New job seem really great though! Everyone’s super nice and friendly!
Due to hiring several new people in recent months they have some re-arranging to do regarding where everyone is sitting. New desks have been ordered for us newbies but they haven’t arrived yet. I have a temporary work station (with a huge, scary Mac computer. Think I’ll try bribing it with pretty desktop backgrounds so it starts liking me) at the end of a hallway with two other girls, but soon I’ll get a real office to share with the web developer guy. He’s a metalhead like me so I think it’ll be great. The boss said something about our office going to be the Rock n’ Roll Room.

Gonna go rest again, but before I do, here’s a pic I took a while ago of a little family of Coltfoots – the first flowers of 2012! This proves it’s spring in the North at last.

In other news, that I think I’ve already mentioned on Twitter, I’ve got a new job!
I’ve spent the last 2 years working at a small local advertising agency but a while ago I got an offer I couldn’t refuse from another agency in town. Basically the same job I have now, screwing around with websites and stuff, but at a bigger agency for a bigger salary.
I already have a friend working there (who I think had a great deal to do with me being offered the job ) and I’m acquainted with a few others so they’re not all strangers, but I’m still a little nervous. This is not just some random job – this could actually be a proper career! Ye gods…

One problem I can see already is that I’ll get a Mac computer since that’s what everyone else there has. I’ve never used a Mac! At least not for anything beyond opening a web browser. This will be… interesting.

Another thing is that this is a much bigger company so there will be a lot more potentially allergic people around, which mean I won’t be able to bring Zaphod there. At least not all the time like I’ve done at the old job. Oh well, I know being able to bring your dog to work is a privilege and not something to be expected.
It was fun while it lasted.

Anyway, wish me luck on Wednesday! I’ll try to not go full Socially Awkward Penguin on them.

Think I’m gonna go have that drink now. Cheers!

Deanna of StubbornOx.net passed on the Versatile Blogger award to me! Thank you!
I actually love silly stuff like these (just as I love lists, and surveys) so I’m more than happy to participate.

Rules:

- Thank the award giver and link back to them in your post.
- Share 7 things about yourself.
- Pass this award along to 15 other bloggers.
- Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.

7 facts

1. I never played with dolls as a child, I didn’t like them at all – but I loved My Little Pony! I had almost 100 of them + the Dream Castle and the Stable and a million other related stuff. I still have everything packed away in my basement. I’ve been thinking about taking it all up and clean it and maybe start collecting ponies as a hobby, but I don’t have enough space at the moment.

2. As a teenager I used to compete in orienteering. I don’t really like sports, but orienteering I love! It’s the one sport that suits me perfectly – no team, no arena, no audience. Just me, my map, my compass and the endless green forest. Can’t get any better than that.

3. I hate heat and warm weather. North Swedish summers are mild compared to most other places in the world, but I still can’t stand most of it. Cold > heat.

4. I’m a huuuuuuge fantasy geek, but I guess you knew that already. I’m obsessed with the works of Tolkien. I have a full size replica of Sting hanging in my living room and one day I will have a Tolkien-inspired tattoo somewhere on my body.

5. I’m an only child. As a child I liked not having to fight with any annoying siblings (like my friends), but now that I’m an adult I would love to have at least one brother or sister.

6. What’s the opposite of green fingers? Whatever it is it’s what I have. I’m a plant serial killer. Everything green in my care will die a slow and agonizing death…

7. I’m almost always dressed in black, my wardrobe is like a black hole of darkness… But for some reason I keep buying super-colourful socks and underwear. Preferably with some crazy patterns too.

15 bloggers

15 of my favourite blogs, in no particular order. Here’s a little link love for you!

• Kristy – Shimmer Like Gold
• Louise – Koza Web
• Angelica – Whirlwind.nu
• Afef – Strawberry Gashes
• Alyssa – Lyss.me
• Angie – Angie Go Boom
• Hev – Amarantine
• Angie – Lariats & Lavender
• Shannon – Nerdosaurus
• Sarai – Chiklita
• Malin – Infektia
• Carolynne – Just-Like-Magic.org
• Kat – The Little Sea Witch
• Rachele – The Nearsighted Owl
• Jessica – Bemusedly

I don’t know if any of you have done this already, in that case feel free to ignore.
Of course, you can ignore it anyway but.. yeah.

