In which Cosi Fan Tutte is reviewed - or The Germany Chronicles 5

Most of you already know the cause of my long silence on the blog lately. Indeed, it is because I have been working double shifts for several days (thus completely exhausting myself) in order to get the 21st and the 22nd of August as days off. Why are these dates so important to me? Because Michael starred as the lead in his first Opera on Sunday August 22nd. However, it is not like the show was easily accessible... I had to head to Weimar, Germany, in order to show Michael my support and see his show. So on the 19th in the evening, I flew to Frankfurt, landed on the 20th in the morning, and then took a three hour train ride to Weimar. I have only just come back from said trip a few hours ago.

Before I review Michael's opera, allow me to say how wonderful a city Weimar is. When I got off the train, I thought I had somehow time-travelled back to the 1800s. Except for the modern cars and a monument to the Buchenwald victims (which dates to the late 1940s, I think), most of the city is enormously old. Indeed, Schiller and Goethe, famous German authors, both spent much time there, and the city still looks like it may have been back in their day. Among other things, most of the city (I would say 95 percent of it) is covered in cobblestones. No ashphalt. Usually, that would have been fine, except that I had made the trip in my work heels, and for those who have tried it, you know that heels on cobblestone are a nightmare! I do not want to know what women's feet were like back in the Victorian age, when cobblestones and high-heels ruled and one had no choice but to circulate in them! The cobblestones would not have been so bad if I had not gotten completely lost trying to find Michael's opera studio. I ended up with bleeding ankles due to my confused wanderings. However, I ended up successfully finding Michael's opera studio, called the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar. The reason it was so hard to find is that, in old European cities like Weimar, people had little consideration for parallel streets when the city was built. Unlike North American cities, where a system of parallel streets and squares was divised, Weimar is more like a huge Celtic Knot of Strassen (streets), Plaetze (plazas), and Gassen (alleys). It was really hard to figure out where I was going and I think I went in circles a few times, only barely missing Michael's opera studio, before I finally found it. But the whole city was really gorgeous and worth seeing! And the weather was great! I think I will go back there sometime, but for a longer period of time (and with better shoes).

Michael was really happy to see me. I was very elated to see him too. Apparently, my visiting him provided great moral support at a very opportune moment. The manager of the programme, a certain Greek bass-baritone Damon Nestor Ploumis, is probably the most flamboyant individual I have ever encountered, along with my high-school math teacher, Mr. Tarakdjian. Indeed, he was the type of person who wore custom-made waist-coats from his "tailor in Cypress" (I asked him, this is all true!). Despite his over-the-top persona, though, Damon was a very nice man and I think he was a great help to Michael in his musical progress, along with several others of the wonderful and great people I have met there, in Weimar. I think Michael did have a great experience there, no matter how difficult it was.

And now to the review...

I saw Cosi Fan Tutte, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by no less than three casts while I was in Weimar. All of them were phenomenal performances! One of them was particularly fun, as we all went to a castle from the 1600s called Schloss Kochberg (where Goethe also spent some time) and the opera was performed in the tiny adjacent theater dating back to the days of Mozart himself. The other performances were in the Volkshaus of Weimar, basically in the "people's playhouse."

But that's all beside the point. I will only review Michael's perfomance (the Sunday evening) as reviewing them all would take me forever. But I can tell you they are all brilliant perfomers and I hope they all have great success in their later careers.

So, in the Opera, it all started out with a really funny fight-scene, in which Michael (as Ferrando) was basically taunting a fellow soldier, all with regards to how honest and faithful their respective fiancées are. Michael opened the opera with the very first line "La Mia Dorabella" setting a very good energy for the play. The baritone and bass characters, Guglielmo (performed by the baritone Bryan) and Don Alfonso (performed by a bass from Montreal named Alain) were also phenomenal. I thought Alain was absolutely hilarious as Don Alfonso, especially because he has, as Michael put it so well, "a fifty-year-old bass wobble" to his voice. It was absolutely epic. Bryan, the baritone, was very good too and sounded great, but I believe he may have had more experience than the others in the Sunday cast, as he had performed in the Castle performance as well.

