Damnit, I really wish I'd been able to bring my tablet with me to Germany, but it's somewhere in my new stepdad's basement (I think) in the boxes of stuff I have down there, and I couldn't find it while I was packing. I REALLY want it with me now. >_< ARG. I wonder if Nick would be willing to go look through my stuff and then mail me the tablet... probably not, but I could always ask.

Bah.

( And this comic pretty much sums up my reaction: )

God, this book was boring, even for teen romance. Bella is a whiny, spoiled, obsessive brat who can't live once she meets Edward, and I wanted her to die. Edward is a creepy stalker (seriously, he watched her SLEEP for two freaking months and when he told her she was FLATTERED) who can't decided on a personality, and the whole relationship between them just gives me this really creepy "taking advantage of being older/having more authority to get with this chick" vibe. Especially with how clingy and dependent Bella becomes. Also, the whole "Bella faints/gloms Edward/HER HEART STOPS FREAKING BEATING when Edward kisses her" thing is even more idiotic than the sparking shit. WHO MAKES VAMPIRES THAT SPARKLE???!?!?!!!???!?!

I wonder if I can find someone to perform an exorcism on my computer or something.

I brought three English-language novels with me to Germany, and ever since I finished A Feast for Crows I've been dying to find some more. The other books are Victor Hugo's Les Miserables and a collection of short stories by H.P. Lovecraft, and while they're both good, neither author's writing style really lends itself to light reading. (I often have to read a section multiple times in order to fully understand it. Lovecraft's prose is a few shades purpler than I'm used to, and Hugo, much like Tolkien, is guilty of being incredibly wordy and throwing in fifty-cent words here and there. Also, the French names keep throwing me off.) I also brought two books on German culture, which - while interesting - are rather dry in places, a copy of The Little Prince in German, and a couple of my German textbooks. So I've been a little desperate the last couple days to find something that interests me and is fairly easy to pay attention to, and in that desperation I remembered that some kind denizen of LiveJournal had emailed me a typed copy of Stephanie Meyers' Twilight during fall semester.

Now, initially, I had some trepidation about reading this book. Most of the feedback I'd gotten on it was either fanatical and glowing (from people whom I know like the sparkly, Sue-ish fantasy/romance stories) or hateful and full of vitriol. I've also been told a couple things about the two main characters, which reinforces the "Mary Sue romance" I'd initially thought of. I also asked Kitty her opinion of the book, since she said she'd read it on the plane, and when I mentioned that Stephanie Meyer is a Mormon she said, "Well, that explains a few things," which didn't exactly fill me with a lot of confidence about the book.

I've read the first five chapters, and so far it seems like fairly straight-forward YA brain candy. I pretty much lived on the stuff from late elementary school to early high school, so it's familiar territory that doesn't leave too bad of a taste in my mouth as of yet. The foreshadowing is pretty clear without being TOO horribly obvious - it would be easy to tell what Edward was even if I hadn't already been told before I started reading. And while I'm not extremely fond of Bella, she hasn't yet filled me with annoyance. Then again, I'm only five chapters in - page 71 out of 334 - so there's plenty of chances for me to start hating her and Edward and every single character and plot contrivance, etc.

At the worst, it'll be pure dreck that I can delete with no regrets, and at best, a guilty pleasure. I'm fairly positive that there is no way it could ever be worse than what Laurell K Hamilton writes.

he Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed.
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ;-)


WATCHING MOVIES DOES NOT COUNT!!!


( Let's see just how well-read I really am... )

So! I'm pretty intent on writing some short fics (somewhere between drabble-length and 1,000 words), and if anyone's interested I'll be more than happy to write something for them.

You can have up to two fics. Please leave a comment specifying which fandom, which characters (up to three) or pairing (just one, please) you'd like the focus to be on, and a prompt of some sort - a phrase, a couple lines from a song, a situation you'd like to see, props, etc.

