Reading Harry Potter With My Mom: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Recently, my mom decided to let me read my Harry Potter books to her. These are some of my favorite books of all time and getting to finally share them with Mom made me extremely happy. We decided to read each book and then watch the movie. And of course we started with Sorcerer's Stone.

In which Hagrid was Scottish. At least he was at first. You may not realize this, but a Scottish accent is particularly hard to maintain. For me, it some time slipped to Russian and I was like, "Wait, we're not at Durmstrangs here."

What ruddy kind of accent is that?

It's also hard to flip between speaking normally and figuring out what Hagrid is supposed to sound like. At points he was Cockney and even this odd place between American, English, and Irish. Near the end I was like, "Oh god, Hagrid, please stop talking. I love you, but I can't figure you out." Mom rather enjoyed the odd variety of accents Hagrid used.

I think we can all agree that Ollivander is just a little creepy, at least when you meet him in Sorcerer's Stone. Apparently he is no longer a maker of fine wands but a maker of fine wines. Hey, you let a wine sit for 2000+ years, it's probably going to be...whatever it is you want to get from wines when they sit for a long time (can you tell I have no clue what happens with wine?)

Doesn't this look like the label that would be on a fine vintage?

I am not accustomed to reading out loud, so sometimes my tongue will get tied. This is happens also because I am a fast reader, which means when I read I don't read each individual word, as you have to when you read aloud. Which is what led to Ron's arms not windmilling but treadmilling.

How do you translate that into your arms?

And then we came to Lord Voldemort. And I really like my Voldemort voice. It's kind of creepy and thready and perfect for him without a body. But, I am not a man, nor do I have a low voice. So when he starts to yell, the voice tries to growl...and then I start choking. I can either be Voldemort or yell but I can't do both. Maybe Voldemort's voice box was damaged when he LOST HIS FREAKIN' BODY.

I'm so confused. How will I my followers listen if I never speak above a harsh whisper?

We just watched the first movie this afternoon. And Mom was struck by how much was left out of the movie, how much info they never talk about. I have clearly seen this movie too many times because I was sitting there quoting it under my breath. And I noticed for the first time that Fred and George actually do chant "We've got Potter" in the Sorting scene. You just don't hear it because of the din and instead have to read their lips.

Honestly woman, you need to pay closer attention.

I can't wait for Mom to get to know Neville. Because really, I have come to love him and Mom doesn't quite understand why yet. Which is why we are reading these books (well, a side reason. Mainly we're reading them because I love them and Mom said I could). Tomorrow we begin Chamber of Secrets.

To Have A Home

Yes, this is another post about Harry Potter and yes, I haven't posted for a while and this is not about history. I need ideas people! What do you want to know about? I almost feel like I'm just writing this for myself, and if that's the case I will most likely just keep rambling on about Harry Potter.

So, unless you are just really out of touch with social media, you've probably heard someone mention the site Pottermore within the last few days.

Pottermore. We're big on the owls

This site is an interactive way to read the Harry Potter books. You'll get sorted into a house, buy a wand, earn house points. It sounds like it is going to be absolutely fantastic and pretty much the entire fandom is dancing with impatience to be let in. Which is where the Magic Quill comes in.

7 attempts at insanity

What is the Magic Quill you ask (unless you just read the banner in which case you already know. Too bad, I'm still going to explain)? The Magic Quill in the books is a quill that writes down the names of every magical child born (within the Hogwarts school district I'm assuming. Although you could always get a boundary exception and go to Drumstrang or Beauxbatons ;) ) so that when that child reaches eleven the deputy headmaster/headmistress can send out the Hogwarts letters.

In Pottermore, the quill presents everyone with an opportunity to enter Pottermore early. 1 million people will get to beta test the site and to choose those people is the Magical Quill challenge. At a random time of day, between July 31st and August 6th a clue with be released, a question that you must find the answer to. Once you have the answer you add it to the URL quill.pottermore.com. If you are correct, you get sent to a screen where you have to catch the magic quill.

Where the hell is that damn quill? (This is the thought that will go through your mind at 2 in the morning when you finally get here)

Thankfully, the quill glows, but it also runs away so you may have to chase it a little (and do not panic if it goes off screen. It'll come back). When you manage to pin it down, you get a Congratulations and are told to begin your journey and fill out some information (name, date of birthday, email, etc.) The last question asked is this:

What kind of question is that?

Personally when I got to this point I found myself thinking, "What kind of fan has been up until one in the morning and hasn't seen all the movies and read all the books?" Because yes, by this time I had stayed up until 1:30AM, scoured my copy of Sorcerer's Stone for the answer (The question being "How many types of owls are on the sign for Eyelops Owl Empourium?") and chase a quill around a screen with a laptop track pad. Why would I do all that if I hadn't read all the books and seen all the movies? That would make me crazy instead of simply a zealous fan.

But I also managed to get in on the first day! Which means I haven't had to go through the insanity of staying up until 2 and 3AM (oh yes, clue one released at 1, clue 2 at 2 and clue 3 at 3. This only works on the West Coast...but I love it) to get the clue last night or the night before. And I got my verification email within fifteen minutes, which is NOT what has happened for others. Some have had to wait an entire day for their verification.