As you may or may not be aware of Pottermore opened for everyone this weekend – and being the childish Potterhead that I am, I hit the sign up-button the second I saw it!

My first impression is that it’s beautiful. All of it, the layout, the artwork, everything looks absolutely amazing and magical. They’ve had some fine artists working on this!
It took me a while to figure out how you’re supposed to navigate through the story, but then I realised you can double-click to zoom in and out and that you always have the little back and forward arrows at the bottom of the screen. It all went smoothly from there. Biggest downside is that most of it is Flash-based which means using it on my iPad is pretty much pointless. I can still navigate through the story, but it’s almost impossible to explore the scenes and pick up stuff.

You go through the story chapter by chapter, learn how to brew potions, cast spells (wizard’s duels!) and the (beautifully illustrated) scenes are full of hidden items you can pick up and keep in your trunk.

At Ollivander’s you answer a few question and then have your wand handed to you. Mine is made of yew with a core of phoenix feather, 13 1/4 in (33,6 cm) long and slightly springy. Nice, nice.

When you arrive at Hogwarts you get to put on the Sorting Hat and is once again asked a number of questions, and then you’re put in your house. Of course this is where it gets interesting!
I’m a Ravenclaw by heart, it has always been my favourite house. Silver, blue and ravens FTW! I was so convinced I belonged in that house I wasn’t even thinking about being put somewhere else.

And then… then the damn hat said Slytherin.

Um… Ok?

So I’m not a Ravenclaw after all?

It was a bit of a downer, and my first reaction was that I could just use another email, create a new user and try to get sorted differently, but then figured it would be a bit silly. If the Sorting Hat wants me in Slytherin I’ll stay in Slytherin. They are pretty badass, I guess, and I do love snakes. Not to mention both Merlin and Snape were in Slytherin! I’ll be a proud snake from now on!

Anyway, Pottermore is a lot of fun so far and I recommend you go check it out if you haven’t already!
If anyone wants to add me as a friend my username is GalleonBat92.

EDIT 17/4:
Oh, but for fuck’s sake. I was determined to “take it as a man” and be a Slytherin, but in a moment of weakness I made a new account anyway (RainCloak5101) and this time the hat put me in Ravenclaw without hesitation… What to do? Do I delete my Slytherin account now or what?
Markus, true to his Hufflepuff nature, claimed that “you’re only supposed to be sorted once, everything else is cheating”. Not sure which account to keep.

EDIT 19/4:
It’s settled now. I decided to make a 3d account and take the test a 3d time – and swore to myself that I’d choose whatever result came out. And the hat said Ravenclaw again. Ravenclaw: 2 – Slytherin: 1. So I’m sticking to my second account RainCloak5101.

Anyway, here’s what I’ve been doing lately:

Just a sketchy portrait-type thing. BUT. I’ve made a base body of it! It’s right here if you want to use it!

Wind and ravens (Looks better on DeviantArt) and a little self portrait. Bases by Angy Chan and Duckie.

I was trying to make a new layout for my site, but it never came out right… Here’s the header doll anyway, a cyan witch. Base by Hollay.

Another failed layout attempt. But I haven’t completely given up hope on this one yet.
I think I might have an idea…

George the werewolf, Mitchell the vampire and Annie the ghost.

I’d like to take a moment and talk about my new favourite show: Being Human. (The UK original, of course.)
For those not in the know it’s a show about a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire sharing a rented house in Bristol, England. Despite their “conditions” they try to fit into human society and want nothing more than to live as normal lives as possible. Of course, that’s not always easy. The show is not just drama, it’s actually more of a comedy – or at least the first season is.

