The Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer is now online! It’s pretty damn spooky. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought it was a trailer for a horror movie. Steak sauce!

Embedded video removed - it messed up my template.

CLICK HERE to see the video. (Don’t worry - it’s just puppets)

I’ve been tagged by DKM. I don’t normally do Memes, but this one’s a bit different so I thought I’d participate.

The rules are:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.

I just got the new Stephen King Book Duma Key which is sitting here next to my desk, so here it goes:

“The sea oats belong, but the rest of that shit has no business growing witout irrigation. Somebody better investigate, that’s what I think.”

“My daughter and I went exploring one day.”

I’m a big Stephen King fan. It was kind of unavoidable growing up in my house. My mother was a fan before most of the world knew King’s name.

This past week I finally got a copy of two of his newer releases, Duma Key and Blaze. Duma Key was written by Stephen King. Blaze was written back in 1973 by his alter-ego, Richard Bachman.

I haven’t read every Bachman book, but every one I have read I really, really like. Even though ‘Stephen King’ seeps through sometimes, they really do feel like they’re written by someone else. As much as I love Stephen King, I think I like Richard Bachman better. of course, his output wasn’t nearly as prolific as King’s, so there was less chance of hitting sour notes (*cough* Tommyknockers *cough*). So, I chose to read Blaze first.

I read the introduction this morning and a couple of things really disturbed me. First, the front page that lists other books by Richard Bachman. There was one glaring omission. And then, in the introduction by Stephen King, that omission is mentioned but dismissed as a mistake!

I know why he feels the way he does about Rage. I suppose if something I wrote influenced someone to commit violent acts, I wouldn’t look so kindly on that work either. However, I personally think Rage is one of the best things he ever wrote. It just so happens that I’m not a disturbed, anti-social human who reads it and thinks, “Hey, I sympathize with this character (which I do) therefore, I should try to emulate him and do exactly what he does.”

The book is no longer in print.

I don’t like censorship. I don’t like limiting freedoms because of the stupidity of others. I choose to wear my seatbelt - but I don’t think it should be required for anyone over 18. I personally don’t like guns, but I also don’t have a problem if an adult who can prove they’re responsible with firearms has one. This list could go on and on, but I think I’ve made my point.

It all reminds me of when I was a kid. I loved bottle rockets, but when I was around 8 or so I leaned over the bottle - right after my dad told me not to. I was therefore banned from bottle rockets for a very long time. When I was finally allowed to shoot them again, I never - ever- leaned over the bottle again. My parents made my safety their responsibility, and no one else’s. Most of my friend’s parents seemed to parent in this same manner as well.

So, why is it, that my generation is raising a mess of spoiled, pampered, ‘nothing is your fault, dear - it’s society’s’ assholes? I’ve met some exceptions, certainly, but for the most part, the next generation is a bunch of passing-the-buck jerks!

I have yet to figure out when and why this mental shift happened. Was it a ‘I want to be friends with my kids because I personally thought my parents were tyrants’ attitude? Or were we raised by parents who were too lenient as well and we just continued this trend?

Ugh. I could continue to bitch about today’s kids, but I suppose I should stop. I mean, I’m only 35. What am I going to be like when I’m 60? Hee hee.

We don’t have cable - haven’t since we moved from Florida. Except for Turner Classic Movies, we haven’t really missed it much, either. I mean, sure, we sometimes wish we had The SciFi channel to watch “Battlestar Galactica” and BBC America to watch “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood,” but if we really want to see something we’ll get it on DVD. And believe me, it’s so much better watching TV without the commercials - as long as everyone’s getting their fair share from the sale of DVDs (writers, directors, etc. - hint, hint you greedy producers.)

Anyways, I just found myself wishing we had cable so that we could get HBO. Why, you ask, would I want that? Is there some hip, new, edgy series about to premiere?

Nope - a mini-series about John Adams.

A few years ago I saw 1776 (yes, the musical - which is a damn fine movie, no matter what you think, Doug). It got me interested in John Adams. In all of my history classes (and I minored in college) I don’t remember hearing about John Adams - just the usual suspects - Jefferson, Washington, etc. etc. From what I gathered from 1776, Adams seemed to be pretty damn important in that whole Independence thingy.

