In yesterday's blog post, I alluded to my back problems...now, here's the full story.
I went out with Heather on Friday night (she'd had a rough week and needed to get out on the town, and I'm always up for getting out, myself). I crashed at her place because of the late hour.
Saturday morning dawned cool and glorious, and while we sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee and tea, we decided to go to the Folsom Factory Outlets and do some shopping.
We'd been at the Outlets for a couple of hours, having a grand time. I was trying on a dress and some jeans in a fitting room, while Heather sat in the room next to mine, waiting. I had just finished trying on and was pulling my own jeans up when a very, very sharp pain hit me in the lower back and then shot down my right leg. I froze for a full minute with my right foot off the ground and concentrated on not falling down.
Pretty soon I realized I had a Real Problem, and intervention was necessary.
"Ummm, Heather? I hurt my back..."
Heather, bless her, jumped up and let herself into my dressing room (at this point I was in jeans and a bra, clutching my T-shirt and not caring). I managed to sit down and pull my shirt on. I was dripping sweat and my stomach was lurching--I felt like I was going to be sick. Heather helped me empty one of my shopping bags into her own and I held it under my chin while she ran to buy me a soda.
I heaved a couple of times but managed to keep from vomiting--thank goodness! Imagine throwing up in a public dressing room!
Heather had told me to breathe through the pain--in through the nose, out through the mouth, so I concentrated on doing just that. That calmed my stomach and helped wit the pain. When she came back with a soda and a pretzel ("just in case your blood sugar is low!"), I was able to stand and start gingerly walking around.
At this point, I had tried on a fabulous red dress that suits me perfectly, and I wasn't leaving the store without it! I quickly paid and then we walked out to Heather's car.
If you're familiar with the greater Sacramento area, you'll know that to get me back to my parents' house, it was quite a trip. We took Highway 50 from Folsom to Sacramento (approx. 30 miles), and then from Heather's house, I took I-80 (approx. 30-40 miles) back to Lincoln. Fortunately, I was able to handle driving--especially as the pain was shooting down my right leg...the one that controls the gas and brake.
I had called home from the dressing room, as Dad has had sciatica, and my symptoms seemed to be exactly the same. As I drove up into our neighborhood, he called me.
"I'm almost there--just a mile or so from home."
"Oh, good."
I pulled into our driveway and there was Daddy, standing outside, waiting to help me into the house. [heart]
I took a pain pill and put ice on my back for a while. Later, I switched to a heat pad, which actually seems to work better. I went to bed feeling okay--not great, but better.
Then came this morning.
I only got maybe five or six hours of sleep. I woke up a little after 6:00 this morning, and experimentally moved my right leg about an inch.
Oh, the pain. Excruciating.
After twenty minutes of struggle, tears, and hearing Heather's voice in my head telling me to breathe through it, I found myself standing by the side of my bed, leaning against the nightstand, tears streaming down my face. By this time, Dad was at my bedroom door. He's an early riser, but I wonder if he'd heard my occasional yelp of pain.
"Are you okay?"
"Noooooo!!!"
He brought me one of his canes and a 500 mg ibuprofen tablet while I got myself into a sitting position at the foot of my bed. After a few minutes, I was able to get up and slowly hobble to the living room with my hot pad.
Throughout the day, the pain has lessened considerably, but my leg still hurts. Sometimes when I'm walking, a sudden pain will shoot down my leg, in addition to the near-constant ache I have. Remarkably, my lower back feels fine, even though that is where the pain is generating.
I am trying to walk around some, and stretch as much as possible. I'm also spending a lot of time on the sofa with the hot pad on my back. Sitting at the computer is actually quite comfortable (and my leg doesn't fall asleep like it does when I'm on the sofa).
Tomorrow is Monday, so Kaiser will be open. There's an office in Lincoln, and I'll get over there as soon as I possibly can.
I've never had this problem before...and seriously, I hope I can avoid it in future!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Three Years and Still Blogging
Yesterday marked the 3-year mark for The Wild and Absolutely True Adventures of Meg. How 'bout that?
I love my Little Pink Blog; it's become quite the little outlet for me. It has documented one year in England, one year in Washington, and one year in Antioch. It has seen me turn 26, 27, 28, and in a few weeks, 29.
In the three years I've had this tiny little corner of the World Wide Weird, I have been on four trans-Atlantic flights. I have stepped foot in five different countries (England, Ireland, France, Canada and, of course, the US of A). I have been to four major cities (San Francisco, Seattle, Paris and London). I have gotten Kevin Spacey's autograph, kissed an English bloke, hung out with Navy men, reunited with several old friends via MySpace, expanded my singing range by about half an octave (to a full 3 octaves...not bad!) and I've helped raise two adorable torties.
I have moved into my adorable apartment, read the entire Harry Potter series, and done countless other amazing things, big and small.
I've even managed, just today, to hurt my back...but that's another story for another blog...
I love my Little Pink Blog; it's become quite the little outlet for me. It has documented one year in England, one year in Washington, and one year in Antioch. It has seen me turn 26, 27, 28, and in a few weeks, 29.
In the three years I've had this tiny little corner of the World Wide Weird, I have been on four trans-Atlantic flights. I have stepped foot in five different countries (England, Ireland, France, Canada and, of course, the US of A). I have been to four major cities (San Francisco, Seattle, Paris and London). I have gotten Kevin Spacey's autograph, kissed an English bloke, hung out with Navy men, reunited with several old friends via MySpace, expanded my singing range by about half an octave (to a full 3 octaves...not bad!) and I've helped raise two adorable torties.
I have moved into my adorable apartment, read the entire Harry Potter series, and done countless other amazing things, big and small.
I've even managed, just today, to hurt my back...but that's another story for another blog...
Monday, July 23, 2007
P.S. A Note About Neville and the Sword
I'm reading a fan site about Harry Potter and a lot of people don't understand how Neville got Godric Gryfindor's sword out of the Sorting Hat after Griphook had stolen it.
It's obvious that the hat can summon the sword, no matter who has it, to give to a true Gryffindor in need. Harry got it at the end of the second book, and Neville did at the end of this one, thus proving himself a true Gryffindor.
There you have it.
It's obvious that the hat can summon the sword, no matter who has it, to give to a true Gryffindor in need. Harry got it at the end of the second book, and Neville did at the end of this one, thus proving himself a true Gryffindor.
