Hello f-list!

If you are a cosplayer who lives in/near Chicago (or can get to Chicago easily) on Saturday February 23rd 2008, would you like to speak on a cosplay panel at the University of Chicago's one-day anime convention, UChi-Con?

The panel I organized/helped run last year was a success, and we (UCJAS, University of Chicago Japanese Animation Society) have decided to bring it back for 2008! I need three to four (though depending on interest, maybe more!) cosplayers who wouldn't mind spending an hour of that Saturday, February 23rd presenting a cosplay panel. It will be held at Stuart Hall, on the University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park, Chicago. If you decide you want to participate, or even just attend, I 'll be happy to give you directions!

I'm looking for people who've had a few years experience (at least!) in costume-making, prop making, wig-making, (maybe, if I can find someone who does it) commissioning and attending cosplay events/photoshoots at conventions. I don't sew, obviously, but I'll be giving advice on where to find decent wigs, what to expect at a con gathering, how to work with commissioners, and so forth.

The details:
- There's no registration fee. So you automatically get in free.
- Most likely you will be fed pizza. We've fed our panelists in the past, so we should be able to do it this year. Likewise, we have a general consuite that has pocky, gummies, and other snack foods.
- You'll get a panelist badge (hopefully. We need to go over our budget)
- You'll get a very nice, informal setting to have a conversation about cosplay.
- If you're on my f-list/I've met or know you, you're welcome to come to our con after-party (around 10 PM or so that night)!

Finally, If you can get to Chicago, are FEMALE, want to participate, but don't live in the area and need a place to stay, I should be able to fit 1, MAYBE 2, people on the floor of my dorm double room for Friday or Saturday night (perhaps both, I need to discuss it with my roommate). You won't need to pay me for lodging or anything, but you will need to provide your own transportation and  food, as I won't be able to do that for you. At the moment I'm offering this to panelist participants only, but if no one takes me up on the offer I'll put it out to my general female f-list who might want to attend the con. Sorry guys, but I live in a single-sex suite.

Please let me know ASAP if you're interested as well as any and all questions, so I can answer them.

Thank you!

So, I'm really sorry to spam my journal. But.

A commissioner I was working with for an anime costume had to pull out of the deal due to some real life drama that she couldn't handle right now. That being said, I need to have a costume made by February 1st, 2008.

I posted an ad on cosplay.com here that has the details: http://forums.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=132053

If you, or someone you know, is interested in taking me on, let me know. I'll be a bit more lenient about the PVC thing, but I really must see examples of your work, that you've made something that at least resembles a jacket before (whether it's a duster, or a motorcycle jacket, etc.), and that you can sew on/embroider on the details (I will not pay to have the details painted on).

If you want to get in touch with me, either send me a reply here or email me at fieeingreality@aol.com . If you have friends who might be interested, feel free to point them toward the cosplay.com link. This post, unlike my others, is NOT friends locked, so they should be able to see it. Only friends may comment in my journal, though.

Thanks in advance!

PS - Edinburgh post to come later. And do I have stories to tell! If anything, I MUST go back, even just for novel research, much less vacation. I'm not sure what my fascination currently will turn into, as I'd need to research some more history and converse with locals, but I'd like to see this currently small idea of mine become something big.

I made it to London all right. I don't have a ton of time to update now, but for the meantime, I wanted to let you all know that I currently do not have internet access in my residence hall. As I have a PC I have to go through various antivirus stuff and get a consent form signed/approved before it'll be activated. If you have sent me email I've read it, but it's very difficult to answer on my blackberry from here.

I've been really busy with orientation related things, but I hope to post with a more comprehensive LJ update either tomorrow night or Sunday (my first official day off!). But important things: Have already been to a pub and seen a rugby match on TV. And between the two female friends and me who went out last night, the British men at the pub thought I was the ugly one.

Good times. I evened that out with Foster's and Guinness.

