photo diary: leaky con day 3

The last day (that I got to attend), I was Molly Weasley.  This is probably one of the most comfortable outfits I have ever worn.  So comfortable that I almost fell asleep against a wall multiple times while waiting in line for Starkid seats.  Conventions are tiring, guys.  Also, people are nice there,  because even after my embarrassing sleepy antics, I still made a friend in line.  Anyway, I knitted the bag with the needles I have in my hair.  It had to be done.  

My FAVORITE THING EVER happened that morning.  It was a panel with the graphic design team MinaLima that worked on the Harry Potter films.  Let me just say, this was 100% Kaylie bliss.  My love of Harry Potter and typography combined for a two hour panel?  BLISS.  And now the internet knows the extent of my nerdom.  I'm okay with this.  The above photo is one of MANY I took.  I was so tickled by their hilarious filler text.  They had to fill entire Daily Prophets, Quibblers, Ministry of Magic pamphlets, and BOOKS with headlines and graphics even if they were never seen on camera.  Incredible.  It was so intriguing seeing all their design inspiration too.  I was SO HAPPY.

For the first time ever, I did the whole autograph thing!  It was fun, I was awkward, and now my Leaky Con bag has fancy signatures on it!

I tried to suggest Tea Chai Te to Laura Spencer when she gave me this adorable ribbon, but I probably just muttered something under my breath...  No, it wasn't THAT bad.  She was really sweet though.  Everything went so fast, but I'm fairly certain that one of the girls complimented my hair, and a couple people liked my costume.  Who knows, man.  I'm new at this.  I was flustered.

After finally getting into the mainstage after nearly falling asleep in the line, we got seats for Starkid.  But first, there was a dance off which a baby Voldemort won, and some record-breaking mustache-wearing.

It was determined by Kenzie and Ted that I looked rather like a rabbit while wearing a mustache.

STARKID STARKID STARKID.

It was beautiful.

The last event of the day (and last overall for me) was the charity ball (or as I would like to call it, THE YULE BALL).  It was pretty brilliant, because it was basically nerd prom.  Picture a dance where you know that even though everyone is dancing to dumb radio dance music, they all share a mutual love of nerdy things such as Harry Potter.  It's a pretty wonderful feeling, let me tell you.  Ted rocked his Gryffindor bowtie, and I wore my Ravenclaw necklace.  The best.

I'm so happy I got to experience Leaky Con in Portland this summer.  It was a magical experience.  It really makes you proud to be a nerd when you see so many different people bonding over something they love.  It was also nice to be able to see so many people visiting Portland and actually feeling like a local.  Of course the rain stopped for the convention that we were inside for all hours of every day.  Oh well.  I'll be back there in a few weeks (to start living in The Burrow--yes, we're a Harry Potter friendly household), and hopefully the weather will be sunny and cool, unlike here in Arizona, which is sunny and hot, hot, hot.

photo diary: leaky con day 1 & 2

So much nerdy fun went down at Leaky.  I will try to condense it into two semi-brief posts.  

Leaky kicked off with an opening ceremony that was GAHHHHH.  It was brilliant.  It was goofy and filled with fandom humor, and ended with ANTHONY RAPP SINGING LA VIE BOHEME FANDOM-THEMED WITH STARKID, LBD CAST, EVERYONE.  I've only seen Rent one and a half times, and for me it was beyond wonderful.  For someone like Ted who is a big Rent fan, it was pure bliss.  

Ted and I are a proud inter-house couple.

....I'm including this picture because my hair is workin' it.

This is Snape with me, Kenzie, Ted, and his visiting friends.  Lily (this man's real-life wife) took our picture.  (Yes, I know.  I know.)

The second day I wore my Fawkes the phoenix costume.  Ted was a very handsome Neville (in this outfit, specifically).  I was surprisingly asked by multiple people if they could take a picture of me.  One person demanded some flight action, like this:

I tried.

 I decided to go to the LBD panel solo, which I took a crummy picture of (Ted took all the nice non-iphone photos contained in these two posts). I conveniently binge-watched The Lizzie Bennet Diaries before Leaky and absolutely loved it.  I'm really happy I kind of dove into a new fandom before Leaky because it made things even more magical for me.  The series was so fresh in my mind and I was pretty close to the stage because I was alone, so it was kind of shocking to see the actors like that.  I've never been to a con before, and it was a great first panel to go to!

