Goodness, that title sounds scary!

I'm taking a bit of a break from subbing right now to focus on my exams however I thought I would give you a bit of information on my plans for the next few months.

In two weeks my exams start so, for all intents and purposes, I will be doing no work with German language for five weeks. I study French and will be focusing on it as it would just be my luck to get them confused. During this period I will be translating the musical Le Roi Soleil. I will be creating subtitles for personal use but I do not plan to make them available. I might make the word document of the translations available if people are interested. The aim of this project is for me to practice my French (and for Haydon and Tegan, a couple of my good friends, to be able to actually understand the musical!)

If you want something translated from German during this period then contact me on the forum or youtube but I may well not be able to do it. If you want something French translating then please, go ahead! I will say when exams are over as when this happens I will be back to being my multilingual self!!

I then have a week off of college. During this week I plan to finish and upload the first act of my re-done Elisabeth. This may or may not happen in this time scale. I will keep the old version online in case people have linked to it.

I have a few weeks of induction to A2 (don't worry if you don't know what I'm on about here as it's to do with college. I may well use this time to finish act one of the improved Elisabeth. However, I plan to use this time to focus on learning and practicing Hungarian, which leads on to:

After this, I am spending a week out in Hungary again. Although I'm mainly using the time to meet up with friends and the like I am, of course going to the theatre out there and I am seeing Miss Saigon and Romeo es Julia. Very excited for this. I might buy some Elisabeth/musical related things while I am out there and have some kind of competition type thing when I return... who knows!

When I get back I will start subbing Marie Antoinette. I need to get my finger out and buy the libretto.

Anyway, that is a brief explanation of why you might not see much of me around over the next couple of months. I will still be logging into youtube and the forum regularly and, if you know the links, will be around on facebook and twitter.

Not been around much recently. It's been a pretty bad year so far and it's been keeping my attention. Friends have needed me, family has needed me, I've needed me. I know I had planned to have finished Rebecca by now but I haven't been able. I will finish it as soon as I can. Rest assured it is not forgotten.

Once again, LiveJournal is subjected to a Havanah-rant. I'm not going to pretend this is anything other than a rant although I guess you could call it a self righteous look at something really annoying. Anyway, I shall get on with it.

My problem is musicians who beg.

I've just seen a musician who I really like asking fans to give him money. He's no longer playing and he needs the cash. Well, now I guess you know how the rest of the world feels. Not only this but he's justifying this by bitching about the people he's worked with saying that he's been cheated out of money that he was owed.

I have no problem when famous people ask fans to donate to a worthy cause.
I have no problem when famous people suggest that donations could help with an upcoming tour/cd etc.
I have no problem when people ask for money because they need it (and indeed if people are in need I think they should get help!).

I do have serious problems with famous people who practically demand their fans give them money for their own personal gain. They're famous; they're not a god.

You don't work, you don't have the money to live as comfortable a life might like as you like. Plenty of people can't find work. It's not a good thing but it's life. Learn to live with it without expecting people to dig you out.

The saddest thing is, people will give him money.
They'll give it because he's their idol.
This is money that could be better spent.

Just because you're famous does that give you the right to act better than everyone else?

Due to popular demand I am going to make a subtitle file that can be used with the official Elisabeth DVD. The translations will be revised and updated. It will take me a little while to get things fully together but I need some helpers

Is there someone with the Elisabeth DVD that would be willing to check the timing of subtitles? My laptop wont play DVDs so I cannot check that they run properly. You'd only need to check a couple of lines at the start of act one and of act two. Not made subs for a DVD before so I do need someone to check.

Also, a bit later, is there someone who would like to proof watch the entire show for timing errors or typos? Again, you would need to official DVD.

I'll ask this in a few places over the next few days.

If you're interested in helping then please comment, message me on youtube, message me on the forum http://world-of-musicals.proboards.com/index.cgi or you can email me on havanah@ hotmail.co.uk (remove the space between @ and hotmail)

When the subtitles are finished I will upload them somewhere so that everyone who is interested can download them.

Many thanks!

Went to see Black Veil Brides and My Passion on Friday with some friends. Had such a good time - both bands were fantastic live (as was Yashin who played too). Managed to get into the second row during the gig and got to meet BVB and also 3/5 of My Passion which was lovely! Also developed some pretty impressive bruises from the most pit - not my fault it formed around me!

Just going to do a very brief picture spam here rather than go into great detail.

http://twitpic.com/6xmxxd
Tegan was shaking so much. She actually managed to cut me out the photo XD

Then after a cry of "Wait I cut her out. I need another one!"...

http://twitpic.com/6xmwwy
This was the second attempt after we'd all had a good laugh at Tegan! Well, we were still laughing to be fair.

http://twitpic.com/6xmyrp
My group in the gig although how we managed to get this photo without being killed and jostled I do not know!

http://twitpic.com/6xmzt8
And then Elise, Tegan and I hung around and met some of My Passion (who's music I do love so much!). They were really nice guys too. Hope to go and see them when they come back supporting Madina Lake!

Okay, now as most of you know, part nine (I think we're on now) of Rebecca has been really delayed.
Mainly because my mother used my internet downloads so my internet usage has been sorely limited for the past three weeks.
Add to that the fact that I started a new college (busy busy) and it's been disaster!
(college is fantastic, by the way. I will blog about my last few weeks soon, maybe tonight if I get chance, to keep some of you in the loop!)