So I get to beta test it early! My name is DreamPotion56. You get your name by answering the registration questions and then picking from five generated usernames. I was almost ShadowGoblet206, but I liked the idea of a dream potion and it seemed to fit me best. I can't wait to meet up with my friends who've also wrangled early entrance and get sorted. Party in the common rooms anyone? I'll bring the Red Vines ;)

It's The End of and Era

So as pretty much anyone who hasn't been living in a tundra devoid of media and human life knows that this Friday is the release of the final Harry Potter movie. It's kind of a heavy moment for all the people who've grown up with Harry and his friends. I mean, it's been in my life for 14 years. That is a really long time.

You may remember that a little while back I wrote a letter to Harry Potter, talking about what he's meant in my life. In honor of the release of the final movie, I wrote another post about Harry Potter and what it means to me. There's so much to say I could probably write a hundred letters and never say it all (side note: I now want to write a bunch of Harry Potter letters and then recreate the Letters from No One chapter in Sorcerer's Stone with either some poor unsuspecting soul or my own children some day far in the future (like leading up to their eleventh birthday when I bequeath them the first book (If I manage to wait all the way until they're eleven. They may be closer to seven or so when they get the first book))). Anyway, here is that post (sorry Facebook friends, you've already seen this. But you should read it again :) )

"I was seven years old when my sister brought home the first Harry Potter book, at which point she promptly forgot about it. I tried picking it up a couple of times, but never got past the first page. Then, finally, I picked it up and was determined to finish. It took three months, but I did finish it and I read it whenever I had time to. I can remember the exact place in the highway I was when I finished and still smile each time I pass it. And I set about procurring and reading the next book as soon as possible.

For the longest time I was always a little younger than Harry, but that meant that he was almost like an older brother to me, a mentor about the periods in my life to come, while still helping me deal with what was happening currently. Harry wasn't perfect, he wasn't self-assured, and he didn't have all the answers. Harry made mistakes, he got upset, he said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Puberty was no easier for him than it was for anyone else.

But he was always able to survive and deal with whatever came his way. He showed me that anything could be accomplished and survived with determination. It wouldn't be easy, but doing the right thing and not giving up would be worth it in the long run. I'd be better for having made the hard, but right choice.

And it wasn't just Harry who became my mentor. Like many female fans I've talked to, Hermione was like the fictional version of myself. She was bookish, a teacher's pet, and a know-it-all. She didn't make friends easily or fit right into the social structures of school life. She knew what it was like to be a loner, emanored of books while people around her found her completely bizarre for her love of school and reading. And yet, she always had the crucial answers. Without Hermione, the trio would've been sunk long ago. Because she enabled Harry to know what he needed to go up against Voldemort and survive.

Because of Hermione, I was perfectly fine to be who I was, without a crippling fear of ridicule from my peers. Because I knew that there was nothing wrong with who I was and that I didn't need a large group of friends for my life to be worthwhile. It was the quality of the friends I chose that mattered, far more than the quantity I had.

Which brings me to Ron. A lot of people, myself included for a while, saw Ron as comic relief and sidekick. He was an intrinsic part of the trio, but you couldn't pinpoint why he mattered. But Ron is as loyal as a Hufflepuff. He is brave (and okay, stubborn) as a Gryffindor ought to be, but he is also completely loyal to Harry, sticking with him through thick and thin. They've had rough patches (hello, Ron's only human) but he never left for good. And when he came back, it didn't get any easier. In fact, it just got harder. But Ron was there for his friends, despite all he had to lose. And of all the trio, he had the most to lose.

As a child, I was sick for a lot of time, especially around third and fourth grade, right before the fourth book had released. And more often than not, it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione that kept me and Mom company at night. They kept me from wallowing in self-pity and losing my sanity altogether, showing me how to keep going even in crappy circumstances. Because things can always get better, but you have to be willing to work for it.

It's at least partly because of these three that I never allowed my IBS to dictate how well I did in school. The example they set is why I would get up after a night of staying up until 2 AM and sleeping curled in a ball, and still went to school if I wasn't still hurting. Harry Potter and my parents taught me the perseverance I needed in my life to succeed as well as I have.

For me, these books have been more than simply words on a page, or even interesting stories. These people have come alive for me in a way few other books have managed. In Order of the Phoenix, when Sirius was getting sucked into the veil, I had to stop and shut the book, not wanting ti read what happened next. Mom came in then and asked if I wanted to put the book in the freezer, which is what we do with books that are frightening or make us cry.

And when the seventh book came out, I was finally seventeen. I was the same age as Harry, at the same point in our lives. And while I wasn't in a position where I had to save the world, I was still at a transitional point in my life. I was about to enter my senior year of high school, and like Harry, I was going to have to graduate and make my way into a new world. And while many may not like the epilogue, that epilogue kind of gave me hope that I would make it. If Harry and the rest of the gang could find peace and happiness, I was sure I could too. Harry was there again to tell me that I'd be okay.