Anyhow, Michael's great moment of glory came when he sang his aria: Un'aura amorosa—"A loving breath." I was speechless with the beauty of the song. So speechless I could barely find the strength to clap, while in the back, many girls cheered loud "bravos" for Michael. I think he did the aria beautifully, probably best than all the other tenors in the other casts. I think he made every woman in the audience swoon when he sang. He sang it so beautifully, and, more than once, he looked directly at me while singing. He told me later he was singing it for me. I guess it helped him sound so in love during the song! ^_^ His acting during the number was also phenomenal. You could SEE the love pouring out of his pores, just like it poured out of his voice. And, in the words of some fellow singers of Michael's; "it was a really difficult aria, and Michael nailed it!" I was so proud of him!

Most of the Opera was comedy, and it was wonderfully and hilariously stages, with funny little dance moves that can only be shown, and, sadly, not described. But just picture Michael in a faux-beard-moustache (because he was disguised as an Albanian) and shaking his booty in an attempt to woo a pretty soprano. It was epic and hilarious! I loved watching it. It is too bad it was only on for a very short time, otherwise, I would advise all to go and watch it. It is a great opera, fantastic music, fantastic staging and fantastic performances. I hope there will be videos, because every one should see it!

I know, this is an odd review, but it is difficult to review a piece like Cosi when performed by new up-and-coming singers. But I can guarantee that the whole thing was absolutely amazing!

Back to the post...

The unfortunate thing was that, while spending some time with me after a rehearsal, Michael's laptop was stolen from his room. I feel really guilty because, had we not spent some time together, Michael might still have his computer. And there are many things of value to the two of us on that laptop, such as all the pictures from Germany in May (of which we have no copies and not nearly half of them were uploaded to Facebook yet!). I do hope it turns up. It really put a damper on Michael's amazing performance that such a stupid thing had to happen!

Okay - I will go and get some shut-eye, seeing as I was up by four in the morning, German time, in order to take a train back to Franfurt airport and fly home. I am completely exhausted. But, before I go, I wish to say that, other than Michael's amazing performance, one of the best things in Weimar is that most of the town is "Fussgaengerzone," i.e. "pedestrians only zone." It makes it a great city to visit!

* Edit: Due to popular demand, some of the wording in this post was changed! ^_^ Cheers!

In which a blogger is really bloody tired

Hello all you avid readers out there! I know you have anxiously been waiting beside your computer screens, with my page open, just waiting for me to post new stuff! Well rejoice and make merry, for the wait is over and I am, once more, updating!! (And do not give me that bollocks that you have NOT been waiting beside my blog all week, because I KNOW you have!!!........ just kidding! :P )

Anyhoots, I have loads to tell... Really, really have loads to tell. I had been wanting to post all week, but I was insanely busy with work and completely drained and over tired when I got home. For that, I apologize. However, my shifts will be much improved come Tuesday, and then I will be able to blog to my heart's content! Yay!

First of all, I promised some anecdotes related to my wonderfully awesome job. The conclusion? First day of real work = bleeding nightmare! Even my coach was freaking out! I personally thought it was a great learning experience, but, on the other hand, we were told in the classroom that "if all this is happening to you in one single shift, then you're having a really bad day!" Does that mean I should conclude that my first shift was a very bad one?

Let me clarify what I mean. The first passenger I EVER checked in on my own... turned out to be DHP. In other words, his name was similar to the name of someone on a list (potentially even a "no-fly" list) and thus the passenger is not allowed to travel no matter how valid his passport and visas are. So you have to call security and have the passenger cleared so that he may actually check in and board the aircraft. Why is that an issue? Because it takes forever! When you call security, the first thing you hear is "your call is important to us, please hold the line to keep your call priority..." What kind of service is that?! I have a passenger who is super concerned about his passeport in front of me, getting upset about it because he is a foreigner and does not understand why his passport is being refused and I have to be put on hold before I can tell him that he is all clear... *sigh*

Anyways, the next passengers were on a flight to Penticton (or something like that) via Ottawa. The flight to Ottawa had an oversell, so someone took the liberty to offload the passengers (that means to take them off the flight) and put them on a direct flight to their destination. The problem? They never informed the passengers about the change and the direct flight was earlier than the one they were supposed to take. So when they showed up, the flight was closed!! Poor passengers! I felt so bad!

