I feel like shit. Emotional wreckage...

Yes, I'm in love. With a movie.

Peter Pan, 2003, it's wonderful. I have always been in love with the story of Peter Pan, even though I have never read the original (will fix that soon). We have Lekturama Luistersprookjes (books with the stories narrated on tape) and in one of the books there's the story of Peter Pan. And guess what... this movie from 2003 is almost true to that version. Glee!!

I borrowed the dvd from Suus and watched it this weekend with Matthijs. Yesterday I watched the extra's. Unbelievable. Months of flying practise, hours of make-up for 2 minutes of mermaids in the movie...

I think I'll start a Peter Pan collection: original book, lekturama book, disney animated video, this 2003 version and perhaps more.
Peter Pan is my hero. ;-)

Finally, a blog again. I'm too busy with school and the EE forum.
The weekend after BBB was Omen 1, the new larp from part of the Dragonlair crew and some 'new' people. It was a lot of fun. I was a npc (non player character) so I got a lot of different roles. It was much less boring than being a npc at BBB, which is good.

The weather was great. It was dry and hot (about 30 degrees Celcius I think). The monstercrew was mostly experienced and the main enemy at Omen were goblins! Not the happy happy joy joy goblins with flowery clothes but mean sneaky bastards. So the weekend was filled with a lot of sneaking through the forest, abducting player characters, torturing, raiding etc.

Besides a couple of goblins I've also been an undead (missing an eye, see picture below), an Aufaery (very shortly), a witch (died within 5 minutes, like planned) and a water carrier during the endbash.
The undead I played was for a swamp encounter. There's a little fen in the forest, really stinky and about 1.50 meters deep at the deepest point. And in that fen the swampspirit lived. And of course, like any decent swampspirit he had his horde of undead. We diehard npc's went into the water, unfortunately I couldn't go too far so I lay at the 'shore'.
Following pictures should give you an impression of the coolness of the weekend. (Click for bigger view)

So, my laptop was broken and I brought it back to Azerty so they could look at it and fix it. On Friday afternoon I brought it back, on Friday evening they call me 'we have had your laptop running for half an hour now, and it still hasn't crashed'. Well duh! Sometimes you have to try harder, I never said that it would crash within half an hour.

So Wednesday I get a mail saying 'we could not reproduce the error/crash, so there is nothing wrong with the laptop. This will cost you 17 euros, with shipping payment that would be 26,95. If you pay now, you will have the laptop tomorrow.' So, I pay, and on Thursday the laptop is indeed delivered.

Today I start working with the laptop again and guess what? I turn it on on 09.20 and on 10.21 it crashes because I try to resize a frame in a webpage. What do you mean, it isn't broken?! This time I made a photo with our digital camera. I'll show them the 'reproduced problem'. OMFG I am pissed off!!

Need to calm down now, in half an hour I have my next driving lesson. Getting on the road, pissed off isn't such a good idea. But Azerty hasn't heard the last of it yet. The least they can do is return my 26,95 euros, because apparently the thing IS broken. And what they really should do (and should have done already) is just give me a new one. Assholes.

Been doing
Went to Castlefest last Sunday. It was very nice weather (yes, I like heat and sunshine) and it wasn't nearly as crowded as the EFF was. Omnia, Rapalje and Faun were playing, there was lots of pretty things to see and Matthijs and I even participated in a workshop dagger fighting. Some of the moves I remembered from kempo. Bought the new Omnia CD: 'Alive!'.

Some working of course. Not everything is going as smoothly as would be desirable, but progress is steady.

I also found me a new dentist. I put the subscription in the mailbox today. My last dentist stopped because of administration rules or something and I didn't bother finding a new one. Good thing too, because that was back in Ermelo, I now have a new dentist in Enschede.

I've been trying to find a new doctor (huisarts) as well, but somehow there's this rule that whenever I need a doctor, they're on vacation or having a day off or something. So the first doctors office I called had one of those "we are not in, for emergencies you can...' etc. The next one told me that I should get my medical dossier first from my old doctor and then subscribe and make an appointment. Yes, they really need those medical files even though bumping your head against a door has nothing to do with all the other things that I went to the doctor for (painful knee, hurt foot, nasty mole, etc.). So I called my old doctor, guess what. They're on vacation until the 12th of August. Bumping my head took place more than a month ago, but my nose is still making a cracking noise when I rub it. Can't be good. But well, have to wait till the 12th to make an appointment to pick up those @!@##% medical files. Why can't they just send the stuff? Why isn't it in a central system or something?

I also made me a new skirt with some of the fabrics that I got from Suus some time ago. Last Saturday Matthijs and I also did some shopping, so I've got a purple turtleneck shirt and a green vest.

