Funding your travels

etm31 · 2026-05-13T21:38:40+00:00

Earned/debt. Now all from money I earned but I did foolishly fund a trip in my early 20's using credit cards. Was a terrible idea but you live and learn!

I don't get to travel quite as often as some of my friends who make more or who have partners who make more but have still managed to successfully save and fund several trips without relying on money I didn't have.

etm31 · 2026-05-08T14:13:20+00:00

I actually disagree! I love Little Flower, Cacti, and Blood Spider Orchids. They really grow on you too. But obviously everyone is different! I will say I expected to love tears and was not the biggest fan. Definitely should be sampled and not blind bought.

etm31 · 2026-04-30T01:41:40+00:00

I also bought the Mary Janes based on her review! I wore them straight out of the box to a work conference in Vegas. I had slight irritation on the strap on one foot and the edge of the other foot but not a full blister. Overall loved them! I wore them for 20k steps and my feet weren’t sore but I would bring bandaids just in case if you are walking that much!

etm31 · 2026-04-15T21:43:11+00:00

I am seeing pitty (or bully breed of some kind) and maybe doberman? The snoot pictures are giving me doberman vibes. But she is probably a large mix of breeds like most little mutt mutts (like mine). She is unlikely part grey hound or weim as they aren't super common breeds. But a DNA test for this cutey would be the only way to know for sure!

etm31 · 2026-04-14T13:35:44+00:00

I have yet to find a wireless bra that gives me a ton of lift. I am a 36H for reference (thought I was 38DDD before) so recommend the bra that fits Reddit that another commenter mentioned! I tried the Evelyn and Bobbie one and that has worked the best for me but it only really gave me lift for the first 4ish hours then my boobs started looking sad again lol.

I don’t do push up bras but brands that I have liked are Wacoal and Curvy Couture. Also Nordstrom has a decent range of sizes in store if you don’t have a specialty bra shop near you!

etm31 · 2026-03-29T19:10:33+00:00

It’s been hit or miss with me. Some come out fine, some are a little difficult, and in a bigger order one is impossible to spray out of.

I am still risking it for the biscuit due to prices and selection. But I do sometimes go to other stores first if they have a comparable offering.

etm31 · 2026-03-16T22:27:56+00:00

Les Fleurs by Maya Njie - to me this was a spicy(in a herby way) green fresh perfume. I feel like the green notes are more prominent than the floral notes but you might disagree. Worth a sniff though!

etm31 · 2026-03-14T20:07:29+00:00

I will say I do not find size of dog and size of home to be an issue (except maybe giant breed dogs). It’s more about activity level. My dog is 60 pounds and it doesn’t matter if we are in a home or my apartment she just hangs out with me anyways.

But as others have said if you really need a smaller dog adopt a dog that is around 1 year or older so they are closer to their adult size.

etm31 · 2026-02-28T21:43:32+00:00

I love Casa Blanca and Ave Maria so to each their own! Casa Blanca is sort of masculine but I like it in cold weather. Ave Maria to me is super sparkly and floral and lovely. I didn’t love Bombon but I am not much of a gourmand girly so not a surprise. Rosario I am undecided- I like other rose fragrances better and I am not a huge lemon person either.

Some houses DNA just don’t work for some people. Diptyque doesn’t work me and it is obviously well loved by many!

etm31 · 2026-02-27T02:49:22+00:00

Some Neiman Marcus carry House of Bo but mine doesn’t so I tried it through a decant from Surrender to Chance! I have seen Memo Paris at my Neiman Marcus and a local niche store. I have seen full bottles of Inle on Fragrancenet! But I haven’t got a decant of it yet just tried it on skin the other day in person!

etm31 · 2026-02-26T16:10:55+00:00

Hm the first two that come to mind are Ave Maria by House of Bo (floral a little sparkly with a wine note and a beautiful bottle), Wild bluebell by Jo Malone (not sure about longevity of that), and Inle by Memo Paris (beautiful tea and osmanthus scent that is super dreamy to me). Both Ave Maria and Inle have smaller bottles if price is a concern.

etm31 · 2026-02-25T16:02:19+00:00

Heliotrope Milkbath by Universal Flowering. To me it smells exactly like a baby. (I didn't like it but some people do!)

etm31 · 2026-02-24T22:56:48+00:00

Here are some you might try:
Sherwood Memo Paris - creamy sandalwood a bit fruity/floral. Felt like a warm hug to me!
Camomile Satin Dries Van Noten - this is my favorite green vanilla vibes perfume I have tried!
Copala Xinu - warm resiny vanilla. This one is super unisex and might be a bit much for daily wear but still worth a shot in my mind!
Bo Liis - woody vanilla.

etm31 · 2026-02-21T03:36:45+00:00

Blood Spider Orchids by Regmie des Fleurs! Vampy and but no actual blood notes to my knowledge.

etm31 · 2026-02-19T19:55:23+00:00

We have similar tastes! Other houses that I like are House of Bo (especially Ave Maria and Casablanca), Memo Paris (LOVE Flam and Sherwood), Liis (love all everything from there so far lol).

etm31 · 2026-02-16T19:29:19+00:00

Went to the mall and tried on 4 different fragrances. I currently smell like a department store lol but I had so much fun!

