The Franklin County Wilderness, It Loves Me...

Last night I was sitting in bed reading when I heard a small crinkling noise. I immediately put my book down and paused to listen. Nothing. Great, now I wasn't even sure I had heard the noise in the first place. I "hear" a lot of things down in "the cave." So I went back to reading.

A few minutes later, more crinkling. This time I knew I heard it. It sounded like something moving against a plastic bag. Crinkle Crinkle. Before I even had a chance to think, my imagination took off and started filling my head with all sorts of nasty images. A giant hairy spider, an enormous version of the millipedes I already find all over the basement, and all sorts of other varieties of crawlies.

What made it all the more disturbing was the fact that this noise, crinkle crinkle, was coming from directly next to me. Either under my night stand or just next to it.

So I did what anyone would do. I got out of bed, found a pair of crocks in case I needed to squish something, a flashlight in case I needed to look under my bed, and carefully began the extraction of the items surrounding my nightstand. I moved both the stack of catalogs and magazines first, then my stack of summer reading books, then a pile of online shopping still waiting to be returned (I know, I know, I'll get to it soon) all of which left me without a trace of the noise maker. So I checked under the bed, thought I saw something, then realized that the something was a shadow. I was flummoxed and starting to think maybe the whole thing was my imagination after all. I was about to climb back into bed and continue my reading when out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of blue slip under my nightstand.

Now, I don't particularly like to have to move my nightstand to find creepies underneath it. It leaves your feet vulnerable for them to attack while you are holding the table in the air to move it. But I had my crocs on, so I braved it.

When I moved the table, I found this little friend:

From Coffee Spoons

Needless to say, he was a much better find than a true creepy, although still not welcome in my bedroom. I believe he'll be much happier out in my garden anyway, which is where he has been relocated.

One Week!!!

Only one more week until Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince movie release!!!

Do you know what this means?

No?!?

I'll tell you.

(You may want to skip this blog if you haven't read the books yet and are playing the, "I'll wait for the movies because I'm too lazy to actually read" game. Whatever, I care not for individuals such as yourselves. It is too late, you are condemned.)

Book 6 is the penultimate book in the HP series. It is a part transition, part theme exploration, and part character development novel. Unlike some of the other HP books, it entirely relies on the series to function as a novel. (In music, book 6 would be the V chord (that's a roman numeral for 5), filled with tension and tricky harmonies leading into the final resolution, the Big I or little i chord (Roman 1's). There are only a few new characters introduced, among them Rufus Scrimgeour and Horace Slughorn, leaving most of the novel's plot developments relating to already established information. Readers also meet, through the pensieve, a young and developing Tom Riddle.

One could argue that perhaps the most important suggestion made throughout book 6 is the concept of "goodness." Rowling sets her readers up to question just about every character's motive in regards to their actions concerning at least one other character at some point in the novel, even Harry Potter. This moment of hesitation that occurs in the reader's mind is important because it relates to the idea and the theme that a person is not inherently good or evil, but chooses to be so because of love, which has been set up from the very first book. Rowling explores that idea at length within book 6.

The best example I can think of would be the ongoing conflict between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Their rivalry was literally established even before Harry and Draco were sorted into rival houses in their first year and has festered each year up until this point. As a reader, you want to feel immediately loyal to Harry (and therefore against Draco) as he is the protagonist of the series. Unfortunately, Rowling does not allow any such cut and dry emotions within her books. She perforates her readers' opinions of both Draco and Harry when she shows Draco's emotional struggle over his dark task and Harry's callous treatment and harsh judgement of Draco that Harry fails to see just how desperate a person Draco Malfoy has become. The resulting "what if" occurs when the reader is left to question if Harry, our hero, had treated Draco more humanely and less suspiciously, if Draco may have changed his mind and confided in someone instead of being spurned on to more and more insane and rash choices which eventually result in Dumbledore's death. (I warned you not to keep reading.)

Rowling's finger points in all directions by the end of book 6. It's a hard book to swallow sometimes. But perspective is everything, the light at the end of the tunnel is that book 7 happens. Just like in music, the beauty is created when the tension of that penultimate chord is released into the final resolution. Voldemort is eventually defeated, Harry and Ginny get hitched and make baby, and Nevil gets to make his Gran proud! Dumbledore even resurfaces in a dream sequence to help tie everything up in a neat little bow.

