Why me?

After a year of playing dead

2009-03-13T10:44:19Z

Why is it that there are sooooo many webpages that need constant attention? And why am I stupid enough to try to follow them all?

Anyway, things are going my way and I am quite contend with the world as it is.

University things are nearly at an end, I`ve finished English (1.5, on a scale from 1-6) and am in between my written exam in Politics and the oral. The written went well. I also have a school that wants me for teacher training, it is a humanistic gymnasium (the poor little ones have to learn greek and latin) and they have a special course for kids with an IQ over 130, which they want me for.
For some strange reason all the Gymnasiums in Ravensburg are in two buildings on the same hill, that means about 2000 students. And they are interested in my rugby project.

Ravensburg is a new developement. My boyfriend got a job in the area and we went and looked at the towns in the area and decided that we`d move to Ravensburg, as Friedrichshafen is closer to Lake Constance but has nothing but brothels. (for all those who don`t know their geography: one of the biggest lakes in Europe, borders on Switzerland, Austria and Germany, close to the Alps)
Ravensburg on the other hand is a beautiful town with something like 15 medieval gates and a complete medieval city center (never got bombed). It is small (60.000 inhabitants, but somehow forms a sprawl with Weingarten). And it is in Swabia, I don`t understand the people selling me things.

We`ve got a 3 room appartment (plus toilet, plus kitchen) in a house from the 15th ctry. With wooden floors and a tub and everything. And we might move to another place (haven`t looked at it yet and the people in it are still looking for a new place, so it`s not available as yet) which has what wikipedia tells me is called a masonry heater, 3.5 rooms and a 16sqm roof garden. And which only costs 600E a month all incl.
Job-wise I might be unemployed from the 1st of June to the 1st of January, but there is a nice bookshop near here, which might give me a job for that half a year.

We´re going to meet a group of rpg-people tonight, I have been in some strange groups, but this might be the strangest one as yet, there`s about 5 people in it and 3 of them are teachers.

Check out Knudepunkt

2008-04-21T13:35:53Z

Especially for Baz:

http://www.liveforum.dk/kp07book/

Back to Life, back to reality

2008-04-18T13:44:22Z

Again things in the order in which they come to mind:

-have made apple crumble it was yummy. I also bought things for shepherd´s pie, but that got rearranged and turned into pasta sauce.

-have taken part in my first ever university conference. Some of the people are clever and fun and all sorts of good things but why, why, why can´t they talk straight? Speak english/german/french you people, but don´t annoy me with your academia-babble.
Nevertheless it was educative (I´m even more certain that I never ever want to work as a researcher, than I was before) and I have met people who also work on reenactment and larp, so we can swap texts and ideas.

-boyfriend still as good as before, even though he does and is a number of not so good things. I mean: a bavarian? God no! Technical Science thingies? help! Academic Fencing and Bobo- the circus monkey outfits? not me. Apparently yes me. Ah well.

-rugby: we rock! as always, we won 2 out of 4 games in Konstanz, one was against Konstanz (as is normal) and the other against Munich (which was a miracle and only happend because of some weird technical stuff). The girls have started forming two groups, which is sad. One of the girls always complains when she gets dirty or is tackled, I don´t fully understand why she doesn´t go and play indoor-mikado or synchron-nose-powdering, but then that´s just me. But I meet some of the nicer girls more often, which is, hmmm, nice. And the new girls are cool.

Need to run and do some reading

Lena

Still kicking

2008-02-29T16:22:27Z

Yo , yo,

after a hard night of dancing to 80s and 90s music, I´m back to work.
Work is sort of fun, but rearranging and going over the same stuff for the 4th time is not. Grrrr.

But it does pay the rent (if we had minimum wage, which some people sort of get, they´d be about as well payed as me, and I´m a highly skilled professional *hahaha*) and since my flat does make me happy, things balance out somehow. And I´ve got loads of money left at the end of the month, which I can spend on a rucksack and shoes and a bicycle and larping and beer.