There you have it.
The Epic At It's End
WARNING: This blog contains many details about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. If you haven't finished it...don't read this blog entry!
I can't believe it's over!
I am left, after reading the seventh and last book in the Harry Potter series, immensely proud of Harry and his friends, saddened by the deaths of many of them, and completely satisfied with how Voldemort's defeat came about.
It was a long weekend for me, and quite an adventure. It started on Friday night, as I walked the aisles of Border's Books and Music in Roseville, covertly taking pictures of people's costumes.
Coming very, very soon:
Hagrid and Delores Umbridge:
Luna (isn't she cute?!):
Another of Luna:
Professor Trelawney (she even had a crystal ball made of a balloon, and the perfect glasses:
I left at 11:30; my copy was coming from Amazon, and I wanted to miss the worst of the chaos. I came home and had a good nights' sleep. Had to be ready to read, you know!
Saturday dawned and I anxiously showered and sat down to wait for the UPS guy to come. A look at how my day went, according to the log I kept:
10:10 -- Finished reading Order of the Phoenix…where is UPS?!
10:17 -- Will now skim through Half-Blood Prince…need to brush up on Horcruxes.
10:58 -- Double-check at Amazon.com to make sure I told them to deliver the book to Lincoln, not Antioch.
11:01 -- Yay! As of 9:34 yesterday morning, my book was in Rocklin.
11:40 -- Still no book. I am making some lunch now.
12:11 -- Where is the UPS guy?!?
12:13 -- I want my book…*pout*
12:46 -- *sigh*
1:30 -- How long does this take?!?!? Have finished putting together some last-minute earrings to match a bracelet I’m giving Pam at her birthday party tonight.
1:33 -- Okay, I’m seriously pouting here.
1:35 -- Might as well continue skimming book six.
1:59 -- *pout*
2:32 -- Oh, my goodness!!! How many Harry Potter’s did the UPS guy have to deliver today????
3:36 -- Still not here. Have to get ready for Pam’s party.
I arrived at Pam's party and called Mom and Dad. Still no book! Fifteen minutes later, Mom called me to let me know it had arrived. Yay!!
I got home from Pam's a little before 10:00. I showered the smell of barbecue off and then settled in, at exactly 10:19 to read.
Millie doesn't really care...
I read until 3:45, finally making myself close the book to get some sleep.
I spent most of Sunday reading, only taking breaks to fire off frantic emails to my friend Shae (who had already finished) and to eat and use the loo. Oh, and that one break to grudgingly empty the dishwasher for my mom.
I finally finished at 9:18 pm, and since then, I have been thinking almost non-stop about the book and its outcome. Here's what I've come up with:
1. The Deaths:
I always knew, deep down, that Harry just couldn't die. J.K. would have had a mutiny on her hands! And I am very glad that he got to survive, and to live without the constant fear and pain, and that piece of Voldemort's soul, in his life.
However, many good characters had to die along the way, and I am sad to see them go. The ones that hit me hardest were Dobby, Hedwig and Fred. Fred!! A poster at a website I read stated that the twins should have either lived or died together. I sort of have to agree. It is tragic that George lost his twin.
As for Dobby, what a heroic little elf! Even harder than reading of his death (for we all know that Dobby would be proud to die to save Harry, wouldn't he?), was reading how Harry felt the need to put his sweat and labor into giving Dobby a proper grave. It was so sweet and so sad all at once, especially when Ron and Dean silently jumped in and started to help. Luna's words at the funeral were so sweet and appropriate.
Hedwig--it's like Harry had to lose the last link he had to Privet Drive--and Hedwig was the only magical creature who shared the experience of living there with him. I was shocked when she died, but the more I think about it, the more I can convince myself that maybe he had to lose her, as he'd lost Dumbledore and Sirius.
I was also smashed by the deaths of Lupin and Tonks--their poor little boy! Though I knew, even before the epilogue, that Teddy would always know love in his life--especially with a godfather such as Harry.
Snape...he gets his own topic.
2. Severus Snape
I don't know where I got the idea, but I have wondered a time or two in the past whether Snape might have loved Lily Evans Potter. Turns out that hunch was correct, and it explains so much about his hatred for Harry (being so like Snape
s biggest nemesis, James Potter, in looks) and yet his absolute commitment to keeping that last piece of Lily safe and alive.
Ultimately, I'm glad that Snape was truly working for the good side. It is interesting (and so true to life) that he was, indeed, very flawed, and yet able to realize his past mistakes and make them right as much as he can.
He was never going to be able to have a great relationship with Harry. Had he lived, they probably would have come to a quiet understanding and gone on their separate paths. I'm glad, however, that Harry got a chance to learn the whole truth about Snape, and to forgive him.
3. Dumbledore
I didn't want to believe that Dumbledore really was dead for a long time after book six, but I did eventually allow that it was true. For Harry to complete his journey, he had to find strength on his own, and I know this is why we don't actually hear from Dumbledore until the very end, after Harry has sacrificed himself for those he loves.
I'm glad that Dumbledore proved to be just a man underneath all of his wisdom and power as a wizard. His flaws and his mistakes gave him that wisdom, and he was able to use it to help Harry.
I am also glad that Harry had a chance to say a final goodbye to Dumbledore, and to finally weave together all that had happened to him.
4. Best Quotes:
What I love about J.K. Rowling is that, even in the midst of sorrow, fear, or the ultimate battle of good versus evil, she can put so much heart and humor into her stories. This is what makes her books so appealing--that bit of levity that reminds us that even when the situation looks dire, there is always something to continue living for.
Some of the quotes in this book made me cheer clap my hands, laugh out loud, or moan in anguish. The best of the best:
"You wonderful boy. You brave, brave man." Dumbledore to Harry after Harry has sacrificed himself to Voldemort.
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Mrs. Weasley to Bellatrix Lestrange during the second Battle of Hogwart's. Seeing the word "bitch" in a Harry Potter novel shocked me, but given the context...well, who didn't laugh out loud?
"Naturally," said the old lady proudly. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him." Neville's grandmother, after Harry informs her that Neville is fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts.
"I was an idiot, i was a pompous prat, I was a -- a --"
"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," said Fred.
Percy swallowed.
"Yes, I was!"
