Football Counter-Programming 2018: Conference Champions Week

After an unscheduled and unannounced absence in Weeks 11 and 12, Football Counter-Programming made a triumphant return in Week 13 . . . just in time to witness Ohio State's triumphant return to prominence and relevancy.

But that is as much football-specific talk as you are going to get in this post. Because I know what the title of this post is and I know what I'm doing here. I trying to get you to do something other than watch college football on a Saturday. And that is only harder to accomplish in late November and early December when most places are cold, gray, and all you really want to do is sit inside and stay warm, eating snacks and vegging out.

But NO! I say NO!

In place of (semi-professional) amateur gridiron, let's talk about Harry Potter. Well . . . specifically let's talk about Newt Scamander and the Fantastic Beasts film franchise that he is the titular (if no longer truly the content driver of) movie hero of.

A few weeks ago I went to see FB2: TCoG and well, I guess it was fine. For a movie that had little to no connection to the charity-based "textbook" the title is based upon . . . it was fine. It was much better than Peter Jackson's three Hobbit movies that played a similar game of taking source material and bloating it out into as many movie tickets as it could get away with.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Gindelwald was a visually pleasing film with some adequate plot elements. And I like the actors by-and-large--with the de rigueur vilification of Johnny Depp implied, you understand? I very much like Jude Law's Dumbledore portrayal and it almost made me forget what a young Pope he is. But . . . the cinematic reveal at the end of the film was viewed by me, in the moment, as a drastic and very concerning up-ending of Potterverse canon. (If you don't know what I'm talking about it is either because you could not care less or because you just haven't seen the movie. Please use your favorite search engine to discover the awful truth for yourself.)

ANDBUTSO . . . I've listened to podcasts and read the Internet since the movie watching and I am confidently holding out hope for a sensible resolution in films 3-5--assuming of course that the public wasn't so turned off by FB2 that there is no financial stomach to even make the remaining films. If that ends up being the case, then I'm sure J.K. Rowling and the WizardingWorld publishing machine will give us hard-copy versions of the screenplays that were never filmed so that we know what might have been.

But truly--and this is the real reason that I even decided to write about this topic in the first place--what I WANT out of all of this is a canonical, hard-copy version of Rita Skeeter's The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. It was the tell-all book that shook poor Harry to the core in the wandering parts of Deathly Hallows. It forced the reader to reevaluate what we knew about Albus PWB. And, in no small measure, it is the content spine of FB2 and what we can now assume are the plots of FB3-FB5.

Let's just have the book, shall we?

Until that day comes and we get the books we richly deserve, just remember. It's doesn't matter if your alma mater's special teams coach is a Ravenclaw. If they aren't playing in a conference championship game today you can kiss goodbye their (non Notre Dame) chances of making it into the CFP Final 4.

Have a fun non-football weekend.

How can you defend Dolores Umbridge?

This morning I was scrolling through my YouTube subscriptions and ran across this recent upload from the wonderful podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.

I watched it and immediately began to struggle with how to accept the point of view that is being suggested in the video. I have always thought that Dolores Umbridge is one of the worst villains in the HP universe and I do think that it is rather unambiguous. She is shown to be racist, extremely narrow-minded, trending toward fascistic, unafraid to physically harm children, blind to evidence and reason, etc.

So . . . how can you attempt to make her a sympathetic character? (I feel similarly about Severus Snape, by the way--but that is another post.)

***

So, Umbridge a character worthy of sympathy? That is hard. But as a Christian, I must remember that Umbridge represents a person--full stop. And I should NOT write her off as entirely irredeemable and lacking worth.

I need to struggle to understand why she acts as she does and what are her reasons for these actions. Only THEN can I hope to approach her character and what she represents with understanding. Then I can begin to refute the way that she thinks.

***

Umbridge is a fictional character. But she represents so many people in the world around me. (And it is how others may choose to view me, as well.) That is obviously WHY this video was made in this way. When I am faced with entrenched and opposed views on the Internet, in my office, in my neighborhood, in any place. I need to remember this video and pause. I need to ask the question why and then formulate a way forward from there.

"Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash "

As you may have heard--a group programmed an "artificial intelligence computer" to write a Harry Potter chapter. And boy . . . what a thing it is.

Here is a link to the news story about it.

But, for ease of reading enjoyment, I'm transcribing the text here so that I can go back some time and and read it again.

I'm also adding some illustrations--from various fan art Web sites--to enhance the whole experience. Links to each fan art site are provided in the image captions.

"The Handsome One"

The castle grounds snarled with a wave of magically magnified wind. The sky outside was a great black ceiling, which was full of blood. The only sounds drifting from Hagrid's hut were the disdainful shrieks of his own furniture. Magic: it was something that Harry Potter thought was very good.

Leathery sheets of rain lashed at Harry's ghost as he walked across the grounds toward the castle. Ron was standing there and doing a kind of frenzied tap dance. He saw Harry and immediately began to eat Hermione's family.

https://twitter.com/sketchshark/status/941101174995935232

Ron's Ron shirt was just as bad as Ron himself.

"If you two can't clump happily, I'm going to get aggressive," confessed the reasonable Hermione.

"What about Ron magic?" offered Ron. To Harry, Ron was a loud, slow and soft bird. Harry did not like to think about birds.

"Death Eaters are on top of the castle!" Ron bleated quivering. Ron was going to be spiders. He just was. He wasn't proud of that, but it was going to be hard to not have spiders all over his body after all is said and done.

https://twitter.com/sketchshark/status/941424312954773504

"Look," said Hermione. "Obviously there are loads of Death Eaters in the castle. Let's listen in on their meetings."

The three complete friends zapped onto the landing outside the door to the castle roof. They almost legged it, but witches are not climbing. Ron looked at the doorknob and then looked at Hermione with searing pain.

"I think it's closed," he noticed.

https://tenoretofruddigore.tumblr.com/post/168529994960/thanks-to-ai-technology-i-have-a-new-favorite-oc

"Locked," said Mr. Staircase, the shabby-robed ghost. They looked at the door, screaming about how closed it was and asking it to be replaced with a small orb. The password was "BEEF WOMEN," Hermione cried.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione quietly stood behind a circle of Death Eaters who looked bad.

"I think it's okay if you like me," said one Death Eater.

http://drisrt.tumblr.com/post/168593935676/the-first-death-eater-confidently-leaned-forward

"Thank you very much," replied the other. The first Death Eater confidently leaned forward to plant  a kiss on his cheek.