The flat is looking more and more furnished and finished every week. This week saw the addition of flower pots on the balcony and a rug and a new table. With a bit of luck my boyfriend (hurray, I´m dating an engineering student) will steal the "Blassportgruppe Südwest" poster on his way over to my place tonight and another bit of wall will vanish.

I´ve also sent in my application things for the final exams, the end is nigh.

And I´m trying to contact some larper-people from around here, who might be going to a con in England in May. So whoopdedoo! I´m a bit worried about having to stuff all my gear into a packback, but things will all work out somehow.

The knee is better, I´m back to practice and our first game will be in April.

That´s about it

Work, Work, Work

2007-12-07T13:37:40Z

Success! 30 beautiful Kanelar Kransen! And only two burn blisters on my fingers.

More success, our calender is ready to go on sale. They are 7€ apiece, I´ll post pics as soon as I´ve seen the actual calender. I only know pics at the moment, don´t know which ones they´ve picked.

Even more success, I have a new appartment, and it really is an appartment. A room, a kitchen (kitchen as in room for kitchen appliances etc) , a bathroom + bathtub, a balcony. 300€ plus gas and electricity. Since the job is going well I can afford it. Hell, I´m earning 150€ more a month than I did in Ireland, and I´m paying less. And the beer is cheaper.....
Room for a sofa, and a washing machine, and wallspace for posters and a book-shelf in the bath. Yeaaah!

The knee is getting better, I can run. And we´ll be playing 10er in spring. I´ll finally get a chance to play second row.

Things would be utterly fantastic if it weren´t for the 2x 25pages essays and the 1x 60pages essay.

I have nearly all my christmas presents already bought. And two really cool cons coming up, one right before christmas and one right before the beginning of classes again.

Update

2007-11-23T09:05:32Z

Why is there so much work do to? Everything is really really busy at the moment. And it´s largely my fault because I can´t say no to requests to do cool stuff for people.
The job is apparently going well, problem is that Mr. Professor does not comment on good work. He critizises, but he hardly ever says well done. Anyway, I have handed in that assignement, that has haunted me for the last half a year and the register is nearly done and I´m supposed to write my thesis during work time, ie. I´ll be getting paid for doing something I´d have to do anyway.

In other news, Kai is behaving. My new viking outfit is nearly done, I just need to re-do a few seams. I have plans for the festive foodstuff for the winter equinnox con. I´m really looking forward to that, handpicked people, a cool location, hopefully snow and an innovative setting. I´m counting on snow, I want to go sleigh-riding in character.

With the extra money I´m now earning I can afford a bigger appartment, so I´m house-hunting. Have seen one nice place with one room (15sqm), a big kitchen, a bathroom and a wee little balcony and some extra storage space. Will look at a 2-room tomorrow. It´s only 310 incl bills, I´ve asked why it is so cheap. "Well, the bathroom is small and there is no sink in it, but there is a toilet and a shower". I can live with that, hell, for that much space at that low a price, I could live with worse.

Have also decided against interviewing for a small part in "Last Battle Dreamer". Sean Bean is not enough of a reason to drive 800km. Plus I really don´t have the time.

Have most of my christmas-shopping done.

Meme from dealga

2007-11-08T12:05:54Z

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal...
5. ...along with these instructions.

"This day three citizens of London went to meet Monk from the Common Council."
Diary of Samuel Pepys. 20th of January 1660

And since it was equally far away.

"The pieces are cut in paper or spare fabric first, though experienced workers may prefer to work directly on the cloth."
Sarah Thursfield, The medieval tailor´s assistant.

Weird Weather

2007-10-11T12:47:24Z

It´s soooo cold.
I´m currently warming my left foot (which does have blood-flow difficulties) on a pot of tea, while trying to motivate myself to finish my presentation on the UN- General Assembly
Yesterday at about this time I was lying on the balcony in my underwear reading Tacitus.
That was much nicer.

Tea ready, time to warm up from the inside. Or I could drink the left-over wine....

