Monthly Archives: December 2013

2013. The year that was

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume December 31, 2013 Comments: 24

I have no better words to describe it. It was, it’s over now.

I look back on it and all I can think is, thankfully, it’s over. Nothing bad happened to me but it still felt like a bad year, full of bad news (both domestic and international), lethargy, indifference, deaths – generally, a year that didn’t display human kind at its best (an understatement) and did display it at some of its worst.

I always feel guilty for thinking like this, I feel I am being ungrateful. Compared to most of the world, I lead a life of plenty. And realistically speaking, it’s true. I lack for nothing, quite the contrary, I have a great family, a nice job, a good education, great circle of friends. I live in a beautiful country. I travel. I can buy perfumes and books. I am also healthy and hopefully will remain so.

So why feel like my year was one I just went through? Because it was. It mostly feels like a year where I went through all the motions of my everyday life when actually it felt more like hibernation with some small sparks of life.

But I want to focus on all the positive things this year brought me (because it feels like the hibernation period might be over) and one should always bring in the new year on a positive note. 🙂

 

PERFUME

This year has brought me some true treasures. 🙂black smoke

I discovered Cuirelle by a lucky chance and fell in love completely.

Suzanne opened my eyes to what incredibly happy perfume 24, Faubourg is.

I listened to Maurice Roucel give a talk on perfumes and met some new perfume friends.

And then the new Puredistance Black came out. And speaking of black, it really has become my favorite color to wear.

 

 

BOOKS

I discovered I am hooked to post-apocalyptic novels of any and every caliber – YA, horror, zombie, romance – you name it, I’ll probably enjoy it. I do wonder about what that says about me because I’m scared of the actual possibility (some of them sound too realistic). Am I preparing for the possibility?!passage

I haven’t read World War Z but I did see the movie and loved it. I’m guessing the book is better. When someone asks me what I want for birthday, that will be on my list (although I can already see the eye-rolling accompanying my wish for more books). 😀

I also think I will never reach my annual goal of 100 books. Last year I came closest, but this year, I think it’s the worst so far. Maybe I should sign up for the 50 books a year challenge, I would be able to finish that one. 😉

 

THE REST

The highlights of my year have been the trips to Vienna and Rome. In Vienna I finally got to meet the lovely Birgit and her boys, with an additional surprise of meeting Sandra and her son as well.

Rome was a trip we planned while in Paris in 2012. I cannot say how happy I am that I got to meet with Suzanne, Mark and Asali in Rome again. I thought there wasn’t a city in the world that could remove Paris from the top of my list of places I would love to live, but there’s Rome. I love that city and I hope to visit it again soon.

View from the park above Spanish steps

View from the park above Spanish steps

It might seem like I had a very active year, what with finishing 4 half-marathons in 3 different countries, but that was an uphill fight all the time, as all I wanted to do was stay home and read, and not go out and run. Still, you can’t tell that from the races, so at least it looked good on the outside. 😉

IMG_2034

See how tired I was?!

But I took time off for the last two months as I needed to replenish my physical and psychological energy levels. I actually feel better now.

So, without further ado,

Wishing you all a successful, fulfilling New Year full of happiness, laughter and joy!

*off to toast to that with a glass of champagne*

Champagne_glass_flower_stem_shape

The Rose of Morocco – Andy Tauer’s Phi Une Rose de Kandahar

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume December 30, 2013 Comments: 19

Actually, it’s the rose of Afghanistan but I’m calling it the Rose of Morocco in my mind as it smells of dry and thorny rose, on the familiar Tauer base which always makes me think of L’Air du Desert Marocain (not that they smell similar).

But the idea of dryness and dust is there, accompanied by light acridness and the feeling of thorns being hidden so you better beware when approaching it.desert rose

HEAD NOTES: natural apricot extract,cinnamon,hints of bitter almond, bergamot essential oil.

HEART NOTES: rare rose essential oil with its unique scent of spices, plums and flower petals, rose absolute from Bulgaria, Bourbon geranium,dark tobacco fond, absolute of dried tobacco leaves.

BODY NOTES: patchouli, vetiver, vanilla and tonka, musk and amber gris.

I would say smelling the notes is not what is important here. Sure, I can smell the bergamot, spices and almonds in the opening together with a beautiful rose note. And then the warmth of the vanilla and tonka, together with a pinch of tobacco. Finishing off with a warm, dry base resting on incredible patchouli.

What I find incredible is that it actually smells and feels like a warm, dry, rough region where the most succulent rose comes from. Not that I would know what dry, rough lands smell like, whether in Afghanistan or Morocco, but in my mind, this is how.

And once the night falls down, the rose closes its petals and you are left with the warmth of dry lands, reminiscing what bounty there was to smell when the petals were open.