I'll write for the following fandoms:

Harry Potter
Avatar: the Last Airbender
A Song of Ice and Fire
His Dark Materials/Golden Compass (books only!)
Kingdom Hearts (just keep in mind I haven't played CoM)
Final Fantasy VII, IX, X/X-2, XII
Firefly
Hana Yori Dango (manga or drama)
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Vision of Escaflowne
Chrono Crusade
Brigadoon
Princess Tutu
Ouran Highschool Host Club (anime)
The Princess Bride
Princess Mononoke
Little Miss Sunshine

I'll get to work on these as soon as possible. I'll try to work on them by fandom, and post the same way, but if there aren't a lot of requests, I will probably just post them all at once.

Is it just me, or is all public transportation required to have hideously ugly upholstery? Seriously, I spent a collective four hours on the train today, and I don't know what sickens me more - the thought that someone was paid to come up with the ugliest design they could think of, or that someone honestly thinks that looks GOOD. I seem to notice it more on trains and buses, too.

Spent the day in Osnabrück with Kittie. Her train was suppose to come in at 12:14, but she missed one of her connecting trains, so she didn't get there until 1:14. We ate at Pizza Hut, then went to H&M (after hiding the box of leftover pizza for the homeless punk kids behind a planter), where I got a new bag. Then we had Spaghetti Eis (which is freakin' delicious! :D) and went back to the train station. I had absolutely no idea five hours had gone by, but they were some damn good five hours. I can't believe I used to not like Kittie. We also spent half the time talking about our boyfriends, so now I'm missing Nick a bit, but not quite as much as I did at first. Also, I now have precious, precious Mountain Dew. This will be savored, oh yes.

Oh, and I saw a rainbow when my train left Osnabrück, and then saw what I think was the other end of it when we got to Varel (they were pointing towards each other). I thought that was really cool.

I really should be going to bed, seeing as how I usually get up at 7:30 to get dressed and eat breakfast, but for once I'm not tired and, frankly, there's this really big mosquito-looking bug (like freaking five times the size of a regular mosquito) in my bedroom that probably got in through the open window, and I really don't want to go to sleep unless I can get it out of the room or kill it. And right now it's next to the ceiling, probably waiting until it thinks I've forgotten about it so it can go back to zipping around the room. Oh god, it's creepy.

I went to a baptism today. I didn't understand anything the pastor said, the songs they were singing, or the psalm we recited (though I did go along with it, since we got a handy little program), but about halfway through I realized they were reciting the Nicene Creed, tried to remember it in my head in English, and got as far as "We believe in the Father, the Lord, the giver of life, of all that is seen and unseen," before I couldn't remember what came next. They baptized three kids, and after the ceremony we went to the house of the nephew that was getting baptized and they had a lunch party. To be honest, I was pretty bored most of the time, but I got good food and I held the baby for a little while and got hit in the face with a beach ball, and it's not like I would have spent the time in a more productive way, so I think it was a fairly decent way to spend the day.

Speaking of food, I swear the Germans schedule the day around when the next time to eat is. Half the time the mom is in the kitchen, getting ready for lunch or tea-time or dinner. I though I would most likely lose weight, since the food's not so loaded with preservatives and sugar (and I thought I'd be put to work at something other than the vacuum and setting the table, but that's beside the point), but they eat so often and I feel rude if I say "No thanks, I'm not hungry".

OH HOLY SHIT IT MOVED CLOSER. AND NOW THERE'S TWO OF THEM. AUGH. NOW I WILL NEVER EVER EVER GET TO SLEEEEEEEEEEEP.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2234951&l=f578f&id=12119263
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2234959&l=2a424&id=12119263
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2234969&l=e4375&id=12119263

They should be available even if you don't have Facebook... lemme know if they're not, I don't want to send my mom a link that won't work.

