After the Prince

**Warning- Some slight spoilers regarding Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince follow, but these are not major plot points, and will definitely not dampen your enjoyment of the film! Still thought I'd give you a heads up, though!**

“Half Blood Prince: So they won't start on this one until September-- that doesn't mean I can't make my predictions about the film now! It's hard to say what they'll leave out, since of course I always think everything should be in the movie. So I'll play process of elimination. They can't leave out Dumbledore's explanation/quest of the horcruxes, obviously, since that has become the crux (sorry) of the series. Whether that means they'll cut out Voldemort's backstory I'm not sure, but they'll obviously shorten that considerably. They have to include Draco and his little project, but it will be fast tracked, and trimmed down to just the bare minimum. They obviously have to include the Potions text book et al, since that is the title of the movie, but I bet it's just Hermione nagging at Harry not to use it and him getting really good at potions. I think that also would leave them to have to include Harry's attack on Draco, but I just don't know. I thought they had to include a lot of other stuff that they've left out of the movies! Let's see....they'll also need to have devote at least part of the storyline to Harry's new love interest-- that is pretty much just a given. Other than that, I don't know what else would be critical to leave in. I think Slughorn will be there, but not a lot of the storylines that he's involved with. Maybe just where Harry saves Ron's life, but most likely not Harry retrieving Slughorn's memory. Gosh, I just don't know! Man, I really hope they keep Quidditch in, at least so we can see what goes on with Harry there. It just makes me happy. :) And I'd love to see Fred and George's joke shop, but that falls into the "not entirely necessary" category. Fleur and Bill are so gone. Ron and Lavender are most likely out, as poor Ron gets left out of everything these days.

In conclusion, though, I think Half Blood Prince could be a really awesome movie. If Prisoner of Azkaban is dark and weird, then I think Half Blood Prince could just be cool. Really.”

I wrote the above on my old Xanga blog on July 17, 2007. Having now finally seen the movie, I’d say most of my predictions were pretty accurate! I didn’t get Slughorn’s memory or Ron and Lavender quite right, but other than that I got a lot of it correct. I'm so glad they did include Fred and George's joke shop after all, especially since I was wearing a "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes" shirt to the premiere!

So, yes: I did see Half-Blood Prince at midnight the other night. The whole evening was so much fun, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat! Can you believe I actually hoodwinked six other people into going with me? Me neither. ALSO: they didn't pretend like they didn't know me when I put on my Gryffindor scarf (knitted just for me by Katie!) AND Harry Potter glasses. I'm still amazed. I mean really-- would you just look at me? I wouldn't have blamed them BUT AT ALL if they'd made me stand in the very back of the line as long as I was dressed like that. It's a wonder....

The movie was indeed, very “cool.” I don't think I was expecting it to be so funny, though! I just laughed and laughed all the way through. (Until, of course, the devastating ending.) Other than that though, it was filled with absolute hilarity and teenage hijinx! I love the direction of David Yates, and am eager to see what he does with Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. It's so great to see all of the British acting elite in all of the Harry Potter movies (Jim Broadbent was an inspired choice for Slughorn), and it will be great to see Bill Nighy finally join the cast as Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in movie seven.

I really saw very few negatives in the overall movie. Aside from my usual issues with their changing things or adding puzzling new scenes*, my biggest criticism of HBP is that the movie felt like it had no soul. Yes, it was intense and scary and sad and, I said above, devastating in parts, but I just didn’t feel the gravity of certain events as much as I thought I should. I don't know what I'm looking for to help with this- slow motion? different music? longer scenes?- but it just didn't hit me as hard as I thought it should. I felt like HBP lacked the gravitas of my favorite Harry Potter film, Order of the Phoenix, and could definitely have taken a page from that movie as far as lasting consequences and the very real threat of an overarching and pressing evil.

I think, however, that this movie will appeal to a very wide audience. It's a remarkably accessible film that requires very little introductory information if you've never read the books or seen the previous movies. If you do go see it, let me know what you thought! Lord knows I have more say on the topic!

So is anyone planning on catching the movie this weekend? I'm ready to see it again, and would love to tag along....

*Really, I’m over it, even the bits about Harry and Ginny. It’s just—HOW can you botch that storyline? It was absolute perfection in the book, and they turned it into something awkward, nonsensical, and seemingly inconsequential. Sigh.

