Book review (SPOILER WARNING)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book six of seven)
(SPOILER WARNING)
HP&HBP is an excellent book. Long and exciting, it was eagerly awaited for and bought by crazed fans of J.K. Rowling. It wasn't, however, as well-accepted as its predecessor, being rather long-winded and transversing into more of a romance novel, which crazed fans (including me, I guess) didn't like too much.
The Half-Blood Prince turned out to be Severus Snape, which was unusually obvious from the first several chapters.
A lot of questions were left unanswered, such as the question of horcruxes. According to my research, one of the most popular theories is that Harry himself is a Horcrux, but is usually dismissed as impossible.
Alltogether, I recommend it as necessary to keep up with with the series, though OotP was, in my opinion, much better written and more in like of J.K.'s style of writing.
<3-madd
WOW, three posts in a day. o_o
Random day of the thought
If humans evolved from monkeys, what did monkeys evolve from?
@carey
Thanks for asking, and no, my name isn't Madd. I wish it was though, that'd be awesome. "Hi, I'm Madd!" "O really? What's wrong?" "No, I'm MADD." "What happened?"
Heh. Anyway, you can call me Katy, though my /real/ name (disgusting as it is) is Kathryn Rene. My last name remains undisclosed, although it's long, annoying, and nobody can pronounce it, let alone spell it.
*dies*
I've never been so scared in my life.
11:31 PM Saturday night and running camera tomorrow. I could die. I want to die. I'll never sleep. Last time I ran camera I was awful. Fortunately Stephanie gave me a tip, to actually sit on the floor and slide around on your butt when you need a new shot. Also Mark said to take a deep breath just before your shot comes on, and hold it 'till it goes off. Still, I want to die. Not really. Maybe just hurt myself enough to earn a long stay in the hospital with everyone visiting and being unable to run camera. That was one of the few downfalls of having a broken foot, I was only in the ER for a few minutes, it wasn't serious enough for an overnight stay or anything. Which stank. XD I know, I'm ebil, but congratulate me on being honest.
Anyway, back to being terrified. If I could, I would seriously hurt myself, I'm that scared. I humiliated myself so bad two weeks ago.
Plus, I miss Bible Fellowship! I couldn't go last week, it was Easter, no BF. Maybe in two weeks, if Jonathan doesn't schedule me interferingly. I think seeing him makes up for lost BF time, however. Happy place...happy place...
On a lighter note, I spent a long time covering every inch of my cell phone with duct tape. It looks seriously awesome. If I'm not lazy I might just post a picture.
Fat chance.
Anyway, I should get to bed. Maybe a bit extra sleep will help (NOT).
All my loves!
<3-madd
RoE Part ii
Tears filled Ashley's eyes as she climbed into his van. It was a shiny red, not exactly something you'd expect a serial murderer to drive. But then of course, nothing about him was exactly what you'd expect.
He had graduated from his local college as valedictorian. Majoring in architecture, he had big plans. He wanted to design the White house.
For as long as he could remember, he'd wanted to design the White House. When he was little, the adults he told smiled and congratulated him on his plans. But as he grew older, they began rolling their eyes and shooting knowing glances in his direction. It was soon public knowledge, and everywhere he went people looked at him funny.
It was okay with him.
I'll show them, he used to think.
Just let them wait. When I get old enough, the White House will be MY own creation. It will be incredible. At the young age of ten, when other boys were out playing baseball, he would be in his room, looking through his vast collection of pictures of the White House, drawing rough sketches of what it looked like now and what it would look like when he was finished. In the beginning they were pretty much unintelligible, except for the big sign with the words
WITE HOUS on the front, in his best printing.
Soon, however, as with any skill, they improved. The drawing became more and more detailed, the spelling more accurate, and the design more reasonable. He had all his sketches in large notebook, and no one ever saw them. No one but...
He jerked and his mind recoiled at the memory.
That was then and this is now. He clambered into his van and turned the ignition. It was time.
