Saw it at Marshall’s in New Orleans for $30 but didn’t have time to get it. They also had South Slope. Is Oxford Row any good? Does anyone have experience with it? Should I go back after my event?

Getting back to this series. My flight is delayed, so I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on some posts and work on a few things. This has been sititng in my drafts for a few weeks, so finally got time to work on it a little more: I picked up this sample on a visit earlier this year to Kuhl Linscomb in Houston. They carry a ton of indie and niche fragrances that I otherwise don’t get much opportunity to try out in Austin. I’ve been looking for some scents to wear for the summer that aren’t all grapefruit citrus freshie bombs, and the store clerk recommended ths and was nice enough to provide me with a free 2mL sample. Just a side note - I don’t think the manager there likes me. A few visits prior to this, I noticed they had moved all of their fragrance testers and put them behind the counter. You have to ask the sales clerk before the will let you spray. I asked him about it and he told me that basically they had too many people (like me) coming in, trying everything, and not buying anything. So to save their clerks from being blasted every day with dozens and dozens of scents, they opted to make people ask for them. I have bought multiple items from them at full retail or on sale pricing for the holidays, but every time I come in, he follows me and scowls at me and rebutts any attempt I make to have a conversation. The other clerks like me and recognize me and have great conversations and seem to have fun trying things. Anyway, Etat Libre d’Orange (ELDO) was created by Etienne de Swardt as a deliberately provocative and boundary-pushing fragrance line. Their motto is literally "Perfume is dead. Long live perfume." I Am Trash (or in French "Les Fleurs du Déchet", literally "Flowers of the Garbage”) was released in 2018 and created by Daniela Andrier. She's known being the nose behind many iconic Prada scents. The concept behind I Am Trash is eco-oriented sustainability: many of the raw materials are upcycled byproducts, including apple oil derived from apple juice production waste, rose absolute extracted from already-distilled rose petals, and cedarwood atlas recovered from sawdust before it gets turned into fuel. I think it’s a really cool idea.

Another hot one today and it’s late so I’ll be quick. Citrus, and juniper berries (starting to find my scent I really enjoy this), and settles with a mineral base. There’s more notes in there but these are the 3 I pick up. Fresh for a summer day like today and it held all day. 8+ hours longevity, fills the room, compliments multiple times today. Gets better in heat. Mrs. Says this could be a daily and has a gentleman refinement to it.

Was looking at my feed. And this came through. Funny, I never received anything like this from a Middle Eastern Dupe house, as they pay the influencers and you get what you get. But Montagne, with no paid influencers and a Reddit and Facebook page, puts out this. SEE PIC. Who do you trust for the best possible Clone with quality and Care? Who do you think wants to please the consumer, not on price alone but on quality? Who refines to get as close to the original and explains the process to the customer on a first-hand basis?

Hey everybody, it's been a while since I've continued this course, but I'm gonna try to get back at it. How I want to be perceived in 3 years: I want to be known as a man who is genuinely reliable and self-disciplined. After years of using isolation as a coping mechanism, my focus is shifting toward building a reputation for being steady and present. Concrete actions I will take: 1. Maintaining my physical discipline through consistent strength training and structured daily routines. 2. Showing up fully for my family and the community roles I've taken on, ensuring my word matches my actions. 3. Staying committed to my personal growth by engaging with this course incrementally, even when motivation dips. My biggest challenges: My default instinct to hard-isolate when things get tough or when I face a setback. Overcoming the urge to hide and choosing to stay engaged instead. I hope you're all doing well!