Friday Five: Summer Reruns

Songbird brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

It's that time of year when the only new things on television are music/dance competitions (the 21st century answer to variety shows?). Yes, it's the season of reruns.

In honor of this annual Time Warp, please share five things worth a repeat. These could be books, movies, CDs, recipes, vacations, or even TV shows.

1. Blogging
I've been blogging since 2006, probably with less enthusiasm in the past year. Friends I first made in the blog-0-sphere are not posting as much either. So I am considering bringing back posts I really liked, as they will be "new."

Yesterday friends were talking about similarities between religions, and I remember once posting various renderings of the Golden Rule from other faiths--so that will be reappearing soon.

2. Family Vacations
As our four kids grew up in Texas with both our families living in Washington State, we always went back there each summer to visit. Going in July/August was always refreshing because of the cool, temperate weather in the NW in contrast to the high heat and humidity of Gulf Coast TX. My children grew up playing outside in those Bellingham and Seattle parks, which brought them creeks, hills, rocks and different terrain to roam upon.

This year CB and I are taking a month-long driving trip to visit National Parks, go to Calgary, through Banff and the Rocky Mountains to the west coast of Canada and then to Bellingham, WA for CB's family who still lives there and to Seattle, WA where our daughters AE and KA live.

3. Books
Although I am often reading, the summer time seems to give permission to read more popular and light books, especially mysteries! A friend just recommended Cleopatra to me, so I will read that soon.

I am tempted to re-read the seven Harry Potter books, with the last movie coming out, but I don't really want that huge time commitment. I have already read them all 3-4 different times! With my Spain trip, I read A Discovery of Witches twice! Books are fun to re-read, and some summer I want to commit to re-reading the classics I read as an English major in college.

4. TV Reruns
I don't watch tv too much during the regular year. Perhaps I can watch reruns of shows I hear about, though I do not like the reality or contest-type shows. Sharon recommended "Dangers" to check out through Netflix, so I plan to do that.

5. Health Renewal
Eating and exercising are a priority to become lifestyle changes this summer. The advent of rheumatoid arthritis and various meds spur me on to "choose health" more than I have in recent years. I am dismayed that prednisone hinders weight loss; I am trying to remember that the process is more important than the result. (But I want some results! Walking and swimming everyday are healthy activities. . .)

The day before Seattle

Son DC and Sampson

I am in the midst of packing my suitcase to go to Seattle tomorrow, while son DC plays on the Wii (that he brought from home) and his dog Sampson dozes.

It's been a busy day, as all days are before trips. It started out abruptly because Terry tearfully called me from Seattle to say that Dennis was unresponsive. Immediately jumping into her panic, I remembered how my mother went into a coma before she died of pancreatic cancer--so maybe this would also be the case for liver cancer? The medics and firefighters arrived and took his vital signs, reviving him. It was learned that he accidentally took an extra pill the night before. With his liver compromised by the tumor, it could not process the chemicals.

Dennis stayed sleepy all day. Fortunately, he is physically stable and will still have the surgery on Friday, July 24. The surgeon told them today that the plan is to remove 50% of his liver.

DC and Sampson arrived yesterday, so DC's truck dent could be fixed and painted by someone here, who is proficient and very reasonable. The truck will probably be ready sometime tomorrow, so the two boys will return to Austin sometime in the afternoon.

DC and I went to see the new "Harry Potter" movie in the late afternoon. He had already seen it with his wife, but came with his mom today. I'm so glad I got to see it. It was very well done, though I disliked a few changes towards the end. The actors have matured greatly in their acting abilities. Draco really grew tall!

A friend is staying in our house to take care of our dogs and cat while we are in Seattle for the next week. Our pets will be happier once Sampson is gone. I think our cat is jealous, because today she left a pile in front of the chair where I meditate every day. . . .

AND it's hot up there, too--upper 80s for high temperatures, and most places do not have air conditioning. It's near 100 degrees here in Corpus, but we can stay inside with our air conditioner running.

Sunday night

Steve Brodner illustration of Harry Potter

I just finished the fifth Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). This means that in the past month I have re-read all seven of the Harry Potter books. I enjoyed each one immensely and was inhabiting the world of Hogwarts et al, which may seem odd for a 58 year old woman, though not to my four children! I like these books so much that I am sure that I will re-read them all again in a few more years.

The dinner party on Friday night was fun, especially when everyone shared how they had met their spouses. This was especially interesting as three of the six couples were originally from foreign countries--England, India and Japan. The latter two had arranged marriages. The English couple met at what she called "the cellar" in Liverpool where the Beatles were just starting to play. (Her brother had told her about a new group that he thought was good.)

The wedding shower was better than expected, though I was the only one wearing a long linen skirt with a linen blouse and flat sandals. The standard uniform for women was a sundress with high heel sandals. Oh, well; I was comfortable and looked "like myself." I am not a good chit-chatter, but managed to keep other people talking when I was with them.

