More fun with lip balm!

Ok, I couldn't help myself, I had to make more lip balm, this time with more clove oil. I made a much smaller batch this time, and I think I'm going to stick to around this size batch for the near future. Here is what I did this time:


1 tsp Beeswax Pearls
1 tsp Shea Butter
2 tsp Sweet Almond Oil
.15 tsp Clove Oil
2 capsules of vitamin E
scraping of Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in 'Fig'

(made 4 tubes)

I didn't want to get the different batches mixed up since I increased the clove oil so much (not sure the exact percent since I couldn't measure accurately  but I know I filled a 1/4 teaspoon less than halfway, so I am sure its under 5%) and if anyone is going to deal with skin irritation side effects I would certainly rather it be me then a unsuspecting guinea pig, er, friend or family member.  So in order to keep batch 1 distinguishable from batch 2,  I scraped off a little slice of Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in the color 'Fig' and added it to the second batch for color. Worked like a charm, the color came out more of a warm tan instead of so yellow. So far I like it better! I will have to wear it for a few days and make sure there are no weird side effects, but it smells lovely!

A comparison between the colors of batch 1 (right) and batch 2 (left)

Fun with Lip Balm

It seems like every time I fall in love with a lip balm it gets discontinued. For a while it was Chapstick Fresh Effects Green Tea Mint or Mandarin Orange. Then all the stores in my area stopped carrying them. I tried Burt's Bees Clove. Omg, I loved it. Suddenly they all went on sale - I bought every tube I could find! Only to discover the sale I was so happy about was due to the fact they were being discontinued! Guh! I remembered an article that I read on a blog where the writer made her own lip balm. So off to google to research DIY clove lip balm! I ran across TONS of recipes  I was overwhelmed actually, so I ended up deciding to stay pretty close to the original post I read. Here is what I used:


2 tbsp Beeswax Pearls
2 tbsp Shea Butter
4 tbsp Sweet Almond Oil
1/4 tsp Clove Oil
2 vitamin E capsules

(made 17 tubes)

They turned out pretty nice, I like the color and texture but I had been hoping for the clove oil tingle I get from Burt's Bee's. I ran some calculations on my trusty TI-89 (well my emulator anyways since my calculators are all at work) and found I only used about 1% clove oil. I think I'm going to try another batch and up the percentage, first to double check what percentages are safe to use - don't want my lips to go permanently numb or anything!

Frustrated with a book....

Presently I am reading/listening to Kim Harrison's A Perfect Blood. I have loved this series, waiting with much anticipation for each book to be released and gobbling them up as soon as I can get a hold of them. For the first time in the ten books plus handful of short stories, I have actually had to put the book down completely disgusted with the characters. Grated Rachel is not perfect, and is not some supreme fighter who always comes out on top, that's part of what makes her so relateable, she takes a beating and doesn't always come out on top immediately. But so far in this book she has yet to come out at all - she get captured, beaten, disabled, and so very often relies completely on her splat gun which has yet to even hit anything 80% into the book. She bemoans her inability to access her power or tap lines, thinking how everything would be completely different if she hadn't handicapped herself with the silver bracelet, yet the first run she is on after its off, she relies on her splat gun and Trent's charm. The only time she even comes close to using her power is to tap a line to bubble herself once. After she was disabled yet again and tied up with her own zip strip I'd had enough. I expect so much more out of her, even with her mistakes. This is nearly as depressing as Bella. I am taking a break from this book and I so hope it gets better...

Adventures with AT&T

On Friday I have no internet. I examine the modem, the DSL light is flashing red – which gets me thinking about the fact that I recently changed bank accounts and my ATT internet is set to automatically deduct from my old account. Rats, I bet no payment went through and they disconnected me. I glance through my pile of papers on my desk for something with ATT’s phone number – first thing I find is my welcome packet. I call the number go through the automated system (2:49pm): …no the account is not attached to the number I’m calling from…yes I already reset my system and I know that is not the reason I’m having trouble…no I’m not going to do it again – just give me a person to talk to, guh.