I've been in good ol' Deutschland for a week and a half already. I've gotten a new visa (for free, thank goodness!), been surrounded by sheep, gone to the Fishmarkt in Hamburg, gotten horribly frustrated with the other Americans, seen a cow-milking machine in action, gotten my hands covered in cow spit (which is really freaking hard to wash off, FYI), and on my first night with the first host family, part of the bed collapsed underneath me, and I had to climb out and sleep on the couch. I have also been really, really homesick, on and off, although it's a bit better now, and I'm making plans to go see Kittie next week.

I'm having a good time, and I really like Germany, but I've gotta say that it's really hard trying to communicate with people. They all talk insanely fast, and what words I can make out are often words I don't know and have misheard thanks to mumbling or accents. The Albers family is really nice, though, even though they don't speak much English, and I'm having a lot of fun so far. I've also started knitting some gloves (which I won't need for two or three months XD), and as soon as they're uploaded I will post a link to some photos I've taken.

I've gotta say, though, I'm worried about the homesickness, especially regarding the boyfriend. I haven't seen him in almost two weeks, and I miss him like crazy - how bad is it going to be after a month? Three? Five?

I'm going to try to not be online all the time - I do like spending time with everybody - but I should be online at night, so around 2-6pm for you guys in the States. If anyone wants to talk to me, look for me online around then.

Dear God.

How smart is it that I manage to remember everything but my sneakers, which I TOLD Mom not to let me forget when we got to the hotel, and couldn't find any of my hair ties except ONE scrunchie when I put them all in a case specifically so I wouldn't lose them? My first purchase of the trip is going to be ponytail holders and (more than likely) shoes. Great. Watch - I'll have to buy the shoes from a store where they're all over $70.

I guess I'm being antisocial by staying in, showering, and relaxing instead of hanging out with my roommates and the other girls in the program, but I don't really care right now. I have to see them all day tomorrow and I'd really rather be alone for a bit. Then again, I have no patience with this orientation. I just want to leave already.

Am making self sick because of nerves over leaving. Have no libido and feel short of breath when with boyfriend. Crying randomly. Insecure over said lack of libido. Only want to play new DS.

Need to call bank, print up insurance info, pack. Finish buying presents. Last two bags can be made either on plane or in Germany, so don't have to worry too much about that. Have to drive to Olivet Wednesday morning to shop with mom for clothes, then can pack. Lunch with Dad, Nick, Katie, and possibly Cate Thursday at 11:30; 4:00 doctor's appointment to check up on toe. Be in Olivet Thursday night or Friday morning, take Ruth Ann's cat back to her, be in Detroit by 5 for orientation. Birthday Saturday. Leave Sunday.

Am wondering how to stop freaking out and coming up with nothing. Am both amused and annoyed by writing style in this post. Am going to play DS in bed until too tired to move.

-14 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

HA! Somehow I am very much not surprised.

Good news: I finally got an answer from the German consulate, and now have my passport back and a shiny new visa.

Bad news: They gave me a 90-day visa and told me to apply for a residence permit when I get to Germany. I applied for a 180-day student visa.

I don't even NEED a visa for the first 90 days, so there's no point in giving me one for JUST 90 days when they said I didn't need it in the first place. They just essentially screwed me out of $80, PLUS the 110 euros it's going to cost to get a visa in Germany. GAH. What is wrong with you people?! I just want to legally stay in the damn country and not get my ass dragged back home at the three-month mark.

The day I leave (which is, coincidentally, the day after my birthday) is fast approaching, and it seems like the minute I get one thing done, I have two more things I need to do. At least I don't have to work on top of that. (Speaking of which, where's my paycheck, WMU?)

Oh god, I <3 the hot Australian guy who's staying here. He just gave me Lindor chocolates (a bit squishy from being in his bag, but still yummy) for helping him order pizza. I was just happy to hear him talking some more - his voice is sooooo dreamy. I do hope he's around tomorrow night as well.

