FOTD: My Little Grog Blossom (06/16/10)
Apparently, I felt like whistling when I took this. (Well, “whistling.” I’m not a very good whistler, but it doesn’t keep me from trying.)
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Swatch Sunday, 6/27/10: Maybelline Expert Eyes
This is Maybelline Expert Eyes Eye Shadow #50 Beaujolais, a pair of shades I loved so much, I bought a second one after my first (hardly even used) went missing. And then made sure to only use it rarely so I’d never be without. So…yeah. God only knows how old it is at this point (well, I’m sure I could figure it out with some judicious googling), and I’m not sure how safe it is to use anymore, but oh well. I love it, and will probably be using it soon, after seeing this swatch and remembering how pretty it is. (It can’t be any riskier than my continuing to use mascaras well after they’re three months old, right? Don’t answer that.) Anyway, the swatch:
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I’d like to give a shout-out to the Pillars of Creation.
Just got back from watching Hubble 3D, and it was BREATHTAKING! I’m so glad we managed to catch it before it stopped showing, and we are definitely getting it on dvd – assuming it’s released, which it HAS to be, because how can I live without it?! 
Just gorgeous and amazing and awe-inspiring. I was pretty much slack-jawed in wonderment the entire time, except for every so often when I felt overwhelmed almost to tears by the beauty of the universe, its vast scale, and the incredible achievements of the human race, a race so teeny tiny and humble in comparison.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all the people involved in making and showing this film, and especially to all the people involved in the Hubble Project, because all that work has resulted in my feeling as expansive and good-willed towards *everything* right now as I’ve ever gotten from the best meditation session. I am just so full of wonder, and fascination, and hope, and happiness, and love for everything and everyone, and a sense of connectedness. If I wasn’t so busy feeling all *those* feelings, and had even a smidge of room for cynicism, I’d want to punch myself in the face for being such a hippy – but I can’t, because I’m too busy being such a hippy.
(And, yes, I realize there’s a possibility/probability that Rich Terrell, who I hardcore scoffed at just one post previously, had a hand in the Hubble Project, and I am so hippy-fied right now that I’m extending these warm fuzzy feelings even to him. I’m still a little boggled that someone might be paying him to research whether we’re all just part of some large cosmic experiment or don’t really exist. But I retract what I said about NASA keeping him on their payroll. I mean, whatever he wants to personally believe is his business, and if he can get someone to PAY him to research it, then, I gotta give him props for that. I’m just jealous I can’t convince some sucker to pay me to sit around and do similar.)
Dear “Science” channel: fuck you.
We’re watching Morgan Freeman’s Through the Wormhole, and let me just cut right to the chase: this is an utter crock of shit.
If you like fanciful bullshit sensationalism that parades as real science, program your dvr. Otherwise, skip it.
I’m mad at the Science channel for airing this tripe. And I’m especially indignant that bitches are getting paid to RIP OFF DOUGLAS ADAMS. And probably getting paid mad skrilla, too. Why, yes, Rich Terrell, I’m squinting at you. Someone please tell me that the writers, or editors, or producers, or Morgan Freeman himself twisted Terrell’s words and research to wind up with this shit: that our universe and everything in it (us included) are part of some elaborate supercomputer some other being programmed to run an experiment. Because apparently he works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and if they’re paying him to do this research, well, I’ve got some prime real estate in Florida they might be interested in. Shit, I don’t even see why a *jet propulsion lab* would be researching this shit, so what I really mean is, “If they know he’s standing by this bullshit, and STILL putting him on their payroll, I’ve also got a bridge they can buy, real cheap.”
And don’t even get me started on Garrett Lisi, “rogue physicist.” Yeah, “rogue” in the sense that he’s not actually, you know, any sort of creditable physicist but is trying to pass himself off as one. Like how Phyllis Schlafly is somehow pro-woman. Maybe if you smoke serious crack. (If you want more than just my indignant ranting – like, actual sensible response and refutation, whoomp, there it is.)
Ugh. I am so fucking disgusted with this shit. Deleted!
FOTD: Zaria’s Madagascar Trip (6/17/10)
I’m feeling kinda gross, and I’ve got trip pictures to edit, so I can start doing proper posts about that and get fully caught up. I’m just going to slap this up here and get back to Picnik.
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Pierced? Need jewelry?
You need to check out Bodyartforms. Seriously. I love them so much! They have so many great pieces, reasonable prices, generous freebies (free gauge card, free stickers, and free o-rings; more free stuff – including jewelry – for orders $30 and over), and SUPER FAST shipping. I placed an order Monday, and got it today. Wooha!
My new lotus doorknockers:
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And I got matching noserings, although I think I should have gotten the smaller diameter, so the ends wouldn’t be visible. Oh well, still cute.
Before (studs) and after (rings):
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And I also got some screw-on balls for my lip u-ring, so that I can wear matching-sized balls if I want, instead of the smaller ball on top, and the larger ball below. I’m sure this is fascinating to you.
Goofball.
I mean, look at this picture. There’s really no question, is there?
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My wrists were getting tired, from editing the 200-odd pictures from Bryson City, so I was looking through other pictures to find something to pop up tonight, and came across this old picture. Not terribly old, but probably around last summer, when I last had long hair. And here I am growing it out again. Hm.
Here’s my nails and toenails from…a week ago? Two weeks ago? Not really sure if this was for the wedding or the Atlantic City trip. The wedding, I think. Anyways.
