About this Blog:

The original idea behind this blog was to get some “serious” blogging done, so that I could have a portfolio of writing examples aside from those from my budding college career. Originally intended to hold just reviews of movies, games, and restaurants, my enthusiasm quickly brought in reviews of scents by the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, talk of my travels, and other subjects I felt moved to write about. I do hope you’ll bear with my eclectic tastes.

About the Author:

My birth certificate says Kathrine. Or, actually, it says Kathrine Katherine, because when my mother submitted it to the hospital, someone had illusions of correcting her spelling. I spell it Kathrine, for the record.

Just to complicate things, though, I go by Katu. It’s a nickname my baby sister gave me when she was seven years old, and I flatter myself by not wanting to be just another Katie. As of writing this, I am 26 years old, and finally attending university in Wisconsin (Junior year and straight A student, bitches!). I also work part-time waiting tables at my family’s restaurant, a job which I frankly adore.

I’m interested in a lot of things, the greatest of which at the moment are knitting and needlework, photography, video games, and traveling the world. By age 25 I had been to Canada twice in my teen years, Ireland once at age 18, Australia twice, and New Zealand once. I always travel on my own because my friends often aren’t willing or able to travel with me, but someday I’d like to go with someone else. Someday I also hope to publish a travelogue with my photography.

I am also very focused on school at the moment. I am attending the local university for English (Writing), with a second major in International Studies. If I’m feeling particularly insane, I may also choose  a minor. As you can imagine, I tire of explaining to people what I intend to do with such a degree. My response has been carefully whittled down to, “Whatever I want. No, I’m not switching to Business.”

Finally, just because everyone loves lists, I shall list things I love: Temperate weather, rain, sushi, history, non-Western cultures, Western cultures, perfume, gadgets, V for Vendetta, open-ended video games, writing, drawing, singing, painting, photography, dancing (in private), kittens, saving pictures off of the internet, knick-knacks, nature, happy people, fat people, tiny people, a well-shaped bottom (male or female), tea, coffee, window shopping, trying new things – especially foods, italian food, cooking, sewing, and pockets. Can’t go wrong with pockets. Especially if they’re bigger on the inside!

What the hell is BPAL?

BPAL is the acronym for the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, which is a company that sells unique perfume oil blends, among other things. It has the distinction of being so popular that it’s practically a fandom; it’s an addicting hobby not simply because the oils smell fantastic, but because of the community of people who share the interest. There’s an officially-unofficial forum, and a number of livejournal communities, one of the prominent of which is sinandsalvation (named for one of the scent lines).

What the hell is BJD?

BJD, also referred to as ABJD, stands for Ball-Jointed Dolls/Asian Ball Jointed Dolls, respectively. These are, for lack of a better description, really really expensive resin dolls. They’re not sex toys, as someone once asked me. They don’t “do” anything. There is no reason, that I can tell, to justify the massive pricetag, really, aside from the fact that they’re gorgeous, usually hand-cast from resin, and hand-painted. Why anyone ever got into this hobby in the first place, I have no idea. Hell, I’m not sure how I got into this hobby. Last time I remembered, I thought they were preposterously expensive and didn’t get the appeal. Next thing I know, I’ve bought two of them. I cannot justify my actions, nor explain them. My suspicion is just that yarn and perfume oils weren’t expensive enough as hobbies, so I had to step it up.