Osama Teen Hunger Force

2007-09-22T08:39:21Z

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1741589
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1747918

Invitations

2007-09-21T08:25:13Z

This is what my left leg currently looks like:

Apparently people think I´m capable. This starts with my grannie "if you had a baby, you could cope" and has now spread to the Freiburger Larp scene. I´ve been invited to a very very cool event.

30 people, a castle near Verdun with a lake and woods 2km from the nearest village, nice 1920-40 furniture. Horror. And expensive and bad timing- but sooo cool. Ideas anybody? Good twenties movies? Good ideas where I could get clothing and stuff? Shoes? Stuff? A camera, bags, all that?

And then there is the "Hiwi Job"

2007-09-12T09:36:35Z

Did I tell you that I was offered, and have accepted, an assistant position? One of the Professors who will examine me for my state board examination is doing a project on reenactment and living history and he had an assistant position to fill. I took a class on Histotainment with him, so he offered me the job. "Frau Hauenstein, you have decent english and seem to be able to think; I have a job for you".
The other thing that might have helped is that I was one out of two people in the class who were more or less in the scene and I was the one who didn´t play half-dwarf-fairies and therefore appeared to be much saner.

My first task will be to sort loads of brochures and newspaper clippings etc and develope a cross referencing system, with a computer database (excel) and folders and the like. I was thinking I´d of course list them all by author, place, date, content (developing categories for this as I go along). Does anybody have clever ideas?
Nubantu?

Pay is fairly bad, but it is a cool job. Something like 5.40€ per hour and 40 hours a week. If it was for the money I´d be better off going cleaning or working for McD.

Mein Leben- update

2007-09-12T08:36:05Z

With loads of time on my hands and no inclination to continue with making socks, I figured I´d update this. Baz has been complaining about a lack of information about me, so here goes.

My knee has been fixed, I´ve had the operation on Thursday last and am now sitting around with a rather large bandage on my left leg under which there are two small and one larger white band-aidy things that cover three stitched bits of skin. With a bit of luck I shouldn´t get new scars, but if I do, they´ll hardly show up between all the shaving scars. And I like scars, so, no bother.

I have found a way to watch the IRB Rugby World Cup on my computer and am rather happy with that. Saw Argentina-Georgia yesterday, well when I say "saw" I mostly mean listened to, as I was writing my x-mas wish-list (it´s all larp or rugby and a bread knive). Great game. Sure, South Africa and NZ played better, but the games weren´t as much fun to watch.
Rugby is out of the question until at least march. So I can play again in spring and will have to keep in shape until then. I´ll probably be allowed to go running again in a month or two, and I hate the thought of it, am not a running person, but I will try. I miss the exercise. Never thought I´d hear myself say that.

The DF has led to new friendships and something a bit more interesting. Am happy to know Beate (who knows all about farting and horse related pornography), Sebastian, Duru (weird, when you don´t know people´s real names), the Chatten (a hessian bunch of larp-reenactment people, apparently the Chatten used to go into battle half-naked as cloth was expensive and all the roman armour they got they melted down and reused for tools), there´s one among the who loves cake and looks like Galway Michael. And Kai. This is Galway Michael look-a-bit-alike and Kai:

It seems to be "legal system boy time", Denis studied law and Kai is a police man. Why me?
Right, the pysiotherapist is going to be here any minute.
Bye bye

New Skype

2007-09-10T09:36:22Z

My computer is working again but I have lost my skype data, so this is y new skype name: Lenahaue

In other news:
-I have a cool new knee transplant, which will turn into an anterior ligament in the course of the next two years. Sharing a hospital room with two older ladies one of which has a tendency to watch horrible stuff on TV and sing along is fun, but only for a limited amount of time.

-my room is really clean.

-I´m spending too much on larp. But it is time for a sax, new shoes, and something against the cold, why does wool have to be so expensive and why is there no alternative?

Does anybody have Galway Michael´s address?

2007-08-21T16:05:01Z

I know two people in need of knives.

The guy with the beard and the wavey hair and the metal on his shoes? The welder? Princess Leia from Confess05?

