What is better...

What is better than...

• curly fries with cheese
• Harry Potter book in my hands in t-minus 8 hours (still seems so long)
• Spending a whole weekend with good friends
• wrapping presents (yes, I love it!)
• the blanket I'm knitting becoming so large that is warms my lap as I knit it (although it's still way too small...picture of it on my lap):

• A cat who is so lazy she lays down to drink out of the water bowl (note Mona's correct pose at the food bowl, sitting and eating. And then there's Boku....):

• Knowing that I finally, finally have an idea for my toast next Friday (but it still needs some thought)

Happy weekend all...

My most frequented website...

On nights like tonight, I probably spend hours here.

At first, I wasn't sure about their new radar map. But I've grown fond of it. My only issue is that after a certain amount of time, the animation "turns off" and needs a page refresh. That's bunk I tell you.

And, I'm shocked by the amount of feeling about Dan/Harry. It was very interesting to watch the horror-filled comments pour in...

Onlooker...

Last night I had a delicious dream involving guacamole, chocolate, San Francisco, a tour bus, dancing and Justin Timberlake. Make of that what you will....I awoke this morning in a really good mood.

I got home from a profitable errand (yet costly - I now have a cat-puke free comforter) to Details Magazine with Harry Potter...er...Dan Radcliffe on it. One of the things I had discussed with good friend, Harry Potter lover, med student Janet was the fact that it is slightly pervy to be attracted to the Harry Potter boys (Ron and Harry mostly) but that I am. They are lovable. I can't help it. And our point was - at least they are legal now. However, if I dated an 18 year old that would be nuts. NUTS. Anyway, then came Details. And Dan with facial hair trying to be a model is slightly comical, but attractive, yes?:



And look at those eyes. Doesn't he look like a grown up? For your consideration, I submit an almost identical (and yet really disturbing) shot that was inside the mag:



For some reason I keep thinking he looks slightly feminine here. Even with the leather vest that shows off his man hair. Or the crazy, weedy eyebrows. He's sort of pretty, no? Anyway, I like the cover better. I just thought I would share Harry as man. Just be glad I didn't post those naked shots of him from Equus, you know, the full frontal ones that are floating out there on the web...

Two posts today kiddies....

Make sure to read both (if you care about Harry Potter).

This post is more of a request than a post. I had a dream that I wrote this exact post, so I decided I should do it.

In less than two weeks (ACK) I have to give a toast at my best friend's wedding. A maid of honor toast. Most of the toasts that I can remember from weddings were terrible (which is probably why I remember them). But, here's what I'm asking of you:

1. If you can remember a good toast, what was it like and why was it good?
2. And more likely, those bad toasts you remember...why were they bad?

I'm an uncomfortable public speaker...and I feel like this kind of thing can go down in history and be an embarrassment for the lifetime of your friendship (Hey Kate, remember that terrible speech you gave at my wedding? HA...remember when you spilled your champagne all down your dress? That was hilarious!) - which in this case should be long.

I know there are at least 20 of you reading this every weekday. So, I'm hoping to get a response here of about half that...even if you have to post anonymously. Help please!

HP Movie...

Spoiler alert - I'm about to ruin the movie for you, so if you haven't seen it, stop reading.

Good, good...now, let's get to it, shall we? I was disappointed about some of the omissions, but before I start listing them I do want to say that the movie they made was an entertaining film - it all worked together to make a really good movie. And while I felt disappointed in certain omissions (some of which I feel could have just as easily been in the movie) I'm OK with much larger omissions.

Let's start with the small omissions that hurt:

• The swamp. Why oh why could they have not made Fred and George leave a swamp behind? Who cares about the fireworks (especially since they didn't have one that spelled POO)?
• Prefects. No Hermione/Ron as prefects - therefore that piece of Harry's anger is totally missing.
• Harry's anger. Yes, he does display SOME teenage anger. BUT, in the book he is angry with Hermione and Ron for a LONG time. And even after he's "over it" he's still a pissy bugger and goes off on Hermione and Ron/snaps at them frequently.
• Maybe not an "omission" but the change in Sirius' death and the way it was done made it much less sad. I really am not loving the way it was treated.
• Again, not an omission...but having Cho be to blame for the downfall of the DA really ended her relationship with Harry abruptly. It was never really acknowledged...ick.
• And ENTIRELY not an omission, but Mr. Weasley, Fred and George's hair? BAD.
  

