Monday, January 18, 2016

Currently- January 2016

Twilight by Anna Syperek, 2010

What I should be reading is the manual for my camera and the other books on the subject I downloaded. But I'm up to my ears in beauty books and it's a bit too overwhelming as I really want to actually review them. Also, the only thing I wanted to read last week was Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber for the gazillionth time as comfort-reading. I have several print versions, but I think I want the e-Book just so I can stay up all night reading the entire series in one go.

I listened to a whole lot of David Bowie over the last week or so. His "Andy Warhol" has become a permanent earworm , his music permeating my dreams in the oddest ways, including triggering one about Bill Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Waking up my first thought was "Leonard Nimoy is also dead!", and the grief I felt was somehow doubled.
In any case, among the other oddities that my brain came up with last week was remembering this misguided tribute to Space Oddity. It's from 1983, which is barely an excuse. I've forgotten how hot Peter Schilling looked and how cheesy 80s videos were in general. Now I remember, and you will, too.

House Hunters International and House Hunters Renovations. That's all one can watch when your brain becomes one with the stuff in your sinuses, throat, and lungs.

Jessica said everything I could have said and more about David Bowie. And I'm unreasonably jealous of her for getting a Bowie sighting. I never did. Jessica's post expresses perfectly how it felt to discover his music all those years ago and how deeply his legacy is woven into my cultural makeup.

Parfums MDCI-  Les Indes Galantes. It's the newest one and I'll review it soon. Spoiler alert: If you loved Theorema...

Balmy lipsticks that don't aggravate dryness,

Frequently Worn Item/Outfit
My Kate Middle Toe socks.
(No, we didn't get an ugly shag rag. It's one of the cat mats by the sliding doors. I was sitting there with Cedric and Peter watching the squirrels)

Most days all I want to eat is a bagel. And candied ginger.

I could whine about the lingering cough, the snow in the forecast, or the misuse of the word "haul". But I am here, you're here, and all the wonderful, shiny things our world has to offer are still around within our grasp. Isn't that marvelous?

The wonders a heavy-duty humidifier can work on one's breathing and sleep.

Valentine's Day. I can't help it.

To complete my Chikuhodo Z-series. I only have a couple of those brushes and I'd like to make them less lonely.

Random Thought
Maggie Smith is kindly requested to live forever. As does Bruce Springsteen. And the Queen of England.



  1. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend The Night Circus.

    As for "haul," it is the word for millenials, apparently.

    1. Can I add "curated"? LOL

    2. Night Circus is pretty wild, isn't it? I would recommend it also. I don't even know what "haul" is all about! Glad you're back CG.

    3. Going to search for The Night Circus in a minute.

      And my cranky Gen X self is so over millennial vocabulary. I'm guessing that my lovely Boomer friends have said the same thing about my generation and its linguistic quirks.

  2. I'd like to add Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart to the random thoughts...oh and Helen Mirren! What a week it has been. Other than that, I shall not complain about life but just enjoy sparkly highlighters and the Histoires de Parfums sampler I recently purchased. The first one I tried took me back to my childhood - it reminds of the scent of a mix of perfumed women's wool coats when they were all piled together in one room at a party. It's actually comforting. :)

    1. Hello Evelyn: Which scent did you try from Histoires de Parfums? I just received a sampler pack too.

    2. The one I'm referring to is Noir Patchouli. I've also tried Ambre 114 which I really love but this is the first time I'm trying the rest. :)

    3. God save Captain Picard and all his friends. And George Takei. And James Earl Jones.

  3. Book
    I'm finally reading Querelle by Jean Genet (saw the film in my youth)

    Róisín Murphy's second album Overpowered has been playing a lot at work in my headphones, especially this song gives one loads of efficiency:

    Sherlock Christmas special - The Abominable Bride

    Winter has finally come (lots of snow, temperature between -10C and -20C) so have been enjoying my many Lutenses. Today Ambre Sultan because I have a day off.

    Still stuck with red lippies with a hint of pink: MAC Damn Glamorous and Victoriana.

    Frequently worn item
    Pavlovo Posad shawls are back! Plus because of the cold - ushanka is a must.

    Soups! Nothing is so warming in this kind of weather. Last weekend I made borscht, and the weekend before that Armenian lentil soup with apricots.

