| *falls over* |
[May. 4th, 2008|08:24 am] |
Got back yesterday near midnight and was so exhausted I fell into bed without even touching the computer. Reviews will be up tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, highlights of my Berlin trip:
- seeing Uwe Kröger, twice. No Pia, but oh, UWE. No more watching certain Hungarians for you, the set'll fall apart!
- Spargel - height of the season, and oh, they were delicious
- lovely Roman-inspired sandals and a jacket that cost far too much
- stuffed alligator O.o |
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| Missing in action |
[Apr. 29th, 2008|08:13 pm] |
I'm off on Thursday morning for Berlin, back on Saturday night. Have decided not to lug the computer around, since it's just two nights and a rather busy schedule of shopping and two shows to catch. If anyone has anything urgent, speak now, or hold your peace for four whole days ;)
Incidentally, this will be the first time in three years or so that I'll be incommunicado from e-mail for over 24 hours - even when I was net-less, I monitored things via mobile phone. Wish me luck! |
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| Travel plans |
[Feb. 29th, 2008|10:24 am] |
Two weeks ago, I had no plans for the summer at all. Now it turns out I'll be out of the country two, possibly three times between May and June:
- May 1-3 in Berlin (Shopping and Elisabeth. Mostly shopping.)
- May 23-26 in Edinburgh (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) fyrie's birthday party and uh, more shopping?)
- Tentatively, June 21-25 in Budapest. Again. For the same purposes as last time.
Since the only other plans I have are for Vienna in the autumn, I need to find some new countries to travel to. Spain, possibly? Or Mallorca, I adored selenak's photos of her trip there. |
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| Sell-out (but for silky hair, wouldn't you?) |
[Feb. 14th, 2008|09:51 am] |
For the past few years, I've heard people praising a singular hair product. There were tales of how hard it is to obtain, how expensive, and how you must use Just A Single Drop to make your hair absolutely fabulous.
Yesterday, I gave in and tried a sample Mother brought back from her new hairdresser's.
Farouk Systems' Biosilk Silk Therapy Serum is, indeed, magic.
The amount of oil that covered the tip of my index finger when I poured it was enough to make my hair a waterfall of silk. For the record, my hair is waistlong, thick and very fine, wavy to the point of rebeliousness, 6 months without a trim, and recently dyed with a commercial non-permanent colour. Just making it fall down without major frizz usually requires heavy-duty conditioner, mousse and hair wax. With just the tiny bit of serum, it's now down, still wavy, and utterly controlled.
I think I have a new addiction. |
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| Tanz der Vampire / Vampirok Balja: 50th show |
[Jan. 7th, 2008|08:45 am] |
You have to be special to randomly stumble on a 50th show of a musical, and one with a signing to boot. Fortunately, we are special.
( Show )
Before the show, I wandered over to buy the new shiny programme and live CD (even though I accidentally recorded the same show that's on the CD while I was over the last time). I managed to keep my feet when the teller told me that after the show, there would be a signing upstairs.
( Signing ) |
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| Tanz der Vampire #28 |
[Jan. 7th, 2008|12:07 am] |
I think I managed to break Von Krolock's brain.
SCORE. |
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| Happy day-off-work, everyone |
[Dec. 21st, 2007|01:43 pm] |
Tomorrow morning, I'm on the train to the seaside; I'll be back on Thursday evening, and while I'll check my mail on my mobile, I won't have connectivity otherwise. I'm hoping some kind soul will mail me my Yuletide story.
