My Bit of Earth

Killing the Monster Under the Bed

Vacationing at home in my sweats this week, watching too much TV--I flipped past CNN and heard that they suspect Saddam Hussein will be executed any time now.  It kind of caught me off guard.  Knowing what the time lines are for executions in the U.S., I assumed it would take them much, much longer.

It's hard to know what to think.  I remember in the first Gulf War when I first learned who Saddam Hussein even was.  I remember the editorial cartoons--a crazed man with huge, blood-shot eyes, and wild hair.  I was in 4th grade, and--although I don't think it was intentional--the adults around me at that time made him out to be a sort-of bogeyman.  He was a horrible, bad person, but I shouldn't worry about him much because he was far away and couldn't get me. 

Contrast that to some of the latest images, a sad, old, broken-down man--almost grandfatherly-looking.  I know what evil he brought to the world, how merciless he was to his victims; and I know that at this point there's not much else that can be done with him besides execution--alive he'd always inspire fear, at the very least.  But simultaneously, knowing that he's facing the end very soon now, I can't help but pity him.

Quick Quotes Quill Friday: Potential "Hallows"?

"[T]he diary's gone, the ring's gone.  The cup, the locket, and the snake are still intact, and you think there might be a Horcrux that was once Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's?"

--Harry, Half-Blood Prince

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jog

We arrived safely back home tonight after a busy few days of family and food and presents and travel.  After sorting through some of my pictures, I watched them all on a slide show set at high speed (picture what happens in a movie when a character's life flashes before her eyes) and realized that it really felt like everything happened that fast....But it was nice to see everyone, and I had to travel much less than most!  One Nice Cousin dug out of the snow to come from Colorado, and others made even longer drives from Texas and Ohio. 

On our drive home tonight, Sweet Husband and I were chatting and he (who thinks the holidays are nice in general, but is not necessarily the great lover of Christmas that I am) asked, "What's so special about Christmas?"  I don't remember what I said, but on further reflection I think it's just that--the way everyone takes time to come together.  Before the holidays we're all in separate places--living our own lives, doing our own thing--and on the 26th we all scatter to the four winds yet again.  But for those 2 or 3 days everything else just kind of stops.  And even though sometimes it's kind of a blur afterward, even though it never feels like there's enough time to really catch up with the people you'd like to....it's still something pretty special.

Pictures are here.

Ha! Just Desserts

I had decided not to post any more about it--because I hate to give even a smidgen more publicity to nut-jobs like her--but this was too good to pass up.  The Washington Post has given Laura Mallory, Georgia Nazi woman who's trying to ban Harry from schools, their "Idiot of the Year" award.  Here's the snippet:

2006 Idiot of the Year: Laura Mallory, of Loganville, Georgia. This vigilant mother of four has demanded local schools remove Harry Potter from their libraries because, in her analysis, the books are an "evil" attempt to indoctrinate children in Wicca religion. Congratulations Laura, and good luck on your quest to eradicate the dark forces which pollute children's literature.

It's like an early Christmas present to know that the rest of the world thinks she's ridiculous too!

Happy Holidays!

Moe Speaks: Mom Left Me, But Now She's Back Home

Yesterday, Mom didn't come home from work at the normal time. Dad came home, we had dinner, we watched movies, we did laundry--still no Mom. And then Dad said it was time to go to bed and Mom still wasn't home. He tried to get me to sunggle with him, but I was so worried! I sat by the window and watched for her for most of the night.

You can imagine how excited I was when she finally came home today. She said she needed to go see Grandma-Great for the day without all of us "taggin' along". I was disappointed that I didn't get to go (Grandma-Great has good cookies usually) but Mom brought home some new toys, so I allowed myself to be consoled.

Quick Quotes Quill Friday: A Very Harry Christmas to You!

"Dobby had taken it upon himself to decorate the place for Christmas. He could tell the elf had done it, because nobody else would have strung a hundred golden baubles from the ceiling, each showing a picture of Harry's face and bearing the legend HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!"

--Order of the Phoenix

Cry Havoc and Let Slip the HP Theories!

