.. heissa, dann ist Reisetag!

The Passport has a visa, the flights are booked, I have a room with what seems to be a real nice bunch of people (One of teh guys does drag - how more awesome can it get?)

San Francisco, be afraid. Be very afraid. I'm a-comin!
Four months starting monday. Don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life.

So, any special insoder tips on what to do, guys?

... because I have my interview appointment with the US Consulate, and that means it's business time!

Ten hours from now (plus some two(hundred) waiting hours), a friendly consular official in stellar mood will review all my documents, and then tell me I'm getting my visa so I can board a plane and start my Internship in San Francisco in November.At least that's what my happyplace looks like right now. Has looked like for the past two months.

You know? The awesometastic internship of awesomeness at the agency of awesome? Where I'm going to learn so much?= During teh internship I need in order to graduate next summer?

Yeah. That Internship. Needless to say, I'm shaking in my boots. Rationally, I have nothing to fear. My paper work is all in order and filled out truthfully and to the best of my knowledge. But day-um maybe being European has turned me into a whimp in the visa-department, because I keep seeing horror scenarios in my head where something goes wrong.

In any case, I'm more than willing to receive any form of positive energy from the universe (i.e.: you) that I can get my pudgy little hands on.
So, you know: light a candle, drink a cup of coffee, watch some 30 Rock, write down your favourite HP quote.. whatever floats your boat. And think of me. That'd be great.

Thanks. :)

This looked like so much fun, so i just had to give this Meme a shot. (After coming home. On a saturday night. Golly, my live wrocks...)

1) Post a list of up to 20 books/movies/anime/TV shows/video games/bands etc. that you've had an obsessive fannish love or interest in at some time in your life.
2) Have your f-list guess your favorite character/member from each item.
3) When someone guesses correctly, strikethrough the item and put the name of your favorite character next to it.

( off we go )

I have a brand new theory that will revolutionise epidemiology as we know it.
This drop infection thing they've been telling us about all our lives is bogus. What really spreads the flu is: schools. Secondary ones. Highschool, Grammar School, Lycee, Gymnasium, you name it. If it comes after elementary, it's where the plague resides.

Not the pupils suffering therein. The school and its evil vibe of evilness itself. My theory is that it's in the walls. Possibly using th epipes to travel around the building.

Fact: I have never had as many colds and flus as I've had in school. Not even college, where everybody comes despite being sick, because they like being there/are terrified to miss and important lecture/have to sit an exam that day. No, sir-eee, school, where people rejoice over a flu because it grants a week in bed with the telly and Mum's tea is where it's at. Because:

Fact II: I have been to the 30th anniversary party of my school on saturday. Did a bit of dancing. Saw some old friends and teachers. Had too much beer. Nice evening. Went home happy as a frog. Woke up six hours later feeling like death warmed over. Twice.
Now I'm on the sofa, sipping pepermint tea with honey in a desperate attempt to soothe my sore throat and wondering when exactly my head will explode, and which pattern the grey matter will leave on the wallpaper. I'm wearing my most awesomely warm pj bottoms, a hoodie, thick wollen socks and a quilt deftly wrapped around my body, and I'm shivering. Did I mention it's indian summer around here (sans the beautiful leaves), and we're rocking a lovely 24°C and sunshine? God, I'm sooo cold.

I used to have very fond memories of my school. All gone now.

You evil overlords and your dim-witted marketing minions have finally succeeded in achieving the henceforth unachievable: I now want your stupid special extended editions of Awesomeness of the Potter movies. Well done, really.
I have all the regular DVDs (even though I still consider myself more of a book fan) and now I'm miffed I do. Because I want that shiny new toy you're throwing our way. I want it for the extra footage (Lord knows I've been wondering for ages why we get such a pitance of deleted scenes on teh DVDs, when we know full well you've casted characters for scenes that the suddenly vanish completely to the outrage of... me. See OotP "Pensive scene for reference  This is gonna be on the OotP extra-specail-pay-for-t-by-stabbing-a-baby-edition due to arrive soon, isn't it?
Of course it is.)and teh cute behind the scenes clips (D'aawwww... tiny trio...) and the long-awaited info on art direction.

I want your stupid special editions so much, I'm not even willing to wait for the super-duper-unbefuckinglievable collector's edition box of all eight movies you are sure to release at some point in 2012 (we all know you are) as I had originally planned.

It's a good thing I am chronically broke, or otherwise I'd long succumbed to your evil plans.

I hope you're happy now.