It's because of Harry Potter that I have made some of the best friends in my life. Without Harry Potter, I might not have made as a strong connection with Ron as quickly. Who knows if we'd have been more than passing accquaintances? And without Ron it is quite possible I never would have heard about the Running Start program and finished college in 2 years instead of 4. Without Ron I might have never found Western, the absolutely perfect university for me.

Without Harry Potter, there's no way I would have met Natalie Hoyt or Chris Godwin or Erin Brewer. I never would have met the wonderful people at the Hive, people who've taught me a lot about life and loosening up. The people I met in London started the process of loosening me up, but the people at the Hive helped finish the process, turning me back into a twenty-year-old young woman who can have fun rather than a quiet, homebody who knows more about responsibility than acting like a teenager. These people have enriched my life more than I could have imagined.

I've earned my Snitch wings as a Harry Potter fan. I've sat 19.5 hours in line for the Order of the Phoenix midnight movie premiere, in 103 degree heat. I've frozen to death and burned my hands on a hand dryer waiting in line for the Deathly Hallows Part 1 movie premiere. I have the inscription on Gringotts memorized and have freaked people out by opening foreign editions of the books and reading the first page because I have it so clearly in my mind.

I've fought tooth and nail for Jeopardy victory as a Ravenclaw and corrected people making Jeopardy questions when they've gotten it wrong (like the fact that JK Rowling's middle name is not Kathleen but took her grandmother's name because she doesn't have a middle name). And of course I've had people look at me with confusion, shock, and (very rarely) awe when I recite such facts. I can quote the musicals practically word for word and I've walked through campus dressed in Hogwarts gear.

It's been fourteen years since Harry entered my life. The first time I picked up a Harry Potter book, I'd never cooked dinner or done laundry or driven a car. I had few friends and nowhere near as big a book collection. The internet was still young, DVDs were a novel device and Walkman's were still common. It was a very different world than where we are now, and a simpler time for me.

When I started reading I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't know how to write good stories, or even that I wanted to. But I think JK Rowling is part of the reason why I've become a writer. The idea that entire worlds could be created and people brought to life, simply through words ensnared my imagination. Harry and Jo made me realize I had stories of my own to tell. And that I didn't need to be a writing god to do so.

Harry Potter is one of those generational things that will forever unite everyone in this generation. Even people who don't like Harry Potter are bound to it in a way that's hard to explain but can't be escaped. Everyone knows who Harry is, knows at least part of his story. And it has tied children, growing up all over the world, to each other. One common ground that may seem small, but may end up one day being the difference between peace and war (even if it may simply be a small peace, in the sense of getting along with someone unexpected).

Many fans are saddened because they say this is the end of Harry Potter. But it's not really. It's the end of an era certainly, and I will be weeping at the premiere at the comclusion of another chapter in my Harry Potter experience. But Harry Potter is like Dumbledore at Hogwarts. As Harry says, "He'll never be gone. Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him." Harry will always be there for those that need him, just as "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home" (Jo Rowling, UK premiere). That is Harry's legacy."

I have also created an "It's the Last Harry Potter Movie EVER" playlist for when I'm sitting in line on Thursday. And I have it here for you, broken into helpful categories:

The Tearjerker I-Can't-Believe-It's-The-End Songs

Open at the Close by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYGUxbGOL8c&feature=related

End of An Era by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vDjOv_B4Gk&feature=related

Marching On by OneRepublic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWKEXvtsWRE

Missing You from A Very Potter Musical (listen to the lyrics. It applies nearly as well for our feelings about Harry) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOI7hnqjvsY

Hallows (Beyonce's Halo Parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y_opQoYVHQ

Don't Leave by Ministry of Magic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMsjWSLZL7U

Where Are You Now by Honor Society http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UqlZdqONvY

The Meaning of Lonely by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2_WNYZkRbk&feature=related

Those Voices from A Very Potter Sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9S7bFt_1B4

Harry Potter Will Never End

This Is Not Harry Potter by Hank Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZaCxfiUHs

Days of Summer from A Very Potter Sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fjOr0ZHpS4&feature=related

Book Eight by Hank Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGS4nIzelpA&feature=related

Get Back to Hogwarts from A Very Potter Musical http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLHQzROass&feature=related

What Harry's Meant To Us

Firebolt by BYU's Divine Comedy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySN8Q4U6wys

Not Alone from A Very Potter Musical http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gctiXV0pu_0

Not Alone by Darren Criss (Yes, I needed both. Besides, now Harry Potter is singing it to us) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUquTr3Tcv0&feature=related

To Have A Home from A Very Potter Sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8IfUj4ndXo&feature=related

I'm Going to Hogwarts by Lauren Fairweather http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_5EX6llDZk

Tell Me A Story by Librarian Lily and The Tales of the Bard (This song doesn't actually exist online. I only have it because I got a CD at Yule Ball and I don't believe there's a way to post MP3s. Sorry)

Tribute to the Boy Who Changed Lives (And The Ones Who Changed His)

The Boy Who Lived by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P66zZVoYUDw&feature=related

Harry Freakin' Potter from A Very Potter Sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Ffm7jRXtg&feature=related

Waving Flag by K'naan (it's more the sentiment of the song and only some of the lyrics that make me think of Harry (could also apply to the remaining members of the DA at Hogwarts in year 7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMo9vNVkPOs