Due to December health issues, I haven't completed my personal Yuletide yet, but it's definitely a project for my upcoming offline period. We'll do Russian-style New Year's gifts ;)
It's funny: due to work and health, it doesn't feel like Christmas yet. Still, happy holidays to everyone. Even if you don't celebrate, isn't it fun to have time off? Especially since my next day of work will be Wednesday after next. Long live Evil Corporate Empires. |
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| Photos: Edinburgh |
[Dec. 3rd, 2007|08:21 pm] |
Not my best gallery, but either way, I'm back from Edinburgh and have photos in tow :)
( Edinburgh photos ) |
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| Edinburgh yay |
[Nov. 28th, 2007|06:23 pm] |
At fyrie's. Her internet's dodgy, so I might be not around much, but I live. Until Sunday, when I go back. Yay :D |
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| Perfume angst |
[Nov. 18th, 2007|05:53 pm] |
I've recently decided on my next signature fragrance - it was pure chance, but I tried out L'Instant Magic de Guerlain and it was almond love at first right. I adore oriental fragrances, always have - Samsara is still my standby for when I want to knock people dead - and as my bottle of Poème by Lancôme wore out, I wanted something different, less floral. I've been getting by with various pure-rose things, but they're really not cutting it, and with L'Instant Magic, I keep sniffing my own wrist obsessively.
And this is the pefectly wrong time for me to notice that there's another fragrance that I'd love, love to have. And it's bloody Mitsouko. I mean, it's Mitsouko - almost 90 years old, freaking chypre, the fragrance every ten-bucks bottle of "Parisian" perfume imitates.
Currently I have L'Instant Magic on my right wrist, Mitsouko on my fingers on the right hand, and possible RSI from turning my hand all the time to sniff them both.
(I also have Vol de Nuit on my left wrist, but buying three bottles of Guerlain perfume to alternate would be madness.) |
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| Yuletide and squee |
[Oct. 9th, 2007|01:50 pm] |
I signed up for Yuletide, which means a week and a bit of waiting with bated breath until I get my assignment. And then there's the fact Takarazuka Moon Troupe will be in London in January and I may end up glomping vampires, Deaths and Japanese crossdressers all in one week, but that also requires waiting for dates and details to go up.
To help me wait, I stole an idea from alighiera and ariss_tenoh, to take advantage of my good Yuletide karma and the urge to WRITE something. It's been a while:
1. Make at least three requests from different fandoms, for original stories, or a mixture of both. Optionally, in addition give me characters and/or a setting, a plot, a situation or some other kind of prompt. If you make a request for something original, give me a prompt of some kind in any case. A setting, plot, even a word.
2. If there's something you absolutely want (or don't want) to see in your story, tell me.
3. Fandoms I can write:
( All I've ever written and most I've read )
I'll take all requests posted here before Yuletide assignments go out (a few days after October 18). I'll post all fic before December 6, St Nick's. Each story will be 500 words, minimum.
Comments are screened so you take your chances :)
(Also: yes, original includes That RPG. And if you know anyone looking for fic in any of those fandoms, feel free to pimp. I want to write!) |
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| Notice of absence, with extra whine |
[Oct. 5th, 2007|08:26 pm] |
Off to the seaside for two days, to watch the guy in my moodtheme play a monk. Technically back Sunday, but very, very late.
Also, I have a love-hate relationship with ficathons - so far this year I've succeeded at one, completely failed another for health and work reasons, and this time I managed one a week in advance, only to post the story after the deadline due to circumstances outside my control. I may link to it on Monday, but for now I'm just facepalming over the whole thing because argh! I was trying so hard to be a good participant!
But the one ficathon that's been decent to me last time around is Yuletide, and it'll be signups soon, and yay! It's the rare fandom ficathon to beat all - all rare fandoms and all genres and themes welcome, and you get to both write a rare fandom (out of the ones you indicate you know, of course, and only the fandom and characters are obligatory, you can ignore the prompt if it blocks you), and get a guaranteed story in a rare fandom of your choice. Last year it got me a great Dracula story, and this year I'm hoping for something in a musical fandom.
More about Yuletide here - why not consider signing up? |
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| How to spend a Saturday |
[Sep. 29th, 2007|07:30 pm] |
Today's shaping up interesting. First I went to a musicals mini-gala at a breast-cancer awareness event. Where I had the singular opportunity of watching Koukol von Krolock. Honestly - the guy singing von Krolock's part of Totale Finsternis would be our regular Koukol.