P.S.: Don't nobody on my friends-list even consider sending me the DVD because I'm bitchyly clamouring for it here. I mean it. Especially dear, dear friends whose names start with S should COMPLETELY refrain from blowing even more sugar up my arse. Just so you know. Friends. Whose names start with S. I love you. Don't.

... I want one. And I want it now.

And I'm hoping by voicing this desire, I'll make it disappear. Because I am too old to be wearing HP housescarfes.
...
And, apparently, one can only purchase Gryffindor ones at the Noble Collection. Hell, I'd take those, too, but wtf?
Ah well, it's not like I could afford on, anyways.
...
...
...
...
I still want a Ravenclaw scarf. Dammit. Stupid infantile brain.

I've got an internship in San Francisco! Canyabelliveit!
If all goes well with my visa, I'll be living in San Fran-fucking-cisco for four month starting November!
the mind boggles....

I'm listening to "Defying Gravity" and have now made it my official soundtrack for this endeavour.

In other news, the lovely glisters hath indeed tagged me, so it's meme time.
( here be monsters )

... it's mine. And I have it thanks to that film you wrote.
But the ranting shall commence later. Let me start with the things I liked:

The acting. I know, right? But I really think everybody who had space for improvement improved, and the grand actors an actresses were superb as always. Broadbent IS slughorn. Furthermore, Felton did a fantastic job with Malfoy. I felt so sorry for the poor slimy git.
And (and this is the biggy) I did not have the overwhelming urge to gag/roll my eyes/punch something whenever Watson was on screen. She acts with more than her eyebrows now. I was baffled. Well done. Seriously.

Art direction. Obviously. Every.Single. Prob and layout was mouthwatering. The pensieve scenes were fantastic.

The way the movie people set up the fact that Harry is a Horcrux in their UNiverse. That instance of the ring twirling at his touch and Radcliff doing his official possessed-by-Voldy-necktwist? Well done, people.

McLaggen. Every scene with him. And the moment when he licks his fingers at Hermione? Simultaneously the most amusing and the most disturbing moment in the film.

WWW. Perfect.

Mr. Weasley's shed. I loved them for showing us that. Also, because it looked exactly as it does in my head.

Now, the beef:

Ron? Yeah, you basically killed his charcter, Kloves. I don't even like movie Ron anymore. I don't hate him, either. I feel indifferent towards him. That is NOT something I should be feeling in regards to Ron. How did you do it? By stripping away all his great characteristics. Where is the loyality, the witty humour, the self-confidence problems which are the source for many of his errors? His brains (because he doesn't seem to have any in the films anymore). His heart. You DO recall that it has been made clear in the books that he's the heart to Harry's courage and Hermione's brains?
Also: For a moment there during the "We'll go with you, Harry." conversation, I thought you had actually edited Ron out of teh scene entirely. My bad turns out you only had him around as a USELESS SILENT BACKGROUND PROP. We get it. You don't think anybody needs him. And you have finally managed to make the movie audience believe so, too. Well done.

Also? Where was he during the attack on the burrow. Ah well, he is useless, so why have him around. Also, he lacks all motivation for the Lavender debacle.

Non-Ron issues: What is Snape's background again? What's with the Half-Blood Prince name? Eh, just pesky character info. Who needs that, eh?

Tonks and Lupin. Gee, they are depressing. Also: blink, and you'll miss them.

Whaddaya mean that scary big new death eater is a werewolf? Really? And he's the one who bit Lupin? Gee, I'm sure that'd be interesting to know.

Burrow attack? I still think the way the horror outside of Hogwarts has been portrayed in the books with news stories such as "(can't remember the name)'s little brother was cursed and tried to kill his parents." was powerful enough.

Finally: One of the central morals of the books is that one (Harry) is nothing without the help of friends. That seems to be very much missing from the films.

Those are my biggest chunks of beef in a nutshell. But if you guys comment, I am sure we can have some lively discussions. :)

Addendum: And, Oh my God, whatever happened to the Scrimgeor and Percy drop by on Christmas Moment? AND: where did the scene we know so well from the trailers and promo pictures of Ron and Hermione looking out the window of the common room go?

I've just landed myself an interview for an internship with and AMAZING graphic Design Agency in San Francisco.
How amazing? So amazing that I've only applied with them to "get it out of the way" and know for sure that they won't take me.

Apparently, they're tiny. Two people and a desk but no computer for me, so I'd have to work with my laptop. I never would've thunk that they are so small, because their stuff is soooo good.

We need to set up a video con now (have to get myself a webcam.... yup, that's how old my iBook is) and... Oh my bleedin' gAWD, you guys!