Now I'm having problems translating the darn thing. The song the guests at the ball sing is just giving me problems. Don't know why but it has been hell to translate and I'm still not sure if it's right. It gives the idea of the song though and it's not vital to the plot so I'm not too worried. I think I've got it more or less correct now anyway. However, now I'm having problems with 'I'm an American woman'. 
Actually, I'm having problems with this one but:
"Ich halt ihn jung, 
blas' ihm den Marsch, 
bring ihn in Schwung!"
"I'll keep him young
???
Get him going."

Actually, I ranted too soon - I was reading Marsch as march so it was ending up as meaning Blow him the march... which obvs makes sense. Then while looking up the words one by one to see what colloquialisms they get used in I found out that blasen can be used with sexual connotation (much like our blow!) and my mind was in the gutter. Crisis averted.

I'm hoping to get this online tonight. In fact the video is online but private... just need to finish the subs.

Also have split up the next few parts. There's going to be 16 parts in total. I think the second act must be shorter than the first... ah well!

First, the good news:
Well, as many of you know, I entered an international art contest a few months back. I got the good news that I have been put through as one of five finalists which means that I am being taken (with my mother) to the Arab Emirates for a festival and the judging. I am totally overjoyed about this, as I’m sure you can imagine. Getting this far was good enough for me! I’m not uploading photos of the artwork publically until all judging is over... December the 20th or so and I will upload it along with the news as to if I’ve won or not. To be honest, I’m more than happy to just be in the final!

Rebecca
I’m trying to get into a routine with the subbing. Maybe once every two weeks? Anyway, the next part should be up soon... I’m saying in three of four days maximum.

Also, you may have noticed that I uploaded a video mainly regarding ‘sharing’ of footage, my subs etc and what help I will give with purchase of recordings/merchandise which I felt that I should make due to the pure volume of people asking.

Video Transcript:
I’ve noticed a few questions coming up pretty often regarding my translations and subbed videos. These are the answers to the most frequently asked
Will you send me the raw/subbed version of Elisabeth/Rebecca etc?
I will not send my videos or the raw footage I use. Similarly, I will not burn them to DVD and send them to you.
Can I buy a DVD from you?
No. It’s not my place to make any profit from this. You’d be better off buying the official DVD/CDs and supporting the production.
Can you send me/upload a higher quality version of your subs?
I intentionally upload a relatively low quality video. The purpose of my videos is to make the libretto more accessible for English speakers not to watch the show in high quality. That’s what buying the official DVD is for.
Will you send me this CD?
I won’t send any CDs. I buy them and suggest you do likewise otherwise they won’t make any more recordings. It’s clichéd but true.
How can I get hold of ____?
I am more than willing to help you find out how to buy a recording, piece of merchandise etc and help you with the website if you should need.
I will also try to help you with buying tickets to see shows.
I can help if the website is in French, German or English and possibly with Hungarian sites too – not because I know the language but because I’ll have spent ages working them out already!
I really do not mind doing this and it’s best to PM me if you want some help.
Can I use your translations?
Yes, you may. I’d like some credit, if possible, as I put a lot of energy into them but other than that feel free.
If you make a subtitle file for use with the DVD and are willing to share it then that would be kind. I cannot make one although many ask me to.
Also, if you want to use my translations then it is well worth messaging me. I may well be able to provide you with some extra help/transcripts/clarification.

This is a very quick update as I’ve been neglecting LJ so much. In fact, it’s also not been letting me log in (which has been a big problem for a lot of people, I know) so it’s not all my fault.
When I say quick I mean quick – note form

Rebecca subbing
A new part of Rebecca was uploaded a little while back. There are no notes on this part so far which is my fault – I’ve been very busy again. Notes will be uploaded soon.

General life
Been to Budapest. It was fantastic. Do people want to see some photos or not? Saw Rebecca there (amazing) and also Jesus Christ Superstar. Planning on doing a write up of the trip and the theatre productions asap but that could be next year knowing my luck with ‘asap’
Seen Wicked the musical. Great musical – sound tech shoddy.
Been waiting with bated breath for the art comp results. Expecting them on the 10th of August now due to some admin problems.
Had to drop a venomous snake across the country to a mini zoo. I do love it when my father has to care for nice animals but sitting in the car with a moody, snappy snake was not my idea of fun. Makes a good story though.
Been getting ready for the start of college on the 14th. Need help practising French... Anyone?
Doing some general travelling and having a generally good time!

Reviews
I’m still getting people asking me to review things which I am willing to do. I always write really long winded reviews though so can people give me some advice as to what you would like to read in a review for a theatre production/CD/DVD etc so I can cut it down? As always you can contact me here or anywhere else.

Sending Policy
I’ve had to write out a ‘thing’ about what I will and won’t send people regarding film/recordings etc. I’ll upload that here in a separate post and in a video.

Theatre Guide
I’ve started a guide on the forum with the primary aim of helping people work out where to sit in theatres as well as other little bits of information. It’s in its very early days but if you would like to contribute then you can either join the forum and post on the thread or comment here.

Shout out to Nicky who sat here reading through my posts and also told me that I needed to update. <3 I said I’d write a whole post about him but this will have to do hehe!


That’s it for now!
Maybe I’ll try to do some more blogging of my general life – that allows me to be photo heavy and lazy with the typing!

I said to some people that I would get this part up on Sunday. Well, that was doomed from the start so I said that I would get it up by the end of today. That also seemed rather doomed!
I went to see Jekyll and Hyde for the third time on Sunday which, although the review is being written rather slowly therefore is not posted yet) gives you rather a good idea of what I thought of it. Yesterday I got some free tickets to see the musical Spring Awakening with a couple of friends, well this evening, which means that I am loosing most of today and tomorrow (due to staying away from home).