"OI! There's a war going on here!" Harry to a kissing Ron and Hermione, after Ron has mentioned, to Hermione's delight, that they need to send the house-elves away from harm.
"Look..at...me..." Snape to Harry, wanting one last glimpse of Lily Potter's eyes before he dies.
"We are...so proud of you." The "ghost" of James Potter, to his son Harry, just before Harry walks up to Voldemort.
"Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!" Kreacher the house-elf, formerly a bad elf, now on Harry's side.
"Hello, Minister! Did I mention I'm resigning?" Percy Weasley, to the Imperiused Minister of Magic during the Battle of Hogwarts.
"Yes, I dare," said Harry, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle."
"Expelliarmus!" The spell Harry uses to finally defeat Voldemort.
"That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."
5. Neville Longbottom
Neville has been one of my favorite secondary characters from the start. This akward, clumsy young man first won my heart when he won ten points for Gryfindor in the first book, by standing up to his friends in the name of what he felt was right. His continued courage, even when everyone else thinks he is useless, always warmed my heart.
He finally started to come into his own in The Order of the Phoenix, when we see that he will fight for Harry and Dumbledore--not only to avenge is parents, but because it is the right thing to do.
I always knew that he would play a magnificent role in the last book, and he didn't let me down. While Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their quest to find the Horcruxes, Neville did all he could at Hogwart's, finally showing his worth as a wizard to his grandmother, and, of course, to himself. His loyalty and courage are what made the Sorting Hat summon Gryfindor's sword for him, and I find it highly fitting that he had a role in destroying one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
Like his gran, I am tremendously proud of him.
6. Ron and Hermione
It started on the Hogwart's express, and then with a troll in the girl's bathroom. Three young kids became inseperable friends. Ron and Hermione knew, from the start, that they would assist Harry until the very end of his journey.
Ron's role in destroying the locket Horcrux finally gave him closure to the inferiority and jealousy he sometimes felt in Harry's presence. I think this act of overcoming his own "inner demons," if you will, helped Ron to achieve that last bit of adulthood he needed to help Harry see things through.
Hermione, as ever, remained the level-headed witch she's always been. I love her quick mind, and her love of books (she had them sorted by subject in her enchanged purse!).
Though ultimately, Harry had to face Voldemort one-on-one, I know that having Ron and Hermione there with him throughout his journey made all the difference.
7. Percy Weasley
Percy!! You have redeemed yourself! Always a little bit of a prat, Percy disowned his family at the beginning of the fifth book, choosing to follow the promise of power at the Ministry over the love of his family.
I admit, I'd almost forgotten about him until he came rushing into the Room of Requirement, out of breath, and for once, not quite the "Perfect Prefect" he'd always prided himself on being.
Seeing this rushed, ruffled Percy made me laugh out loud, and when he reconciled with his family, I cheered (much to my own parents' consternation).
8. The Dursleys
In the notes I kept while reading the book, I simply put, "Wow, Dudley!" to express the pleasant surprise I felt when Harry and Dudley said goodbye. Turns out that while he is a spoiled, mean, stupid jerk, Dudley might, actually, sorta-kinda appreciate Harry. Especially seeing how Harry saved him from Dementors.
Also, seeing--in Snape's memory--that Petunia once wanted to be a witch like her sister was interesting. So her fear of the wizarding world and her hatred of Harry stems from good old-fashioned jealousy.
9. Voldemort
In the end, it was arrogance that brought about Voldemort's downfall. His own unwillingness to put any stock in human feelings made him weak. The moment he fell to the ground, hit by his own rebounging Avada Kedavra curse, I threw my arms in the air and cheered. Mom and Dad gave me curious looks. "Voldemort is dead! Harry did it!" I crowed.
After all of the lead-up and hype about Harry and Voldemort needing to battle each other to end it all, I was surprised at how short that final scene was...but after a lot of thought, it occured to me that when Harry came back from King's Cross, he'd really already won.
10. Harry
"You wonderful boy. You brave, brave man."
Dumbledore's words summed up so perfectly what I was thinking of Harry, and what I continued to think through the end of the book. After reading the sixth book, I commented to my friends how impressed I was by the man Harry was becoming. After the anger and resentment and general teenage angst he threw around in the fifth book, he matured a tremendous amount in the sixth. This book showed him to be the man that his parents and Dumbledore always hoped he would become.
The fact that Harry was a Horcrux didn't surprise me, though I think I'd had a discussion with Heather about whether or not a person could be a Horcrux, and we decided it wasn't possible that Harry was one. As I said, though, it didn't surprise me, and I found it the perfect way for the story to end. Harry had to sacrifice himself willingly to protect his friends, and yet, he could not truly be killed by Voldemort because Voldemort carried Harry's own blood in him. Brilliant!
We readers have seen Harry through not only an epic journey to defeat evil, but the journey to grow up and become a man. And what a man he is! Like Dumbledore, I am hugely proud of him.
11. The Book Itself
Some people have said it was slow in parts, others thought there was too much information crammed in.
I admit that I started to get a little bit impatient to read about the final battle, but I never felt bored by the rest of the story. I wanted the closure that was coming as J.K. tied up some of the loose ends. I knew that Harry's quest for the Horcruxes would have to be painstakingly slow.
It was, perhaps, the best of the seven books. I will read it again soon, because there was so much information to absorb. I'm still sort of reeling from it all.
12. The Epilogue
Cute! Some people at the fan sites have called it cheesy, but I'm glad we got to see Harry later in life as a husband, a proud father, and...happy. He is finally free, and though still famous (as evidenced by the Hogwart's students staring at him from the train), I get the feeling that his life is fairly normal and very, very satisfying. That's all I ever wanted for him, after his defeat of Voldemort.
I do have one complaint though--what happened to everyone else?? What do Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry do for a living? How is George getting along? What happened to the awful Umbridge? And Luna? Here's what I'd like to think:
The Weasley Family: It's obvious that Percy has some sort of job--either with the school or with the Ministry, and he has returned to his strictly rule-following, pompous ways...in the best sense, of course. Bill and Fleur are the likeliest parents of Victoire, so one can assume that they're still with Gringott's, perhaps, and living happily.
Charlie was never a huge character in the book, but one would assume he's still working with dragons. Molly and Arthur are probably delighted by their grandchildren, and I imagine that Harry and Ginny spend many a happy holiday at the Burrow with Ron and Hermione and the rest of the clan. Perhaps Arthur has a lofty position for Kingsley Shacklebolt at the Ministry.
