23 July 2010

Infinitus 2010

I know it's been, like, forever, but I haven't slept in my own bed in almost a month!!! First texas, then girl scout camp, then more texas, then Disney World, and then the Harry Potter Conference!!!! CRAZINESS!!! But it's been so much fun. I have to say that as much fun as the other stuff was, The Harry Potter Conference - Infinitus 2010 - was the highlight of my summer. It felt so good to be surrounded by people who felt just as passionately about the fates of all my favorite characters as I do, where I didn't feel like such a freak to own certain pieces of harry otter merchandise (coughwandcough), where I felt like I was with my KINDRED SOULS!!!! :D

PLUS, I met the Mugglecasters (minus Jamie Lawrence, which made me sad, but STILL) and it was AWESOME. I've never really seen any pictures or video of what any of them look like, so it was rather wierd seeing their voices come out of these strange people's bodies!!! I have to say, Andrew Sims was a lot hotter than I thought he was going to be. ;)

I met a girl named Alia, who I found out is originally from Bahrain and speaks Arabic fluently. (I totally didn't know this until we were in the MuggleCast event and she stood up and told everyone that, because she doesn't have an accent or anything that would give away that she wasn't born here). She loves Dr. Who and her favorite characters were the same as mine - Snape and Dumbledore! :D

The PARK was absolutely amazing. It looks just like you imagine it to be. Hogwarts is absolutely magical and built in force persperctive, so it looks ridiculously massive, when it's really only hugely massive. The butterbeer is delicious. The fake snow on the rooftops is hilarious, especially in contrast with all the people wearing shorts and tank tops (hello, July in Florida? makes it very uncomfortable to be wearing your wizarding robes around the park) I didn't go to the Night of a Thousand Wizards event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but everyone raved about how awesome it was. The forbidden journey ride was an experience that I don't think I'll forget. The special effects on the ride are really quite brilliant. You really have to look to figure out how everything works. It really seems magical.

Also, before the conference, I hadn't really gotten into Wizard Rock. But the Wizard Rock Classics Night made me a die-hard fan of the Wrock movement. I cannot wait to hear The Moaning Myrtles, The Butterbeer Experience, and The Remus Lupins again!!!

Can't wait for Ascendio 2012!

05 July 2010

I don't wanna go to GIRL SCOUT CAMP gee, mom, i wanna go, but they won't lemme go, gee mom, i wanna go HO-O-OME. GIRL SCOUT CAMP

Okay, so it's been super crazy for me lately. I went off to Girl Scout camp on June 13th and haven't had a minute to spare since. The first Girl Scout camp I went to was absolutely amazing. I had such a blast canoeing and hiking and swimming and rappelling and tight-rope walking over their high ropes course. The counselors were so amazing and were clearly enjoying themselves as well. I love any Girl Scout camp, because I love singing girl scout songs and being sweaty and dirty and talking to the five-year-old brownies at meal time, but this camp added a whole new level to my experience. I had such a blast, and me and my sister actually wrote letters to a couple of the counselors after we got back. I think this camp is where I'd like to become a counselor in the future. ANYWAYS, after I got back from camp, I had a jam-packed week hanging out with my friends, going to birthday parties, and packing for the NEXT girl scout camp.
The second girl scout camp was fun, too (I mean, it's Girl Scout camp, HELLO), but I couldn't help comparing it to the first camp, and I have to say, it didn't add up. The camp had severely declined in numbers since the last time I'd been there - there were ELEVEN counselors - and the camp had ZERO returning staff. It was actually really bizarre. The activities were really fun. I got to go wake boarding, knee boarding, tubing, windsurfing, canoeing, and white-water kayaking. But the people and the environment weren't really what I had been hoping for. The whole "community" aspect of going to camp was completely lost.
My mom has pointed out to me that the experiences I had at both camps have helped me figure out what aspects I like about Girl Scout camp and what I need to look for when I pick camps for the future (even though I totally just plan on going back to the first camp, like, every summer from here on out, but whatever).
SO, I had fun, and there's more to come.