Do I Live Here?

So, the time has come for myself and a certain cute boy to start thinking about buying a home.  It's not always easy for a plucky young couple just starting out to find the home of their dreams, but hey, I'm optimistic and willing to roll up my sleeves! ;)

I've been doing the research for a little while.  Between myself and the boy, there isn't a ton of money saved (yet) for our down payment, but we're working on that. :)  A couple of months ago, my man went to check some houses on the market (while I was busy socializing at a paaaartaaay, haha)... but all they really yielded were a few examples of what we definitively don't want.

And then, earlier this month, it happened.  We coordinated our schedules, and were able to come up with an afternoon where we could hang out and view a few homes, one after the other.  One of them was cute and cheap, with lots of renovation ahead (and a room that he was too afraid to even walk in, much less purchase!)... though, to be fair, it *did* have a windowless basement bedroom, and a rubber-floored rumpus room downstairs... yes indeed, plenty of dungeon space. ;)

The one that really stood out to me was a stunning contemporary, high on a hill, in a private and slightly wooded section of a town that I've always loved.  It has plenty of room for me to conduct all manners of business that I do (including lotsa inventory storage!), a great office space for him, and best of all, a large finished basement that'll do just perfect for our little love nest.  The backyard doesn't QUITE have "room for a pony," I'm sorry to say, but it does provide privacy and quite a few crucial shaded areas.

We are in talks with the realtor now, but only tentatively.  After so much time of apartment living, I simply cannot wait to unroll it and see!  With a bit of luck (and perhaps a lot more saving like demons), you may just be able to consider me a homeowner someday. ;)

For the Love of LUSH

Some of my favorite "guilty pleasures" in the world can be bought at the LUSH store. The way I see it, that's not such a bad thing -- LUSH won't make me drunk-dial an ex, give me lung cancer, or raise my cholesterol. That said, it can be somewhat pricey if I need a good fix. Ergo, I have compiled a list of helpful hints and tips to enable you to get the most out of your LUSH stash.

The best advice I can give to anyone who's into LUSH (or thinking of taking the plunge into addiction territory), is to buy what you truly love, but be sure to concentrate on the products that you're actually going to use. Even if you're able to make a killing on a 2-for-1 special at your local LUSH dealer, letting your stuff sit around unused is a sin and a serious waste. Certain items are one-use-only, which are fine for occasional splurging, but to get the most bang for your buck, concentrate the bulk of your LUSH funds on items which will last awhile. Here are my favorites, along with a few tips on how to make your stuff last...

1. SOAPS. While I'm not a bar-soap kinda gal, I have to admit that this is a seriously smart way to get the most for your money. A slice of LUSH soap can be had for anywhere from $6 to $10. While this does seem pricey when you compare it to your typical 3-pack at the 99-cent store, a bar of richly scented LUSH soap can be a real luxury during a quick shower, or even soaking in the bath. One of my personal favorites is the goth-tastic "Demon in the Dark," a minty apple-clove scent that lingers for hours on your skin. Another awesome pick is "Ring of Roses" which is referred to as a buttercream-style soap for its delicate consistency; this is another luscious scent that lasts on your body for quite awhile after your final rinse. For those of you who are looking for something a bit more perky, you may enjoy "Rock Star," described on the LUSH website as a "creamy vanilla sweetie" and comes in a bubblegum pink shade. (I have never used "Karma" soap, but it sounds like it may be one of those long-lasting scents as well. Anyone?) To make your soap last longer, store it in an airtight container away from the shower's disintegrating spray, and only bring it out while you're using it. I also find that using a bath puff or washcloth can help extend the life of your soap. For a bathtime treat, add a bit of water to your container in order to keep your soap nice and soft; dissolve the mushy bits into your bathwater, and enjoy the scent. Or, just use the soap blobs on your puff this way; since only a pea-sized amount will be needed to get you nice and clean, you'll have plenty of showers and baths to enjoy.

2. MASSAGE BARS. A LUSH massage bar is a true luxury item. Smoothing one of these on my skin at night makes me feel as if I'm really pampering myself -- the girly nightly beauty ritual, the lovely scents of each bar, and reaping the benefit of all that soft smooth skin -- it's a wonderful experience. My favorite bar, hands down is the "Tuca Tuca" violet massage bar; at $7.95, it's a real bargain as mine have lasted for weeks and weeks of somewhat regular use. (LUSH also makes a "Tuca Tuca" perfume spray, so this is a great way to try out the scent before buying a bottle of perfume that you may or may not enjoy!) Most of these bars cost a dollar or two more than that, but all are well worth the price due to the effectiveness and the long-lasting joy that they'll bring you. Another great one to try is "Wiccy Magic" -- it's pretty big, fits right inside the LUSH tin with no room to spare! -- and the spicy smell lingers all over my sheets for days after I put it on at night. LUSH massage bars are so lovely and effective that I don't use them every single night, but I do fairly often. They last a nice long time, and so do the great scents and the benefits. It makes them well worth their cost.

