This and that

[cleolinda]

"Extended version." If by "extended" you mean "by commercials." Dirty liars.

(Re: the snacky Birthday Essay: that was all hugsnkisses_'s masterminding. But I was more than happy to join the bandwagon. :)

Today's horoscope: "No one writes a bestseller right away. So stop being so hard on yourself!" God, my horoscopes are freaky. Seriously, I don't remember ever checking off a list of interests or activities for them to write weirdly individualized predictions about.

Oh--someone mentioned Debbie Gibson in the comments of the CD-ripping entry, so of course I had to dig out my greatest hits CD (I have tons of greatest hits CDs, mostly because I had the original albums on cassette and was NOT going to buy them all over again. Except that... a lot of times, I did anyway. Shut up) because I need to have "Only in My Dreams" on my computer, yis, and then I noticed a credit at the bottom of the back cover: "Compilation Producer: Woody Firm." Seriously? That's not a joke?

Anyway. Have helped Sister Girl study for her Culinard midterm, which is about sauces and stock and vegetable-cutting. Meanwhile, that five-page paper for Milton is due tomorrow, and ick. I am not in the paper-writing mood (as opposed to those days I just leap out of bed and crow, "What can I footnote today?!").

Went Christmas shopping yesterday, and it's official: stores are now waiting until the red-hot stroke of midnight on Halloween to put up the flocked pine wreaths and colored glass balls, but not a second longer. Now, my mother has an excuse for buying Christmas presents in August, because she's got not one but two kids with mid-December birthdays. Thus, I was an important element of the shopping expedition yesterday, as I had to tell her what I wanted. Now, before you bemoan the lack of surprise involved in my gifts, you have to remember two things. One is that my mother cannot remember the name of anything longer than two seconds. You can actually hear the information whistling in one ear and out the other, so I have to go with her to pick things out, because you send her to get Roxette (shut up, I was twelve) and she comes back with Rockapella, but not until she's spent fifteen minutes insisting to a store clerk that she wants something called "Rock Out" (this actually happened). And my mother was only 25 when she had me, so it's not like I have elderly parents or anything. The second thing is that my memory is much, much better than hers--so much better that I won't forget what we bought until at least, say, a week afterwards. Therefore, If you buy things early enough, I'll be totally surprised on Christmas morning. Imagine the guy from Memento as two women shopping for Christmas presents, and you've pretty much got the idea.

What all of this is a lead-up to is the fact that I am a jewelry fiend. I mean, I went to town at Books and Company, but it's the jewelry section of Rich's/Macy's that I always have to be dragged away from. And it's not even particularly expensive jewelry--in fact, I tend to like intricate but inexpensive jewelry. I don't even wear that much jewelry, and I finally figured out why: if I'm wearing it, I can't look at it.

It's the 1928 line that I usually end up drooling over at the mall--I am seriously in love with their jewelry. It's that Victorian/Art Deco thing, although if they added an Art Nouveau theme as well, I would be dead from pretty.

So when I found out yesterday that Noble Collection had expanded their Lord of the Rings merchandise section, I was stricken. I mean, here are two of my great loves: jewelry and movie merchandise, ACK. I'm actually a bigger sucker for stuff that is less replica and more "inspired" by a movie, because you don't have to feel like (as much of) a geek for wearing it. And they've got Arwen rings and Galadriel earrings and Arwen necklaces and Galadriel necklaces and seriously, if I were Eowyn, I'd be getting a little offended here.

And then, just in case your wallet isn't dead enough yet, they have Harry Potter stuff, too, and in fact they have the ultimate piece of Harry Potter jewelry: the Time-Turner. (They also have expensive replica wands and a Fawkes statue and the Mirror of Erised and the Divination crystal ball and the Gryffindor sword and a Hedwig brooch and all kinds of stuff. And Gryffindor and Slytherin rings. I wish they had a Ravenclaw ring.)

Anyway. I need to get on with my procrastinating paper-writing. Make sure you visit the SAST link down there, though--I have a link to a new movie poster that I know you want to see.

Comments

[jedilora.livejournal.com]

I feel for you on the lack of Ravenclawness. I mean, there's more Hufflepuff merch than Ravenclaw.

Hopefully that'll change once movie 4 comes out. Cho! Lead us unto merchandising!