In wake of the new title, there are now a million new theories.  Most will turn out to be incorrect, of course, but here are a few that I really like so far, both from the Leaky Cauldron:

• In myth, "hallows" is apparently another word for royal regalia.  The list of examples you can get to by following the TLC links reminds me of nothing so much as, "the cup, the locket, the snake...." So instead of the hallows being the places where the horcruxes are, perhaps the hallows will be the horcruxes themselves.
• Does the way the title was communicated mean anything special?  Here are some references both to the solstice, which was today, and to the fact that the clue was a hang man game.  I don't really think the broken prophecy from OOP ("on the solstice will come a new . . . and none will come after....") was meant to prophesize this book.  I don't really believe that the title release date was planned that far ahead.  However the reference to the hangman game (inside of the cover of "Fantastic Beasts"), with "you die Ron!" written under it, does have me nervous for the youngest Weasley lad (which if you'll remember I said was one of the likelier members of the trio to die).

Book 7 Title Released!

Per JKR.com and confirmed by Bloomsbury, the title for the last Harry Potter book is . . . . (don't click further if you don't want to know!)

Here are instructions on how to find the title on jkrowling.com:

1. Click on the eraser on the desk to get to the Room of Requirement.
2. Click on the doorway reflected in the mirror--a tree will appear.
3. Click in the middle of the actual door--a wreath will appear.
4. Click on the ceiling as reflected in the mirror--a garland will appear.
5. Click on the spider web towards the top of the door.
6. Click on the second wind chime from the right--it will turn into a key.
7. Drag the key down to the lock to open the door.
8. A present will be waiting on the desk--click to open it.
9. Click again on the "Hangman" game that comes out of the present--play hangman to find out the title.

Now that that's out of the way--some comments....

Initially, I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed with the title.  Is "deathly" even a word?  I'm not sure...I guess so, but it just doesn't seem to make sense there.  But I think there's plenty of room for redemption if the story backs the title up.  I wasn't really a fan of "Half-Blood Prince" either, until I read the book and saw how it fit--then I thought it was pretty brilliant.  And I've already read a few theories connecting the "Hallows" in the title to either "Godric's Hollow" or to "Halloween", although tend to think it's more interconnected with the actual definition of Hallow, which, according to Google is "consecrate: render holy by means of religious rites."  I think the "hallowed" places (notice it's plural) will be the locations of moldy-Voldey's horcruxes.

However, more importantly (to me at least) is what the release of the title means for a release date of the book.  Per bullet number 2 of this page from "Accio Quote" (a site that basically exists to keep track of everything Jo has ever said), in 1999 Jo told the National Press Club that she doesn’t like to tell people the titles of her books until they are finished; it's a superstition of hers.  This is not definitive however, as she released the title of HBP on June 28, 2005, but did not announce that she had finished the book (and give a release date) until Christmas of that year (See this page on the Lexicon for my sources).  But regardless I really hope think she wouldn't release the title a whole year and a half early, so I think it's a safe bet that if the book doesn't come out this summer, it will still be out sometime in 2007.  Although there have only been summer release dates so far, maybe this time she'll decide to do it on Halloween--that would certainly play in with the title (although, on the other hand, it's a week day....)  Yup, those are my new official guesses, either 7/7 or sometime near Halloween.

Dogs Don't Wait For Santa

Shortly after shopping for them, I tucked a few of the pups' Christmas goodies away in our spare room so they would be safe until Christmas morning.  Porter, of course, has no idea that they're there and probably wouldn't care much if she did--she's come to like toys well enough when they're easy to get, but going upstairs for one?  Forget it! 

Moe on the other hand is very aware (every second of every day) that there are two perfectly good doggie toys in the house that he's not being allowed to play with.  Every time I so much as crack the spare room door he's in there, staring at the top shelf of the book case (where the toys are).  I can see the wheels turning in his head..."How to get them down?...How to get them down?"  I say, "You can't have that 'till Christmas."  And he looks back at me like I'm playing a bad joke.

The Mugglenet Book

As promised, a little review of "Mugglenet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7". 

In short, there is nothing in the book that hasn't been said somewhere on Mugglenet.  Further, at points they base assumptions on assumptions--for example, in several places they assume that Harry is a Horcrux and base further analysis on that assumption.