Addicted to love.

That's the name of a song, right?  Just checked.  I'm good.  It's late on Friday night and I have an audition in the morning, but I can't go to sleep without posting.  (Anyone think it's funny that I described 10:40pm on a Friday night as "late"?)

I'm currently addicted to a few things.

-Trader Joe's everything.  I'm pretty sure it's the only grocery store that makes me smile just before I walk in the sliding doors.

-Kelly Clarkson's newest album "All I Ever Wanted."  I love me some Kelly and this new one is so much fun.

-Song #10 -Long Shot - on "All I Ever Wanted."

-Showing Harry Potter movies to friends for the first time.  I've been walking Erin through the movies over the past four months to get her ready for July 15th.

-The Ellen show.  I work out at 3:00pm precisely on Mondays and Fridays.  Somehow those are the only two days that I can manage to stay on the treadmill for a full hour.  I must look like a crazy person as I laugh aloud frequently while running.

-Google Reader.  Also, shared items on google reader.

-Vacuuming.  I love it.  I especially love the new vacuum my mom bought me when she was here in February.

-Real Simple and Relevant magazines.

-The Arcade Fire album Funeral.  The song Wake Up is on the trailer for "Where the Wild Things Are."  I'm also addicted to that trailer.

-The Half-Blood Prince trailers.

-Flickr.

-Coffee.

-I would mention grilled cheese sandwiches, but I think I've made that addiction fairly well known.

-Making ridiculous projects on The Golden Child.  Garage Band and iMovie are taking over my evenings.

-My Key Word Study Bible that I received for Christmas.  It has both Greek and Hebrew translations.

-Hitting the snooze button.  I am cursed in this area.

-Route 44 Diet Cokes from Sonic.

-Wanting to end blog posts with that's all folks, that's a rap, that's all she wrote, or The End.

The Weekenders*

Friday I stayed at work later than usual. Because I was working on work things. Big, important work things that required plenty of writing, editing, formatting, importing, highlighting, stapling, and sighing. Today I am realizing that I didn’t BOLD enough or make clear enough because I had forgotten that not everyone interprets information the same way (ie the right way). Today I am replying with plenty of “Actually...” emails. “Just to be clear...” emails. “You’re still not understanding me...” emails. And still I am sighing.

But on Friday I left work feeling accomplished and satisfied and ready-for-the-weekend-y! Our usual “Friday Night Fun” group met up for pizza and MarioKart and backyard adventuring. Because everything is an adventure when little ones are involved. Nearly two-year-old Jack was delighted and astounded (rightfully so) by my ability to throw a ball into the tree branches and catch it again. Truly a feat of magical genius; Harry Potter would be proud.

Friday night ended with what I thought would be a SHORT Skype conversation with G. At the point when she exclaimed “I’m going to interview you for the blog!” I knew all hope of making it to bed before 12:30 was lost. AND may I state for the record that I was playing the Annie soundtrack at the time because GINGER had been singing “Maybe!” She just likes to leave out important details sometimes....

Saturday: woke up at 9am. Thought “Forget that!” and turned Gilmore Girls on to lull me back to sleep. Woke again at 12pm. Sleep WIN! Later on I met Stacy and Tamara at the movie theater to see “Wolverine,” as I’d already seen “Star Trek.” Geek cred WIN!

After church yesterday I went shopping and ended up coming home with new tennis shoes and fun squishy comfy flip flops (thank you Buy One Get One ½ Price sale!). Are you seeing the cushioning on these things? My feet are in love with me today.

I couldn’t continue to ignore the gorgeous sunny weather we were blessed with, so I hit the pool for a while once I got back to my apartment. I love summer!

Later in the afternoon I came up to the office armed with pink balloons, a princess crown, and a High School Musical 3 birthday banner to help Tamara decorate Stacy’s office. I mean, if Troy and Gabriella’s giant faces aren’t going to make your birthday happy, I honestly don’t know what will. Tamara and I had fun with streamers and ladders and ribbon, and it all ended up looking quite festive, if I do say so myself!

I spent the evening cleaning my kitchen and creating Oreo Truffles for the birthday celebrations today, which always takes longer than I plan for it to. But it’s always very much wonderfully worth it, because that is one of my very favoritest desserts! Brainwave this time around: used my Magic Bullet to crush the Oreos! It truly was magic. Harry Potter would be proud.

