Allow me to share a thing...

Tanya is always concerned that I don’t have a set interest. It’s not idyllic when purchasing gifts for me I suppose, but I mean… I just love so much. I love everything I’ve ever gotten, regardless if I’m super into a fandom or not.** But I get on to secret kicks where I just sit and absorb. I am sponge… I am Spongebob Squarepants. I sit and I laugh uproariously to myself and just scroll through the internet.

Let me tell you what happens when I get deliriously excited about something: I research. Consistent and thorough research is how I deal with the tightness in my chest from anticipation. Is there a new show that someone recommended? Perfect. I will watch every episode, read director/producer/cast interviews and text people hilarious quotes. Is there a possibility I’ll have the funds to decorate a room in my house, or get staple furniture that I’ve been waiting years to buy? Break out the big girl pants, because this lady is about to do some major price comparison shopping with her good friend, Google. Paint colours, how to hang an asymmetrical grouping of art, the difference between hardware finishes, various historical themes (my bathroom is going to be Art Nouveau themed), common design patterns for that era, etc. These are all things I have seriously looked into. I could go on. Literally, I could. I would continue until your eyes bled from reading.

Fun fact : When the bombs went off last year at the Boston Marathon, I pretty much didn’t sleep for three days. I was partially terrified, but also very into learning everything I possibly could about the situation. I stayed up to 4am listening to police scanners with Redditors. I mentioned something that I had gleamed from a late night feed in comments and it was subsequently posted to some news sites that week. This made me supremely proud, if not a little worried for where the news gets its sources. My username is an Adam West Batman reference; not thinking they should take me at my word…

To put it bluntly: I get scary obsessed with something for a few weeks, put everyone off with my fascination and then realize that there are other things in life to be interested in. I still have a clandestine love affair with my old interests, but they are not as intense as before. It’s a good way to live.

What I am concerned about is the upcoming HPcation. I’ve been very bored lately. So bored, in fact, that I am trying to memorize the geographic location of all 196 recognized countries in the world (and some non recognized countries). That's not really the point of this story, but I feel like you will take pity on me and my crazies now.

If you are unaware, Tanya and I have kind of talked about going down to Florida for years, especially when Harry Potter World opened at Universal Studios. Each time it was mentioned, we discussed the best time to go, set a due date to save up our money and then promptly put thoughts of savings out of our mind; something always came up. We’re still both fairly young and at this stage of my life I have learned that there are a lot of things you want and a lot of things you need. Prioritizing is not always easy. Anyways, I had a crazed moment where I realized I haven’t left the country in nine years. I have gone down to Ogdensburg, which is extremely close to our border. It was only for an afternoon or so – just enough time to go to Walmart and stock up on US-only food– and then we’d head back to Canada. I wouldn’t call it a vacation.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="380"] For Reference[/caption]

I panicked and immediately started looking up train ticket costs, the average rent in Berlin, best backpacks to use for long term trips and the easiest ways to live in Europe for three months, as per my aforementioned panic-induced obsessions dictate I should. I then received a Universal Studios email to my personal email and had an epiphany of sorts. It was a manic sort of happiness. With three hours of extra exploring the web (along with the compiled research I had stored from three other planned Florida trips in my head) I booked a hotel in August for Tanya’s champagne birthday. I had very little patience for Tanya to actually tell me whether or not she would come with me. She would come, even if I had to pay for her.

That’s not even the scary part, my friends. I have spent the past four days compiling the following:

• A list of necessary rides to go on, including those for a part of the park THAT IS NOT EVEN REMOTELY FINISHED YET (see: Diagon Alley expansion)


• Menus for restaurants in our immediate vicinity, along with the best times to go to miss the lines


• Directions, walking times and water-taxi schedules for the best way around the park


• Ride times, average line times and best way to go around the parks without needing to take a 30 minute nausea break


• The best pools around our resort, cost of spa stuff, where all the Elvis memorabilia was in the Hard Rock (they have a jumpsuit!)


