Zazzle bag.

Well, they paid postage on the return, but since they'd sent it (at my request) USPS priority mail and they chose to have it returned UPS, I had to provide the packaging on the way back. I'm not sure if I got credit for that or not. I'd asked them to send me a replacement of the actual bag I ordered, but they indicated they are currently out of stock (not what the web site showed when I ordered it, but things change, so who knows) and don't know when they'll get more in, they just refunded the whole cost to me. So as far as I know, I'm out the cost of the packaging to return the incorrect bag. And either way I didn't get the bag I wanted.

Oh, and I only know the reason why because I asked why, being as I had asked them to replace it. The first reply to my request to replace it just said the total thing had been refunded, it didn't say why. Crappy communication skills since the next question ("why am I not getting my replacement?") should have been obvious to a child of five. :P

I have a coupon code for free ground shipping on my next order with them, if I want to use it, as an apology and for my patience, blah blah.

This does not make me want to order from them again. Now to find another site that will sell photos printed on bags in a style I like (unfortunately, Kodak Gallery, which I checked out, uses the same style as the bag Zazzle sent me, which I very much do not like).

Good things.

Today is mostly made of good things. *content*

I received the swap items from someone else in one of my swaps (http://www.swap-bot.com/ - yes, I'm easily amused). I got my copy of cadhla's latest CD, and am now giving it a first listen. (I love my brain, but sometimes it is disconcertingly fond of past patterns. It protested very very thoroughly on "River Lies" because it doesn't sound like just a studio copy of exactly the sound from the previous CD. Silly brain.) I got my catalog from the Vermont Country Store. This would normally not make the list - it was greeted with a sigh, and a "well, I did order from them, I suppose I should expect to be on their mailing list" - except that then I opened it and saw several things I want. I'll wait and think about it, but even if I don't buy, I enjoyed browsing. And I might buy.

Shopping was nice too: I found the sugar-free oreos, which turn out to also be within acceptable fat limits for my diet. I have not had oreos in years. I don't think I'll suddenly start eating them all the time, but it is nice to be able to have them now and again, at least. The herbal mint tea I bought tasted nice to me, which is always nice and not always guaranteed. And (on a less surprising, but still useful, level) I also got the pads I need to put on the dining chairs. We're going to move them into the hardwood floor area, and I'd rather not plow furrows in it. (The table will be on a rug. Not, alas, a well-proportioned one for it, but I could not find one in the stores that I liked well enough to get it, so for now this will do.)

Tomorrow the movers bring over the writing desk and the entertainment center, and a few other items, but those are the two with the deepest emotional resonance for me. They will also be very useful to us, replacing two inferior pieces of furniture (seriously: one was particleboard shelves) that we had been using and I hadn't bothered replacing because they were working. Pfeh.

And bpal has so far been nice to me. Testing more scents today. I can't decide if I like them, but neither triggered my allergies or the "omigod get it off" reflex (that's rare, but it can be hit), or even the "well this will make a humorous entry" reaction.

Gennivre is citrus mint with a powder cast to it; I get a slightly different scent each time I sniff. I can't decide if I love it or not, but I like it, at least. I must remember it is quite strong at first, though. It tames down nice but when it first went on I thought I wasn't going to get much more testing in because it scented my entire vicinity. I try to test with small amounts so that they are mostly there when I put my nose near my arm, but this one said, "excuse me? you want to ignore ME? I do NOT think so." It's still very there but no longer a cloud about me, but must remember that (not to mention that it soon dies back, else I'll think I've applied enough and be wrong).

Midnight on the Midway is harder; it has a woody smell to it on my skin, more than anything. I assume that's what others who are better sniffers than I have identified as nag champa, "kinda sandalwood and vanilla" although it's mostly the wood on me. At times the vanilla or floral scents rise and once or twice it smelled a bit like patchouli. And a tiny hint of something powdery but not quite baby powder. I'm not sure what to think of it; I don't love it, but I don't dislike it, and it's such an odd scent as far as waffling back and forth that I'm still trying to peg my reaction.

In a bit I'll test a couple more scents. And then I will take my bath and get all of them off me, as smelling like a perfume testing zone, although it is the immediate goal, is not really a great long-term hobby.

BPAL, part 2.

And the universe says "don't push your luck".

First, we have The Candy Butcher, which isn't bad but isn't great on me. It smells like chocolate and dry bones, in chill night air (no other idea how to put it, the only scents I can quantify are chocolate and bone, but it smells cold). It is a very neat effect, but I vastly prefer the simple chocolate of Bliss, which has the advantage of being general catalog as well.

Second, we have Silence. It turns into a thick floral/fruity on me. I can't place the florals but they are heady to the point of being cloying and make my head hurt a bit. The fruit smells mango-ish, under them. I can't do better than that without jamming my nose to my skin for a lot longer than I'm willing to.

And the more I smell Midnight on the Midway, the more sure I am that I don't like it that much. It's not awful, but it's not me. I'm not sure about Gennivre; need to drop that in the 'try again' pile.