[palmetto.livejournal.com]

The Harry Potter jewelry...it calls to my empty bank account with its siren's song. o_o

(I'm right there with you on the adoration of the 1928 line, as well.)

[alpheratz.livejournal.com]

Oh god, they are so expensive but I want that Galadriel jewelry. Ohhhh.

[iczer6.livejournal.com]

Now, before you bemoan the lack of surprise involved in my gifts, you have to remember two things. One is that my mother cannot remember the name of anything longer than two seconds.

Wow sounds like my mother.

I agree about the gifts, my take is I'd rather have a few things that I really like and want then to end up getting a bunch of junk I'll just end up throwing away, shoving in a closet, or selling on eBay later.


Icz

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Let us not even speak of the actual replica jewelry. My $8 Nenya is getting lonely over there in the jewelry box...

[whiski_sour]

I got a Noble Collection catalog in the mail a couple of days ago. It has left me in want of a rich sugar daddy. So much lovely jewelry and knicknacks I don't need in there. *whimpers*

[everstar3.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about the Harry Potter Nobel Collection stuff is that Hermione's wand is longer than either Harry's or Ron's. This seems right to me, somehow.

[kittenkatt.livejournal.com]

To be fair, they DID have Eowyn's jewelry. Unfortunate that the necklace and earrings are dead ugly in a set, though.

[queenmabwords.livejournal.com]

" if I were Eowyn, I'd be getting a little offended here. "

Did she have an memorable jewelry?

I was seriously cringing at most of the jewelry in the Trilogy. "A hobbit wouldn't get caught _dead_ in that!"

[wurlitzer.livejournal.com]

you send her to get Roxette (shut up, I was twelve) and she comes back with Rockapella, but not until she's spent fifteen minutes insisting to a store clerk that she wants something called "Rock Out" (this actually happened).

This amused me too much (and not just the Roxette thing). Speaking as a mother, I swear something happens during pregnancy and childbirth which destroys at least half your brain. I have virtually no short term memory these days. Spend most of my time writing notes to remind myself what I should actually be doing. Motherhood, it's like a lobotomy in a way.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I know. I just feel bad that she doesn't have any "inspired by" jewelry. She wears an awesome belt with her white dress that could totally be turned into a necklace/earrings/bracelet set or something.

[rpp.livejournal.com]

Ooh, 1928! I don't like most jewelry but I love their stuff.

rock out

[clovecigarettes.livejournal.com]

I love the 1928 line, too.
As for Roxette v. Rockapella, I did (say, 15 years ago) like the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? kids show (PBS, I think) that Rockapella sang on. I got a Roxette tape for my 12th or 13th birthday. It's actually not bad.
One time I won a coupon for a free cassette. But it was from a limited selection. I was going to get a Buster Poindexter album, but my mom stole it and got a Sandy Patti (very Christian) tape (very cheesy and dull) for me instead. That was also about 15 or so years ago and I'm still mad.

[bitterbert.livejournal.com]

Forget Eowyn, why no Lurtz inspired jewelry?
Where are my silver plated, diamond edged hobbit toes?!

[adjectivegirl.livejournal.com]

1928 has always been my favorite year and jewelry line. I call it fate and buy it up as much as I can afford.

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

I think the first thing I bought with my first paycheck was 1928 jewelry. And the Noble Collection is Pure, Unadulterated -- But Very Lovely And Expensive -- Evil.

[bluemarie.livejournal.com]

How can they have all that Harry Potter stuff and yet NOT HAVE LUCIUS' PIMP CANE OMG I AM SO APPALLED

[andromeda-77.livejournal.com]

You can actually hear the information whistling in one ear and out the other, so I have to go with her to pick things out,
LOL...My grandmother was like that when I was young (sort of like that, anyway). She'd pay close attention to what it was that I wanted - but once she got to the store she'd presumably close her eyes and pick the stuff out. One year when I was 10 or 11 I asked for a flannel nightgown to wear at their house because it was always so cold in the winter. When I opened the package at Christmas I was totally loving my flannel nightgown until I put it on. I couldn't figure out why there were buttons and openings where the boobs would go. She'd bought me a flannel nursing gown.

Anyway - that was totally random...but your little bit about your mom sparked an amusing memory of mine.

I'm done now. ;)

[mistressofrohan.livejournal.com]

Another December Babe chiming in here.