• What is necessary to go into 313 bags for air travel, what to pack in carryon bags, best dresses to pack on vacation, insoles for sandals so I don’t have to wear runners around


• The importance of Birthday buttons at Universal; what rides you can jump lines in; birthday related resort/park things that you could get


• Mystic fountain questions, hidden props around the park and fun things to say to cast members


• Around which area and what times Beetlejuice is around, because I'm ridiculous.


• Merchandise in the parks that I can accrue as gifts/souvenirs

This is just the beginning. Keep in mind that my mind hasn't actually accepted that this is going to happen and also that it is still seven months away. If I spent this much time on learning French for my job, I would be fluent. I’m convinced that I’ll pretty much have the entire park, resort and surrounding area memorized before we get to YOW on the 25^th. I’m just so excited this is happening and that I get to share it with my very best of friends. I hope you guys don’t think I’m delusional. I’m fairly normal, if not a smidge weird. If you can think of anything we should consider before we leave in August, please let me know so that I can research as soon as possible. Many thanks.

** Best gift ever still goes to this year’s Crystalopoly. Half because I’ve always wanted my own Monopoly game and half because I never think that people pay attention to me enough to know what I really like. Boy, was I proven wrong. Best. Gift. Ever. Ya’ll lose. Sorry, not sorry.

Tanya, it's your birthday.

Good morning, world.

Today is my best friend's 25th birthday

This means that this (late) post will be a gif set in tribute to her awesomeness. Mostly because she deserves it, but partly because I didn't post on Friday and I'm semi terrified of Tanya's wrath. As she has a great many powers that she has cultivated from her grammie. Mainly, the death glare - it is really scary, guys.

So, Tanya. I know you a little better than to expect you to wake up like this:

 

 

But you should still be pumped up, dear girl, because your birthday is an important opportunity for celebrations! Or at least fun gif sets! So gather your F.R.I.E.N.D.S.;

Get the music pumping;

 

And take Lydia Bennet's advice:

 

I know I didn't make you ginger cookies, and you don't like cake. Would you partake in a birthday cupcake if a certain special someone made them for you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

No? Well that's all good, I don't want you to get all world-domination-y on me anyways. Just remember you don't have to have everything figured out, aside from our trip to Harry Potter world next year. Not every one has to be as anal as Paris:

 

So happy 25th, darling. I will obviously be texting you throughout the day, but I thought this would be an excellent way to really express how happy I am that we're friends and that you're having to deal with all this aging stuff before me so that you can let me know what to do lol.

 

---

 

Extra bonus gif:

Canadian Money Confuses Me.

So I am still kind of bored. Not 100% sure what I should be pretending to do right now. I spent some time reading really back-dated entries of The Bloggess who may be among my favourite people in the universe. I felt I needed to close it once I got to the 100th page (I started at 80 so its not that bad guys) and snorted out loud about her take on Canadian money. I agree 100% and also would like to point out that one of the bills has a person on the back that looks exactly like Kate Goselin. I don't remember which because I am poor but I will google it.

I found it! I also remember the scenario on how I ended up with a 100$ bill.

Dave: Here is the money for our joint account

Me: Why are you giving me this fake garbage?

Dave: That is not fake?

Me: What the crap is it?

Dave: That is the new bills

Me: Why is it see through? What does this accomplish?

Dave: I don't know.

Me: Why is Kate Goselin on the back of our money, she's not even Canadian and she is not a scientist.

Dave: I don't know who that is but watch! *proceeds to attempt to rip bill in half* You can't rip them!

Me: Well maybe you cant *tries to rip and fails* I don't want to rip my money that is silly. I'm going to the bank.

Dave: *disapproving shaking of head*



Don't believe me? Who else would ever have that haircut?

 So I guess this deters the criminals from making fake money. Mostly because no self respecting criminal wants to print Kate Goselin on their currency. If I was a Mob boss making fake money I would probably make mine much cooler.

UPDATE: I should probably include a picture of Kate Goselin

Scientist in Canada?




