Yep, Still Here!

Hello my friends!

I apologize for being away for so long. As He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named said upon his return, "I confess myself...disappointed." Disappointed that I haven't been here, on this blog, sharing with you my deep affection for everything Harry Potter.

It's been a busy week since I last posted. Most of you know by now of the legal battle between JK Rowling (and Warner Brothers) and RDR books. The case pits Rowling against the publisher, who is hoping to publilsh "The Harry Potter Lexicon," an unauthorized Harry Potter encyclopedia. At the center of this trial is Mr. Steve Vander Ark, the writer of the book and creator of the online website HP Lexicon. The site, as all Potter fans know, offers information about the books and Rowling, and has categorize thousands of details from the seven books, such as plot lines, character histories, etymological information and the like.

Anyway...

The trial has been quite emotional for all parties involved. For obvious reasons, Jo got quite emotional during the trial, especially when asked by the judge what Harry Potter meant to her. It is quite understandable that she has been emotionally overcome by a trial and spectacle over her long hard work.

Mr. Vander Ark got emotional during the trial too. He was asked whether he felt like he was still part of the Potter Fandom. His response was, "I did." Clearly he has understood that many in the Harry Potter fan community, including myself, have disowned him and no longer see him as one of us. Mr. Vander Ark is seeking to publish this book against Jo's wishes and without any proper acknowledgement - plagiarism. He is doing this for his personal gain, not for the millions of readers out there who consider themselves Potter fans. Further, he is putting Jo through an unnecessary emotional ordeal.

Doesn't he know what the Harry Potter series means to Rowling. Before Potter, she was a poor single mother just trying to live day by day. With the novels’ success, she has become a famous author worldwide. She went from having nothing to having everything all because of Harry Potter, and she worked SO incredibly hard to get there. At the trial, she said, “It’s very difficult to understand to someone who hasn’t created, what it means to be a creator. [It’s like asking] ‘How do you feel about your child?'...These books, they saved me...there was a time they saved my sanity.”

Were Vander Ark a devoted fan, he would not be attempting to paraphrase Rowling’s work and sell it for money. Although it must be very difficult for Steve Vander Ark to deal with the fact that former fellow fans have turned his back on him, the fact remains that by attempting to publish his Lexicon, Vander Ark has shown that he has his own financial interests at heart, over the interests of the Harry Potter fan base. In addition, a true fan would respect the rights of his or her favorite author.

Writer's Block

Last week, I stumbled upon Amazon's Beedle the Bard contest. One lucky finalist gets an all-expense paid trip to London to take a look at this magnificent book. As soon as I saw it, my natural reaction was "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! OH MY GOD! Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Anyway...

So, I started to think about my entry for the contest. I must say, I'm having a harder time coming up with something than I thought I would. Perhaps because the stakes are so high this time. I mean, you get a trip for two to London!! Two nights at a London hotel!! An expense allowance!! AND a $1000 Amazon gift card!! All of this, of course, pales in comparison to the grand prize...you get to spend a weekend with The Tales of Beedle the Bard - the rare and delightful book of fairy tales - handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself!! This is any die hard Potter fan's dream!!

The excitement should only trigger my creativity right?

Wrong.

I can't seem to get the creative juices flowing! I have spent much of the last decade thinking about Harry Potter - about what house I'd be sorted to, what my first ride on a broom would be like, what subjects I would study while at Hogwarts, whether I'd become a player on a house quidditch team - the list is endless. I have attended book release parties, participated in book discussions, joined Potter fandom, downloaded podcasts, listened to wizard rock, joined millions at movie theatres to watch the films (and then bought the special edition DVDs), collected toys and mementos, postered my wall, joined list serves...Why then can I not compile a 100 word entry to submit into a contest that, if I won, would change my life forever?!

This writer's block is further compounded by the fact that this contest has been publicized widely in the past week. I was hoping for a smaller pool of entries, one in which mine would easily overcome the competition to be crowned "the winner." Alas, I was wrong. The contest is sure to draw entries from millions all around the world, all vying for the chance of a lifetime.

I could really use some felix felicis at the moment.

I Admit, I Didn't Know

So, my guy friend and I were walking around Target a few days ago when all of a sudden he stumpted me with a Harry Potter trivia question..."What kind of company does Uncle Vernon work for; what do they make?"

I was totally clueless! I had no idea...except that I did, but I just could not remember the answer! While he went to the electronics section (how typical) and to play around in the toy department (not typical for a man in his twenties), I set out to find a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. "The answer has to be in the first book," I thought to myself.

Finally, I found a paper back edition and began anxiously flipping through the pages. I checked the first three chapters, up to "The Keeper of Keys," but I just couldn't find the answer.

I began to feel frustrated, hopeless...even a bit guilty for forgetting.

I walked around the store with the book in my hand for about 15 minutes. Finally, my guy friend met me in one of the aisles. I waved the book at him and said, "I don't know! I checked the book, but I can't find the answer. Please tell me the answer!"

He laughed.

He took the book from my hand, opened it up to the first page of chapter one, and directed me to the second paragraph. "Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."

UGH! How could I have missed it!

Anyway...

So, I have a great Harry Potter joke for today. Ready?

Knock Knock
Who's there?
You Know
You Know who?

ahahahahaaaahahahahhaaahahahaaaaa!

What, you're not laughing?

AVADA KEDAVRA!

Ugh, the media!

