Varia
1. Independence Day was lovely and went off without a hitch, despite my developing a nasty, nasty headache just as the evening was winding down. The food was a hit, and I managed to satisfy the vegetarians, the traditionalists for whom even blue corn chips are too adventurous, and the one overly-enthusiastic foodie who had been pressing me to serve nothing but various forms of buffalo meat. (How I wish I were making that last bit up.) My Crazy Aunt Joan brought her new Gentleman Caller, a man whom none of us even knew existed at the same time last week, and he seems to be a very nice man. I'm really happy for them; they're like couple of love-struck teenagers, even though they're both in their mid-seventies. :D
2. Had the most bizarre dream last night. I thought that was reclining in bed, rereading Good Omens, and I was just getting to the part where Crowley runs into Aziraphale's burning shop... and then I woke up and realized that I'd fallen asleep while reclining in bed, rereading Good Omens, and all the lights were still on. Oddly, I actually wasn't anywhere near the section of the book that I dreamed I was reading. (Why don't I ever have the sort of fantastically weird dreams everybody else has? My dreams are the most horribly mundane things you can imagine, always about reading books in bed and going to choir rehearsal and getting up in the morning and brushing my teeth.)
3. I have successfully made a dent in the preparations needed to pull off my Rowena costume, and if it will not be everything I hope to accomplish, I think that it will still be pretty good, and I can be satisfied with that for a first effort. I hope I'll learn from this experience and be able to be a better (hopefully sleeker) Rowena for Infinitus next year! In any case, I have the boots, the diadem, the raven and a masquerade mask all squared away, and I'm doing what I can to get the dress where I want it do be. I need to pick up black tights, methinks, and I still need to ponder a Raven Stabilization Solution, so that Rowena's dear familiar can be perched on my person somehow. Also, I am wondering: veil or no veil? A veil is probably historically accurate, but I think historical accuracy is sort of thrown out the window with Potterish costumes to begin with, and I haven't seen a single illustration of Rowena Ravenclaw where she's wearing one. Hmm. In any case, need to decide that soon, so I can get it done if I'm going to do it.
4. I have also successfully enabled both my mother and Younger Brother into the wonders of BPAL-dom! I ordered an imp pack for each of them some time ago, based on the type of things I already know they each like, and at least some of my guesses were accurate. (Go, me!) So far, Younger Brother has fallen for Wilde, Herbert West and (especially) The Caterpillar. Mom is partial to Belle Vinu, La Belle Au Bois Dormant and Endymion, and she proudly informed me that she plans to test Peitho this week. Hee! It's fun to share this obsession hobby with others. (Note to self: post the ten million and one BPAL reviews you have sitting around on your hard drive.)
5. If you haven't checked out awwol yet, you have no idea what you're missing! It's a community devoted to telling a story (Molly and Minerva-centric, but with SS/HG on the side) in a very creative way: using journal entries, personal correspondence, comments, etc., to blur the lines between structured story, improv and just plain real life. It's wonderfully funny (I've laughed out loud several times), all the characters are perfectly cast; they really capture the character voices. Best of all, you don't just have to sit on the sidelines, reading; you can comment to entries, putting in your two cents, speculating about the direction of the story and receiving very in-character responses from the various actors/writers involved. Go and read it now! The story seems like it's about to really take off. (Molly and Minerva are sick of taking everybody's crap and doing what they're told they should, and now have A Plan. A cunning one, even.) Be sure you read through the comments on every entry, too; there's a lot of great stuff there, as the story bleeds off the page and into real life.
I do so love seeing postmodernism being used for good instead of evil. *g*
6. Yesterday, when I met Best Friend for a quick pint and conversation, I was carded. This is not an unusual occurrence (frankly, it's gone beyond annoying and is now strangely flattering), but her wide-eyed, shocked reaction when she saw my driver's license (and hence, my birth date) was hilarious. She apologized profusely and admitted that she'd estimated my age at perhaps 21. LOL! I'm not at all a vain person, but I have to admit that it did have me smiling the rest of the night. :D
7. More dervishing to be done this week, but I am taking a much-needed break today to eat sushi, see a movie and enjoy the gorgeous weather by strolling around Partridge Creek. (Partridge Creek itself is an amusingly snooty open-air shopping "collection," but it is beautifully landscaped and a nice place to spend an afternoon.)
