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Nov
13

Harry Potter and the Delayed Obsession

I never followed up on my post about reading the Harry Potter series in the beginning of 2010 as part of my resolutions. I was only part way through the series when I wrote that, but I quickly finished it. In fact, before February was over, I was done with all the books. Dan and I then watched all the movies on Blu-Ray before the premiere of Deathly Hallows Part I…and we took my teenage cousin to the midnight showing. I took her to see the midnight showing of Deathly Hallows Part II over the summer, too. So, I guess you could say that I have the Harry Potter fever.

Never in a million years did I think that I would like the series, let alone enjoy it enough to sign up for a site like Pottermore. The language J.K. Rowling uses was part of what hooked me in. I think when I came across the word “tenterhooks,” I realized that this was YA that actually expanded minds rather than pacified them. I can stand behind that. Currently, I have ABC Family’s marathon on in the background as I write this. I’m also excited for Pottermore to move beyond the beta phase. I enjoyed reading the back stories for other characters and getting more information on the houses. I thought myself a Ravenclaw until I was initially sorted into Hufflepuff. On a second account, I was given the choice of Ravenclaw or Slytherin. That means I’m basically anything but Gryffindor, but I probably could have told you that without a Sorting Hat.

Seriously, if 16-year-old—or even 20-year-old—me knew I was writing this… In hindsight, I can’t believe how adamant I was about disliking this series! Oh well, I’ve since learned, and the series of books sits on my shelf. Now I just have to get the movies…

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Jan
15

Oi with the Poodles Already

I wrote this in 2007 for The Collegian. It was published shortly before I (and Rory) graduated and GG ended. It’s funny how I didn’t actually end up pursuing the MA in teaching then, but came back to it three years later (at a different school that offered me significant financial aid and online courses). I’m thankful for how things worked out for me, but sometimes I still find myself wondering what happened to Rory.

The month of May marks the end of an era; not only am I graduating from this wonderful institution (god-willing), but my BFF, Rory Gilmore will also be graduating from Yale and possibly leaving the airwaves of CW forever.  I’ve come to terms with the fact that there may not be an eighth season of The Gilmore Girls; besides, next year, just like Rory, I’m supposed to be a grown up with a job and some sort of future.  I know she’s been interviewing at all sorts of newspapers across the country, and I’m very excited for her.  I probably won’t be able to afford cable, so I will rely on my set of Gilmore DVDs to sustain me while I do homework as I work toward a master of arts in teaching (again, god-willing) and wonder why I chose to attempt certification to teach high school English before realizing that I’m not a fictional character who attended an Ivy League University.  Deep breath.  If Rory can graduate, I can, too.  After all, she’s a communications major but I’ve not seen her take one journalism class.  Sure, she writes for and served as editor of The Yale Daily News, and she had that internship, but I’ve only seen her in a few classes over the years, and none of them taught her how to write a good lead or get a decent job.  And why isn’t she going to graduate school?  She has enough money.  They could easily stretch out this show as long as 7th Heaven without all the stupid plot twists if they put Rory in a graduate program at Yale.

I know Rory has a bright future, whether it play out on The CW or in the fan fiction that probably exists all over the internet.   more »

Category: Television  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Mar
20

Is Ke$ha turning me into a prude?

Ke$ha makes me uncomfortable

I will admit that I haven’t really given Ke$ha’s Animal a fair listen. I’ve been known to pause for her songs on the radio, or request her singles when Dan’s DJing car rides with his iPod. They’re fun, poppy dance tunes–or are they?

My Brownie troop is made up of seven- and eight-year-old girls. I’d say a handful of them have fairly involved parents who actively monitor what’s going on in their daughters’ lives and the rest have parents who are trying their best but virtually clueless. One of the girls was singing “TiK ToK” at our meeting this past week, confusing some of the girls who don’t know what a Ke$ha is. Two tables of girls were arguing back and forth as to whether it’s “key-sha” or “keh-sha.” I was already at my wit’s end because they were sewing bean bags to earn a Try-It.

I bought myself a huge Shamrock Shake as a reward for surviving that night, but since then I’ve also been fuming over the very fact that I had to stop an eight-year-old from yelling/singing about brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack.

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Category: Music, Unchecked Baggage  Tags: , , , ,  3 Comments
Jan
17

Working on a Resolution

While I have been taking baby steps with most of my new year’s resolutions, there is one goal with which I’ve made huge strides. I’m steadily making my way through the Harry Potter series. A week after starting the first book, I’m over halfway done with the third book. I’m amazed at how quickly I flip through the pages, and how when I’m not reading them, I think about when I might get a chance to read again. The series has really grabbed me. I now understand how and why these books energized so many folks to read, even if they were not “readers.”

What’s lucky for me is that I never tainted my opinions of the series; in addition to avoiding the books, I’ve never seen any of the movies. I have kept myself fairly isolated from all things Potter, which means that I can still make my own mental images of the characters and I have no idea how the plot will twist and turn. I find myself making predictions, but I do not voice these to my friends because most of them are familiar with the books. I’m having a lot of fun being immersed in this world, and even though I thought the books would be childish and silly, I find myself admiring the prose and the language employed to convey stories that are not boring in the least. In fact, in Chamber of Secrets, Rowling used the word “tenterhooks,” which made me really, really happy. Perhaps I’ve been living in this county for too long if proper usage of words makes me giddy.

I think that after I finish the third book, I may take a brief break. Perhaps I will read something else, or dedicate myself solidly to working ahead on my classwork. Regardless, I think that three books in a little over a week will be a sufficient start to meeting this 2010 goal. Dan also pointed out that if I read all seven books in less than a month, I may start thinking that I am Harry Potter.

He’s totally wrong, though. I’d be Hermione. Duh.

Category: Books, Life in CEPA, Unchecked Baggage  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Jan
09

Songs You May Have Missed: “Die Tonight Live Forever” – InnerPartySystem

This is a song I almost missed. Thankfully, my friend Faith asked me last month if I would be interested in seeing Innerpartysystem, which led them to a slot in my car’s CD changer. I had never heard of them (or hadn’t paid enough attention for them to register on my radar). Now I’m pretty smitten, and not just because they’re local. Plus, in a matter of hours, I will be seeing them, so I figured I would take this opportunity to share them with you.

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Category: Music  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
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