This rose has so easily captured my heart and climbed the list of my favorite rose perfumes.

My sample was provided through http://www.tauerperfumes.com/ and the notes were taken from there as well.

Sarah Morgan: Sleigh Bells in the Snow

Book review, World of Books December 29, 2013 Comments: 2

It’s that time of year when I just love curling up with a romance book and enjoying my evenings at home.

And doesn’t this title sound like just the thing for such an evening? It certainly does.

I loved the chemistry and the budding love story between Kayla and Jackson, but I especially enjoyed the fact that it’s Kayla’s journey of life, coming free of the psychological burdens of her childhood, all with sleigh bellsthe help of a gorgeous, smart guy (I wouldn’t mind doing the same if Jackson was there beside me). 😉

The story is set at the week leading to Christmas, in as perfect setting as one can imagine for it, Vermont (well, I imagined it as perfect while reading the book).

The best thing about this book (if we ignore the sizzling chemistry that you will feel while reading it – incredible!) is that the end is realistic. 🙂

The rest of characters are fun to be around, and since Jackson has 2 brothers, I’ll be visiting Vermont (virtually) again it seems. 🙂

“Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green’s favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.

Jackson O’Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family’s resort—it’s in his blood, and he can’t let it fail. Now that he’s got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she’s out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it’s terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn’t believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?”

This is what I think it must look like in Vermont

This is what I think it must look like in Vermont

N.K. Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms #4 (End)

Book review, World of Books December 23, 2013 Comments: 9

This is where we part ways with Yeine for the time being.

The last week’s questions were brought by Lauren of the Violin in a Void and here they are:

1. Yeine shows us the meaning of esui when she summons Nahadoth, makes an offering of herself, and asks him to make love to her like the god he is. What did you think of her decision and the scenes that followed? Cosmic sex or verging on comic? What importance does sex has for their relationship?kingdom

I was thinking she has some serious case of esui. 🙂 But I think their cosmic sex is important for their relationship because of trust and letting go of yourself in order to make a point of love. At least, that’s how I read it.

 

2. Relad makes a last-minute play for succession by offering to help the Darre. Are you satisfied with his role in this book or do you think he should have had more of a presence? What do you think of his strategy to get Yeine to choose him over Scimina?

I’m satisfied, especially since I didn’t expect anything much from him I admit. And I think his strategy was rather good, unexpected and back-stabbing when it comes to Scimina which I enjoyed.

3. The final chapters show us more of Dekarta’s character than the rest of the book. How do you feel about him now, knowing the truth of his motives and of Kinneth’s death?

Hmm, I’m not sure. I don’t think that not being responsible for Kinneth’s death absolves him of anything. he still did everything else. Although he does seem to have some nice emotions in himself it seems.

 

4. The Succession Ceremony: Absolutely nothing turns out the way anyone thought it would. Did any of it match your expectations? What are your thoughts on what happened?
[Note: so much happened in this ceremony that I have separate questions for Itempas and Yeine’s roles. You can discuss them there rather than in this question].

Nothing matched my expectations except for the Relad part. I was left reeling trying to figure out everything that was happening.

I could have done with a better explanation of Yeine’s change, it seemed like she became another person and there was no Yeine left even though I could tell the author wanted to convince us otherwise. I’m not really convinced it’s still her.

 

5. We finally meet Itempas, a mad god whose overpowering love and hate caused all this suffering. What did you think of him?

God, I hope he suffers as a human for eternity. It’s probably going to take him that long to learn to love. He’s a bit of a psychopath if you ask me.

 

6. As a goddess, Yeine makes some dramatic decisions and changes, like altering Sky, killing Kurue, and trapping Itempas in mortal form. How do you feel about this new goddess-Yeine? Would you have down anything differently?

I think she made some great choices and changes with her power. What I’m not so enthusiastic about is that I can’t think of her as Yeine. 😦

 

7. Wrapping up: What did you think of the book as a whole? Any loose ends you’d like tied up? How might the world be changed by these events? Will you read the next book to find out?

I will definitely read the next book but if I got it correctly, it’s going to focus on Itempas and not Yeine and Nahadoth. I don’t think there are any loose ends, I just wish Yeine goddess felt more like Yeine to me. Unfortunately, it felt just like the goddess, no Yeine.

Hopefully, that will change in the future.

The Scent of Music: Winter Wonderland

World of Perfume December 22, 2013 Comments: 26

It’s that time of year when we all want to write about our Christmas scents. A big thank you to Undina and Natalie for bringing us all together for another fragrant blogging event.

Today we are pairing Christmas music and perfumes and I just have to say it’s the best idea as I love Christmas music and well, you all know I love perfume.

My choice of music was Dean Martin‘s Winter Wonderland – the idea of winter wonderland paired with his voice makes for a perfect song to indulge in during this time (at least for me it does).