Lena

Drachenfest

2007-08-15T14:41:06Z

I´m back, babies!
For fantastic pics and all that, click here

And it was fun, fun, fun. I left Freiburg on the 30th and met up with my Mum. We had my grand-dads caravan and travelled up and down the Mosel and to Aachen. Saw pretty castles and bits of Charlemagne. And a pulpit with a roman tea-cup and small plate on it, "this is pretty and shiny, let´s put it there".

Then spent four days with my granny and then went to the Drachenfest. I can´t say much about the Con itself, but I absolutely loved the group I was with. They are, hmmm, very close to viking reenactment. Nearly no black, clothing that looks real and useful, appropriate headgear, no magic, no non-humans. Lovely.

Definite high-lights:
-being under siege, we beat them back and while we were at it beat another group. Reloading the onager and the ballista and helping the wounded on top of that tower.
-the way people role-played injuries. Superb bandaging and people who came back with follow-up complaints. These guys role-played head wounds! Blood, loads of blood.
-bathing in our very own garden pool with Sigismund, Leif-Erik, Ragnar, Elise and one other fellow. Much fun, good wine and mead and cigars, reasonably attractive naked blokes. I was bathing in style, with a cap and a smock.
-last night of the con party. Every clan brought out all their left-over food and alcohol and we had a big fire and 4 singers. Gawel did a spear dance.
-the food. Good onion soup, cabbage soup, meat, spätzle, porridge.

Since they were massively unhappy with some of the gms´ decisions, we´ll probably do our own thing next year. It´ll be tough and it will look super-extra cool.

Couple of pics:
the garden with it´s fantastic pool

the tower:

love her outfit, she is my hero and I have to start working to look something like that in January:

how can it possibly get any better:

Harsum, my lot:

bits of boom:

My guys charging: I love the photo. Very good one of Denis.

No comment:

Party people, viking people:

Me: without the hat for a bit and with somebody else´s shield. Off to water the warriors.

angry_truck @ 2007-07-15T14:20:00

2007-07-15T12:23:03Z

I have a ruptured anterior crucial ligament. Go me!
Can walk without crutches, have soft cheese on my knee to reduce the swelling.
Doctor says I can go to the Con in mid-August.

I feel like dancing but can´t.

Forgot to mention: it´s too hot. Sisky bring saharaesque clothing. 38°C.

DHM Bayreuth

2007-07-13T10:25:06Z

http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g275/lenahaui/Rugby/

news in pictures

2007-07-02T18:57:11Z

The most beautiful con ever: http://www.jansfotos.de/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=16791&g2_page=18 for more pics

University Rugby Cup:

all the other pics resist being linked.

Dear God, let it not be Mr O´Donoghue and his chinese friends

2007-07-02T18:33:46Z

I have something in my knee, or possibly I used to have one thing in my knee and now it´s two things or more.

We went to the Rugby University Cup in Bayreuth (did not see any Wagner) and got 4th place. Needless to say that we won 1st price for partying. In our last game (we lost 17/21 against Kiel) I tackled one of the girls (outside runner forward person) and when I landed on my left knee fell over and screamed. Fortunately it was towards the end of the game.
I could wobble to the buses on my own 1.5 feet but after 5 hours on the bus things got painful, so I was sent to hospital. X-ray brought no results, I have a CT appointment tomorrow at 11 and a translation exam at 16. I also haven´t showered in a day.

It might be O´Donoghue´s Triad, or a strained or ruptured ligament and or meniscus or loads of blood in unexpected places.

On the plus side I got to be driven around in a wheelchair and the doctor drew on my thigh. Unfortunately I also have what feels like half a cushioned drainage pipe on my left leg and a needle in my left wrist.

I have to be able to walk in three weeks. Crutches have to be off in a month.

Hurray, I´m on TV

2007-06-20T10:05:11Z

http://www.teleostschweiz.ch/?rubrik=wochenarchiv&view=1&m=06&t=11&j=2007

So, it is a station from Switzerland
So, they talk funny
So, we´re after a baby cow named "Chnud"

But hey, we´re on TV.