( Video proof )
Now, off for entertainment of the nocturnal kind. In the last week, I've had coffee with people twice, lunch with people twice, two social phonecalls (including a two-hour-long one, also known as yes, fyrie still doesn't have internet at home), and now a night out. Very soon I'll wake up and it'll all have been a dream. |
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| The importance of backups |
[Sep. 23rd, 2007|11:05 pm] |
*facepalms* Evidently the Trend Micro antivirus programme is as crap as I thought, since it let through another Trojan that's proven stubbornly hard to remove. Fortunately I still have a fairly recent clone of my hard drive and backing up the new data was an hour's work; in a few days I should have everything back as it was before.
On the upside, this convinced the Powers That Be that yes, I'm not just being annoying when I mention that my computer really should have XP Service Pack 2, especially three bloody years after it came out. Apart from fixing the obvious security holes, this will also let me install my DVD burner on my home computer, which'll mean I can finally archive my stuff on DVD. Success.
I've no access to mail archives for a few days - if I owed anyone mail, give me a shout. |
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| Last travel notice |
[Sep. 3rd, 2007|08:28 am] |
Just got home :) Budapest yay. Vampires SQUEE. Especially since one Von Krolock is a total fan of the Warsaw production to the point of copying the faces Lukasz made, and the other... the other is a bouncy fluffy baby Von Krolock who looks and sounds like Máté Kamarás's younger cousin.
And yes, I have boots. Only second act of the second Von Krolock for some reason, but nice clear boots :> Reviews upcoming. |
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| Vámpírok Bálja |
[Aug. 30th, 2007|11:08 pm] |
Longer review later, once I've seen it again (and maybe a third time) and can type it when not on a rickety kitchen chair wedged onto the patio because it's the only place the net's working. Suffice it to say, I have a very wide grin on my face.
Tanz der Vampire is still magic. Even in Hungarian. |
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| On the road again |
[Aug. 27th, 2007|03:08 pm] |
Signing in from Budapest - I'm going to be here until 6AM Monday next. The apartment isn't the one I booked, but it's very nice, and while it technically doesn't have internet access, well, I'm typing this somehow ;) Now to track down the shops, public transport and public baths.
(And dancing vampires, but that's on Thursday and Saturday. Wish me luck.) |
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| Travel fever and friending issues |
[Aug. 21st, 2007|01:12 pm] |
Six days before getting on a plane to Budapest is probably a bad time for me to panic about not being able to speak a word of Hungarian, or even pronounce it without consulting a guide. Technically I know we can get by easily between English, German, French and Russian, but my brain is flailing in travel-induced panic.
Otherwise, I got friended by a crowd of people I don't know, again. It's not that I mind people viewing my public posts, but dropping me a note would be nice. As would telling me whether you want me to friend back - locked posts tend to be Real Life ramblings and file-sharing. |
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| International Blog Against Racism Week: Central European perspective |
[Aug. 10th, 2007|09:32 am] |
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) ibarw is on again, and after the recent kerfuffle (or does anyone remember it in the wake of the Boldthrough?), I've been thinking along the same lines.
One issue I often see in racism discussions is the Europe/America divide. Racism in America is something special, yes, but I think it's mostly because of how much it's been fought against and for, there. I wonder if it wasn't for the better: if Americans aren't perfect, at least they have the instinct to respond to an accusation of racism with "No, I'm not." Too often in Poland, the response is "So what?"
( European take )
(As an aside, I've also been thinking about the issue of writing about race or other discrimination from the point of view of a character with a cultural background and ideas different from my own. Would anybody be interested in reading something like that?) |
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| On all things Harry Potter |
[Jul. 12th, 2007|10:03 pm] |
Just a note - the movie's hitting the cinemas here in two weeks, so I won't be reading anyone's posts about it till then. The book premieres normally, so I won't be around that morning on account of being ensconced in a cafe and reading it in one go ;)
In other news, work = busy like hell. No time to even think. |
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| Here and gone again |
[Jul. 5th, 2007|07:20 pm] |
For those who noted, health is decidedly better, and even the persistent cough is going away :) But I've worked extra-hard this week in order to get Monday off.
Good things: I have my computer back, de-virused and all secured up. I am off for three days at the lakes, back on Monday night.
