Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Currently watching: the entire Harry Potter series, just finishing up the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Cannot believe how absolutely little and adorable the threesome are in that movie! The changes in their appearances from the first movie to the most recent are stupendous. Now, obviously they look a bit older than the required 16/17 that they are supposed to be in the most recent movie, but it's still interesting to think of how much our bodies change from the age of 11 to the age of 17. No wonder it's such an awkward, difficult period for most people.

Anyway, as a whole, the first movie is wonderful. Although the sets are so obviously fake, and the costumes are one step away from the terrible 90's horror flicks, you can see that it was basically taking that first dive into the foray of fantasy films.

(However, hands down, Lord of the Rings wins for quality of CGI and costumes. Weta Workshop is not to be trifled with.)

At some points in the movie, after reading the books several times, you can get a bit annoyed at how the directors blatantly cut out bits of the book from the movie, and awkwardly pieced certain parts together. A brief introduction of "Norbert" (the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon) and then his sudden disappearance to the Romanian colony, coupled with Hagrid's sobs leaves the viewer feeling a bit cheated. Clearly they only included that part to explain Hagrid telling the secret to the stranger in the inn. Um, why not just get Hagrid all sauced up and have him blurt out all the information about "Fluffy" (the three-headed dog).

In some ways, you can see that the director was attempting to keep as much of the book in the movie, which I do appreciate to some extent. Certainly I enjoyed the first movie almost more than the recent ones, as a young, fresh-faced, and innocent Potter is much more enjoyable than the angsty one.

It's easy to see why the Harry Potter series draws children in so strongly; even as an adult, the idea of leaving the realities of this world, to live in a remote area with all your friends, is appealing. You can see that the books and movies can become a form of escapism for unhappy children, teenagers, and even adults.

I will continue to update and post more thoughts on these movies.

*Trying* To Get "Regular"

Alright, I am determined to get back into the groove of consistent posting.

I am going to assume that it will be a bit difficult, considering that I practically disappeared from blogging last month.

On top of that, most tragically, I have not been able to find the urge or compulsion to journal, even though I feel conflicted almost every day, and still find myself struggling from over-thinking.

Also, I plan on attempting to avoid contractions such as "I'm" and "Haven't" and "Wasn't", and so on.

So let me ramble on with a few thoughts before bedtime.

Rats.

The thoughts that I felt were so pressing have completely deserted me at this moment...

Sometimes I marvel at the poetry of song-writers, who can loop together fragments of words to create this beautiful piece of art that conveys feeling and emotion through sound/singing.

Today Christmas officially started for me, in some strange manner.

My mother's extended family had their Christmas party today--yes, a full month before actual Christmas. Apparently it is only possible to everyone to be present if it is held early.

(A Lord Of The Rings track just popped on and is causing me to miss it terribly. Not to mention, Christmas always equates LotR in my mind, because the movies were released annually around Christmas for three years.)

ANYWAY...The Christmas get-together was okay. Simply okay. My aunt was surprisingly caustic and amusing, and at the end of the reunion while I was practically racing for the exit, a random relative (don't know who he is or his name) muttered something about hating reunions. I was surprised but pleased.

I suppose it makes me a lazy and selfish person, that I care so little for others, and make hardly any attempt to touch base with people...but I feel as though I look at the big picture...that I see these people once a year, sometimes every other year, and if I can't recall their names, what impact will I have on their life? Small talk is boring. I'm only around for the long run.

(Sir James Galway is a genius. So is Howard Shore. Oh LotR...how I miss you.)

One of the relatives there (again, don't know name or relation) reminded me very strongly of a serial killer. I think it was creepy, black leather serial killer gloves that he donned as he was leaving.

Being a bit bored at one point today, I went back and was flipping through my last journal, and found myself nostalgic for summer. I already miss the warm winds and the beach and the suntanning and the daily jogs...it's only been two weeks of cold and I already am tired of it.

Every time I post on here, I wonder two things--
Why do I post on here?
Is anyone reading this?




Listening To:
The Grey Havens - Howard Shore, feat. Sir James Galway; Lord of The Rings: Return of the King
Love Will Make You Beautiful - The Afters

*The Reality of Loneliness/Onset of Life

The fact is, the more you think about it, the more you come to the all-consuming realization that life is about relationships, life is about people, and without those two core ingredients, we feel lonely, unhappy, and depressed. You can't be completely isolated and alone, and be happy. We always need to hear the opinions, thoughts, and feelings of our fellow man, and in turn share our innermost ideas and emotions to someone.

So what do you do when you have no one to talk to, when you feel you cannot trust anyone, when you face the grim prospect of a lonely life?

What happens when you walk everyday the same trail, looking down the tarmac to the stretched out walkway, I wonder often if I will everyday walk that way alone. When will the time come for me to walk with someone, and will I make to that time?

The onset of life is this--you cannot stop time, and it marches on with a frightening consistency, stopping for no man or beast, marching to the beat of it's own drum. Our whole lives revolve around time--minutes, weeks, years, months, and often we wake up and realize that years have gone by, and we don't feel alive.

It's amazing to think of the ability to be outside of time, so that we cannot age, cannot grow old, live eternally. The fountain of youth is a much desired and yearned for myth, for eternity is safer to some people than death.

But if you live your life fully, with honesty, always attempting to do your best, you will come to the end of your life and not be afraid to leave it, but rather, excited to move on to the next venture.

Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of this life, and beyond them are more than memories.
-Aragorn to Arwyn

*A Thought

Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path... One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass... And then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf?... See what?
Gandalf: White shores... and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: Well, that isn't so bad.
Gandalf: No... No it isn't.



A patient passed away on the floor today.
It's actually the first time a death has occurred while I've been on the ward.
I've come in after a death has happened, but not during.
A family member came up to me and through tears and a choked up voice said, "Someone needs to pronounce ... dead for the funeral home."
At first I sat there and couldn't really articulate words or think of what to say, so the first thing that came out of my mouth was unfortunately - "What?"
He was forced to repeat the request, and could barely manage to get the words out the second time around.
But a nurse overheard the second time around, and intervened mercifully.
I stamped up the death certificate and forms and carried it down to bed booking.
And every step I took, to the elevator, out of it, down a couple halls, takes my one step closer to death. Every second that passes, every breath I inhale and exhale delivers me nearer and nearer to that final destination point.
It's the inevitable end [and beginning] that we all must face.

So death isn't the closing of a book, it's the next chapter, it's the door into another life, it's the grey curtain that we pass through and emerge in another place.

And now...I feel as though I must run out and away, and experience every single thing that a human person can know. I must discover new lands and new peoples, I must breathe in life, and live it to the fullest extent possible. I must make every second count.