Professor Quirrell

Les cousins, 1959 (dir. Claude Chabrol) 

Let's be honest, reading books and buying books are two completely different hobbies.

Books for ourselves

It is important to remember that books are not always about just telling a story. Books can show us how others live--whether they be Stormtroopers, drug addicts, slaves or someone that has another different story from all the ones that are different from us. 

Yes, we learn about people from their stories, but it doesn’t have to stop there. In understanding one’s life and one’s struggles--we can choose to act, we can choose to push forward, we can choose to help, we can choose to learn more. 

In 15 days it’s Halloween, in 16 days it’s a day of really cheap candy and chocolate, and in 21 days you have the power to vote and make the world how you think it should be. But I hope that’s not your one day of using your voice, your power and the power of listening to someone else’s story. You may not have the best or easiest life, everyone struggles but “a rising tide lifts all boats”--be that tide, raise the condition for everyone

Closed

Ahhhhh! As someone who loves a local library and rare bookstores, getting up early in the morning to get to the next book in a series, or because a book you’ve been waiting for has come in or just  thinking you want to reread a favorite you don’t own and then you see the “uh-oh” group of patrons who also forgot a schedule change, random holiday, short day the library is closed group is crushing. 

I’ll never get over that feeling. I ended up looking forward to the summer being over because that’s when the library had better hours. 

Dolores Umbridge

I was wondering what I could write about what we learned from Umbridge, did I really need to write about all the characters, did I learn from them? How people in power can be corrupt and self-indulging, how people can use their greatest insecurities or fears and inner hate as a foundation against others, these are things we know already from life and can see from other characters so why write about her. Well, there are two things—one is just a quandary. It is interesting that as she became more and more in power, more absolute in her hatred of others that she also became more ‘polite’ (a false-politeness as most is) and more ‘girly’ focusing on a love of kittens, the color pink and attempts in being fragile. Why? She didn’t want to come across as fragile or dainty.

Secondly, there are many characters that are hated for the level of pain or evil they caused: the Dursleys, the Malfoys, Pettigrew, while Voldemort, Bellatrix and Umbridge are usually at the top and considered the worst, Voldemort has never been considered high above Umbridge in this aspect, and for many falls beneath her.  Here is the man who split his soul into seven pieces (then accidentally eight), had Cedric murdered just because he wasn’t useful (seriously, just knock him out), tried to kill a baby who might one day kill him (good job on that one), murdered his entire family (both sides), he’s just an evil guy. So how is he not automatically the big villain Umbridge is? Why is she even able to compete? It’s a personal opinion, and choice, and one that fluctuates for most. Umbridge is so hated I believe, because of how much power she was allowed to have, and how she was able to slip in, remain and grow within the Ministry and be seen as someone with intellect, someone who should be compassionate, engaging and encouraging was narrow-minded and without individuality. In comparison, Voldemort had to fight for his power and to promote his beliefs, and people fought against him and disrespected him for it. Being forced to respect either Umbridge or Voldemort will make them hated, but as Umbridge was considered by many adults as one of the ‘good guys’ or that her crimes and hatred against others weren’t important enough to be obliterated and that she was supported makes us hate her and the system more.

The respect, power and approval by the ‘good guys’ she was given is similar to my earlier point in how her affection for kittens and delicate things was in opposition, and a falsehood, of who she really was. I cannot speak for others, but I do feel that giving someone with the same hatred and cruelty in her as Voldemort, giving her the power and respect he wanted is what makes her so hated—what she does is approved and while teachers under Voldemort’s rule would torture students, they did it as it went against their beliefs and because that’s who they were. They didn’t pretend it was for the benefit of the other students or under the guise of someone else. With all her arrogance and self-importance, she really had no confidence or true pride.

Films that I shouldn’t be so bitter about

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Finding Nemo was so long ago that I can’t remember why I was so against it for so long. I’m not anti-children’s movies as anyone who knows me can confirm, but I was very much against Finding Nemo, I just didn’t understand the hype. I hold off on seeing for at least two years and either finally saw it when I was sick one day or when a friend forced it on me. And oh my did I LOVE IT!! One of my friends who pushed it on me probably highly regretted doing so as then I became slightly obsessed with it, it’s hysterical. I could say that part of why I love this film is all the little lessons peppered throughout with Marlin and Nemo (parents—chill), the sharks in rehab (you can always change, friendship), Marlin and Dory (don’t judge someone too quickly) and even just Dory herself (don’t limit yourself and always look on the bright side). These add to what makes the movie enjoyable, but the movie is just funny. My favorite scene that I will laugh-cry just in the beginning of trying to tell it to someone is when they follow the mask down into the darker level of the sea and Dory thinks Marlin is her conscious because she’s (1) forgotten he exists and (2) can’t see him. Whoops.