"Oh! Well done!" said the second as his friend stepped back again. All the other Death Eaters clapped politely. Then they all took a few minutes to go over the plan to get rid of Harry's magic.

Harry could tell that Voldemort was standing right behind him. He felt a great overreaction. Harry tore his eyes from his head and threw them into the forest. Voldemort raised his eyebrows at Harry, who could not see anything at the moment.

"Voldemort, you're a very bad and mean wizard," Harry savagely said. Hermione nodded encouragingly. The tall Death Eater was wearing a shirt that said "Hermione Has Forgotten How to Dance," so Hermione dipped his face in mud.

Ron threw a wand at Voldemort and everyone applauded. Ron smiled. Ron reached for his wand slowly.

"Ron's the handsome one," muttered Harry as he reluctantly reached for his. They cast a spell or two, and jets of green light shot out of the Death Eaters' heads. Ron flinched.

"Not so handsome now," thought Harry as he dipped Hermione in hot sauce. The Death Eaters were dead now, and Harry was hungrier than he had ever been.

***

https://twitter.com/sketchshark/status/941097351309008896

The Great Hall was filled with incredible moaning chandeliers and a large librarian who had decorated the sinks with books about masonry. Mountains of mice exploded. Several long pumpkins fell out of McGonagall. Dumbledore's hair scooted next to Hermione as  Dumbledore arrived at school.

The pig of Hufflepuff pulsed like a large bullfrog. Dumbledore smiled at it, and placed his hand on its head: "You are Hagrid now."

http://elasmosaurus.tumblr.com/post/168476363349/the-pig-of-hufflepuff-pulsed-like-a-large

 "We're the only people who matter. He's never going to get rid of us." Harry, Hermione, and Ron said in chorus.

The floor of the castle seemed like a large pile of magic. The Dursleys had never been to the castle and they were not about to come there in Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash. Harry looked around and then fell down the spiral staircase for the rest of the summer.

https://tenoretofruddigore.tumblr.com/post/168548496310

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry began yelling. "The dark arts better be worried, oh boy!"

What DOES Felix know?

credit: lberghol, from deviantart

I've been listening to the audiobook recording of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince again the last few weeks. And today I hit upon something I'd never thought of before . . . the role of the Felix Felicis potion in the Ron + Hermione and the Ginny + Harry relationships.

Now . . . I know what Rowling said about Ron and Hermione earlier this year. And I can't really disagree with the spirit (and much of the substance) of what she observed. Ron and Hermione definitely look at the world in very different ways and I can absolutely believe that they might have to struggle though some difficult moments in their married life together. But I do not subscribe to the suggestion that Hermione might have been better off with Harry rather than Ron. I fully support Harry and Ginny (no matter moments of disagreement on that relationship that I have discussed in the past).

So, what is my issue this time?

Well, as I was listening to the audio, it struck me how influential Harry (under the guidance of the Liquid Luck potion) was in providing one of the final links that helped cement the start of both relationships.

Let's break it down, shall we?

Harry has decided he needs to use the potion to persuade Prof. Slughorn to give up his unaltered memory of the Horcrux conversation he had with Tom Riddle back in Riddle's sixth year. So, up in his dorm room, alongside Ron and Hermione, Harry takes a swig of the Felix felicis and then decides to go visit Hagrid's hut (much to R & H's surprise). Harry dons his invisibility cloak, heads down the stairs, and crosses the Gryffindor common room unseen.

Because he is unseen--which was part of Felix's influence (as Harry had made no suggestion prior to taking the potion that he wished to be sneaking about and because going to Hagrid's required him to sneak out of the castle after hours), the crucial dominos begin to fall.

"What were you doing up there with her?" shrieked Lavender Brown, staring right through Harry at Ron and Hermione emerging together from the boys' dormitories. Harry heard Ron spluttering behind him as he darted across the room away from them. [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic 1st American edition, p. 478]

Lavender sees right through Harry and jumps to the wrong conclusion about what Ron and Hermione were doing (alone?) in the boys dorms. And due to this assist from Felix . . . it is the final straw in the faltering relationship of Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown. The two kids get into an argument over Lavender's assumption and Ron finally finds a way to worm out of the relationship that he had wanted to end for weeks.

Ron had been struggling to find a way to stand up to Lavender's single-minded focus on their relationship, but his fundamental insecurity was making that very hard for him to accomplish. He couldn't find a way to break it off and might have limped along for the remainder of the school year in an unhappy pairing. And who knows? It might even have continued through the summer? He couldn't find a way to break up with Lavender during the Christmas holidays either, even though there were signs that he was having some second thoughts. (The "My Sweetheart" bracelet that I don't believe he ever wore and the beginnings of the Won Won nickname began at this point in the school year.)

Hermione, for her part, was not going to actively do anything to drive the final wedge between Ron and Lavender. She has too much pride and inner self-confidence to intervene. In her head* she surely was calculating how long it would take Ron to chuck it with Lavender and come to his senses. So Felix helped them confirm their relationship before things went completely nuts in Year Seven.

Now . . . what about the other couple that Felix affected as Harry departed Gryffindor Tower? It was none other than his own future wife, Ginny Weasley. A girl that Harry had known for six years and all throughout this year at school had been nursing a growing affection for. But he was always talking himself out of it because of his concern that Ron would disapprove (as Ron clearly had done with every other boyfriend that Ginny had dated). And so, Regular Harry was similarly stymied by indecision and hesitancy.

But Felixed Harry knew what to do. Just as Felix felicis told Harry to mysteriously visit Hagrid that evening rather than directly stroll down to Prof. Slughorn's office, the potion made him take a particular path out of the portrait hole just as Dean and Ginny entered.

Getting through the portrait hole was simple; as he approached it, Ginny and Dean came through it, and Harry was able to slip between them. As he did so, he brushed accidentally against Ginny. "Don't push me, please, Dean," she said, sounding annoyed. "You're always doing that. I can get through perfectly well on my own . . ." The portrait swung closed behind Harry, but not before he had heard Dean make an angry retort. . . . [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic 1st American edition, p. 478]

He didn't skirt around them (as I surely would have done if I was under the Invisibility cloak), but Felix felicis nudged Harry directly between them, ensuring that Ginny would mistake his slight touch as another push by Dean.

Why was Dean pushing her? And why had he done this many times before, according to Ginny? This strikes me as odd, since Ginny has long been described as an accomplished Quidditch player, which must mean that she has solid body control. And Rowling would surely have made it clear if Ginny was something of a spaz--which she always did when it came to Tonks' clumsiness.