Today: Happy Birthday, Stacy! Our whole department (all four of us) went out to lunch at Rudy’s for some tasty Texas barbecue. And don’t try to tell me you’re not jealous, because I can hear your stomach growling from here! A little while after we got back it was time for the office to sing Happy Birthday- which undoubetly results in a roomful of people mentally thinking “Hope it’s chocolate for me” (it is, actually—chocolate AND Oreo, to be exact).

Tonight: Cleaning the apartment. Because tomorrow? Is High School Musical 3 movie night at my apartment! Oh, don’t worry, readers. I can feel your jealousy emanating through the computer screen. But you will be there in spirit. And in song. ‘Cause you are the music in me.

*Man, I love that show. So clever. So hilarious. I have been anxiously anticipating it's release on DVD for years. Any day now...right? Oh well. Later days!

Fun With Linking!

First off, I want to apologize for the long hiatus! A delightful 4th of July holiday away in Galveston and a very busy week prevented a post from me. Sorry excuses I know, but what are you gonna do? Exactly.

So remember when I confessed to being afraid of the 1985 version of Alice in Wonderland? I am so totally not alone in this! Other people think it's terrifying as well! SEE? I knew I wasn't crazy.

If you're at all familiar with Rotten Tomatoes, you know how hard it is for a movie to get a decent rating. The score is based on how many good versus how many bad reviews a movie gets from critics. Wall-E, the highest rated movie of 2008 so far (and SOOOO cute! I love him!!!) has an impressive rating of 97%. The Dark Knight is at 100%. Granted it only has 12 reviews so far, but that's still really impressive!

Without a doubt this is one of the coolest news stories I have ever read. A designer remodeling a lavish New York apartment turned it into a puzzle and scavenger hunt for the family, complete with codes, clues, secret panels, and so much more. In fact, this whole concept is so intriguing that its rights have already been purchased for Lost mastermind JJ Abrams. An exerpt: Then one night four months later, Cavan Klinsky, who is now 11, had a friend over. The boy was lying on the floor in Cavan’s bedroom, staring at dozens of letters that had been cut into the radiator grille. They seemed random — FDYDQ, for example. But all of a sudden the friend leapt up with a shriek, Ms. Sherry said, having realized that they were actually a cipher (a Caesar Shift cipher, to be precise), and that Cavan’s name was the first word.

Amazing old photographs that have been made to look 3D. They jump around a lot to give you the 3D illusion so it might make you a little seasick, but it's worth it. I don't know how they do it or why it works like this, but it's awesome.

I'm getting especially anxious to see the trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We (we the awesome Harry Potter fans, of course) thought we'd get a trailer with Prince Caspian. No. Then it was going to come with Kung Fu Panda. No. Then it was supposed to be Get Smart. And Dark Knight. No. No. Still-- nothing! Currently we are hearing it will come either with The Mummy or with Clone Wars. But that's heading into August! And the movie comes out in November! We are seriously overdue. Anyway. All this so say, at least they threw some pictures at us to keep us happy (for now)!

Now I'm not usually interested in medical articles, but this is fascinating. It starts out about itching- why we itch, chronic itching, itching that's all in our minds- but later delves into the very intriguing topic of phantom limbs and their mirror therapy. I know I'm not making it sound that great, but it's completely captivating.

This is SO COOL. You'll like it, I just know you will:

***Update on The Mole! I really thought Kristen might be the Mole! I'm so off my game, I couldn't believe it when she got sent home. Now I am suspicious of Clay and Alex. It will be one of them, just you wait and see! I'm...pretty sure....***

Before Tomorrow

Things I can be found doing daily:

• Catching up on my blogs with Google Reader. It's a fantastic invention, and it not only ensures that I'll never miss a new post, but also that I don't have to listen to the loud music blaring on your site. Sorry.


• Listening to: either Mugglecast, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, or a shuffle of the random mix of music on my ipod (musicals, old jazz, classical film scores, etc.)


• Trying to drink as much water as I can. Is it possible to drown from the inside?


• Surveying the many photos that cover the top half of my fridge. The audience of this blog is quite small, so chances are if you're reading this, you're somewhere on my fridge.


