Lush T'eo: A Review

Find the product here..

Your Rating: 5 stars
Headline: Love it!

Pros : Long-Lasting, Hypo-Allergenic, Doesn't get on clothes, Great Smell, Good Protection
Cons : Messy
Best Uses : Daily Use
Describe Yourself : Natural, Perspire Easily, Faculty
When you survey your stash, you label this product : Guilty Pleasure

I use this product daily. I walk a great deal around a college campus during the daytime, so I need something that lasts all day, and T'eo does the trick!

A couple of things I really love about T'eo:
*I love that the powder does NOT appear on my black tube top when I wear it!
*I love that I can apply once daily without having to refresh!
*I love that it feels much more natural than the other  deodorant I was using before!

A tip or two:
*Buy the tin to hold it--I didn't, and I'm regretting it, as there's a white, powdery residue on my dresser now (it wipes off, obviously, but it looks like a mess until I take a rag to the dresser). :(
*If you shave, wait about 10-15 minutes before applying T'eo, otherwise it might sting just a bit (I'm super sensitive to pain, and it only slightly bothers me if I apply immediately after shaving).

As a spend thrift, buying T'eo felt like a guilty pleasure...I never imagined myself paying $8 for deodorant, but (a friend talked me into it and) it's totally worth it. I am guessing for as little as I use daily, this brick will last me at least 3 months, which in comparison to other  deodorants, might even save me a bit of money!

Plus, I feel like I'm being a bit more green by not buying a plastic encased deodorant container!

:)
-----------------------------------------------------

On being an ally

I have always considered myself to be a LGBT ally. I think my story starts with my mother. My mother is not always open about everything, but when I was a kid, she always had LGBT friends. I remember two of those friends most vividly: Pat (or Booboo) and Erica (or Steve).

Pat was a lesbian and was my mother's closest friend when I was a kid. She was always around, always bring over her girlfriends, always talking about women, and always fun! She was maybe my favorite person ever. I always knew that I could be myself around her, and I always felt loved by her. She might've gotten into a bit of trouble as the years went on--drugs and other things--but she was such a powerful force in my ally-ness.

Erica--well, Erica was a drag queen. I don't recall ever seeing Erica out of costume. I do recall seeing Erica perform several times during my youth. But, I don't remember much else.

And, of course, there's my mother. She's heterosexual, as far as I know. And, sometimes she's a little bit racists. And, frankly, sometimes she says things that I read as homophobic as well, but I don't think that she thinks those comments are homophobic. For instance, she'll refer to someone she sees as a "faggot." I don't particularly care for this word, but my mother is in her 50s, so it's a word that's embedded in her language. Even though she knows the negative connotation behind that word--oh, I've told her--she still says it.

I don't think that my mother ever officially said anything like, "love everybody" or "be an ally." Instead, I think she showed me that I should look for the good in people and that it's okay to be open to diversity.


So, what does being an ally mean to me? How can I be an ally?

Well, GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation--GLAD is different) says there are 10 ways to be an ally & a friend. Some of those are:
*be a listener
*be open-minded
*be willing to talk
*be inclusive and invite LGBT friends to hang out with your friends and family.
*don't assume that all your friends and co-workers are straight.
*homophobic comments and jokes are harmful. let your friends, family and co-workers know that you find them offensive.
*confront your own prejudices and homophobia
*defend your LGBT friends against discrimination
*believe that all people, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation, should be treated with dignity and respect

Some of the other things that I think are important about being a straight ally are:
*to stay informed--read, listen to radio shows and podcasts, ask a member of the LGBT community
*support equality


This one is hard to iterate...but I want to make sure I'm always being the best ally I can be and that I'm always being reflexive about my heterosexual privilege.

xoxo

On life and death

Lately, there's been a lot of loss...a lot. Too much, in fact.

But, with loss comes thought. Among my thoughts are memories recalled. Many are happy. No doubt some are less than happy. Many require that I fill in the gaps of memories. Also among my thoughts are preparations for my own life and death. Live happy. Live free. Live love. Live life. Die happy. Die free. And, preparations....after life and death.  Cremation or burial: cremation. Resting spot: wherever. Some of my happy places are: the resting place near Bonham where John and Elton (my grandfathers) are buried, Starview winery, my grandparents' old house on Hwy 82 in Bonham (across from the railroad tracks and, now, a prison), the adobe house in Lake Worth where we met Gary and adopted him into our little family, Springtown (just Springtown generally...I was happy there)....so many happy places, but ya have to be careful disposing of remains in public places!

*sigh* too much loss. too much.