George...poor George. My hope for him is that he has continued to build Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes into the biggest and best joke shop in the country, if not Europe. I'd like to imagine him consulting a portrait of his lost twin as he invents new products. I hope he's happy.
Delores Umbridge: Awful old hag!! I hope she is in Azkaban for all of her horrible deeds, from physically abusing Hogwart's students to the persecution of non-pureblood wizards.
Luna Lovegood: Luna is probably running the Quibbler now, and going on frequent exhibitions looking for Crumple-Horned Snorcacks and other non-exsistent creatures. I once thought that she and Neville might end up together in the romantic sense, but it doesn't look like that happened.
Jobs: It's hard to say what Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny are doing for a living. Obviously none of them work at Hogwart's, so I wonder if they are employed at the Ministry. I also wonder how much it affected the first three that they did not finish their education...though the whole defeating-Voldemort thing might be an excellent thing to put on a resume.
Hogwart's I am 100% sure that Professor McGonagall became Headmistress after the Battle of Hogwarts--who else would?
We've all known for a while that Ron and Hermione would end up together, so no surprises there!
13. The End?
Some people on fan sites cried when they reached the end of the book, knowing it is the last one, but the way I see it, we will always have this incredible series to enjoy over and over again.
All is well.
I can't believe it's over!
I am left, after reading the seventh and last book in the Harry Potter series, immensely proud of Harry and his friends, saddened by the deaths of many of them, and completely satisfied with how Voldemort's defeat came about.
It was a long weekend for me, and quite an adventure. It started on Friday night, as I walked the aisles of Border's Books and Music in Roseville, covertly taking pictures of people's costumes.
Coming very, very soon:
Hagrid and Delores Umbridge:
Luna (isn't she cute?!):
Another of Luna:
Professor Trelawney (she even had a crystal ball made of a balloon, and the perfect glasses:
I left at 11:30; my copy was coming from Amazon, and I wanted to miss the worst of the chaos. I came home and had a good nights' sleep. Had to be ready to read, you know!
Saturday dawned and I anxiously showered and sat down to wait for the UPS guy to come. A look at how my day went, according to the log I kept:
10:10 -- Finished reading Order of the Phoenix…where is UPS?!
10:17 -- Will now skim through Half-Blood Prince…need to brush up on Horcruxes.
10:58 -- Double-check at Amazon.com to make sure I told them to deliver the book to Lincoln, not Antioch.
11:01 -- Yay! As of 9:34 yesterday morning, my book was in Rocklin.
11:40 -- Still no book. I am making some lunch now.
12:11 -- Where is the UPS guy?!?
12:13 -- I want my book…*pout*
12:46 -- *sigh*
1:30 -- How long does this take?!?!? Have finished putting together some last-minute earrings to match a bracelet I’m giving Pam at her birthday party tonight.
1:33 -- Okay, I’m seriously pouting here.
1:35 -- Might as well continue skimming book six.
1:59 -- *pout*
2:32 -- Oh, my goodness!!! How many Harry Potter’s did the UPS guy have to deliver today????
3:36 -- Still not here. Have to get ready for Pam’s party.
I arrived at Pam's party and called Mom and Dad. Still no book! Fifteen minutes later, Mom called me to let me know it had arrived. Yay!!
I got home from Pam's a little before 10:00. I showered the smell of barbecue off and then settled in, at exactly 10:19 to read.
Millie doesn't really care...
I read until 3:45, finally making myself close the book to get some sleep.
I spent most of Sunday reading, only taking breaks to fire off frantic emails to my friend Shae (who had already finished) and to eat and use the loo. Oh, and that one break to grudgingly empty the dishwasher for my mom.
I finally finished at 9:18 pm, and since then, I have been thinking almost non-stop about the book and its outcome. Here's what I've come up with:
1. The Deaths:
I always knew, deep down, that Harry just couldn't die. J.K. would have had a mutiny on her hands! And I am very glad that he got to survive, and to live without the constant fear and pain, and that piece of Voldemort's soul, in his life.
However, many good characters had to die along the way, and I am sad to see them go. The ones that hit me hardest were Dobby, Hedwig and Fred. Fred!! A poster at a website I read stated that the twins should have either lived or died together. I sort of have to agree. It is tragic that George lost his twin.
As for Dobby, what a heroic little elf! Even harder than reading of his death (for we all know that Dobby would be proud to die to save Harry, wouldn't he?), was reading how Harry felt the need to put his sweat and labor into giving Dobby a proper grave. It was so sweet and so sad all at once, especially when Ron and Dean silently jumped in and started to help. Luna's words at the funeral were so sweet and appropriate.
Hedwig--it's like Harry had to lose the last link he had to Privet Drive--and Hedwig was the only magical creature who shared the experience of living there with him. I was shocked when she died, but the more I think about it, the more I can convince myself that maybe he had to lose her, as he'd lost Dumbledore and Sirius.
I was also smashed by the deaths of Lupin and Tonks--their poor little boy! Though I knew, even before the epilogue, that Teddy would always know love in his life--especially with a godfather such as Harry.
Snape...he gets his own topic.
2. Severus Snape
I don't know where I got the idea, but I have wondered a time or two in the past whether Snape might have loved Lily Evans Potter. Turns out that hunch was correct, and it explains so much about his hatred for Harry (being so like Snape
s biggest nemesis, James Potter, in looks) and yet his absolute commitment to keeping that last piece of Lily safe and alive.
Ultimately, I'm glad that Snape was truly working for the good side. It is interesting (and so true to life) that he was, indeed, very flawed, and yet able to realize his past mistakes and make them right as much as he can.
He was never going to be able to have a great relationship with Harry. Had he lived, they probably would have come to a quiet understanding and gone on their separate paths. I'm glad, however, that Harry got a chance to learn the whole truth about Snape, and to forgive him.
3. Dumbledore
I didn't want to believe that Dumbledore really was dead for a long time after book six, but I did eventually allow that it was true. For Harry to complete his journey, he had to find strength on his own, and I know this is why we don't actually hear from Dumbledore until the very end, after Harry has sacrificed himself for those he loves.