Larger omissions that didn't really bother me that much:

• Quidditch. (Although Ron as goalie could have been loads of fun. But I love Ron, so more Ron time would have been delightful).
• All of the extra time in his house at the beginning as well as extensive Order of the Phoenix time(although it seems like it is sort of important to know that Aunt Petunia knows a bit about magic and is in touch with Dumbledore)
• All of the extra detail/rooms in the Department of Mysteries. It just made for a better action sequence without all of them splitting up (although I do think more of the kids should have been harmed, they all came away with only scrapes and bruises). I wish the fountain would have been involved but loved the detail in Dumbledore v. Voldemort.

All in all, not true to the book all that much. The major plot is the same - but the details in some places are entirely different. And I'm OK with that. Because film and literature are two very different mediums....

But have any of you stopped to wonder how they are going to make the next movie? How awful that last bit will be? What a downer that movie will be?

To think to dream...

I think one of my problems (and one of my assets) is my active imagination. This is probably why I like to read so much, because I become immersed in my imaginary book world. And I have the unfortunate habit of crafting fairly elaborate daydreams. I don't daydream much at work or when watching TV or doing stuff around the house. But I do daydream right when I wake up (and usually on the walk to work) and right before I go to bed. I often wonder...if I wasn't so involved in my books/daydreams would I be more prone to real-life activity?

I don't know how many of you daydream out there, but sometimes my little storylines aren't particularly happy (you'd think I'd craft love stories or happy friend stories always). And I can't decide if that makes me masochistic. And, since I don't generally daydream about other people's tragedies or happy endings, does that mean I'm a narcissist as well? And worrying about what my own daydreams say about me...that sort of seems uber-narcissistic. And then writing about it on a blog that is solely about me...sort of smacks of sensational, insanely overwhelming narcissism...

Katie. Narcissist.

Eat words...

Whenever I say something like "posting hiatus" or "sporadic posting ahead" I always, always think of a million things to blog about the next day. Maybe I'll just stop saying that. Or maybe I'll just continue to eat my words...after all, my words...they are a'tasty....

Lately I've been super critical of myself, physically. I know I always have been to an extent (aren't we all? I think this is the part where I'm supposed to blame society) but lately I can't look in the mirror without thinking something disparaging (especially at work, I think the fluorescent lights really do not help). It became readily apparent since I started wearing jewelry. One of my mid-year resolutions was to start wearing jewelry. I like it. I admire it. Yet I don't take the time to wear it myself. I'm changing the earrings every day, thinking about changing necklaces, etc. And every time I wear dangly earrings I think - "wow, I look really stupid. Everyone is going to notice because I look weird." And no one ever notices at all (except...you know, my entire extended family). Anyway, I wonder how I can stop noticing all my many faults (oh, skin looks splotchy today. Oh, look at those bags under my eyes. Uck, look at my eyebrows and on, and on, and on....).

Two entirely unrelated things:

1. My new favorite thing in the world are these Strawberry Newton 100 calorie packs. I don't think I even like the regular Strawberry Newtons all that much (or maybe I do - it's been a long, long time since I bought them). All I know is that those little packs are little bites of heaven.
2. I saw a completely black squirrel today. This is weird, yes? Most squirrels around these parts are brown and gray....this one, this one was just entirely black. Black body, black big puffy tail. And he gave me the stink-eye. I thought for a minute that I was going to have squirrel all up in my face (he was on a tree, roughly level with my eye-line, within arms length).
   

A boring girl...

Last week was full of excitement...a friend moved to the city, the 4th, a concert, the Taste, a graduation party...chock full of activity.

This week is more leisurely. Tonight I spent a bit of time on my website (finally) and may have a "splash" page prototype for some of you to look at for an opinion in the next few days (unfortunately this will be limited to those who know me as my last name is on the splash page, so please volunteer). I also spent a long, long time learning a new way to cast-on (knitting). I'm not sure what the big deal about this way is except that it's twistier and more complicated than my usual way (usual: Long-tail cast-on. New way: Old Norwegian cast-on). So it's been a crafty day all around....

Other than that, not much exciting this week...although I will be seeing HP this weekend with a long-lost friend....and it sort of feels like the wedding stuff (wedding is on 7.27.07) is starting now....a fitting this weekend, a bachelorette/shower weekend the next and then that next week is wedding week...