Probably looks more acceptable to Americans then actual Canadian currency. And I for the most part agree. Except, I almost never accidentally give the cashier the wrong bill because my shits colour coated. Perhaps to further improve my current theme of currency we could match the colours with their houses. However then Ravenclaw is getting a shitty deal because they are only 5$ but I mean, they aren't all about the prestige so I am sure they would be fine with it. Besides Hufflepuffs need some hundred love. I will be expecting my call shortly, I will lead my fellow Harry Potter lovers into a nation with colourful and creative currency.

  I need a job where I won't be turned into such a crazy?

Canadian Money Confuses Me.

So I am still kind of bored. Not 100% sure what I should be pretending to do right now. I spent some time reading really back-dated entries of The Bloggess who may be among my favourite people in the universe. I felt I needed to close it once I got to the 100th page (I started at 80 so its not that bad guys) and snorted out loud about her take on Canadian money. I agree 100% and also would like to point out that one of the bills has a person on the back that looks exactly like Kate Goselin. I don't remember which because I am poor but I will google it.

I found it! I also remember the scenario on how I ended up with a 100$ bill.

Dave: Here is the money for our joint account

Me: Why are you giving me this fake garbage?

Dave: That is not fake?

Me: What the crap is it?

Dave: That is the new bills

Me: Why is it see through? What does this accomplish?

Dave: I don't know.

Me: Why is Kate Goselin on the back of our money, she's not even Canadian and she is not a scientist.

Dave: I don't know who that is but watch! *proceeds to attempt to rip bill in half* You can't rip them!

Me: Well maybe you cant *tries to rip and fails* I don't want to rip my money that is silly. I'm going to the bank.

Dave: *disapproving shaking of head*



Don't believe me? Who else would ever have that haircut?

 So I guess this deters the criminals from making fake money. Mostly because no self respecting criminal wants to print Kate Goselin on their currency. If I was a Mob boss making fake money I would probably make mine much cooler.

UPDATE: I should probably include a picture of Kate Goselin

Scientist in Canada?




Probably looks more acceptable to Americans then actual Canadian currency. And I for the most part agree.
Except, I almost never accidentally give the cashier the wrong bill because my shits colour coated.
Perhaps to further improve my current theme of currency we could match the colours with their houses.
However then Ravenclaw is getting a shitty deal because they are only 5$ but I mean, they aren't all about
the prestige so I am sure they would be fine with it. Besides Hufflepuffs need some hundred love.
I will be expecting my call shortly, I will lead my fellow Harry Potter lovers into a nation with colourful and creative currency.

  I need a job where I won't be turned into such a crazy?

I Love Harry Potter

So as it turns out, I tend to be too efficient at my job. I had the opportunity to have some work to do - albeit boring- but I probably could have done it slow enough to at least last me until lunch. Problem with that is, I have no patience to work slowly so I just get it done and move onto the next thing. The bigger problem is it is always so long until the next thing. So, point of this paragraph is I finished my work.

I guess I need to spend the rest of my day searching for a new job because this one ends in 20 more work days. Well that's terrifying... It didn't seem like such little time before, now that I know I probably didn't get the job from the interview (not 100% but I'm 99% sure I didn't get it) I guess I need to start looking again. I probably should never have started but I basically went into emotional survival mode where the only thing that my body is capable of doing is consuming enormous quantities of ice cream and brownie-cookies...

Listening to people talk here is exhausting. No one wants to take responsibility for anything so they end up talking in circles for five minutes before they take a breath leaving the other person confused if their question was answered. Most people just end up walking away pretending like it was answered but you know they are just more messed up then when they got there.

I think the funnest part about blogging is the stats. I really don't understand what these referral sites are for the most part but apparently its sending people in from Russia! So hello Russia, hope you are having fun. One day I would like to visit you but I am afraid its very far, and I am pretty poor. Also, if I go anywhere in the next year or so it will be to the Harry Potter World.

Ah, I suppose I keep mentioning how I am becoming a super nerd (and proud) in the last few years but I have never really explained what makes me a nerd. There are many things, obviously, but one of my more recent nerdy loves is Harry Potter.