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,Winter_WonderlandWe’re happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland. ..

…Later on, we’ll conspire,

As we dream by the fire

To face unafraid,

The plans that we’ve made,
Walking in a winter wonderland. …

When it snows, ain’t it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We’ll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walking in a winter wonderland.”

 

I skipped parts of the song and just focused on those I will feature in perfumes. That said, I’m still looking for a perfume embodiment of snow I have in my mind.

Each time I consider a winter wonderland, I think of white woods and walking through them in the snow. I guess all the skiing did its thing. 😉

So, my perfect perfumes embodying the smell of a walk in the winter woods would be Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles, making you feel you’re still close to the cabin and its fire while also smelling the pines around you, and Winter Woods by Sonoma Scent Studio which is such an incredible depiction in perfume of exactly what the name says.

Then there are perfumes that might not smell like snow exactly, but they smell white and cold and sparkly, and come very close.

I find it funny that I would list Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique among them but I do. It smells white to me and light and when I smell it, I feel the same as I would when I breathe in the snowy air.

Then there is Le Labo’s Gaiac 10 , with its incense and cedar and it makes me think white and clean, and therefore snowy. It’s strange that when a perfume has an incense note that smells white, I am fine with it (otherwise it’s a no-no for me on incense).

My third choice for the tranquility of the white world (winterland) is Montale’s  White Oud. It’s as serene and peaceful as a white, snowy landscape where you are alone to find peace.

And as we go back to warm ourselves by the fire, I always go back to Piment et Chocolat, a perfume to warm you up that you wouldn’t mind drinking by the fire either, and Festive, the one you might want to wear if you need warming up of another kind by the Christmas tree. 😉

Please visit my fellow participating bloggers for their choices on what songs smell Christmas-y to them:

I’ll leave you now with Winter Wonderland. 🙂

And my favorite for this year and one of my all time favorite Christmas songs of all time:

N.K. Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms read-along #3

Book review, World of Books December 17, 2013 Comments: 14

Yes, I skipped number 2. Sorry.

I’ll go on with answering this week’s questions, provided by Andres, The Little Red Reviewer.

1. T’vril takes Yeine to the servant’s party. What did you think of that party, and of Sieh’s part in it?
kingdom
I loved the fact that the servants have their hidden pleasures that are completely off limits to the inner family. I also think it’s Sieh’s way of letting his nature out, getting back at the inner family through parties for those they consider lesser.
2. Yeine presents herself as such a nice, compassionate person. Did your feelings about her change after the meeting she and Nahadoth had with Gemd?
No. She’s a leader and even though she didn’t expect what happened, she knew she had to go with it. I think her now  a strong person as well.
3. On page 230 we learn about the Darre concept of “esui”, of attraction to danger. Have you ever experienced Esui? did it help you, or hurt you? Do you think it will help Yeine, or hurt her?
I loved that! We need a word for that! That is definitely a concept that exists. I experienced it and it didn’t help me but it give me pleasure at the time it was happening and it did make me learn about myself. I think the same might happen to Yeine as well.
4. What did you think of the reveal regarding Ygreth’s (Kinneth’s mother) death? Was it something you expected?  How does being forced to do something like that (or knowing you’ll be forced to) shape a person?
I didn’t see that coming at all. It does show though that Anameri think more of personal success than of the people they love because they obviously come second to it. I’m not sure how does that shape a person, as I’m having a hard time generally understanding the Anameri.
5. If I’m reading it correctly, the ceremony can require a human sacrifice (to show that the heir is strong enough to kill anyone, if asked).  Who might Scimina sacrifice? Who might Yeine sacrifice? 
If I’m reading it correctly, the ceremony does require a human sacrifice as it’s not possible to survive handling the stone and without the ceremony can’t take place.
Hmm, that’s a good question. Scimina does not strike me as someone who actually has someone she loves that she could sacrifice. Can she sacrifice her looks? A part of her? I don’t think anything else comes close to her heart.
As for Yeine, I don’t think she’ll be sacrificing anything but if she ends up having to, T’Vril or her grandmother come to mind.
6.The ball is only a few days away. What do you think will happen?
This reminds me of the Lynch read-along. I have no idea what will happen. But if Yeine is the sacrifice, I think she might survive it. And that might be the cause of why she’s trying so hard not to lose herself and her memories.

I succumbed

I've been thinking, World of Books December 11, 2013 Comments: 3

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been lately and what I’ve been doing, the answer is home, watching Vampire Diaries.

Yes, I watch teenage vampire soap operas it seems. And make no mistake, it’s a soap opera type of series.

I can’t help but be reminded of Penny in Big Bang Theory getting addicted to a video game. I have a bit of a geeky taste, yes. I adore Big Bang Theory and laugh my heart out watching it.