Been reading
Snow Crash. Sometimes a bit difficult to get through the long descriptions of characters, but I'm halfway already so that must mean that it is fun.

Been planning
I need to get working on my Aon character. Both costume and background. A large part of the background has been written down already, in my notebook. But I need to get it to the SL, so they can use it in plot. (plot.. creepy stuff) And the costume has been thought over, but it needs some work. Like ehrm, getting the fabric and sewing it into something wearable.

Matthijs has convinced me to learn to play the tin whistle. We saw a nice packet at Castlefest, but when we decided to return to buy it they were all gone. It consisted of a flute and an instruction book. Since I can't read notes and have no musical background whatsoever, it seemed a good idea to get an instruction book as well.

Need to get working on the Varaashi-in-loincloth-through-the-forest-schemes. Together with Rene and Boudewijn we're going to plan a nice warrior initiation ritual/ceremony thing.

And an Evolution Events plan:

Well, the new year is already halfway it's first month so it is time for an update.

The 31st of December I spent the day fiddling with candle wax. I took the old remains of some candles, melted it and poured it in a pudding form. On the first of January the candle burned the first time. Here's what it looked like:

New Year's Eve was spent in a very thick mist. You couldn't see one meter in front of you at one time. All expensive firework was invisible, and we (all people at Joost's party) were glad we only had 'sterretjes'. It was the only firework you could actually see.

Thursday the 3rd I, and my fellow future board members, visited the board meeting of the current board. Just to see what it was like. We decided that the new board should present the new policy at the next 'ALV' (January 14th), which was finished and sent the 10th.

My good intention of loosing weight had to wait a little until the Evolution Events crew weekend (4-6 January) had passed with all the food, munchies and booze that are obligatory for such an 'event'. It was our mission weekend in which we decided in which direction EE will go.

Then finally the first Wednesday after the vacation came and I could participate in a training of Taekwondo. It is very much like Shaolin Kempo (which I've done for 9 years and where I got as far as black belt), though some of the positions are just a bit different (feet closer together for example). Most kicks and defences are the same, though Taekwondo uses Korean as a language where kempo used Japanese.

Even though I was not in shape, I gave all I could and I nearly frightened the girl I partnered with a little, I think. It felt wonderful to have some physical exercise again, even though it left me with muscle ache for three days. I visited the beginners class, though the teacher told me that I could visit the advanced class as well, since I already had black belt in kempo.

On Monday there's fight training and on Wednesday there's technique training. Since I have Musilon at Monday, I can only participate on Wednesday, but fighting isn't me, so that's ok. Their kata's (they call it style forms) are very different from kempo kata's, much simpler in fact. I did recognise them from the tournaments I attended but it will take a while before I get the hang of it. The first kata is basically 3 times low defence and attack, 3 times center defence and attack and 3 times high defence and attack. But it's the direction and turning that has me a bit puzzled and will need getting used to. I hope I can find some time and space to practise the kempo kata's: see if I still remember them, I think them much more elegant.

Well, back to work (which is going quite well).

Last weekend I went to Aon 4 with the Badawi group, based on the Aiel in the Wheel of Time series.

The Friday started with a leisurely sleep in, groceries, vacuum cleaning, packing and then setting off for Uden around 14:50. At 18:00 I arrived at the scene, while it should have taken only 1,5 hours to get there. But traffic was bad. All working people seemed to have decided to go home early to skip the traffic jams, thus creating them.
Helped put up the Merode tent for Simon and gang. Started to set up our own sahara tent after some phonecalls with the other Badawi who were still stuck in traffic. At around 20:00 the tent stood and all participating Badawi were on the grounds.

Time-in was really late because of the late arrival of people and slow building up because of the mud and rain. Half the terrain was squishy and I was really glad that my boots were waterproof.

The whole weekend was kind of slow for us. Not much action, partly because of a very tiny (9) monster crew and I think partly because we had nothing prepared. We didn't have a meeting since last Aon, no plans whatsoever. So everybody went this way and that. Still we did have some good moments in our, very nicely decorated, tent and some play with the Raikua. However, I think that we will have to set up a plan for next time, because the way this is going I'm regretting I missed Celtwood for this and I'm losing interest in going to Aon altogether.

Other groups seem to have had a great time, so it must be us and not just the game masters. It's something we'll have to remedy. For now I'm enjoying myself with a bit of forumplay, making in character plans to study for ritualist. And perhaps I should try healing as well, since I'm a completely useless character at the moment if it comes to skills. And yes, sometimes you need skills to be able to play. Too bad the number of skillpoints is limited and only a handful of skills are logical for a WiseOne character.

