the last one standing when the music stops

My samhain gifts to myself were Lost Horizons by everyone's favourite steampunk airship pilots Abney Park (I love Sleep Isabella), Elvenmusic by tolkein-inspired russian classical group Caprice (who actually contacted me via MySpace to see if I would be interested in their music and ... I was), Moon Oppose Moon and Saturn Return by Texan darkwave group Unto Ashes (which, apart from some contributions to certain Projekt compilation albums completes my collection), Then and Again by Voltaire (which again completes my collection of his stuff and includes his excellent Goodnight Demonslayer lullaby), Sub Rosa by goth duo Mirabilis, Translucidia by german darkwave group Qntal, and in a week's time, the debut album by incredibly-cute-looking-in-a-moustache Polish songstress Julia Marcell (although I'm mildly annoyed at myself for forgetting to contribute to her Sellaband project as a Believer, but I got distracted just as I was going to do so and afterwards thought I had). Oh well. I shall just have to settle for the public-release album then. <grumble> <sigh> [All but the Abney Park and Julia Marcell are mp3s, which I'm finding far too convenient at the moment since I've spent the last nine hours unable to even get up and turn the light out and go to bed. Ouchie.] And while it wasn't exactly a samhain gift, I shall accept the recent totally unexpected surprise gift of a bottle of the Scarlet Liqueur Mead from Charteau Dorrian from an incredibly-cute-looking-even-without-a-moustache young woman as such, as this was definitely in the spirit that it was sent. [In all three senses of the word, I'm thinking.] I shall look forward to when I might sample that rather delightful tipple once more. In return, Eris was kind enough to give her a set of brightly coloured expresso cups, much to her delight. [I'm still resisting the purchase of some really cheap Dreamblade minatures because I know I'll never play the game. However the discount price is making my fingers itch and I have to keep reminding myself that, even if they could find use in Don't Rest Your Head, Bliss Stage, Underworld or any other similiarly-themed game, I don't use minatures. Speaking of which, must get around to ordering a physical copy of The Trail of Cthulhu before they are all gone. Especially now that Houses of the Blooded is also out (although I shall avoid the rather-pricy limited edition hardcover). They shall have to be my birthday gift to myself. After all, according to Mystic Moo of Pelgrane Press, am I not born under the squamous sign of the Shoggoth?