8. Mom also informed me yesterday that Dad no longer feels weird about holding hands with her, using his damaged hand, and in fact he does it quite regularly. This, I feel, is awesome.
Right, well, I'm off. Good Wednesdays (or Thursdays) are wished to all!
2. Had the most bizarre dream last night. I thought that was reclining in bed, rereading Good Omens, and I was just getting to the part where Crowley runs into Aziraphale's burning shop... and then I woke up and realized that I'd fallen asleep while reclining in bed, rereading Good Omens, and all the lights were still on. Oddly, I actually wasn't anywhere near the section of the book that I dreamed I was reading. (Why don't I ever have the sort of fantastically weird dreams everybody else has? My dreams are the most horribly mundane things you can imagine, always about reading books in bed and going to choir rehearsal and getting up in the morning and brushing my teeth.)
3. I have successfully made a dent in the preparations needed to pull off my Rowena costume, and if it will not be everything I hope to accomplish, I think that it will still be pretty good, and I can be satisfied with that for a first effort. I hope I'll learn from this experience and be able to be a better (hopefully sleeker) Rowena for Infinitus next year! In any case, I have the boots, the diadem, the raven and a masquerade mask all squared away, and I'm doing what I can to get the dress where I want it do be. I need to pick up black tights, methinks, and I still need to ponder a Raven Stabilization Solution, so that Rowena's dear familiar can be perched on my person somehow. Also, I am wondering: veil or no veil? A veil is probably historically accurate, but I think historical accuracy is sort of thrown out the window with Potterish costumes to begin with, and I haven't seen a single illustration of Rowena Ravenclaw where she's wearing one. Hmm. In any case, need to decide that soon, so I can get it done if I'm going to do it.
4. I have also successfully enabled both my mother and Younger Brother into the wonders of BPAL-dom! I ordered an imp pack for each of them some time ago, based on the type of things I already know they each like, and at least some of my guesses were accurate. (Go, me!) So far, Younger Brother has fallen for Wilde, Herbert West and (especially) The Caterpillar. Mom is partial to Belle Vinu, La Belle Au Bois Dormant and Endymion, and she proudly informed me that she plans to test Peitho this week. Hee! It's fun to share this obsession hobby with others. (Note to self: post the ten million and one BPAL reviews you have sitting around on your hard drive.)
5. If you haven't checked out awwol yet, you have no idea what you're missing! It's a community devoted to telling a story (Molly and Minerva-centric, but with SS/HG on the side) in a very creative way: using journal entries, personal correspondence, comments, etc., to blur the lines between structured story, improv and just plain real life. It's wonderfully funny (I've laughed out loud several times), all the characters are perfectly cast; they really capture the character voices. Best of all, you don't just have to sit on the sidelines, reading; you can comment to entries, putting in your two cents, speculating about the direction of the story and receiving very in-character responses from the various actors/writers involved. Go and read it now! The story seems like it's about to really take off. (Molly and Minerva are sick of taking everybody's crap and doing what they're told they should, and now have A Plan. A cunning one, even.) Be sure you read through the comments on every entry, too; there's a lot of great stuff there, as the story bleeds off the page and into real life.
I do so love seeing postmodernism being used for good instead of evil. *g*
6. Yesterday, when I met Best Friend for a quick pint and conversation, I was carded. This is not an unusual occurrence (frankly, it's gone beyond annoying and is now strangely flattering), but her wide-eyed, shocked reaction when she saw my driver's license (and hence, my birth date) was hilarious. She apologized profusely and admitted that she'd estimated my age at perhaps 21. LOL! I'm not at all a vain person, but I have to admit that it did have me smiling the rest of the night. :D
7. More dervishing to be done this week, but I am taking a much-needed break today to eat sushi, see a movie and enjoy the gorgeous weather by strolling around Partridge Creek. (Partridge Creek itself is an amusingly snooty open-air shopping "collection," but it is beautifully landscaped and a nice place to spend an afternoon.)
8. Mom also informed me yesterday that Dad no longer feels weird about holding hands with her, using his damaged hand, and in fact he does it quite regularly. This, I feel, is awesome.
Right, well, I'm off. Good Wednesdays (or Thursdays) are wished to all!