Sirius Black, Fly Away by WeasleySweaters (one of the best Friday Parodies ever. It doesn't even sound like the same song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0vGdmzUEhU&feature=channel_video_title

Give It Up by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZMyJ7r2pgE&feature=related

Mischief Managed by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWdhpHioVqM&feature=related

Fan Pride

We R Slytherins (Ke$ha Parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiO3dyAT7pA

Ravenclaws (Friday Parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcJ8-qMd400&feature=related

Lumos Flies by Ministry of Magic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27qTpzBHKs&feature=related

This Isn't Hogwarts by Hank Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Gt9m64LBg

We R Lightning Scars (Ke$ha Parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUvV0f5SAZU&feature=related

The Harry Song (Lazy Song Paroday) by WeasleySweaters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG_ZzYqKI_4

Accio Deathly Hallows by Hank Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvvFiZyEyTA&feature=relmfu

Get Pumped to Fight Voldemort

Voldemort is Going Down from A Very Potter Musical http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JoOuM9dT6w

No Way from A Very Potter Sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-rxyizcX18&feature=related

Spells and Scars by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQdp3O-7Ri4

We Are the DA by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uFk8JcwfX4

The Hallows by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YWAbhY2Ds&feature=related

Hunt You Down by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1MzSnj3MSg&feature=related

Flight of the Prince by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZJlBmw4J_c&feature=related

I May Lose Everything by Ministry of Magic (a little more low-key, but great lyrics that especially dovetail with the end of Deathly Hallows) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j88w2ZDRTJo&feature=related

Things I Learned From Harry Potter: Self-Reliance

*As a note there are spoilers all over my examples. So if you haven't read the books or seen the movies and are planning to, you may want to skip all the examples in the middle. I will mark the section with a spoiler warning since I know some people only watch the movies (for shame!) and I will be spoiling the end of the seventh one.*

Part of what makes the Harry Potter series so wonderful is the lessons in teaches kids, without feeling like it's teaching them a lesson. I know that I learned a lot from Harry and his friends growing up. And I don't just mean that going into the Shrieking Shack on a full moon is a very bad idea.

One thing I learned was the idea of self-reliance, knowing that at some point you're going to have to do something on your own, despite the encouragement and support of friends and family. There's going to come a time when only you can do what needs to be done. It's not going to be easy, it's not going to be fun, but you're going to have to do it.

***************************SPOILERS*******************************

This is evident for Harry in pretty much every book. In the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron and Hermione are with him through the trapdoor and the tasks that follow, but after the bottles on the table, Harry has to go alone on to face Voldemort. Hermione gives him encouragement and both she and Ron help him through the tasks that lay before, but he has to get the Sorcerer's Stone and face down Voldemort alone.

In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry has to face Riddle by himself while Ron stays behind and figures out a way to shift the rock from the minor cave-in. Yes, Ginny's there and Fawkes helps blind the basilisk and heal Harry, but Harry is the one who has to figure out how to get rid of Riddle and save Ginny.

In Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry and Hermione go back in time together and both save Buckbeak. But on the lake, Harry is the one who has to cast the Patronus. Hermione tries to help, but this time she just can't. If Harry wasn't able to do it, they'd all be screwed.

In Goblet of Fire, Harry has to do a lot this alone. People help him prepare for the tasks, but he's the one who has to enter the arena and compete. Hermione helps him practice Summoning and "Moody" gives him the hint about flying, but Harry is the one who has to face down the dragon. Cedric gives Harry the clue about his egg, but Harry himself has to save Ron from the mermaids (we need a stronger word for the fierce Amazonian tribe of beings that confronts Harry when he tries to save all those taken. Mermaid sounds too sweet). And then there's the whole maze and Voldemort in the graveyard.

In Order of the Phoenix, Harry has Dumbledore's Army backing him when they enter the ministry. And when Harry takes off after Bellatrix and Voldemort appears, Dumbledore is there to fight him. But Harry is the one to take the brunt of Voldemort's attack when he possesses him. And...(Okay, cards on the table, it's been a while since I read the fifth book. It was really sad to me and I'm not entirely sure I paid attention to exactly what was happening at the end the first time around since I was broken-hearted about Sirius).

In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore teaches Harry so much about Voldemort, information that will be vitally important. And Dumbledore gets them into the cave where the Horcrux lies (or used to). But Harry can't rely on Dumbledore for help when he has to feed his mentor the potion in the basin holding the Horcrux. All Harry has is one simple direction and he has to hope that he's doing the right thing.

And in Deathly Hallows, Harry has the ultimate moment of going it alone. He has to walk out in the middle of the Battle of Hogwarts and die so that Voldemort can be defeated. Part of why the scene in the forest is so absolutely heart-breaking is that even though the ghosts of his parents and their dearest friends are with him, he is still utterly alone. This is something only he can do. It's not easy, and it's the last thing he wants to do, but it's the right thing.

