Potter Update Again (Spoilers)

Update: Slate agrees. "Did we really go through all this just to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione take up residence on a cul-de-sac?"


Worst epilogue EVER.

Obviously written for 6 year olds.

So... you go through what you go through and 19 years later, you're reduced to being a BORING ADULT.

That's it.

Get married.
Move to the suburbs.
Have babies (according to the math starting at 23 or 24 years old)
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

No mention of world travels.
Not a peep about career.
Professional athletics?
Scientific advances?
Insights into psychology of evil?

Nope, he's a dad - and from the lack of additional information, it appears he's just a dad.

I mean its fine to be a dad, who here would be here without a dad, but I just think there should be a little more to the characters at that point.
At least some nod to the legitimacy of life outside the whole marriage/suburbs/babies choices for a main character.

I get the whole "the boy without a family wants a family" thing, but it's such a horribly 2D version of family that it just seems jarring in comparison to the rest of the tale. It's like happily ever after in a fairy tale - believe in such simplicity and you're doomed to a life of disappointment.

Where's the fullness, the color, the adultness and complexity of our now adult characters?

Boring adults.

They've been reduced to stereotypically BORING ADULTS.

*sigh*

Potter update

Oodles of Awkward Teenage Love (Yea!)

And my favorite quote thus far... on Ron's birthday gift to Harry.

"This isn't your average book... It's pure gold. Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches...You'd be surprised, it's not all about wandwork, either."

*snort*

Wandwork?

O my...

Scandalous.

But such skills certainly don't hurt a fella either... muggle or otherwise.

UPDATE: 72% of all people who find my blog via search engines search the phrase "it's not all about wandwork, either"
I freaking LOVE you people.

Potter vs Silvertongue

While the whole world is going Potter-mad (and I'm not exempt - seen the flick, got the book today)

may I suggest another series, just as dark (if not more so), just as British and fantasy laden with films soon to be released.

His Dark Materials written by Philip Pulman is a trilogy that focuses on an orphaned girl (if not legally, then at least in her reality) raised around academics, fated to lead. It all the requisite pieces necessary for a good read: awkward adolescent love, deep friendship, corrupt power structures and alot of grey regarding good vs evil (only with some characters, many are pretty straightforeward).

What I love is his thoughts on religion and science - in one world religion is science - and in our world, there's character who renounces her life as a nun for science - and her monologue on the limitations that religion can put on life are very interesting (esp. considering its touted as a childrens' book).

They've been working on the movie, which is slated for release in early December (I'm going to Phoenix to watch it with an old friend). Sure, see the movie, but read the books first.

Just trying something

Part of my job is to attend our performances and interact with our audience members.

Like most classical arts organizations, we have a greying audience, especially on Sunday afternoons.

I've never been much of a doodler, but this crowd seems to demand it.
I know my grandfather did a lot of cartooning, maybe its just been lying dormant...

This was done from memory the other day, not very good, but not bad for a first attempt.
Everytime I would walk by the ladies' room, I would see the old men... waiting... bored... looking a little like birds on a wire or vultures, even.

I think I need to bring a sketchbook with me from now on.



I do hope to get back to posting more original art soon, but between deadlines, performances and general summer busy-ness, it's been difficult to focus on art.

From Springfield

Watch it Lisa, I played baritone sax AND graduated a year early.

Go Isotopes!

These are a few of my favorite things

I also picked up this book at the CPL booksale - again, not sure how I'm finding time to enjoy it, but I promised myself I'd savor it, if only for these references...

Scientific America, Horn & Hardart, The Fox Sisters, blind pigs and speakeasies, quaint sexual euphamisms like... "Mina sounded close to her crisis," French terms of endearment and oyster bars.

Because oysters were the french fries of the early 20th century... a concept I've always loved.

Definitely recommended reading for a cool October evening.

UPDATE: My initial ardour for this book has cooled significantly. I think I was so giddy from the rarely-made references, that I saw past the moment when the story began to fall apart.

But the first half or so is still good, but the ending sort of tumbled into uncertain confusion.

my favorite 14

For those with even a low to middlin' interest in celebutards, tanarexics or merged names (TomKat, Brangelina...) check out Gallery of the Absurd for a low-brow snicker and good art.

She's a witty lass, that 14, and has a series currently featuring celebrity moms - here's a detail of the Candy Spelling image... subject aside, I frickin' LOVE this froggie. I don't know if it's the Marty Feldman eyes, the fifties flip, the crown or the Hapsburg chin(s), but the idea of an amphibian on my shoulder to guide us is somewhat intriguing.



A fairy god-froggie?
A froggie conscience?
A froggie for all seasons?
Froggie... on my shoulder... makes me happeeeee (thanks to J. Denver)