    Seeing Madrid again after 25 years, we are planning a trip in autumn.

    1. I'm saying "Lutenses" in my head in Gollum voice, like "Hobitses". I'm easily amused.

      That lentil soup sounds divine. I'll have to look up a recipe.

    2. Teehee!

      Here's the recipe:
      (I got the cookbook where it's from over twenty years ago and it's still my favourite)

  4. Book- magazines as its easier in this heat!
    TV- British series "Missing"
    Perfume- Gaia's L'Ombre Fauve .. its nice in the heat too but not too hot .
    Makeup- Just bought YSL Touche Elcat Foundation ... late to the party but its lovely.
    Food - its Mango season - yeah!
    Bane- I do not like "haul" either and please add "Holy Grail" - just say you love it , cannot be without it !
    Joy - Summer and the air conditioner... my Pekingese adores this too :)
    Anticipation - Autumn , we have lovely weather then - warm in the day and cool at night for sleeping :)
    Wish list - YSL Blusher and Gaia - what is that Peter Thomas Roth skin care you love? I want it too! LOL
    Random Thought - Why can't they make a "Glambo" Movie with lots of fabbo dresses, houses , places , shopping, makeup and perfume in it??? I would be a Super Chic Flick!!!!
    How am I ? - Hot.
    I would love a run down of your perfume you have right now Gaia ... yep - sticky :)

    1. I'm also loving the new version of the TE foundation. Just bought a bottle, actually.
      I'm jealous of your summer. Could use a good ripe mango. A good ripe anything, really.
      The PTR serum is his Retinol Fusion PM. It's much more runny than the ones I was used to, but I think it works faster.
      I'm with you on both bane and random thought. There are no more Holy Grails for those of us with large collections. Just much-adored stuff that we dread getting discontinued ;)
      Hugs to you and your sweet Pekingese.

    2. Thankyou Gaia ..... I had a looked online at a store that sells PTR in Australia and the name is the same but no "PM" its in a blue bottle. I think it might be the same one??
      Coco my Pekingese does not really like our hot summers but I get her groomed right down. Coco doesn't look like a regal Peke but that girl is cool !! It grows back just fine :)

  5. Book: I'm almost finished with Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series. Have been enjoying historical novels, especially those set in ancient Rome or Renaissance Italy, the past few months. Love Roger Zelazny. Ordered the Great Book of Amber: the Complete Book of Amber (books 1-10) from amazon for $15 -- couldn't find the whole series in e-book format.
    Music: have been enjoying WXPN playing a lot of David Bowie, who was my younger brother's favorite. Discovered Oran Etkin.
    Makeup: discovered Ardency Inn Custom Cover Concentrate, which mixes beautifully with the zinc oxide/titanium dioxide sunscreens that my sun-sensitive rosacea demands, and comes in shades less yellow than the Cover Fx drops.
    Frequently Worn Item/Outfit: my colorful hand-knit wool socks, and boots -- finally found some stylish ones in AAA and AAAA widths with flat/low heels. Silk sock liners to wear under the AAAA boots.
    Food: baking, mostly cookies and bread. Oatmeal cookies with coconut and pecans. Peanut butter cookies with fresh-ground peanut butter and honey-roasted peanuts.
    Bane: I have shed a part-time job that had unexpectedly become a horrible bane. Another part-time job is ending. Hopefully unemployment will not enter my life as a new bane.
    Joy: sunshine on a winter's day. My son, pets, music, books, knitting, makeup, anything creative.
    Anticipation: job interviews.
    Wish List: NARS L'Amours, Toujours L'Amour eyeshadow palette and Tarvos eyeshadow; Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani lipsticks in Firebird, Rock Steady, Wonderland.

    1. I'm getting acquainted with some Ardency Inn products. They're interesting.
      Now I'm craving peanut butter cookies. Might do something about it when I finish the last of the ginger snaps.
      Wishing you eye shadows and continuous employment.

  6. Thanks for reading and linking to my David Bowie reminiscences! This one hit me hard. He was a *true* icon and such a key influence on so many of us.