I'm glad that Dumbledore proved to be just a man underneath all of his wisdom and power as a wizard. His flaws and his mistakes gave him that wisdom, and he was able to use it to help Harry.
I am also glad that Harry had a chance to say a final goodbye to Dumbledore, and to finally weave together all that had happened to him.
4. Best Quotes:
What I love about J.K. Rowling is that, even in the midst of sorrow, fear, or the ultimate battle of good versus evil, she can put so much heart and humor into her stories. This is what makes her books so appealing--that bit of levity that reminds us that even when the situation looks dire, there is always something to continue living for.
Some of the quotes in this book made me cheer clap my hands, laugh out loud, or moan in anguish. The best of the best:
"You wonderful boy. You brave, brave man." Dumbledore to Harry after Harry has sacrificed himself to Voldemort.
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Mrs. Weasley to Bellatrix Lestrange during the second Battle of Hogwart's. Seeing the word "bitch" in a Harry Potter novel shocked me, but given the context...well, who didn't laugh out loud?
"Naturally," said the old lady proudly. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him." Neville's grandmother, after Harry informs her that Neville is fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts.
"I was an idiot, i was a pompous prat, I was a -- a --"
"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," said Fred.
Percy swallowed.
"Yes, I was!"
"OI! There's a war going on here!" Harry to a kissing Ron and Hermione, after Ron has mentioned, to Hermione's delight, that they need to send the house-elves away from harm.
"Look..at...me..." Snape to Harry, wanting one last glimpse of Lily Potter's eyes before he dies.
"We are...so proud of you." The "ghost" of James Potter, to his son Harry, just before Harry walks up to Voldemort.
"Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!" Kreacher the house-elf, formerly a bad elf, now on Harry's side.
"Hello, Minister! Did I mention I'm resigning?" Percy Weasley, to the Imperiused Minister of Magic during the Battle of Hogwarts.
"Yes, I dare," said Harry, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle."
"Expelliarmus!" The spell Harry uses to finally defeat Voldemort.
"That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."
5. Neville Longbottom
Neville has been one of my favorite secondary characters from the start. This akward, clumsy young man first won my heart when he won ten points for Gryfindor in the first book, by standing up to his friends in the name of what he felt was right. His continued courage, even when everyone else thinks he is useless, always warmed my heart.
He finally started to come into his own in The Order of the Phoenix, when we see that he will fight for Harry and Dumbledore--not only to avenge is parents, but because it is the right thing to do.
I always knew that he would play a magnificent role in the last book, and he didn't let me down. While Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their quest to find the Horcruxes, Neville did all he could at Hogwart's, finally showing his worth as a wizard to his grandmother, and, of course, to himself. His loyalty and courage are what made the Sorting Hat summon Gryfindor's sword for him, and I find it highly fitting that he had a role in destroying one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
Like his gran, I am tremendously proud of him.
6. Ron and Hermione
It started on the Hogwart's express, and then with a troll in the girl's bathroom. Three young kids became inseperable friends. Ron and Hermione knew, from the start, that they would assist Harry until the very end of his journey.
Ron's role in destroying the locket Horcrux finally gave him closure to the inferiority and jealousy he sometimes felt in Harry's presence. I think this act of overcoming his own "inner demons," if you will, helped Ron to achieve that last bit of adulthood he needed to help Harry see things through.
Hermione, as ever, remained the level-headed witch she's always been. I love her quick mind, and her love of books (she had them sorted by subject in her enchanged purse!).
Though ultimately, Harry had to face Voldemort one-on-one, I know that having Ron and Hermione there with him throughout his journey made all the difference.
7. Percy Weasley
Percy!! You have redeemed yourself! Always a little bit of a prat, Percy disowned his family at the beginning of the fifth book, choosing to follow the promise of power at the Ministry over the love of his family.
I admit, I'd almost forgotten about him until he came rushing into the Room of Requirement, out of breath, and for once, not quite the "Perfect Prefect" he'd always prided himself on being.
Seeing this rushed, ruffled Percy made me laugh out loud, and when he reconciled with his family, I cheered (much to my own parents' consternation).
8. The Dursleys
In the notes I kept while reading the book, I simply put, "Wow, Dudley!" to express the pleasant surprise I felt when Harry and Dudley said goodbye. Turns out that while he is a spoiled, mean, stupid jerk, Dudley might, actually, sorta-kinda appreciate Harry. Especially seeing how Harry saved him from Dementors.
Also, seeing--in Snape's memory--that Petunia once wanted to be a witch like her sister was interesting. So her fear of the wizarding world and her hatred of Harry stems from good old-fashioned jealousy.
9. Voldemort
In the end, it was arrogance that brought about Voldemort's downfall. His own unwillingness to put any stock in human feelings made him weak. The moment he fell to the ground, hit by his own rebounging Avada Kedavra curse, I threw my arms in the air and cheered. Mom and Dad gave me curious looks. "Voldemort is dead! Harry did it!" I crowed.
After all of the lead-up and hype about Harry and Voldemort needing to battle each other to end it all, I was surprised at how short that final scene was...but after a lot of thought, it occured to me that when Harry came back from King's Cross, he'd really already won.
10. Harry
"You wonderful boy. You brave, brave man."
Dumbledore's words summed up so perfectly what I was thinking of Harry, and what I continued to think through the end of the book. After reading the sixth book, I commented to my friends how impressed I was by the man Harry was becoming. After the anger and resentment and general teenage angst he threw around in the fifth book, he matured a tremendous amount in the sixth. This book showed him to be the man that his parents and Dumbledore always hoped he would become.
The fact that Harry was a Horcrux didn't surprise me, though I think I'd had a discussion with Heather about whether or not a person could be a Horcrux, and we decided it wasn't possible that Harry was one. As I said, though, it didn't surprise me, and I found it the perfect way for the story to end. Harry had to sacrifice himself willingly to protect his friends, and yet, he could not truly be killed by Voldemort because Voldemort carried Harry's own blood in him. Brilliant!
We readers have seen Harry through not only an epic journey to defeat evil, but the journey to grow up and become a man. And what a man he is! Like Dumbledore, I am hugely proud of him.
11. The Book Itself
Some people have said it was slow in parts, others thought there was too much information crammed in.
I admit that I started to get a little bit impatient to read about the final battle, but I never felt bored by the rest of the story. I wanted the closure that was coming as J.K. tied up some of the loose ends. I knew that Harry's quest for the Horcruxes would have to be painstakingly slow.