Roar of Evil
He watched her closely. She was a perfect specemin for his experiment. Her hair was naturally blonde and wavy, but she had dyed it black with red highlights. Her pants were a dull, worn black with many chains hanging off them. Her shirt was also black, featuring a white skull dripping blood and a bloody knife lying nearby. The black denim jacket she sported was patched with many skulls and evil-looking characters. She had nearly a dozen silver chains hanging from her neck, the longest of which displayed a red ruby ring. Her hands were covered with silver rings and her arms with tattoos. Her face was thin and pale, giving it the appearance of a rotting skull. Her beautiful eyes were disguised with red contacts, peering out from a sunken face. Could you have seen her legs and arms, you would have noticed small scars lining each, evidence of the only escape she had.
The few customers in the store brave enough to venture near her sped up as they walked by, sending condescending glances her way.
She stood out like a black mark on a white sheet in the brightly-coloured store she was standing in.
He took in all this with one sweep of his eyes, and resumed browsing the wall of red and orange Polo shirts he was pretending to concider. Noticing her leave, he headed toward the door and resumed his twisted sport.
Ashley stalked from the store and headed down the mall hallway. Feeling a faint vibration against her leg, she reached in her pocket and pulled out a small cell phone. "Yeah."
"Ashley!" The cheery voice of her best friend chirped through the speaker.
"Hey, Lisa. Sup?" she spoke quietly as to not draw more attention than necessary to herself.
"Ashie, I'm just pulling up. Meet me at the Food Court in five?"
"No prob. See you there, Lee."
"Bye!"
Ashley did a quick about-face toward the food court and strode silently in the newest direction.
He was sitting in his car, listening to every word, from the first "Yeah" to the last "Bye".
"Hmm, if I hustle I can make it there just before them." He spoke to no one in particular. He often spoke this way to himself, his way of compensating for the lack of people to talk to in his life.
He knew Ashley would be approximately one-point-five minutes late to meet Lisa. He had studied the mall traffic as well as her pace. He knew which stores would make her hurry onward and which ones would make her stop and linger for a few seconds. He knew everything there was to know about her. More than she knew herself, perhaps, or at least he liked to think.
Sprinting across the parking lot, lost in his own musings, he nearly collided with an old lady and her two grandchildren. "Watch where you're going, Sonny!" He could hear her mumbling as he resumed pace.
He checked his watch. Four and one-quarter minutes. He smiled. Finally, the day had come. He had been waiting, planning, preparing for this day for months. Ever since he saw her, he knew she had to be his.
Ashley stopped momentarily to peer in the doorway of an intresting-looking store. Glancing at the watch around her wrist, she noted that only thirty seconds had passed, and that Lee was likely to be occupied talking to some cute guy or looking for the latest skirt in fashion. She hesitated, then strided into the store for a quick look around.
He drew closer to the food court, looking for that familiar flash and clink of silver. She obviously wasn't here yet. He leaned against the nearest support pole, facing the direction of the mall hallway, to wait for her.
Ash neared the food court, looking around for Lee.
Of course, she's late AGAIN. I can't take that girl anywhere. Noticing the support pillar near her, she placed her back against it, facing the food court, to wait for Lisa.
He heard it. the sound he'd been straining to hear. And it was right...behind...him...
Ashley felt a warm breath on her ear.
"Don't turn around. If you say so much as a word, this whole building will be blown to bits in less time than it takes to think.
The voice was cold and hard, but somehow familiar. She slowly turned around and found herslelf looking him straight in the eye.
Suddenly he knew. He had to get out of here, and fast.
Oh my gosh! It's him! What do I do? Oh, please, please, someone look this way!!"Remember, one word and thousands of people die," the voice hissed in her ear.
Lisa, oh Lisa, PLEASE hurry up!!"Your little friend...Leah, isn't it? won't be able to help you now. You're mine. All mine."
Ashley, lost in fear, screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Oh dear, sweet Ashley. I did warn you. But now it's too late."
A feeling of dread crept through her. Would she be responsible for the deaths of who-knows-how-mant people?
"Come, Ashley. It's time to meet your fate."
He rushed her through the crowded hallways, through the lobby, and out into the open sunlight.
"I didn't blow up the mall, and concequently you'll be thinking me a liar. Just to make sure you know I will do what I say, let me give you one more chance. You make one sound, one word, one scream, and I promise you, I WILL destroy that mall."