But that final exultant victory cannot make the individual losses we feel any less poignant. That's part of the point too though, we have to learn from the loses we feel in literature so that we can change the future of the muggle world, making it truly a magical place to be. Reading is important, kids!


On a side note, here are some fun HP Movie goodies, enjoy!

Warner Bros HP & HBP Website

Some clips from the film:

Rufus Scrimgeour, I presume?

The Leaky Cauldron has reported that Bill Nighy stated he will be in the last HP movie.

Nighy said, "I don't think I'm allowed to say it, but I'm going to be in the next Harry Potter film." in an interview with The Independant.

Nighy is friends with the film's director, David Yates and complained earlier this year that he, "is the only British actor not in the films."

People are speculating that he's cast as Rufus Scrimgeour. We'll see. Scrimgeour is supposed to be introduced in Book 6. In fact that scene is one of my favorites, so I hope this isn't true and they already have a Scrimgeour and that scene. Even though I don't like seeing some parts of the books on the screen, I've always wanted to see that one. If he is Scrimgeour though, I think he could do a credible job. I have, however, always pictured the last PM of Magic as a more, well, beefy guy. It does say he's supposed to look like a lion, and Nighy does on a certain level. I guess I just always pictured a well fed lion.

Other interesting news? Not really, no. But I just think it's hilarious/ridiculous/reason why there should be a test to procreate that anyone would do this to themselves...

I'm Really Bad With Names

But I'm great with faces. I'm one of those people who some days wishes everyone wore name tags. So that's why, I think, I have problems naming my characters. So in trolling the internet looking for names for my most recent typing escapades I came across this little doo-dad!

Super fun and useful if you're in need of names for characters or well, you know, babies I guess...

Negative Attention Seeking Behavior Patterns

Did you know that there's some research statistic that allows states to estimate and plan for their future prison populations based on the current rate of delinquency in third graders?

Appalling as that thought is, it makes sense. Children learn from birth to use different behaviors in order to get what they need from the world. A baby cries like a siren going off to tell anyone within a 15 mile radius that it has a need. Unfortunately this is the only communication tool available to a newborn. It cannot blink twice for yes and once for no. It doesn't even know the difference between yes and no. So it must wail. Unfortunate indeed because later on in that child's life, in third grade, crying at larger than life decibels to get what it wants will be considered throwing a tantrum and as such unacceptable.

The trick, you see, for those little third graders, are the adults in the equation. At some point past infancy and before kindergarten some adult must explain to each child how to use other forms of expression and communication to glean what they desire and need from the world. This process should be a simple matter of, "instead of this, do this." except, what is also unfortunate for each child is the fact that they have no control over which adult they are assigned. If their care taker doesn't understand good communication skills and responsibility, more than likely something within the relationship will break down and the child will be allowed to continue practicing poor forms of expression. By the time a child enters the school system he or she will have established different coping mechanisms for dealing with different situations. For example, being good at sharing or being impatient with others. By the time that child hits the third grade they are dealing with more worldly issues and have established the coping mechanisms they will practice for most of the rest of their lives, for better or worse.

Now I am not an early childhood educator, so I can't sit here and tell you exactly when a child develops what habits or learns what abilities. I'm just using third graders because of the fact that the government uses them for prison estimations. I can tell you though, that once a child establishes a propensity for negative attention seeking behaviors, it is very difficult to turn around and help them learn to cope with the world in a positive fashion. Not only are you trying to help that child unlearn something that seems natural to them but often, adults react in a very negative way towards those kids by punishing them and treating them with anger instead of the love and protection they crave.

Now let's talk about North Korea. Right now, N. Korea is about 17 years old. A whiny 17 years old. (Not literally, folks, we're talking analogies here) Now don't get me wrong, every teenager is entitled to go through some level of rebellion, self discovery, and the like, but N. Korea is acting like a child who was never taught good coping mechanisms as an infant and so is certainly unable to deal with the world now.

