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Monday, July 30th, 2007
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3:06 pm
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Chat with J. K. Rowling is going on right now at www.bloomsbury.com
♥
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| Tuesday, July 24th, 2007
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11:07 am - The obligatory Deathly Hallows reactions post
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I finished reading the book last night and I spent the whole morning reading my friends page, which I have been avoiding for about a week. I know that all of you have read hundreds of posts like this one by now, but if you're interested in reading another one, it's behind the cut...
( Spoilers for DH, of course )
current mood:  happy and tired
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| Tuesday, June 19th, 2007
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2:38 pm - Um... hi.
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| Thursday, February 8th, 2007
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10:08 am - My visitor map, and a brief "hi, I'm still here"
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Create your own visitor map!
I just wanted all of you to know that I'm still here, reading my friends page, but I rarely feel like writing anything. I expect this to change when I get used to my job and my new home (see my previous entry, http://agatha-s.livejournal.com/126948.html ) Then I'll be back, posting memes as usual and defending JKR's right to write whatever she wants to, as usual...
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| Friday, January 12th, 2007
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6:47 pm - Hi, I'm still alive
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Many thanks to ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) connielane, vanityfair00, mananeh, maple_clef, sheryll and dipsas for the lovely Christmas cards you have sent me! And I apologise to everyone for having sent my cards so late -- there must be some of you who haven't even received them yet.
I've been busy in RL - busy, but also happy. The year 2006. has been a very good one for me. More about that in a locked post...
I don't think I've ever been away from LJ for such a long time. I hope everyone is all right!
current mood:  tired
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| Monday, December 11th, 2006
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12:25 pm
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From many people on my friends list:
( my xmas stocking )
I got my first Christmas card a few days ago. Thank you, melandry!
Last call for Christmas cards: please visit this post if you'd like a card from me or if you'd like me to send you one!
current music: Sinead O'Connor - Perfect Indian
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| Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
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10:03 pm - :)
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I've been working a lot and under stress during the last month and I haven't had much time for my friends. Today this friendless period was finally officially over: I met three of my friends in the afternoon to see an art exhibition, then we spent some time at the Christmas market on the main town square, buying books and old-fashioned candy. Then we went to a café and had some hot cocoa and conversations about the meaning of life, and after that we went to a small art cinema to see a Czech romantic comedy.
Decision for 2007: have more days like this one.
(If you'd like a holiday card from me, or if you would like to send me one, please visit this post! )
current mood:  happy
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| Saturday, December 2nd, 2006
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7:36 pm - The return of the holiday card offer
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I started my Christmas shopping today. It felt so good to see Christmas decorations in town and shop for cute little things like chocolate-scented candles.
I don't have much to write about, but I just wanted to repeat my holiday card offer once again. I'm probably going to post them next week.
If you'd like me to send you a holiday card, please leave a comment and tell me which holiday you celebrate. If I don't have your address, post it here.
If you'd like to send me a card, my address is here and I celebrate Christmas and New Year.
(Feel free to ask for a card regardless of whether you are going to send me one--I really love writing and sending holiday cards.)
current mood:  contemplative
current music: Roxette - It Must Have Been Love
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| Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
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10:36 am - Difficult decisions
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I was buying some chocolate yesterday and I saw a boy, around ten years old, looking at the shelves with chocolates and sweets. He looked very worried; he was holding a pencil in his mouth and biting into it nervously, and walking from one end of the sweets shelf to the other and back again. There were three other boys standing near the exit to the shop, and they kept calling to him to hurry up. But the boy just told them, in a completely serious voice:
"This is the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my life."
Actually, this story isn't very funny now that I've written it down. It was so funny when it happened.
I also bought a box of the prettiest Christmas cards I could find -- pretty according to my taste, which means kitschy in an old-fashioned and very Christmassy way. I usually make my own Christmas cards, but I think I won't have time for that this year.
If you'd like me to send you a holiday card and/or to send me a card, please visit this post.
current mood: Christmassy
current music: Emiliana Torrini - Serenade
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| Sunday, November 26th, 2006
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8:38 am - Azkaban
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The picture of Azkaban prison from the OOTP film on Mugglenet confused me so much when I first saw it. I thought it looked like a half-open book climbing out of a well.
Then I realised that the "well" was really a waterfall, but I still think the building looks like a book. And it's holding its arm on the edge of the well waterfall.
***
If you would like a Christmas card from me and/or if you would like to send me one, please visit this post.
current mood: sleepy
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| Thursday, November 23rd, 2006
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7:55 pm - Holiday cards
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It's been a long time since I updated my journal. I'm alive and well, I've just been busy, which feels good for a change.
Who would like a Christmas, Hannukah, New Year or Solstice card from me? I love sending and receiving cards, and I'll send a card to everyone on my friends list who wants one. Leave a comment in this post with your address and tell me which holiday you celebrate. If I already have your address, just tell me you'd like a card. All comments will be screened by default and I'll unscreen only those that don't contain addresses.
If you'd like to send me a card, my address is in a friends-locked entry here. (Christmas and New Year, please!)
