teddy_radiator | Catchup in Teddyville

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: Steampunk Library
Current Music: Harry Potter Soundtrack

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Catchup in Teddyville

I have a much-needed three days off this week, which is good because I need to clean house, which I'm not doing, and bad because it means a low paycheck next week, oh well. It's been pretty good, no body part giving me any particular misery, just the creaks and groans of increasing age. I have developed a bit of arthritis in my left jaw, which means that chewing can be a little tiresome on certain days. I think this is nature's way of telling me I've eaten too much over the years and now my jaw is no longer under warranty.

I'm settling back into being a blonde, and with it has come this insane urge to wear my hair in victory rolls and bandanas and actually wear makeup - they seem to go together like cookies and milk. I haven't bought any makeup since before MISTI 2013, so I'm woefully unprepared for that part. Bandanas are cheap - makeup isn't. But I have a $3.50 off coupon and a little money left on my Ulta gift card from Christmas, so I'm going to try and get a few bits and pieces this week.

TheHubs™ and I finished Episode 8 of our Teddy & The Bassman podcast, and I am deliriously proud of it - it is our best yet. I would love for you to have a listen and tell me what you think - just click on Sevvy below to listen:

After receiving my fantastic MISTI-Con swag,

irishredlass offered TheHubs™ roomie space at MISTI-Con 2017 - we mention it in the podcast, as well as Masters of Sex, pumpkin spice, theatre, and TheHubs™ reads an excerpt from Her Minder, the section in which the two characters meet the first time - and even though I'm a bit biased, I think you will agree with me he is brilliant!

I have so much fun putting these together. I think they're mildly entertaining - I'd love for you to have a listen, or rec us to friends who like to listen to podcasts. Every time TheHubs™ does our ident 'Captain Flashheart' stylee I crack up - every. single. time.

It's also got me thinking I want to do some more podfics now that I have better equipment.

I opened the next two chapters of Labour of Love this week, and I'm in conference with

stgulik on how to proceed. I know I'm going to have to put some work into this to bring it all together. I had painted myself into a corner, and knew I'd have to really hustle to fix it. But as

irishredlass so wisely observed, "then it's time to paint a window and escape".

It also took me reading the Divergent series to appreciate you can't be lazy.

The first two books of the series weren't bad - decent world building, characterisations, etc. Then she set up an elaborate final book, and ran out of steam, inspiration, something, and killed off her main character. Now, this character had told the entire story in first person up to this book. It was lazy and completely unsatisfying - and resolved nothing. A terrible move and a waste of a decent character just to end the story. I'm not going to do that, even in a fanfiction.

TheHubs™ is in a play which begins a week from today. He has a really juicy part, with an American accent no less. He is going through his pre-opening night checklist - upset stomach, patchy sleep, achy, flu-ey symptoms. Poor guy - he is such a fine, solid performer, but he still has those jitters.

Well, I'm off to see what I can get into today. Wish me luck - hugs to all who needs 'em. ♥

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Makeup is dead pricey. But oh, the endless beans-and-rice dinners I will endure for some Too Faced palettes. I haven't tried anything by MAC because I know my bank account will be screwed for life if I do.

Then again, sometimes the cheap stuff is better than designer. I swear by my Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick. $4.99 at Target!

I'm looking for a decent but affordable contour kit. But yes, I need to get some 40's red lipstick!

Too Faced recently released a contour palette. But yeah, the price tag has kept me from snatching it up.

You can't do 40s vintage without the perfect red, for sure!! Although what you were wearing the other day was GORGEOUS.

Aww, thanks babe! ::blushes::

That lipstick was also bought a couple of years ago, and I felt it was too dramatic, but with this look, you can get away with it.

I used to love make up, then got out of the habit. I have fun with it, and let's face it, a coat of paint on the ol' barn will do wonders for it, but I'm just getting into the contour thing. I have a few bits and pieces, but again, it's all a bit old and manky. Ulta has a couple of palettes, and I've seen people do good stuff with simple makeup sticks in light and dark shades.

I haven't checked out Ulta. I need to go lurk around on their site. It was actually drag that got me into experimenting with contouring. LMAO. Obviously I'm in this more for the fun than the super-polished look.

I confess, I got bored half way through book 2 of the Divergent series, put it down, and have not felt the urge to try again. I'm glad I didn't get invested in the series, so I couldn't be let down by the final book. I hate it when authors are lazy.

Your steampunk cat looks most authoritative.

It had a promising start, and I think the premise was good, but you could almost see her running out of steam and enthusiasm for the story. The last book was just sleepwalking.

This bowler-hatted, monocle'd fellow, like Sevvy, looks imperious, but is really just waiting for belly rubs and his next meal.

Edited 2015-09-08 17:11 (UTC)

I didn't even get to that part of the last book. I threw it across the room at the point where yet again they both made the worst decisions possible despite being pretty intelligent people. They don't have the make the absolute worst decision every. Single. Time. I fucking swear.