3. LIQUID SHAMPOOS/SHOWER GELS. This is what I'd call an absolute "must have" in my LUSH stash. The gels are great for washing your hair, washing your bod, even a quick squirt to hand-wash your delicates in the sink (if you care to "waste" it on your clothes -- though I don't consider it a waste when I can smell the LUSHy goodness all day on my clothes!). You can buy the smaller 8-ounce bottles just to get a feel for something (usually they're around $18), or go wild and get an all-out huge16-ounce bottle of your favorite scent. At nearly $30 for most of the bigger bottles, you might go "Aw hell no!" but trust me -- that big bottle will last you a long-ass time. The beauty of LUSH shower gel is that a little bit goes a very, very long way. The strongest one I've used yet is called "Glogg" and was, regrettably, only available during the winter holiday; I got a tiny bottle in a Christmas gift basket and absolutely adored it. If it's around next year, I fully intend to see about getting a big ol' bottle of it again -- the scent was a heady cinnamon that just HUNG in the bathroom for hours after my shower, and it left my hair smelling good enough to eat all day long. I used it on Wednesdays only, and it actually lasted me a few months! Right now I alternate between "13 Rabbits" which is a chocolatey-ginger scent (not that long-lasting, but does smell strangely good, lathers beautifully, and rinses cleanly) and my trusty old "Flying Fox" honey-jasmine, which I'm just starting to run out of after being positively lavish with it in my baths and showers. "Dirty" is nice too, even if it's technically for guys; it has a lovely clean, minty, herby smell that you can carry with you or even layer if you have the perfume -- I got a sampler box for $20 which contained a shitload of great products to try. One fair warning: LUSH shower gels seem to be a bit harsh on my hair color. Nevertheless, I love the luxurious feeling they give me!

And now... things to avoid... the answer is: nothing! It's great to try things. If you shop at the store, you can even see what kinds of samples you can get. The staff often has little trial-sized sample pots for sale for a couple of dollars, and this is a wonderful way to explore without feeling hosed. I would avoid going out of my way to buy things like bath bombs or bubble bars, since many of them can only be used once or twice (though the jumbo bubble bars are good for several uses). Also, the toner tabs are fine to try, but not terribly cost-effective at around $2 for a one-use product. That said, they can be wonderfully refreshing and nice if you're in the mood for a treat. The water of the tea-tree toner tab can be saved for a little while in the fridge and used as a spray too, so this double-duty product is worth consideration. If you really want to give yourself a little something nice, check out (or ask someone for) a LUSH gift basket packed with lots of special little things so that you can revel in an array of products at your leisure.

Enjoy! :)

Pooping Rainbows

I've had some pictures for over a year, and decided to FINALLY post them onto PGS.  The inspiration for this project came from... well, I have no idea, actually.  But I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to cut into a cake and have it be all rainbowy and stuff?"   And no, these ones aren't mine... these NEXT ones, with the cake all cracked and messed up... yeah, those are mine! ;)

Even though I came up with the idea on my own, it wasn't totally original. Turns out that others have also thought of baking a rainbow into a cake... and many pictures of rainbow cakes have been popping up all over online! I had originally planned to make my own cake from scratch, but after I baked it I thought, what the hell -- I'll use a mix next time. A bit of research has yielded the now (somewhat) famous rainbow cake thread over at Something Awful, as well as the how-to step-by-step guide over at Omnomicon. Apparently, all you really need to do is add a 12-ounce can of clear soda to a box of cake mix, bake according to instructions, and you're done! I did my cake the old-school way with eggs and oil, 'cause that's just how I roll. But next time, I'll give the soda trick a try. Someone also commented about using club soda and/or seltzer, which would be nice if you don't want your cake to taste like Sprite and/or 7up.  