• Trying to keep up with the Gilmore Girls trivia on Facebook. Even if it's just a few minutes before I go to bed, I've got to answer a couple questions. Hey, I'm ranked #16 out of 154,509 players! I'm not about to let that prestige slip away. :)


• Missing friends and family that are flung all over the US of A. To quote Beth in 'Little Women': "Why does everyone want to go away?"


• Talking myself into getting out of bed in the morning. You already had your five more minutes! But it's too dark outside to get up! But you don't want to be late! I don't care-- my comforter is too squishy! Get up. NOW. (Bold faced Val sounds a bit like Dr. Claw)
• Writing in my journal. It's been over three years, and I still have an entry for every day. Don't ask me why in the world I do this, because I don't have an answer. It's a mystery to me as well....
  
• Keeping track of how many fruits and veggies I've eaten (or, more likely, have yet to eat). Four vegetables? Is a lot. I don't care who you are. That's a dang lot.


• Being sarcastic. It's bad when the guy at Brookshires helping you put groceries in your car is calling you out on your sarcasm.


• Attempting to comprehend a God that puts up with me and my sarcastic self.

The True Message of Harry Potter

There are several random things that I am passionate about. Raising awareness on the tragic effects of cigarette smoke would definitely be one. Ensuring that people know the identity of certain famous classic movie actors is another. And a third is defending the reputation of one Harry Potter.
.

It seems like you can’t go anywhere or read anything today without still stumbling upon something in attack of or in support of the Harry Potter series. Almost everyone has a side, and every side has been presented numerous times. But at the same time, I feel like I really need to say something on the subject, and let you read what I have found regarding the battle of Harry Potter.

Far too many well-meaning individuals have taken it upon themselves to make it their personal crusade to eradicate the works of J.K. Rowling from the bookshelves of the world. The problem with this is that too many are acting out of ignorance. They have read that James Dobson of Focus on the Family tells them not to read the books, so they keep them from their children. They hear their friends talking about them and they assume that the books are evil. The strength in the Harry Potter smear campaign comes from the fact that too many of James Dobson’s followers take his word as law, or their church’s views as their own, with no personal investigation. If these fearful “crusaders” would take the time to read the books themselves and spend some actual time in prayer, they might come to a very different conclusion.

Laura Mallory, an American mother and ordained minister, has made it her cause to take down J.K. Rowling and see the removal of the Harry Potter books from school libraries. She has made it her personal quest to the extent that she has been to court numerous times over the novels and is, perhaps, the most famous Potter detractor. The home page of her web site has a quote from John Hagee that states, “The whole purpose of the Potter books is to desensitize readers and introduce them to the occult.”

This quote is absolutely mind-blowing to me, and surely to many other educated readers. Steven C. Scheer, Harry Potter-defender and author of Hollywood Values, states on his web site that he believes the issue of protecting the books is “well worth a bit of our time and energy.” He goes on to address the unfounded claims of Harry Potter critics regarding the immorality of the books, asserting that, “To see evil where there is none is a terrible thing, a kind of evil in itself.”

Scheer makes a valid point, and not only addresses the unsubstantiated assertions of the Potter attackers, but also tackles the issue at hand, which is the fact that their attempts to find iniquity where there is none is wasteful, baseless, and harmful. Scheer continues, “We can't make words mean whatever we want them to mean. We need to cooperate with the author, for example, to see what he or she is up to, and not jump to conclusions prematurely.”

This is exactly what is being done by the ignorant critics of the books as they seize passages from the books out of context and make assumptions about the content and meaning of the stories. Harry Potter-opposer William J. Schnoebelen believes that “[The Potter books] tickle the desire to become 'little gods' and fill the child's head with violence, blood sacrifice and a world view which is decidedly anti-Christian.” I personally don't know of any children whose brains have been tickled by Harry Potter "blood sacrifices," but if I come across them I will be sure to let Mr. Schnoebelen know.

