I'm getting some shirts, but I don't really count those since they weren't technically a birthday present, but rather a "I only have four shirts, I'm ordering more shirts" kind of a thing. Sephora tucked "Happy Birthday" lip gloss into my last order, which was also not a gift, though I guess you could the re-ordering of my face scrub a gift to myself.
I went off looking for posts, notes and journal entries.
2008: There were no posts pertaining to my birthday anywhere near my birthday. I certainly don't remember doing anything then. So I'm guessing that would be... nothing? Also, I'm not posting in a whiny way about stuff I could be doing, so I wasn't stoically refraining from whining. Unlike now.
2007: No posts. I posted about something entirely unrelated, trying to get recs for kid's movies. Again, keeping my chin up, probably because we weren't doing anything of note.
2006: See 2007.
2005: I posted about being flattered that I was carded when I ordered a Frangelico coffee drink with my brunch, as I was 28. So, nothing that year either.
2004: I was volunteered to make a bunch of food for a family function that was just a random family function and had nothing to do with my birthday. Apparently, no one looked at the calendar when they promised my culinary skills. (I get the feeling that I wasn't consulted on the date, as the post reads as if I was blindsided.) Everyone was there to visit with an uncle on my husband's side who lives across the country and doesn't visit often, so I took pains to not bring it up, since I didn't want them baking me a pity bundt cake on a day not intended for me. Birthday was seemingly forgotten.
2003: I received a gift card to Borders books (where I apparently purchased the Barzun book in the previous post, depressingly), and was glad I had shown no signs of schizophrenia (there's a family history of it). But we didn't do anything due to my husband being sick. I was promised we would as soon as we were able, but I don't see a follow-up post to that effect.
You know, I'm tired of this. I know that this year we have no money to speak of, and that may have even been the story last year, too. But I don't believe that was the case before. I think I've been enough of a "good sport" and that I should get to have a birthday now, too.
This year I'm getting some shirts, but I don't really count those since they weren't technically a birthday present, but rather a "I only have four shirts, I'm ordering more shirts" kind of a thing. Sephora tucked "Happy Birthday" lip gloss into my last order, which was also not a gift, though I guess you could the re-ordering of my face scrub a gift to myself.
I went off looking for posts, notes and journal entries.
2008: There were no posts pertaining to my birthday anywhere near my birthday. I certainly don't remember doing anything then. So I'm guessing that would be... nothing? Also, I'm not posting in a whiny way about stuff I could be doing, so I wasn't stoically refraining from whining. Unlike now.
2007: No posts. I posted about something entirely unrelated, trying to get recs for kid's movies. Again, keeping my chin up, probably because we weren't doing anything of note.
2006: See 2007.
2005: I posted about being flattered that I was carded when I ordered a Frangelico coffee drink with my brunch, as I was 28. So, nothing that year either.
2004: I was volunteered to make a bunch of food for a family function that was just a random family function and had nothing to do with my birthday. Apparently, no one looked at the calendar when they promised my culinary skills. (I get the feeling that I wasn't consulted on the date, as the post reads as if I was blindsided.) Everyone was there to visit with an uncle on my husband's side who lives across the country and doesn't visit often, so I took pains to not bring it up, since I didn't want them baking me a pity bundt cake on a day not intended for me. Birthday was seemingly forgotten.
2003: I received a gift card to Borders books (where I apparently purchased the Barzun book in the previous post, depressingly), and was glad I had shown no signs of schizophrenia (there's a family history of it). But we didn't do anything due to my husband being sick. I was promised we would as soon as we were able, but I don't see a follow-up post to that effect.
You know, I'm tired of this. I know that this year we have no money to speak of, and that may have even been the story last year, too. But I don't believe that was the case before. I think I've been enough of a "good sport" and that I should get to have a birthday now, too.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Orange juice, B-12, Barzun.
My husband recently took on the formidable task of organizing our ridiculous book collection. "Ridiculous" is not hyperbole. We have a little over 1,000 feet of space, and we have approximately two books for each of those feet.
Now the true crime books (mine) are all on two shelves next to the desk, the writing and reference books (ours, but mostly mine) next to them. Three shelves of political theory and punditry (his) are facing the desk. The shelf closest to me has Carl Sagan, PJ O'Rourke and The Art of War. I think this shelf, specifically, is my shelf of shame: Books I bought with every intention of reading them, and there they sit, looking pristine.
One of these books is From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun. It's not the biggest or the most intimidating book in our collection. That honor would go to Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible, a book so terrifying in its helt that when I happen to come across it, I make a little high-pitched sound in the back of my throat.
Reading is one of those "little vacations" I need to take more often, but Barzun... Barzun is another story. It's history, for one, and history is one of my poor subjects. Knowing more about it would add a wonderful layer of context to so many things. I'm just going to have to take it like dose. Stretches, crunches, Barzun. Vitamins, SPF-30 sunscreen, Barzun. Snowpeas, carrot sticks, Barzun.