Possible sporadic posting ahead...

Epilogues...

Watched an interview with JK here...

Apparently (to my delight) she's had the epilogue written for book 7 for years....so there is an epilogue. Tidy ending may be on its way all...

2 Notes:

1. Nice film clip in part 2 of that interview - showing the D.A. trying out "Expecto Patronum".
   
2. She said that she had to change the epilogue because she killed off two characters she thought she was going to keep alive. She also described the book as a blood bath. Erm....

The boy who lived...

Last thoughts about HP before book 7....I know I haven't said much in a while, but I have finished all the books I own and am now waiting impatiently for 7. As I was reading Half-Blood Prince feverishly (more so than any of the others) I realized that I don't think Harry will die. I have totally reversed my opinion. However, I think, personally, it will be a totally unsatisfying book 7 if he doesn't die.

How can I say that? Well - I am attached to these characters. I want Harry and Ginny to be together, I want Ron and Hermione to kiss already. I want Neville to finally really be included in their circle of friends (and Neville + Luna? Wouldn't that be fun?). The problem I foresee with book 7 is that the end could very well leave me wanting more. If it ends with Voldy dead and Harry and Ginny/Hermione and Ron walking into the sunset I can sort of imagine myself saying...is that it? Because if they live, I might want to know about what they do post-Hogwarts, I'll want to still be involved in their lives. I guess that's possibly just a personal issue...but book endings can often leave me unsatisfied (maybe because I have read a lot of romance novels which always tidily wrap everything up and often have an epilogue...).

So, here are some other itemized thoughts and then I'm going to go start my Saturday:

• Dumbledore still has a huge part to play, even if dead...possibly from his picture?
  
• R.A.B. - sort of convinced it's Sirius' brother.
• Draco....going to end up somehow helping Order of the Phoenix, or if not explicitly so, then will not be able to kill Harry/Ron/Hermione if those are his orders.
• Snape. In my eyes right now, he's bad. But....I waffle on that. The fact that he wouldn't let Harry do an unforgivable curse at the end of HBP...seems like he was sort of watching out for him...
• Who will die in the last one? A Weasley, I sort of think Charlie or unfortunately Mr. Weasley, possibly Neville.....Mad-Eye Moody.....Voldy....Snape....and various other Death Eaters....

Hope you all have/had a fun weekend, I'm off...

Driven to tears...

subtitle: Every breath you take.

If you're quick, you realize that those are Police songs. I like to think I'm clever, so read on for the reasoning behind my title and subtitle.

Police + Wrigley Field review...

I think the venue was pretty cool...and our seats...you can't really beat our seats (first row, on the field but a bit to the left of the stage. Sting was basically right in front of us...thanks Pooj for the amazing seats). And the band was pretty tight for being a bunch of old guys. Here's some random observations:

1. They were far jammier than I expected, and personally I don't think it enhanced my experience. But maybe super-fans really like that?
2. Sting looks great for his age, but dressed like a weird Scottish tantric guy. Tight pants made his feet look huge as well. And he clapped like a weirdo - spread all your fingers as wide as they can go on both hands and clap. Looks funny, right?
   
3. Sting's bass...think he's been playing the same one since the seventies...it was battered and scratched. He must love that thing...
4. Lot of songs that I know.....lots that I didn't. But overall, enjoyable.

Now to the title of this post...my sister and I sat together in those crazy good seats. She has notoriously bad luck when it comes to her concert neighbors. When we arrived there was a couple in some seats next to us and on the other side, emptiness. She jumped into the empty side (mistake). Two men showed up (who thought they were pretty damn cool, what with their sunglasses that they put on AFTER it got dark. Idiots). One (or both?) of them smelled bad. Not BO bad but dirty, smelly, awful bad. Possibly the worst rotting/stinky feet smell in the world. The sister had to deal with the wafts of smell throughout the show..titles make sense now?

I am...um...proud....to be an american...

Except most days when I'm not. Because right now the face we're showing to the rest of the world (since, whether you like it or not, GW is our face) is not a good one. Commutation? Sickening. But I am still hopeful that the government can take a new turn with a new prezzie (no matter how naive that may be)...so I haven't given up on you America...