They said that I am the first internship request-person who gets more than a 3-sentence answer (i.e. the axe) and that I've "done a good job to present myself as irresistible". Me.

San Francisco. Oh, where to take the money from for intern visa (800,-Bucks) and food and apartment if this works....

Well, not that getting an interview means I'm getting the position. But what the hell. Confidence restored.
Will worry about taking on a student loan when the necessity arises.
San Francisco. Oh my.

... or, alternatively, Pigfarts: The Musical.
*sigh*

So it's happened, as we all knew it would: WB has cracked down on HP the Musical.
What is known so far is that they'll have to change the name. Which I get, because "Harry Potter" is WB's protected brand and you wouldn't want false identification of the brand and yaddayadda boring dementor copyright talk.

However: Please be cool about the lyrics, WB. Pretty please. You've given us quite teh playground with our webpages, and wrock concerts, and PotterPuppetPals and whatnot, so please continue being that cool.
Having to change all the copyrighted HP word-creations would totally spoil the fun for all of us.
It's fan parody that does not lead to any financial gain for its originators, so: Pleeease, be cool about this.

Don't take this away from us. Don't be Dementors.
Yes, I feel THAT strongly about this, because that project was inspired, and creative and well done and, well, Totally Awesome.

Over and out.

Hay Guise!

Important Public Service Announcement: 
Everybody who is even remotely interested in Harry Potter (well, actually, no: only the hardcore fans will truly appreciate this):

There's an over two hour Harry Potetr Musical online here at youtube:

www.youtube.com/user/StarKidPotter


And it is totally awesome! (This sentence will have a lot more meaning after seeing the first part.)

It's eleventy kinds of awesome, and then some. I've just watched it and have been laughing out loud all by my lonesome in my flat.
Voldy/Quirrel is the new OTP, I'm telling ya!

There's fantastic songs such as "Danger, I'm falling in love with Hermione Granger." and.. Jesus, a whole shitload of new catchphrases.
The actors are all really talented. the music is catchy. I genuinely hope we'll be able to get our hands on a soundtrack at some point in the futre. Maybe have all proceeds go to the HP Alliance?

I'm going to watch this over and over again, and so should you, or you'll be sorry. So. Sorry.

.. me. Again. This is the tenth month in a row that I've won this.
I've just checked out my own amazon wishlist, and here's what's on it:

-"The complete Clavin and Hobbes"
- "The essential principles of Graphic Design" by Debbie Millman
- "The Tarzan Chronicles" by Howard Green
- "Look both ways: Illustrated essays at the intersection of life and design" by Debbie Millman
- "How to think like a great Graphic Designer" by Debbie Millman
- "A whole new mind - why right-brainers will rule the future" by Daniel Pink
- "In the bubble: designing a complex world" by John Thackara
- "Helvetica: the movie"
- "An illustrated life" by Danny Gregory
 - "The unlikely disciple: A sinner's semester at America's holiest University" by Kevin Roose
- "Designing Type" By Karen Cheng
- "A room of one's own" by Virginia Woolf
- "How to be a graphic designer without loosing your soul" by Adrian Shaughnessy

No, seriously. I am the biggest nerd ever to walk planet earth.
Maybe I should just throw in a few manga to make sure I cut myself off from human company nice and good.

Well, at least it's comforting that I really seem to be living for my studies/profession.

Here's the deal:

I need an internship this fall. Starting in September or Octobre. 3-6 months. You heard me.
Most of the cool agencies I've written to here in Germany have either not answered or answered by telling me that if they had any work at the moment, they would love letting me come help them with it.

So, I'm dead serious: if any of you guys know an awesome company to which I could apply for an internship: fire away.
I'm a graphic design student who illustrates, knows her fair share of screenprinting, bookarts, paper engineering, letterpress and general smart-assery.
I've won debating contests. I've just come home from a semester abroad in London, am originally german, and study in the Netherlands. I make awesome Coffee. I can kick-out concepts like nobody's business and am a crazy delight to ANY brainstorming session (I'm sure).
I do creative writing in german AND english.

I'm funny.
And kind (yeah alright, I'm not... I'm a sarcastic bitch who has a constant vile commentary running in her head. It sound suspiciously like a Malfoy and is top-notch at belittling everybody and everything in sight. But I try...)

And, you know, german. So if you have somebody to blackmail or want your Starbucks to arrive hot'n steaming, I'm your girl.

I just want a chaaaaaaaanceeee...

Also, because I won't be allowed to graduate next year without 840 hours (i.e. about 4 1/2 months) of internship.