All this time he'd been walking her out, nearing his car.
"I...please!"
"Oh, Ashley. I think that was two words! I'm so sorry, but I believe you broke my rule. It's time for the concequenses."
He pulled put a small controller from his pocket. With an evil gleam in his eye, he flipped the switch on and the safter control off.
"Why don't YOU press it for me, Ashley? Come on, you know you want to."
As if in a trance, she moved toward the controller. Raising her hand, she slowly lowered it closer, closer, ever closer. Finally, she was touching the button.
"Go on, Ashley. You know you want to."
With a pained expression on her face, as if being forced to discipline a child, she pushed down on the black button.
"There you go. A bit harder now..."
With a deep sigh, she punched the button with her thumb. Instantly the building nearest to her went up with a huge blast, then the one adjoining, then the one nearest that.
"Good girl. Now, we'll just leave before they trace it to us, okay?"
She nodded blindly. She knew there was no chance of escaping this monster. She knew that if he didn't get his way he'd make someone else do it, get it, or find out how.
*twitch*
Hyo!
Yesterday was fun. Dad was home all day and we went riding. We were headed home and Flash started galloping and bucking away.
In a moment of brilliance, Dad went "Did you see that???"
I just stared at him.
"Dad, I was RIDING HIM! What do you mean?? Of COURSE I saw it!!"
It was funny. It was just like a rodeo, Dad said, only I didn't fall off. Legs are bruised from hitting against the saddle. Wow fun.
Besides that, Flash and Zip were perfect angels. Zipper was the poster-boy for ADHD, the usual puffball of energy, but he did well for Zipper.
Today's been borjing so far. Watch maritians land now, just 'cause I said it. Mom's subbing at school and Dad's on call. Jesse's at school as well. Getting ready to call Olivia, after spending the day Saturday here she came down with a bad cold. Sorry Luffey. ;;
Later.
<3-madd
...no.
You all will (or should, anyway) know that I volunteered to work in Elevate on some Sundays.
Well, today was my first day. Let me first say, I tried. I really did.
Apparently and unfortunately, they no longer have tripod cameras, they're all mobile ones. Ashley was using the vest-camera
(don't feel like explaining it. Ask Stephanie. sasifrass.blogspot.com)
The first two songs I couldn't hold still. I don't know exactly why but I was shaking so hard. I felt like I was gonna puke. it was awful and I did terribly.
Poor Stephanie (My kinda boss, lol. Diffrent one from ^that one.) was trying to be nice and sweet but I bet she was irritated at me.
It was LOUD up front, with drums and three guitars, I had a lot of trouble hearing through the headset. I occasionally heard "Katy, Sweetie" and "Zoom in" or "pull out!!" or "Drums!" or "Close on Jonathan!!" so i did it, but shakily and I bet the audience was getting motion sick from all the movement my camera was doing.
After the sermon I had calmed down a bit and did a tiny (Read about two atom-width, tiny) better, I hope.
Afterwards they'd a tech-team lunch-thingie (Fried chicken, the only thing right next to the Bible in the line of importance for Baptists), then we went home, I beaded, took a short nap (Acting like an idiot and failing miserably takes a lot out of you), and went back to church for choir.
it was okay, no one was focused (Albiet the sopranos, can't say for the guys and altos), and our teacher was kinda irritated.
Then-wonder of wonders- Stephaine (My boss, not the other one) was at Mum and Dad's sign class. They stayed and talked for along time afterwards, and when we finally left Mom have me the beads I'd brought land left on a chair. Apparently she'd seen 'em on her way out and been all like "There's my daughter for you!" in a joking way and she said Stephanie said something along the lines of "Yeah, I noticed that tendancy this morning." When mom said that, the rest of my evening was ruined. I could have dealt with being awful this morning and being an embarrasment to the whole of Elevate, but to know that Stephanie really thinks I'm fluttery-minded (Absent minded, out of my mind, careless, insert your favourite word here) is more than I can bear.
I told Flash all about it a few minutes ago. he just kept eating. Then I sat on the hay bales to let my face and eyes dry.