I don't have an opinion on what should happen with N. Korea. I feel too sad right now. I really pity N. Korea because it's a country that has to first deny, then test, then spread rumors about, then test some more, and then threaten to really go all out with nuclear weapons to feel important. Negative attention seeking behaviors. My mother has always said that usually it's the people who are the hardest to love that need your love the most. She always reminds me of this fact when I'm really upset with someone. So even though it's really hard for me to think about N. Korea in a compassionate state of mind, I find myself trying.

No one was around to teach N. Korea how to play nice and use it's "I" statements in it's infancy, and then later, when N. Korea was probably about the age of a pre-teen and really acting out in a big way for the first time (or at least the first time that anyone took notice), bigger countries bullied it and tried to "tell it what to do" and "how to act" through war and vengeance. Clearly that did not result in the desired effect. So maybe I do have an opinion, even though it's pretty vague. I think we should encourage love.

Please stop rolling your eyes. I know how stupid I sound. But it's better than the idiots screaming, "bomb 'em!" Because if there is one thing I learned as a child, it's that two wrongs never make a right, no matter how good it might feel at the time. So let's take the high road, let's play the adult game, let's be the bigger person...err...country.

Old School RomCom

Movies like this one remind me of my elementary school principle, Mrs. Azzara, who used to say, "An oldie but goodie!"

Yesterday evening I caught How to Steal a Million on one of the movie channels. I love older movies and this is one of my favorites. In fact, it's my favorite heist movie. If you've never had a chance to watch it, Netflix it or something because it's a good one. It's a comedy with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole set in Paris. Hepburn plays Nicole Bonnet, daughter of a master art forger and O'Toole plays Simon Dermott, a character that Nicole catches in her house one night carrying one of her father's paintings, a forgery, of course.

The basic storyline runs like this: After Nicole catches Simon, she shoots him in the arm and then drives him home because she can't call the police knowing they don't have any real paintings to report or have investigated. Meanwhile, Nicole's father has loaned a work to a museum. All good fun until they learn the museum is about the put it through a proper test. So in order to keep her father from going to jail and herself from having to exile to America to avoid scandle, Nicole enlists her burgalar, Simon, to help her steal back the loaned sculpture. Simon, the master thief that he is, agrees to help.

The best part of the whole movie however, is when Simon confesses to Nicole that he knows they're stealing a forgery. Nicole is flumaxed as to why Simon, clearly a master thief, would help her steal a forgery until he tells her that he loves her. He then, of course, kisses her passionately. This whole scene, incendentally, occurs in the broom closet of the museum while they wait for their plan to go into action. Cozy.

The next best part occurs when Simon confesses that he is not, in fact, a master thief. He is however, a master investigator of forgers. He was breaking into Nicole's house in the beginning of the movie to inspect one of her father's paintings when she caught him red handed and mistook him for a thief. Only, you, as a viewer, have done the same thing. It makes it that much more fun and delicious. It's just like when Simon is looking at the sculpture, a copy of Cellini's Venus, and starts to notice a resemblance between Venus and Nicole and he asks, "Say, just where were you in the early 16th century?" She responds, "I don't know but I wasn't dressed like that!" (Venus has a piece of cloth covering her hoo-ha but that's about it) The story line is so unbelievable but lovable at the same time that you can't help but want to keep watching. O'Toole plays his character so beautifully it makes you want him to want you instead of Nicole Bonnet.

It's a romantic ideal I know, but after watching a movie like this one, a girl can't help but wish for a man like Simon Dermott. It's the same thing that happens to me after Philadelphia Story and Meet Joe Black. Obviously there are some definite negatives to each of those love stories that make them less than ideal were they reality, but for the brief moment that is a movie script, they seem perfect. They ellicit the Mr. Darcy sigh. That same sigh I breath every time I finish P&P.

I know, a very cliche blog, but perhaps a little dose every now and again is healthy.

"Run mad as often as you choose, but do not faint!" Jane Austen

Goonies Never Say Die

In my news perusal this morning, I came across an article that suggested the idea that the Harry Potter franchise might be loosing it's magical touch. The author cited the competition from the Twilight series as the catalyst for what may seem to be a declining audience. Although by the end of the article the author pointed out that she was still a die-hard Potterian, I still gasp in horror that anyone could even suggest such a coup could occur at this point.

