(no subject)

[cleolinda]

It's been a hard weekend. Because I ran out, I basically had to quit Wellbutrin cold turkey early in the week, and... it wasn't Trainspotting or anything, but it caught up to me on Saturday and I was really, truly, unpleasantly ill. The phrase "rogue bowels" was used once or twice, I'll put it that way. Meanwhile, it looks like we as a family are going to be having a tough time for a while. I can't really say why until the relevant events have finished up, but it doesn't involve anyone's health, marital, or reproductive status, at least. I hate just throwing that out there and leaving y'all to worry, but I don't know who reads this journal, etc., and I don't need to talk about the details before they've actually happened. I was just really ill-equipped to deal with shit this particular weekend, though. We did scrounge up some samples so I'm back on the Wb, and I immediately felt more capable of dealing with life. All I'm saying is, suddenly this passage from Little Women hits closer than usual:

So Jo was satisfied with the investment of her prize money, and fell to work with a cheery spirit, bent on earning more of those delightful checks. She did earn several that year, and began to feel herself a power in the house, for by the magic of a pen, her 'rubbish' turned into comforts for them all. The Duke's Daughter paid the butcher's bill, A Phantom Hand put down a new carpet, and The Curse of the Coventrys proved the blessing of the Marches in the way of groceries and gowns.

Meanwhile, Mom and I watched The Island yesterday, and you know what? It was surprisingly not bad. It was--dare I say it--actually pretty good.

In other news, I am feeling extremely piratey lately. I think it started when I was cleaning out duplicates from some movie picture folders and ended up giving the Pirates of a Caribbean folder a good combing down. From there, it spiraled into a playlist from the soundtrack on my Nano and ordering a pair of boots ("Well, I needed some formal-ish black shoes! And these microfiber ankle boots that just came in are okay, but they bunch weirdly at the ankles, so I think I'm going to exchange them for a pair of mid-calf boots--don't look at me like that! I could wear them with skirts! I DO SO WEAR SKIRTS! OKAY, I DON'T, BUT I COULD!") I think I may curl up and watch the commentary version on the DVD before I get back to work tomorrow--I hear the one with Keira Knightley and Norrington, the guy who plays Norrington, what's his name--Jack Davenport, thank you, is hilarious. So maybe that will cheer me up. And if it doesn't, and if things really do end up going badly for the family finances, I may end up turning to piracy myself. I have a feeling that most people would be so shocked by the sight of a hijacked Manila galleon parked outside their house that, really, they'd just hand over their flatscreens and their PlayStations without much argument at that point. "YARRRR! AND WE BE WANTIN' YER PASTAMAKER, TOO!"

In the meantime, I just made fun icons from product images at Pin-up Girl Clothing.

Linkspam:

Final Days of Girl's Life Reveal Horrors.

Rescued Thames whale has convulsion and dies, woe.

Frickin' octopus tries to eat submarine, holy shit.

A Washington Post blogger has the back story on what all those security fixes here on LJ were about.

*stabs* (1): Hello, I am an asshat. It's not what he says--I really do believe that putting a marriage first is actually in the best interests of the child, for reasons that will become apparent if you read the article--but the cavalier selfishness with which he says it. "The having an affair approach"? Is that your real name on the byline, sir?

*stabs* (2): Partner's death ends happy life on ranch. It's kind of what you would have wanted for Jack and Ennis, until you get to shit like the last sentence and you want to bomb things.

*stabs* (3): UCLA students urged to expose 'radical' professors. WTF?

More BPAL e-drama: As a customer of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, I feel like other customers should know about the smear campaign being perpetrated online. Yes, it is possible to dislike any or all of the scents. Yes, you can find fault with the shipping times during busy periods. Is it a little suspect if you continually piss and moan and you run a competing business (that has, coincidentally, been accused of 1) using synthetic components and 2) copying other sites' blends, artwork, concepts, and/or descriptions)? Yeah, I think it is. If nothing else, if you see these particular posters bitching and whining about BPAL, you'll know what axe they're grinding.

foresthouse: Lost icon contest.

Monaghan and Lilly engaged?

An Onion oldie for snacky: Fritolaysia Cuts Off Chiplomatic Relations With Snakistan.

Long-Awaited Baby Boomer Die-Off To Begin Soon, Experts Say. There are times when I am not sure the Onion is actually writing satire. God knows I'm looking forward to it.

DOG BLOG UPDATES!

