Moving on, it’s Monday! You know what that means! Today is week two for Hard Candy, with “Mushroom”. This is a colour I would probably never purchase myself, but apparently I will swap for it. I’m quite glad I did. This will be a great polish to fall back on for Fall and even Winter.

Now, I noticed last week that “Beetle” did not offer to chip even once. There was your usual edge wear, but other than that, the polish held up like a champ. My only complaint would be the size of the brush. Boy howdy, their brushes are tiny-sauce…

In a final spot of news, Artfire have finally made a statement regarding their security hole, and have sent emails out to users that may have been affected. Some folk are still waiting for emails with an explanation regarding why their privacy was breached. But hopefully, the worst of it is over, and these problems will not continue. Personally, however, the lack of professionalism from Artfire has killed any chance of me using that site to purchase from artisans again. Quite sad – they’ve lost some fantastic business, and customers over this debacle as well.

Last night, quite a few people noticed that when placing an order, their shipping info was being pre-filled with other people’s information. This morning, people woke up to find random items in their shopping carts which they did not place there. Others still had received email notifications that their order was being processed (or had shipped), when they hadn’t made an order at all. In a word: clusterfuck. So please, stay away from Artfire until they get this horrible security issue resolved.

Edit to Add: One Artfire shopper shares her perspective and experience in this whole mess: [link]

Also, the Paris Amour Giveaway is still open! Be sure to pop over and put in your entry before Monday, August 22nd at 11:59PM EST!

Here’s the bling!

And here’s the catch! Wait, what? To accept these fine nuggets of site bling, I have to divulge seven items of information about myself per award. Well, that’s not so bad. I can do this. Let’s just roll with it, shall we?

1. The second toe on each of my feet are pretty long, in a sort of way that I’ve heard described as having “Jesus Feet” (seriously, look at Christian art. Jesus always has a long second toe). It’s so freaky that I was forbidden from wearing sandals without socks by one of my classmates in elementary school. I’ve been self-conscious about it ever since.
2. I have a “low” 2D:4D hand ratio, which is more common in men than women. SCIENCE! says this means I was exposed to a lot of androgens when I was in utero. Sadly, I’m still bad at math.
3. Despite being horrible in math, I got an “achievement award” in math in middle school.  What?
4. I landed my first vocal solo in 4th grade, and had my last in 9th grade (having withdrawn from public school halfway through the first semester of my sophomore year), and had at least one solo in choir every year in between. I have shiny medals (somewhere) for competing in state vocal competitions.
5. I’ve never been able to tell right from left without really thinking about it first.  So if you’re asking me where to make a turn, look to see which way I’m pointing rather than waiting on a verbal command.
6. The MAC C-Shock collection was my big introduction to the makeup world. It’s still my favourite collection.
7. I decided to go into therapy and social services after I saw an advert in a city bus in Scotland.  Kind of a bizarre way to decide your life, really.
8. For about five years, I had such bad anxiety and panic attacks that I couldn’t really leave the house without my mother nearby, and even with her, it couldn’t be more than an hour’s drive away from the house.  Things are much better now, but it’s still a struggle from time to time.
9. I was vegetarian for six years – two of those years were completely vegan.
10. I used to volunteer for PETA, and was part of their “Writer’s Network” for a long time.  Got quite a few letters published, received an award for writing so many campaign letters, AND I got a Tofurky out of ‘em. Which was frickin’ delicious.
11. I suspect that I am hypoglycemic, which is one of the reasons I decided to stop being vegetarian.  I’d know for sure if I could get to a doctor about it.
12. I didn’t know how to say “hyperbole” until I went to college.  Ha!
13. I’ve had five 4.0 semesters in my college career so far. I’m hoping to make next semester my sixth before shoving off to grad school.
14. I tend to get a lot of questions about this wristband, which I’ve worn every day without fail for the past year and some.  Sophie’s story has been a bit of a raw spot for me ever since the news broke – I’m sickened by the idea that people will kill you just for the way you look, and her death made me worry for a lot of my friends as well as myself.  I shouldn’t have to worry about that kind of thing.  Nobody should.  For more information about the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, click here.