Life of Pi, I really-really only have myself to blame. Partially due to not learning my lesson from Finding Nemo, even though it wasn’t the same situation. The story of Life of Pi didn’t really capture me in general, about how a boy maybe a tiger and how they survive a shipwreck, even thou it usually would be at the top of my list. Maybe it’s because the ‘twist’ at the end is what they didn’t want to talk about in advertisement and focused on the visual effects which I agree with the acclaim and enjoyed, isn’t usually enough to get me to watch a film. I still enjoy the story and will definitely watch it again (except for the murderous island part, while enjoyable is something to learn about in the daytime), I watched the film immediately after hearing the ending from a friend, where we are left to wonder if the Tiger, Richard Parker, was real or just Pi just trying to survive. Of course, my knowing it’s coming it lost all of why I wanted to watch it, but it was still great and thought-provoking. Just wish I got to experience it for myself, not thru someone else

 PS—And Finding Dory, ugh, beautiful

"Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it."

JK Rowling

Words, like books, are everything. Every experience, almost every emotion that we experienced can be told to others with the use of words and we understand each other by reading and listening to the stories of others. The most beautiful love song, the worst phrases that turn a friend to an enemy.

Act with kindness, speak with compassion, and keep reading

Tom Riddle

Tom Marvolo Riddle, oh boy. 

What did we learn from him? About love, courage, bravery, compassion? ahhhhh. No one can say he had an uneasy childhood, and we don’t know if Harry had discovered his magical capabilities one his own without supervision, how he would have ended up or the choices he would have made. But I would believe that it wouldn’t be too different as it is our choices, not chance or circumstance that shows us who we are. 

Relating to him more as with other, previous, erroneous leaders it did always astonish me how the Death Eaters just followed him even thou they all knew him and themselves were less “pure blood” than they were. It ALSO drew me crazy that no one fighting him (except Dumbledore of course) would call him Tom, that would drive him CRAZY and knock him off his game, but, oh well. 

While again I’m not sure about the hypothesis that he couldn’t love because he was conceived under a love potion, I do agree that he really didn’t understand love. So while I agree he probably didn’t love Bellatrix, I do think he cared and admired her, or at least appreciated her loyalty to him. 

Happy New Year loves, please resolve to not be like Tom in the new year, and to do your best fighting your demons.

PS We did get reminded about not too much plastic surgery (hahaha) and with a final annoyance, with all his evil deeds, I am most upset about the timing of Tom Riddles return as Lord Voldemort as it’s influence on Hermione Granger. While I think she should be with Ron, once Lord Voldemort had returned she could not continue any real relationship with Victor Krum as she would focus on the second Wizarding War, she would have gotten to be her own (Princess Belle) great role model. What a GREAT role model as the girlfriend of a Quidditch star: a reader, someone for equal rights for “half breeds”, and a Muggle Born which  already had upset Igor Karkaroff. 

Percy Weasley

I liked Percy, enough, in the beginning. Similar to Hermione he was ambitious, smart, and just wanted to do well. In a family of seven children it’s understandable when one is different from the rest, and as close to the middle of the pack, it’s understandable he’s even more out of the loop, and we don’t know what his relationship with Charlie or was, or with Ron or Ginny when they were younger.

But there are a lot of things not to like about Percy: he couldn’t relax, he thought too highly of himself, and tried to appear better than he was (the type of person who uses a more ‘sophisticated’ word, but it doesn’t come naturally from them or in the sentence). Being ambitious and following rules are good, but the expression “rules are meant to be broken” has a point. There are exceptions and you shouldn’t follow the rules blindly, another major issue with Percy, he was narrow-minded and couldn’t see the bigger picture. It’s interesting, as in some ways this might have been what impacted his future at the Ministry the most, a lack of spine and compassion, I don’t see how he could have moved up into the Ministry that had Kingsley and Hermione in tow.

The thing that sticks with me is that he seemed to only reconnect with his family in the last moments, thou that could make sense if he was trying to keep a separate watch on things from the inside or was in fear for his life. But, after the battle, he wasn’t that close with his family either (at least not Harry) and it seems their children weren’t close with each other, so I doubt they saw much of each other. This hold on pride is what I don’t like the most, 20 years later, he’s still holding on to shame about being wrong.

February 14th, 2018

A year ago today, for the next few hours, Emma Gonzalez was giving out hugs and flowers, and love for Valentine’s Day; by the end of the day that would not be the case, by the end of the day a girl still full of love would also be filled (with what I presume) with fury. 

A year ago today 17 people lost their lives due to a domestic terror incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Florida. Now, at 10:17 the students and local community are participating in a moment of silence for those lost and the country should be reflecting on how they are impacted by gun violence not just at schools but at home, in malls and out when you’re just trying to enjoy your day and your US Constitution idea of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”.

The end of the day, February 14th 2018, was very different than the MSD students and Parkland community expected when they woke up that morning, many who will never be waking up the same way again but that sentiment at the end of the day remains true. The students’ promised that they would be the end of gun violence and mass shootings and they are doing everything in their power to do so. Along with record-breaking youth voter turnout, the No Notoriety campaign, the Town Hall Project that encourages citizens to attend and meet with local politicians (and not vote for those who they can’t meet with) and the March for Our Lives walk that reminded many of the Vietnam War youth protests, over 100 new laws have been enacted related to gun violence where guns are limited to those who have shown a propensity of violence, a limit on assault rifles and bump stocks and many more. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas have made a great impact on gun violence in the US, even just by keeping us talking. But again, now at 10:17, we take a breath, a moment for those these actions were made for:

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                                      Scott Beigel (35)

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