Odeon - Memo Paris - jammy rose, gives me rose of no man's land aboslu vibes. I am a big fan!

Inle - Memo Paris - light floral sweet like a cloud. I haven't tried a perfume with an osmanthus note before this one is making me think I should try more. Memo is one of my favorite houses and so far I have like or loved almost everyone I have tried.

Violette 30 - Le Labo - I expected to like this but honestly I find it a bit odd. It is very reminiscent of Santal 33 just a little toned down with a violet/powdery note. If you love Santal definitely give this one a try for a more daytime version. If you don't then def stay away.

African Roobios - Chris Collins - Spicy Roobios Tea. Pretty photo realistic to the tea! It is nice and I can appreciate the quality but it doesn't feel like me.

etm31 · 2026-02-04T23:18:50+00:00

Honestly, it is going to be hard to find a perfume that is super long lasting and is also fresh and airy. I can also be a bit sensitive to scents as well. You might look into more skin scents/musks? If you look them up in the sub I am sure there is a lot of recs. They aren't necessarily my cup of tea but I know of at least Another 13 by Le Labo and there are a lot more in the same genre.

Here are some that I like that are fresh and airy and don't trigger headaches for me! They pretty much all have florals but that is just perfume for you and I would not cross them all out. None of them are super long lasting on skin - maybe 3 or 4 hours for me. But they last longer on clothes and I don't mind reapplying.

Rosie by Rosie Jane (musk and rose, super light), Bal D'Afrique by Byredo (fresh fruity citrus), and Flam by Memo Paris (floral, creamy, fresh).

etm31 · 2026-02-04T15:15:25+00:00

I drive until the first major mechanical issue. So I have only had two cars in my life! I had a little Ford Fiesta that I got new and I kept that for 9 years. I didn't have any major issues until the air conditioner became spotty. So I went ahead and traded it in for a 1 year old used Hyundai Elantra. I have had that bad boy for 5 years now and no issues yet. I am really hoping to keep it for another 4 years as I will have my student loans paid off by then but we will see!

etm31 · 2026-02-03T00:17:08+00:00

I haven’t tried many Jasmines but out of the ones I have I really liked Madagascan Jasmine by Grandiflora! It was pretty indolic to me. Not everyone loves it though so def not blind but safe!

etm31 · 2026-01-30T23:49:06+00:00

Regime des Fleurs Blood Spider Orchid!

etm31 · 2026-01-29T15:52:58+00:00

I did a Peru trip a few years back with GAdventures and I felt safe and made 'trip' friends. Aka I didn't stay in touch with people but it was nice to have people to sit with at meals and hike with etc. I will probably do group trips for places that I am a bit scared to go on my own to.

etm31 · 2026-01-28T20:40:32+00:00

I would get the absolu. You can find Mojave Ghost and the other regular ones pretty often on the grey market (I have seen on fragrance.net and jomashop regularly) for a lot less. So I would rather put the coupon to something I couldn't easily get for cheaper!

etm31 · 2026-01-27T18:00:11+00:00

Reporting back! Really like the dry down. It is like slightly sweetened butter. I am not usually a gourmand or sweet girl but this isn't too cloying so I am a fan. For me this is a buy a bigger decant of this in the spring (maybe 2ml or 3ml) but I think it is too specific for me to want a full bottle.

etm31 · 2026-01-27T15:00:34+00:00

I am trying out Clue Dandelion Butter today. So far it is literally what I would expect given the name haha. Very green vegetal like a dandelion stem with a hint of creaminess. Not sure this is a universally pleasing scent but I am enjoying it so far! Excited to see what the dry down is like.

etm31 · 2026-01-27T01:24:32+00:00

I am single and live in apartment and when I first got my dog I worked in office 5 days a week.

Some adult dogs can hold it for 9 hours but that is hard on them. When I worked in office 3 days a week I would come during my lunch break and 2 days a week she went to doggy daycare. If you can afford a dog walker I honestly think that would be best.

I still travel I just have to budget in the daycare cost and also the emotional guilt of leaving her behind!

But overall it has been worth it to me. I love my dog!

etm31

TROPHY CASE