Rainbow cake is renowned for its 
lash-growing & teeth-whitening abilities. 
 If you don't believe me, just ask this 
cake-tasting supermodel! :)

My cake didn't turn out so well (hence the "fail" label), but that's because my springform pans suck; I have to buy YET ANOTHER SET someday, so we'll see how that goes in due time. :)  The entire surface got a series of big ol' splits across the top, which I filled in with a shitload of chocolate icing.  I didn't get a picture of the finished product, or of the cake after it had been cut; the person to whom I'd gifted the cake failed to honor my requests for more images of it once it had been cut. So it was a big fail all around; maybe next time it'll work out better.  I have a few friends' birthdays coming up, so we'll see how that goes.

You show that rainbow cake who's
boss, Guy With Beard And Pretty Eyes!

I'm going to try the simpler method next time and let you know how it goes.  The other thought I had was, wouldn't this be a cool idea for holidays -- the 4th of July (red, white, & blue cake) and Halloween (orange, green, purple?) come to mind as fantastic ideas for this cake project.


I know that there are a lot of pictures in this particular entry, but I just had to show them to illustrate how totally cool this project is.  If you have never baked a rainbow cake, give it a try.  It's a fun surprise when you cut into the cake, and all of those colors are inside.  Very festive indeed!  Pics of the more successful rainbow cakes are courtesy of  Rev Dan Catt, Better Than Bacon, & Justgrimes.  Thanks everyone, for sharing your masterpieces! :)

Lazy Woman Casserole

I probably shouldn't call it "Lazy Woman" Casserole, but what the heck?  I've made it on days when I've been super-busy, AND on days when I've been just feeling kinda lazy and not terribly keen on making a gourmet masterpiece.  I have degenerative disc disease, so sometimes all I can really manage is standing for about 5 minutes before my pesky ole' L4/L5 region gets the best of me.

When I look at the pictures of this thing, I have to tell you that it doesn't look all that appetizing.  And as one Amazon user put it, "Sometines you just want one of the original 'fast foods' that your mother/grandmother heated up," this isn't necessarily something healthy enough to make all the time.  That said -- it's quick, it's easy, and most of the non-staple ingredients can be stored in the freezer or pantry forever until you're finally ready to put it together.  (Well, frozen veggies are a staple in MY house, anyway!)  The veggies give it the illusion of a balanced meal, but you can always add more to the batch, and serve with a salad, if you want to give it an even healthier kick.


LAZY WOMAN CASSEROLE:

Ingredients:
2 4.9-oz boxes of Betty Crocker au gratin potatoes (or generic equivalent)
4 cups of hot and/or boiling water
1 cup of milk
1 bag of frozen veg (I like "California Mix" which is a blend of broccoli/carrots/cauli; but use your fave!)
1 8-oz bag of shredded cheddar cheese.
between 2-4 tablespoons of butter or margarine (package calls for it, but totally optional!)

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 and spray your casserole dish with cooking spray.  Some people like to defrost their veg in the microwave around this time (like me -- I enjoy my broccoli in the softest capacity possible) but if you want a bit more "bite" to those vegetables, don't bother.  The broccoli WILL get super-duper soft if it is thawed first, and this isn't a texture that everyone on Earth enjoys!

2.  Dump the hot water into the casserole dish along with the potato packets & special sauce packets that come with the potato mixes.  Stir 'em up, then add your milk and veggies.

3.  At this point, if you wish to incorporate a handful or two of cheese directly into the potatoes, feel free to do so.  Otherwise, just dot the top with your butter/margarine if you're using it -- I cut mine into little bits and stick 'em around the edges to keep things adequately lubed during cook time.  (If not, I would recommend spraying the top with a tiny bit of cooking spray just in case.)  Then pop this sucker into the oven *uncovered* and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes.

4.  After this time has elapsed, open your oven and dump (remaining?) cheese over the whole thing.  You can sprinkle a little paprika onto the casserole as well, if you want to fool people with a majorly sexy "oven-browned" texture.  Mua, ha, haaah!  Leave it in the oven for another 10-15 minutes to let the cheese melt.

5.  When the timer sounds, take these out of the oven and let them sit for at least 15-20 minutes.  Trust me, this is HOT and will burn the heck out of your mouth and throat if you dig right in!  If you can wait even a bit longer, that'd be even better.

 6.  Refrigerate any unused portions, and believe me, this makes quite a bit, so there will definitely be lots of yummy leftovers.  These are even better the next day!