• The Peach definitely deserves both awards here. When I think versatility, I think of people who break the mold and “think different” about how to use a product, or even how to acquire a product. I’ve enjoyed reading about Frankenpolishes and DIY projects. I especially loved the Indie Bath and Body Series. And for a tomboy-by-day, the girl’s got glam!
• I can’t help but pass on the Stylish Blogger award to Lillian.   That dress in her Punch and Judy entry? Seriously?  How can that not get recognized?  Plus it’d be a crime not to give props to the best pout on the blogosphere.  Forever a fan of your lip swatches!

A. Age: 27
B. Bed size: Queen. Just enough room to where the boyf and I aren’t smacking each other in our sleep. Unless I’m snoring.
C. Chore you hate: Cleaning the tub/shower. It gets done when I get grossed out.
D. Day: Don’t blame me. You asked for it.

E. Essential start to your day: Checking my email. I get squicked if I don’t.
F. Favourite colour: Depends. Black and Red for home decor. Black and pink for clothes. Greens and blues for makeup.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver. Gold just looks horrid on me.
H. Height: 5’7″.  Or close enough.
I. Instruments: Vocals.  I’m totally talentless otherwise.
J. Job title: Sales Associate at Bath & Body Works.
K. Kids: None currently. Maybe one in the future? Stranger things have happened.
L. Live: Born and raised in Kentucky.
M. Mum’s name: Betty
N. Nicknames: Bekka, Beck, Bones, Q, P, or Palmer, mostly.
O. Overnight hospital stays: One for tonsilectomy, one for complications from that tonsilectomy (I bled out, yay!), two which I’d rather not discuss, and one for an emergency gallbladder removal.
P. Pet peeve: I get really bent out of shape when people stand too close to me while standing in line at the Post Office. And people who ignore “please wait behind this line” signs.
Q. Quote from a movie: “You gotta think about it like the first time you got laid. You just gotta say: “Daddy, are you sure this is right?”" – Tank Girl
R. Right or left handed: Despite the fact that I was leaning left-dominant when I was a baby, I turned out to be a righty. Sorry, dad!
S. Siblings: Older brother, and sister-in-law.
T. Time you wake up: Lately, it’s been any time between 10AM and 1PM.  When I’m having classes, any time between 8AM and 10AM.
U. Underwear: I found a favourite pair which I have bought massloads of… black banded in red, with a red star on the hip.  I hope they still make them when I’m 80.
V. Vegetables you dislike: I hate peas. And I’m not fond of cooked carrots. Fried rice is hell to me.
W. What makes you run late: Sleeping!
X. X-Rays you’ve had: A few dental x-rays, some on my wrists, various broken fingers, left ankle, and knees.
Y. Yummy food you make: Apparently I make great pork chops, meatloaf, and fish tacos.
Z. Zoo: Haven’t been since I was in elementary school. I honestly don’t remember having a great time.

This little meme has been going around for a while, so probably everyone has already done it.  However, if you haven’t, I’m tagging you!  Yes, you! Let me know if you fill it out!

Yeah yeah, I really need to post more than just videos every now and then, but there are some things that just need sharing. And as soon as my bank account recovers from paying last month’s mobile bill, I’m snagging that track off Amazon and making it my new obsession.

I love The Guild. Love.

Anyway, news… news. Eh. School is coming up next week (gasp, oh noes). Later this week, I have “pre-employment testing” to go to, for whatever that means. I don’t even rate an interview. I just get tested. THE REAL WORLD IS JUST LIKE COLLEGE LOL. Oh, and I love a guy who hits you with flowers, chocolates and love notes, all on separate occasions, but well within a week’s time. Ok, so the chocolates were M&M’s, but I LIKE THEM OKAY. THEY WERE YUMMY. And also a surprise, so I count them! Officially. Hehe.

People talk about the online community as if it’s the new reality, the better world, bridging gaps and connecting people all around the world, when in reality, it’s (in some ways) much worse than the reality we have.  And this really makes me all sorts of sick inside.  I hate how easy it is to get big-pants syndrome around here… and how compelled one feels to vehemently defend their entirely imaginary position in cyberlife.  This isn’t what it’s supposed to be, is it?  Or has my brain been entirely rotted by cyberculture idealism?  Because I used to believe in this place once.  I used to believe The Open Forum would be a beautiful idea, where we could meet and exchange ideas as mature people.  But all I generally see are immature fucktards with bad grammar, and the equally immature “educated idiots” flaming the hell out of them, laying waste to whatever claim to “intelligence” they may have had before.

God, I just want to punch you in the face sometimes.

…eh, see?  I guess I’m not much better.
Just a product of my (e)nvironment.