So here I was, finally deciding that I would start it, for once and for all, but it wasn't with the other history. So I picked up Hugh Laurie's The Gun Seller again from the mystery shelves (mine). Again. See, I didn't even get near the history section, much less Barzun.
Barzun was mistakenly with the military history (his) on another shelf. And now I'm giving it that long, confused, standoffish sort of look. The same expression I reserve for lines of old code, calculus, fashion and Civil War documentaries.
Now the true crime books (mine) are all on two shelves next to the desk, the writing and reference books (ours, but mostly mine) next to them. Three shelves of political theory and punditry (his) are facing the desk. The shelf closest to me has Carl Sagan, PJ O'Rourke and The Art of War. I think this shelf, specifically, is my shelf of shame: Books I bought with every intention of reading them, and there they sit, looking pristine.
One of these books is From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun. It's not the biggest or the most intimidating book in our collection. That honor would go to Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible, a book so terrifying in its helt that when I happen to come across it, I make a little high-pitched sound in the back of my throat.
Reading is one of those "little vacations" I need to take more often, but Barzun... Barzun is another story. It's history, for one, and history is one of my poor subjects. Knowing more about it would add a wonderful layer of context to so many things. I'm just going to have to take it like dose. Stretches, crunches, Barzun. Vitamins, SPF-30 sunscreen, Barzun. Snowpeas, carrot sticks, Barzun.
So here I was, finally deciding that I would start it, for once and for all, but it wasn't with the other history. So I picked up Hugh Laurie's The Gun Seller again from the mystery shelves (mine). Again. See, I didn't even get near the history section, much less Barzun.
Barzun was mistakenly with the military history (his) on another shelf. And now I'm giving it that long, confused, standoffish sort of look. The same expression I reserve for lines of old code, calculus, fashion and Civil War documentaries.
Tasting the Caribbean
My son and I cooked this on Saturday: Caribbean-style beans and rice from Michael Chiarello. Delicious. We doubled the recipe and went with the serrano chilis rather than the Scotch bonnet, though I think next time I will add another one for just a touch more heat. Since we used canned beans rather than soaking dry beans (I know, I know), we added a cup of rice to balance out the extra liquid.
He enjoyed chopping the garlic and mimicking the knife work he sees on cooking shows (as I hovered somewhat anxiously nearby, of course). He also enjoyed grinding the pepper we would need into a bowl. Standing around and watching pots is not his bag; he wants to work.
The result was fantastic. Next time, we're trying it with the dry beans, since I'm curious about how the beans would soak up the flavor of the cinnamon, allspice and coconut milk.
We paired the red beans and rice with this roasted chicken. Since the recipe called for garlic and pepper sauce (to stir into the melted butter), I used a red chili garlic sauce I bought on our last trip to the Asian grocery down the street.
A successful day of cooking all around, with leftovers for days.
He enjoyed chopping the garlic and mimicking the knife work he sees on cooking shows (as I hovered somewhat anxiously nearby, of course). He also enjoyed grinding the pepper we would need into a bowl. Standing around and watching pots is not his bag; he wants to work.
The result was fantastic. Next time, we're trying it with the dry beans, since I'm curious about how the beans would soak up the flavor of the cinnamon, allspice and coconut milk.
We paired the red beans and rice with this roasted chicken. Since the recipe called for garlic and pepper sauce (to stir into the melted butter), I used a red chili garlic sauce I bought on our last trip to the Asian grocery down the street.
A successful day of cooking all around, with leftovers for days.
Reading about working is not a break.
But it can help.
One of the books I picked up to handle issues at work is The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton. I saw myself in the pages when he described people-who-appear-to-be-assholes. He says to work with the seemingly cold, aloof person that you might have tagged as an asshole; it may turn out that they're not so bad once you get to know them. And I say hear-hear. We're not all social butterflies or Oscar Wilde around the water cooler, and why would we all need to be?
He also spoke of someone who told a recruiter (I'm paraphrasing), "I don't want to be friends with these people; I came here to work." Though this was tagged as a non-team player attitude, it resonated with me as well.
I find my workplace easier to tolerate if I imagine that it's a David Mamet play and I'm just another character in it.
One of the books I picked up to handle issues at work is The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton. I saw myself in the pages when he described people-who-appear-to-be-assholes. He says to work with the seemingly cold, aloof person that you might have tagged as an asshole; it may turn out that they're not so bad once you get to know them. And I say hear-hear. We're not all social butterflies or Oscar Wilde around the water cooler, and why would we all need to be?
He also spoke of someone who told a recruiter (I'm paraphrasing), "I don't want to be friends with these people; I came here to work." Though this was tagged as a non-team player attitude, it resonated with me as well.
I find my workplace easier to tolerate if I imagine that it's a David Mamet play and I'm just another character in it.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