March Decluttering Report

March was a rough month for me, with all of the medical and health-related shit that I needed to take care of... however, I did very well this March!!  We continued filling boxes for donation, and selling those extra books and things on Half.Com.  Overall, I'm very pleased with the progress that has been made here. :)  I fully intend to keep the donations going. :)  It feels awesome to be able to clean my closets while I'm helping other people at the same time.  Next stop -- getting those pesky closets investigated, and unloading all of the junk therein... today the closets, tomorrow the basement.  Well, maybe.  I'll see how well things go over the next couple of weeks. :)

Here is a lovely picture of my beautiful rat, Delicious.  She's a real looker, isn't she?  The crazy ones usually are, with only a few exceptions (i.e. skeezy ex-boyfriends).  Anyway, I adore her, and I know she loves (the yummy taste of) me.  She's a biter, all right!  But because I am trying so hard to change my ways, this sweet li'l bub is the only pack-rat that's allowed in my crib. ;)

MARCH's PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 3 (1 large, 2 smallish)

cause(s) helped: Big Brothers & Sisters

type of donation(s):  clothing, kitchen wares, books & videos, health & beauty

Items sold: 5 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (1),  CDs (2), books (2)

profit*:  $28.96

NEXT PICKUP DATE:  April 20th 

YTD PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 6 (2 large, 2 medium, 3 smallish)

causes helped: Big Brothers & Sisters of America

type of donation(s): clothes, kitchen wares, toys, books, health & beauty items, videos

Items sold: 16 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (4), video games (1), CDs (3), books (8)

profit*:  $81.07

*Technically, this isn't "profit" since I probably paid more for the items in question -- but since I am relinquishing unwanted items, I count it as a profit. 

February Decluttering Report

Well, unfortunately, February wasn't quite as awesome as January was.  However, I was able to keep up my momentum on ridding myself of the books, at least!

FEBRUARY'S PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 0

cause(s) helped: (didn't donate this month)

type of donation(s):  (didn't donate this month)

Items sold: 8 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (3), video games (1), CDs (1), books (3)

profit*:  $36.96

NEXT PICKUP DATE:  TBA (sometime this month!)

YTD PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 4 (1 large, 2 medium, 1 smallish)

causes helped: Big Brothers & Sisters of America

type of donation(s): clothes, kitchen wares, toys, books, health & beauty items

Items sold: 11 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (3), video games (1), CDs (1), books (6)

profit*:  $52.11

*Technically, this isn't "profit" since I probably paid more for the items in question -- but since I am relinquishing unwanted items, I count it as a profit. 

Spa Day at Home: Make Your Own Hair Conditioning Treatments

Any type of hair can benefit from a little TLC every now and again.  There are some great products available anywhere from specialty stores, to salons, to your local drugstore down the street.  For a truly customizable experience, you may also treat yourself to a little "spa day" in the comfort and privacy of your own home.  Making your own beauty treatments is fun and inexpensive; it's always satisfying to make concoctions for loveliness according to your own unique needs and specifications.

Here are just a few recipes for wonderful homemade hair conditioning masques.  Try a few, and enjoy the results!

Olive Oil & Egg Hair Masque:

This masque is a deep, intensive treatment for dry, damaged hair.  Some people swear by mayonnaise as a hair conditioner --this recipe gives you all the nourishing properties of this homespun beauty secret, without as much of the "ick" factor!  Take 1 egg yolk and beat it ferociously with a hand mixer or food processor.  Slowly drizzle in about a cup of light olive oil.  (Feel free to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to this recipe, too!)  Once the last of the oil has been added and the mixture becomes creamy and thick, it's ready to use.  Slather your hair in this conditioning masque for about 20-30 minutes before shampooing as normal (you may need to shampoo twice).  

Nourishing Guacamole for Hair:

This one is easy, vegan, and works well for most hair types.  Take a very ripe avocado and mash it to bits with fork or blender.  Add the juice of half a lime, and you're ready to roll.  You can keep this on your hair anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour before shampooing.

Yummy Banana Hair Smoothie:

Another super-easy masque with only two ingredients!  Mash a banana with half a cup of yogurt (plain, "light," or even flavored), blend thoroughly, and apply to your hair for about 30 minutes.  Rinse and shampoo as usual.

Lemon Meringue Hair Treatment:

This one requires just a bit more effort, but it's impressive and fun, and will remind you of your favorite yummy dessert.  Beat 2 egg whites until they're extremely fluffy; if you need help "fluffing" the eggs, add a few dashes of cream of tartar, though either way, the treatment will be beneficial.  Once the desired consistency has been reached, fold in a big squirt of honey (maybe 1-2 teaspoons or so) and the juice of half a lemon.  Saturate your hair with this mixture for 15-30 minutes, and wash as usual.  Make sure you don't rinse this out with water that's too warm; you don't want to cook the egg!