Playboy magazine set for Indonesia despite protests.

Muslim Group to Call for Writer's Release. The terrorists' deadline passed and we haven't heard anything about the girl yet, but the fact that other Muslim groups are getting involved bodes well.

dailydigestnews, as soon as I go update it: Katiewomb shenanigans--a pictorial; the South Park that Tom doesn't want you to see; a new actress joins the new Spider-Man movie; and a really awesome 2006 preview.






What Type of Villain are You?

mutedfaith.com.

Comments

[leucocrystal]

Love the icons, m'dear.

And I really hope things in the family life clear up soon.  I think, unfortunately, we've all been hit with troubles like that, which always seem to crop up at the worst possible times, as it sounds like they did for you.  Also, I hope you can continue to scrounge up more samples of Wb, because going cold turkey on anything while sick is just terrible.  Feel better soon, sweetie. ♥

P.S. > Meanwhile, Mom and I watched The Island yesterday, and you know what? It was surprisingly not bad. It was--dare I say it--actually pretty good.

Cool, I was beginning to think I was one of the only people who enjoyed it.  I honestly think that if you don't have high expectations for a huge summer action flick (which is pretty much all that was), you'll be entertained by it.  Also, it's very pretty, lol.

[stareyednight.livejournal.com]

I cannot reccomend the KK/JD commentary enough. They're both hilarious and just having a ball with it. Watched it last night, funnily enough, and was thuroughly brought out of the funk I was in. Cheers and here's to hoping it does the same for you.

[shoiryu.livejournal.com]

I hear the one with Keira Knightley and Norrington, the guy who plays Norrington, what's his name--Jack Davenport, thank you, is hilarious.

IT IS. Mostly because Keira is adorable and won't shut up, and Jack is long suffering and very English and amusing. XD It's a great commentary track.

Also, *hugs hugs hugs* You know why. Thinking of you always, hon.

[futureperfect.livejournal.com]

the thing that really gets my goat about that asshat who whined about having kids (possibly even more than the "having an affair approach") is the fact that he starts out by bitching out because he had a daughter. and how disappointed he was he had a daughter. so he thinks that everything would have been hunky-dory if he'd made sons instead of daughters? feel like saying, dude, it's ALL YOUR FAULT.

the baby boomer 'article' is hilarous.

The financial sector will also feel the hit, as it is forced to fill some 400,000 high-paying stockbroker and corporate-banking jobs, held for decades by ex-hippies.

it's funny, because it's TRUE.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I think it is quite possibly funnier than the actual film. And I say that as someone who loved the film.

It's such a shame they only get to commentate sections of it, not the whole thing.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hee. She has a nice plummy voice that I like, fortunately. And if that doesn't work, I'm just going to mainline the Manos: The Hands of Fate MST3K DVD.

[scornedsaint.livejournal.com]

I hope the Issues that you and your family are going through clear up soon. You seem like a such a strong person, and I'm sure you cna weather anything.

Poor Thames whale...

Took the Come Sin With Me icon and Reform School Girl. Will credit when used. I found some great Pulp Fiction-y postcards that I need to scan and make icons of. My favorite is titled "How Cheap Can You Get?"

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I seriously do not see anything that is not utterly factual in that baby boomer article. (Well, I don't have it in front of me, either.)

And that asshole? Yeah. I think I got the link off fandom_lounge or something, where everyone is in the throes of outrage. He's a thorough and pernicious dink, that one.

[natacup82.livejournal.com]

the South Park that Tom doesn't want you to see

I have that episode on my DVR and I'm never deleting it!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Duuuude, those sound awesome.

[maewitch.livejournal.com]

The thing with AC and synthetic blends...I don't think it was the fact they are/were using synthetic blends (they were up front about that on their page), but that they were using commercially available blends, perhaps tweaked a tad, and passing them off as "hand-blended" and unique products. the most egregious case of this was The scent Crystal Cave, which was not only note for note the same as a Sweetcakes (a supplier of fragrance oils) blend, but had literally the same description, almost word for word. Some fragrance-makers and body goods makers do the same thing, but they make no pretense of providing original material (when they blend something themselves they'll qualify it as original), that is furthermore an presented as an equal-quality alternative to the product coming out of BPAL.

[skyblade.livejournal.com]

Octopi are going to take over the world. Just accept it. I'm going to build a sexy-ass submarine, and attach a sweet dowry so the Octopus overlords won't eat me because I'm a relative by marriage.