My throat is iching and I smell bad

2007-05-30T18:40:58Z

Having the flu is unpleasant.

But it gives me a very good reason not to work on actual work-stuff but to do some fun stuff. After finishing this:

Please ignore the shoes....1470´s

I´m now working on something like this:

For that big con I´ve been telling people about. I´m going, it´s my first time and it will be fantastic. I´m going with 250 other vikings and they all follow a dress code. And they all play humans and the only magic is goden magic (ie rune stones etc). With a bit of luck we´ll have a bath-house and I´ll be in charge of it, dear little Ingibjörg will earn loads of money very very fast. I need a big hitting-stick. Dum-di-dum two great cons coming up. And all the rugby trips. lalalalala

angry_truck @ 2007-05-15T18:46:00

2007-05-15T16:47:10Z

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
Dr. Jones, at your cervix."
******************************

In a Podiatrist's office:
"Time wounds all heels."
**************************

On a Septic Tank Truck in Oregon:
"Yesterday's Meals on Wheels"
*********************** ***

At a Proctologist's door:
"To expedite your visit please back in."
**************************

On a Plumber's truck:
"Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber."
***************** *********

At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
"Invite us to your next blowout."
**************************

At a Towing company:
"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
**************************

On an Electrician's truck:
"Let us remove your shorts."
**************************

On a Maternity Room door:
"Push. Push. Push."
******* *******************

At an Optometrist's Office
"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."
**************************

On a Taxidermist's window:
"We really know our stuff."
**************************

On a Fence:
"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive."
**************************

At a Car Dealership:
"The best way to get back on your feet -- miss a car payment."
**************************

Outside a Muffler Shop:
"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
**************************

In a Veterinarian's waiting room:

"Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
**************************

At the Electric Company:
"We would be delighted if you send in your payment. However, if you don't, you will be. "
**************************

In a Restaurant window:
"Don't stand there and be hungry,
Come on in and get fed up."
*********************** ***

In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
"Drive carefully. We'll wait."

**************************

At a Propane Filling Station,
"Thank heaven for little grills"
**************************

And don't forget the sign at a Chicago Radiator Shop:
"Best place in town to take a leak."

5 Fragen

2007-05-08T21:55:44Z

gah...

1: What colour would you paint a toilet?
Depends on the room.
And the tiles and stuff. I´d like spring green. Or dark blue. And I want a chandelier in my bathroom and a palm tree and that one photo of Betty Page. With a spring green bathroom, mabe a bright red toilet, if the room was big enough.

2: If you were living here and could vote, who would you support?
I haven´t got a clue. I don´t follow Irish politics.

3: If you had to play a CCG or a Wargame, which would you pick?
I have once or twice played Magic. Since I´m not interested in sticking with any of that stuff, I´d repeat the experience to waste as little time as possible.

4: Astrology, Alchemy or Spiritualism?
Alchemy. Making things go booom! The other options just annoy me slightly. I´m planing a revolutionary alchemist for a con. "Free Luxburg!" *boooom!*

5: Whats the most important thing I don't know about you?
I like plum jam, I like sunflowers, I have hairy toes. And some private stuff. Some of which I don´t intent to share with you. There is a reason why you don´t know. Everybody should have a few secrets....

Drachenfest has moved

2007-04-28T10:54:42Z

I am amused. The oldest and biggest con in Germany has had to move location. It now is about 20km from both my grand-mas and grand-dads houses, in a place that under "sights" on it´s website mentions a canary-farm.
But it looks pretty on google maps.

Why a community would not want 4500 people to stay there and spend their money, I don´t fully understand but apparently Hesse´s government was helpfull and things are good now.

I also hereby repeat my over of helping if anyone wants to go. I´m definitely not going as a PC but if I have nothing better to do might take a look as an NPC as that´s only 30€.

http://www.xssl-server.de/drachenfest/index.php?language=en website
http://www.drachenfest.info/forum/viewforum.php?f=49 forum

The gender-bender

2007-04-23T19:36:11Z

And the funny thing is: she´s female.