So what was Dean up to? Maybe it was nothing?

I know that when I get into a argument with Lynda or the kids, I often over-exaggerate the situation to hammer home my point, no matter how ill-conceived it might be. So clearly Ginny was just taking this annoyance that she was already feeling toward Dean and magnifying it. And we know from previous books that Ginny had always harbored a crush on Harry. So, it is not as if Felix felicis was required to ensure their relationship began.

But I still find it curious that the potion went out of its way to move both relationships along when the principle actors in our story could not find a way to get it going themselves.

And if . . . IF they had NOT found a way to come together in the end, then most of these guys wouldn't have "existed."

* How interesting would it be to hear the Harry Potter story as narrated by Hermione? (Though I imagine there are several fan fictions doing that already?)

You Sank My (Relation)Ship!

A few weekends ago there was big rumblings in the Internet world about an interview given by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. The buzz centered around some out-of-context comments Rowling made regarding the relationship that her characters Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger developed in the course of the books--especially in the final two volumes in which Ron and Hermione officially coupled off.

Credit: jscolemanfch/DesktopWallpapers4me *

Rowling said that she has since had second thoughts about this pairing and apparently stated that she felt Hermione and Harry were more suited for each other and that (presumably) if given the chance to do it over, she would pair off the three main characters in a different way, specifically allowing the Chosen One to couple up with Hogwarts favorite bookworm.

First, I'll repeat the maxim often said by young adult author John Green "Books belong to their readers." Meaning, once published, it matters far more how a reader interprets a story than how the author may have intended that story.

Credit: jscolemanfch/DesktopWallpapers4me *

So, if you want Harry and Hermione to couple up, well you can look for those moments when it might have happened and treasure those events. And you can certainly look to the movie versions of the books to seek lots of Harry + Hermione scenes.


But the facts of the published work remains. And Rowling DID choose to make the story a certain way. It is already there in black and white on billions of pages all over the world. That makes the relationship "canon" and not subject to change . . . unless Rowling decided to pull a George Lucas and start releasing new, authentic versions of the story that she was unable to publish. (But we know, of course, that NO ONE had more influence and control over their final product than Rowling did over the Harry Potter series. So I do not believe that she was prevented from publishing the story that she wanted to tell.)

Why the change of heart now? Without reading the full interview, I can't begin to guess.

What do I think? Personally, I understand where she may be coming from with regards to the personality differences between Hermione and Ron/Harry. I think that even part of the interview was about how Ron and Hermione were destined to a future of couples counseling because of their different personalities. And I guess that may be true. But I also heard Emma Watson respond that she reckons ALL of them would have a future of counseling in front of them, since they were young kids tasked with saving the world and experiencing traumatic events and all that. Just because you carry a wand doesn't mean you can't experience PTSD, I suppose.

credit: harrypotter.wikia.com

But what bothers me most about Rowling's questioning of her authorial choices is what implications it has other than Ron and Hermione. Specifically Ginny's relationship with Harry. If Hermione was somehow supposed to end up with Harry, then what would have happened to Ginny? And what about all of the turmoil and feelings that Harry experienced in Books Six and Seven that centered around his developing feelings for Ron's sister? I love those passages of the seven books almost more than any other part. And to hear Rowling try to moonwalk away from that, for whatever reason, is . . . well, it's not upsetting because I'm not a teenager . . . but I wish it were not so.

And besides, I've already got so much opinion invested in the Harry + Ginny relationship. I won't back out of it now!

Still, the books and what I make of them belong to me now. And I am pleased with the results of the romances as they are. Unless and until Rowling pulls a Lucas, I will always have it the way that I want it. And I think that is the way it should be anyway.

*Sorry to illustrate the post with movie images--which I think contribute to this disagreement more than anything else. Ron is underutilized in the movies and Harry + Hermione are pushed forward with frequency. Also, Bonnie Wright's portrayal of Ginny is not convincing enough to make her seem a viable option, unless you can watch the movie through a strong knowledge of the book's characterization of Ms. Weasley.

Other thoughts from people more connected to the issue than I.

• Melissa Anelli, Web master of the venerable  Leaky Cauldron Web site and author of Harry: A History
• Marly Youmans open letter to Rowling that explains why Harry and Ginny is/was the right move. (I really liked this one, and a hat-tip to my Tumblr friend Tracy who linked to it.)
• Some more context on the Wonderland magazine interview from which the statement originated, via LeakyNews.com.

A Tangled Web From There to Here

Well, first there was Harry Potter

And then there was Brotherhood 2.0 which was unrelated to the first thing.

But, because of this video within the second thing that referenced the first thing:



the fans of that very first thing started to pay attention to that second thing.

And then . . . a bit later, I heard about it all via this Leaky Cauldron thing.

So . . . I began watching all of the videos made during the Brotherhood 2.0 thing, which eventually ended. But then the Brothers decided to keep it going, which has eventually turned into this Vlogbrothers thing.

And, all of that in many circuitous ways led to this dftba.com thing which is often prominently represented by this Pizza John thingamongst many of the community.

Now . . . I'm not going to go and locate the exact video (out of so many years worth of videos) what that Pizza John image initially came from . . . sorry. But what you need to know is that other things--of course-- were also happening during all of this time. Stuff like this, but most especially this:

And due to the confluence of all of these things, there was this.

It has been a great ride from there to here. I'm so happy to be riding along with it.

DFTBA!

The HP Cover Comparison

Recently, the new 15th anniversary covers of the Scholastic U.S. Harry Potter books has been making the news. And so I thought I would put up some side-by-side comparisons of the original Mary Grand Pre art with the new art by Kazu Kibuishi.

Year 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 

The original U.S. cover for Sorcerer's Stone is not one of my favorites Harry looks very much like a dork here. And while that is appropriate to the conditions that he finds himself in, the sneakers and the glasses slipping down his face conspire to make him look like someone out of the 1950s. Plus, the school robe is billowing out behind him too much like a cape. In general, this cover suffers from a problem that several of the early HP covers had. There is too much disparate action going on. The 3-headed dog underneath the castle and the unicorn running by and the distracting diamond banner and the colonnades all combine to throw too much at you at once. (To be fair, the full wrap-around image balances things out a bit better and throws some pretty dramatic Dumbledore action your way.)

In contrast, the new Sorcerer's Stone cover does a much better job of throwing lots of details at you, but doing so in a coherent way that helps you understand the story--or at least this particular moment. And that is what makes this style better (for now). The new cover focuses on a moment in time and gives you all those details of that moment. The Grand Pre cover threw lots of stuff across the book together on a messy sort of montage.