Feel better.

Remember The Whale, man.

[mouseykins1.livejournal.com]

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely. I simplified the issues a good bit, but the real issue, yeah, is what they're *not saying* they're using. Sadly, Crystal Cave was the one that actually intrigued me, and after the Sweetcakes thing came out, I located it for myself on their site. I never did get around to buying a sample from SC, though. And most people who use Sweetcakes oil do so in secondary products--soaps, bath products, etc. There is, at least, *some* handmade action going on there. And I have read the AC defense of this, which is that they DO SO hand blend, etc. But the evidence doesn't look good.

(Btw--I don't know if you saw this, but there was a time on their front page when they were *not* as upfront about the synthetics.)

[scornedsaint.livejournal.com]

And if that doesn't work, I'm just going to mainline the Manos: The Hands of Fate MST3K DVD.

Heh. We watched that in my Film Studies class one day. If that doesn't make you feel better, nothing will.

"Torgo? My wife? I'm torn!"

[yuki-onna.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it kind of /is/ what he says--hates daughters, hates having to be there for his wife's pain, which is embarrassing to him, hated being caught in an affair when he couldn't be bothered to take part in his child's life or emotionally support his wife, and then, the best part of all: loves another woman's daughter the way he never loved his own. Great for his actual children and ex-wives that--a yucky girl no less--he is now fulfilled by a child /without/ a mother. Maybe this whole wife thing was the problem all along.

Wonder how long before he hits on that kid?

[futureperfect.livejournal.com]

oh, i agree. it's possibly one the way they're approaching it that makes it satire.

yeah, i saw that article on fandom_lounge too (yes, i do still read my jf flist, rarely, and usually when i'm all out of other things to read). i just hope he never told his kids how much he thinks they ruined his life.

[oohasparklie.livejournal.com]

I *loved* The Island. I thought Ewan and Scarlett were great in it, it was utterly gorgeous, and it was fun. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it totally didn't deserve it's tomatometer rating, that's for sure.

That article about the guy who let having kids ruin his marriage really pissed me off. What. an. asshole.

And the story about the two men on the ranch broke my heart. People who can do that to others have no soul.

[maewitch.livejournal.com]

Was there??? I don't even remember that. That probably explains a lot about their whole "OMG Beth is like SO using synthetics" rants too. It's like they don't get that someone could be talented enough to make something that smells like funnel cake using essential oils, because THEY can't do it, so of course Beth must be using synthetics.

[lovefromgirl.livejournal.com]

Regarding the Alcott bit: I know where you're coming from. Happened to us post-9/11. May you find yourselves doing better soon. *big hugs*

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, it *is* what he says--but I do think a saner, less selfish man could have made a similar point without being a total hosebeast about it. That is, that parents are happier if they take a little time for themselves and their marriage. But that is so not even what this guy's problem actually is--the problem is that he's an asshole. And you're not the only one wondering if Stepdaughter is going to be Wife #4.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

"And all because you weren't born with a penis, honey."

[angelene.livejournal.com]

oh gosh. I was just (still am, technically?) watching PotC &shifting between the movie track and Keira's commentary -- it's mostly her, as far as I've heard, she talks and talks and talks while Davenport makes 'hm-m's and 'yes, that' sounds, heheeeh -- and then I briefly paused it to check on LJ and there comes your entry on top of my friendslist. eeee, coincidence. :)

I don't think I've ever commented in your journal before, so I guess I'll say 'hi' too and that enjoy reading your entries as well as your recaps &m15ms. &I dig your 'grammar pirate' icon too.

I hope you'll get better soon!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Beth has said on bpal.org that of course she uses synthetics when a natural oil doesn't exist--like the metal in Bed of Nails. There's no such thing as an essential oil of smoke or metal or what have you, so you can't not use synthetics if you want certain smells. But my understanding is that all other BPAL components that can be natural *are.*

I'd have to track this back on the Atropa's Cottage thread on BPAL, but I do think I remember a point in the discussion where it was noticed that the website info was changed to reflect that AC does use synthetic oils. In part or entirely I couldn't tell you, but I know that Sweetcakes uses mostly synthetic with some natural.

[alpheratz.livejournal.com]

I already had my moment of rage about the horrible "suing for back rent" people last night, but I think I'll have another one. I thought these levels of greed and selfishness existed only in 19th century novels about poor but cute orphans or something. *stabs*