Some great pictures were taken during the weekend.

This weekend Matthijs and I will go sailing for a bit. Instead of our planned one week holiday, we've made it a weekend so as not to claim too much time. Exodus is coming up and I forsee some last minute work to be done. The weekend after this, we have a crafting weekend with EE, to make props and costumes for said Exodus. Weekend after that is Symbols 8 and then I have two free weekends before Exodus.

Last weekend was the weekend of Symbols 8 where I picked up my Nightkin character Halda again.

We arrived nice and early at around 16:15 at the grounds and had enough of daylight left to set up the camp. Matthijs and I brought about the whole camp with us; a tent, decorations for in the tent, baskets, crates, fireplace, firewood, small junk-tent, candles and lanterns, torches etc. Camp decorations (white strips of fabric for around trees, voodoo dolls, CD-parts with text) were brought by Karijn.

Before the Time-In Talk we were finished setting up the camp and all OC stuff was removed from sight. Wow, normally we are still decorating the trees when the Time-In Talk starts.

This weekend proved to be a busy one. I spent a lot of time writing things, talking with 'chances' (things that came through the webs that Rechema-thama had thrown over Runewall, to provide us with information), going on a quest that f*cked things up for the village, doing a strange search with some fellow mages, councelling Varaashi, magically translating 4 text within half an hour and thus going K.O., learning magic (spells and a higher level), some more stuff and feeling cold. The wind was happily blowing around, bringing cold everywhere. Fortunately there was not much rain until Sunday during the breaking up. But it was cold, even with 3 layers of costume on.

I could spend some hours on the details of the weekend, but since I'm supposed to be at work I won't. Suffice to say that I had a great time and will happily play Halda again next event. Only two more events to go. It would be very nice if this character would survive until the end. 10 events with one character... that's quite an achievement.
But let's not tempt fate. (or SL)

This weekend I'll visit my dad again in Ermelo and finally clean out my room completely. Shouldn't be too much, but I'll still go by car. Sunday I think I'll spend some time cleaning the house. Leaves and dirt everywhere because everything we brought to Symbols came back wet and covered in dirt and leaves. Need to clean the toilet and bathroom again as well.

Weekend after that is still free, but will probably contain some last minute Exodus preparations. (Yay, I convinced Alexander to come try out LARPing!) Hopefully I will also get some time to do some things that are still on my todo list: making a new balfolk skirt, lounge pants, a vest covered with buttons, fix and update some costumes, clean the car (after 5 larps, what do you think it looks like?) etc.

So, that was Exodus V, and it was a succes. The two hour drive to and from was a bit long, but everything else went pretty well. I had a large 'spelkot' as my domain, with cubicles built from matrasses for different categories of stuff. NPC's were really cooperative and even cleaned the bathroom after removing their make-up (paint), something that can not be said for a lot of larpers. Players brought really beautiful props with them and had some crazy initiatives.

Of course there were some stress moments. For example the scene with Rene on stilts as a Soulshaper, for which he had to get up on those stilts in time, but not too early because that would tire him too much. And, as always, the breaking down and cleaning up. Somehow all stuff only just fitted into the wagons and cars. We were home at 22:15 (had dinner at Burger King along the freeway).

Something entirely different: the American elections.
Normally I don't watch or read the news. I only get depressed by all the nasty things that we humans do to each other and our environment. So I choose to do things I like, instead of reading depressing news.

Yesterday, however, I went to Amsterdam again for work and in the train I picked up one of those free newspapers. I read a piece about loverboys and gangs that force girls into prostitution and then came on to a two page article about the elections. Apparently one of the candidates (Obama, which sounds too much like Osama (bin Laden) if you ask me) seems to have spent about 4 million on an half hour commercial. And the article read that a large part of the population of America, mostly black people, can not get an ID because they don't have the money and procedure is too complex. So a lot of people are not allowed to vote, because they don't have enough money for an ID. While some guy just spends 4 million on a commercial...

I'm not the only one saying this, but the elections in America are way too much of a circus. There's fraud with the voting, way too much money gets spend on making the candidates look nice and friendly while they are blabbering about stuff and not really telling the people what they actually would do for them. Mostly lies. (A test result shows that a lot of Obama supporters don't even know what Obama stands for)

Why would anybody even want to rule America as president? Think of all the nasty choices you have to make, think of the responsibility, you are the face of America to the world (at least try to look intelligent...). Why would you want such a job? To make things better? To help your people get a better life and equal rights and stuff? Then stop spending money on commercials, balloons, press conferences in which you talk too much but say nothing, and start doing some actual things!