Bad things: I will be 25 on Saturday. Bleargh. |
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| Well, this is bloody brilliant |
[Jun. 25th, 2007|04:01 pm] |
As if the winter harddrive trouble weren't enough, on Saturday I managed to catch a virus on my home computer. Easy enough to get rid of - except for the fact that the bloody thing was so badly written, it managed to corrupt the partition table of all things. Looks like my only option is complete data backup, reformat and reinstall; I'm waiting to find out whether it'll be possible to accomplish free of charge or if I'll have to shell out for a commercial service.
So until further notice, no access to most of my graphics, software, or audio collection :/ I've got a backup of the fics etc, thankfully, but that's it.
I want better technical karma. And health-wise, because this would be easier to take if I were not tripping over my own feet. |
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| Bento lunch possibility |
[Jun. 23rd, 2007|12:16 pm] |
Between murasaki99's recent laptop-lunch blogging and the recent kerfuffle on bentolunch reported on Fandom_Wank, I'm eyeing packing bento to work as a distinct possibility.
Pros: There are usually leftovers in the fridge at home. I can pack as many vegetables as I like (something bought-lunches are usually too short on for my taste). Cheaper than lunching out. I have a fridge and microwave at work, so I could pack any type of food.
Cons: Preparation time (though I get up an hour and a half before going out to work, anyway). Planning ahead with shopping.
I think I might have to have a look-see in the food-boxes isle at Carrefour tomorrow :) If I manage to drag myself out at all, that is. Fetching newspapers and some water from the kiosk downstairs left me winded this morning, so I'm afraid the infection's not as beaten as I'd like it to be.
Recipe links for safekeeping: mini-quiches, omuraisu, mini-fritattas and fried onigiri
Wraps.
And just in case - blog/site/lj recommendations, anyone? I think I saw several mentions on the f-list :) Especially if it's affordable bento-sets for sale in Europe, preferably Poland... |
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| Status update |
[Jun. 22nd, 2007|04:39 pm] |
*eyedart* Week without posting = nothing interesting, I guess. I'm supposed to be writing stuff for springkink, but I've run into a slight snag in the form of mid-grade fever and infection. Off work till Wednesday, technically, but am planning to go back earlier. Don't need to be fully bouncy to do work, and we're rather busy.
I've noticed that once again, quite a few people friended me without any comment at all. I'm always bemused when it happens - it's kind of like being stared at on the train. Flattering, but with a dose of WTF to it.
(Of course, if any of those lurkers care to comment and explain, I'll be more than flattered. Especially if they want to be friended back.) |
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| Berlin part 1: The Music |
[Jun. 10th, 2007|11:26 pm] |
My main aim in going to Berlin was to see a "proper" version of Tanz der Vampire. Original costumes and more elaborate sets than the Warsaw symbolism and Vienna anniversary lack of any sets whatsoever had an appeal, and so did fyrie's squee on said sets. I had tickets for 10th row on Thursday and ended up switching to 9th row because there were free places in front of us.
( Very tired vampires )
In the Theater des Westens, everyone I talked to told me to go to Theater am Potsdamer Platz and see Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I was indifferent to the idea, though I’d wanted to see Yngve Gasoy-Rohmdal in something, and Mother was having doubts, but I shelled out the money for 2 last-row tickets on Friday even though Yngve wasn’t playing. How was it? I was in first row centre the next day, too. I think that tells you a bit.
( Die Schöne und das Biest: sometimes Disney gets it right )
Part two will probably be squee on the various museums I went to, but that’ll wait until I get the photos sorted out ;) I can safely say I’ve hit on a winning mixture for a short vacation with maximum relaxation: run around sightseeing all day and catch a show every night. Next time, I just have to remember to book a hotel with working internet (argh!) and let my guts know they’re not allowed to rebel while I’m away. |
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| Everyday affairs |
[Jun. 2nd, 2007|10:29 am] |
First of all, a very happy birthday to pinkdormouse :)
Thursday morning, I'm off to Berlin for four days - back on Sunday evening. Shopping, sightseeing, and possibly a dancing vampire or two ;) The weather forecast isn't looking too good, but since the heatwave has been pushed back in forecasts over the last few days, I'm hoping the bleak skies and rain will hold until I get back.