    I'm also wearing lots of tinted balms these days, and similarly loathing the word "haul." ;)

    1. We really should revisit our old idea of hated words post ;)

  7. Those socks are killing me! So good.

    I hope your cough gets better, I am right there with you and it could not be more annoying. :-(


    1. Trish, you should see the pile of Kates I ordered after enjoying my first pair. Thanks, again, for mentioning them!

  8. Book-Not reading right now, just working lots of crossword puzzles.
    Music-Whatever's on the car radio.
    TV-Jewelry Television (JTV). I don't EVEN know.
    Perfume-Black Afgano today. Lately Tobacco Vanille, Tuscan Leather, Tonka Imperial.
    Makeup-Like you, Ms. G, anything easy on the lips, plus stuff that covers the very dark circles under my eyes.
    Outfit-Warm, soft sweaters. Several new pairs of clogs. I find them nice & cozy.
    Food-Warm breads, cereals, dumplings, pizza.
    Bane-Severe fatigue from psoriatic arthritis.
    Joy-Fur baby recovering nicely from a bad infection.
    Anticipation-My 60th birthday on Feb. 9th. Might not be good anticipation.
    Wish list-Snow days off work. Unlikely. ANY days off work.
    Random thought-I am truly worried about the election.

    1. All of a sudden I have a need to put on Black Afgano, TV, TL, and TI at once. I think it might kill the environment, but I'll be happy, warm, and very very smelly.

      Sometimes those numbers are hard to digest, and I'm in complete denial about my mid-forties situation, but the truth is that I wouldn't go back no matter what. So experience has to count for something. I hope you have a very very happy birthday.

    2. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes and encouragement. I would never go back either. I think that seeing my parents (Dad, age 98; Mom, age 90) and the way they struggle has given "old age" a particularly sad face for me lately. I'd still much rather be 60 and much, much older than the alternative, even though I believe that the afterlife will be totally amazing. On a much lighter note, I'm in TL today, but am now SEROIUSLY considering wearing all four like you suggested. Couldn't get much better, and the environment would survive. HAH...I feel much better. You're a jewel.

  9. It's so odd you should mention it, I've also been having the same sort of experience with Bowie songs consuming me over the past week (including taking over my dreams most nights.) I think I'm still in a sort of shock about it, it was so unexpected. It's almost as if I can't comprehend what it means that he's gone. I'm glad he was able to leave his terms (as much as someone can, anyway).

    Book: I just ordered the new Bill Bryson so I'll be starting that soon

    Music: Bowie, obviously. Also Suede (90s flashbacks)

    TV: Finally sitting down to watch season 2 of The Affair

    Perfume: Not super complex or anything, but I found Jeanne Arthes' Love Generation Fashion Victim for $5.99 at Marshall's and have been wearing it every day since I bought it. This brand is new to me, and I'll definitely keep my eyes open for others by them.

    Makeup: Very little, mostly bare Minerals' Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel and a little powder.

    Outfit: Big sweaters, jeans, oxfords

    Food: Junk (I'm not proud)

    Bane: Work has been.... trying this week, so far.

    Joy: My birthday is coming up. Growing older is a privilege, but it's definitely bittersweet)

    Anticipation: I have 2 separate trips to California in the next month (Los Angeles and San Francisco)

    Wish List: Snow (I live in Georgia, so we're more likely to get ice if anything!)

    Random thought: While writing my list, I had a sort of telemarketing call from the Symphony Orchestra that I just saw over the weekend a few hours away. They called with special offers for future shows, but when they realized from my ticket purchase history that I"m not local to them, they didn't push anything on me. We just instead had a nice short conversation about the show, the theatre, and traveling for events. I'm extremely impressed and plan on sending an email to their office to let them know. I've done a lot of work in customer service in the past and I'm always happy when I see people doing it right!

    1. I LOVE Bill Bryson. Going to look for his new book. Thanks for the reminder!
      I just replied above to JW who also has a birthday coming up. Getting older is such a weird feeling. I'm forever conscious how much better it is than the alternative: my maternal grandmother passed away at 39, so I'm already significantly older than her. Hard to wrap my head around it, right?
      Have a lovely birthday and enjoy your California trips (I'm jealous. Haven't been to L.A. in forever and I miss the sun, the food, and my dear friend Tom who lives there).
      Also: love your random thought. It happens so rarely.



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