Come with me, into a 'Vaginal Fantasy'

I just finished reading "Succubus Blues" by Richelle Mead. It is a fantastic, often smutty, but oh so fun to read book about a reluctant succubus. I probably would have never known this book even existed if it hadn't been for one of my favorite little youtube hangouts, Vaginal Fantasy, featuring Kila Kazebee, Bonnie Burton, Felicia Day & Veronica Belmont. I don't read every book that they discuss, but I have read a few of them, and this is one of the best. It had plenty of sultry scenes, but it also had a plot that kept me turning those pages. Not to mention some substance. For example, my favorite quote from the book:

"Love is rarely flawless, humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect."

If you're interested in seeing the episode that drew me into this little gem, you can watch it now.

Birchbox, July 2013

I know it's August, so I'm a tad behind on this one, but I have to say that July's Birchbox was spectacular! There were fancy bobby pins, French face lotion, and leave in hair conditioner that smells amazing. The "Girl Meets Pearl" by Benefit is my favorite sample of the bunch though; I "squeed" in delight. Pretty glowing skin!?! Yes please. Even the little lotion samples smell wonderful, I just wish the packaging was a little more fancy. The ten dollars each month is well worth it when I get fun boxes like this; keep it coming Birchbox, I like where you're headed.

A Town Saved from Fire

This was the view from my home town on Wednesday; the third day of a fire that began small and rushed through dry brush into the back country of my mountain home last week. Let me just say, we are a town now full of gratitude and humility! Our home is safe and of all the "nicest things" I could write of today, I am the most happy that my home is still here and all the town's inhabitants here to enjoy it!

This is a map that shows the vast span of the fire's path. The blue arrow is pointing to where our house is; which is also very close to where the origin of the fire was. The ridge was the stopping point for most of the flames, and the 3,000 people who came in to battle the fire were doing everything in their power to keep the flames from breaching that ridge line.  More information about The Mountain Fire can be found here, if you're interested.

All the firefighters and support crew that made their way into our town to allow us to stay where we are today are the only thing I want to praise today. No amount of thanks is enough. My home town is intact, charred in the high country, but the forest will regrow and that is a beautiful thing as well. These men and women are true heroes, and every single person in this town is grateful for each and every one of them.

Glossy Box, June 2013

I really wish I could say that I'm happy with Glossy Box, but I just can't. This is the second month that I received my box and thought, "Why did I spend $20 on this?" The fragrance sample was so overwhelming that I could smell it through the box before I opened it. Yuck! Six mini samples that blend together to make one satchel of foul odor? I couldn't give those samples away, seriously. The dry oil mist is interesting, and the shampoo was also extremely scented. The nail polish quality and size is great, but the color is a kind of old lady dusty rose.

I was really excited for the lipstick sample because I love Tarte makeup; the packaging, as always for Tarte, is awesome. However, the shade they sent me is for medium/dark skin, but I am porcelain/fair for sure :( So this complexion brightening shade did nothing for me and I had to give it to a much darker skinned coworker. I filled out the personal profile, but I kind of doubt that this box was personalized for my preferences. I'm unsubscribing from Glossy Box; I'm not impressed, and there are sample boxes that seem to have better items for less money.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, so when I read on NPR that he had a new novel out this summer I pre-ordered it on Amazon and waited for it to arrive in my mail box. The Ocean at the End of the Lane does not disappoint; it is a quick read, but it is so deliciously nerve wracking. It is about a now grown man who returns to his childhood home, and is drawn into the memory of a time that the world nearly ended. Unlike most of Gaiman's books, this is a decidedly adult novel; slightly dark and disturbing, but also full of hope and insight. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:
"I'm going to tell you something important. Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside, they're big and thoughtless and they always know what they're doing. Inside, they look just like they always have. Like they did when they were your age. The truth is, there aren't any grown-ups. Not one, in the whole wide world."
Also, if you haven't seen this commencement speech, and you need inspiration, give a little listen.

Running Fuel

I have always been an active person, though usually that meant dance class or yoga. I played sports in school, but I always hated running. Seriously? You want me to silently run in circles until I've gone a mile? Whoopie.... Well, this year I decided to push myself and try something new. Guess what? I actually do like running! I am shocked actually, but one of my 30 things to do before I turn 30 was to run a 5k. I discovered that if I have music and a path that doesn't just take me in circles like a hamster, I have fun! This is me after my first 5k, the Run or Dye in San Diego. Since then I have run the Idyllwild 5k and continue to run once or twice a week, in addition to my normal workouts. One thing I notice that keeps me hydrated and feeling good for a run is Synergy Black Chia Kombucha. Kombucha has a tendency to have a strong, footy taste, but the black chia is so nice and smooth. Chia is supposed to help runners with endurance; the research on that is still young, but I feel a difference when I drink this. Mmmmm....delicious probiotics.

A Moment Please

Alright, so this blog is mostly dedicated to the things in life that are fun and interesting. However, this one item in my influenster Something Blue Box needs to be addressed, as I have a very strong view point on this issue. While I appreciate the thought, it makes me sad that this trend of the diamond engagement ring continues with complete disregard for consequences.

Included in the box was a brochure with discounted diamond rings, but come on ladies, we all know this is ridiculous trend right? Apparently not. The Atlantic published an article about the history of diamond ring, the whole article can be found here, but in summation it explains that the diamond ring is basically collateral in a loan where the bride is the object on loan. When a groom to be has made an investment on a ring, he is making a promise that he will fulfill if he doesn't want to lose money. If the man doesn't follow through with the agreement, the woman leaves the deal with a shiny little something. So fine, you say, what if I like diamonds and I like the idea of being property on loan? What if I like having my worth measured by my intact virginity? Do you know where diamonds come from? I don't mean how they are formed inside the earth either. What are the politics involved in mining and selling them?

Here is an excerpt from Brilliant Earth, that discusses the origin of most diamonds:

It’s become well-known among diamond consumers that many diamonds have histories tied to violence and human suffering. But most people looking for a diamond never receive any more information than this basic word of advice: avoid buying a “blood” or “conflict” diamond.
 
That advice is well-intentioned, but it’s not always enough. The truth is, many so-called “conflict free” diamonds are not actually free from bloodshed and other serious injustices including child labor, worker exploitation, and sexual violence.
 
How is it that reputable jewelers could be misleading customers about such serious issues? Why isn’t the diamond industry being held accountable to a higher standard? The simple answer is that the industry has done a masterful job of setting the terms of the debate – and of encouraging any discussion about blood diamonds to end before it even starts.
 
But if you want a more complete answer, it’s helpful to take a deeper look at what happens in jewelry stores, at the history of the blood diamond issue, and at how the diamond industry developed a marketing strategy that misleads consumers and makes real change a challenge.

There is ample information about blood diamonds online, and the Amnesty International website has lots of information about them.

Finally, if you need a more persuasive argument against diamond engagement rings, I present to you Henry Rollins:



What about my ring? Elton gave me an antique family heirloom with a square cut amethyst; it can be seen in this post. My ring is beautiful, meaningful, and shows Elton's dedication and love without making me feel like piece of property on loan. Maybe I'm unusual, but if I knew that the bling on my hand cost someone their life, I couldn't be comfortable with myself or my jewelry choice.