And my dorm room is a closet. For all of you who think Max P doubles are too small, they're like palaces compared to the double I'm in here. I'm glad I'm not claustrophobic. I'll take pictures of it later. 

Also, Vikki, I brought a measuring tape with me for costumes, but like the email says, my internet isn't working properly in the dorm quite yet. Though it should be up and running in a few days. I get email on my cellphone, but it's difficult to reply back. So feel free to still email me but don't be surprised if it takes me longer than usual to reply.

Don't you hate it when you're watching a TV show with someone who hasn't either seen it up to that point or hasn't seen it all the way through? And then they ask you a million questions about it, which could mostly be defined as spoilers?

Yeah. I'm going through that with my mom right now while watching Heroes. X_X I need to get the boxset tomorrow, so she can stop asking me who knows whom and what everyone's power is. She's seen the last episode of season 1 and nothing else.

More later.

EDIT: My mom just asked what T-bagging is. I didn't tell her. And now that she's seen Bob Saget's standup comedy she can't think of Full House in the same way.

Obligatory drunksh lj post!!! Yayz!!!

Went to drunken fish, buca, and big baaaang. And I am updating from mah phoneee!

Jamie has a hawt italian an I do nooottt...

Sigh oh well

But I gotz scotti and raymond t3h retard death eater!!

And while it isn't 7:32 AM yet...

...I'm sitting here, sipping my homemade cocktail (Cosmopolitan, of course. Two different cranberry juices mixed together, Absolut, Triple Sec, lime juice. Shaken and topped with a lime slice) and having my own Sex and the City marathon (Season 4, as I don't own 2 or 5 yet. X_X; I need to get them!), I'm realizing I'm 21.

And it feels fucking fabulous.

So the plan today is to finish cleaning up my room, getting my eyebrows waxed and a manicure/pedicure (I'm getting my nails painted navy blue, part of the new OPI Russian collection), and going to the Loop and dinner with my mother. We're going to go see Lady Chatterley before visiting Marisol, a cute tapas place where they have amazing coconut mojitos.

Which is mainly because there's been little for me to update on. But here are a few highlights:

- About two weeks ago my mom and I went downtown to the London Tea Room for afternoon tea. It was a rather casual setting (as compared to, say, the Ritz-Carlton), but the tea was good and the food was delicious. They had fabulous cinnamon-raisin scones, and I was rather fond of the cucumber and smoked salmon finger sandwiches. Not like I'll have time to do it while I'm in London anyway, and I love afternoon tea.

- I attended the August STL HP meetup. Which was fun, though most of the discussion was DH related. During the last half hour though I ended up writing up a variety of HP cosplay websites (and I did reccommend Moony Couture for all sorts of HP costume related things!). What's funny about the whole thing is that most of them think my room is just a shrine to HP memrobilia and costuming, and yet my HP costume items can fit into one tiny section of my closet. Go figure. Also, I ended up seeing Becoming Jane that night too. Decent movie, but I just don't see Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen.

- Last Wednesday Mom took a day off (perhaps the first day off while still at home in YEARS) and we drove three hours to the Osage Beach outlet mall! Granted, it was very hot and mostly corn and soybean fields after we drove through Warrenton, but it was entirely worth it. We mostly drove out in order to go to the Coach outlet, and for my birthday (very early present, of course) my mom bought me two new Coach bags. I absolutely LOVE them both! One's light blue leather with brown trim and a bowling bag style, and the other is a smaller black fabric bag with the Coach logo with a leather shoulder strap (something I can take out clubbing, to dinner, etc). Otherwise, I visited the Cosmetics Company Outlet (Estee Lauder brand outlet, for those who aren't familiar) and picked up some great discounted, Limited Edition MAC products (for makeup junkies, I picked up an MSF for only $17! and two pearlizers, three LE eyeshadows, and two LE lipglasses). But besides a pair of jeans at the Lane Bryant outlet, I didn't pick up much else at the outlet mall. But nevertheless, it was definitely worth the trip!