For best results with these treatments, use a shower cap in conjunction with these treatments.  Use a hair treatment once each week for optimal results.  Be sure to refrigerate any unused masque.  The olive oil & egg "mayo" masque should last in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but the others should be used as soon as possible.

Photo credits:  Avocado pic by the awesome ingserban, banana smoothie fixin's picture by the creative & talented quinn.anya, and the yummy meringue photo was done by the amazing Sunset Sailor!  Thanks for sharing on Flickr, my friends! :)

Dealing With A-Holes

I first got this funny story in one of those forwarded e-mails circa 1995.  I remember laughing hysterically at it in the computer lab.  Someone recently forwarded it to me once again... almost 15 years later... and it still makes me giggle each time.  I hope you all enjoy it!

Dealing with A-holes
 

This is for all of you who occasionally have a really bad day when you just need to take it out on someone!!! Don't take that bad day out on someone you know, take it out on someone you DON'T know!!!

Now get this. I was sitting at my desk, when I remembered a phone call I had to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered nicely saying, "Hello?" I politely said, "This is Patrick Hanifin and could I please speak to Robin Carter?"

Suddenly the phone was slammed down on me! I couldn't believe that anyone could be that rude. I tracked down Robin's correct number and called her. She had transposed the last two digits incorrectly.

After I hung up with Robin, I spotted the wrong number still lying there on my desk. I decided to call it again. When the same person once more answered, I yelled "You're an asshole!" and hung up. Next to his phone number I wrote the word "asshole," and put it in my desk drawer.

Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills, or had a really bad day, I'd call him up. He'd answer, and then I'd yell, "You're an asshole!" It would always cheer me up.

Later in the year the phone company introduced caller ID. This was a real disappointment for me, I would have to stop calling the asshole.

Then one day I had an idea. I dialed his number, then heard his voice, "Hello." I made up a name. "Hi. This is the sales office of the telephone company and I'm just calling to see if you're familiar with our caller ID program?" He went, "No!" and slammed the phone down. I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're an asshole!"

The reason I took the time to tell you this story, is to show you how if there's ever anything really bothering you, you can do something about it. Just dial 823-4863. 

Then, one day this old lady at the mall really took her time pulling out of the parking space. I didn't think she was ever going to leave. Finally, her car began to move and she started to very slowly back out of the slot. I backed up a little more to give her plenty of room to pull out.

Great, I thought, she's finally leaving. 

All of a sudden this black Camaro came flying up the parking aisle in the wrong direction and pulled into her space. I started honking my horn and yelling, "You can't just do that, Buddy. I was here first!" The guy climbed out of his Camaro completely ignoring me. He walked toward the mall as if he didn't even hear me. I thought to myself, this guy's an asshole; there sure are a lot of assholes in this world. I noticed he had a "For Sale" sign in the back window of his car. I wrote down the number. Then I hunted for another place to park.

A couple of days later, I'm at home sitting at my desk. I had just gotten off the phone after calling 823-4863 and yelling, "You're an asshole!" (It's really easy to call him now since I have his number on speed dial.) I noticed the phone number of the guy with the black Camaro lying on my desk and thought I'd better call this guy, too.

After a couple rings someone answered the phone and said, "Hello."

I said, "Is this the man with the black Camaro for sale?"

"Yes, it is."

"Can you tell me where I can see it?"

"Yes, I live at 1802 West 34th street. It's a yellow house and the car's parked right out front."

I said, "What's your name?"

"My name is Don Hansen."

"When's a good time to catch you, Don?"

"I'm home in the evenings."

"Listen Don, can I tell you something?"

"Yes."

"Don, you're an asshole!" And I slammed the phone down.

After I hung up I added Don Hansen's number to my speed dialer. For a while things seemed to be going better for me. Now when I had a problem I had two assholes to call. Then after several months of calling the assholes and hanging up on them, it just wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be. I gave the problem some serious thought and came up with a solution.

First, I had my phone dial Asshole #1. A man answered nicely saying, "Hello." I yelled "You're an asshole!", but I didn't hang up.

The asshole said, "Are you still there?"

I said, "Yeah."

He said, "Stop calling me."

I said, "No."

He said, "What's your name, Pal?"

I said, "Don Hansen."

He said "Where do you live?"

"1802 West 34th Street. It's a yellow house and my black Camaro's parked out front."

"I'm coming over right now, Don. You'd better start saying your prayers."

"Yeah, like I'm really scared, Asshole!" and I hung up.

Then I called Asshole #2.

He answered, "Hello."

