Goblet of Fire Spoiler- and the Encouragement of Magic

Aaaahhhh...

It was great. Truly well made, exciting, invigorating, intriguing... Oh yeah. I saw 'Goblet of Fire' today, and was not disappointed in the least. Harry was on fire. (Literally at one point, thanks to the Horntail...)He's growing up fast, too-- wink wink! Hermione was beautiful, the introduced characters were very well done. I hated to see Cedric go, making such a handsome young man's appearance in this movie, but you know what they say. Only the good die young. Even Ron was definitely tolerable, even in good form, whereas I have been known to raz on him in other movies. (ie. the perpetual look of 'horror' over every little thing in 'Chamber'.) His twin brothers are very fun to watch. Hagrid and the Head of Beauxbaton was a great addition, and there were truly funny parts as well. Severus Snape was not in it NEARLY enough... but at least he was there, and had a couple of memorable moments. Dumbledore was fantastic, as usual. Mad-Eye Moody and Minerva have a hilarious stint when he transfigures Malfoy (also looking very good in his growing young body...) into a ferret- I was laughing and snorting Sprite out of my nose. Delightful.

But the magic... Oh, the magic was sublime. It got my blood coursing, singed my nerves, opened my eyes as though I could suddenly recall that I, myself, can DO magic.

There is ONE sure-fire way to impart the depth and breadth and magic of an imagination upon those around us-- writing stories. (Movie-making is breathtaking, but I wouldn't know where to even begin to get in line to go to school for that...)

I have been writing a story, and have been deliberating over it for a while now.

I will plunge into it head-long now, dear reader. It will be worth the effort in the end, I know. Because I have seen it's star-filled sky, it's pearly white shores, and its seedy underbelly. And I believe it will be worth it to share, in the end. For that is the point of telling a story--

The actual TELLING of it.

The Harry Potter movie comes out this Friday. It's going to be shown here, (Georgia, USA) in the Imax theater. And now for a tiny confession: I secretly ADORE Professor Snape. Oh yes, I know he's supposed to be greasy-haired, caustic, almost evil... but I like that in a character! He's so moody, and so damned intelligent, and so incredibly skilled, not to mention quintessentially misunderstood...(I hope)



So yeah, I'm pretty excited. I won't be standing in line at midnight the day before to get my tickets or anything-- it's not like it's a New York premiere. But I will be seeing it soon. I will TRY to wait until I am visiting my best friend in Charlotte next week, so that we can take out sons and go see it together. But I cannot make the promise. I've got the obsessive/compulsive disorder thing going on every time I see Snape attached to something. I've even started to rent Alan Rickman movies, just to here THE VOICE.
How appropriate was it that he played Metatron, the Voice of God, in the movie Dogma??? Because surely, he very well could be. Have even gone so far as to request an audio book read by Alan Rickman--- fifteen hours of sheer bliss-- for Christmas. Okay, so seeing this all in print brings me to the realization that it's pretty bad. Moving on now. To save whatever dignity I have left.

AND let's not forget 'A Feast For Crows' has recently been released.
I read the other books in the 'A Song of Fire and Ice' chronicles earlier this year just to be prepared. I haven't gotten it yet, though, as I know as soon as I do, I will be knee-deep in it and will have put other current endeavors aside, which I'm not prepared to do at this time. But soon, I will have it, and will be walking along the dark ramparts of The Wall once more with the brothers in black, and savoring every nuance of Tyrion Lannister... You have to read the books to fully understand.

So much talent, so many artistic milestones being made all around me-- it is the season to make my own mark. I can feel it. Of course, I am not in the same league as these other writers/creators... but I yearn to be, and that is enough. If you do not strive toward your dreams, then you surely will never reach them.

All Hallow's Eve rant

Happy All Hallow's Eve, Happy Samhain and happy wiccan New Year to you all! It's time to usher out summer and begin thinking of internalizing, preparing for the cold months ahead, getting stoked for the rest of the holiday frenzy. Nature is turning over a new leaf. She's rallying for that final, end of the year test. Did you grow a thick enough coat of fur? Did you finish putting out your seeds in time? Did you pay your gas bill on a regular basis? Welcome winter months! I've crocheted scarves and bought my son new boots, bought a gas grill and have hurricane lamps ready. Let it snow!

Well, it's official. I've been diagnosed with 'clinical depression'. Though I started this blog with the idea that it might take the place of actual therapy, I've found that a real life, speaking-back-type of person was in order. And so far, so good.

Something I haven't told her yet, or you, dear reader (and yes, you know who you are!) is that I have another passion, another blog. And I can't share it with you. It's secret. As a matter of fact, it's a whole other secret universe. For an hour or two every day (just about), I live in it, defining it, co-creating it, wandering through its mists and dark alleys. I'm in love with writing it... Total fiction, with absolutely everything mashed up into it, including but not limited to witches and wizards, magic, light-sabers, childhood dreams, warriors, evil doers, slimey type people, popular children's books characters, and real in-your-face type sex scenes. The kind I love.

My friend has posted at length about milquetoast-type romances, and I agree wholeheartedly. Why on earth would you spend THAT much time getting to know two characters, watching them fall in love, woo each other, overcome all obstacles to their love, and NOT want to reap the benefits??? Throw me a bone, people! Sex shouldn't be that taboo, you know? Violence is more common in our culture than shagging. It's just not right. And if you're a romance writer, go ahead and take the plunge! I can understand if you're writing a novel, and the romance is only a part of the overall story. But if it's the ONLY reason you're telling the story in the first place... MAKE IT HAPPEN!

I'M DONE SHOUTING NOW! Honestly, I didn't know I felt so strongly about it until I started writing it just now. But I do. So when I take a little stroll down 'writer's lane', and I have romance on the brain, I let it go. I'm thirty four, married, have a child. I know for a fact that sex is going to be the one thing that is free (usually) that feels THAT damned good, and that I won't get sick of it if I do it more than, say, once a month. Feel the love, people. Use condoms...but FEEL IT.

Have a happy, sexy Halloween...