Then, I also had a family travelling to Australia. Everything was in order with their passports and visas. They did not expire until 2018 and they were valid for multiple entries to the country. However, my computer refused to accept the mother's visa. I had to call the "hold the line" number again and was subjected to an even longer wait. So much so that the mother was really getting worried. I could hear her talk to her husband. The children were also quite small and getting fidgety and tired. I felt so bad! And I do not know why the visa was not valid on the computer when I had the perfectly valid paper version of it in front of me. We cleared that up in the end though... Thank God they had shown up early!

Now, I could keep going with stories about the passengers, but I do not feel like it or I will be blogging all day (and this blogger really, REALLY wants her nap now that her shift is done!). But I do have another funny work story to tell.

It was not really at work, but my colleague Chanelle and I were discussing our uniforms and, for some reason, we came to talk about International Talk Like a Pirate Day. I suggested that it would be really funny if Air Canada did something for it (but they would not, as they also do nothing special for Halloween, i.e. reschedule all flights to land in Transylvania). We suggested that the red scarf might be worn as a bandana for the festivities of September 19th. Also, we figured out a completely new procedure on board, specially designed to suit the needs of such a great day as International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
It goes as follows:

"We welcome ye aboard Arrrr Canada. We would like to inform you that parrots are only allowed perched on yer shoulders and should not be stowed in the barrels over yer heads... Also should ye wish ter release the straps holdin' ye down during the navigation, use yer cutlass to undo the belt. If ye've checked in yer cutlass, then that's yer own mistake, ye scurvy dogs! In case of an emerrrrgency that is not on water, a spare wooden leg can be found in the pocket below yer seat. Enjoy yer travels! Arrrrrr Canada!"
... or something like that! ^_^

On a side note: GERMANY WON 4:0 AGAINST ARGENTINA!!! YAY!!!!!!! WE ROCK! Take that, guy at work, who had no confidence in my team!! I hope we win Fifa this year!!

Back to the subject matter...

So I am done with my work stories. Lets move on to the Canada Day Celebrations before I fall asleep halfway through this post...

I went to the Casa Loma Renaissance Faire on Canada Day. It was the only day that I had off during the faire and I decided not to miss it. So I hopped on a flight to Toronto on Wednesday evening after my shift, slept at Michael's parents place, and then went to the faire in the morning.

It was a glorious day! And my costume had turned out really well! I even got compliments from some people who did professional costuming at the faire! I was so happy about it! Many people thought I worked there and admired my dress. I was a photo op for many and my cheeks hurt from all the smiling at the end of a glorious and sunny Canada Day. I myself believe I looked quite ravishing in gold and red, with my cute little caul. Apparently, it was quite historically accurate after all! Yay me and my love for history (and history of costume)!!

I had a lot of fun at Casa Loma. I do not think I have ever gotten THAT much attention before. I will not lie, I quite enjoyed it. And I made some great new friends, which makes me deliriously happy because they are all awesome. The only downside was that I did not get to stay that long because I had to fly back in the evening for work the next day... *pout* Also, Casa Loma is very subdued and tiny in comparison to the faires in Germany and Austria. There, EVERYONE is dressed up and you are an oddity if you are not. At Casa Loma, very few are dressed for the occasion and those who are get asked whether they work there or not. All this to say that I quite enjoyed it. I really fancied the day and just wish it had lasted longer.

I had hoped to make Michael an outfit to match mine before the faire, but that unfortunately failed. So Michael looked really cute in a Tudor-ish costume his ex had made for him a while back. I am quite glad that his ex was not there too. It concerned me a little, because I know she usually goes there too. I think she would have ruined it for us and it would have made quite the fiasco... But nothing happened and thank God for that! I had one of the awesomest days ever!!

And, before I forget, I tried my hand at archery at the Casa Loma Renaissance Faire!!! I am really good at it too! To my big (big, BIG!) surprise, I am actually a good shot. The instructor said I was a natural and was quite impressed by how well I was doing, considering this was my first time actually doing archery. I think I should pick up archery lessons... don't you? I would love it! It would be fun! ... Now, where to do archery classes in Montreal.........?