I said, "Hello, Asshole!"

He said, "If I ever find out who you are..."

"You'll what?"

"I'll kick your butt." 

"Well, here's your chance. I'm coming over right now Asshole!"

And I hung up.

Then I picked up the phone and called the police. I told them I was at 1802 West 34th Street and that I was going to kill my gay lover as soon as he got home. Another quick call to Channel 13 about the gang war going on down West 34th Street.

After that I climbed into my car and headed over to 34th Street to watch the whole thing. Glorious! If you want to watch two Assholes kicking the crap out of each other in front of 6 squad cars and a police helicopter, ...

I taped it all off the evening news. lol


~Anonymous~

Photo credits:  Thanks to Justin Brockie for the cool pic of the vintage 1990s phone, Michi1308 for the great shot of the Camaro, and JessieJacobson for the awesome pic of the cop swarm!

Things We Love: Febreze ScentStories!

I have to admit that I'm completely obsessed with Febreze Scentstories. For those of you who don't know, or have never tried it, this machine is a brilliant way to dispense lovely scents in your home without using candles, sprays, or other items.

I've always been into aromatherapy -- candles and incense are huge addictions of mine. When I first started seeing commercials for the Scentstories machine in 2004, I thought it seemed interesting at best. The concept seems simple enough: Just insert the scent discs into the machine and press Play; every 20 minutes, the disc will change to a new fragrance. I've tried all of the Scentstories discs, and have bought all of them at least twice -- with the exception of the limited-edition "Breezes on a Clothesline" variety; this rare disc only comes with a special-edition Christmas Scentstories machine. But yes, I bought a new machine JUST to try it. It wasn't bad, just a little bit fabric softener-y. (Would I buy another machine to try it again? Sheepishly I admit, that yes, I would... if I happened to need a new machine!)

My first Scentstories machine, which was the very first incarnation of the product, lasted about a year before I needed to replace it. The mechanism worked just fine, but over time the motor began to struggle, and it was a VERY loud, annoying sound. I'd sit on the phone with a friend, and no sooner would I press "PLAY" than my conversation partner would ask, "Exactly WHAT are you doing right now?" (Yeah, it was that loud!) Newer machines are much more lightweight than the older versions. The color scheme, which was dusty blues over dark greys (much more my taste), are now a lighter blue and pearly white. The cord is less unwieldy, the plug seems lighter, and the machines run much more quietly. My second one also lasted longer. (In fact, it's still quite functional; I thought it didn't play the discs as well, but I'm now wondering if perhaps I was overusing the discs.)

Since I had to buy a machine just to play the "limited edition" disc, I decided to replace my second Scentstories machine recently. My problem is, now I'm having trouble finding the discs! I used to find them at places like CVS and Target (... a certain privately-owned drugstore in NYC even yielded 5 "Celebrate the Holidays" discs), but over the past year or so... nothing. Absolutely no discs are anywhere to be found! If you love the vanilla discs or "Wandering Barefoot on the Shore," you can probably find them on eBay for somewhere around $10-$15 a pop (including shipping). If you're really lucking, you may run into my favorite discs: "Relaxing in a Hammock," "Strolling Through the Garden," or the original and completelyt wonderful "Exploring a Mountain Trail." And on a super-duper good day, you may even find the rares: a disc of tropical scents (not bad), a Shania Twain "springtime" disc (can't remember how that was), the holiday disc (my least favorite), or... maybe even that limited-edition yet highly-coveted "Breezes on a Clothesline." But you'll be probably be paying through the nose and up the ass for them. I've been worried for the fate of this awesome concept... I use my Scentstories machine every night, enjoying the comforting whir and light scent of whatever's playing. Even though my discs have worn thin, I've got a small stash of new ones that I'm saving for a rainy day. So the idea that Scentstories is on the way out, well, that's been worrying me.

A search for Scentstories products on Google was most helpful, though: It appears as though the Yankee Candle Company has leased the Scentstories technology and is producing discs for the machines again -- with Yankee Candle scents -- and now there's more to choose from than ever!! I am unfamiliar with Yankee Candle scents, but with disc themes like "Autumn Celebration," Fresh Breeze," "Merry Christmas," and "Farmer's Market," I'm sure that even the most die-hard Scentstories fans will find something good to enjoy. The prices are a little higher -- Yankee charges $7.50 per disc, as opposed to ScentStories $5-$6 a pop. But since the original discs are going sky-high on eBay now, and that's pretty much the only place you can find 'em, the Yankee discs are looking better and better.