Drive-By Post Before I Vanish To Do Laundry

[redbrunja]

Someone online mentioned a Beauty & The Beast Castle that I need to go see while I'm in France. Is this ringing anyone's bells?

Also...

-What does Gojyo's shampoo smell like? I assume, with his hair, he probably using something fairly quality, but I can't think of what. I'm tempted to go with Tea Tree Oil Shampoo, which smells minty and green and tingles pleasantly, but since that's what I use, I'm not sure it's allowed.

-During the summer pzb, my mother, possibly renegadekitsuneand I had a conversation about the ikkou's musical taste, which is notable for the way every single person said immediately, 'Gojyo listens to rock.' Which is kind of a gimme, but still, aren't we sympathico? So my question is, what are the ikkou's musical guilty pleasures? What is the music that Gojyo plays that Hakkai actually likes? For Gojyo himself, I think he wouldn't admit to liking Ray Lamontagne, but would because that artist  has this wonderful sense of romance combined with the doubt that love even exists. (Go listen to "Jolene" - it's gorgeous and totally on my 'Forget Me Not' playlist, and only smillaraaqis going to know what that means.) 

Also, I went to Giverny today, which is where Monet painted and it was utterly gorgeous and so, so peaceful, I just wanted to stay there listening to music and looking at the flowers, in this lovely, hazy misty morning, with a truly lovely dove-gray sky and the birds chirping.

What was less fun was that while I was walking to Monet's house I had my head turned and walked straight into the lamp post that was for some unfathomable reason in the middle of the sidewalk. Seriously, it was a total slap-stick moment; I expected to see Charlie Chaplan hanging around. Almost as painful as it was embarrassing.

Comments

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

I don't know the Chinese brands, but in Japan Shiseido would be a good option for higher-end department-store type shampoos, and Kanebo seems really popular for more of an everyday drugstore-type brand (I can usually find a couple of different "flavors" of Kanebo Naive on the shelves at the bigger Asian markets in the region, and if it's popular enough that folks are demanding it in exports you know it's got to be a big thing.)

And judging by this post (http://smt.blogs.com/mari_diary/2005/07/asian_conscious.html), it looks like some of the big Western brands like Pantene are also readily available in the Japanese market. So, considering that Gojyo smokes Japanese Hi-Lites and Sanzo smokes American Marlboro reds (*shudder*), if you really want to have the boy using some particular brand, you can probably handwave it if it's something from a reasonably big company. :)

[droiche.livejournal.com]

Aye. Given that he gambles for a living, I doubt he can afford to be so picky that he'd buy only posh stuff. ^_^

I've read that the average Chinese entrepreneur is rather gung ho about getting popular American merchandise to sell. It digits that Gojyo would find working class to middle class priced American shampoo in China. (He'd get it cheaper than tourists would too, and for less than the price here in the US.) If not, there's still the locally made stuff.

Go figure Genjyo and the Marlboro Reds. They're a tad expensive, but they aren't exactly top of the line. Of course, cigarettes in China are phenomenally cheaper than they are in the United States. They'd have to be if 99% of all adult Chinese men smoke. Ha ha.

I'm a Camel Turkish Jades 100s person myself. Ten dollars cheaper than Marlboros and they taste far better, IMO. X-D

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Aye. Given that he gambles for a living, I doubt he can afford to be so picky that he'd buy only posh stuff.

Yes, yes, that's money he could just as easily be spending on something IMPORTANT, like more booze and smokes! :)

I'm not entirely convinced Gojyo's quite as vain about his appearance as he likes to put on; he's certainly not terribly careful about how he dresses, so I can very easily see him being less than picky about haircare. His mom really beat in the message that he was ugly, and for all his talk of being handsome the way he reacts to the girls praising his hair makes me think he has internalized some of that, even if he tries not to show it.

The one thing Reds have going for them is that they're really heavy and strong, right? (I don't smoke, but the ex favored Marlboro Lights, which were heavy enough to make me gag even as second-hand smoke, because Reds were "too strong".) That seems a very Sanzo thing, somehow, no delicate coffin-nails for that boy!

Plus, aren't a lot of Chinese cigs super-cheap because so many of the supposed "Western" brands are actually locally-produced counterfeits? Apparently the price difference is soooo huge that there's even a thriving black market importing the fakes to the US...