***
A quote from today's spam:
I had some kind of fever, sore throat and headache. I want to talk with people from GCI; living in a new town can and has been discouraging and frustrating, especially in adjusting to a new troupe.
Or more accurately the police station and the High School. a classic fight between the Federation and their then-nemesis, the Klingons, which ended with a pie fight.
You gain points for posting and lose points with the passage of time. You gain points for posting and lose points with the passage of time. And my toes fell off.
current mood:  how would you feel if your toes fell off?
current music: Styx - Boat On The River
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| Monday, November 13th, 2006
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9:58 am - Reading unsuggestions
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| Wednesday, November 8th, 2006
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10:21 am - Am I losing my mind?
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I had to look up a person's address on the Internet, and I looked in my handbag instead. 
P.S. Congratulations to NaNoWriMo-participating friends on their good results. And congratulations to American friends on the election results.
current mood:  absentminded
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| Sunday, November 5th, 2006
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4:18 pm
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| Monday, October 30th, 2006
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4:20 pm - SHUT THE **** UP, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS!
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I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo this year, but I'm reading the forums because I love the enthusiasm of the participants. The Character and Plot Realism Q&A forum has always been my favourite, because I love reading questions like these and imagining what these people are writing about:
- could you partially skin someone with a vegetable peeler?
- Any possible way you could grow marijuana on a roof?
- How to get a rabid duck and a llama onto a plane.
- Could India Blow up London?
- Can you eat a monkey?
- List all the ways someone can be murdered by eggs.
- How do you kill yourself in a hotel room with limited supplies?
- How does one go about starting World War III?
- do pandas like cheesecake?
- How do you stop a barbarian horde?
- If you're yelling at a prince, what's the proper mode of address?
I think the last one is my favourite. 
current mood: amused
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| Friday, October 20th, 2006
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3:54 pm
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A friend sent me a Power Point slide show with a silly (but effective) prank yesterday. Although he warned me in his e-mail that it was scary, I almost fell off of my chair while watching it, and so did the other friends he sent it to. If anyone else wants to be scared, I have uploaded it here:
Red Dot
(Watch with sound on!)
***
It's a cold and grey autumn day... but I'm going to be in Cairo tomorrow afternoon. I still can't believe it's true.
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| Friday, October 13th, 2006
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2:07 pm - Please don't kill the sailors!
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Today is Friday the 13th, so I thought it would be interesting to fly on my broomstick to a crossroads at midnight talk about superstition.
What is the most interesting superstition you ever heard of? (It doesn't matter whether it's a widespread superstition in your country or something obscure, the important thing is that someone somewhere believes in it.)
My favourite one:
Whenever someone uses the flame of a candle to light a cigarette, a sailor dies somewhere.
I have no idea if this belief exists all over the world or just in my country, but I love it. It's weird and mysterious and sounds like a good basis for a fantasy or horror story.
I brought up the subject of superstitions at FAP three years ago (continued here) and got many interesting answers, and I hope to get some more now. So, tell me about some interesting superstitions!
P.S. MALE VEELA? STILL NO SUCH THING!
current mood:  witchy
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| Tuesday, October 10th, 2006
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2:41 pm - "You have lots of dandruff."
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- I have defriended some journals which haven't been active for several months. I do this from time to time just to keep track about how many people I really have on my friends list. If I've defriended you and you're still around, comment and I'll add you back.
- Two days ago my friends and I were served coffee by the rudest waiter I have ever seen. I think he might be the rudest waiter in the universe. When he approached our table to bring us the glasses of water normally served with coffee, he said (and I'm not at all exaggerating): "Will you f***ing let me pass so that I can put this f***ing water on the table? The f***ing water is on the house. The f***ing coffee can be on the house too, I just can't f***ing do it all at once." (The water being on the house was an attempt at humour by the rude waiter, because the water he brought us was tap water so it was free anyway.) When we were paying, we were tempted to leave the money on the table with a note saying "Here is your f***ing money."
- I was reading an Arabic phrasebook to try and learn a few phrases before my journey to Egypt (I like to be able to say at least hello, goodbye, please and thank you in the language of the country I'm in. It would all be much simpler if I belonged to the same school of manners as the rude waiter: then I would only need to know the word fuck in all languages. ) Anyway, I love the fact that the phrasebook includes the phrase "You have lots of dandruff." It would be so great if the need for that sentence came up in a conversation.
- THERE IS STILL NO SUCH THING AS A MALE VEELA.
current mood:  okay
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| Wednesday, October 4th, 2006
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1:18 pm - Our Lady of Guadalupe is in your inbox, monitoring your attachments!
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I have just received a chain e-mail from an otherwise sane, smart and well-educated person. In the forwarded attachment there was a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe and this text:
Before I begin, let me say that the Virgen de Guadalupe is miraculous; she accompanies you at all time.
This letter must continue its journey around the world... The President of Argentina received this letter and called it "junk mail", 8 days later his son died. A man received this letter and immediately sent out copies...his surprise was winning the lottery.
Alberto Martinez received this letter, gave it to his secretary to make copies but they forgot to distribute: she lost her job and he lost his family.
