(no subject)

There are several things that particularly bother me about the Virginia Tech massacre.

I remember discussing the clock tower killings at the University of Texas in my freshman psych class at Wesleyan. Such events seemed so remote then, a part of the inaccessible past.

I'm a little dismayed at the fact that some people seem interested in pointing fingers and placing blame on the university for their actions (or lack thereof) after the first shooting in the dormitory. Yes, Virginia Tech should definitely review and revise their emergency and crisis procedures. But as far as I can tell, I think the administration probably did the best they could. Hindsight is 20/20, and I doubt anyone is ever truly prepared to deal with something like this. Maybe the search for blame is really a search for answers. Maybe the need to find fault is stronger because the gunmann killed himself and thus cannot be made to answer for his acts.

Last night on the news, I saw a brief interview with two students who had survived the attacks (one of them had been treated for a gunshot wound to the arm). They described barricading the door after the shooter left, and then having to hold it closed when he came back and tried to re-enter the room. It struck me that this is the kind of scene featured in horror movies and nightmares, not the kind of thing anyone should have to experience in real life.

BPAL

And now, on a happier note, I've tested three out of my 8 imps (6 I ordered + 1 free one and 1 from ladybird).

I tried La Petit Mort first, and it was a disappointment. It smelled nice in the vial, but quickly went to baby powder on my skin. Not what I was expecting or wanting out of something named after a synonym for orgasm.

With my first test being a failure, I was afraid I'd have a hard time finding anything I liked, and that my first order would not yield any positive results. I should really be more optimistic.

Next up was Burial, and it worked quite well. It's very piney, but not in a cleaning product sort of way. There's a bit of rose in there, and an earthy note. It's like being in a thick pine forest, but it's the smell of the ground where the dirt and dry needles are. As it dried it took on a clean, fresh, almost sharp quality, like a stiff breeze. I like it a lot, but I'm reserving judgement on whether or not I want a bottle of it until I've tried all my imps.

Right now I'm trying out Lyonesse, and I think I'm in love. This stuff is gorgeous! It's warm and creamy, all sunshine and vanilla. It practically glows. I am pretty sure I will get a bottle.