Maybe my perceived oddity was that CB and I left the church that most of the people in attendance at the shower belong to. In fact, we used to attend the Methodist Sunday School class they are still part of. We are very happy at our Episcopal Church, though that seems quite alien from a southern Methodist Church (even though I like to recall that John Wesley remained an Anglican priest until he died).

To celebrate the end of socializing as a hostess, I spent the rest of today reading the Harry Potter book. It was a lovely way to end the weekend.

Still Harry Potter

While MJ slept late and tonight made creme brulee with the kit she gave me for Christmas, I continued to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7). I had forgotten so much, because I'd read it so quickly when it first came out. It is wonderful to read it again!

Surprise visitor!

Tonight CB and I heard a key being inserted in the front door, unlocking the lock--WHO could that be? And there was MJ! In the poorly taken picture above, CB is teasing me with that look while MJ was showing him her chem lab notes.

AND she brought me the seventh and last Harry Potter book (HP and the Deathly Hallows) since I wanted it so badly!

Right before I started this post I finished the shortest book of all, the first one. Now do I go to #2 or #7?? Perhaps if I read the final Harry Potter book, I will stop this progression of reading them all over again.

Harry Potter revisited

Last week I read the sixth Harry Potter book (HP and the Half-Blood Prince), because I wanted to be ready for the forthcoming movie, which will be released in July.

I was hooked again. Wanting to read the final book only caused frustration, because MJ has it in her dorm room in San Antonio, where she is doing chemistry research for the summer.

I thought that was that. . . . but last night I began to read the first one (HP and the Sorcerer's Stone). I am surprised at how much I am enjoying it and how new it seems to me. This must be at least the fifth time I've read Rowling's first book, which was published in 1997.

And here I thought my first summer book would be Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of FDR by H. W. Brands, which BJ gave me for Mother's Day. . . .eventually that will be read this summer.

What will be next? Harry Potter 2 (HP and the Chamber of Secrets)? Or history?

Gay Dumbledore

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has revealed a big secret about Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore's past - he was in love with another wizard.

During her American book tour JK was asked if Dumbledore found true love.

"Dumbledore is gay," she replied, before adding that he'd fallen in love with his rival Gellert Grindelwald.

But she said Dumbledore was "terribly let down" when Grindelwald became more interested in the dark arts than good, and so he went on to destroy him.

Fans at New York's Carnegie Hall were initially stunned into silence by the announcement, but soon started clapping and cheering.

JK said: "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."

The news should help to clear up lots of rumours about Dumbledore's mysterious past once and for all.

October 20, 2007

CBBC Newsround

And for Hillel Italie's AP article on "J. K. Rowling Outs Hogwarts Character" go here.

Our choices affect the future

Towards the end of the sixth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore explains to Harry that the prophecy uttered by Professor Trelawney about either Voldemort or Harry only being able to survive does not dictate the future.

"If Voldemort had never heard of the prophecy, would it have been fulfilled? Would it have meant anything? Of course not! Do you think every prophecy in the Hall of Prophecy has been fulfilled?"

"But," said Harry, bewildered, "but last year you said one of us would have to kill the other--."

"Harry, Harry, only because Voldemort made a grave error, and acted on Professor Trelawney's words! If Voldemort had never murdered your father, would he have imparted in you a furious desire for revenge? Of course not! If he had not forced your mother to die for you, would he have given you a magical protection he could not penetrate? Of course not, Harry! Don't you see? Voldemort himself created his worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back! Voldemort is no different! Always he was on the lookout for the one who would challenge him. He heard the prophecy and he leapt into action, with the result that he not only handpicked the man most likely to finish him, he handed him uniquely deadly weapons."

"But--."

"It is essential that you understand this!" said Dumbledore, standing up and striding about the room, his glittering robes swooshing in his wake; Harry had never seen him so agitated. "By attempting to kill you, Voldemort himself singled out the remarkable person who sits here in front of me, and gave him the tools for the job! It is Voldemort's fault that you were able to see in his thoughts, his ambitions, that you even understand the snakelike language in which he gives orders, and yet, Harry, despite your privileged insight into Voldmort's world (which, incidentally, is a gift any Death Eater would kill to have), you have never been seduced by the Dark Arts, never, even for a second, shown the slightest desire to become one of Voldemort's followers!"

"Of course I haven't!" said Harry indignantly. "He killed my mum and dad!"

"You are protected, in short, by your ability to love!" said Dumbledore loudly. "The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort's! . . . ." (510-511)

Harry Potter's Sorting Hat

I still find refuge in the Harry Potter books. After reading the last book, I started all over again with the first one. In the past month, I have read them all in sequence. Today I started the last one for the second time, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7). Escaping to the magical world gets me to forget my own sense of loss at losing my spiritual director. (In fact, today I cried again over Dumbledore's death in book 6 and in Fr. David's office.)

So I found the link to the "Sorting Hat Ceremony" at The Vicar of Hogsmeade site. And the sorting hat found me here, though I might have just as easily gotten into Hufflepuff.



I'm
a Gryffindor!

Books, books, I love books!