Winner: Kazu

Year 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This Grand Pre is less cluttered that its predecessor and does a better job of focusing on an event and telling that particular story. (And though this front only view doesn't show it, the full wrap-around dust jacket image shows who's clutching Harry's ankle as Fawkes flies them out of the Chamber of Secrets.
So . . . all in all, a better effort. BUT, Harry still looks like he just stumbled out of a crew meeting on early 80s Bill Murray vehicle Meatballs.
Again, the Kibuishi image is a strong one, vibrant with color and focused on a moment. You can see Ron and Harry peeking out of the back of the Ford Anglia and any picture that takes the time to devote itself to The Burrow is going to win me over.

Winner: Kazu . . . but it's closer than you think.

Year 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

The improvements that were made in Chamber of Secrets seem to have slipped back a step or two in the original art. I'm not suggesting that the image is too overwhelming, because it isn't. But the figure shapes have simply always bothered me. The hippogriff just doesn't seem right--and that is saying something for a creature that combines the torso and hind quarters of a horse with the head, wings, and (paws?) of an . . . eagle?

So maybe Grand Pre is kind of doomed from the start. But also, Harry look excessively cartoonish here. His legs are weird and he looks chubby and distorted. And while we don't get to see much of Hermione here, she's not looking that great either. (The full image maybe makes things more coherent, but still not a favorite of mine.) 

The new Kazu Kibuishi image is much, much stronger. Talk about drama! But I do have two quibbles. I feel that this cover leans especially hard on the imagery of the movie. And the color blue slips back into the picture here again (and its only the third book). This is a problem that I'll be coming back to again.

Winner: Kazu . . . fairly easily, it turns out.

Year 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

 

Now . . . now we've got some serious competition here! The Grand Pre cover on the right is easily the strongest one examined so far. Harry looks like an actual person and not like a cartoon from the Great Depression. The presence of the three other Triwizard champions behind Harry don't distract me, mostly because Harry is drawn so well for a change and there isn't lots of other cluttery scenery. And, if you, like me wondered what Harry was standing in front of (a Venus fly trap? Brer Rabbit's briar patch?), wonder no more. But while Harry looks much better here, his slovenly clothes are sort of problematic . . . and NOT for the last time.

You might think that I'm going to give this one to Grand Pre . . . but LOOK at that Kibuishi cover! Yes, again, it owes a bit too much to the movie image that I think it should. But having that Horntail come right at you is pretty dramatic stuff.

Winner: Um . . . I've got to give it to Grand Pre on this one. This was the first BIG book and the start of the real Harry Potter boom in the U.S. began as people were waiting for this book to be published. The pressure was on and she delivered an iconic image. (It was in Newsweek--back when Newsweek mattered.)

Year 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Blue, blue, blue! Everything is blue. But this is only Grand Pre's (on the right side, in case you're unsure) first use of blue (or purple or whatever. I'm color-blind, okay?) Kibuishi has already gone down this color palate twice before.
Again, strong Harry figure by Grand Pre this time. And things aren't cluttered or confused. This is a dramatic image telling a story. Harry is in charge and figuring stuff out, y'all! He's not chubby goofball on a bizarre hippogriff. He's got his wand out and he's ready to kick some Deatheater ass!
Kazu's cover is a very good one. The scene is pretty and energetic and the detail of Harry's face is really, really strong. But . . . Order of the Phoenix is a significant book for me.
I was firmly on the bandwagon by this time, but OotP was the first HP book that I had to wait for. It was the first one that I preordered. It was the one that arrived on my door step the weekend after my second daughter was born. I took advantage of my visiting mother-in-law, who was helping with the infant and sped through Phoenix in record time. (And then immediately handed it over for her to read.) Sure, Harry acted like a git through most of the book. But still . . .

Winner: Grand Pre

Year 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 

I've always like the green of Grand Pre cover image on the right. And since Half-Blood Prince is #1B in my ranking of favorite Harry Potter books, I'm going to be hard pressed to be objective about how I rate this one. All right, how about I criticize Grand Pre's full image for being sort of disjointed and not really unified? And how about I criticize the way that she draws the Death Eater mark in the sky? Is that enough?

Kazu Kibuishi's image is really blue (again!), and really based on the movie image. So, those are things I don't like immediately. Also, Harry's invisibility cloak looks kinda like Metro Man's cape for some reason. So, points off for that . . . I guess. But it's a really strong image overall. This is a really close call.

Winner: Push! 

Year 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Now, can I POSSIBLY end up voting against Grand Pre's iconic image for Deathly Hallows (on the right)? After I spend so much time listening to Pottercast theories about what this scene represented while we waited for the book to be released? What was he reaching up for? Where is he? What's going ON??!!! So many theories!

BUT! Here again, I've never liked Harry's clothes in this image. Too slovenly (as was hinted at in Goblet of Fire above. And the full image brings back the curtain effect that wasn't enjoyable in Sorcerer's Stone. And, I just don't like the Voldemort imagery in that full image either. Even with those criticisms however . . .

Kibuishi's cover is a good one. AND it is the only one that focuses on the Trio, which is appropriate as they form such a vital grouping throughout this story. The background coloration stands out dramatically against the pearly color of the dragon and also is a nod to the sunrise coloration that makes Grand Pre's cover so dramatic. Kibuishi's cover is very, very good and much, MUCH better than the original Bloomsbury version that I have always disliked.

Winner: Mary Grand Pre. (I've simply GOT to.)

The final tally? 3 for Kazu Kibuishi and 3 for Mary Grand Pre with one push.

I guess I really wimped out here. But I think what I've learned is that Grand Pre's art improved as the series grew in popularity and import. She was riding the roller coaster (though probably in a car farther back on the train) along with Jo. And she helped define the characters before Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson overwhelmed things at the end.

Kazu Kibuishi's job was hard, no doubt. He has to introduce the stories to a new generation who (somehow?) are approaching it for the first time or most likely were introduced to the movies first. (A tragedy.) And so, I guess I forgive him a bit for relying on movie imagery as much as I think he did. And his images are striking and really, really nice.

But I think I let my nostalgia win me over in the final analysis. We'll see what I purchase when I have to start replacing my worn down HP books in a few more years.

 

Book review: The Casual Vacancy

You may think that I'm terribly behind the times, reviewing a book by J.K. Rowling that has been available for months and months and months. And you would be absolutely right. But I got the book as a Christmas gift just a few weeks ago and just finished reading it a few days ago. (Hey, I've got lots to do with my actual paying job and what with being a father and husband all the time.)