Anyways - it was AWESOME! And, on the flight back, I was as giddy as a five-year-old on his very first trip on an aircraft. Believe it or not, I squeed about the technology of the Airbus 320. I sat directly over the wing. I was watching the flaps on the wing and noticed that... THOSE FLAPS ARE RETRACTABLE!!! Aircrafts are such an awesome piece of engineering! I have been flying since I can remember and I am still impressed that these things can actually fly! The wings are so cool! ... unfortunately, I do not think you can understand this without a drawing, because it is hard to explain why it was so awesome. But it was awesome. Did that point come accross?

Also, I decided, finally, that life is really good and that I am exactly where I want to be right now, on the flight back from Toronto. I have the best boyfriend in the world, he is loyal to me and sticks to me like glue (I love him!). I have a great, fun and entertaining job. I can exploit some of my talents on the side with modeling. I am honing my sewing skills and achieving great results. I am about to finish my first bachelors degree. What more could one want from life?

What made me come to this realization was the sunset seen from the airplane. It was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen! Yes, I believe it even beat the beauty of the sunrise in Japan seen from the top of Fuji-san! The sun was a vast disc of golden-red, floating on the horizon like an orb. Our aircraft was descending at the same time as the sun. At some point, our aircraft was cruising just on top of a sea of clouds... the wings were just brushing the tops of the tufty white waves in the sky. It looked beautiful, almost as if the plane was a ship on an ocean of cloud. And the sun was still following our descent. Then we went into the clouds and the sun was still visible, except that it was now through a haze of white, like a thin veil. It is difficult to find the words of how beautiful this all was without sounding cheezy. When we finally came out from the clouds, closer still to the ground, I watched the sun be swallowed by a darkening horizon and the sky tint itself of various colours of the rainbow... *sigh* It was amazing. And that is when I realized that I really am where I want to be at the moment.

And upon that reflection, it is time for me to shut up and nap... because I really need it! ^_^

In which AC called

Before I elaborate, I just wish to say that I had a wonderful weekend. I studied hard and arduously (no, really! I studied airport codes until I could no longer speak: drilling myself with flash-cards and all!), but I still had fun.

Indeed, I went to China Town on Saturday... we had Mongolian hot-pot. It was really good! Loads of squiggly squid! XD And I also made some small purchases which I had wanted to do for a while... Shiro and Kuro (two Monokuroo boo pigs - a black one and a white one - that are on a round throw pillow simply too cute to resist) and Moka (a big black Mokona that is always smiling and insanely cute!). I will have to post pictures of them at some point, as I am sure many of you think all this was Chinese (it was Japanese, just so you know! ;-P )

Anyways...

YXY (Whitehorse), ORD (Chicago), MCI (Kansas City), FCO (Rome), PVG (Shanghai), etc... Overall, I believe I know about 70 airport codes by heart now, as well as airline codes. Because I so got the job! Yes! I am, at last, working for Air Canada! I joined the family trade.

Unfortunately, I am not with in-flight. That is to say, I am not a flight attendant. *sigh* I wish I was... their uniforms are wonderful! But I think that I will apply again (and achieve my goal) next summer, after I have finished my bachelors. It will be much easier to concentrate on being a flight attendant then. I really want to do it. I went to try on uniforms today and I went by the in-flight training center and I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS!!

Until then, I will be a CSSA. Customer Sales and Service Agent at the Montreal Trudeau airport. That is to say that I will be working check-in, baggage tags, kiosks, special needs passengers, etc. Unfortunately, I will no get to do gates, as this is a privilege only permanent employees have at the moment. They seem to believe that if temporary agents learn to work gates, then their jobs will be threatened... which is nonsense really... considering we summer temps are there to allow the perms to go on vacation... *sigh* It puzzles me sometimes...

Alas, as a temp, I do not get to wear the full uniform. Anything with an Air Canada crest is not allowed, as we do not have to pay for our uniforms at all. We get two bottoms and four tops from Air Canada, of our choice, so long as they do not bear a crest. So I picked skirt, a trouser, three blouses and a shell. I think that will do nicely.

