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Hello

This will be the photoblog (and hangout) to go with my Twitter account. Mostly, this will be about my (and maybe your) amateurish attempts at crafts, mostly non-edible consumables (soap, candle and incense making), but also other subjects as they arise.

One thing before we continue, as much as I hate to have to start with a pet peeve. This has been an ongoing problem on the Internet, as perhaps in life in general, but to a greater degree - people will show up and claim expertise that they do not, in fact, possess. They will post absolute nonsense, and in some cases, I will quickly notice that it is nonsense, because without knowing it, they'll veer over into one of my academic lanes. But because they'll post that nonsense in a tone of such absolute confidence, they'll expect others to believe them, and often be indulged in that. When I'll prove skeptical, or worse, debunk their claims with citations, they'll fly into narcissistic rages, go storming out, and see the support of far too many people.

This kind of narcissism, backed up as it is by a wave of cowardice, can make holding a sensible discussion about almost anything nearly impossible, so before we start, let's have a few understandings. I can and will be skeptical of claims of expertise. I am not impressed by confidence. I have no patience with the suggestible people who are. If you turn out to be one of those suggestible people, I will not forgive and forget, and yes, I will judge you, as I should. Without the "me toos" out there, the trolls wouldn't even be half of the problem they've become.

I'm going to try to be a gracious host and make this into a gathering of friends, but let us understand each other from the beginning: you're in my home. I'm in charge. I make the rules. If somebody comes in like a bull in a china shop and others enable him as he does so, I'm not going to put up with that. I'm a relatively nice guy when I'm dealt with in a genuinely civilized manner, but that's not the same thing as belonging to the Cult of Nice. I will call people on what I perceive to be their bullshit.

If you feel uncomfortable with that, you know the way out. Do we understand each other, now, on the subject of unsolicited advice from non-confirmed sources? In case anybody has forgotten, poorly made soap isn't just displeasing, it can cause chemical burns, so if somebody is going to come in and play "Mr. Big Shot," then no, I am not going to base my views of his performance based on your gut reaction. People could get hurt if I did that, so I won't. Period. If I feel like listening to his advice, at all, and I won't always have time to do so, I'll do my homework by doing a fact check on his claims, maybe by talking to a professional chemist and asking him what he thinks of a suggested procedure.

What a shame that my first post on a new blog has to consist of a long explanation, given to people who are supposedly adults, about what that word is supposed to mean, but better to do that at the beginning than after a huge blowup.

One other thing: I don't vet the recipes posted in the comments, so use those at your own risk. As for my own recipes, I think I'll stick with adding scents to somebody else's stock for now. I have a good relationship with my new neighbors, out in this suburb I've moved to, and I'd like to hold onto that, so I'll hold off on mixing lye with fat for a while, at least until I can afford a house out in the country.