-I've been to California Pizza Kitchen twice in the past two weeks, and both times there's been this terribly attractive server. Of course, both times I had to be there with my parents so he didn't look twice in my direction, but he was a few inches taller than me, with semi-long black hair (Think GoF Harry style), blue eyes, and black rimmed glasses. He had a really nice smile, too. ^_^ Anyway, it was nice to have some eye candy during dinner.

Otherwise, I've mostly been reading, writing, and trying to make some contacts in Britain before I head overseas. I suppose I'm afraid of not having anyone to hang out with. So far, the people I've met from UChicago who are going on the study abroad with me find me a bit odd due to my hobbies incorporating anime and Harry Potter, and I do want to meet people overseas. Book wise I've been re-reading most of Jane Austen's novels, some of my London reading list, and for fun, the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Nothing particularly deep about it, but it's good to read by the pool when it's over 100 degrees and I can't concentrate on much else except the heat.

Finally, my birthday is NEXT WEEK. I honestly can't believe it! I'm going to make a post later tonight that'll include my address (in case you want to send me a card or something) and information about what I'm planning for my 21st!

What I learned today:

If you are male, relatively young (generally the under 30 set), have dark hair, round glasses, a random red tie, a Rubies costume robe, a drawn on scar, and a plastic wand, women of all ages will flock to you.

Not that I didnt enjoy the concert. I love seeing both groups live and dancing around like a crazy person (usually because no one knows me at these things, and those who do are dancing around with me!). But really. I saw this kid at the DH release (Scotti, you might have remembered him. The one who had the PoA Dan Radcliffe haircut) and talked to him with other members of SLAW (St. Louis Area Wizards) tonight, and he's rather enjoying the fact that he's a total chick magnet. His costume wasn't even that good and yet for the entire two hour concert young women just ambushed him for pictures, even when there were random Hermiones, death eaters, etc. His friend even had a robe on and no one looked his way.

So yeah. Guys on my f-list who want to meet women, particularly geeky women, dress up as Harry Potter and go to HP events (Do not forget DanRad inspired haircut, the glasses, and the scar). I swear you'll get attention. The good kind.

Otherwise the concert was great. Both DATM and HATP played new songs as well as old favorites. Though, typically, I rolled my eyes through Save Ginny Weasley. XD And apparently, Hagrid likes to hug. Go figure. The only thing I'm somewhat sad about is that they didn't have the t-shirt in my size that read "Member of the Hogwarts Tonsil-Hockey Team". I really wanted one. XD Also no one seemed to want to dance during DATM's part of the concert, so it was just me and three to four other girls I know jumping up and down to "My Dad Is Rich", "Potions Yesterday", "Broomstick", and of course "99 Death Eaters". I may be a Gryffindor, but I can certainly dance to the DATM songs too! :D

Also went to the gym today, but that's considerably less interesting.

For the first time since I was fourteen, I was inspired to write an HP fanfic. A one shot. I'm not sure, exactly, where it came from. I was reading Portrait of a Lady before the concert and the idea had nothing to do with the plot or characters of that particular novel at all. But it simply won't leave me alone so I'll end up writing it this week, most likely. That, and working on my Degrassi one shot and one of my short stories. Now that I think my sleep schedule will soon be back on track and my insomnia is slowly going away (more on that later, in a private entry) I'll be a bit more focused.

When I look back on the last time I was writing HP fanfic, there was a total of three pages on ff.net devoted to HP fanfic. When Mena Baines' Hermione/Harry saga was utterly groundbreaking in novel-length fic. When Jenna's Unofficial HP Fanclub and Gypsy's Harry Potter's Realm of Wizardry were the biggest HP fansites out there (and coincidentally, when Gypsy posted "Harry Potter and the Man of Unknown" on ff.net). And the James/Lily pairing really took off with "The Flower and the Stag".