As for work - I love it! So far, I am still in training. I have classes every day (from 7 to 3, but I have to get up at 4 a.m. to make it on time!) to learn about policies, security and computer programms... However, I also have half-an-hour of on-the-floor observation every day! I am looking forward to being on the floor! As of June 30th, we will be starting O.J.T. (on the job training)... I cannot wait! I am really excited!! *squee!*

Anyways - the people are really nice in my class. I met a girl, who almost did become a flight attendant, but who had to leave training because of a height requirement. Poor thing! She would have been a great flight attendant too! But she is really nice! I really appreciate her! The others are really awesome too! One girl actually studied opera at the same school as Michael and is currently in a show with the choreographer of the McGill Savoy Society!!! Small world!

I am really, really enjoying work. Everyone at Air Canada recognizes me as my mother's daughter. I got really funny comments about it. Others see my last name and know I am related to my infamous father (who liked to be the bratty one at the airport during his career here). And, today, we got a speech from the union, which means that the union V.P., my dad's girlfriend, visited our class. It was hilarious!

All this to say: I love my new job! I would love in-flight even more... I can feel it, but, until I am finished with school, this temp CSSA position is ideal!

And Michael went out to find a job today! Cross your fingers: hopefully he gets it!

I am looking forward to seeing you come to my airport counter soon!

Cheers!

P.S. If am not posting as frequently, it is because it is hard to post when you are tired after work (yesterday I was kaputt!)

In which Naria succeeded in finding work!!

I am so sorry blog! I did not mean to neglect you as I did! But I am finally done with all the work on the new apartment and, seeing as I have found a job, I am sure I will have plenty to blog about in the next few days... months... until the end of the summer...

So what kind of work did I find? Well, after a gruelling interview that went almost too well for me (I tend to NOT think of it as a good sign when I socialize with the interviewer... usually that means death for me...), I scored in finding work. A week after my interview I get a call from Air Canada, offering me a full-time temporary post as Customer Sales and Service Agent at the Montreal Trudeau airport! YAY ME!! I cannot believe I finally made it into the family trade! My dad worked with AC for 33 (or was it 36?) years, my mum is still working for that lovely airline as a grooming manager and my dad's girlfriend is an active member of the union and also a Customer Service Agent at the airport (yay! that means I get to work with my dad's girl friend! lol). Not to mention that my aunt in Germany works for the Lufthansa and has been working for them for years (she is a purser and team manager for the Indian flight attendants). So, how cool is that? I am following in the "family trade" and I predict loads of travels ahead (there really are great benefits to working in an Airline...). I am looking forward to having a uniform! (I miss uniforms, ever since I have been out of high school... that's what six years of wearing a plaid skirt can do to you! XD )

Anyways - so I am no longer without a job! I cannot wait to start with Air Canada! There is one last step for me to go through and that is a written test. I have to study a guide that was sent to me and take a test on Monday at 7 a.m. If I pass the test, then I start training. Otherwise, I can say goodbye to this excellent job offer. However, I believe that I can pass that test - considering I have never failed a subject before. HUZZAH!! (Don't get me wrong: thinking about the test still gives me the creeps... like with every bloody exam I have ever had to take!)

In other news, modeling is really starting to pay off for me. I have been contacted by a few photographers who are willing to pay for shoots and I have also joined an agency that works for magazines. With any luck, my career in show-bizz is taking off!

I am also filled with new costume ideas. I have missed Anime North, but that does not mean I have to miss Otakuthon in August. I have promised my friend that I would be there anyway, so I have to come up with a great cosplay to dazzle her and others. Air Canada being full time and paying well, I can actually buy fabric now! YAY!! I have so many ideas for costumes: from original characters to characters I have always wanted to cosplay... *sigh* so many things and so little time!

In yet some other news, I have accidentally spilled some dark red nail polish on a white shirt of mine that I really like. That stuff is IMPOSSIBLE to get out!!! I am getting really frustrated about it, because the flecks of red are really tiny, but the top is of such a pure white that they are still really obvious. It makes me look like I was near an accident site and some blood spray hit me. And, so far, no amount of bleach has gotten the stuff out! And believe me, I have dropped BUCKETS of bleach on the spots (the shirt cannot be any whiter than it is, so I am hoping the bleach will affect the nail polish stains). So far, the stains are still as red as ever. If anyone knows a trick to get rid of nail polish stains, please tell me! I am getting really annoyed by this! Thank you!