I have the unfortunate luck to actually be born on Dec. 25. No joke. Christmas was awesome as a child, twice the gifties... but as I got older, it became less about the gifties and more about the "Iwannahangoutwithmyfriends...whaddyameantheyhavetohaveChristmasdinnerwiththeirfamilies... WAH!"

Now I am an adult (I refuse to say 'grownup') and I couldn't give a rat's ass about MY birthday. Of course, I went and complicated life somewhat by having a December babe of my own. No joke. My due date was Dec. 26... but she was born early.

*le sigh*

December Babes of the World unite!

MM

[highlystrung.livejournal.com]

Ah - ah - ah. Can't - breath. Oh, why have you shown me beautiful things that I cannot afford?? Why?!

... Although ... 'The Rind of Elrond'? ... 'The Ring of Gandalf'? ... 'The Ring of Galadriel'? HAVE THEY NOT HEARD OF THE THREE ELVEN RINGS OF POWER?!?

Way to alienate the purists, yo.

.... Not over reacting. Not not not. ;D

[ghost-huntress.livejournal.com]

OMG teh -drooling fangirls- dedicated fans need their pimp cane, dammit!

[ghost-huntress.livejournal.com]

But can't you see some non-purist (with a billfold like woah):

"Elves?! What the fudge are these ELVES you speak of?"

We Tolkein fans will just have to sit and grind our teeth as we empty our bank accounts.

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

The second thing is that my memory is much, much better than hers--so much better that I won't forget what we bought until at least, say, a week afterwards. Therefore, If you buy things early enough, I'll be totally surprised on Christmas morning. Imagine the guy from Memento as two women shopping for Christmas presents, and you've pretty much got the idea.

And here I thought it was just me! Every year my mother and I go shopping together, and every year she fails to give me something and I fail to notice I didn't get it. She usually cleans out her closet around June and I get it then. At least when she sees it she remembers who she bought it for.

I joke with my friends that every time I open my closet to get dressed in the morning it's a surprise, and I'm only half joking.

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

Also, regarding dead from pretty, I am also much in love with the 1928 line. Might I also suggest Raymond's Quiet Press (http://www.quietpress.com/) for nifty, unique jewelery. Most of it is based on archaeological finds, but there are a few "inspired by" pieces, including a hair clip that has become a staple in my wardrobe.

[vampychick.livejournal.com]

I have one of their necklaces and earrings. Not one that you linked to, but the necklace is sort of like those two with the ribbons under the 'am' link, except more intricate, with white stones and black ribbons.

Yes. Envy me.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, they're adding stuff all the time--half that stuff was new.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awwwww!

I'm Dec. 14, myself--just late enough in the month that people could never come to my birthday party because they were going to see The Nutcracker. No joke. Either that, or they hated me, and the Nutcracker thing was an excuse, and I just never figured that out until right now...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

OMG that totally happened last year--sometime in March she popped up with a book on the Oscars and was like, "Uh, Merry Christmas!"

*hi 5's*

[mistressofrohan.livejournal.com]

The 14th... for serious? I nearly had my daughter on your birthday. She's on the 15th, but only by a quarter hour.

*scribbles down Cleo's birthday in dayplanner*

Cheers, my friend!

MM
(and thanks to [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] for the awesome icon!)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

OMG. I am such a sucker for that stuff--museum store catalogs are total catnip for me. Museum of Jewelry and the Metropolitan Store are two of my favorites.

[leucocrystal]

I am loving Arwen's butterfly ring, and I don't. Know. Why.... Oh yes, it's too damn pretty. *sigh*

Speaking of the ultimate piece of Harry Potter jewelry, however, I actually own my own Time Turner. It just didn't cost me 50 bucks, is all. I actually bought it off EBay from a seller in Japan for 10 bucks. It's very close to this one, but it was made exclusively by Warner Brothers, not the Noble Collection. The reason we don't have it here in the States, I suppose, is we don't have as many HP fanatics as Japan does.

Anyway, if anyone wishes to see pretty pics of the Time Turner, try here (I'm wearing it with the rest of my Hermione Halloween costume), or here for a closer look. It actually turns, and is engraved, it is teh nifteh.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awesome--that's like my $8 Nenya that actually looks better than some of the expensive reproductions. And it comes in a box that lights up. Woot!

(Do they have any more of those Japanese Time-Turners out there...?)