Finally I get some guy and he asks for the number associated with the account (which I already gave the automated system) then the name on the account, then my name (ie same as above). I tell him what happened and he asks for my customer id. Customer ID? What customer id? I just gave him my account number and verified the name…apparently on my bill there should be 3 digit number after my account number. I tell him I don’t have a bill in front of me (I generally don’t get them since I’m on automatic payments). He asks for the exact amount of my last payment. Er, I don’t know that either, I know its around $48. Nope not good enough. Apparently with out one of those two numbers he can’t help me. Really? Not even with my account number, name, address, social security number, or numerous secret questions they love to make me set up for this reason, nor any other myriad question they could ask me? Nope, he can’t help. He has to transfer me to a different department. Alrighty then.

I get transferred and I notice the automatic wait dialogue is in Spanish. Uh oh. The next cheerful representative answers: “Gracias por haber elegido a AT&T!...” Oh no. Me:“Er, I am really sorry but I only speak English”. Guy: (Heavily accented) “Ok, how can I help you?”  I explain what happed with the billing, we struggle to understand each other, but he is nice and trying hard to help me. He gets the bank account information switched over and tells me that the full amount for last month and this month will be deducted at once on March 2^nd. Hmmm.. but I have no internet now. I ask if I could just pay it now and have the internet back up. He is confused and repeats it will be deducted on the 2^nd. We go back and forth a bit – he agrees that I could pay it now but still seems confused. I finally say it’s alright (might as well approach this from a different angle hopefully with a English speaker). I tell him I am having connection problems and would like to talk to internet tech support. He cheerfully agrees and transfers me on to…

Spanish speaking tech support: “Gracias por haber elegido a AT&T, ¿cómo podemos ayudarle” Me: “Er, I’m sorry I was sent to the wrong place, could you transfer me to an English speaking tech support angent?” Guy: (heavily accented) “Yes, sorry ma’am, one minute”…

English speaking tech support. Finally I am able to talk to someone about why my internet is not working. She quickly finds that my account is still suspended and tells me I need to talk to the department that deals with that, but it closes at 5pm eastern time (ie 3 mins ago) so she is trying to get a person there for me to talk to. She transfers me and….

“We are sorry but this number is not longer in service, please call customer service to be redirected.”

WTF?!

So I call again (3:21pm), now I’ve located and opened the notice that I missed a payment, so I have a different number to call. Back through the automated system (Guh I HATE that system!). I don’t even remember how I get to the right department, but I do. They see that I did update my banking information, but say that I need to have the past due amount in now in order to remove the suspension. I tell them I’d be happy to do that (in fact I was trying to do that with the Spanish speaking guy!). So he processes my payment and removes the suspension, and says my internet should be restored within half an hour.

About an hour and half later, still no internet. I call again (5:01pm) I get through the automated system and talk to tech support. He still sees the suspension lift processing; he says it should be up within four hours, and definitely sometime tonight.

Saturday morning, still no internet. We go to Panera’s and enjoy their wifi (mmm… and a soufflé yum!). Back at home by 6:56pm I really want my internet. I call. Automated systems asks for my number, I tell it: “559 299 ####” It repeats back to me “519 218 #&!%”.  I tell it “NO” and we go back and forth through this a few times. I wonder if my headset isn’t properly plugged in, I unplug it and replug it.  I call again and try again. Same thing, the automated voice keeps repeating back a random seeming string of numbers. Where the hell is it getting these numbers? I hang up and call again, and try entering the numbers from the keypad instead. Its still giving back wrong numbers. I begin wondering if I am crazy and I am the one entering wrong numbers. I pay extra close attention to what I enter in. I know I entered the right numbers. I even try the “I don’t know my number” option, which just tells me I need a number and it suggests ways to find it. Arg!! After 5 calls (6:54, 6:56, 6:58, 7:01, and 7:10 according to my call log) it finally figures out my number and I’m put on hold for the next representative. The dialogue tells me that there are an unusual amount of callers and it will be a long while be for I’m assisted and I may want to call back. Ha, no way – I’ll wait. I sit and paint D&D figurines while waiting.