******************END SPOILER****************************

Time and again throughout the books, you find that while Harry has people who love him and help him, there are some things he has to do alone. Things that only he can do. And so when I read him, I learned that there will come a time that I am going to have to make a decision or complete an action on my own. My parents can give me advice, my friends can help get me to the point when I need to do it alone, but ultimately, I have to be the one making the choice in my life. I'm the one who has to do something if I know I need to, not wait for someone else to pick up the slack.

And these books also taught me that it's okay to ask for help when you need it. You don't have to be completely reliant on yourself all the time. Friends and family are there to give advice and stand with you when they can. Like Hermione says to convince Harry that he should ask for help finding the Ravenclaw Horcrux, "You don’t have to do everything alone, Harry."

There are times in our lives when we're going to need to stand on our own two feet. Times when only we can make the decision, take the chance, change our lives. But there will also be times when it's okay to ask for help, to rely on those you love and who you know love you back. And this is one of the best lessons Harry Potter has to teach kids and adults alike.

And Then The Harry Potter Fans Broke The Internet (Plus Geek Is Not A Members Only Club)

Anyone who is a Harry Potter fan probably already knows that at four this morning (Pacific Standard Time) JK Rowling released a special announcement about her new site: Pottermore. This site is going to be an interactive way to read the Harry Potter books. There'll be games to play and you get sorted and get a wand and go to Hogwarts. You can see some of the screenshots here and it looks so flippin' amazing! It'll go live in October, but on July 31st a group will be selected to beta test the site.

Now, as I mentioned, this announcement was made at 4 this morning (at least in my time zone). A normal person would just check what the announcement was first thing in the morning. I am not a normal person. A slightly less sane person may have just set an alarm to wake up, check the announcement, and then go back to sleep. I am not that sane.

No, I am the person who stayed up until four this morning, waiting to see what JK would tell us. Instead of sleeping like a normal person (and one who had to be up at 8:30 this morning), I sat in front of my laptop, cataloging my books, and chatting with other friends who are just as crazy as I am.

I watched the announcement, I followed the owl, and I tried to input my email, before giving up because it wasn't working for me. I have tried periodically throughout the day and only just now made it through. Which brings me to believed that one day, when the internet crashes and dies, it will be because of the Harry Potter fandom.

I have no clue how this phenomenon will come to pass. I don't know what we'll do to flood the servers and break them for good, but I am sure, based on how long it's taken to wade through the masses and finally get my email in, that we will short circuit the internet. Because we're just going to keep growing as years go on and the children of the fans are introduced to the series. The geek generation is starting to have children and they will be Harry Potter fans.

Speaking of the geek generation, I'd like to bring up the mudslinging happening in the bowels of the internet over Miss America winner Alyssa Campanella and whether she can be a geek. People lit up Twitter, arguing that she can't be a geek because she's too pretty. Many people believed she was lying just because being a geek is considered cool now.

One man said on Twitter "anybody that can walk in a bar and get free drinks all night shouldn't constitute as a 'geek'. 'less they're doing ppl's hmwrk." And while I could smack the guy's use of English, that's not the biggest issue with this statement. The biggest issue here is that being a geek has become a kind of club that only certain people are allowed into. If you aren't geek enough, if you're too pretty, if you aren't smart enough, you can't be in the club.

You know what that reminds me of? The popular people clique in high school. The people who dictated where you ranked in school. Isn't part of being a geek being able to throw off the restrictions on what you have to be to fit in? As a geek you get to love things and talk with people who like the same things as you. What part of that says only certain people can do that?

And I kind of get why some people feel threatened by people hopping on the bandwagon because being a geek is cool now. Some of the people jumping in are those who mocked us mercilessly for liking the same thing in school. What's to say they won't ruin the wonderful thing fandom and geekery has created?

But you know what's been created by those things, the best part of being a geek? It's getting to love something wholeheartedly and unashamedly and sharing that love with others. It's outside the bounds of what's "in". Geeks get to make their own niche, burrow down deep, and stay there, nice and cozy, chatting with others in nearby burrows, unaffected by the changing social climate of the world. All we need is a fan to chat with and we're good.

Why aren't other people allowed to love things, just because maybe they're a little late to the party? Are you not a Harry Potter fan unless you've been there since 1997 when it released? Are you not a fan if you only recently fell in love with Doctor Who? Who are we to dictate the love people are allowed to have for things?

Personally, I think even if people are jumping on the bandwagon, there's a high probability they'll find something they truly enjoy and after the social fads have turned to something else, those people will still have a fandom and fans to geek out over things. And then maybe shows like Firefly will get to live on, while some of the more mind-numbing shows can finally be laid to rest (I'm looking at you Kardashians).

Here and here are a couple more arguments about not shunning people from the geek community. I hope that people understand that dictating who can do what or who can be something is absurd. Keep an open mind and maybe you'll get another fan to join your cult ;)

Dear Mr. Potter

Recently, I discovered www.dearmrpotter.org, a website where fans can write letters to Harry Potter, telling how the book series impacted and inspired their lives. In conjunction with HP Alliance, the heads of the blog have taken the best submissions and are releasing a book, which is available for pre-order right now.