This letter is miraculous and sacred, don't forget to forward this within 13 days to at least 20 people.
I simply can't find words to express my amusement with the idea of the Virgin Mary monitoring e-mail and punishing people for deleting an attachment. *deletes the attachment*
***
On a completely unrelated note, I saw a beautiful rainbow outside a while ago. I wish I had had a camera nearby.
current mood: amused
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8:21 am - Grrr
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THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MALE VEELA!
current mood:  capslocked
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| Sunday, October 1st, 2006
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10:51 am
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It seems that today is International Vegetarian Day. At least that's what I've heard. I found only a few references to Vegetarian Day when I Googled it. But I'm a vegetarian and I like holidays regardless of whether they actually exist or not, so...
Happy Vegetarian Day!
Are there any other vegetarians on my friends list?
current mood: tired
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| Wednesday, September 20th, 2006
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10:16 am - The chambermaid and the wax candle (reading classics with a dirty mind)
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I'm enjoying W. M. Thackeray's Vanity Fair a lot and I love Becky Sharp.
I really didn't expect I would like her so much. I like to side with good characters. I have "the good guys" listed as an interest. In Harry Potter I like and respect every member of the Order of the Phoenix (however eccentric and badly dressed they may be) more than any Death Eater (although the DE might have lovely manners and order all their food from Italy and France.*) I love Snape because I believe that he's a dirty and unpleasant good guy, not because I believe he's an aristocratic and graceful bad guy. In The Phantom of the Opera I like Raoul better than the Phantom, because no matter how attractive his misunderstood-tragic-goth-hero style might be, the Phantom is a murderer.
But I just have to love Becky Sharp. The author has left me no other choice. There seem to be no good characters to love, absolutely everyone is selfish and shallow, and the only thing that sets Becky apart from the others is that she has to work hard on overcoming the disadvantage she had at the start.
~~
Oh, and another thing about Vanity Fair:
[...]suppose we had resorted to the entirely low, and described what was going on in Mr. Sedley’s kitchen;—how black Sambo was in love with the cook (as indeed he was), and how he fought a battle with the coachman in her behalf; how the knife-boy was caught stealing a cold shoulder of mutton, and Miss Sedley’s new femme de chambre refused to go to bed without a wax candle; such incidents might be made to provoke much delightful laughter, and be supposed to represent scenes of “life.”
... I wasn't supposed to read this with a dirty mind, was I?** But the author himself talked about resorting to the entirely low, and I had to stop and wonder why the chambermaid going to bed with a wax candle was an incident meant to provoke delightful laughter.
*I'm not making up this particular bit of fanon, although I am taking it slightly out of context.
**Also, I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to see Jos Sedley/Archbishop of Canterbury mpreg in this sentence: He adored that girl who had just gone out; he had broken her heart, he knew he had, by his conduct; he would marry her next morning at St. George’s, Hanover Square; he’d knock up the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth: he would, by Jove! and have him in readiness; [...]
current mood:  embarrassed
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| Tuesday, September 19th, 2006
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8:21 am - Avast, me beauties!
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Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Until I read the Wikipedia article on this holiday I didn't know that it was popularised by Dave Barry in a 2002. column. Another reason to love Dave Barry!
A quote from the column:
To help promote this important cause, I have decided to seek the endorsement of famous celebrities, and I am pleased to report that, as of today, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Britney Spears, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, the Osbournes, Tiger Woods, Ted Koppel, the Sopranos, Puff Doody and the late Elvis Presley are all people who I hope will read this column and become big supporters. I see no need to recruit President Bush, because he already talks like a pirate, as we can see from this transcript of a recent White House press conference:
REPORTER: Could you please explain either your foreign or your domestic policy?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Arrrrr.
*
ETA: I've just noticed something very cute. The little symbol in front of lj usernames is wearing a little eyepatch, like this: agatha_s :)
current mood: amused
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| Friday, September 15th, 2006
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5:47 pm - Happy birthday, Queen of Crime!
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- I would have missed this if it wasn't for
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) agathachristie: today is Agatha Christie's birthday! ♥
- A linguistics quiz stolen from fernwithy: Apparently, I'm probably a Linguistics or Anthropology Professor and I'm one of the gems of any society.
( No, really! )
- I'm going to be the fortune teller at a Renaissance Fair tomorrow again (I've done that three times so far) and I don't feel very enthusiastic -- the weather is not very good, so there probably won't be that many people there. Still, I'm going to see my friends, listen to musicians,
scare some people and make some money.
current mood:  good
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| Wednesday, September 13th, 2006
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6:24 pm - Not Slytherin
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J. K. Rowling has updated her site with a new journal entry, news and a "never asked question". (She just says what the question is, without answering it, and makes a joke at her own expense saying that this isn't a Mark Evans situation. )
***
Thanks for sorting me! The last time I asked my friends list to do this I turned out to be a Gryffindor, now I'm a Ravenclaw, but I think it's now scientifically proven that I don't have a trace of Slytherin in me.
***
Currently reading: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. (It's a little early to say that I like it so far because I've only started reading it, but I have a feeling I'm going to love it.)
current mood: okay
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cheerful, has eyebrow