So, I went out and got David McCoullough’s book (pulitzer prize winning, even) and I loved it. Adams became one of my heroes, despite the repugnant Sedition Act. As an added consequence, Thomas Jefferson was roughly pushed off his pedestal and while I still admire Benjamin Franklin, I don’t think he was as wonderful as he’s usually portrayed.

But then again, I’ve always been rather prudish about how one conducts themselves in public and especially in their work. I’m one of ‘those’ that gets annoyed when someone brings their kid/spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/etc. to work.

But I digress. No doubt this mini-series will make it to DVD and I’ll be at least renting it. I’m glad they didn’t cast some stud to play Adams as Hollywood usually does. Paul Giametti is a fine actor and I’m sure he’ll do great in the part. Let’s just hope Laura Linney, who is playing Abigail Adams, is just as good.

Which Early 19th Century Literary Heroine Are You?

You are Jane Eyre, from Charlotte Bronte’s excellent book of the same name. Jane might not be pretty, but she is dedicated and determined to make her own way in the world. she is confident and smart, and doesn’t let the world get her down, even though it tries a lot.

5% of people had this result.

Taste the quiz

I am done…and now I sleep.

My book is here. I will be pretty much unavailable until Monday.

Turns out there was one of those Diagon Alley parties in Portland, Maine last night. I didn’t know about it. Oh, how you’ve failed me MuggleNet! (Just kidding )

Well, tomorrow is the day. For some of you, less than 5 hours. For me, it has to wait until tomorrow. My husband knows when the UPS guys normally delivers, but he refuses to tell me. I might be refusin’ later too, if you know what I mean. Hmph.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Year 6 at Hogwarts

1. The obvious: Who is Snape working for? I’m leaning toward the Order of the Phoenix, but I won’t be shocked if I’m wrong.
2. Who will live, who will die? I honestly have no idea and have not even tried to guess, even for myself. I don’t think anyone is safe, including the Trio.
3. How will things end between Harry and the Dursleys? I highly doubt they’re going to give him a going away party. Well…not one that he’s invited to. But I certainly hope it’s a bit more than, “Well, won’t be seein’ ya.”
4. Will Draco redeem himself? He obviously did not want to kill Dumbledore. I think he’s a little shit and always will be, but so is Snape and I personally think he’s fighting on the ‘good’ side.
5. Jenny seems like a very strong-willed girl. Is she going to let Harry get away with that ‘I can’t date you because my enemies will try to hurt you’ crap? How many times have we heard this from superheroes? It’s macho, BS bunk.
6. Will we see Bill and Fleur’s wedding? Will Percy the Prat attend?
7. Will Grawp have a hand in coercing some giants over to the good side?
8. Will the Weasley twins be known as heroes for their anti-dark arts products?
9. Is Scrimgeour going to help or just be in the way?
10. What are the House Elves going to do, if anything? In particular, what will Kreacher do ? Rowling told the HP film-makers that they best leave him in the 5th film or they were going to have problems in the 7th, so he’s obviously important to the plot - and I highly doubt he’s going to be giving Harry secrets of dark wizards.
    1. I think Dobby should get to put the smack down on Kreacher. Elf fight!
11. Will we see Inferi? Will any of them be people Harry knows? Ewwww

Gee, I better stop here or I’ll be posting all night. Well, it would make the hours go by quicker…

Less than two days from now, I will have the newest Harry Potter book in these here hands…and if the husband tries to sneak it away, it’ll be upside his head in a flash.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Year 5 at Hogwarts

Will Doloros Umbridge ever get what she deserves? By sending the dementors after Harry, she was guilty of attempted murder. She still works at the ministry. What the hell is up with that?

What did Dudley see when the Dementors were making him relive his worst memory? Was it that time when he thought he was getting less presents for his birthday than the year before? Oh, poor Dudders. :p

What is the purpose of the Department of Mysteries? To hide the truth from the wizarding community, or protect it?

Who did Luna Lovegood see die?

Will Neville Longbottom’s parents ever get better?

Will Gilderoy Lockhart ever regain all of his memory?

Is Snape good enough at Occlumency to keep Voldemort out?

Will Snape ever let go of the past and realize that the sins of the father should not be passed on to the son?

What is the ‘Veil’ that Sirius fell through and what were the voices that some people could hear? Some of the adults who told Harry that Sirius was dead seemed to know more about it than they would tell.

Is Sirius really dead?

That’s all for tonight. Tomorrow night, the 6th book and then Saturday, the beginning of the end. Whee!!