Either way, the city smells like barbecue and that's fun. There are people walking around and picnicking everywhere. And somehow traffic is light. I spent the day with family members that I like and ate a ton of food that I like. And I got my owls framed. I have nothing to complain about.

Hope you had a good fourth!

Loving cats...

Dear Katie,

We hate you.

You leave us alone all day, 4 days a week and that is unacceptable. So, we voted and elected Mona as the official representative of our hatred. We hope her demonstration got through to you.

Both of us would like to state that we prefer to throw up on rugs. Never on the miles of hardwood because that would be too easy for you to clean up. So last night, we decided that Mona should deposit some colorful throw-up on your blue, previously cat throw-up stained rug. You didn't understand the message and went to work again today. So we upped the ante...this time we had Mona deposit more throw up than ever on your bed. On the predominantly white comforter. With enough liquid to seep through the duvet cover to the actual, quality comforter and leave another huge stain.

Do you get it now, owner? We want you to stay home with us.

We do still love you though,

Boku and Mona


Sigh, readers, sigh. What a bad, awful thing to come home to. Not sure how I'm going to sleep tonight - possibly the only option is a twin sized comforter on my queen bed. The worst part is, Mona has been throwing up a lot lately. If she throws up in the next two days we're going to the vet next week.

My feelings about Apple...

iPhone smy-Phone.

I don't know if you all remember, but back in February, my computer crashed spectacularly, bringing down my mood, all of my homework and numerous hard to install programs. I blamed it on my iPod because it seemed to fit. I plugged the pooder in and the whole computer froze, hiccuped and died.

It threatened me again just now. There is clearly something wrong with my iPod. The kicker here is that it works some of the time. Sometimes I plug the iPod in, update it and sing a joyous tune because I have new music. But other times (like just a few minutes ago) iTunes freezes. I shut it down. I restart the computer. And the fucker (pardon kids) doesn't want to boot back up. This time, being the ever-intelligent computer wizard that I am, I brought her back from the brink (ok, fine, I got lucky. I hit every button on that horrible blue Intel boot screen and nothing happened. Then, I unplugged my iPod, banged more buttons and voila! I was suddenly at the boot options screen. Unplugging the iPod was the key. You asshole iPod video. Asshole).

So I'm a little grumpity. My expensive, pretty iPod is certainly unpredictable. And while I am confidant my computer is safe and healthy - I can't help but worry about plugging that sucker in. And I wanted new music for tomorrow...(although that may be a pipe dream, because now my iPod is stuck on the Do not Disconnect screen. And I dare not plug it back in. So I have to wait for the battery to die before it gets plugged back in. 8 hours from now...will it be dead?). Buble, you'll have to wait one more day til I get to know you before our upcoming, forced meeting in July....

So Apple, I have no desire for your new-fangled phone. I imagine frustration and annoyance will come hand in hand with that iPhone for quite a while...

And on this...the 600th...

Happy 600th blog post to me! That's a lot, heh?

It is advisable to look at the shirt you are wearing before you leave the house, readers. Because you will arrive at the farmer's market in your neon pink and neon green "I Heart Beer" shirt....and feel vaguely embarrassed (because some old people will give you weird/grumpy looks). Young'uns (teen through 20's) will compliment you on your shirt.

The cleaning yesterday took way longer than I had hoped, but most of the apartment is super clean. The only room that wasn't scrubbed (and still has a bit of tidying left) is the bedroom. Also, because the bedroom is still to be done, the hallway upstairs is sort of jammy full of stuff (vacuums and garbage bags)...but, if you've never been to my apartment, I'd advise you to come visit now. It will probably be this clean again...a year from now...

Went to a concert on Friday...don't really feel like discussing the concert, but my ability to repel buses may become stuff of legend. We were supposed to take a bus to dinner...that bus never came so we hopped on a different bus. Then we were supposed to take a bus from dinner to the concert. We waited...and waited....that bus never came, so we had to get a cab. Finally, we were supposed to take a bus from the concert to an L stop to get us home. Guess what? That bus actually never came. For sure...because we walked all the way to the L stop along the bus route and never saw a bus. It's troubling...this ability to repel the bus I want to be on....especially since I'm supposed to take a bus today to visit "newly-moved to Chicago" friend Katy. Yes, one of my closest friends has the same name as me....it's just lucky she spells it with a Y isn't it?

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend...and that you enjoyed the beautiful weather!