Snape answering questions.  Ted and I were laughing and crying the whole time.  A bit before this, we went to the Joe Moses One-Man Showes, which was pretty hilarious.

The actors who played "Young Lily," Pansy Parkinson, and Seamus Finnigan had a panel.  It was quite entertaining, especially Devon Murray. He shared stories about how he went into his audition thinking the director was Harry Potter, how Robbie Coltrane tricked him into putting band-aids all over his face, how he, like his character, has a tendency to accidentally blow things up (like two microwaves), and how Rupert Grint put spy cameras in Emma Watson's room, "but not in a creepy way!"  Just a hoot.

After an intense, two-hour team quiz, the big wizard wrock concert started.  We saw Hank Green perform, which of course was beautifully nerdy.  Whatta cutie.

The night closed with Harry & the Potters, who I've seen once before in Phoenix!  It was lovely to share the magical experience with Ted, who had never seen them before.

As a souvenir, I bought this adorable print at the exhibit hall.  It seemed appropriate.  The illustrator was so sweet.  You should check out her lovely art here.  Ted is practically planning to buy her out and furnish his future home with her work.  We're a good match, I'd say.

More about Leaky soon!

today i am thankful for...harry potter club

Tonight we watched the first act of AVery Potter Musical in one of the small auditoriums.  Life is good.

this is the look of "I was up until 3 AM writing a six page essay"

Except, it wasn't that bad.  I planned on spending my entire weekend being lame and only leaving my study coma for the One Acts, but like most plans, they were completely changed.  I found out that the One Acts were all performed together each night, so I bought tickets for Saturday night.  Well, so much for that.

On Friday night, I went to the DRAG SHOW, which was SO GREAT.  I know I shouldn't be surprised at the turn out and participation, but coming from a conservative community, I couldn't help but be awed by how awesome people are here.  Gotta love LC!  

After the show, we ended up going to the One Acts at 10, which WERE SO GOOD.  I loved seeing all the random things I helped out with and saw around the shop in action.  I laughed, I cried, I got warm fuzzies.  Suffice to say, I was impressed.  After spending the rest of the night talking and Pottermore-ing (SO HAPPY I HAVE HARRY POTTER FRIENDS, YOU GUYZ), I finally went to sleep around 2:30.  

Saturday was spent at "the bins" which is where the rejected rejects of Goodwill go to be put haphazardly into huge bins.  So basically, the most awesome disgusting place you will ever go.  I got a wonderful vintage wool sweater and a red skirt.  In fact, I am currently wearing the red pleated knit skirt I got there/already washed twice with my Harry & the Potters t-shirt.  Success!  After dinner, I went into full paper-writing mode.  Can I point out a few things?

• I finished the paper before I went to bed, just like the angry note I wrote myself in all caps, underlining, and explanation points told me to.
• I didn't go on Facebook AT ALL.  
• I didn't get distracted by all that the magical internet has to offer AT ALL
• At one point, I managed to work while Tropic Thunder was on, excessive cursing and explosions included
• I FINISHED IT I FINISHED IT I FINISHED IT

Now, I am about to head somewhere to start my OTHER paper--the paper due either this Tuesday or the Tuesday after break.  Since I plan on sleeping and baking my Fall break away, I find this paper necessary to ANNIHILATE, DESTROY, FINISHHHHH.  Plus, I have this to motivate me to finish it tonight:

THE CLUB THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED!  You better believe it.

on my mind

I think the Facebook app "Top Words" (it calculates your most commonly used words in your status updates) sums up the contents of my brain now perfectly.

1. life - used 37 times
2. good - used 30 times
3. happy - used 30 times
4. love - used 29 times
5. yearbook - used 22 times
6. harry - used 17 times
7. glee - used 15 times
8. christmas - used 14 times
9. why - used 14 times
10. potter - used 14 times

Life is good.  Life is also confusing, frustrating, annoying, and sometimes just crazy.  But mostly it's freakin' awesome.  Especially when I get to see my Izzerton.

Good thing I realized what I wanted to do with my life before college began.  That in itself is so relieving and comforting.  I love having a distinct visualization of the goal I am working towards.

Happy Saturday!  I decided that college-wise, Saturdays are my favorite.  I love going downtown for the day. Especially when it involves...

AN AWESOME BOULANGERIE!