Finally about 20 minutes later I am startled by the sound of a human answering my call. I give her my name and number and she asks for a call back number in case we are disconnected, I give it to her, she starts saying something in response and the line goes dead. I look at my cell (which I KNOW has full battery) Screen is black, and the phone is not responding. Omfg! I pull out the battery and put it back in, and my phone starts back up.

I call again (7:34pm). Thank god the automated system gets my number on the right try. I prepare for another 20 minute wait, but my call is answered immediately. The representative sees that I’ve been having trouble and been calling and my account is noted. She asks if I’ve reset my system (yes, I have – even though I knew it probably would help – I always do a power cycle and check all the cords before I even bother calling them) She says her systems is showing service to my line. She asks if I’ve moved my box to another outlet. No I only have one outlet in my entire apartment. She asks if I have a phone plugged into it. No, I don’t even have a home line anymore (can’t she see that on my account? Ah well) She asks if the cord is frayed or damaged. No - I explain everything is the same as it was before Friday and it was working just great until then. She has me unplug modem from line, and then from the power, re-plug in line, and re-plug in power and watch the lights.  DSL is still flashing red. She asks if it ever changed to red/green flashing. No, I explain that since Friday it has done nothing but flash red. She says she is going to reset my circuit packet (or something like that)  I sit and wait. The DSL light switches to blinking green. I tell her this. She suggests maybe its because she reset something (duh!). The light switched to solid green, and the internet light also turns green. Woot!! I tell her and open a webpage to see if I really have internet. She asks me to open a webpage to check for internet (er, yeah). Success!! She says there is still some errors showing up in my line, and she will put in a ticket for me. Ahh blessed blessed internet!! Now if only this all could have been done with one freaking call!!!

Where is the rewind button?

I so wish life had a rewind button. There are many things i'd undo, but right now,  I'd love to 'undo' my whole day. My day started out with a car accident, totaling my car, and really hasn't gotten much better. Just when I think I am about to have life sorted out, it seems like disaster strikes and I'm back and square one. At the same time, I have plenty I really need to remember to be grateful for - to not take for granted. My cousin has been in the hospital, in a coma for perhapse a week now. We have all been praying in our own ways. And today did not bring good news. What is truly hard is to read the updates posted by his children. They are in their early twenties and their lives are on standby, undergoing the awful waiting, waiting for news that very well could be bad. I can't imagine loosing my dad at that age. I wish them all the love and strength I could offer. I may have had a huge setback myself today, and I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to climb back up out of this slide down the hill, but I am so lucky to have the people around me, wonderful family who will hugs, and encouraging, a shoulder to cry on, and even a ride when I'm desperate. And I wouldn't trade that for any rewind button...

Art and Stuff

So I've had art on the brain lately, nice change from all the math (math nightmares suck, believe me!) I decided to try to sell some of my older clay stuff that has been sitting around in boxes so I made an etsy site: www.etsy.com/shop/maevinwren. Of course that makes me want to make new things - after I've already packed most of my art supplies. Guh.

One of the most defining attributes of a true artist is not talent...its passion! A need to create art. Its an essential part of their being. How do I know this? Sadly not from experience so much as from knowing truly impressive artists. I may have been gifted some measure of talent, but I lack the driving passion that makes great artists great. Good thing I can do math! ^^ Occasionally though I do go into art mode and suddenly have the need to create something - anything really. This need isn't just satisfied with painting - usually I turn to clay or jewelry supplies, or cloth. Something other then a work of 'fine art' that will be tossed in a closet or hung someone out of the way on my already cramped walls. I think that is what in part discourages me about art. Its only purpose is to be art - which is not so much something to complain about, but with my limited time and space, I tend to make things I can use, gift, or sell. I suppose I could gift/sell paintings, but that really is quite the tricky adventure in itself. Well unless you are painting pretty pictures of faeries or children. (no disrespect intended for painters of faeries and children!) But sadly the purchasing of paintings usually is determined based on what matches the couch, not what ideas or messages the work is trying to convey.