But, despite that, I still liked the book. It hits all the real questions, and it discusses them in an organized fashion that isn't necessarily possible in a chat room or a single editorial.  And realistically, at this point, it's impossible to even get to some of the big questions without doing a little bit of inference stacking so I think that's forgivable.  In the main I think that even if the authors don't end up being right, they're thinking the right way. 

So, if you want some good, well-organized, theorizing fun while your waiting for Book 7, I would recommend you go read.

Paperwhite Zen

I'm not exactly sure what I did right, but I think it was a matter of water.  Or rather lack of water.  All I know is that I watered the paperwhites I had at work a lot, and they're all leggy and tumbling over and dying; I watered these very sparsely and they're sturdy and green and one even has a double bloom. 

Updates to JKR.com--Sounds Like She Might Be Getting Close to the Finale....And I'm Not the Only One Who Dreams of Harry

Exciting updates from JKRowling.com today.

First, in her diary, Jo writes:

"The long lack of updates has been due to some very hard work. I'm now writing scenes that have been planned, in some cases, for a dozen years or even more. I don't think anyone who has not been in a similar situation can possibly know how this feels: I am alternately elated and overwrought. I both want, and don't want, to finish this book (don't worry, I will.)"

Sounds like she's nearing the end to me.  Of course, I'm always a victim of wishful thinking, but I would place money on the fact that those scenes that have been planned "for a dozen years or even more" are the very last bits of the book.

Next she writes:

"For years now, people have asked me whether I ever dream that I am 'in' Harry's world. The answer was 'no' until a few nights ago, when I had an epic dream in which I was, simultaneously, Harry and the narrator. I was searching for a Horcrux in a gigantic, crowded hall, which bore no resemblance to the Great Hall as I imagine it. As the narrator I knew perfectly well that the Horcrux was jammed in a hidden nook in the fireplace, while as Harry I was searching for it in all kinds of other places, while trying to make the people around me say lines I had pre-arranged for them. Meanwhile waiters and waitresses who work in the real café in which I have written huge parts of book seven roamed around me as though on stilts, all of them at least fifteen feet high. Perhaps I should cut back on the caffeine?"

Does this mean that Harry will be searching for a horcrux in the Great Hall in Book 7, I wonder?  Or just a silly dream?  Either way it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has weird Harry dreams every now and then.

Still plugging away at the Mugglenet book....

 

The Rats Will Rat Out--Comparing Pettigrew to Gollum

Yesterday, being left without much to do, I settled in for the better part of the day and watched a "Lord of the Rings" marathon.  Then last night I read the chapter of the Mugglenet book (to be reviewed later this week if life cooperates) on Peter Pettigrew and his life-debt to Harry. 

As I was drifting off to sleep, my theory on the subject came crashing together.  I know there's an article somewhere comparing Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings, in which Peter is analogized to Gollum (which I can't find for the life of me), but I think it only compares the two.  I'm going to go one step further--I predict that Peter will repay his debt to Harry, not in a hokey keeping score-ish kind of way, but similar to the way that Gollum helped Frodo in the end of "Return of the King".

Because Gollum, of course, didn't really mean to save the day.  It just so happened that his selfishness and lust for the ring was just what was necessary when Frodo was finally overcome by the ring.  Similarly, I think that, far from turning over a new leaf and deciding to become a better person, Pettigrew's selfishness will end up helping Harry inadvertently.

You want a little evidence?  Consider the following passages:

Gandalf and Frodo in "The Fellowship of the Ring"--

Frodo:  [Gollum] deserves death.

Gandalf: Deserves it!  I daresay he does.  Many that live deserve death.  And some that die deserve life.  Can you give it to them?  Then do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment.  For even the very wise cannot see all ends.  I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. . . . My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many--yours not least."

Dumbledore and Harry in "Prisoner of Azkaban"--

Harry:  But--I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew!  That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!

Dumbledore:  It does not.  Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry?  The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is very difficult business indeed. . . . You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life. . . . Pettigrew owes his life to you.  You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt. . . . When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them . . . and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.