Men with sexy accents aside, the only other excitement so far has been a rather inebriated young woman who was not on the roster. First one of the shuttle drivers came in asking about her, as he'd dropped her off at Eldridge/Fox only to pick her up again when she started staggering off down the road. I couldn't find her on the roster at all, sent the driver to E/F, and forgot about it until the E/F front desk called asking me to knock on to door to 515 Ackley, hoping we could find her roommate. There was no one there, and pretty soon they called back asking me to check 519. There was no one in there either, but I did run into the young lady's friends in the hall and directed them to E/F. Her roommate eventually came up to the front desk asking about her, but by then her other friends had picked her up, and I'm assuming they got her safely into her room or something, because most of them have been running in and out of the lobby since then.

And I just got a lady asking if we've got a nurse on call. Thankfully she doesn't have a medical emergency, but I still feel horrible that I can't do anything for her except point her to E/F and hope they can give her some help.


And now, a meme, ganked from usagivindaloo.

( The instructions for this one are quite simple. Open your iPod/default media player. Display all music. Answer the questions. )

I like working the Medieval Conference desk a lot better than the Michigan Youth Arts Festival desk. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that, at Medieval, I don't have to deal with check-in at all, whereas I spent eight hours checking people in for MYAF and going completely insane. For Medieval I just have to give directions, sell parking permits, and occasionally check people out and call a taxi or look up the phone number or directions to someplace in town. It's pretty quiet in Ackley/Shilling for the most part (I can't speak for the other Valleys). I'm also convinced it's because Medieval is full of academics and professionals from all over the world, and MYAF and the other conferences on campus are all teens and their parents. I'm hearing a lot less whining in the Valleys than I did in Bigelow.

I have to admit, I find it more than a little amusing that people will preface questions with "I know this is a strange request, but can you..." and then they'll ask me to lend them a pen for the day or cut a tag off their clothing that they can't quite reach. Some guy asked me a few minutes ago to tell him if he looked "put-together". I also bought a big box of snowball snack cakes and had put them up on the desk, and one person asked me if they were for sale. I gave him one (for free, of course!) and put the rest under the desk.

I'm working 9:00-1:00 tonight, then 6:30-9:00 tomorrow morning in Henry, and then the rest of my shifts are back in Ackley/Shilling. The good thing about working early morning is that the camp kids will either be asleep or shuffling off to their activities, so it should be mostly quiet then.

I don't want to go to bed yet, even though I'm tired and I need to get up in the morning. If I wake up in the morning and this all ends up being a very elaborate and realistic dream, I'm going to be very, very pissed off.

I have a date with Nick tomorrow night.

I'd noticed he was being very flirty (or at least what I consider flirty) since he moved into Davis - tickling and poking me every few minutes, randomly hugging me, that sort of thing - but I didn't want to read too much into it. So it kind of surprised me when we were walking back to his room and he said, "If you wanted to ask me out again sometime soon, I'll say yes." Not enough to not ask him to go see Forbidden Kingdom, though. We spent the rest of the evening cuddling and tickling each other in his room.

So we're going to Applebee's and then the movies tomorrow night, and while I'm incredibly excited about it, I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm going to wear. I had a cute outfit that Cate gave me, but I wore it today, so now I have to either borrow something from Katie or buy something at Walmart. There's no way I can cobble an outfit together from what I've got in my wardrobe, since it's almost all T-shirts and jeans.

I don't know what's more exciting - the date, or the fact that he wasn't just trying to let me down gently. I have a feeling I'm going to make myself a bit sick, getting nervous over this, but I'm determined to have a good time.

Note to self: don't go to see a recently-released movie on a Saturday night and then be surprised when it's sold out, silly.