It was, perhaps, the best of the seven books. I will read it again soon, because there was so much information to absorb. I'm still sort of reeling from it all.
12. The Epilogue
Cute! Some people at the fan sites have called it cheesy, but I'm glad we got to see Harry later in life as a husband, a proud father, and...happy. He is finally free, and though still famous (as evidenced by the Hogwart's students staring at him from the train), I get the feeling that his life is fairly normal and very, very satisfying. That's all I ever wanted for him, after his defeat of Voldemort.
I do have one complaint though--what happened to everyone else?? What do Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry do for a living? How is George getting along? What happened to the awful Umbridge? And Luna? Here's what I'd like to think:
The Weasley Family: It's obvious that Percy has some sort of job--either with the school or with the Ministry, and he has returned to his strictly rule-following, pompous ways...in the best sense, of course. Bill and Fleur are the likeliest parents of Victoire, so one can assume that they're still with Gringott's, perhaps, and living happily.
Charlie was never a huge character in the book, but one would assume he's still working with dragons. Molly and Arthur are probably delighted by their grandchildren, and I imagine that Harry and Ginny spend many a happy holiday at the Burrow with Ron and Hermione and the rest of the clan. Perhaps Arthur has a lofty position for Kingsley Shacklebolt at the Ministry.
George...poor George. My hope for him is that he has continued to build Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes into the biggest and best joke shop in the country, if not Europe. I'd like to imagine him consulting a portrait of his lost twin as he invents new products. I hope he's happy.
Delores Umbridge: Awful old hag!! I hope she is in Azkaban for all of her horrible deeds, from physically abusing Hogwart's students to the persecution of non-pureblood wizards.
Luna Lovegood: Luna is probably running the Quibbler now, and going on frequent exhibitions looking for Crumple-Horned Snorcacks and other non-exsistent creatures. I once thought that she and Neville might end up together in the romantic sense, but it doesn't look like that happened.
Jobs: It's hard to say what Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny are doing for a living. Obviously none of them work at Hogwart's, so I wonder if they are employed at the Ministry. I also wonder how much it affected the first three that they did not finish their education...though the whole defeating-Voldemort thing might be an excellent thing to put on a resume.
Hogwart's I am 100% sure that Professor McGonagall became Headmistress after the Battle of Hogwarts--who else would?
We've all known for a while that Ron and Hermione would end up together, so no surprises there!
13. The End?
Some people on fan sites cried when they reached the end of the book, knowing it is the last one, but the way I see it, we will always have this incredible series to enjoy over and over again.
All is well.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thirteen Hours...
...'til the release (on the west coast, anyway) of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!
I am going to a Midnight Madness party tonight, but my own copy of the book will arrive via owl (well, UPS, actually) tomorrow sometime.
In the meantime, I am now starting a bit of a media ban for myself until I've had a chance to read the book from cover to cover. I will limit my exposure to the Internet (only reading email, so no spoilers, please!!) and TV. Fox News was talking about the leak this morning, and I actually stuck my fingers in my hears and sang to myself. My parents think I'm a little bit strange.
Will also be avoiding listening to DJs on the radio, which I do, normally, anyway. I am taking my iPod to the Midnight Madness party tonight, just in case, as I leave, there are nasty people yelling out plot spoilers. You never know!
Hopefully I will be able to avoid spoilers and enjoy the book in my own good time--which should, knowing myself, be under 24 hours.
Happy reading, everyone!
I am going to a Midnight Madness party tonight, but my own copy of the book will arrive via owl (well, UPS, actually) tomorrow sometime.
In the meantime, I am now starting a bit of a media ban for myself until I've had a chance to read the book from cover to cover. I will limit my exposure to the Internet (only reading email, so no spoilers, please!!) and TV. Fox News was talking about the leak this morning, and I actually stuck my fingers in my hears and sang to myself. My parents think I'm a little bit strange.
Will also be avoiding listening to DJs on the radio, which I do, normally, anyway. I am taking my iPod to the Midnight Madness party tonight, just in case, as I leave, there are nasty people yelling out plot spoilers. You never know!
Hopefully I will be able to avoid spoilers and enjoy the book in my own good time--which should, knowing myself, be under 24 hours.
Happy reading, everyone!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
I'm Firing My Fairy Godmother
She's really dropping the ball.
You know, most of the time (I dunno, about 95-98% of the time, really), I'm actually quite content to be single.
Let's face it, we live in a day and age in which women must be prepared to take care of themselves. Marriage comes later to most of us. Many of us choose to be unmarried longer because there's a lot of world out there to see and experience.
So yeah, most of the time I'm actually quite cheerful about the fact that I'm free to do what I want, when I want, without consulting a significant other, or worrying that he might want my time. My toilet seat is always left down. No one leaves their messes in my home--any messes are my own. There's no one hogging the covers at night, or snoring.
Life is good!
But then there's that pesky 2-5% of the time that I really, really wish I had someone to cuddle with when I'm watching a movie. I'd so adore having someone to take impromptu weekend trips to Napa or Tahoe with. But meeting people seems to be so difficult. I'm not happy to troll the bars looking for Mr. Right Now, and I have had ZERO luck meeting guys at work (besides, there's that whole "Ewww...dating a colleague" factor).
So, in moments of supreme weakness, I do the inevitable: I call upon my fairy godmother and sign up for the nearest online dating program.
First it was Match. Then Yahoo Personals. I'm noticing a disturbing trend: The guys I find reasonably attractive always end up being those annoying types with profiles that read like the Super Summer Edition of Extreme Outdoors Magazine. "I like hiking, camping, biking, kayaking, cross-coutry skiing, snowboarding, moutain climbing, swimming with sharks, and next week I'm leaving to climb Everest. I'm looking for a girl who doesn't mind getting a little bit dirty. : )"
Heather summed up best: "Listen, I'm not sleeping with a rock up my ass. Been there, done that."
Okay, back to the drawing board. Hey, nice photo! I check out the profile to find another huge pet peeve: "hi. i am looking fro a gal to hangout with and be friends with maybe more. no drama pleese. i have lots of self confidants."
Okay, boys, listen up: If you can't use the freakin' spell check option and learn at least rudimentary grammar, then don't write to me. Assume that I will be treating your profile/email as a possible employer would read your resume.
