Creed Bratton

The Harry Potter film series

Harry Potter Harry Potter Harry Potter

Of course the Harry Potter films are a big deal to me, how could they not be. To get into each one could be a bit much—so I’ll just go with the highlights. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, ha, it wasn’t until just after the troll was knocked out that I stopped yelling at the screen (yes, in the movie theatre) that it had it wrong—how we didn’t get kicked out I have no idea. This is also funny because the first three films, and especially the first two, are the ones that were able to most closely represent the books before too much started happening where a good portion had to be cut.

The fourth and fifth films, the fourth being highly regarded as the WORST of the franchise, had some major issues. For starters, they cut out the most both time wise and important detail wise. The fact that Harry Potter was able to start such a feminist revolution without Hermione’s organizations of SPEW represented in the films shows just how otherwise kickass these stories were. I hope if they could go back they’d split or extend the 4th film—focusing less on the ‘action!’ of the tasks and more of the changes starting to occur as they were realizing something was going on, but not yet what. While the fourth film was the worst in the franchise by far, no one can ever rightfully deny that the scene of Harry’s return with Cedric’s body truly captured the turning point of the series, while Harry has known death and loss for a long time this year and this moment is when he really begins becoming a man and stepping up to the challenges bestowed upon him.

The 7th year of Harry Potters’ education, or what was supposed to be, split between the 7th and 8th films was done pretty well. The last two films sort of encompass all the series had to offer; drama between Ron and Hermione, the friendship between Harry and Hermione and Ron and Harry separately, the trip to Gringotts brought me back to their more youthful adventures then there are the adult aspects of Neville’s and Draco’s development and the finale of Harry and Voldemort standoff with some beloved life lost that blanketed the series.

National Book Month

National Book Month has been a lot, but going down memory lane has been so comforting--like hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, a warm blanket...and a good book.

As we get older, we change. We grow, our perspective changes and with more knowledge comes deeper understanding. The Giver by Lois Lowry is still a great book and was a book I still chose to pass onto my nephew when he reached the age of the protagonist, Jonas (12). The first of many young adult dystopian novels, The Giver is unique as it deals more with the politics and touches upon the issues and reasoning for strict and government regulation without all-out war or battle by Jonas or his friends. Around Jonas’ age, I read and loved this book but during a recent reread found the depth of the book I felt originally was lacking. Still touching upon how the adults had lost their way and the understanding of the choices they were making, I had grown and wanted more from the book. This hurts. I felt as thou I had lost a beauty with the book, because for me some of the story is gone. It still makes me sad, thou understanding why I felt this way after first reading it makes me feel better and I can know to look for more books and stories, both in fiction and in real life that inspire me; while still being able to read a good story from my childhood. 

In the spirit of Halloween and the change of tides with the Giver, today I’d also like to honour the books I love--whose names I’ve forgotten. I book I still swear is called the Pearl, telling the story of the French resistance during the Nazi rise thru the eyes of a rich girl of privilege, a particular story about Elizabeth Blount’s life and events in England and told thru the eyes of a maid/servant. Hopefully I’ll find you once more

The Giver is a good book--please read

Erin Hannon

Erin’s Best Moment: Season Six, Episode Twelve: Scott’s Tots

When she explains to Michael, even though he’s a jerk to her and shuts down her other points, that 90% of the kids in the Scotts tots program are set to graduate on time, and that’s 35% higher than the rest of the average, so while he didn’t meet his promise he did help them.

Erin’s Worst Moment: Season Eight, Episode 10: Christmas Wishes

When she says she wishes Jessica, Andy’s girlfriend, “Was dead--in a graveyard, under the ground”

Erin’s Best Line: Season Eight, Episode Two: The Incentive

Cold Coffee….she wasn’t wrong

“I asked if you wanted a cold beverage and you said coffee”

Erin’s Most Memorable Moment: Season Seven, Episode Two: Counseling

Erin and the disposable camera, where she misses the steps of getting the pictures printed before throwing the camera out.

Even better, it’s not an accident and she ends her explanation of the negatives of using a disposable compared to a ‘real camera’ with “It it’s an important even that you want to remember, I recommend using a real camera”

Jim Halpert

Jim's Best Moment: Season Six, Episode Eleven: Shareholder Meeting When he asserts himself as a manager by moving Ryan's office to the closet in front of everyone.

Jim's Worst Moment: Season Three, Episode Thirteen: The Return When he “pranks” Andy by hiding his phone in the ceiling; more because he already saw how Andy reacted in Scranton when Jim put his calculator in Jell-O.

Jim's Best Line: Season Five, Episode Twenty-One: Two Weeks “About a week ago Michael gave his two weeks notice, and surprisingly, there is a very big difference between Michael trying and Michael not trying.”

Jim's Most Memorable Moment: Season Five, Episode Twelve: The Duel When he walks between Andy and Dwight as they shout at each other before their duel. 

Cinderella--Grimm

There are a million different ways we can all go into the Disney manipulation, white-washing and ending the loss of the Grimm stories that managed to capture the ‘grandfather tales’ passed down thru generations, previously only spread by word-of-mouth. 

Rook di goo, rook di goo! There's blood in the shoe. The shoe is too tight, This bride is not right! 

