Oh boy

I think a month between posts really is too long, but I can't really write about my job too much for obvious reasons (as a teacher, I feel certain obligations) and grades were just due and, well, it's been a busy fall, kids. Quite busy.

But I felt I owed you all something because you seem to like my little witticisms and anecdotes, so I will try. I have to take a nap soon because we're going out at 9 to meet a friend at a bar for her birthday, and really, what crazy folks go out at 9 on a Friday!?!?! Oh yeah, normal people. So weenie me needs to get some time in because if I have more than two drinks, I will start to fall asleep at the bar. This actually happened to me once. I swear. It's why I don't drink more than one glass of red wine out because, for some reason, that stuff is like codeine for me: I was talking to this lovely woman whom I'd just met and began to fall asleep while I was talking to her. Hand of God, it happened. Deeply embarrassed, I lied and told her I'd taken cold medication and forgotten, and it must have reacted with the wine. She graciously waved it off, I went to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face, and drank club soda for the rest of the night. So, no wine for me tonight. I'll rally and have fun and act like someone who doesn't fall asleep with the time change.

What else, what else? Let's see...so excited about Harry Potter that I can barely contain myself. A, do you want to go with me on Saturday for a matinee? I do love seeing it at night, but it will be SO CROWDED. Plus I'm booked Friday night. Hell, I'll go by myself. One of my favorite movie-going ventures was seeing The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on opening night by myself. I had no trouble finding a seat, the people next to me shared their popcorn, and we all cheered and marveled at the latest masterpiece. Dammit. Now I want to go on Friday and I can't. That really is fun, when all the fellow Potter nerds are seeing how it all unfolds, comparing it to the novel and all that. OK, A, want to go on Saturday night with me?

Honestly, the rest of my days and nights have been filled with small pleasures and work, which I love. Friends visiting here and there, winterizing the house, playing with Penny, the usual. I feel quite lucky and blessed to have this little life, so I'm off to enjoy it. Have a good weekend, my dears!

Totally worth the wait

Because the sadists at Amazon.uk (I won't even link the name out of my annoyance) have not yet managed to send my my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I pre-ordered another copy and stood in line at my small local bookstore at midnight to get it. Read the next day for thirteen hours, starting at 7am on Saturday, finishing triumphant and exhausted at 7:45pm.

I will only say a few things: Yes, of course I bawled at the end. Again, Rowling manages to tie plot bits together amazingly skilfully, bringing something back from a previous book that you didn't realize had ANY importance at all that becomes crucial in the current one. When my real copy comes, I will re-read it just to see what I missed in the first go-around. I loved it, loved every single page. What makes me happiest as an English teacher? This woman had millions of people glued to their chairs either listening to or reading a book. Alone, as families, chapter by chapter, in one sitting, you name it. Even watching the news this morning: I could not figure out how in the world a homophobic movie like I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (again, I feel no need to supply a link) had surpassed the fifth Harry Potter movie until DH pointed out that everybody else was home reading! This left the non-readers, to put it delicately, filling the seats for Adam Sandler and Kevin James' homage to old, tasteless gay stereotypes and jokes.

Something else worth the wait: We're finally headed on our honeymoon this Friday, off to the wilds of the west coast of Canada! Considering we have a six-hour flight, I may get a chunk of HP7 re-read. Sigh...I just loved that book.

The Latest Harry Potter

First of all, for those who don't know, I willingly admit I am a Harry Potter freak. I obsess over the books, think they're some of the best writing out there in the genre, and want to live at Hogwarts. I buy the first edition books from amazon.co.uk so I can have "the real thing". I did this after I realized they Americanized the ones over here, substituting "sneakers" for "trainers" and the like. Plus I think the covers look better. When I finished my master's degree in English Education, DH gave me a replica of Professor McGonagall's wand because, as he said, "I would've gotten you Dumbledore's, but I know she's the best female teacher, so I chose that one." Yes, awwws all around for DH's thoughfulness. I keep it on my desk at school. When HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban came out, I allowed myself one chapter a day to make the book last longer. I preordered my last three copies as soon as I could.

However, I don't think I can do that with this last one. I know I'll read it as fast as I can, avoiding all news and radio coverage because inevitably morons out there will start off their story with, "Fans all around the world mourn the death of Harry Potter" or some crap like that, RUINING it for anyone who hasn't finished the book or plans to read them in the future. Why don't people think???? DH already plans to cook for me so I don't have to do anything but read. I really don't know how Rowling will end it. Truly. As my friend said, "She's British. Brits don't end everything all happy." Clearly she has proved to us that nobody is safe (and I'll say no more, as some of you may not know what I mean. See, news people?), as evidenced in prior books. Thus I can guarantee that I won't post this weekend. No, I'll wrap myself in one, final Potter adventure. I can't wait.

This past weekend DH and I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the IMAX theater. I haven't seen anything remotely 3D in years, and I have to admit it rocked with the glasses and a GIANT screen which covered the entire wall. We put our glasses on as they headed to the Ministry, and then the whole action scene was in 3D. Very, very cool. I agree with both feathernester and her husband that I liked the way they put things together but left out parts I wish they hadn't. I realize that editing requires this, but I still feel much of the humor was left out to make it darker and they didn't give Ron or Hermione much development at all. Couldn't they have added that they got prefect? I also wish they could've added some of the Quidditch elements but again, editing must prevail. Like Mr. Feathernester, I always prefer the book to the movie; you always get more with the book. I just think Book Five gives a much richer experience than the movie.

To that end, did anyone else notice that the Dementors in Little Whinging were NOT explained? Why not? Doesn't that prove even more strongly the evil side of the character who put them there? Made no sense to me. Great job on casting with Bellatrix Lestrange, Umbridge, and Luna Lovegood. And the three main characters have really begun to prove their range; I see them doing other films and productions after this successfully. Daniel Radcliffe's already gone the other way with his role in Equus (and if you don't know the play, trust me when I say it's about as far away from Harry Potter as you can get). Long story short, go see it. The special effects are great, it will never replace the book, but I'll still get it when it comes out on video.