I also love science-fiction and fantasy and can talk about books and movies from both genres while also knowing the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek (I do get lost in the variants and generations a bit though when they stray from Captain Janeway, Captain Picard and Captain Kirk).

But to get back to the point – I got addicted to Vampire Diaries. Luckily for me, I’m half-way through season 4 and I won’t watch season 5 until it’s finished but that won’t take me that long as four combined.vampire

I feel a bit stupid as I stopped reading books at some point because the story just got winded (the same happened with The House of Night books, which if they ever get turned into a series, will also be a teenage vampire soap opera.

Anyway, the story and characters have gaping holes at some points and you feel like tearing your hair out, but it somehow just works and sucks you in. I don’t even want to go into all the violence and alcohol that might actually sound more than tempting after watching this (I know the whisky they keep drinking is certainly tempting me).

Still, I can’t help it – I spend all my free time watching it and enjoying every moment. 🙂

Luckily there is not much left so I’ll be back to my regular life soon. And keeping time with my read-along.

That is definitely a telling sign, I don’t even read because I need to watch this.

Addicted.

N. K. Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms read-along, #1

Book review, World of Books December 2, 2013 Comments: 9

I am so glad I got convinced into doing this read-along as well because the book has got me seriously hooked. 🙂

This week’s questions were brought by Susan from Dab of Darkness.

Beware, spoilers lurk below.

1) We’ve met our narrator, Yeine. What are your first impressions? Do you like the chosen form of story telling so far? 
Actually, yes I do. It’s obvious at some point in the future the fight for the throne has gotten bad and she kingdomis suffering for it and while doing that remembering how it started. I like the little interludes where she tries to find some clearness of mind. It makes you like her from the start – how hard she tries despite thinking she’ll die soon (or lose all her memory).

2) Yeine essentially has two families – the Darre (her father’s people) and the Arameri (her mother’s people). What do you think of her two halves? Do you think one will win out over the other within Yeine?

I’m thinking if one wins it might be Darre. But if she can harness the best of both worlds, that would be great. I mean she’s already doing it. And it seems to be going well so far.

3) We meet the Enefa, the enslaved gods. Which do you wish to know the backstory to the most? What do you think of their enslavement?

I’m still not sure how that came about, I wonder if it will get better explained later on. It’s certainly a very strange twist. I think I’ll go with Nahadoth because it seems there is some kind of love in that story. I mean, the jealousy is certainly there…

4) Nahadoth finally catches up to Yeine and his first words and actions are mysteries to her. Gibbering or meaning? 

Of course there is meaning to that. We just don’t know what it means because Yeine doesn’t know what it means. Hopefully we will.

5) We’ve met the competition for the unspoken throne – Lady Scimina and Lord Relad. How do you think they will complicate Yeine’s life?

In unpredictable ways. I hope Scimina doesn’t turn to Darre which seems to be what Relad thinks. Or if she does, Yeine stops her smartly. I can’t even begin to guess what’s on Relad’s mind which makes me wary of him. There might be some bad possibilities in that.

6) The Enefa obviously want something from Yeine. What do you think that is and how do you think Yeine will react to their wants? 

Well, if I were to guess, I’d say she might have something to do with freeing them. I don’t see any other reason why they would be so very interested otherwise.

Since  Yeine strikes me as  reasonable and fair, if what they plan to do is honest and doesn’t hurt innocent people, I think she’ll go with it.

See you next Monday!

In the meantime, go check what my fellow readers wrote:

Dab of Darkness

Books without any pictures

On Starships & Dragonwings

The Little Red Reviewer

Violin in a Void

Many a True Nerd

Nashville Book Worm

 

 

Today I’m ashamed to be a Croat

I've been thinking December 2, 2013 Comments: 35

It seems we are a nation that is either intolerant of differences or generally doesn’t care at all.

Croatia had to vote today on a referendum whether it will be put into our constitution that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.

So, after today, we are going to have an additional clause in it, saying exactly that.

To think that I live among smart, tolerant people was obviously a serious judgment error on my part. Because it seems 65% of voters today think it’s okay to limit the right to marriage. That is, 65% of the 38% of people who actually care one way or the other. As that was the percentage of voters today – 38%.

My heart aches knowing that I live in a country where this can happen and no one can do anything about it (too many idiotic things allowed, leading to such a stupid outcome).

The most incredible thing is that none of the arguments why limiting marriage would be ok is actually based in logic, Catholic religion or common human decency. But the other side kept bringing those up like it were, and now it seems to have worked.

I do wish I lived someplace else where things like this don’t happen and people actually listen to common sense. Aren’t hypocritical. Mean. Or just plain stupid.

Still, it hurts. And I feel ashamed.

So, if anyone has a job offer anywhere that isn’t Croatia, I would be more than willing to consider it.