Harry:  I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!  He betrayed my parents!

Dumbledore:  This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry.  But trust me . . . the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.

See what I mean?  The similarity is incredible.  So much so that, if JKR hadn't already said it's not happening, I would almost be expecting Dumbledore to "do a Gandalf" and pop back up somewhere mid-Book 7.

Thank You David Greenberg!

Because while I've been in the December doldrums and unable to work up the spirit to do more than post a few pictures, you've written a wonderful article that is very encouraging to those of us who think that the holidays are more about bringing people together than picking fights to keep people out.  You've encouraged me to remember that tolerance really is--and always has been--an American value, and that even though people on both extremes of the political spectrum can outshout us, more people are moderates than not.

To the rest of you--go read.

Graduations

Two of the very most important people in my life graduated from college this weekend.  Sweet Husband finished his B.A. in metalsmithing and jewelry design, and Nice Mom (whose first time at college was interrupted by moi) got a B.A. in general studies.  I couldn't be prouder of them both!  Some pictures are here.

Quick Quotes Quill Friday: Presents, Year Four

"Hermione had given Harry a book called Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland; Ron, a bulging bag of Dungbombs; Sirius, a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot; and Hagrid, a vast box of sweets including all Harry's favorites:  Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and Fizzing Whizbees.  There was also, of course, Mrs. Weasley's usual package, including a new sweater (green with a picture of a dragon on it--Harry supposed Charlie had told her all about the Horntail), and a large quantity of homemade mince pies."

--Goblet of Fire

Moe Speaks: Desperate Housedog

Last night Mom was pretty upset with me. In the past few days I've chewed up so many things it isn't funny. I can't help it--I just find myself sitting alone all day, being bored, feeling restless, and I just have to chew, chew CHEW! 

And I keep craving the weirdest things, too. Mom has had stacks of books on some lower shelves in the living room for over a year now. When she put them out I sniffed them, and decided they wouldn't taste good. But yesterday something about one caught my eye--it was like it was calling to me. What could I do? I had to chew. It turned out it was a really new one--hence why Mom was upset.

As I bounced around like the Energizer Bunny and Mom picked up the pieces of her former new book, I heard her say "he's just bored to tears, I think maybe I'll take him to daycare tommorow and see if that won't help."

I was so excited when I got up this morning--when Dad tried to get in the shower without me I accidently pulled the curtain down on him! 

Finally we got to leave. If I didn't know better, I'd say Mom was happy to be rid of me when she gave my leash to the daycare lady--well, I guess that's fair because I wasn't all that sorry that she was leaving either; it meant that it was time to play!

And when Dad came to pick me up, the lady told him that I had been really good all day--Mom says if I keep being good I can go back more often! I'm sure it's certainly less expensive than my chewing habit.

A Soldier's Story

I don't often offer my opinion on the current situation in Iraq.  It's not that I don't care--on the contrary, I really do--it's just that I don't think I have much to offer. 

I very firmly believe that stable democracy is not something that can be imposed--societies either want it badly enough to fight for it or they're not ready for it yet.  Thus, I think some of our basic premises for being in Iraq are flawed.  At the same time, I don't think there's much good to be had from pointing fingers and casting blame at this late stage.  I think the key at this point is to focus on the solution.

Since I haven't seen anyone come up with much in the way of magic bullet solutions--and I certainly don't have one of my own to offer...well, what's there left to talk about?

But Major Bill Edmonds does have something to say, and he says it well.  In his article, A Soldier's Story, he discusses the basic cultural communication problems that make his work--and ultimately finding a workable plan in Iraq--so difficult.  He doesn't tie the whole thing up with a neat little bow at the end, but he does at least suggest what some of the next steps should be.  And perhaps more importantly, he manages to do all of this without either vilifying Iraqis or making light of the real danger that U.S. soldiers are reacting to each day--something that seems to be getting rare as people get more and more polarized on this issue.  Go read.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

We hosted the end of semmester party for ARG (the KU student metalsmithing organization) last night.  Beer was consumed, "Guitar Hero" was played, door prizes were issued, a good time was had by all!  Pictures are here.