But sometimes, the joy of truth is just that it’s funny

World Refugee Day, من از زندگی تو سپاسگزارم ( I thank you for my life--google) 

صلح (Peace)

Todd Packer

Packer's Best Moment: Season Eight, Episode Sixteen: After Hours When Dwight gets kicked by Jim after he gets the buttons from Cathy per "college rules" in 'The King and The Hunchback' and he comments with his double meaning statement.

“and he lost at his own lame game”

Packer's Worst Moment: Season Nine, Episode Seventeen; The Farm When he laced the cupcakes that he brought as 'apology cupcakes' to the office and the staff either got stoned or diarrhea

Packer's Best Line: Season Two, Episode Two

So a guy goes home, tell his wife, "Honey, pack your bags, I just wont the lottery" She goes "Oh, my god, that's incredible, where are we going? He goes "I don't know where you're going, just be out of here by five."

Packer's Most Memorable Moment: Season Three, Episode Eleven: Back from Vacation When he gets Michael’s picture of Jan from their Sandals Jamaica trip “Wait. I just got it from somebody else. Wow, this is hot. Damn! How do I get you out of this picture? “

Pomona Sprout

Professor Sprout was the embodiment of Hufflepuff, mostly pertaining to her love of Herbology, sweetness, and lack of need to be worshipped. Plenty of potions need the careful, dedicated and complicated treatment of plants that is based in Herbology; something that Professor Sprout hints at but does not boast about. Her brilliance was shown not only in her famous care of Mandrake’s to help petrified students be restored, but the year before when she used Devil’s Snare to help protect the Sorcerer’s Stone so that the one who tried to get it would not need only intelligence but the ability to remain calm in a panic.

Similar to her brilliance, Professor Sprout also showed her generosity as the many lessons she taught the students in harvesting she gave to Madam Pomphrey to help students with all types of ailments from being petrified, to common acne or used for other aspects of her class (unlike other Professors). She also showed her loyalty and bravery not only to what was right in protecting her and other students in the year that Death Eaters had control of the school, but also to Albus Dumbledore in her agreeing that the school should be kept open after his passing. Most importantly, she didn’t care whose house you were in—she loved you all the same

Freedom, חופש, Vrijheid

While libraries should be for everyone, not everyone will be able to use them the same way. Some will use them for tutoring, others for book clubs, some for research and other for light novels readings among other uses. Here are BLANK libraries that are working with those different needs (1)

Multiple studies recently released indicated a difference in male and female brains; (2) while not specifically divided by gender, the Tromsø Library has set different temperatures on different floors allowing those who operate best or have different comfort levels for reading or needed for their focus to all use the library together at the same time. Separately, the Biblo Tøyen, is selective in it’s audience. Only open for residents ages 10-15.

While not limiting patron wise, the Levinksi Garden Library operates with a specific function and purpose, as a haven. Open 24/7 this library has no closed off structure (no walls or doors) and operates as an encouraging, open space to receive refugees and migrants in Israel. (3)

Throughout the world, many countries also have libraries specifically for prisoners as they are held within prisons. Libraries in prisons however are not universal but some countries that also provide more equality and freedom to prisoners while serving their time have libraries and librarians focused on goals for the inmates after they are released and have seen less recidivism back into the criminal justice system (as defendants).

 (1)    https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/art-culture/literature/6-libraries-you-need-to-visit/

(2)    https://time.com/5592353/office-temperature-study/

(3)    https://litreactor.com/columns/the-10-most-unusual-libraries-in-the-world

Robert California

Robert’s Best Moment: Season Eight, Episode Ten: Christmas Wishes

When he doesn’t sleep with Erin.

Robert’s Worst Moment:  Season Eight, Episode Eighteen: Last Day In Florida

When he plans on firing whoever the VP is of the Sabre store.

Robert’s Best Line: Season Eight, Episode Five: Spooked

“When I was a boy, there was an empty house just up the hill from my family’s. It was rumored a man committed suicide there after being possessed by the devil. One day a young woman, Lydia, moved into the house with her infant child.

That very night, Lydia was awakened by a loud heinous hissing sound. She walked to the nursey and there in baby’s crib was a snake wrapped around baby’s neck. Squeezing tighter and tighter, the crib was full of dirt, baby struggled to free itself from underneath. Reaching and clawing, gasping for air, embalmed bodies rose from their sarcophagi, learching toward baby-- for they were mummies.

Amongst them was a man, tall, slim-- almost instinctively she turned to her husband, “oh, wait” she thought “I don’t have a husband”. For Lydia and her husband had had an argument, one they couldn’t get past. Each night they slept one inch farther apart until one-night Lydia left. It was about this time, she lost herself in imaginary worlds. She had quit the book club, the choir, citing something about their high expectations. Her lips slowly grew together from disuse, every time she wanted to act and didn’t another part of her face hardened until it was stone.

And that fevered night she rushed to the nursery, threw open the door “Baby are you okay?”. Baby sat up slowly, turned to mother, and said “I’m fine Bitch. I’m fine.”

Robert’s Most Memorable Moment: Season Eight, Episode One: The List

When he acts as if calling half of his subordinates losers is not a big deal; “it’s on them to prove him right or wrong”.