And so now I have the time to chime in on what I felt about Rowling's adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, the book that pushed her away from kid's stuff and young adults, and fantasy, and magical places.

But . . . I found lots of things that were familiar in The Casual Vacancy that fans of the Harry Potter world would recognize--even if they were disappointed by the stunning lack of Daedalus Diggle. And so, in what may be a grand disappointment to Mrs. Rowling, I'll likely refer back to her Harry Potter works throughout my review of her non-Harry Potter work. She may decry this as typecasting or a lack of creativity on my part. But I choose to think that it is in recognition of her core values as a person that are coming through, no matter the setting.


People

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius Black said to Harry that "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." Such a philosophy describes the people of Pagford, the English village setting of Rowling's book. There are many people within the story who show a range of motivations, emotions (both external and internal), and points of view. Some are decidedly Dursleyish. But Rowling tries to allow even the people that you don't want to root for to have some personality that you might be able to understand. (Meaning, there is no one who is painted quite as badly as say, Delores Umbridge.

These people are all eaten up inside with resentments, remembered slights, personal grudges, and the constant back and forth of our petty, petty mind. As John Green has said in many different places and ways you have to try to imagine people complexely. What is going on inside people's mind is very rarely what they show to the outside world. But if we keep everything hidden, does that do us any good? (People should just blog more to let it out.)

Places and Events

Imagine the story of David Lynch's Blue Velvet but plopped in the middle of Harry's Muggle neighborhood of Privet Drive and Little Whinging. It is a pretty commonplace location, with normal people. But peel back their layers and you find the darkness underneath. Much of the story of The Casual Vacancy is driven by interior thoughts, fears, and past grievances. And the reader is left wondering if the characters are as aware of what drives them as we are. We can pity the people and (I presume) Rowling wants us to learn from their weaknesses as well, so that we can not follow their petty mistakes and prejudices as we live our own lives.

The plot of The Casual Vacancy turns on the vacancy of a seat on the Pagford parish council governing body and how the maneuverings to fill that spot reveal everything about the characters, how they view their world, and how they define what that world is to them. It is a small plot, narrowed down to a time and a place. But by going small, Rowling carefully examines the many small choices that constitute a personality.

Philosophy and Politics

While reading the book, I thought that this book was a clear reflection of this time--an England in the 21st century, stuck in recession, combating poverty, and the tension between the past and social transformation. Rowling comments on the political bickering that occurs in her culture and ours about both side of our political dichotomy. How should we treat the poor? How much weight does each of us place on the role of social complexity versus personal responsibility? How constant a role should government play in assisting the disadvantaged? Should it be a public effort or a private effort?

It's like lifting the October arguments I've witness on Facebook and reshaping them into a narrative of fictional characters. And that is where any power this book may have resides--in asking us to think about the actions and thoughts of these characters and then be honest with ourselves about who we root for, who we view with contempt, and how we want the actions of the book to play out.

Result

In the end, I enjoyed the book, not because it was such a skillful story (thought I did enjoy it for that), but for the opportunity it offers to make me think about these social issues from a different point of view. I don't want to say that I've solidified my views for all time, because I think one of the points in this story is that holding a rigid world view is a way to get lost in the past as the world changes around you. I want to be sympathetic, and charitable to the needs of the disadvantaged. I want to provide them with a chance to get the tools they need to improve their lives. And I think layers of responsibility must come with those aids, to identify those who are trying to make their lives better and give them better chances to succeed.

Give the book a read for yourself and see what it says to you.

NaBloWriMo #21: Character study

Credit: wiggersfurniture.blogspot.com

Credit: hp-lexicon.org

While I wait for my turkey brining liquid to cool, I offer you this thought question.

I identify more with Barney Rubble and Ron Weasley.

What does that say about me?

The Little Things

So, I'm sitting on the couch this morning playing Angry Birds and listening to iTunes (my 4 Stars playlist, if you're interested . . . and yes, I know . . . what a productive Saturday morning!) . . .

. . . and as I'm trying to work out how to destroy this batch of stupid pigs, my shuffle throws up The Remus Lupins "I Was a Teenage Werewolf."

(By the way, I should point out that Sarah is across the room reading the Hunger Games on the opposite couch. And that Lynda and Grace and Hannah are off getting party supplies.)

Andbutso . . . the Remus Lupins is (are?) singing about how challenging it was to be a teenager and dealing with the struggles of lycanthrope and being misunderstood and whatnot. And I'm fighting the pigs. And Sarah is reemersing herself in the much more dire stuggles of Katniss Everdeen.

And a lyric in the song comes up as follows "At Hogwarts, its true we ruled the school/and you could never be as cool/as you are with Marauders at your side . . ." etc, etc. etc.

The point was this/that was just building the scenery . . .

(Providing all of the backstory is HARD . . . and I'm not even done.)

And so, as this song lyric is floating across the room from my iPad to Sarah's couch, I lift my head and look across at her. And I see (as I suspected) that she was doing the same thing to me--looking up and looking across.

(You see, just a few days before, we were watching Harry Potter Puppet Pals, "The Vortex" and we were laughing at how Puppet Harry was acting so differently than actual Harry every would--getting angry and resentful  and arrogant and saying "I'm Harry Potter; I rule the school!" and here was this random moment where The Remus Lupins was using that same phrasing of "ruling the school" and I look up and Sarah looks up . . .)

And we made the same wordless, eyebrows raised, head bob manuever to each other and then just started laughing.

**

I suppose, from another perspective this seems very narcissistic of me . . . but I found it affirming instead. To know that I have made an impact in her life--even if that impact is (in this case) a shallow one that may not mean much in the larger scheme of her life development . . . well, it is these things that I as a parent cherish.

Search On Harry

The Nerdfighters in my readership may have already seen this, but I still think this is a great video worth seeing (at least the first two minutes of it are).


If you watched the Super Bowl you probably saw the original Google ad that this video was based upon. But this is for the Harry Potter fans out there.




I know that I've been focusing on movies a lot the last few posts. But I've got some info to share on the kid's first experience sledding in the winter today. (I know . . . we've been here for over ten years and we're just now getting around to sledding.)


You'll see and read more about that later tonight.

Gizmodo sez: "The Weasley's Magic Clock From Harry Potter Uses Twitter in Our World"

Much like when cell phones started coming out and everyone pointed to Star Trek communicators and said "It's all coming true! How awesome!"

