Updates

Y-a-w-n!

Tuesday morning and I'm writing from my desk, tired as a four-peckered rabbit.  Nuclear waste-powered coffee is the only thing I wager will wake me up today.

I had President's Day off yesterday, and I thought I would get some "real" work done: brush up my CV (resume), do some studying, etc.  I should have known better.  I spent almost two  hours playing lightning chess in which the entire game is played in two minutes.  Can you imagine how many games that is?  My brain was fried afterwards and I was essentially useless.

Writing

I'm considering writing a book--topic unknown right now--and in preparation, I've been reading Stephen King's On Writing.  Dealing mostly with writing fiction, this is a tremendous book.  Highly recommended.

2007 Basenotes Awards

The 2007 Basenotes awards are out!

Chanel's No.5 won Best Women's Fragrance, followed by Shalimar and Mitsouko.  These are old perfumes (No.5 is over 80 years old) and many women I know don't like them, but what the hey, it works.

Women's Best New Fragrance is Songes by Annick Goutal.  I've heard wonderful things about this one and can't wait to smell it.  Guerlain's Insolence came in second place.

For men (you're not going to believe this), the most votes go to Egoiste!  Wow.  Followed by the odious Vetiver (Guerlain) and Creed's Green Irish Tweed in third place.  I smelled this at Nordstrum's in Las Vegas some time ago and I almost retched.  Being that it was Cary Grant's perfume, I am honor-bound to try this one again.

I've only recently discovered Creed and let me tell you, Millesime Imperial is lovely!  Nothing better in hot weather.  Hell, it's good in any weather.  Bois du Portugal (BdP) is a bit too bubbly for my taste, and smells very much like Patricia de Nicolai's New York although I like BdP better.  You already know what I think of Green Irish Tweed.

Best New Fragrance unsurprisingly goes to Hermes's Terre d'Hermes!  Excellent.  Calvin Klein's Euphoria (eh!) and Burberry London for men (great!) are next.

My SOTD is Estee Lauder's Beyond Paradise Men.

Dead Like Me

My brother- and sister-in-law recommended the Showtime series Dead Like Me.  I have to agree.  My favorite character on the show, which is no longer on the air, is Mandy Patinkin's Rube.  Really funny, really good.