Potter-ing

We saw Harry Potter about a week ago. Probably more interesting things have happened in my life since then, but I promised a post containing what I thought of the film.

*SPOILERS START HERE*
It WAS excellent. When it began, it simply began. It didn't give you some big to-do about the Harry Potter 'verse. There was no time for that. There was a repeated shot of Voldemort getting the Elder Wand just as a reminder, Warner Bros logo, Harry Potter logo, and BOOM: Harry at Dobby's grave. Within the first minute, you're buckled in, ready for the last run of this brilliant ride.

The only problem I have with the beginning was how looooong it took and how much diiiialoooogue there was. I realize Griphook and Ollivander are old but good God how long does it take to tell Harry what he needs to know? I wonder if they felt they had to go slow to make sure the audience knew what was going on. If that was the case, r u srs? This is the EIGHTH film. If anyone in the audience is jumping in at this point, they don't deserve to know what's going on.

There were 2 other minor issues I had with the film. The entire time, I was counting horcruxes in my head. There were multiple points while watching where I went "Okay...the diary, the ring, the locket [and then from memory of the books] that cup-thing in the vault...[once we got there in the film] okay Ravenclaw's diadem aaaaaannnnnddd.......?" The end of the book totally escaped me.

And as Harry was going for the diadem he said something about how it was the last one. Well...of course it wasn't. They had 2 more to get and they didn't know what they were. Then they found out they were Nagini and Harry (the latter of which I totally called in the middle of reading the 6th book).

Other than those minor neural interruptions, I want to see the film again. I also want to read the book again, but have you SEEN that tome? It's too much for right now. My favorite moments in the theatre were closely related to audience reactions. Everyone cheered and clapped when Molly killed Bellatrix and the girl in front of me almost had a happy-seizure when Neville killed Nagini. It was pure fandom and I will miss it all.

I cried a few times, partly from reaction to the story and partly from how real these characters have been to me for so long. So when I lost Snape, when Neville became more than the bumbling kid, when two of my best friends finally got together...there was no way I couldn't react.

In conclusion, I just have one question regarding the entire movie saga: Where the hell was Charlie Weasley?!
*SPOILERS END HERE*

In non-Potter related news, one of my cooperating teachers is my mom's best friend from high school and thus a very close family friend. I will be teaching two sections of Oral Communication, World Literature & Composition and Sophomore Writing. ^_^ Internship, ho!

Keep It Together Man!

Jay and I are going to see Part 2 tonight with another couple (If you don't know what "Part 2" I'm talking about, you deserve a boot to the head. Go get on the Internet). I was just on /r/Harry Potter (the Harry Potter Reddit [I'm now a Reddit n00b]) and just reading all of the stuff about the new movie, seeing costumes and realizing that this is it got me kind of choked up.

And then I saw this:
Aw hell. I'm going to be an emotional wreck at this movie. Someone will need to remind me to bring a box of tissues, and that is no hyperbole. The last movie that I lost it at in the theatres was, oddly enough, District 9. Wasn't expecting to cry at that movie or indeed be moved by it at all, but there were at least 2 distinct moments where I sobbed openly. This was after about a year of being with Jay and he was utterly bewildered by my tears...and also slightly amused.

I plan on joining the ranks of bloggers who have been posting opinions and spoilers about the final film, perhaps tomorrow but it could be in a couple of days. I've been so preoccupied with everything that Harry Potter love kind of had to take a backseat.

But you better believe I will be wearing my Quidditch goggles tonight.

Chill

Warning: May contain information you can never un-know about my bowel movements.

Ever since high school, my stomach has been the center for my anxiety. I never throw up or get nauseous when I'm anxious. I sometimes have 30-minute sessions in the nearest bathroom, intensely embarrassed (especially if it was in a public space) which will, in turn, increase my anxiety and make my insides churn evermore. I'm sure it's brought on by some kind of food but I haven't narrowed down what it is yet.

In the last few years I've tried to find ways to cope with my irritable bowels, trying not to turn to medication (I was prescribed something a long time ago for IBS but the side-effects were not worth it). I become highly sensitive to everything that my senses take in when I get like this. I want to murder someone for saying "Hi!"...mere thoughts of future worries can send me over the edge into a wave of pain. I've come to realize that my mind is the perpetrator in all of this and I've been searching for ways to control its wrath. For now I'm satisfied with putting a towel over my head and pulling down on it whilst covering my ears to block out every sound save for my deep breathing while I wait for things to...pass...

A few months ago I found this great blog Rejuvenation Lounge. It's been very beneficial to me in controlling my irrelevant and unhelpful thoughts. I also got a cookbook in .PDF format full of foods that are good for the body and soul. Check it out, relax a moment. I've found great enjoyment in relaxation, but it takes great effort for me to get there.

Jay Update: Surgery was a success (as far as we can tell). He's in a lot of pain, post-op. Movement isn't so good for him. He can't bend forward very far and needs some help maneuvering from spot to spot, but we knew it would be this way for at least a week. The day when he doesn't need narcotics to control his pain is almost visible on the horizon.

Traditional Media

My computer got sick again. There was no choice but to wipe it completely and take better care of it this time...again. I swear I honestly don't know what happens to it that it becomes so infected so fast. It's NOT PORN!

Time away from my computer was interesting. I had no Internet and neither did Jay so I turned to books. However, I have no books at the apartment that I have not already read at least once. At my house I have an entire bookshelf with 5 shelves from ceiling to floor full of books...most of which I have also already read. I started re-reading "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski which is the most effed up book you could ever read. I actually don't recommend it if you have a fragile mind. It's not gory at all, just twisted and written in the most complex way ever: footnotes go on for pages and have seemingly nothing to do with the "main text" which is an analysis of a movie that doesn't exist in reality or in the universe of the book. Sometimes things are backwards or upside down. Later in the book, stuff is written in the corners and you have to really pay attention to the order you've been reading in. This is all in addition to the plot of the "film" which is dark to say the least.

So I turned to Facebook for friendly suggestions about what I should read next. There were definitely some in there that I've been wanting to check out, "The Hunger Games" being at the top of the list. Then I found this site, Good Reads which is pretty awesome. It gives books by specific genre. The only problem is that I don't know what kind of reading mood I'm in. Nothing sounds really good right now, though, aside from re-reading things I already know I like.

I've been invited to Google+ but I still can't sign up. They've exceeded capacity.

I'ma go watch all three Lion King movies spliced together in chronological order on YouTube. Have a good night.