Box-Opening [Buddydoll Raphael Semi-Elf]

An Epic Tale of Eyebrows.




Please also disregard my inability to spell ^.^; I was rather excited.

Mr. Black, a raven, has placed himself beside the box and an accompanying white package, which I assume contains a blank head.



A glimpse at the minimally styled, but ever-so-functional, inner box.








The mysteries begin to reveal themselves.

Behold, I give you, firstly, ten miniature toes!




Mr. Black compares his feet with those of the new arrival.




Beyond the green cushion.

I discover that the blank head is in the main box, which makes me very curious as to the white package.




The contents of the white package: two pairs of beautiful eyes. Buddy-doll does not even sell eyes!

I think they included these to make up for some unnecessary shipping fees that I paid.

I am extremely grateful to have them :-D




Sexy boots and cards.




The elegant Mars head.




Wigs.




I confess, there is a reason why I took careful pictures of all the extras. The reason is slightly tragic.




Having by now had my first glimpse of my new doll, I was, of all things, trying assiduously to avoid looking at him.

As though his face would magically fix itself, if I gave it enough time.




Something left me completely cold.

I had requested a custom face-up. I sent Buddydoll a very clear picture of what I wanted, using a lightly photoshopped version of their own pictures, and included a list of the changes I made.




They said they could do the face-up I had requested.

But the face-up I received looked very different.

It is by no means a completely unattractive face-up, but I had such a definite idea of how he was supposed to appear, that I could hardly stand to look at him.




When I tried the blond wig on him, the change in his appearance put me seriously Out Of All Good Humour.




I then took his head off, and began to contemplate drastic, uncharted measures.
(Yes, I did flip out a bit ^.^; )

My first doll had revealed her name to me the instant I saw her face.

This person would not take to a name.

I felt such despair that I became brave. I did research on DoA and began to alter his face-up.



In my panic, I turned the bathroom into an art studio.

(What?? Good God, why the bathroom!? It was convenient... and I cleaned thoroughly afterwards... *mumbles excuses*)



For the next six hours, I was engaged in trying to make him look tolerable (to me, anyway).

I had so hoped that I would be able to practice face-ups on the blank head before attempting anything like this.

But finally, well... I freely admit that the company face-up photographed several hundred times better.

At least now, however, his eyebrows are approximately the silly shape that they need to be, and I can love him as he deserves.




And I discovered that his name is Marlowe.




* * *

Losing My Religion

That's me in the corner,
That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion



Every whisper,
Of every waking hour



I'm choosing my confessions



Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool



Oh no, I've said too much
--I set it up



Consider this:
The hint of the century



Consider this:
The slip that brought me
To my knees, failed



What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around?

Now I've said too much



I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try



But that was just a dream,
That was just a dream,

Dream.





* * *

I consider this to be an uplifting set of images (though they are obviously not without a tinge of the melancholic). My interpretation of R.E.M.'s song is that the speaker is defiant in the face of his loss.

He describes a painful separation from something that he once treasured, and how that separation leaves him damaged. Ultimately, however, he survives his trial, frees himself from whatever illusions he might have suffered, and discovers a new, somewhat wiser way of seeing the world. This then allows him to go forward and continue with the rest of his life.

Teacups

Portraits of my Grandmother's beautiful teacup collection.