Being one of the biggest Harry Potter nerds I know (and I know many, some of whom do have me beat for trivia knowledge) I decided to write my own letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I was seven years old when my younger sister brought home a paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from a Scholastic Book Fair at school. And for a few months, all it did was sit on the end table in our living room, quietly asking to be read. My sister had abandoned it in favor of riding her bike and reading shorter books about animals. Once or twice, I flipped open the first page, but I never made it further.

Finally, I picked it up, giving in to the silent plea not to be forgotten. I had to handle it carefully as two pages around the Potions Master chapter were attached, but loose. But I laughed and held my breath, cheering for Harry, reading when I got extra time in class and after school.

It took three months before I finally finished, but I remember exactly where I was when I did. I was in the back of our tiny family Honda on the three hour trek north to visit my grandparents. Rain pelted the car and my only illumination came from a small book light and the sporadic bursts of golden light from the street lamps lining the highway.

I can even remember the exact location of the curve in the highway and to this day, I smile every time I pass it. And when I saw there was a second book, I pleaded with Mom to buy it as soon as possible. And soon after that, the third book. And I can remember exactly where I was at the midnight release of each of the next books. The length of time it took to read them got shorter and I grew up with Harry and his friends.

I've spent 19.5 hours in line in the blistering heat of summer waiting for the Order of the Phoenix midnight movie premiere. And I've spent 12 hours shuddering in the cold, burning my hands trying to warm them with the hand dryer, waiting for Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows. My first three books are falling to pieces and I won't replace them because they're my books, the ones that've been there through it all. I've been to Harry Potter dances and played Quidditch and dressed as Harry for Halloween. I've watched the musicals multiple times and can recite the engraving on the doors of Gringotts. I've lived longer with Harry, than without him.

And yeah, I'm a fangirl; that's great. And that'd probably be the end of it, but I also have a disorder that made me sick a lot as a kid. To make me feel better, my mom would spend hours reading to me. And more often than not, it was Harry and his friends who kept us company, finding the Sorcerer's Stone, slaying the basilisk, saving Ginny, finding out that Sirius was innocent, and thwarting Voldemort at the end of each book.

It was Harry who helped me through the nights where I should have gone to bed long before, but couldn't. Hermione who made me feel that being a teacher's pet and nerd wasn't a bad thing (and didn't preclude being a badass). Ron who made me laugh. Together with their friends and enemies, they saved my sanity and helped me be a stronger person. For just a little while, I didn't have to worry about my issues but simply go with Harry and know that everything would work out fine.

And then I grew up and Harry was right there to help me again. Because of these books, I met some of my best friends, some of the best people in the world. These are the people I will never forget, people who are my own Dumbledore's Army. And with them I've had experiences I'll never forget with people I'll always stay close to. The girl who spent years eating lunch in classrooms and hanging out with adults at recess, made friends for life because Harry nudged her in the right direction.

These books taught me about friendship and loyalty and making the hard decisions because they're the right ones, rather than the easy ones. They taught me that the world isn't always fair, that bad things do happen to good people. But they also showed me that love can triumph over fear and apathy. And that together with hope, love is the most powerful force we have.

In less than two months, the final movie of the franchise releases and then the series that has been in my life for over a decade will be concluded. And I know that I will be bawling my eyes out at the premiere, for which I will sit in line for who knows how many hours, waiting for the moment when I get to see how it all finishes.

But I also know that, this will never end. So long as there are people who read Harry Potter, and fans who will want to discuss slavery and elf rights or whether Voldemort died a virgin (both of I have been involved in) the fandom will live on. Harry is an irrevocable part of my life and I wouldn't want it any other way. Because I may be a nerd or a Potterhead or a geek but it's been an amazing part of my life. And I will never forget any of it.

So thanks for everything, Mr. Potter. You've been a true friend.

Ashleigh C.

Penelope Clearwater

Voldemort Regenerates Every Few Decades

Originally, I planned for today's post to be about how easy it is to stalk people on the internet and how we share information. But Bin Laden's death together with today being Harry Potter Day, to commemorate the day Voldemort fell, kind of messed with my plans. As most of the US knows by now, Osama Bin Laden was located and killed yesterday in a planned strike. A founder of Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the attacks on the Trade Towers and Pentagon, and the tragic deaths of thousands (including the brave souls on flight United 93 (by the way, never watch that movie unless you want to bawl)), Bin Laden falls firmly in the category of "villain".

It's always a joyous occasion in movies when the villain is finally vanquished. The world has been saved from evil; who wouldn't want to celebrate? I completely agree, let us rejoice that a little less evil is loose in the world. There's no way I want Bin Laden to live and continue orchestrating the deaths of thousands.

But at the same time, I can't feel the same kind of joy in the celebrations on TV. Yes, we've eliminated a truly bad person. But part of me still thinks, "We hunted this man down and murdered him. Are we always so blasé about the deaths of others?" I am not arguing that Bin Laden didn't deserve to be punished for what he's done (believe me, in no way am I advocating leniency for him). And maybe I just am overly sensitive or compassionate, but treating this event like New Years in Times Square feels wrong.

When Harry killed Voldemort, I know there was celebration. The wizarding world had been saved, an evil that threatened the world for more than twenty years was finally vanquished for good. But even at the end, Harry offered Voldemort compassion. Harry asked him to look inside himself for even the tiniest shred of remorse. And even when it came right down to it, Harry couldn't use the Killing Curse on Voldemort. It was the rebound of the curse from Voldemort's own wand that killed him.