Like I fell in love with a book the other day for the fact that the main character actually, gasp, told his girlfriend that this other girl thought he was leaving her gifts and was hitting on him. And they resolved any potential problem. The antagonist is the world and some bad guys, not some screwed up romance. I loved it. So hard.

Hugs hugs!

Yes, a friend on FB called it 'smart characters doing dumb things just to connect the dots'. I think that's perfect and this series was a perfect example of that. Their reasonings were so convoluted and illogical. I made myself finish it, because I kept thinking it would improve but alas I was disappointed.

I thought the first two books were decent if nothing hugely special. But that last pissed me off. I hate people doing that to their characters. It's such a freaking cop out. Someday I might go back and finish but it won't be any time soon.

No, I don't blame you. The faction idea was very intriguing. I think she came up with that idea and draped this story around it, and when the faction system fell apart in the story, so did her interest in it. She had so many places it could go, but she just didn't have the enthusiasm to see it through.

I believe that. It's just so... sad in a way.

I also thought the "it was all an experiment" thing was a bit of a cop out, tbh.

I really enjoyed the first two books in the Divergent series, so I read Allegiant as soon as it came out a few years ago. My memory of books is so bad, but when I finished it, I remember not knowing how to feel about it. Usually I read something and immediately can categorize it into loved it, hated it, or moderately enjoyed. I just really couldn't even put any more thought into it, and I was going to go back and reread or get on message boards hoping that what others said about it would spark something from me, but I never did any of those things. I wasn't bothered by the death, I think it was more just feeling confused, or overwhelmed, or not really caring ... I can't remember what put question marks above my head upon finishing. I will say, that this is one of those REALLY rare instances where I have enjoyed the movies more than the books. Maybe the final installments (why does every final book have to be two movies now?!?!) will rectify some of the book issues. Maybe.

In other news, I LOVE the cat pic!

I completely understand your confusion. I read through it and at the end, I thought, 'what was that all about? What did that death accomplish other than to put all her readers off balance?'

By that time, though, I was, like Gesley, thoroughly done with them doing stupid things just to connect the dots. At the very least, Tris' death should have felt like a cataclysmic burning of a city, not a postscript. She handled the death of her main character with such indifference her readers became indifferent, too.

When a main character dies, you need to be sobbing and wailing! ;)

Which I usually am. Actually, I'm usually sobbing and wailing before we get anywhere near death, but let's not go there ... :)

Me too! ;)

Have you seen the doctor? That sounds painfull.

I haven't. Aside from being terrified of doctors I just can't afford them. I usually don't go unless I think I'm possibly dying. Aside from that, it's only really bad first thing in the morning. Great for my diet, though.

Just take care, don't let it get to painfull

I won't, I promise! ♥

Re makeup: I was using expensive, department store brands because I had believed that they were the best. But. I decided to try drugstore brands, because surely something in some line must be just as good. I had an impulse (which we both know is generally Muse-sent) to try Rimmel. Even at my age, I still have oily skin and get occasional breakouts. So I tried their Stay Matte primer and foundation. Not only did it manage to match my skin tone, and not only was it as good as the much pricier foundation -- it was better! Not only that, but I could dab a little under my eyes and on any pimples with an eyeliner brush, blend it in, and it covers without giving any indication that I'm hiding something, so I didn't have to use my pricey concealer either! And it is dead cheap!

As for eye makeup, I've always done well with L'oreal. They have some great eye shadows that really last, and their Infallible gel eyeliner (which you apply with a brush) really does stay in place until you take it off. (I use grapeseed oil, but any food grade oil will do.)

I'm still trying to find the perfect replacement for my beloved Nars lipstick, which is a semi-matte cool-toned red (Red Lizard). So far, the best replacements have been with L'oreal's Colour Riche. They have a new line of various semi-matte reds, and I've found #402, Blake's Red, to be flattering. However, I was looking through the Rimmel's the other day, and they have a red -- #111 -- which I tried on my hand, and looks really good. I think I will try that the next time. (Rimmel is not only much cheaper than department store cosmetics, but it also beats other drugstore brands pricewise AND quality-wise.

I hope this helps, since I can't be there to shop with you!

That was super advice, Mimi darling! I too need a cool-toned red, since the warmer tones unfortunately flatter too much. I remember when I was younger seeing an advert in Glamor magazine of a gorgeous honey blonde wearing the most luscious shade of peach lipstick. I had to have it - it looked hideous on me! That's when I understood all that season-color stuff was valid. I am a true winter, so I need to stick to the cool tones.

I'll check out the Rimmel 111 today! ♥

Oh! And please always remember to save the sales receipt and any packaging until you're sure it works for you. Whether it's a drug store or Ulta, they take things back with no problem. You can save an enormous amount of money this way by not keeping your mistakes around.

I grabbed the Rimmel 111 at Walmart today. It looks perfect! Thank you darling for the great advice.

What are victory rolls? For some reason I'm thinking of sticky buns but I'm quite sure that's not it lol

That's a victory roll - mine aren't that good, though ;)

Ah, I see -- lovely, and much more suitable for hair than a sticky bun :)

Although not as yummy! ;)

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Catchup in Teddyville

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