It had oodles of breads, desserts, pastries, and arguably my favorite thing in the world, MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SANDWICHES!  Actually, this one had fancy olives too.  It was tres delicieux.

This is the sandwich, half eaten.

We originally set out to find Trader Joe's, but instead we found Food Front, which was pretty nice and had some of my favorite magazines (Martha Stewart Living, Dwell, Bon Appetit, etc.) including McSweeney's, which I had never seen in the flesh before.

Also, FINGER PUPPETS!

And this is just the slightly terrifying Portlandia statue on top of a building.

 Love Portland.  More and more each day.  I am enamoured with the green & DIY scene.  (Hey, I can rhyme!)

A blurry picture of me NOT in my natural habitat.  This was a trail that Siri and I used a couple of weekends ago to walk to the grocery store near campus.  TO THE GROCERY STORE, GUYS!

My favorite bench for reading and studying.  So. Green.  Just don't wear bright red tights or bees will come to say hi. (True story.)

Yearbook, I miss you so.  Is it lame that I explained the theme of the 2011 book to my friends at dinner tonight?  DON'T EVEN CARE.  I miss it.  So very thankful I have something creative to be a part of here (costume shop), or I would be so very empty.

Harry Potter references.  All day long.  Thank goodness I have friends here that tolerate it and sometimes encourage it.  

Let's just pretend the Manor House is Hogwarts, okay?

GLEE!!!!! It's on my mind 24/7 now that it is back.  Yesterday I received season 2 on DVD in the mail!  It was a delightful surprise.  Thank you, Grandma!

P.S. Amy sent me that cute crane in a lovely package.

Christmas is just around the corner!  I am extremely EXCITED.  I thouroughly enjoyed watching the Glee Christmas episode last night before I went to sleep.  Christmas songs are my drug.  I can't wait to overdose the moment it strikes midnight after Thanksgiving.  Also, the Christmas Glee episode is the happiest situation ever.

LOOK AT THE KLAINE!  Maggie and I give you full permission to watch this even though it's not Christmas song season yet.  I guarantee it will lift your spirits.


Why isn't it holiday season yet?  Also, I am literally daydreaming about winter break already.  Can you say Christmas party?

"CHRISTMAS PARTY!" says You.

the sorting hat

As I predicted, I received my Pottermore email the day school started (Monday).  Of course I did!  The next day, I got SORTED.

Now, where I would be sorted if I went to Hogwarts has always mystified me.  I could make plausible arguments for all of them, even Slytherin (which I suppose should have been a hint to where I would be placed).  But when the sorting hat on Pottermore decided my fate, I knew that I had finally found my House.

What house is that, you ask?

RAVENCLAW!  

I feel relieved to finally know where I belong at Hogwarts.  Turns out, it's always been pretty obvious.  I was even wearing a blue dress when I was being sorted.  FATE.  

If you plan on getting sorted, you might not want to read the following bullets, because I'd hate to ruin the magic if you're sorted into Ravenclaw. Here are a few things I've I've learned about Ravenclaw in my "Welcome message" that makes me certain it's my House:

• "The arched windows set into the walls of our circular common room look down at the school grounds: the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch and the Herbology gardens. No other house in the school has such stunning views."
• "Another cool thing about Ravenclaw is that our people are the most individual – some might even call them eccentrics. But geniuses are often out of step with ordinary folk, and unlike some other houses we could mention, we think you’ve got the right to wear what you like, believe what you want, and say what you feel. We aren’t put off by people who march to a different tune; on the contrary, we value them!"
• "Speaking of eccentrics, you’ll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People often underestimate him, because he’s really tiny (we think he’s part elf, but we’ve never been rude enough to ask) and he’s got a squeaky voice, but he’s the best and most knowledgeable Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw with a problem, and if you’re in a real state he’ll get out these delicious little cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact, it’s worth pretending you’re in a real state just to see them jive."
• Famous Ravenclaw Ministers for Magic include Millicent Bagnold, who was in power on the night that Harry Potter survived the Dark Lord’s curse, and defended the wizarding celebrations all over Britain with the words, ‘I assert our inalienable right to party.
• "And once again: well done on becoming a member of the cleverest, quirkiest and most interesting house at Hogwarts."

Here are a few celebratory Etsy finds.

Owl Post necklace

Ravenclaw bowtie

Ravenclaw Crest sticker

Ravenclaw Quill

Character rings