[leucocrystal]

Wow, the prices really vary depending on the seller... I'm checking EBay now, and the seller I bought from hasn't got anything up right now, but I found the same version I bought, for about, er... $50 more than I spent... here, and then one here for $36.
Interestingly enough, they have one obviously purchased from the Noble Collection for about $30 more than the Noble Collection itself charges... And there's another, for $40 more than the maker's charge! Hrm...

Bummer, but it would appear I got lucky at the right time. The closest I can find is $38 for the same one I bought, in the back box, here.

On a random side note though, I love how much more Tina Turner stuff I got just from searching for "time turner."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_waterlilies/]

::covets:: Oooooh. A Time Turner! Be still my little heart. Only... 3 and a half weeks until my birthday! Score!

I am a jewelery -fiend-. I joke with my friends that between my love of good-smelling things and my fascination with sparkly objects, I'm three evolutionary steps above a raccoon. ("What do you mean, three?" my friend Ann snipes. Shuddup, wench.)

[bluemarie.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe it's a good thing that there is no pimp cane -- if there were, I don't know if I could resist it, and then my bank account would be angry at me. No temptation = happy bank account!

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I am a serious fan of the Snitch bracelet. Super-geeky-cool!
Also, as a fellow big fan of jewelry who also makes jewelry, and because you make my friends list a happy place, I'm extending you a Christmas offer - if you tell me colors, I shall make you a piece of jewelry (and no, this is not something I do all the time, and no, I'm not weird - but since you are a fellow appreciator and you make me laugh, you get the offer. I will not be offended if you don't accept).
:) That is all.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awww! My favorite colors are blue and purple--actually, my absolute favorite color is that shade of periwinkle where you're not sure if it's blue *or* purple. (Whee!)

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Hurrah for periwinkle!!!
I have just the thing, I think.
Any metal allergies?
And (pierced?) earrings, necklace, bracelet? What do you wear?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I wear just about anything--pierced earrings, bracelets, whatever. Except that I have a short neck and don't do too well with chokers--every single necklace I like always ends up having a 16" chain where I'd rather have an 18" or 20". Other than that--surprise me. :)

[edda.livejournal.com]

Except that I have a short neck and don't do too well with chokers--every single necklace I like always ends up having a 16" chain where I'd rather have an 18" or 20".

I feel your pain. I have wide shoulders and a short, thick neck. I look like a tree sloth when you put a choker on me.

[edda.livejournal.com]

She wore jewelry in the funeral bits and at the coronation, but I think that was really it. (Which is why Aragorn went for Arwen--she had fine jewelry. Despite his Scruffeh, Aragorn was a closet metrosexual.)

I think the only alternative besides some semi-inspired-by jewelry (which actually did fit her to me, even if it's not from the movie) would be a smashed shield and a life-sized reproduction of a severed fell beast's head. Which would be hell to ship, not that it wouldn't rawk.

[kittenkatt.livejournal.com]

I think it all balaces out. Everyone made that damned White Lady gown. It's all over the flipping place. Simplicity and McCalls both made patterns for it, so any gimp with a sewing machine is pumping the darned thing out. So the elves get the jewelry- Eowyn's gown is on everyone :p

The belt was pretty good. I'd be happy if they did it as an actual belt, even. Then all the girls in the repro gown can pretend better.

Personally, I think my boy needs the Denethor ring. Now THAT is friggin choice.

[peridots13.livejournal.com]

I know! Damn lying bastards.

Do you still have that Rockapella, by any chance? If you don't want it, I'll definitely take it. MINE.

For HP stuff: www.alivans.com. It be the HP store to shop at.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hee, no--she returned the Rockapella.

And I've spent plenty of time drooling over Alivans. Although they don't have a lot of Ravenclaw stuff either...

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

My aunt's a well-loved radio personality back East and she had "retired" after her first to be an at-home mom... since then she's started working the weekend again because she wanted to run away screaming needed to feel productive. But her boss was like "Hey, why don't you come in more often bring the kids." She was like-urm... mommmies become braindead around their children, it wouldn't be good radio!

on, two, three

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

Raccoons, Crows, Fish, Ferrets, Humans... LOL

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

I love Alivans, and even Hot Topic now has some fun/funky hp stuff for fake punks the Nintendo Generation... But NOBODY has enough Ravenclaw stuff... Although I have been sorted RC on 2 things, and GD on 2 others... which witch am I! LOL ~totally Getting a Ravenclaw scarf~