Continue reading »]]> I’ve been following along as Mark Re-Reads the Harry Potter series and in his post today he discussed Hermione and what motivates her to be the insufferable know-it-all she was in the beginning.

This, along with the questions my husband has posed, has made me curious about Hermione.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books (as if I really need to say who she is, ha!), gives us a pretty good background for both Harry and Ron but there’s very, very little about Hermione’s pre-Hogwarts childhood. We know she’s from an all-muggle family and that she is most likely an only child. But that’s all we really know. There’s never any mention of extended family, how she fared in her pre-magical education (although we can assume she excelled in probably everything) and if she ever had any friends before Hogwarts.

I was quite surprised when I saw the last movie that we actually got to see Hermione in the muggle world (and in one of the most heart-wrenching scenes offered by any of the films.) Hermione is never ‘seen’ in the muggle world in the books, ever. She writes from her holiday trips with her parents, but that’s the only clue we have about her non-magical life.

I find this rather odd. Rowling is so good about making the world of Harry Potter seem so real. There is so much detail in all aspects of her story-telling that I have to wonder if Hermione’s lack of a past was on purpose. Certainly it’s not really important overall, but it would have been nice to have some clue as to why Hermione was such a nosy, stickler-for-rules busybody. It’s almost as if Hermione was fully formed, on the spot the second she stepped onto the Hogwarts train.

On Rowling’s website she states that Hermione is a bit like her when she was younger. Perhaps Rowling didn’t give us a past for Hermione because it was too close to home. A world-famous author needs a little privacy I suppose.

Continue reading »]]> No resolutions this year. I know what needs to be done, I know what I want to do and making a list won’t help me accomplish anything other than making yet another list to add to the plethora of lists I’ve made every year for decades.

Plethora. I’ve always liked that word, although I have never personally had a plethora of piñatas.

Anyway, so instead of a resolution list, I’m going to make a list of things I’ve learned over the past year. Yes, I will still be adding to my abundance of lists but at least this one is different. Some items will make sense only to me, some will be depressing and I have no doubt that most of them will be pop-culture related.

So, let’s get on with it.

1. I have learned that the following are cool: Bow-ties, Fezzes and Stetson hats
2. I have learned that people will believe any lie put before them if it affirms their fears
3. I have learned that the only Tea Party worth paying attention to occurs in Wonderland
4. I have learned that gold is not a good skin tone for Peter Cushing
5. I have learned that Star Trek: Enterprise got a lot better after it’s first season
6. I have learned that Pecan Pie is good for the soul
7. I have learned that the Harry Potter books stay good, no matter how many times I read them
8. I have learned that putting your faith in others’ intelligence and reasoning will only lead to great disappointment
9. I have learned that Wil Wheaton is a very funny individual and that his pets are freakin’ hilarious
10. I have learned that none of my family reads my blog
11. I have learned that the first Doctor was awesome and that Ian and Barbara are now in my top five favorite companions, third to Donna Noble and Ace
12. I have learned that Amy Pond is my least favorite companion and I sincerely hope she’s gone before Matt Smith finishes his run as the Doctor
13. I have learned that despite it’s rather weak last episode, Lost was still one of the best shows ever produced
14. I have learned that Danny Kaye was a pain in the ass to work with but that I still love watching and listening to him
15. I have learned that when it comes to growing flowers, my gardening skills are sorely lacking
16. I have learned that I like Hydrangeas quite a bit
17. I have learned that putting a bird bath in the middle of your garden will cut down on the number of nasty bugs on your plants
18. I have learned that Craig Ferguson is the coolest late night talk show host ever
19. I have learned that Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants equals true genius
20. I have learned that Spider and Scorpion does not update often enough
21. I have learned that watching a meteor shower with my husband is now one of my favorite things to do
22. I have learned that I still do not like Jonah Hill and don’t understand why Apatow (or anyone else, for that matter) continues to cast him in movies
23. I have learned that I can lose hours of a day playing Roller Coaster Tycoon
24. I have learned that J.J. Abrams relies on lens flares WAY too much
25. I have learned that you apparently never stop missing your favorite Kitty
26. I have learned that no one but my husband gets my Eurotrip references
27. I have learned that no one but my husband gets me, which is why I love him so much
28. I have learned that my tolerance for people is at an all-time low
29. I have learned that I find physics difficult to learn
30. I have learned that my grasp of World Geography is shaky at best
31. I have learned that some movies/mini-series are MUCH better than the books upon which they’re based (North and South trilogy)

I’m sure there are things missing from this list – I certainly hope so, anyway – but that’s all I could think of for now. My memory isn’t what it used to be…which is another thing I learned this year.

Continue reading »]]> Now what was it? I know it had something to do with one of my geek obsessions. I’m getting a book vibe, no! A movie vibe. Wait – both?!

Oh yeah, nothing big. Just part one of the last Harry Potter movie. As Ted Mosby would say, “Ain’t no thing but a chicken wing.”

Yeah, I know. Makes no sense.

But yeah, I was just reminded that today is November 19th and it struck me that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1 comes out today and I actually gasped. (I’m such a dork).

I’ve seen all the movies in the theater except the first and I hope to finish them that way, but getting to the movies has proven difficult for us the past few years. There’s the cost, yes, but mostly it’s because we hate dealing with people. We won’t be happy going to the theater again until cell phones are banned inside the building and ushers actually kick assholes out. Don’t see that happening anytime soon so we just don’t go.