The plot as a whole could be improved in a few places, and some of the effects are pretty lame – but it’s still a good show. Although the main reason to watch it is for the interactions between the three characters. I can’t remember the last time I saw such chemistry between actors on TV, and the dialogues are brilliant! What they’ve done is they’ve created a show with mediocre plot, ok effects and amazing characters!

One of my favourite scenes from season 2. Even supernatural men don’t know how to handle emotions.
Watch it, it’s funny even if you don’t follow the show! (And there are no spoilers.)

I never thought I would say this, being the huge fantasy nerd that I am, but I don’t think the whole supernatural stuff is even necessary. To be perfectly honest I probably wouldn’t give two fucks about The Vampire Diaries if it didn’t have vampires, and I probably wouldn’t watch Supernatural if they were hunting ordinary criminals – but Being Human I would watch nonetheless.
Mitchell doesn’t have to be a vampire to be an interesting person, George would be hilarious and charming even if he wasn’t a werewolf and Annie… Annie is pure gold, I just love her.

I’ve watched season 1 & 2 so far, and I like it a lot. Haven’t bothered with the US version though, and probably never will. It doesn’t look nearly as good.

I took these in my office earlier today:

Die! DIE!!

Uh, got a bit tired now...

*snore*

I love all holidays, but my two favourites are Samhain (Halloween) and Ostara (or Easter, I’m not fussy). Samhain because it’s in the fall, my favourite season, and it’s full of darkness and ghosts and lit candles. Ostara because it’s bright and colourful and has cute bunnies and chickens. And both holidays are also full of witches!
Or it is here anyway.
We didn’t do trick-or-treating during Halloween when I was a kid (truth is we didn’t even do Halloween back then), instead it was tradition to go around begging for candy during Easter dressed up as an Easter witch. Here’s an article about that tradition.

This is me back in 1985, dressed up as an Easter witch.

Now that the Easter decorations are popping up in the stores I have to constrain myself from buying just about everything. I already have enough decorations, and our apartment isn’t that big… One can only house a certain number of brightly coloured porcelain chickens.

My kitchen right now

My collection of Portugese Good Luck roosters.

Some of my favourites decorations doesn’t really have anything to do with Easter though and that is the Portugese Good Luck rooster. I got one from somewhere and thought it looked both goofy and kinda cool, so I used it as an Easter decoration. Over the years I found a few more, usually in thrift stores or at yard sales, so I started a mini collection.
I thought they really were Easter decorations until about a year ago when I, by sheer coincidence, stumbled upon some information about the “Galo de Barcelos”. Apparently it’s a Portugese symbol of faith, good luck, justice and hope.

My bunny candle. Way too cute for burning.

What about you? Most people love spring, but do you celebrate it in any way?
And what is your favourite season and/or holiday? I love hearing about other peoples traditions

Apparently my hair grows straight out from the skin – and I mean straight out, like an agitated hedgehog. And it refuse to lay down. No amounts of wax, spray or gel can tame it. It. Stands. Up.

Seriously..? It looks like I tried to cut my own hair like some 3 year old!

Now, do I:

a.) Buy a hat and wear it 24/7 for the next couple of months until it gets long enough?
b.) Cut my whole head and start from scratch? I’d still look like a bloody hedgehog – but at least I’d be a whole hedgehog.
c.) Accept my fate and just carry on as usual, hoping noone calls the psychic ward? Or Tabatha Coffey.

I hate getting trolled by my own body parts…

So… apparently Bella didn’t like her new home. Or her new home didn’t like her, I don’t know which. They said she was meowing all nights so they couldn’t sleep and because of that they didn’t want to keep her – and of course we agreed to take her back!

She’s always been talkative, but not so much it’s bothering in any way. Definitely not enough to keep us up at night. At first I was worried it might be something wrong with her, but she seem fine to me. She’s been back for a few days now and I see no difference from how she was before.
I suspect the new owners maybe just got cold feet. Which is OK, everyone can make a mistake – and I rather see them giving her back to us than keeping her if they don’t really want to.

It’s all fine in my book, we’re happy she’s back
Except maybe poor Zaphod who is miffed over loosing his basket again…