Obscure connections to the occult can be made to almost anything, apparently including even the dates on which the Potter books have been released. For instance, Pastor David J. Meyer believes there is meaning in the fact that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released on a certain day in July. To you and I it is just another summer day, but to Meyer it is an evil date. Meyers says, "July 8th was also the 18th day (three sixes in numerology) from the witches’ sabat of midsummer. July 8th was also the 13th day from the signing of the United Religions Charter in San Francisco." It takes a lot of searching, research, and energy to make a connection like that. Does he honestly believe that J.K. Rowling would be able to orchestrate a release like that, even if she really was evil and had wanted to do that? Furthermore, he must be one of the only people to have made such a connection, and I certainly know that there isn't a third-grader out there who has noticed the book release dates and been converted to the occult because of it.

Someone wishing to find evil in a story may very well find it. A well-researched individual could possibly make connections between the most innocent of stories with the most wicked beliefs. Take the Wizard of Oz for instance. In the same way that people have misconstrued and destroyed the uplifting message of Harry Potter, one could twist around and shamefully damage the message of this other wonderful children’s story. The Wizard of Oz contains (obviously) a wizard, and not only that, but also three witches, numerous spells and incantations, talking animals, and strange occurrences. But that’s not what the stories are about, are they? Diane L. Durante agrees, stating, “The Wizard of Oz… is set in a land inhabited by witches, Munchkins and talking trees--but it really is about Dorothy's, and her friends', determination to attain difficult goals.” In the same way, the story of Harry Potter may take place in a school of wizardry, but is about the students and their struggles, laughter, hopes, and fears.

Indeed, there are a number of popular books, shows, and movies that also have magical elements to them, but Harry Potter remains the sticking point. Harry Potter detractor John Andrew Murray believes that these influences are corrupting the youth of America. He says, "With the growing popularity of youth-oriented TV shows on witchcraft -- 'Sabrina, the Teenage Witch;' 'Charmed;' ' Buffy the Vampire Slayer' -- a generation of children is becoming desensitized to the occult. But with Hollywood's help, Harry Potter will likely surpass all these influences, potentially reaping some grave spiritual consequences."

In his genius book Looking For God in Harry Potter, John Granger goes to work logically and biblically taking apart the claims and beliefs of the Harry Potter attackers. He addresses this fear of the aforementioned media and the occult, saying, “People who track the occult for a living explain that despite Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter, membership in these groups in Europe and the United States is minuscule and has been in decline over the last decade.” He goes on to state that “Concern that the books might “lay the foundation” for occult practice is misplaced, however well intentioned and understandable, because it fails to recognize that Potter magic is not demonic.”

Indeed, a common misconception about Harry Potter is that anyone who reads them (particularly young, impressionable children) will surely rush off to join an occult or find a book to teach them exactly what Harry, Ron, and Hermione are doing at Hogwarts. But that’s just not the way it is in these novels. Granger gently maintains that “the magic in Harry Potter is no more likely to encourage real-life witchcraft than time-travel in science fiction novels encourages readers to seek passage to previous centuries.”

An alternative to the belief that Harry Potter is destroying the Christian faith is that the books are actually affirming it. John Granger asserts, “Because of all the sound and fury in the popular media and coming from many pulpits, it may seem incredible to you that Harry Potter is not contrary to Christian faith but a series of books nurturing faith.”

Surely this would come as a blow to the many detractors of the works of J.K. Rowling, and a disgraceful idea to those who have fought so hard to keep Harry away from their children. But consider Granger’s words: “The Harry Potter novels, the best-selling books in publishing history, touch our hearts because they contain themes, imagery, and engaging stories that echo the Great Story we are wired to receive and respond to.”

Maybe the reason the books are so amazingly popular is that they touch on an unfilled hole in the hearts of the readers that don’t know the Lord, and because they warm the hearts of believers and connect us to our God.

Granger certainly believes this. He unabashedly asserts this faith in what can draw us closer to the Father. “I am convinced that the fundamental reason for the astonishing popularity of the Harry Potter novels is their ability to meet a spiritual longing for some experience of the truths of life, love, and death taught by Christianity but denied by secular culture. Human beings are designed for Christ, whether they know it or not.”

Rowling certainly wove her beautiful novels with the amazing tapestry of the Great Story in mind. And if we would allow her to explain the imagery and meaning behind it, we might find that the stories do indeed fit in with a Christian worldview. Consider her explanation in her interview with Time Magazine. “In the last book Harry discovers on his parents' graves a Bible verse that, Rowling says, is the theme for the entire series. It's a passage from I Corinthians in which Paul discusses Jesus' Resurrection: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”