Oh well, Nick and I can just go see Iron Man later this week. We ended up renting some movies and watching them in his room. Apparently my knees make for a very bad pillow. XD

Completely unrelated: I lawled. "JKR is totally using anime stereotypes, but I'm not going to actually say it outright. Whaddya mean you don't get what I'm trying to say? It's so obvious! I was just trying to make you guys think! I'm not being rude, you're just not taking me seriously!"

a. Post a list of 15 fandoms.
b. Have your friends list guess your favorite character from each one.
c. When guessed, bold the line, include the character name, and write a sentence about why you like that character.

1. Final Fantasy VII - guessed by prettyparadox. I guess this is the obvious one. I like Aeris's inner strength (which you've gotta have if you've been hearing voices no one else can hear since childhood and haven't gone insane)... and her hair. XD
2. Kingdom Hearts I/II
3. Hana Yori Dango
4. Ouran High School Host Club - guessed by the_flowergirl. Tamaki pretty much makes the whole show for me. He's so very, very hilarious and dorktastic.
5. Princess Tutu - guessed by nidoking. Fakir is awesome for so many reasons - his need to protect Mytho and Ahiru, his hotheadedness, his anger at not being able to protect them, his determination to do anything he has to to keep them safe and help them, the fact that he writes. :3 Also, he's the exact opposite of the mysterious, aloof romantic lead (*cough*Mytho*cough*) that so many anime have.
6. Final Fantasy X/X-2
7. Final Fantasy XII - guessed by hidden_now5. Basche is mainly an eye candy choice - he is DELISH. Also, he's a badass :3
8. Hellsing - guessed by hidden_now5. Walter is probably the most badass butler ever - come on, fighting with wires? How freaking awesome is that?
9. A Song of Ice and Fire
10. Chrno Crusade
11. Brigadoon - guessed by nidoking. Melan Blue is just badass. He's a living weapon, for crying out loud. Plus his English voice is the only one that I can listen to for more than five seconds without wanting to puncture my eardrums.
12. Princess Mononoke
13. Final Fantasy IX - guessed by angahith. Vivi is just so adorable and vulnerable. He's one of those characters that you just want to pick up and hug.
14. Supernatural - guessed by hidden_now5. Dean Winchester is intelligent, tough, and incredibly complex - not to mention absolutely gorgeous. Rowr!
15. Buffy: the Vampire Slayer - guessed by magiclad2007. Willow is another character I love mainly for the adorable factor, at least for the first three seasons. Later on, I liked how she got addicted to the power she cultivated. Makes for an interesting character.

Got my grades back. BA in Thought and Writing, B in Japanese (guess I didn't do too badly on the final after all!), B in German, and DC in Health & Wellness. Got a 2.94 semester GPA, which raised my overall GPA to 2.78. (Wow! A whole .07 points! :D)

Work is pretty good so far. Our group is pretty much the only one actually putting forth a good effort, though - most of the other people will sit and mess around halfway through their tasks. If they run out of something, they'll just wait around for someone to show up, instead of going to go find someone to get what they need. And yesterday, a bunch of us were waiting around for our first task of the day, and a couple girls were looking over their schedules, saying "Man, I hope I don't have to work alone with all these weird people!" Because, y'know, being interested in the medieval period and ren fairs and stuff is being WEIRD. I doubt anyone's going to be in garb, and they're more likely to be historians than fair-goers, especially since a lot of the guests are supposed to be from overseas. BAH.

I had a dream last night where Luke told me Nick didn't like me at all. That wasn't fun to wake up to. It always takes me a couple minutes to remember what was a dream and what's actually real when I wake up. Oh god, I can't wait until Friday.

I'm finally eating after, oh, twelve hours. That didn't make me feel light-headed and sick at all.

I've managed to piss Zac off (though that's nothing new) and annoy Stephanie, start crying for about an hour, break a mirror, and check out of the dorm two and a half hours after we were supposed to. Oh, and my car is making funny noises and I have to drive home tomorrow, I still have to mail the check for Germany and the visa application, and I start work bright and early Monday morning. (I'm actually looking forward to that last bit, though.)

I'm gonna enjoy my Frosty now.