Where was God, my "solid rock" when I was shaking and wobbling and making a fool of myself this morning?
Where was God, who's supposed to "wipe away all of tears" when I was sitting on Flash's back only a few minutes ago, crying like a blubbering idiot?
Jeremiah 29:13-14 "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."
I've looked everywhere and tried everything, but where is God?
Can you tell me?
A balance.
Hm. I was reading in Numbers tonight before bed (I'm not supposed to be up, but I knew if I didn't type this now I'd forget), about how if anyone but Aaron and his sons even so much as glanced at the Altar, they would die instantly.
I was just thinking how weird it is. It's like, God's no longer the powerful God of the 1800's. He's been crammed and smushed into the new form of this "best friend"God. The one who loves you unconditionally, who always forgives you, and who's always there for you. Sure, that's all wonderful and comforting, but we're forgetting that God is God. God is all-powerful, all-seeing, and all-knowing. God created this entire universe, and all the other universes that may exist. He created infinity. He /is/ Infinity Infinity. He's the Beginning that has no beginning and the End that has no end. He is GOD. We're so immersed in the making God your best friend that we forget about all that. Of course God wants to be your best friend! Of course He loves you infinatley! But he's also God and is to be respected in the utmost way. We're so obsessed in showing the world how wonderful and forgiving He is that we forget to show them how powerful he is. He's the one who created us with a thought, who knew us before the beginning of time. He's the one who created Heaven and Earth in a week. He's the only one who is /can/ create and who knows how.
It was quite the opposite 200 years ago. God was an unapproachable, huge, powerful Being who ruled the earth with an iron hand. He was not to be messed with, and was to be respected.
But those were times of cold, lifeless religion. Of boring, limp, unintresting Gospel full of "thee"s and "thou"s and pretty much inunderstandable chapters and verses.
We don't have a "happy medium". We try to cram God into whatever shape we think will look most appealing to people. God needs our help to bring people to Him! Stretching the truth a bit is okay, it's for God!
Don't forget the thousands of Christians that were burned/beheaded/tortured/killed in the name of God.
You can SAY it's for God.
You can do good works, lead people to become Christians, tell them about how loving God is.
But in the end, God is God.
Not the soft, fluffy, loving, "I'd never really hurt you, I love you too much" God of today.
Not the cold, cruel, "If you put one toe out of line I'll crush you like a bug" God of Bible times.
But the God that loves strictly, punishes mercifully, and judges fairly. It's not supposed to be compadible, you know. Justice and mercy. But they are. Because God is God.
The God who healed the sick also heals your broken heart.
The One who brought back to life the dead can bring back to life your dead heart.
The God who crushed the Isrealite's enemies can also crush yours.
But don't forget that He isn't soft and fluffy, nor cold and cruel.
He's God.
Heck yum.
I'm sitting here eating an extremely hot oven pizza.
I can't even taste it it's so hot.
I've burnt my mouth like fourteen times, but I'm so hungry and it smells so good I can't wait.
I figured if I distracted myself by typing I might wait a bit 'till it cooled off and then eat it, though right now I'm so hungry I'm shaking like a leaf.
GAA! Can't wait any longer.
Later.
<3-Madd
.
We did it.
I didn't cry much 'till we got home and got comforted by all my friends on Neo.
Then I felt better.
.
4:00 and getting ready to go. Mom's not back quite yet but she will be soon.
Tanzie's sleeping in front of the heater, turned on just for her.
She would be thirteen in July.
Later I'll see if we've any pictures of her.
She's a tumor the size of New York on her belly, and with her tiny legs it's hard for her to even walk, let alone go up and down steps and come in through the pet door.
She will be greatly missed.
More after I get back.
<3-madd
Well.
I just closed and locked the door (after leaving a few doggie bones) on my daschund (sp?) for the last time.
Tomorrow at 5:00 PM is Tanzlied's literal "appointment with death".
I find it hard to type with my vision blurred, so here I leave you.
<3-madd
Rerecognition.
Yes, I am still alive. I was deeply depressed around 12 last night, but I watched my favourite show (Night Court) and slept it off.