[droiche.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about there being that many Chinese made counterfeits, but I wouldn't put it past them to do that. The handful of autobiographies I read, written by Americans living in China in the last 10-15 years, indicated that the American products were the real thing. I can totally believe in a thriving black market for the fakes if they're as good as the genuine article. ;-)

Yes. Gojyo has a lot of pride on the surface, but he's also extremely insecure because of his stepmother's abuse. *nods* He's no fashion plate, but he doesn't have to be because the ladies love him in spite of himself. X-D


Yerp. I found the Reds to be way too strong. I have a few theories about Genjyo and the Reds. First, they were the first brand he'd ever smoked. It took me a while to try different brands when I started too. But I did eventually experiment which brings me to the second theory: Genjyo is allergic to change. Having been cast adrift too many times in his life, he'll cling to whatever constants he can get. Also, there's a concept in Shaolin Buddhism called "eating bitter". Basically, the idea is to suffer in order to make yourself better. Thus Genjyo likes his cigarettes the same way he likes his coffee: harsh and bitter.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Let me see if I can find the story -- ah, here it is (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/nyregion/18smokes.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss), NYT from last month, I *think* that RSS link should avoid the usual registration-hassle? Apparently the illegally imported cigs (both legit Chinese brands and knockoffs) have been a growing trend for the last few years at least...and funnily enough, it seems like fake Marlboros are the overwhelming favorite. I wouldn't know from as good as the real thing or not, but at about half the price of legal, heavily-taxed domestic product, the wallet-appeal is pretty obvious. ;)

[droiche.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You are right that there is a lively trade in counterfeit smokes from China. Hoo yeah. With the tobacco tax being raised frequently, smoking is one of the most expensive habit you can have. I'm grateful I live near a Smoker Friendly store where I can get my TJs for about 7 dollars less than any other store. (I'm talking about price/carton, btw. 1 pack is still between $4 and $5.)

Yup. From what I understand, Marlboro is the most overwhelmingly popular brand out there. Betcha part of that is due to those old Marlboro Man ads.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Who doesn't love the Marlboro Man? Although, I must admit, my favorite anti-smoking ad ever was about five years ago, there were two cowboys sitting by a fire, looking all rugged and manly, and the text read, 'Bob, I've got emphesimia' (sic).

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, Sanzo is SO allergic to change it's not even funny. Cause to enjoy change, you have to a.) expect that life is going to get better and b.) be comfortable not being totally in control, both of which... Gojyo is not good at those.

And you have a really good point about Gojyo having internalized his mothers ideas about him being ugly. Like, that scene that multiple authors have written about rubbing mud into his hair as a kid to make it not red is totally canon in my head.

And "eating bitter" is the perfect way to describe Sanzo.

[droiche.livejournal.com]

"And "eating bitter" is the perfect way to describe Sanzo."

Doesn't it just? That's why I pegged him as being Shaolin Buddhist even though he has probably never been to the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province.

Heh. I don't blame him for being less than thrilled with change and not being in control of his life. It's been my experience than life does not improve or, in the rare instances it does improve, the improvement doesn't last long.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Nothing like a control-freak who doesn't have total control over everything.

*nods*

And yeah, cause who doesn't love being Kannon's bitch? I mean, I love the girl dearly, but I would not want her to have a hand in MY life.

I have to admit, change for me is usually good - or at least, the awesome things stay, but change... even when it's good, it is by it's very nature stressful, which sucks.

And maybe you should start glueing the good changes with superglue to get them to stick? Because live is change, all change equal bad has just got to suck.

[droiche.livejournal.com]

It's hard not to be bitchy and depressed when the good things seem so small and far apart. I try to cling to the little joys that pop up, but letting them go hurts something aweful.


I think I'd blow a gasket if Kanzeon ever showed up. I love her too, but she'd drive me batty. Then again, I wonder if that what my gods are doing: Making my life hell to make me better. I just wish I knew what the plan is. Nothing like striving for a goal when you don't even know what the goal is.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I... have nothing helpful or comforting to say. You're making me super-grateful for my life, though, touch wood. (Does that sound aweful and bitchy? I don't mean to.)