Think about it...

Is there honestly anyone out there who would rather go to Forks High School over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? No. Exactly.

Is there anyone out there who would honestly prefer blood over pumpkin juice and chocolate frogs? No. Exactly.

Look, Twilight is new. It's shiny. It's sexy and passionate. Harry Potter isn't sexy, he's heroic and thrilling. Twilight makes it really easy for a bunch of tweeners to swoon and forget about reality while they get sucked into Stephanie Meyer's own personal fantasy world. Because let's face it, Stephanie Meyer is Bella Swan, or rather, Bella Swan's life is the life Stephanie Meyer never lived. Apologies all around if you hadn't figured that one out yet.

But let's break down Bella for a second. Meyer states within the first few pages of the first book that Bella's defining character trait is her strong sense of self confidence. Bella then meets Edward and spends the next three and a half novels worrying that she isn't worthy to be around him, dazzled, and in a constant state of "weak in the knees." Some strong, independent woman.

You could argue that Edward Cullen is Meyer's secondary protagonist. She is writing another version of the books from his perspective, after all. But even if you consider that point, Edward is so controlling of Bella and moody for, well, three and a half novels, that it's a completely unhealthy relationship. Anyone who actually understands the concept of love, real and true love, knows that trusting your other half is a non-issue. Edward claims that his control issues only have to do with himself and his own insecurities, but um, so do most emotionally abusive partners. So I can't really accept Edward's love as 100%. I accept that Bella and Edward believe what they have is honest and total, but it's a very immature relationship on many levels. While a large majority of Meyer's readers want to model their perfect relationships after either Edward and Bella now, I believe, and fervently hope, that a little emotional growth will prove how unrealistic and undesirable an existance that is.

So while Meyer's fans will grow out of their fantasies with her characters. J.K. Rowling's fans will keep theirs for a few simple reasons:

1) Harry Potter is the classic hero, surrounded by complex secondary characters and powerful emotions. There is real loss and real triumph within Harry's story. Who dies in Twilight? That's right, Irina. No one cared about her. In fact, unless you've just finished reading the books, or are some crazy word-nerd, you probably forgot all about her, didn't you? But no one forgets about Sirius, Dumbledore, Hedwig, Dobby, Fred, and Snape (and oh so many more)! Readers were terrified by the time the last book came out to read which character they would lose in the final battle. A fear which Stephanie Meyer completely protected her readers from when she debuted Bella's amazing ability to force field everyone around her.

2) Harry defeats Lord Voldemort. A force so powerful ordinary wizards are afraid to even speak his name. Voldemort has forgotten how to love, he has no motivations except gaining more evil, corrupt power. He is Iago and will never be forgotten. Conversely, neither will Harry Potter, their names are linked in many ways.

3) What J.K. Rowling did with her story was to show us how evil can come to exist. Through the books readers traced Voldemort's beginnings back to the boy Tom Riddle and watched in retrospect as he became more wicked and cruel. Readers were able to see the mistakes made by others when they were wooed by Riddle into helping him climb the ladder of power. At the same time, those same readers were able to watch first hand, Harry's own journey as he prepared for his destiny. Rowling delicately wove the theme of maternal love and humanity into each book so that even though Dumbledore gives both readers and Harry the answer early on, it's not until the very end that full comprehension occurs.

That is a true work of literary art. Harry Potter fans will keep their some of their fantasies because Rowling encourages her readers to think big. By the end of her series there is a feeling of excitement and ability. As a reader I wanted to become my own personal Harry Potter and change the world. I wanted to defeat the Voldemorts of today. I still do.

I think it's obvious that because the Twilight series has only recently been published in it's entirety and the movie versions only begun filming for it to seem more popular now. Readers were coming off of the Harry Potter high and were craving a new adventure. It was easy to jump on the Twilight wagon. I don't think Meyer's story would have gained the amount of success that it did without Rowling's series before it. I also have no doubt that in ten years Harry Potter will be considered a classic fantasy hero and Bella Swan will have become a moment in pop culture. And just like the moment when I was able to turn the final page of the seventh book and look back on the whole series with contentment and a sigh of awe, perspective, I believe, will be everything.