Then there was the guy whose headline caught my eye: "Looking for a girl with a sense of humor."
Hey, this is promising! I'm all about having a sense of humor!
Turns out every single photo this guy has posted of himself is basically the same. In each one he looks pissed-off and constipated.
Okay, Fairy Godmother, I'm getting a little bit piqued here. Work your magic!
Unfortunately, my fairy godmother is stuck in traffic on Highway 4, driving her pink Caddie and chain-smoking a mile a minute. She's not exactly on par with Cinderella's fairy godmother; I found her in the Yellow Pages.
This is Eunice:
And so I wait, clicking on profile after profile, starting and ending hopeless conversations with men I have absolutely no interest in, just to say I'm trying. After four months of being on Yahoo, I've had one date. But hey, I got a great filet mignon and some decent conversation!
Beyond that, however, it's been all duds. Take my most recent adventure with a guy I'll call Kid--short for kidney.
Kid found my profile and emailed me on April 26. At the time, my headline was "Is San Francisco on an Island?" This was my witty introduction, with the ensuing explanation that a student had asked me this in class one day. Ha ha, how cute! Etc.
So Kid reached out in an effort to meet me (message shown as I received it, aside from names being changed to protect the idiotic--edited bits are in brackets):
I didn't respond to this message (if you know me at all, you know why). Really--get it straight, dude! Yerba Buena Island is that little tiny one in the bay that the Bay Bridge runs across. Duh! I quickly forgot about Kid, until he emailed me again on July 5th:
Kidney transplant?!?
There was nothing I could think to say in reply to this message, so I let it go. Imagine my surprise (and dismay) when I opened my messages yesterday to the following:
At this point, I figured I needed to let him down, so I sent the following Quick Reply: Thanks but I just don't think we're a good match. Take care.
I went out with Heather to dinner and a movie. I crashed at her place, so when we got there, I checked my email. Guess what? Another message from Kid:
Gee, that's not contradictory or anything. I blocked him, and reported him to Yahoo. I was tempted to reply to him to let him know that trying to woo a girl with talks of unemployment and kidney transplants is NOT the way to go...but I let it go.
So yeah, I'm firing my fairy godmother. I've deleted my Yahoo profile. I might give Eharmony a go, but for at least this next week, I'm going to hole up in my apartment with my scrapbooking stuff, my DVD collection, and a good, stiff appletini. Who needs Prince Charming when I've got Mr. Darcy and vodka?
You know, most of the time (I dunno, about 95-98% of the time, really), I'm actually quite content to be single.
Let's face it, we live in a day and age in which women must be prepared to take care of themselves. Marriage comes later to most of us. Many of us choose to be unmarried longer because there's a lot of world out there to see and experience.
So yeah, most of the time I'm actually quite cheerful about the fact that I'm free to do what I want, when I want, without consulting a significant other, or worrying that he might want my time. My toilet seat is always left down. No one leaves their messes in my home--any messes are my own. There's no one hogging the covers at night, or snoring.
Life is good!
But then there's that pesky 2-5% of the time that I really, really wish I had someone to cuddle with when I'm watching a movie. I'd so adore having someone to take impromptu weekend trips to Napa or Tahoe with. But meeting people seems to be so difficult. I'm not happy to troll the bars looking for Mr. Right Now, and I have had ZERO luck meeting guys at work (besides, there's that whole "Ewww...dating a colleague" factor).
So, in moments of supreme weakness, I do the inevitable: I call upon my fairy godmother and sign up for the nearest online dating program.
First it was Match. Then Yahoo Personals. I'm noticing a disturbing trend: The guys I find reasonably attractive always end up being those annoying types with profiles that read like the Super Summer Edition of Extreme Outdoors Magazine. "I like hiking, camping, biking, kayaking, cross-coutry skiing, snowboarding, moutain climbing, swimming with sharks, and next week I'm leaving to climb Everest. I'm looking for a girl who doesn't mind getting a little bit dirty. : )"
Heather summed up best: "Listen, I'm not sleeping with a rock up my ass. Been there, done that."
Okay, back to the drawing board. Hey, nice photo! I check out the profile to find another huge pet peeve: "hi. i am looking fro a gal to hangout with and be friends with maybe more. no drama pleese. i have lots of self confidants."
Okay, boys, listen up: If you can't use the freakin' spell check option and learn at least rudimentary grammar, then don't write to me. Assume that I will be treating your profile/email as a possible employer would read your resume.
Then there was the guy whose headline caught my eye: "Looking for a girl with a sense of humor."
Hey, this is promising! I'm all about having a sense of humor!
Turns out every single photo this guy has posted of himself is basically the same. In each one he looks pissed-off and constipated.
Okay, Fairy Godmother, I'm getting a little bit piqued here. Work your magic!
Unfortunately, my fairy godmother is stuck in traffic on Highway 4, driving her pink Caddie and chain-smoking a mile a minute. She's not exactly on par with Cinderella's fairy godmother; I found her in the Yellow Pages.
This is Eunice:
And so I wait, clicking on profile after profile, starting and ending hopeless conversations with men I have absolutely no interest in, just to say I'm trying. After four months of being on Yahoo, I've had one date. But hey, I got a great filet mignon and some decent conversation!
Beyond that, however, it's been all duds. Take my most recent adventure with a guy I'll call Kid--short for kidney.
Kid found my profile and emailed me on April 26. At the time, my headline was "Is San Francisco on an Island?" This was my witty introduction, with the ensuing explanation that a student had asked me this in class one day. Ha ha, how cute! Etc.
So Kid reached out in an effort to meet me (message shown as I received it, aside from names being changed to protect the idiotic--edited bits are in brackets):
hi megan. i'm [kid] and it's great to meet you. come to think of it, san francisco is on an island lol. used to be known as yueba buena did you know that? anyway, i understand that you're high school teacher. what school do you teach at? must be fun being a teacher i guess lol! anyway, i loved reading your profile and i hope that we get a chance to chat and get to know one another, sounds good? you sound like a very nice cute gal and i like to chat and get to know you. hope i'm not scaring you away, am i? sorry if i am. just so happy to finally meet someone like you. i do have a great sense of humor and i enjoy making many people laugh even myself lol! nothing wrong with laughing at yourself is there? i guess it's ok just as long as no one catches you lol! hope to hear from you soon.. nice to meet you megan and take care. [kid].