Well last summer with all the hype of the Harry Potter movie I finally read all the books. I had read the first and most of the second one when they came out originally and loved them however I had a huge problem with attention in school and although never officially diagnosed with ADD, I couldn't sit still long enough to ever read until University. I honestly never read a single book all the way through in high school. I would read a bit in class when given the time but by grade twelve my teacher would make me sit in the hall to be away from the distracting posters. Little did she know my friend Alex had class right across the hall and our daily "reading" time was around the same time he always went for his ADD run. Seriously if it wasn't for Sparks notes I don't think I would have graduated. 

Anyways, last summer, with my newly developed capacity for reading I read/reread all the Harry Potter books and became one of the biggest potterheads around. I am sure I have pissed off many people due to my overwhelming excitement over anything Potter-related. Especially poor Crystal who has been trying to get me to read these books for years. Sorry Crystal, but now we can enjoy them together!

I went so far as to sign up for early registration to Pottermore and that involved a daily question at really weird times in a time zone not my own so you had to watch. Once I finally got it (I think on Day 5 or 7) I also signed Crystal up so I would have someone to be nerdy with. Pottermore boasted the ability to be sorted and that's all any Potter-lover wants I think. I think one of my biggest wishes in life is that Hogwarts was real and that I could go there.

After the months of waiting for Pottermore to let us in, (they were only allowing small numbers in every day because of all the glitches) I finally was welcomed in. The site is really neat in a quiet kind of way. It's not like a giant version of the Sims, or a role playing game, its just lovely interactive artwork to accompany each chapter of the books. But, once you get to certain points there is little things you get to do. I really enjoy the quizzes. The Wand is the first thing you get assigned that is personal. You answer questions such as Are you short for your age? Are you born on an even number or odd? Would you rather walk through a forest, beach or town? Really random things like that. I got an Apple wand with Phoenix Feather core 9 3/4 inches surprisingly swishy. The fun part is after you get your wand you can read all about what it means. Its like a personality test but not obvious so its fun.

A few chapters later you get sorted. When I went through that test it was very stressful. Not only are you trying to convince yourself that you will be happy no matter what you get, I was consistently concerned the site would freeze and kick me out again forever messing up my house selection. I answered as honestly and thoughtfully as I should, taking a lot of time on each question (probably more so than really necessary) and was sorted in the glorious RAVENCLAW! It is by far my favourite house and I don't think I could have been more surprised or happy that I actually got it. I was expecting Hufflepuff but in all honesty I am not that friendly nor do I have many friends so the fact that I got Ravenclaw was about as good as it gets in nerd-world.

After the sorting I kind of lost interest because the site was still so glitchy. I did finish the first book of moments and then left it so that all the other beta-testers could go be sorted without getting kicked out for it being too full.

Anyhow, this is a long and rambling unnecessary jumble of words to say that I am a Harry Potter Nerd and Proud.

Me and Crystal have been planning a nerdy trip to Harry Potter World at Universal Studios since we heard of its existence. Sandy also wants to go because everyone should want to go. I really want to go get a wand because I have seen video of their "Olivanders" and it looks amazing and I cannot wait.

So I should get back to looking for work to do, or another job. I will discuss more of the nerdy things about me soon! Maybe later if I run out of work again!

PS: I am sorry if there is no point to these, but I would rather be babbling about fun nerdy stuff then staring blankly at my email willing something to come in.

I Love Harry Potter

So as it turns out, I tend to be too efficient at my job. I had the opportunity to have some work to do - albeit boring- but I probably could have done it slow enough to at least last me until lunch. Problem with that is, I have no patience to work slowly so I just get it done and move onto the next thing. The bigger problem is it is always so long until the next thing. So, point of this paragraph is I finished my work.

I guess I need to spend the rest of my day searching for a new job because this one ends in 20 more work days. Well that's terrifying... It didn't seem like such little time before, now that I know I probably didn't get the job from the interview (not 100% but I'm 99% sure I didn't get it) I guess I need to start looking again. I probably should never have started but I basically went into emotional survival mode where the only thing that my body is capable of doing is consuming enormous quantities of ice cream and brownie-cookies...