Well, now I can do the same with this story that describes the (imagined) sorcery of Harry Potter, the (seemingly?) banality of Twitter and the (medieval) technology of the humble clock.

It's all coming true, I say. How awesome! Can apparition (or teleportation) be that far behind?

Yes, yes, it probably can.

Thanks to Gizmodo for the full text.

The Weasley's Magic Clock From Harry Potter Uses Twitter in Our World [Magic]

The Intention Behind the Birthday Present

Okay, so here we go.

. . .

About four months ago I was discussing Harry Potter during lunch at work (something I do frequently, thought I doubt you are surprised). And while I don't recall exactly how this came up, I remember that my friends and I got into a terrific argument about a particular moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows chapter seven, "The Will of Albus Dumbledore."

We'll get into the specifics of the argument and the details later, but I want new readers and people outside of the argument (which has been going on for the last four months) to listen to the source material with an unbiased ear.

So, listen first, then we will discuss.

Here is a link to a 3 1/2 minute clip of the Listening Library audiobook performance, courtesy of the wonderful Jim Dale.

. . . waiting . . .

Done?

All right. Now, to help the unfamiliar with some background information, let me present the following:

1. Harry briefly dated Ginny Weasley at the end of his sixth year at Hogwarts (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), but when he committed himself to finally chasing down Voldemort and destroying him, he intentionally broke up with her. He told her he did this to prevent her from becoming a target for Voldemort's followers. He broke up with her to protect her from the dangerous crowd that he was swearing to defeat.

2. Since their breakup in June, they have been apart. Harry is now visiting the Weasley house at the end of July because one of Ginny's older brothers is getting married. According to the text of the story, this is the first time they have talked directly to each other in weeks.

3. It is Harry's 17th birthday. The wedding will take place the following day.

4. When Ginny is telling Harry that she wanted him to "have something to remember me by . . . if you meet some veela when you're off doing whatever you're doing" she is acknowledging that she knows he's not going with her to Hogwarts at the beginning of September, but will instead be hunting down Voldemort. A veela, by the way, is this. [Scholastic first edition, c. 2007, p. 116]

*****

Now . . .

. . . the argument between my friends and I is this--what exactly was Ginny's intention in this scene?

My friends--and I will be honest and say that ALL of my friends are in this camp--believe that Ginny is offering herself to Harry. She is telling him, by inviting him into her room, that she is willing to and in fact wanting to go all the way . . . well, I'm sure you know what I mean.

I, however, adamantly oppose this point of view.

I agree that Ginny is offering something to remember her by--she says so. But she does not intend to go further than intense kissing . . . possibly rounding first base, maybe. But, that is it.

Why do I think this?

Well, my best argument is that I don't think it is true to Ginny's character to assume this about her. She has always been portrayed as level-headed, rational, and calm. (The audio says as much, remember, telling us that she was "rarely weepy." She is concerned for Harry's safety, certainly. She is worried about what he is intending to do. She loves him, yes. But, having sex with him at this moment is outside of who is has always been and who she actually is.

And then you have to consider the setting for this scene. What exactly is the moment in which she is supposedly offering herself to him as a birthday present and remembrance of things past? Well, it is in the morning hours of her parent's house at a time when the place is simply crawling with family, wedding guests, and future in laws. Would it be the act of a rational person to decide to commit this act at such a time and in such a place? I say no.

My friends who argue against me (and I am, so far, alone in my position here) laugh at my reasons. They, no doubt, think I am hopelessly naive. To think that Ginny cares about what time of the morning it is. To think if she cares who is outside the door or up a flight of stairs or anything like that. But that is my point. She does care. She is not overly emotional or prone to poor decisions. She would not take such a leap outside of who she is.

One of my friends even had the temerity to suggest (after he listened to the audio earlier tonight) that Hermione was in on Ginny's "plan" and was helping her by drawing Ron away and allowing Ginny to seduce Harry.

No way, whatsoever!

Sure, Hermione helped Ginny and Harry have privacy, but it was because she knew Ginny wanted to talk to him in private--something that had not been possible in the days running up to the wedding, as Mrs. Weasley had kept them all constantly busy with pre-wedding chores. Hermione would no more be an accomplice to premarital teenage sex than she would order around a house elf! If there is any female in the Harry Potter series more level-headed than Ginny, it is Hermione.

*****

So, that's it then. Might I have persuaded some of you? (I don't expect to, given my lack of success at work over the last few months.) One day I threw out the question to The Leaky Cauldron staff and the folks of Pottercast. Sometimes they deal with these types of interpretive questions on the podcast. But they have been busy with summer touring and pre-film hype, so they haven't answered me . . . if they ever will.

Maybe I should pose the question to the only person who had the ability to definitively answer the question. But, I don't have the juice to contact J.K. Rowling. So, why don't you throw this post around the web and let's see if we can go viral? Maybe she'll take notice someday and tell me I am firmly in the right.

Movie Review: Harry Potter & the Half-blood Prince

NATURALLY. . . SPOILER WARNINGS!!!!!

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Price is a very quietly atmospheric movie. It seems like there is less dialogue through stretches of this film, making it feel different than the five that came before it. I think this is because: 1. The tone of this book/movie is set up toward the end. Everything in this movie points toward the final chapter. As I said in my initial book review a few years ago, this is a placeholder story. 2. Director David Yates is now on his second film and is comfortable with the universe within which he is operating. He knows the audience is also comfortably on their 6th film. Less needs explaining. 3. The actors know their roles. They performed their parts in a mature, assured way.

All of this added up to a very atmospheric movie in which the characters are moving toward their final destinations, even though those moves were not completed at this film's end. As such, there is an unfinished quality to how the movie ends, similar to the way I felt at the end of The Two Towers. You know there is more to come so there is slightly less investment in the completion of this story.

This was also the case because they left out things in this movie that I really liked from the books. As usual, they did this for time reasons (unlike Deathly Hallows pts. 1 and 2 this film was not broken into two halves). But I question some of what they omitted, wondering why they saw fit to edit Rowling's story path in ways that make it so much harder going into the final film.

For instance--

What I disliked:

1.) While Dumbledore explained to Harry what a Horcrux was (vital to the final film and the completion of the seven-year story), and he hinted that there were seven horcruxes to be found, he did NOT give any research information about what the remaining horcruxes were. So, going into the horcrux hunt of year seven, movie Harry has no idea that he must look for a Hufflepuff cup, something of Ravenclaw's, or something of Gryffindor's. He doesn't know to think about Nagini. He is woefully unprepared. Book Harry knew these things because Dumbledore shared his research with him, through a series of Riddle memories that outlined the way Tom Riddle thought and why he did as he did. This was not covered in the movie.

