Plutonic Rainbows

• Layer Photo Filter — Warming Filter (85)

• Density 25, Multiply, Opacity 50%

• Command I (invert), Default Brush

Fendi La Baguette is hugely disappointing. Although it may be a lovely scent, it’s light and airy, disappearing in about two hours — which is inexcusable at this price range. This fragrance is an easy pass: it provides no projection and feels weak and fleeting.

Released in 1986, this is an extremely rare animal. It is as bizarre-sounding as it is old. Starting off like some menacing science fiction movie, it moves through sound corridors of time and space that you might have wished remained closed. The title song is a thing of beauty for sure, while still tinged with a bit of the beast, as it hints at a psychotic circus of sounds. Strange but still soothing. The epic third track brings it all together and makes the album whole. Bells and drums are prominent here in the long, drawn-out musical scenery that ends the first side.

While the second side is not up to the greatness of the first, it is not for lack of trying. It is chock-full of strange sounds. Only the bells and flutes that come and go seem familiar. You may feel like you are losing your mind. But don't worry, by the time you are in the middle of the last song, your mind will belong to you again and all will be as it was. All except for your ears, of course. Like a flood rerouting a river bed, that sound you heard may forever be ingrained in your ears' memory channels. Like it or not, it may be a sound you won't forget.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Everything goes away eventually. The new 2025 edition is what you get when the boardroom decides what constitutes a good fragrance.

Today is the last night the Christmas lights will cast their glow, a brief luminescence before Epiphany’s dawn demands they be taken down. The season’s end always leaves me torn — its magic slips away like a half-remembered dream, and I mourn its passing even as I glimpse the promise of the new year suggesting other possibilities and new paths.

I’ve made a few design tweaks: the links in the post entries now have default underlines, and I’ve updated their color to align with the 4.5:1 readability standard. On another note, I received a brand-new, pristine copy of Alan Moore’s magic book today.

For my fragrance today, I chose Frederic Malle Promise, and tonight I’m cooking tempura-battered fish fillets, triple-cooked chips, and mushy peas.

I bought Wintering Out by Seamus Heaney for my kindle.

This week, if it ships on time, I should hopefully receive a 5ml sample of Fendi's La Baguette to try.

My package from Haeckels arrived today, including Eco Marine Cream, Algae Pump Serum, and Eye Bright Eye Cream. I prefer their moisturisers over Clinique products, which I’ve used for about thirty-seven years — though I still stick with Clinique for Scrub Lotion and Shaving Cream.

Today’s fragrance is Frederic Malle Uncut Gem. For dinner, I’ll be cooking salmon, asparagus, and lime-and-coriander rice.

Unfortunately, my copy of the Alan Moore Book of Magic arrived damaged, so I’ll need to return it on Monday.

It was damp, wet, and dreary outside, so I decided to wear Frederic Malle’s Dries Van Noten. I had plenty of reading lined up and prepared baked salmon, asparagus, and rice for dinner. In the evening, I played a few quizzes, updated the festive lighting, and took some photos. I ended the day by watching Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, crafted by Steve and Alan Moore, is a whimsical and enlightening grimoire offering a modern take on the ancient art of sorcery. This beautifully illustrated tome, enriched by artists such as Kevin O’Neill and Rick Veitch, serves as both a practical guide and an immersive journey into the occult. With instructional essays like “Adventures in Thinking,” readers are introduced to the principles of magic, while engaging activity pages offer hands-on practices such as divination and spirit conjuring. The book further captivates with a visual history of magic, tracing its roots from the Palaeolithic era to modern-day marvels, alongside humorous tales like the exploits of Alexander the False Prophet.

Beyond its instructional value, the book presents travel guides to mystical dimensions and profiles of their eccentric inhabitants, paired with serialized pulp tales of occult adventure. It culminates in a profound thesis unraveling the symbolic essence of the Moon and Serpent, connecting magic to happiness, creativity, and universal truths. Spanning 352 pages, this vibrant and ambitious compendium promises to transform its readers’ lives, blending humor, knowledge, and enchantment in a lavishly produced volume that redefines educational literature with a magical twist.

I’m wrapping up the year with three new reads. First is Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco, originally published in 1988. In it, three editors — jaded from reviewing too many outlandish manuscripts about mystics and the occult — hear a wild conspiracy theory from a peculiar colonel and decide to create their own elaborate plot by feeding random bits of information into a powerful computer. What starts as a lighthearted prank quickly spirals out of control: people begin dying, and the trio scrambles for answers.

Next is The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, first published in 1895. It’s a collection of short stories centered on a cryptic play that supposedly drives its readers insane — a seminal work in both occult and weird fiction circles.

Lastly, there’s The Great and Secret Show, which debuted in 1989. I’m not typically a fan of Clive Barker’s novels, but on a friend’s recommendation, I’ve decided to give this one a try.