Listening to people talk here is exhausting. No one wants to take responsibility for anything so they end up talking in circles for five minutes before they take a breath leaving the other person confused if their question was answered. Most people just end up walking away pretending like it was answered but you know they are just more messed up then when they got there.

I think the funnest part about blogging is the stats. I really don't understand what these referral sites are for the most part but apparently its sending people in from Russia! So hello Russia, hope you are having fun. One day I would like to visit you but I am afraid its very far, and I am pretty poor. Also, if I go anywhere in the next year or so it will be to the Harry Potter World.

Ah, I suppose I keep mentioning how I am becoming a super nerd (and proud) in the last few years but I have never really explained what makes me a nerd. There are many things, obviously, but one of my more recent nerdy loves is Harry Potter.

Well last summer with all the hype of the Harry Potter movie I finally read all the books. I had read the first and most of the second one when they came out originally and loved them however I had a huge problem with attention in school and although never officially diagnosed with ADD, I couldn't sit still long enough to ever read until University. I honestly never read a single book all the way through in high school. I would read a bit in class when given the time but by grade twelve my teacher would make me sit in the hall to be away from the distracting posters. Little did she know my friend Alex had class right across the hall and our daily "reading" time was around the same time he always went for his ADD run. Seriously if it wasn't for Sparks notes I don't think I would have graduated. 

Anyways, last summer, with my newly developed capacity for reading I read/reread all the Harry Potter books and became one of the biggest potterheads around. I am sure I have pissed off many people due to my overwhelming excitement over anything Potter-related. Especially poor Crystal who has been trying to get me to read these books for years. Sorry Crystal, but now we can enjoy them together!

I went so far as to sign up for early registration to Pottermore and that involved a daily question at really weird times in a time zone not my own so you had to watch. Once I finally got it (I think on Day 5 or 7) I also signed Crystal up so I would have someone to be nerdy with. Pottermore boasted the ability to be sorted and that's all any Potter-lover wants I think. I think one of my biggest wishes in life is that Hogwarts was real and that I could go there.

After the months of waiting for Pottermore to let us in, (they were only allowing small numbers in every day because of all the glitches) I finally was welcomed in. The site is really neat in a quiet kind of way. It's not like a giant version of the Sims, or a role playing game, its just lovely interactive artwork to accompany each chapter of the books. But, once you get to certain points there is little things you get to do. I really enjoy the quizzes. The Wand is the first thing you get assigned that is personal. You answer questions such as Are you short for your age? Are you born on an even number or odd? Would you rather walk through a forest, beach or town? Really random things like that. I got an Apple wand with Phoenix Feather core 9 3/4 inches surprisingly swishy. The fun part is after you get your wand you can read all about what it means. Its like a personality test but not obvious so its fun.

A few chapters later you get sorted. When I went through that test it was very stressful. Not only are you trying to convince yourself that you will be happy no matter what you get, I was consistently concerned the site would freeze and kick me out again forever messing up my house selection. I answered as honestly and thoughtfully as I should, taking a lot of time on each question (probably more so than really necessary) and was sorted in the glorious RAVENCLAW! It is by far my favourite house and I don't think I could have been more surprised or happy that I actually got it. I was expecting Hufflepuff but in all honesty I am not that friendly nor do I have many friends so the fact that I got Ravenclaw was about as good as it gets in nerd-world.

After the sorting I kind of lost interest because the site was still so glitchy. I did finish the first book of moments and then left it so that all the other beta-testers could go be sorted without getting kicked out for it being too full.

Anyhow, this is a long and rambling unnecessary jumble of words to say that I am a Harry Potter Nerd and Proud.

Me and Crystal have been planning a nerdy trip to Harry Potter World at Universal Studios since we heard of its existence. Sandy also wants to go because everyone should want to go. I really want to go get a wand because I have seen video of their "Olivanders" and it looks amazing and I cannot wait.

So I should get back to looking for work to do, or another job. I will discuss more of the nerdy things about me soon! Maybe later if I run out of work again!

PS: I am sorry if there is no point to these, but I would rather be babbling about fun nerdy stuff then staring blankly at my email willing something to come in.