Argh, I'm in desperate need for some HP fanifc. I've started re-reading the books, and now I'm going through another fandom boost.

Thing is, I knows me my checkmated.com archives backwards and forwards.
So, could you guys kindly point me elsewhere? I know for a fact that lj is a treasure trove of quality fic, so do you guys know any?

I'm always for some R/Hr, obviously, and Next Gen is quite enjoyable, too. As is stuff that fills the 19 years. Or missing moments from the series. If you're going to give me non-canon or even AU, it'll have to be AMAZINGLY good. And I absolutely don't do non-canon pairings anymore.
I'm anal and boring like that.

So, please, help a fellow junkie out, would ya? College is walling me in, and I can't waste any time on searching for fic (when I don't know where to look) on top of the time I'm already loosing by reading it XD

Thanks so much! Feel hugged by all the warmth the cold screen which we use for "socialising"these days can provide ;)

Reflecting on set fotos from the Shell Cottage shoot in Pembrokeshire, showing a clearly conscious and surprisingly healthy looking "Hermione" (wearing Uggs, apparently...), who in some cases is carrying what appears to be a dead Dobby (I mean, why shouldn't she? She needs to be in every important scene if anybody where to ask you. *headdesk*), I want to say this:

If you managed to fuck up Malfoy Manor (which is only, you know, a fantastic scene of mind-blowing character growth, also and especially for a young man who does hardly anything beyond stuffing his face in your scripts), I will not walk out of the theatre. Most likely, I'll even watch the film again. Heck, we all know that I'm going to buy the DVD, too.

But know this: I will bide my time. I will come and visit your grave. And I will read the books to you. Word. By. Word. 
Over. and. over. again. Untill my dying breath.
And when I'm dead, too, I will come and find you. Too continue. Not giving you ONE minute of peace in the afterlife until I've driven home the idea of preserving the integrity of the book and its characters.
Kay?
Cool.
BFF!

british people? check.
30ies era? check.
modern humour installed into aforementioned era in a delightfully postmodern way? check
proper costumes and set design? check.
witty dialogue?check.
The One and Only Colin Firth? check.

The film is called Easy virtue, and despite its surpremely fugly generic poster, I feel that it'll be awesome.

www.apple.com/trailers/sony/easyvirtue/

... I want to add the following true fact to my ever-growing world domination manifesto:

Snape/Hermione ... it's wrong. So, so wrong. Soooo wrong. On so many levels.

True story: everytime you post such fanart online, somewhere in the world, JKR throws up. Violently. Think projectile vomitting. And she doesn't even know why. The poor woman

Thank you

 ... I"ve just had the pleasure of enjoying one big wanker of a busdriver.
I ride the bus to college for about an hour several times a week, and this particular gem of compassion and friendly assistance was being pretty much a dick to everybody (executing his limited power to the fullest and being a complete douche people-skills wise) AND he was being slow about it too (especially thorough to find out anybody who might want to ride a stop that is not within their subscription and such) thus the usual one-hour ride magically elongated to one and a half.

Now, to top things off, at the end of that journey (final station), I got off and noticed I had left my umbrella behind. So I wanted to hop back on and grab it. 
Nu-uh. Busdriver McGoebbels had other plans. He refused to let me. And was being a complete bastard about it. Talked to me as if I was in the wrong (or as if I had just raped his son, actually) AND in German. (See: I am german but study in the netherlands. I talked dutch to him, but guy of course picked up my accent and started answering me in german.) I HATE it when they do that.

Well, he argued with me for 5 minutes (if he had just let me get my FUCKING umbrella he would have been gone within 30 seconds) and then he took off.
Now I'm without an umbrella and it's absolutely PISSING out there and I need to get back home and I'm recuberating from quite the flu so I need to stay dry so I'll have to buy a new one today and ARRRGGHHHHHH!

I 

... you sadden me. i don't know why, but you do. I loved you once. I hope you're appropriately ashamed of yourself.

... you big old les. And I mean this in the best possible way.
And don't you try and fool me. I really like you and all your severly messed up friends in the Wicked bookverse.

Well, just wanted to put that out there. Now I must continue reading "Son of a witch"

Thing is, I STILL don't know whether I even like the books, but the characters are so strangely intriguing. And Elphie rocks.


Fiyero: *asks some probing question about Elpahaba's activities*
Elphaba: "Oil my breasts, would you?"
Fiyero: "Fae, please, I'm not that stupidly male!"
...
Elphaba: "Yes, you are."


win.