Sorry muggles! I’ve been absent for a few days. No major news has been announced in the past week regarding Harry Potter. The HP Lexicon trial is set to being on the 14th, so I’m sure that will make news next week. I’ll be sure to post the most up-to-date info on the case here.

What did make news is an interview with JK Rowling, in which she discussed her severe bouts with depression while living as a single mom on welfare. Rowling has talked about her depression before, but this was the first time she mentioned having suicidal thoughts. She finally sought professional help of course. She said, “Mid-twenties life circumstances were poor and I really plummeted...the thing that made me go for help . . . was probably my daughter. She was something that earthed me, grounded me, and I thought, this isn’t right, this can’t be right, she cannot grow up with me in this state.” It was around this time that she began writing the Potter books.

Now, this is a really serious story and I don’t want to spend too much time on the details. All the major media outlets covered this, and that, unfortunately, is what this post is about. I was TERRIBLY outraged by how the media handled this news. Every media outlet in print, on TV, or on the web that covered this story totally over dramatized it in a fashion that was hurtful and uninformative - something our media has become an expert at doing. They sensationalized it with headlines like “JK Rowling: SUICIDAL,” or “Potter author depressed and suicidal” with big huge letters and uncompromising sound bytes. This was a total insult to Rowling, who was discussing an incredibly difficult issue from her past, one that affected her, her family, and her children deeply. How about giving the woman a little bit more respect?!

"Half Blood Prince" is one of the Most Anticipated Films of 2008...duh!

"Half Blood Prince" is finding itself atop many "Most Anticipated Films of 2008" lists. Indeed, spring has sprung and a lot of people are gearing up for the summer movie season, which promises MANY blockbusters..."Indiana Jones" and "The Dark Knight" being the obvious picks of course. But I'm also looking forward to the new "Sex in the City" movie, Bond 22, "Get Smart," "Speed Racer," and of course HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!! Sadly though, we'll have to wait until November to see it. The trailer, which is slated to come out in May, should add to the excitement though. We haven't seen a lot of production footage from the 6th film or pictures, just the two sneak previews that were on the "Order of the Phoenix" DVD. I can't wait to see the film though!! I will be there the first day it comes out, popcorn in hand! It will be a tear-jerker though; it is going to be so hard to watch Dumbledore die. :-(

King's Cross Bridge is Being Threatened!

Some sad news to write about today...Independent Television News (U.K.) reported two weeks ago that a bridge and 100 year old clock at King's Cross Station in London are going to be torn down as part of a massive expansion project.

"Campaigners are trying to save one of the most iconic features of the Harry Potter series.
A bridge and a 100-year-old clock at London's King's Cross station are to be knocked down as part of major expansion plans.

The busy site is a popular hotspot for Potter fans and tourists from all over the world. The landmark is famous as Harry Potter's entrance to King's Cross on the imaginary platform nine and three quarters, to catch the train to Hogwarts.

Architect and TV presenter Ptolemy Dean is leading the campaign to stop the bridge being destroyed. He said: “King's Cross will lose its rather beautiful and lovely structure which characterizes it's views. It's a gateway to the north really and one feels very sad that it's going.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last book in the boy wizard series and features a chapter called King's Cross, where a location resembling the station plays a significant role. The station is also featured in the epilogue of the same book, making it the final setting of the Harry Potter series."

This is sad news indeed! I really hope the campaigners are successful in stopping the demolition. The bridge is obviously really important to the Potter books. It actually leads to the place where Platform 9 3/4 would be! The clock is a really important and beautiful part of King's Cross Station for historical purposes, a representation of what is classic and antique amid the station's modern facade. Now, many have said that the bridge will be rebuilt after the expansion project is completed; however, that has not been confirmed yet, nor has a time table been released. The bridge could very well be rebuilt after the film production of the final 3 films is completed.

This, obviously, would be a huge loss for Potter fans. The bridge is incredibly iconic, and far more important to the books' plot than is often recognized. Harry's journey into the magical world begins at this station, and, in "Deathly Hallows," his story ends at this station. And, don't forget the vital chapter in "Deathly Hallows," when Harry meets Dumbledore on the bridge. They simply can't take this bridge down!!

Rumors Fly About New Harry Potter Theme Park

The rumor mill is spinning over the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando. It started with unconfirmed reports regarding auditions that will be held for actors to play the characters, including the main ones. Here are some of the other rumors…

> Other “wizards” and “witches” will participate in duels at specific spots in the park while a group of actors will be innocent bystanders who move and duck from the special effects of sparks and explosions."

> There will also be a “wand instructor” who will show children how to wave their wands and do magic tricks."

> There will be a stage show of the graveyard scene where Harry has his first duel with Voldemort from "Goblet of Fire."

> One of the rides will be similar to Harry’s ride with Hagrid in Gringotts Bank in “Sorcerer’s Stone.”

Alas, these are rumors and not confirmed reports. They sound so exciting though! I think these would be great additions to the theme park and boy would they be fun!! I like the idea of the stage show of the graveyard scene. That can be really raw and intense I think. I also like the wand demonstration idea, though I HIGHLY DISAGREE with it being reserved exclusively for children. As for a few quick predictions of my own…I think they will turn the Leaky Cauldron and the 4 Houses of Hogwarts into hotels. Eating options should be easy too, i.e. the standards, such as Leaky, Three Broomsticks, the Hogshead, Honeydukes and, perhaps, the Great Hall in Hogwarts.

The theme park is still under construction. The park is slated to open in December 2009.


Thanks to Snitchseeker for the info.