And the big fuss when the first HP NC-17 fics appeared on ff.net.

And, who can forget, the rise and fall of Cassie Claire and the Draco fics.

If anyone on my list remembers these fics, websites, scandals...I salute you. You're an HP fandom oldbie, just like me.

PS - peachpai:

a) Let me know when I should make my Lily journal. And suggest a PB. please.

b) Let's talk about winter/spring quarter HP photoshoots on AIM sometime? If you're still up for participating and helping me organize things?

...Can you blame me? :D

1. For those who RP on LJ, could you suggest a good PB/actress for Lily Evans? I'll be playing her in an upcoming HP SL and I'm lost as to who to pick for a PB. I'm used to playing Narcissa or Hermione. XD So if you've been in HP SLs and you've seen a PB you like for Lily, please let me know!

2. Going along with #1 up there, the Marauders Era HP SL I'm in/will be participating in is looking for members. We don't plan on advertising on the comms, just inviting friends and friends of friends to join. So far, taken characters are:

Sirius
James*
Remus
Lily (aka. me! )
Dumbledore
Bellatrix
Snape
Regulus
Lucius
Narcissa ( if satansangel0308 still wants to play her?)

* Also, I believe peachpai is playing James as long as no one else wants to play him...she's definitely playing Remus though. So if you really want to play James, he's available.

Anyway, if you want to play, let me know in a comment with who you want to play. chances are that if you've done online RP before (particularly LJ or GJ based) you'll be just fine. We aren't doing applications or anything like that. We could defintely use students from Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, as well as more Gryffindors and Slytherins (future order of the phoenix members and death eaters, perhaps?). Anyway, let me know.

3.  peachpai and I are also thinking about doing TWO HP photoshoots in winter/spring '08 at UChicago. One Marauders era and one Harry-era. We like the idea of possibly having one person per character per shoot so I think that's what we're going to aim for. We aren't sure if we'll have a photographer or not or if we'll take the pictures ourselves, but if you'll be in or around Chicago in the Winter or Spring and want to join us, please let me know! We want to get the word out early so people can get costumes together. I personally will be doing Lily and Hermione for the shoots (red wig. maybe green contacts, depending if my eyes can handle it. Not sure on that).

Anyway. Just two days full of HP cosplay madness with pictures. And presumably chatting/food/etc afterward. I think it would be a fun way to break up the studying during winter and spring quarters as well as give those who are going to Terminus in August an idea of what to expect from HP costuming pictures taken at the University.

So...not much has really been going on since DH. Gym, writing, sleeping, cursing out my short story, getting ready for London (slowly but surely), doing some pre-London research so by the time I get there I'll know what to write and generally where to go to get the information I need for said writing.

I'm taking a small break here to announce the utter cuteness of my cat, Jasmine (She's black with a white belly and feet). She's currently lying on her back, asleep, with her back paws in the air and splayed out and her front ones curled up to her chest. And she's snoring. She's very, very cute. :D If I could only find my camera...

Otherwise Scotti and I went to the mall post-DH. Bought new MSFs (MAC users should be familiar with these!), and we joked about our new Gary Stu death eater. I think filmchickjen would be familiar with him, because she's the one who initially pointed out the applauding Death Eater to me in GoF. XD

But yes. DH weekend was definitely Ray-Con '07.

In other news, my mom and I are planning to go see OotP on IMAX, finally. I won't be in costume of course (Though if I feel particularly adventurous, I'll throw on the hoodie outfit and time-turner from PoA and see if anyone recognizes me), but it'll be fun to finally see it on 3D. And the IMAX screen. Also, mom's taking two days off  in the next two weeks (If you've met my parents, you'll understand why this is fascinating. If not, my parents are workaholics. Business trips, working on the weekends, working nights...etc. They feel at ease with the world when they're doing anything but relaxing, really) to spend time with me! We're planning on attending afternoon tea (either at the Ritz or the tea room downtown. We like to go once a year in the summertime :D) and making a trip to the outlet malls at Lake of the Ozarks. Mainly to go to the Coach (hurray new purses!) outlet store and the Cosmetics Counter Outlet (or rather, CCO).