I suspect that the movie gave an "out" to this problem. When movie Harry touched the horcrux ring in Dumbledore's office, it reacted to Harry's presence, standing up on its side and spinning. Harry got memory flashes. At the time, I thought this was the hint to Dumbledore that Harry's scar was also a horcrux, but they might choose to provide movie Harry with this "horcrux Sixth Sense" which allows him to feel when one is nearby. I'm sure Hermione's library research will be asked to fill in the remaining holes in the movie-created plot.

But WHY did they have to alter it?

2.) For the most part, I was ok with the burgeoning relationship between Harry and Ginny, which was one of the most important subplots of this book/movie. Still, they made changes, which led to other changes. Rather than keep his feelings completely hidden, he and Hermione confide their relationship problems to each other. And rather than expose his feelings in a post-Quidditch celebration, he and Ginny kiss in the Room of Requirement while they share the task of hiding the Half-blood Prince's potions book.

Why was Ginny required to be with Harry to hide the book? Why is Harry (apparently) unable to get any snogging action unless he is hanging out in the Room of Requirement? And then why does Ginny get all coy with Harry hiding among the stacks of hidden stuff? [Doesn't she KNOW how hard this scene is going to be for me to explain to my lunchtime friends? Doesn't she KNOW that her actions weaken my arguments about book Ginny's future actions in Deathly Hallows?]

3.) Why didn't they have the battle at the aftermath of the events in the Astronomy Tower? Why didn't they show Harry convincing his D.A. friends that Malfoy was invading tonight? Why didn't you get to feel the tension of Harry's fear for Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and the others? Why was there that payoff for all of the secret work in the previous year, arming the students with the skills and desire to fight Voldemort's forces of evil?

4.) Why instead, did they choose to show the attacking Death Eaters stroll unmolested out of the castle and across the grounds with only Harry following? Why wasn't there a series of tense confrontations between Harry and Snape as everyone tried to escape? Why didn't you get the ambiguity of Snape fending off Harry's spells while simultaneously teaching him to guard his mind? Why was it so simple and less effective?

5.) Why didn't they show Dumbledore's funeral? Why miss that opportunity for Harry to resolve his future plans? Why miss the chance for his to forsake his love for Ginny in favor of his quest for revenge on Voldemort and Snape? Why not show Hermione and Ron begin their public relationship while viewing the memorial? Why, instead, show the Trio at the top of a castle turret speaking nonsense dialogue that isn't even from the books?

What I liked:

1. The opening moment of the movie, recalling the aftermath of Sirius' death in the Ministry of Magic. It was a small, but oh so crucial moment when Dumbledore reached out and held Harry's shoulder. That gesture went a LONG way towards convincing me that he and Dumbledore were friends, confidants, and more like the book relationship than the Gambon movies had ever done before.

2. Even though it was an invented scene, I did like the Death Eater attack on the Burrow. I believe the scene was created to solidify the Harry/Ginny relationship (he runs after Bellatrix and Ginny w/o hesitation runs after Harry; he protects her from the attack). It was suspenseful and dramatic.

3. Tom Felton's portrayal of Draco's struggle was very nicely done. He (and most of the complementary actors) has had precious little to do over the years and given the chance, he handled things nicely.

4. Jessie Cave's "Lavendar Brown" was very funny and, in general, all of the lovelorn relationship humor was done excellently. In fact, the relationship plot was written more strongly and translated more truthfully from book to movie than any other component in this book. The only minor quibble I have here is that I think Emma Watson should have shouted her upugno curse at Ron, rather that the matter-of-fact pronunciation she went with in the film.

*****

I'll think of more likes and dislikes, especially if I end up going to see the movie again. But while I had a stronger reaction for what I disliked, my overall feeling throughout watching the movie was satisfaction. I was caught up in it and only found things to dislike once I began mulling it over at a later time.

What did you think? Leave you opinions in the comments section.

Uninspired

I'm sorry that I'm not terribly engaged with blogging tonight.

I charged out of the gate this year full of fire and determination. And for many months I kept that fire stoked and kept pushing and accomplished a constant string of posts that I (at least) found pretty remarkable.

And then, I let it slip one day . . . and like Ross Perot always warned us . . . a slippy slope of mediocrity jumped up and grabbed hold of my inner motivation. I shouldn't have let it come to this. Sure, I might not be able to claim one-post-a-day anymore, but I should still have the desire and the drive to do something worthwhile every day that I have left. Right? Isn't that how people faced with illness take charge of their lives, not letting the disease define them?

Am I going to let the beginnings of summertime malaise take me? Am I going to let the endless days of meetings/plannings/discussions/documents at work that spin in and out of each other day after day with little finality mash my brain into unworkable pulp? Am I going to let my Web-crush on Twitter cuckold my long-standing relationship with Blogger? That same Blogger that has always been with me, who made me what I am today?

NOOOOO!!!

I won't let it happen.

I'll write something if I kill me. And I'll try to make it interesting--at least to me.

*****

Tonight's topic: new posters for the upcoming film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

They are certainly striking. More striking than the older, more traditional posters from previous films.

Sorcerer's Stone

Chamber of Secrets

Prisoner of Azkaban

Goblet of Fire

Order of the Phoenix

But, what is it about them that bothers me? Is it the extremely heavy use of the blue? Is it the extremely artificial feel of the image composition? Is it that there is a feeling, here near the end of the saga, that the philosophy of the films presentation is shifting somehow?

(Really, that's probably stupid. There is no philosophy other than "Wring the money out! Wring it out of their pockets!!!" But why the dramatic change? I just don't know.)

Honestly, now that I am looking back at some of the other poster images, this isn't THAT strong a departure from the past. But, in order to salvage the effort I've put into this post, I'll say that I don't like how Hermione is presented in the most recent set of posters that are now available on the UK Web site. In this one, the image is meant to remind you of the romantic conflict she and Ron are having. But she is portrayed as exceedingly vulnerable and far too dependant upon his recognition than I think she should be. And in this one, she's skulking around in the background, diminishing her importance, her independence, her strength of character even further and making her seem vaguely creepy. (I could almost forgive the way Hermione is treated because of the sappy look on Romilda Vane's face here and the incredibly goofy jock face that Rupert Grint is trying to pull off for Ron.)

If you want to understand Hermione better than these posters indicate, why not listen to the excellent song "So Long" by The Hermione Crookshanks Experience. Click on this link, then when the automatic player loads in the top right corner, select the song "So Long" from the playlist. You'll hear a beautiful song that expresses Hermione's never described in text moment when she must make her parent's forget her existence in order to save their life.