[droiche.livejournal.com]

Not at all. You should be grateful you're doing all right. And there's no need to feel guilty for having good fortune. You deserve to have a good things as much as anybody else does. :)


TBH, I probably don't have a right to complain. Some of the things that happened to me are/were my own damn fault. My present poverty is due to my refusal to give up trying to make a living as an artist and go get a normal job (that I would loathe) like everyone else. =-P

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Everybody should have a good life, with only enough tradegy to appreciate what they have. Except for those people who deserve to live suffer.

Seriously? All regular jobs you hate that much? *raises eyebrows*

[droiche.livejournal.com]

Let's put it this way. The only jobs available to me are the kinds that I loathe. Low pay customer service type jobs. I am not a social animal, I do not like lying to or screwing over customers, and I don't like talking on the telephone. -_-

Trust me. It's not for lack of looking that I've rarely found and been hired for a job that I like.

[droiche.livejournal.com]

Also:

Nobody pays to do the kinds of jobs I would like to do. Things like library technician aide, filing, data entry, etc. Things that don't require interaction with customers. The libraries here take only volunteers and work study students. The other kinds of jobs are always lumped in with receptionist/ secreterial positions which means I'd have to do telephone duties and talk to customers.


I don't expect you to understand why I don't like normal jobs.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

That makes total sense, and I understand completely. I also lack the receptionist gene. I can do it for about 3 hours per week (part of my workstudy job) and then my brain becomes mush.

[droiche.livejournal.com]

:-D Okies. I worked for Choice Hotels for a year and a half. I was reasonably good at it I guess. I do have good people skills, but the concept of the job itself sucked. If we had been required to only look up information and make the reservations the customers wanted it wouldn't have been so bad. Still, being literally tied to a phone for 6 to 8 hours is not at all fun.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I'm actually not looking for a particular brand, but a particular scent, which was unclean. I think I should have phrased the question, 'what do you think Gojyo's hair smells like (and not cigerrettes, because this is fantasy land.)'

And I try to to use brand names unless Minukura already has, just because they personally throw me out of the fic, plus I want to save my handwaving for travel times. *grin*

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Well, hrm, not knowing what Hi-Lites actually SMELL like I am just going to handwave and pretend they smell like nice pure tobacco and not nasty stinky crap like Marlboros, so even if there's some lingering smoke smell it's not going to be icky. But that means I'm not sure if minty smells are a good match since I really don't get the menthol-cigarette thing. Coconut could work if it's not too sweet and heavy, and is a common enough sort of shampoo scent; or a light aloe vera scent would be pretty inoffensive and neutral. Although for my tastes in fragrance, if we're gonna go completely into wild flights of fancy I'd say cloves, or sandalwood, or vetiver: something dry and spicy, not a girly-sweet-fruity-scented sort of shampoo. Mmmmmmmmm. Happy place.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Cloves or sandlewood... would totally work. And thanks for mentioning that I'm going to need something that would work well with just a light bit of tabacco (I recently become friends with a chainsmoker, and I love the girl but sometimes I'll just get a wiff of her cigerrettes that I know is the smell of her skin and... *winces*)

I'm not going to go with coconut, because I hate that flavor beyond the telling of it.

But sandlewood and tobacco smoke... total happy place.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

And there are a bunch of different brands of sandalwood and clove shampoos out there, so handwaving that they or some similar domestic product are available in Shangri-La isn't all that big a stretch. Cedar might work too, it's a common enough masculine scent and I've bought Japanese bath salts that were cedar-scented, so shampoo doesn't seem that far-fetched. Vetiver's about the only one I've never seen as a shampoo scent but damnit, if I'm fantasizing here I'm gonna include it because on the right guy it can smell utterly irresistible. ;)

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

No, ceder doesn't. And what does Vetiver smell like? Or is that ceder shampoo?

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Vetiver smells like...well, it's made from the roots of a really aromatic grass. It's sort of between a dry woody smell and a greener grassy one, if that makes any sense?

Next time you're near anyplace that sells perfume, look for a Guerlain men's scent called oh-so-predictably "Vetiver" -- it's got a bunch of other stuff mixed in but the heart notes are vetiver and cedarwood, so that might give you a little bit of an idea of the pure vetiver note.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, okay. I'll have to see if I can stumble into a perfume store and check that out.