Last but not least, I had loads of fun last Friday. My parents (both set of 'em) came over to visit the apartment, along with the family of my new roommate, Vanessa. Michael's parents could not make it, unfortunately. Anyways, I baked a yummy cake and we had a wonderful dinner. After everyone left (so at around midnight), Vanessa and I got dressed in a sexy schoolgirl get-up and went out to Club Sin, a cool little fetish party in downtown Montreal. It was really fun: I got my picture taken A LOT! It was a pleasant surprise and really flattering to be asked by professional photographers if they could get a shot of me *vain hair toss* lol I am looking forward to next month's party.

Oh, and one last thing. (I keep adding stuff, don't I? I am so sorry!) Michael and I HAVE to do something for our anniversary. We have been together for a full year! Huzzah!! And living together has not killed our love either! Even more huzzah! Our anniversary is already long passed, but we did not have any money to spend, so we decided to wait in order to celebrate. But our landlord just gave us back some money today, so I think it's time for Mike and I to go out... maybe see a movie, as it is cheepy Tuesday... So I am going to stop typing and get ready for a nice outing. Happy (very, very belated) anniversary to Michael and myself!! *party streamers fly*

Chapter 15 - In which there is a funny dream, essays and lack of sleep

HI!!! HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!!!
(... I didn't just write that, did I? Hold on... yes... I did.)

Okay, so I had this ueber wacky dream last night. I swear, it sort of made me giggle in my sleep it was so odd! The funniest bit was that I was utterly convinced it was reality until I woke up in bed! And now you're all thinking: "get to the point, you silly girl who writes too much" so I shall indulge you.

In my dream, I was dating Michael like I am now... Except that I was in high school. My high school. My beloved, uniform-wearing Academy, where I hated the guts of three-quarter of the students for a period of six years. Anyhow... I was sitting at a table in the school cafeteria (THE school cafeteria, line with windows on either side, looking out on the playing field, the place that was a former dance studio...). I was wearing the dark green plaid skirt, the pale-blue oxford shirt and the ugly navy polyester cardigan. Even my hair was short, like back in the old days! Odd thing was that Michael was there with me. In high school. Dating me.

Now, this may not strike anyone as odd... yet. The thing was, in my dream, Michael's ex showed up. Not his real ex. Some nondescript, bland and boring brunette, the type of girl I used to hate in high school; the type of girl whose name you're not likely to remember... that was his girlfriend in this dream. She was just another typical high school girl that my imagination fashioned for the sake of the dream. Anyways, she was also a student at the Academy, for she was wearing the same uniform, though she was wearing it in the way that I used to consider "pompous and slutty".

Here comes the funny part. The ex-girlfriend sat down at the table with both of us, looking incredibly moody and in a huff. She started bad mouthing me about how I stole her boyfriend, etc. For some reason, Michael was very porcelain-doll-like in this dream: he just sat there, smiling an empty smile, not noticing anyone and unaware that two girls were fighting over his affections. Michael, if you read this, it's nothing against you: I think you were just... an accessory to the dream - like a very, very minor character. (I'm sorry!)

But back to the foul-mouthed ex. So she started ranting about me and insulting me and calling me names. I started to get really tired of her and it could potentially have degenerated into a cat fight. Not the case. Exasperated, I opened the little knapsack I had with me (now this is REALLY weird because it was so... well, SMALL! I usually always carry around an oversized heavy schoolbag!). I started rummaging inside the little bag to see if I could find anything that would shut her up (because whatever was in the knapsack was the obvious solution). I was mostly thinking about throwing something at her head. But the only things inside the bag were a pen and a flyer add for a "Miss Sixty" razor (WTF?? seriously!).

So I looked up at the girl and I smiled my nicest smile. I cut accross her ramblings and said: "I feel like acting sixty!" (which seemed a perfectly normal thing to say at the time) The girl cringed with dread when I pulled out the pen and the paper... but I just started scribbling down notes, completely unrelated to the situation, blissfully ignoring her... Because scribbles are the obvious solution against people who bad-mouth you...??? *puzzled look* And still, I was quite CONVINCED that this was reality. This seemed like a perfectly natural reaction to the situation. In the dream, I felt quite proud of my coolness and how I had handled the situation.