I love books, and not just Harry Potter books. My husband CB likes to joke that the big brown truck (UPS) stops at our house every day--but that's not quite true. I also purchase used books frequently. This has come about because I have little access to theological books (and others that I want) in our local library or churches, so I visit Amazon and other book sellers on the internet. (Remember that I live in the Bible Belt of south Texas, where fundamentalism and conservatism is prevalent, which dictates the selection of books in libraries and bookstores, as well as the high level of poverty.)

What's funny right now is I'm obsessed with Harry Potter. Since reading the final book, I have been reading the first three! I am currently reading the fourth one, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4). And I am enjoying each one so much, getting connections with them all and seeing the fuller vision that J. K. Rowling imagined.

Today I've connected with Hermoine, Harry's bookish, loyal and brave friend. At the beginning of the fourth book, Harry feels pain in his scar, not realizing the connection it is to Voldemort, and wonders if he should contact his friends and ask them about it. Here is what he considers when he thinks of Hermoine:

"At once, Hermoine Granger's voice seemed to fill his head, shrill and panicky. 'Your scar hurt? Harry, that's really serious. . . . Write to Professor Dumbledore! And I'll go check Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions. . . .Maybe there's something in there about curse scars. . . .'
"Yes, that would be Hermoine's advice: Go straight to the headmaster of Hogwarts, and in the meantime, consult a book." (p. 21)

And that describes me--consult other sources, especially books. In NJ after my mother died, I tried to find books on grief, especially over the loss of a parent. There were hardly any books! If you go and look in a bookstore at this time, you will see many books on this topic, even ones about "orphan adults." The Baby Boomers have experienced losing parents and are writing about it--There was my lost opportunity to write a book back in the '90s!

Now with the internet, I don't always have to consult a book. But I always looked for advice from the written word and continue to do so. God uses books to touch me and instruct me; I have found spiritual direction in so many books, just as I did initially in my last post Faith Story 6--Return to Corpus Christi .

However, sometimes I am too indulgent in my reading, as I see myself doing recently with all the Harry Potter books. I need to write my Shalem Institute paper on "Psychology and Spiritual Direction"--I'm already two weeks late. This has to get done today (I hope) and then all the preparations for our trip to Washington State (Aug. 7-17) have to be started!

Christian book review of Harry Potter

I found a review of the last Harry Potter book at Metacatholic that I really like. You should only read it if you have already read the book or won't ever read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, because the entire plot, deaths and all, are analyzed in a Christian perspective. So go and read Cry God for Harry, if you don't mind the spoilers.

More Harry Potter!

After visiting Jane Redmont's blog, Acts of Hope, I took yet another Harry Potter Quiz. Jane talked about these being somewhat spiritual, and I would say the quiz is almost like an examen. So here is how I did, and I am happy about these results. (I was Ron Weasley in some other quiz.)

You scored as Albus Dumbledore, Strong and powerful you admirably defend your world and your charges against those who would seek to harm them. However sometimes you can fail to do what you must because you care too much to cause suffering.

Albus Dumbledore		90%
Hermione Granger		80%
Ron Weasley		75%
Remus Lupin		70%
Severus Snape		55%
Harry Potter		55%
Sirius Black		40%
Draco Malfoy		35%
Ginny Weasley		30%
Lord Voldemort		20%

Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) this afternoon. My 25 year old daughter AE in Seattle finished it last night! Good book! I know I was helped by reading Book #6 last week in preparation, because my 22 year old son BJ told me that he found the latest book too confusing and has to re-read the previous one to be ready for it.

I meet with my Renovare spiritual group every Friday morning, a group that was started in 1996 after a trip to Waco, TX to hear Richard Foster speak. People have come and gone, and now the group is composed of about nine women. Last night most of these women and their spouses came over to my house for a potluck dinner. My husband CB barbecued salmon and chili chicken. It was very nice. However, I was the only person out of 14 who was reading (or planed to read) the last Harry Potter book!

In fact, one of the husbands asked me why I was reading the books at all. I enjoy them; there is good character development; the plot goes through all seven books; an entire world is created; battle between good and evil. I like them a lot and know that sometime this year I will re-read all the books (1-7) to get the full sequence in my mind.

For a change, J. K. Rowling put two quotations in the forward of the book. For those of you who are not reading this book, I will copy the words of William Penn:

"Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass, they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal."

24 days until the last Harry Potter book arrives!

We will learn what happens to Harry Potter in the last book of J. K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, on July 21, 2007 (unless you are not getting the book then). The books and the world of Hogwarts have enthralled me ever since they first appeared. Everyone in my family has read each one, often more than once--except for CB, my husband, ever the scientist. AE, my 25 year old daughter, even read one in Korean, while she was in South Korea. (She taught English there from 2003 to 2006.)

Following links along from Eighth Day Books http://www.eighthdaybooks.com/, I found this interesting article about the upcoming book and possible results. My liberal snobbishness comes out when I see that the article is from "Christianity Today," but I still liked what the author said.

If you are interested in Harry Potter and/or the new book, go to this site to read the article, "Waiting for Harry" http://www.christianitytoday.com/books/features/rumorsofglory/070625.html