I didn't respond to this message (if you know me at all, you know why). Really--get it straight, dude! Yerba Buena Island is that little tiny one in the bay that the Bay Bridge runs across. Duh! I quickly forgot about Kid, until he emailed me again on July 5th:
hi megan. how are you been doing? i just read your profile and i loved it very much. i hope you're had a great 4th of july as well. enjoying your summer off? must be a fun job teaching chorus and which high school do you teach at [stag mountain] or [your town] high? anyway, i'm doing ok myself. not working right now because i've been on disability and on dialysis for over two years now. i'm currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant and i hope it'll come soon. you do have a cute name and that's the same name as my dietitian who just left to work for another dialysis company recently and she's a few years younger than you and also cute just like you which is a coincidence lol! did you know that megan means great in greek? it's true i checked it out online under baby names. anyway, i'm a nice, easy going kind of guy with a great sense of humor and loves to have fun whether it's going to a ballgame, movie, dining out, cooking, or just hanging out at home and relaxing. i do love cats and i have only one right now. another one died a couple of months ago. he was sick. i don't travel much anymore like i used to. i've been to italy, germany, switzerland, phillppines. never been to england but would love to someday. how long have you lived in england and is it any different than here? i guess you loved it here in california like i do lol! trying to cope with the very hot weather we been having this week so far. do you like warmer weather or cooler weather? how long have you lived in [east bay town] so far? i lived here in [other east bay town] for almost all my life so if you like me to show you around the area, i would love to. so much to see and do around here. the delta is lovely especially this time of year where many people would go out there to fish or just to watch. also, boating out there. anyway, i would love to hear from you soon so hope you write back to me soon. if you like to chat with me, we can chat on the yahoo messenger ok. write back soon and let me know ok. nice meeting you megan and hope to hear from you soon. take care. love, [kid].
Kidney transplant?!?
There was nothing I could think to say in reply to this message, so I let it go. Imagine my surprise (and dismay) when I opened my messages yesterday to the following:
hi megan. how are you been doing? i just saw your new pictures on here and i like them very much. anyway, you haven't wrote back to me yet so i figure that you're not interested in me and if that's true, tell me and i'll understand. you look like a very pretty woman and i loved your profile very much and i want to get to know you ok. hope i'm not scaring y ou away am i? i always think and fear that i scare many gals away on here because they either don't want to talk to me or they're not interested. i'm not that bad of a guy. i'm honest, easy going, nice and loves to chat and have fun. i really like to get to know you and be friends and hopefully go on from here. i hope to hear from you soon. take care and have a good day. sincerely, [kid].
At this point, I figured I needed to let him down, so I sent the following Quick Reply: Thanks but I just don't think we're a good match. Take care.
I went out with Heather to dinner and a movie. I crashed at her place, so when we got there, I checked my email. Guess what? Another message from Kid:
what do you mean by that? that just breaks my heart. you seem like a nice gal. anyway, i don't take rejections that well and that's all i've been getting on here. it's frustrating when i get rejections and i bet you don't get them at all do you? why is it that i'm the one getting all these rejections? is it the way i look? my life hasn't been perfect so if guess you think of me as a loser which i don't think i am. i guess me being on disability really turned you off and i'm sorry if i turned you off on that one. i guess no one wants to be friends or go out with someone like me and it really sucks. can we be at least friends? i guess not. anyway, i guess as soon as i cancel my membership on here soon, the better i feel. i have not had any luck on here so i guess dating isn't for me. i guess i have to single forever which sucks. i guess you and everyone on here don't see me as a nice guy like i say i am and i don't play games either. so whatever the reason why you don't like me at all, i can understand. i guess everyone on here has the right to be shallow and self centered. anyway, if you don't want to be friends that's ok. best of luck to you and take care.
Gee, that's not contradictory or anything. I blocked him, and reported him to Yahoo. I was tempted to reply to him to let him know that trying to woo a girl with talks of unemployment and kidney transplants is NOT the way to go...but I let it go.
So yeah, I'm firing my fairy godmother. I've deleted my Yahoo profile. I might give Eharmony a go, but for at least this next week, I'm going to hole up in my apartment with my scrapbooking stuff, my DVD collection, and a good, stiff appletini. Who needs Prince Charming when I've got Mr. Darcy and vodka?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
I've Said It Before...
and I'll say it again.
Quiet possibly the most beautiful man to ever grace the planet:
I watched Hope Floats today. Besides being a great little movie, it has the oh-so-sexy-and-he-can-sing-too Harry Connick Jr.
*sigh*
Quiet possibly the most beautiful man to ever grace the planet:
I watched Hope Floats today. Besides being a great little movie, it has the oh-so-sexy-and-he-can-sing-too Harry Connick Jr.
*sigh*
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Next Time I Go to England...
I can go to the pub and have a smoke-free environment. Go, England!!
In the meantime, I'm enjoying my summer in California so far. Last weekend I had a terrific Girl's Night with Heather, eating a good meal at Roseville's Crush and then going dancing. This weekend I've been busy, having dinner at TGI Friday's with Katie and Leslie on Friday night, and going to a concert-in-the-park event near Heather's home last night. The Stones cover band wasn't that great, but the lead singer's drunken ramblings were entertaining and the company was, as always, fabulous. We had a lovely impromptu picnic dinner and the wine flowed freely. Lovely!
Today I'm off to Davis to meet Summer. We'll bum around the downtown area for a little bit.
The week should be fairly quiet, with the notable exception of Independance Day. Still no concrete plans for that.
Ahh, summertime!
In the meantime, I'm enjoying my summer in California so far. Last weekend I had a terrific Girl's Night with Heather, eating a good meal at Roseville's Crush and then going dancing. This weekend I've been busy, having dinner at TGI Friday's with Katie and Leslie on Friday night, and going to a concert-in-the-park event near Heather's home last night. The Stones cover band wasn't that great, but the lead singer's drunken ramblings were entertaining and the company was, as always, fabulous. We had a lovely impromptu picnic dinner and the wine flowed freely. Lovely!
Today I'm off to Davis to meet Summer. We'll bum around the downtown area for a little bit.
The week should be fairly quiet, with the notable exception of Independance Day. Still no concrete plans for that.
Ahh, summertime!
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