And so I fall back on my pretty clay glasses and boxes and jewelry. They are fun and cathartic to create, if a bet repetitive and non-challenging. Speaking of claywork - I have been lax in renewing websites, and so lost most of my domains. I haven't touched the sites in well over a year, but it turns out you don't appreciate what you have until its gone. I really want the maevinwren site back. The domain name is up, but for some reason my host doesn't have access to purchasing it. Weird. I could buy it through another host, then transfer it, but that would cost extra. Bla. So I contacted doteasy (my host) and asked if there was a way for them to get it. We'll see what happens. Luckly there is not so much of line waiting to snap up the name "maevinwren".

And another art thought - I was meandering about the internet when the sudden thought to look up my old art teacher from Reedley popped into my head. Yay found her, she even has a nifty site with some really nice work displayed. And she is on blogger too - so I 'followed' her. Wonder where she is and what she is up to. Neither website nor class blog mentions a location nor institution. Ah well, I'll endeavor not to pester her overly much - just see if she posts new class information for the fall semester =).

Back to websites. I do have one left, recently purchased for the purpose of my resume. Perhaps i'll move all my art sites to it. I was previously using flickr to host my images and then embed slideshows. But I sorta don't feel like paying for their services. (I'm cheap ><) I can either limit my number of portfolio images to 200, or go looking for another service that is as well organized. I wonder if I can embed as nifty of slide show with picassawebs. I'll have to go look. And I suppose I should go put some effort into my one remaining webpage. *Sigh* Or I could play WoW with mom. Decisions, decisions...

Yaay full day off

Woke up early (7:30), puttered around the internet, then went back to sleep around 10 for a few hours. Jen was coming to town around 3, figured we could do lunch. Woke at 2, had a wonderful long kinda cold shower. Nice to be able to take your time, instead of rushing because you are late for work.

I have tons of body lotion sitting about - especially the little trial bottles from bath and bodyworks. I decided to work on using one of those, Black Cherry Current or something like that. I always remember that I don't like it for some reason, but then months later I pick it up, smell it and ask "whats wrong with it? Smells lovely!" Then I put it on. It smells good for maybe 5-10 mins, but as soon as I sweat even a tiny bit and it mixes with my body chemistry the scent changes. I've long known that scents do that, change with body chemistry, but this is the first one for which its been such a noticeable change, and for the worse. Instead of being a rich dark slightly incense-y smell with a hint of sweet cherry, it starts to stink like cheap old lady drugstore perfume. That's the only way I can think to describe it. Or maybe kinda like the smell of bunch of magazines all with different perfume samples in them mixed together. Anyways, its not particularly pleasant. I seem to work best with vanilla scents, best stick with those.

Lunch was really good today, the curry was nice and strong. Jen didn't feel like soup so I had the whole half order to myself = too much food. Ah well, that just means dinner is arranged for. Afterwards went to Heart Village for frozen yogurt. They finally had pistachio again. Mom will be thrilled. They had it once about a year ago and mom couldn't stop talking about it. We ended up not stopping back in till the next week, by which time they'd already changed it. Mom was so sad. About every other week since she has asked about it. Today was the first time I've ever seen it. It was good =) So was another new one I tried: graham cracker - yum! And of course pomegranate sorbet. Was a surprisingly good combination, not that i mixed them or anything. Heh that would probably make an awful color.

Anyways, am back home. Jen and T are at CVAAS. I'm enjoying my very expensive air-conditioning and the dark. Maybe i'll try playing wow.