I am glad that here in the Netherlands we don't have such an election circus. Here, the circus starts after the people are chosen...

Badly bruised the middle toe of my right foot Wednesday last week at taekwando. It's still hurting and purple. I don't think it is broken, the toe looks normal (except for the colour) and it only hurts on a few movements. Still, I can't walk normally, I'm limping, and I'm worried about upcoming Balfolk stage. I was so looking forward to a whole weekend of instructions and balls, but now I'm just worried that I won't be able to attend because of that stupid toe! No, I did not go to see a doctor. I googled around and found out that even if it is broken, the doctor can do nothing but put a splint on it, and that I can do myself (it does help). So, meh!

Been a while since the last update. Bought two new mattresses and bed board, spending a lot of money. However, the old mattresses gave me a pain in the back and that made me reluctant to go to sleep, which is bad. Worked on a new over-skirt; black with green embroidery and sequins fabric made into a gypsy-skirt. And a new basic black skirt to go under that, though that one didn't really turn out as planned since my sewing machine was giving me trouble. The thread kept on breaking and when I finished the seam, it turned out that the other side (the outside...) looked horrible because of a wrong thread tension. Argh! Didn't feel like doing it all over again though.

Spent a weekend with the EE crew in a chalet in Lochem. Played games, had lots of talks and watched a bad movie while drinking booze. It was a good weekend. Ended the weekend on Monday with Matthijs by doing a geocash in the vicinity of the park. We really need a better GPS because this one screws up the directions when you're in a forest....so we nearly gave up on finding the cash. Nearly, we found it in the end by restarting the GPS and using Google Maps.

Went to the 'Korendag' yesterday in town. Saw a lot of choirs and had a good time. At the end of this year (school year, so in June) I'll have to leave Musilon because I'm not a student. So I hoped to find some choir that I'd like to perhaps join that. But most choirs are already saturated with women and really need more men.

Upcoming: visit to the ocularist on Thursday, balfolk stage this weekend, StuKaFest on Thursday the 12th (with a Gospel workshop), Musilon concert on the 13th (you're all invited) and a Badawi meet on the 14th with in the evening the birthday party of my mom's girlfriend in Apeldoorn. Oh, and I'm planning on making a vintage vest-skirt combination that I saw on the market.

That's my inspiration, but I'll use different fabrics. I hope to make it out of little scraps that I still have lying around.

Spent the evenings of last week and last weekend crafting things. Mostly a new cat tree for our two fuzzballs. The old one, which we will keep as well, is a bit low and the cats can't stretch completely. The new cat tree will be 1.60 m high (the top platform is at eye level with me...) and in the colors that actually fit in the living room (instead of blue). On Sunday the 15th, Monday and Tuesday evenings Matthijs and I worked together. I sawed the boards for the 'hut' and cut the carpet for the pole. Matthijs, with everlasting patience, sawed/scraped/shaved two circles out of wood to exactly fit into the pole, which is a cardboard pipe on which our kitchen floor came. Last weekend I spent the Saturday shopping for fabric and bought something brown and fluffy. I tacked/glued/sewed the fabric onto the platform and 'hut' and now it's nearly finished. We only have to attach the hut to the floorboard. There's also a little bunny fluff hanging on an elastic cord from the top platform.

Used the Sunday to sleep in and started on my harem pants around 14:00. It took me until 18:00 to finish it, but it was worth it. I now have a black linen harem pants with cuffs on the ankles and a nice waistband, instead of the suggested tunnel with elastic. It has one little mistake; I had to cut a slit into the side to allow putting it on over my hips, which are wider than my waist (fortunately...). It had been better if the seam had been on the outside of the pipes so I could have used that, but they're on the inside. So I cut a slit and fixed the end with black nailpolish to prevent it from tearing further.

After I make some photos I can mail Wen and tell him which measurements I need to make a pair of pants for him. He asked me to via e-mail, I was a bit stunned at the idea of making pants for someone else that hardly knows me. However, I am confident that it will work out. The pattern is really easy, you just have to pay attention when doing the cuffs and waistband.

Received a mail from my father with the news that my grandfather is now taken into a care-house. He has dementia. Unfortunately it's a care house in Amersfoort instead of in his home-town Ermelo. This makes it harder for my grandmother to visit him, but there's just no room yet in Ermelo. It's sad, but I think it is better this way; him not living at home again I mean.

So, next up. A whole week of work, Musilon tonight, meeting/taekwondo on Wednesday, Herman van Veen on Friday, Balfolk on both Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to that last, even though my toe hasn't healed completely yet.

I actually wrote this yesterday, Monday. The cat tree is finished and I mailed Wen already.