We missed Toy Story 3, The Expendables, Scott Prilgrim Versus the World. Hell, we’ve missed most everything for two years now. The last movie we saw in the theater was Iron Man 2 and before that, I think it was Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

I’ve been re-reading the books. I haven’t been in a voracious reading mood lately so it’s going a little slow, which is good, actually. I’m processing more. Picking up on those little clues, names, etc. I’m on number four now, my least favorite of the series, but I’m enjoying it more this time than I ever have. I decided to re-read them because I’ve been following Mark Reads Harry Potter and I realized I remember so very little from Deathly Hallows. I’ve only read that one twice.

I can’t count how many times I’ve read the others, especially the first three. When I started with my current employer five years ago, all I did all day was scan documents. This was very boring so I listened to audio books. I don’t have many audio books – about ten – so I listened to them all many times. I had the first three Potter books (read by the spectacular Jim Dale) and I listened to them over and over. Never got bored with them. That’s really saying something.

J.K. Rowling may have her writing flaws – those pesky adverbs being one, but really, what writer doesn’t have that problem? – but her storytelling is off the chart. She also managed to create a hero that is so very human while still being a great HERO. Very rarely in these types of long stories is the main character my favorite character, but Harry is my favorite. He is very much a normal kid – average grades, typical pre-teen/teen hangups, all the flaws that come with that. But he rises above all that and does what he has to do to save the world, utilizing his strengths and having the intelligence and humility to turn to others for help when his own abilities aren’t enough.

Here’s to Harry Potter (via J.K. Rowling) – for changing the world for the better by teaching kids (and adults) about tolerance, true friendship and the importance of standing up for what you think is right.

Continue reading »]]>

Miles & Ben: "Dr. Linus"

So, here’s another “Lost” post for you which will probably include spoilers. If you’re not caught up with all the new episodes and don’t want anything ruined for you, go away now.

I’ve been watching “Lost” since it first aired way back in 2004. I even liked the ‘slow’ part of Season 3, especially the second time I watched it. In addition to watching the show and coming up with my own theories (most of which have been shot down mercilessly as more information is revealed) I’ve really enjoyed the online community of “Lost” fans. We’ve all shared theories, quandaries, our desire to know the truth and in general how much fun we’re having with the show.

But I have to say, I’m not enjoying “Lost” fans anymore. I try to go to the same places and read what people are saying but all the whining and bitching is really getting on my nerves. All these years I’ve continuously read “I trust the writers to know what they’re doing.”

Now, all I read is, “I want to know what everything means RIGHT NOW – and I mean everything. If they leave anything out, I’ll hate this show forever.”

For example, in this past week’s episode “Dr. Linus” (my favorite of the season so far, but that’s no surprise since I have a very unhealthy fascination with Benjamin Linus), there was a great bit where Miles mentions Nikki and Paulo and the fact that they have $8 million dollars worth of diamonds right there in their graves. I thought that was funny, totally in character for Miles and a nifty little shout-out to everyone’s least favorite Losties.

So, when I visit one of my favorite “Lost” chats/discussions, what do I read about this? “This is exactly the kind of “answers”/closure/filler that I don’t care about and wish they wouldn’t waste my time on.”

I guess fanboys/fangirls are the same no matter what they’re a fan of. So many of them just can’t stand it when something they care about goes in a direction they don’t want, or that it’s not moving fast enough – or slow enough – or it just isn’t right, dammit! “I want Green Lantern to have black hair, not brown hair. Now it’s all just ruined!”

And no, that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve read about these ‘fans’ who will totally abandon something they profess to love more than anything for something as simple as a bad costume.

This also brings to mind all those Hermione/Harry Potter shippers who had a hissy fit when Hermione and Ron got together instead and started demanding J.K. Rowling change her plot lines and APOLOGIZE to them for being wrong.

So, the point of my rant? Relax, people. Yeah, it’s important to you and that’s great but when you start laying claim to something you had no hand in creating, you really need to get over yourself.

Me, I do still have faith in the “Lost” writers and producers. We’re going to get the answers to the questions they want to answer. All the other stuff that they’re going to leave out? I’ll just decide for myself. That’s one of the advantages of unanswered questions in fiction – for those willing to fill in some of the blanks themselves, they get a wholly original story that no one else has. “Lost” is not my property, but I have my own, personal version of the story that no one else can have.

——————————————

03/15/10

After reading over this again I think I need to clarify something. The above makes it sound like I think fans should accept whatever is presented to them without critique. That’s really not what I meant. When something you like just starts to get bad when it was once good, the fan has every right to complain or abandon the project.

I guess what’s really been irking me is the pettiness of the complaints and the general impatience. “Lost,” in particular, is moving at the same pace it always has – and it has never been a break-neck show in terms of plot movement. What people have praised in the past is now being scorned.

Continue reading »]]> I hate public censorship so this is a good week to read all those books that have been attacked and threatened with censorship. It’s Banned Books week and while there are books out there that everyone knows has been censored, there are tons that make you wonder what these people were thinking when they tried to ban the book.

Here’s a short list of banned books from the past and the reasons why they were pulled from the shelves.

Go read a banned book today!

Continue reading »]]> 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.”

Continue reading »]]> 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.

Continue reading »]]> 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.