The wizarding world celebrated the fall, but I think Harry, the person who had lost so much because of this man (or whatever he was by the time he died), still felt compassion for him. A lot of anger and hate for what he'd done, but still some compassion. A life taken, even a truly evil one, is not meant to be viewed so coldly. Everybody has somebody who will mourn them, a fact that's easy to forget when someone has wreaked so much havoc and pain.

Today is May 2, the day that Voldemort fell finally to death. I find it peculiar that so close to Voldemort's death date is also the death of Osama Bin Laden. Even eerier? Hilter also died around May 1st. Is the first part of May just a particularly unlucky time to be a villain? Perhaps.

My (much more intriguing) theory? Voldemort regenerates every few decades. Think about it. Hitler created a network of followers who committed atrocities in the name of the man's prejudice. He was charismatic and for a while even well liked. He died in 1945. In the 70s, Voldemort rises to power, establishing his reign with followers who share his prejudices and terrorize the world. He's finally vanquished in 1998.

That same year, Osama Bin Laden lands on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for his part in the US embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. Again, here's a man who's collected a group of followers to carry out horrible plans in the name of his prejudices. Coincidence? Maybe. But it's a kind of eerie coincidence.

*Note on Voldemort: I know that he is at least partly based on Hitler. But still, perhaps he was Hitler. And maybe JKR knows more than she's telling.

From Imagination to Reality

I am of the opinion that one of the most rewarding things about being an author is probably seeing people take your words and create something corporeal (I just happen to like the world corporeal right now). Seeing an idea made into something tangible is just amazing to me. And I may not be published, but I for one love seeing something I've written in a real life form.

For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to leave out the slightly murky waters of fanfiction (which I kind of love and can see it having it's place. But some authors think it's evil so we're just going to leave it alone. No! Back! We'll talk about you another time, Fanfiction. Go wait over there *points and waits as fanfiction grumbles away). Okay, now that we've established that, what the heck am I actually talking about?

Well fan art, for one thing. I mean, there are some spectacular artists out there. And some of them are fan girls who get giddy about things and draw their favorite scenes or characters from books (or movies I suppose, but movies are kind of outside the bringing to life dynamic I'm talking about here). And these people draw stuff like this:

Sweet James and Lily taking a rest from Harry. Who they love but who I'm sure was a handful. Hello, he had Sirius as a godfather (credit to julvett on DeviantArt.com)

Or this:

A stunning Hermione. Who looks both smart and beautiful. There's a reason she was my rolemodel as a kid. (credit to alicexz on DeviantArt.com)

Or even this:

Numair resting. Probably worn out from doing some impressive feat of magic. And some well-meaning child has lent him a teddy bear. Or that belongs to Sarralyn or Rikash. (credit to waterysilver on DeviantArt.com. Oh, and I want a Numair.)

Aren't these amazing? Wouldn't you absolutely love to be a writer and have someone take the people in your head and bring them to life? I know I do. That's why I always comb the NaNoWriMo boards with huge puppy eyes for people to draw my characters. Because when I draw them, it's not quite the same effect as this:

This is Isabelle, who is the main heroine in my trilogy. And this artist has made her beautiful, with a look like she's casing the room and yet a little nervous (at least that's what I see and what she's feeling at this scene in the novel. Which I need to be finishing. Damn. Credit to NaNoWriMo user Ankhesenamun)

These people are amazing. Fan art in general is just such a wonderful expansion of the creative power of books. Fan art says, "You have inspired me. In some small way you have encouraged my talents and I hope you are happy with the result." Isn't that freakin' amazing? And with the internet, you can create communities where you share these amazing things and then someone else is inspired and so on and so forth. It's a chain of creative encouragement.

And then there are the people who write music. Based on writing! Sometimes the lyrics are beautiful and poignant and encompass the feeling you get when you read the book. Like End of an Era by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls.

A beautiful song about how sad it is that Harry Potter is ending, but the fans will never forget how it changed them. (By the way, Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls is just a fantastic group. The lyrics are beautiful in this song and Open at the Close (which you should only listen to if you want to cry. It focuses on the Forest Scene in Deathly Hallows))

Or the song Sun's Lament by Mitch Hansen Band

Yes, the song is Twilight related. That doesn't make it any less of a great song. It's sad and wonderful. Besides, I like Twilight under the conditions of treating it as brain cotton candy.

And then you have the songs on the more amusing end of things.

(Why no, this isn't an excuse to post more VlogBrothers. Why would you think that? :)) Still love this song. And he predicted Hedwig's death!

An entire genre of music popped up around Harry Potter: Wrock. How amazing would that be? To have your idea so loved that people create music about it? That there seems like it would be a reward beyond your dreams.

And then you have just the fun fan project of when you make up foods in your book and then people go out and create these foods. My biggest example is again Harry Potter. There is an actual Harry Potter Cookbook, with recipes for Pumpkin Pasties (which I can actually make and not screw up! (well, as long as I don't try to make my own pastry dough)) and Treacle Tart. And people have created recipes for Butterbeer! I like this one. It sounds delicious.