That is who she is, a very smart girl filled with compassion for others. Not a goofy teenager who is so love-sick that she is alternatively moony and stalkery.

Trying to catch up

You all deserve better blog treatment from me the last few days than you've gotten. I've been pretty busy at work the last few days, busy enough that I've been doing some work at home as well--at least on most nights. (Though it doesn't compare to Brian's workload recently.)

So, I haven't blogged very much. But I have been stockpiling some interesting stuff to comment upon.

1. Here is a very odd architectural design that I ran across while reading about technology and gadgets. I haven't yet read everything about it but is it really a pig farm skyscraper? And if it is, then why does it look like a butterfly? I'll leave it to Lisa to tell us if this is a reasonable idea for animal husbandry--either now or in our robot-dominated future.

2. I'm glad to say that there has been a resurgence of Harry Potter around the house these days. Sarah has been rereading the books ( completely on her own this time) and that has led to more discussion of stuff and more movie watching as well. (The kids are watching Goblet of Fire right now.)

3. Speaking of Harry Potter, people sometimes ask me what is going on in the fan community now that the books are finished. You need look no further than LeakyCon--happening right now in Boston!--to know that the fans have lots going on. There are still three movies to enjoy and lots of charitable ideas to rally the fandom around. So, the answer to the question is that the fandom is quite busy and going nowhere.

(And the answer is "Yes." In an alternate universe where I am single and don't answer to anyone but myself, I'd absolutely be attending this event right now. Of course, in an alternate universe where those conditions were met, I might be a female, or possible an albino, or maybe 85 years old. Or possible Spock. Who knows?)

4. In this universe, I love LOST. This you already know. But I don't love LOST even HALF as much as this guy apparently does. It is clear that I've got to step up my game to compete on a more equal playing field in the sixth and final season. Sadly, I've got plenty of time to prepare, since the final episodes won't arrive until 2010. (I might be dead by then!)

5. This one is for Dr. Actually. He's a big fan of the Space Elevator concept.

6. I'll admit that I'm concerned about this bit of news from the Obama Administration. Reports before today asked a good question. "If credit card companies aren't allowed to punish those who can't handle credit responsibly, then how are they going to make money?" The suggestions are the return of the annual fee and (most bothersome to people like me, who pay off their bills every month) charging interest from the moment of purchase. If that happens, this will make credit purchases more expensive and the use of credit cards less attractive. Now, I know my parents will say "Well, that's how WE had to use credit cards." To which I have no adequate response. I grew up in a time of profligate credit usage, but I always paid off balances. Therefore the use of credit was all gain--giving me flexibility to buy without having complete cash on hand at time of purchase--and little loss--no annual fees, etc. If that goes away, do I think about not using credit cards? It will take more research and thought--things I try to avoid.

And, I think that is it for tonight.

As always, keep checking back here for more scintillating stuff about my life. I'll talk to you again soon.

LOST Spoilers within (and other stuff)--w/ video update!

Wednesday night's episode of LOST ("La Fleur") was one of the show's most poignant offerings. It confirmed what many of us had suspected--that Jack, Kate, and Hurley had met up with Jin in the DHARMA Initiative past. It further (and quite interestingly) showed that Jin was helping the DHARMA Initiative along with Juliet and Sawyer. We got lots of Horace Goodspeed (before he built the Jacob cabin and before he got gassed--along with the rest of DHARMA in the Ben/Others-led Purge).

Some random thoughts:

1. Are you, like me, hoping that Horace names his new son Jacob? (Not that this would necessarily mean anything . . . but anyway.)

2. The STATUE!!! We actually saw it whole, if only from the back. (I'd love to know who's face is on that thing.) But then we were cruelly time-jumped away.

3. I laughed out loud when Sawyer made the Richard Alpert eyeliner joke. Poor Nestor. But a nice nod to the fans. 

4. Where are Miles and Daniel? Are they helping Jin search the Island for when Locke reappeared? And if that is true, where are they living? Maybe the Flame Station? Are they living with the Others? Are Sawyer (Mr. Jim LaFleur) and Jin secretly working with Richard and the Others to search for Locke? And if THAT is true, how are they doing it without the knowledge of the rest of the DHARMA group?

5. Why, oh WHY didn't we get to see the scene where little Benji Linus and his workman dad walk off the dock onto the Island? Well, I guess we'll be treated to that delicious scene in upcoming weeks. And if they don't allow Juliet to be there when that happens, so we can see her face as her tormentor appears . . . well, that would simply be bad television.

6. Several people were wearing DHARMA jumpsuits--both Sawyer and Jin, I believe--with a star symbol patch. I wonder what that signified?

6. Sadly the episode had nothing to do with veela or Bill Weasley's wife. (That's a shout out to my Harry Potter-lovin' readers.)

7. Here is this week's episode of LOST "Untangled":

*****

But enough about LOST.

I want to also pass along this VlogBrother's YouTube video about the global perils of relying too heavily on mass-produced meat. 

Lulu has thrown statistics like these to us before, but hearing it AGAIN from a different source is always helpful and persuasive.

And since this is the Lenten season, when people are (even if temporarily) adjusting their eating habits for religious reasons . . . you (and I) might find that doing without meat a little more often is only quite doable, but heathly, and environmentally sound as well.

When you're out of ideas . . .

. . . let CLAYMATION do the work for you!

I almost talked myself out of posting for today. Saturday was a slow day of chores, cleaning, some responsibilities, and reading in spare moments.

But as the kids went to bed and the darkness deepened, my eyes grew tired and I just wanted to loll in front of the TV, watching random channels or the latest Netflix movie.

I didn't want to endure discipline of finding something to write about. I didn't want to force myself to join Lynda at the dining room table, with her laptop already humming, and begin working, working, tediously working. (And still I know now as I type that I DON'T want to do this on Saturday night. The temptation to put if off until Sunday . . . or Monday calls to me. And I dimly respond that I NEED to work on Saturday night to not stay further behind . . .)

But, on top of all that . . . write a post? Really?

And then I remembered the weird YouTube video that I heard about from The Leaky Cauldron. The massive claymation video that tells the story of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . . . in stop motion claymation! I'll admit that I've only watched the first ten minute segment, but I found it impressive enough to want to see more.

So, there you go. The daily post's obligation fulfilled. Click on the link above if you are an HP fan. Go and see the wonders that the Internets hath wrought.