And then I woke up. Turns out I had onlly been dozing for a grand total of... 10 minutes. *sigh*

Oh, and as for going to Ottawa today - scratch taht. No; it's not because Ottawa is tiny and too far away to be appealing to me at six in the bloody morning that I didn't go. This morning, I recieved a phone call from my mum. She's really ill and has a bad fever. I will admit I'm a little concerned and I hope she gets better soon! Anyways, she can't go through with the two hour drive to Ottawa. It's not worth getting into a car accident for the sake of a bleeding passport (for those who didn't know: I need to get to Ottawa to get my passport renewed... fun times!)

In other news... I still haven't bought my fabric for the Erica Fontaine costume. I soooo want to work on the costume, but I am sooooo broke! It makes me very sad.

And as for essays... one of them is FINALLY done!! Three more essays to go! Two for Anime class (I'll be writing one about the use of genre in Slayers Next and one about the use of media/communication/technology in Gundam Seed), and another one for Victorian Lit. The Victorian Lit topics are so boring that I won't bother writing them down, else your brains will go to mush, dear readers - like mine did upon reading the topic. On top of the essays, I still have four exams and one 12 minute Japanese skit to go through. Then my semester will be over at last. *SIGH* I can't wait. It seems soooo loooooong! *cries* Needless to say, I'm tired of this semester: it's been a really crappy one and it's time for some vacation!

Speaking of vacation... I am FINALLY going back to Germany! We are planning the trip and it turns out that it is actually happening!!Michael and I will be leaving on April 30th and returning toward the middle of May! It will be great!!

And Michael will be RETURNING to Germany in August (lucky bastard)!! He got into a really cool summer programme in Weimar, Germany, where he score a lead role for the Mozart Opera, Cosi Fan Tutte. Not only that, he even got himself a good scholarship for it!! HUZZAH, MICHAEL!! I am really proud of him: the programme people obviously really want him!

Okay. Enough type now. Back to bed for me. Why? Because it's 5:30 in the freakin' morning and I barely slept (I couldn't sleep at all... fell into the weird dream doze around 4:00-ish). So I'm going to crash into bed and screw the rules of attendance policies - if I miss class, NOT my fault. Blame my brain for keeping me awake all night.

My typing is getting ridiculous. Get off the computer, Naria! GO TO BED!

Good day to all!

Chapter 8 - In which success has been achieved

Despite all my complaining, things are going well!! :D

I HAVE FINALLY SUCCEEDED COMPLETING MY MEDIEVAL GOWN!!! ADORE ME, FOR I AM AWESOME!! (no, really, I am!)


Front view of the dress, there is a red underskirt... I won't post the back view, as it's sort of boring. You can check out my facebook if you like.

So, I might add a trim or two to the neckline and the sleeve edges if I find a trim that pleases me. Also, I wanted to add fur trim to the bottom of the dress, but unfortunately I couldn't find a faux-fur that suited my taste (they only had fake leopard... and God knows that in the early 15th century, they had not the slightest clue of what a leopard might look like). I am super picky. Preferably, I'd have trimed it with real fur (rabbit - it's okay because people eat them, so I don't need to feel too bad): but, as a broke student, I don't exactly have the means to buy real fur. Result: no fur at all, at the moment. That can always be subject to change! :P

So, my dress is complete. I'm really happy with it, as I finished it in about three days, with only very minor swearing. It's also the first time I've ever worked with grommets. I feel good about myself. Success at sewing feels VERY rewarding.

Now, where to wear this? I really want to wear it to Casa Loma Renaissance Faire in Toronto, because Michael keeps talking about it and it sounds fun. I'd prefer wearing it to a Faire in Germany, but, alas! Germany is not for me this year. Once again, I'll be stuck working all summer *sigh*... and I was soooo looking forward to it too! *pout*

Anyways, I'm starting to not feel so desperate about my sewing skills anymore. It's fun. But I still need a serger!! Desperately!!!

And, with that said, my next project will be... an early Elizabethan gown!! Yay me and complex projects!!! :D
..... No, I'm not crazy! Why would you think that?