| Obligatory notice |
[Jun. 18th, 2009|05:52 am] |
Off to, literally, other side of the world. Back in 3 weeks (July 10). Will, hopefully, check in intermittently throughout, but can't promise anything.
Fwee. |
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| T minus 2 and packing |
[Jun. 16th, 2009|11:32 am] |
I'm almost entirely packed for Japan. Thank goodness for Google Street View, because I get to shadow-walk my way everywhere as a dry run before actual travel. It's going to be... fun? :)
Internet availability is pretty sure, but due to the sheer amount of stuff to see, I'll be limiting online time to skipping through the f-list. Anything that requires my attention should be emailed. (No texting, please, my roaming plan's extortionate.)
And once I get back from Japan, I may very well be buying a flat and getting a driver's license in the same month. Fun?
In the meantime, have a coloratura falsetto Abronsius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8GKlvByZDI |
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| T minus 8 |
[Jun. 10th, 2009|02:10 pm] |
In 8 days, I'll be on a plane to Japan. It's only just starting to hit home.
The postcard offer is still open (though actual postcard sending may be from Poland, since the last few days of our trip will be particularly hectic). Thus far I know we're meeting ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) mayoini in Osaka, a friend from secondary school in Nagoya, and utena1409 in Tokyo. Some other people may come out of the woodwork, and since ladyoz is taking her laptop, we should be mail- and LJ-capable for meeting arrangement purposes :)
Now, to sit on someone before we end up seeing not only her, her and him, but also her, her and her... ;) |
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| Update from the bunker, and Angel Voice |
[Jun. 2nd, 2009|10:52 pm] |
My exam is on Saturday. That would be the exam that tests, in six-hour, 240-question detail, the encyclopedic knowledge contained in 6 books that together run well over 3,000 pages. Thank gods for Schweser Study Notes is all I'm saying. And study leave.
Last-minute studying is made all the more fun by infection-related vertigo. For some reason it's worse when I'm in front of a computer, so that's added motivation to look at a page, not a screen ;)
And just in time, my study aid came in the mail. I had a *cough* copy of Maki Ichiro's graduation CD Angel Voice album before, but it was a much-copied cassette tape version with distortions. It's much better in original CD format. And it showcases Ichiro's voice in such good songs - everything from an otokoyaku-transposed Ich gehör nur mir to female-register Beauty and the Beast theme, with everything else - Luck be a lady, It's a wonderful world, Unchained melody and other standards - chosen to show off the warmth and quality of her voice. It stays up to repeated playing very well.
(Not to mention the Phantom of the Opera with Ichiro!Erik and Hanafusa!Christine. Why do I like Mari Hanafusa best in her first combo?)
Sunday is freedom, and possibly madness. |
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| Notice of absence |
[Mar. 4th, 2009|10:14 pm] |
And with everything and vampires, I forgot to mention that I won't be around this weekend :) Tomorrow afternoon I'm heading to Oberhausen via Düsseldorf, seeing the requisite dancing vampires, and coming back on Monday around noon-ish. No mail access due to mobile roaming fees. |
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| I have not fallen off the face of the planet |
[Jan. 24th, 2009|08:13 pm] |
I've just noticed I haven't posted in two weeks. As usual, this means work's eating me alive. And amusingly enough, of my New Year's Resolutions I'm doing the best with exercise, which means less weight already, but also 45 to 60 minutes less in the day. Studying isn't going badly, but writing, thus far, is mostly of the Morning Pages kind, letting out steam and stress.
And I'm watching the news about the newest Elisabeth production with... bemusement. Not only will Sisi be taller than Death (which has happened before), but it looks like it'll be equivalent of Sandor Nagy playing Sisi to Szilveszter Szabo's Death. It'll be - interesting.
But hey, she's cute. And I need to look for this concert while I'm over there: 【ニコニコ動画】I have a dreamコンサート「オスカーワイルド」０１ |
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| OMGYuletide |
[Dec. 20th, 2008|11:41 am] |
Despite some real-life events (which in the end, turned out not as badly as they could have), I managed to finish my main Yuletide story on Thursday and just uploaded it. I'd offer goodies to people who guess which one I wrote, but all in all, this is the story that has "Beth Winter" plastered on it in mile-high letters. Trust me.
I have one stocking-stuffer written already, and am eyeing more. Somebody stop me.
(Also, I'll be away from December 23 to 28, but the new keitai has a good web browser and email client.) |
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| Time off |
[Oct. 29th, 2008|11:09 am] |
I should have expected that I can't keep this tempo up for long ;) I've got the day off with firm orders to lie down and not move too much, which will hopefully mean antibiotics won't be needed.
And this is also notice that I won't be around much until Tuesday. I'm acquiring a fyrie tomorrow :) |
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| Notice of impending absence |
[Oct. 8th, 2008|09:08 am] |
fyrie has already abandoned me. This is probably a good time to note that I'll be absent as well, Thursday evening to Monday morning, so should anyone require me online, now's the time to say something :) |
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| Scotland |
[Aug. 29th, 2008|09:52 am] |
Am safely ensconced in Edinburgh in fyrie's custody :) Needless to say, online presence will be scarce until Tuesday, and inexistent between Tuesday noon-ish and the morning of the next Monday (lakes! finally!).
Now, shopping :D |
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| Budapest trip, again |
[Jun. 25th, 2008|10:10 am] |
Life has interfered with blogging, alas. On the upside, I'm off tomorrow evening for three days in pretty, pretty Budapest, with pretty, pretty musicals to watch. And a certain blond Hungarian to try and kidnap ;)
I'm taking the train this time, night trips both ways, and between that and the fact it's Budapest, I've about as much nerves as with a trip to the seaside that I take every summer. Sure, I don't speak the language, but no-one expects me to speak it, and the city's so nice. I have my favourite bakery, my favourite pancake place, and among my plans are stocking up on a Hungarian hand cream and spices. It's not a strange city anymore.
And once I'm back, expect more squee about musicals :) |
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| *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 (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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| 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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dizzy
dead
depressed
happy