And with my new milk frother, I've completed the set of appliances that lets me prepare a Wiener Melange coffee - or a latte if the fancy strikes me - in the privacy of my own house. This will save me a fortune in coffeehouse bills. |
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| Shiny things |
[May. 19th, 2007|02:48 pm] |
In case you were wondering, the first two episodes of Heroes made me laugh lots. Since they're showing 2 per week, I should be caught up with the rest of you soon.
rkold is an absolute angel. I am looking forward to boggling my workmates with Original Takarazuka Goodies. "Who is that?" "A Heian-era prince who's sleeping with the mother of his reincarnated father. As played by a girl :D"
But the point of this post: Miss Snark has announced her retirement from her blog.
I must say hers is the best blog I've read for authors looking to be published. She gives a great insight on the industry, the agents, everything. After reading her for the past year I now know much more about how to go about being published. If anyone else is serious about seeing their names on covers of Actual Paper Books, I have to recommend this blog. And now, since there's no telling how long it'll stay up... |
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| Things that are yay |
[May. 16th, 2007|09:22 pm] |
So, vacation plans have been finalised:
- 4 days in Berlin in early June; alas, missing fyrie, but seeing Tanz der Vampire and possibly Beauty and the Beast, plus shopping.
- 3 day-weekend at the lakeside on my birthday, because the parents insist. On the other hand, they're talking about taking 3 weeks off to head there themselves. If I cook for myself, I should lose even more weight ;)
- A week in Budapest in late August. Guess which show I'm seeing :P Also, possibly, Elisabeth.
And on top of finalising all those arrangements, I just noticed that tomorrow, the TV is going to be showing something like a new series. About some heroes or something. *eyes portion of friendslist which has been going crazy about it since September* Um, I should probably watch it, right? |
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| Blue jeans rage |
[May. 6th, 2007|02:27 pm] |
I'm quite tempted to fire off an angry e-mail or two to Glamour and Elle. They've been gushing for a year about how mid-to-high-waist skinny jeans are all the rage, with straight-leg being the other acceptable option, about how they flatter curves and should have angled pockets and thin stretch denim for best effect.
Well, someone should bloody well tell Polish jeans distributors. I've been to five shops so far that stock nothing but extreme pubic-bone-showing low-rises in the female section, with flare legs for preference. Forget angled back pockets when the fabric is so heavy and so narrowly cut that few post-pubescents are able to fit it over thighs and hips. I kind of lost hope when I held up the three pairs I got from one saleslady to try and none of them had hips any wider than the waist.
(And don't get me started on sizing. 32 inseam, have your pick of all waist sizes from 24 to 40. Girls with 34 inseam and waists/hips over 28 Do Not Exist.)
I still need to hit H&M, but it looks like I'm doomed to designer jeans :/ River Island had several lovely models, but only one in a size that fit me (for some reason they tend to have long-legs only in UK sizes 6 to 10, too), and that one doesn't have angled pockets. Then again, it's a month until I get to Berlin, and I was planning to shop there. They're sure to have a better choice of long-legged jeans.
If I have to have my jeans custom-made, I am going to be most upset. |
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| A philosophical question |
[Apr. 19th, 2007|01:59 pm] |
What does one write about in Livejournal when there's nothing to write about that would be interesting to other people?
In the past few days I've managed to crack a tooth, break two nails, learn the basics of financial modelling, start arranging the four days I'll spend in Berlin in June (watching dancing vampires, of course) and chat a bit with fyrie. Work's taking up a large enough chunk of my mind that I don't have much energy left once I go home - enough to write a bit of our RP/collaborative fiction thing, read the comms I follow, and that's about it. About the only interesting thing in my real life is that I'm going to the last audition stage of the Moniuszko vocal competition on Saturday. I'm tentatively arranging to buy a Takarazuka DVD via a friend, but again, that's not of interest to anyone.
I don't see any points about meta, I'm not watching/reading/listening to anything that'd constitute a fandom other people follow, and what writing creativity I have is engaged by the aforementioned RP/collaborative fiction thing.
I'm seriously entertaining the idea of taking up drawing again just so I'll have something to post that other people can poke fun at. |
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dead
depressed
happy
pissed off
enraged