I know a lot of this was Harry Potter, but that's because the fandom exploded so much it made it easy to find Harry Potter stuff. There is definitely a lot of other fandoms with art and projects and amazing out there. So go and google your favorite fandom. You make be surprised what you come up with.

Initialisms Are Not Acronyms

I am a little late starting this, but I just heard about Blog Every Day in April (BEDA) and I thought it sounded like a cool project. To make up for missing Friday and yesterday, you get three blog posts today (or you'll get two today and two tomorrow depending on how well my brain comes up with stuff). Isn't that exciting?

And since the reason I heard about this was Nerdfighteria and the Vlog Brothers, I've decided this post will be about that. Because they are awesome. And hilarious. And are obsessed with Harry Potter and making the world suck less.

Okay, so for the people who don't know who or what I'm talking about, Vlogbrothers is a YouTube channel created by John Green (who wrote An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns and looking for Alaska and co-wrote Will Grayson, Will Grayson (which is reviewed here if you just go back far enough. I promise, my next project is getting some proper tags on this stuff)) and his brother Hank Green (who writes awesome songs. Like Accio Deathly Hallows). And they send each other vlogs, back and forth, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Nerdfighteria is the awesome community that's been built with the people who watch their videos and who want to decrease World Suck. To learn more about Nerdfighters and Nerdfighteria (such as, what the heck it is) watch this video:

(I agree that puppy-sized elephants would be adorable.)

I've spent a lot of time watching this guys in the past couple of days (and posting their videos to Facebook because someone won't just watch stuff on YouTube). So I have a collection of their videos to show and talk about. So here we go!

Don't you wish you could learn all of your history this way? I mean, that's all very interesting and at the same time is told in a very entertaining way. "Never be a Russian and named Anastasia." It's true. Anastasias in Russia just meet very bad ends generally. Also "I get very upset when people screw around with libraries!" So do I John. So do I. The destruction of the Library at Alexandria is one of the worst crimes in history in my mind. Maybe not worse than the Holocaust but it's up there.

For every space nerd out there (and even the not space nerds) this is pretty freakin' cool. Plus it's fun to see how excited Hank gets about the space telescope. So think about the awesome people! (and also, I have no idea why his points are all out of order. There is no explanation).

This video isn't actually particularly hilarious, but it makes a good point. The truth resists simplicity. There is no black and white in our world for the most part. Because there's no easy or correct answer 100% of the time. Seriously, ask me a question and I will find you an answer that is correct and yet makes your answer wrong. (Challenge accepted!) The sooner we accept that there is always a margin of error, the sooner we can make the world more awesome. And be more open-minded.

So many of these things get on my nerves as well. Especially "I could care less." That is not what you are trying to convey. Listen to your words. Although I have no place to throw stones at mispronunciation. Because the first time I ever saw the word phlegm actually printed as opposed to simply hearing it audibly was in the sixth Harry Potter book. And it looked like nothing I thought it should have been spelled (I always imagined it would look like this: Flem. Doesn't that make more sense?) So I pronounced it f-leg-um. All I can say is that English is confusing.

I love just getting answers to random questions (some of which are actually real questions that I may have wondered about at one point. or random facts like the Clue thing. And Queue (which has a freakish amount of vowels for such a short word)). And yes, we all need Ester Bracelets. Because they are awesome ways of boosting your self-esteem. And I too am with the bakers.

I would totally go see The Dandy Lions. They could open for Scurvy Wench (aaaaaand only like three people will get this. If you really want to know, all you have to do is ask). I feel John's pain on the whole coming up with a title thing. Because I had to ask the NaNoWriMo community for help with my novel titles. Oh, and because John said he couldn't say the alphabet backwards, I made a video response in which I prove that I can say both the French and English backwards.

I think I can do this because I see words as letter patterns rather than seeing letters as their own entity. They're pattern blocks. Really you can put them in any order you want.

Hank writes many awesome songs (quite a few that actually deal with Harry Potter, which of course makes me grin). I think that it would be awesome if JK Rowling just wrote any of the ideas suggested. Marauders, Harry's kids, Voldemort's son (how big a twist would that be?) Dumbledore and Grindelwald. I really just want more Harry Potter.

Okay, I promise, this is the last video. Because I agree with all these rules. Especially rule 6, because I have come to love my name, but every time someone asks me what my name is and goes to write it down I have to wave my hands and say "Wait, wait wait, it's not spelled how you think." And then they start trying to guess how it's spelled and most people don't guess there is a g and two hs in it. On the plus side, I have become very proficient at spelling my name for people so that they understand what I'm saying. And anyone associated with Hollywood should never be allowed to name children. Here's a moment of silence for Quathyryn, Hi-ho Silva, and Apple. I love you Gwyneth Paltrow, but seriously? Apple?

So yes, being a nerdfighter is awesome because a) you help make the world suck less b) you get to watch John and Hank being hilarious and c) you get to know awesome people who also want to make the world suck less. And give you ideas on how to do so. And if you want to get more involved than just watching the videos, you can join the site Your Pants. Have fun!