Sorry for the sad state of my toes and toenails, and the fact that you can’t really see all the dimension of Misbehaving Mistress.
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-1 coat Barielle Nail Rebuilding Protein
-2 coats Barielle Misbehaving Mistress
And this is manicure I was really delighted with! The first two pictures are more color-accurate, but the last one I had to include because it shows the sparkly goodness of Fairy Dust. Lovely! (If I do say so myself. But Greg agreed with me.)
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Is it Spring? Because all of a sudden, it feels like Spring.
I don’t think I ever really have a handle on seasons, at least not when they change. It’s actually Summer now, isn’t it? But all of a sudden, I feel like it’s finally Spring. What the hell.
I also feel like getting back to sewing, now that we don’t have trips coming up every weekend. (Sewing isn’t a very portable craft for me, since I’m not a huge fan of handsewing.) I’ve been drooling over Anna Maria Horner’s blog – how was I unfamiliar with her previously? What. No idea. But now I know better. I also ordered the Museum Tunic project pack in Dusk, and will be psyched to make it. So pretty! And then I added every single other pattern of hers to my crafting wishlist. Tee hee.
I also need to get started on the quilt I’ve been planning to make for forever and a day. Nothing fancy, just squares, but, you know, I would be a beginner, so, there you are. I’ve got more than enough fabric, too. Just need to get to it. Looks like I’ll be *finally* cleaning my craft room and taking care of bidness.
Over the trips, I worked on those cozies for Greg, and then took some crochet with me. I’m working on a knit hip scarf – the Faux Spanish Lace shawl, available as a Ravelry download here – and a crochet shawl I’m hoping will work as a hip scarf, and the pattern’s name escapes me. (I’ll find it later, and mention it, in case anyone cares.) And then I came across this Lotus Flower Cuff, and wanted to make it, so I took it with me on the PA and AC trips. And then for some ungodly, crackheaded reason, I realized I could join the flowers kind of diagonally, and make a hip scarf. Or join them straight up and down, and make a hip skirt or belt. So that’s what I’m currently doing. Crocheting a BAJILLION tiny lotus flowers. I must be insane. Except it’s kind of calming and enjoyable, for now at least. I’m predicting I’ll get somewhere around 30-40 flowers, and then get cranky and stop, but I’ll have too many for a cuff, but too few for a hip scarf. We’ll see. Anyway, I may have to put that on hold while I get my sewing fix.
SEW! I want to seeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!
And also, I need to get my etch on again. It is kind of scary (poison! and electric current!), but so awesome and so much fun. It will happen.
Pictures soon, I promise. I know I’m fucking wordy as hell, and all text is even more boring.
Swatch Sunday, the Monday edition: 6/21/10
AKA: I was too busy enjoying Atlantic City/Weird Al/friends I haven’t seen in too long over the weekend to pre-post this, and we got home too late last night for me to do it then. So you’re getting it now. If that’s not good enough, I’ll give you a full refund. 
This is part of Maybelline’s Stylish Smokes collection: quad 04 in Charcoal Smokes. The top half of each swatch is over bare skin; the bottom half is over Too Faced Shadow Insurance.
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The individual shades don’t have names, just a diagram of how you’re supposed to use them, and the placement is stamped into each color. So, from left to right we have: brow bone, lid, crease, and outer corner. The brow and lid shades have a somewhat shimmery finish (as you can see), while the other two have a bit of glitter. But the particles are larger and more noticeable in the outer corner/black shade; in the crease shade, I really can’t even see them in the pan; they only show up in the swatch (that one lone glimmer, hee) or on my lids.
And I am WAY backlogged on all sorts of pictures, but I am still recovering from all these trips we’ve taken, especially this past weekend, so I am going to bed soon. (And it’s only 8pm. But in my defense, I did make myself forgo a nap when I got home from work in order to lift weights, so…I’m even more tired than I was. Wore the fuck out. More later, probably tomorrow.)
Kudos, swimsuit makers.
So, the last time I went swimsuit shopping, I ended up getting a cute top and some board shorts. Because, not to mince words, I’m chubby, fat, even, and I’m cool with most of it, but I am not that comfortable with my hips/thigh area. And so last summer, I guess it must have been, every goddamn piece of swimwear that was cut in such a way as to flatter that area on me was nothing more than a cover-up intended to go over an *additional* bottom piece. And the stupid cover-ups – that looked like legit swimsuit bottoms except your crotch would be falling out – were priced exactly the same as the legit swimsuit bottoms. Why am I going to pay twice for decent coverage? That’s bobo. I was pretty ill about it, and said “fuck it,” and got board shorts. (Which are cute, but, as it turns out, a wee bit too floaty when a wave comes along to wear with nothing under *them*, either. I didn’t actually have any clothing malfunctions, but it might have been a little dicey once or twice. Just maybe.)
This year? Every looser-fitting boy-short-inspired bottom, every pair of actual boardshorts, and every skirt or ruffly-sarong thing? Proper swimsuit bottoms attached. I actually heard one lady complaining about not being able to find a separate sarong, and I can see where she’s coming from, but I was rejoicing after last summer. So, good on you, swimsuit makers, for figuring out that we don’t necessarily want our ladybits hanging out for all and sundry when we go swimming, and also not bilking our wallets for all they’re worth.