Also, Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys (wizard rock bands for those who aren't familiar) come to STL on Monday night! It's a free concert downtown at one of the libraries and so far I plan on going. Unfortunately Scotti and Lauren can't make it, so I'll probably go by myself :( For those in STL who might want to come, let me know. It's a lot of fun and terribly geeky. xD

And mugglenet's podcast mugglecast comes to STL TONIGHT, Friday, 7 PM at the STL library on Lindbergh right across from Plaza Frontenac. It's about 10 minutes from my house so I'm contemplating on going. xD The Remus Lupins will also be playing, so I guess that's a plus.

Other random things:

- for STL kids, did anyone ELSE know that Archon/NasFiC/reason to jack up registration price to $120 is next weekend? I checked out the schedule, they had some anime and HP events, plus panels for Firefly and Heroes, but $120 for a sci-fi con? That's more than Dragon*Con, if I remember correctly. I was kind of interested since I skipped Otakon and will be skipping Reactor (and I'm getting Hermione costume withdrawal. I have both robe sets + old yule ball gown here ;-; ), but...yeesh. And that doesn't even include food/hotel/anything save for your badge and your program book. I feel kind of bad though, because Brian (Fant-Asia Brian, STL kids) did track me down at ACen and asked me the "aren't you coming to the Fant-Asia anniversary party in cosplay?" question, when the part was DH weekend (as in, no. All Potter, all the time). But he's going to Archon/NaSFiC/Price hike con.

Eh. I'd only go for maybe...5 panels and the dealer's room. I remember the last Archon I went to when I mostly did HP cosplay. It was basically me, some of my cosplay friends, and random sci-fi male fans in their twenties and thirties trying to hit on me/us. x_x; I've never been so uncomfortable in the Hermione PS/CoS school uniform than I was at that con (And I was eighteen the last time I went, in 2004).

And there was really bad con-funk.

Still, did everyone in STL know about this and I was just out of the loop? I mean, I'm kind of thrilled that Archon's finally not going to be held in October...but the cons sort of outweigh the pros....

- Cosplay wise, I've got two new anime costumes for ACen '08 and two new HP costumes for Terminus that I'll be commissioning soon. I'm rather excited about that. :D Anime wise it'll be Misato from Evangelion (red jacket/skirt outfit, as opposed to the black dress one I've got already. This'll be for UChi-Con '08) and Relena from GW: Endless Waltz. HP-wise, these two I'd like to keep under wraps for a little while until they're actually in-progress. ~_^ But I'm much more excited about those than I am about the anime outfits. I bet I'll end up bringing HP cosplay to ACen anyway, a robe set and the yule ball gown, and end up wearing the latter to the masquerade ball and the robes just because I can. HP cosplay simply cannot die.

- And finally...my birthday is coming up in August. I turn 21 on August 22nd and as of now, I've got no birthday plans. Mainly because most people usually have left for school by that point. Most likely it'll be dinner with my parents and then me buying booze at the grocery store for the first time, but I figure that'll be exciting enough. Perhaps I'll just hold out on going clubbing until I get back to Chicago in winter quarter, because then silmeria, myself, and anyone else we convince/ con into going/wants to go with us could go as a group somewhere. And just ignore how cruel Chicago winters are by ordering alcohol and dancing to our heart's content. I keep forgetting that most of our friends go to UChicago though, and thus it might be a tad difficult to convince people at school into going.

If anyone wants to send cards/presents, I'll be sure to post my address sometime before my birthday in a friends-locked post. :D

Finally going to get some sleep now. STL friends, if you're interested in the mugglenet podcast or the wizard rock events, let me know ASAP.