Musing on Time and Theme Parks

Given the events of the past few months and the changes I've made lately it seems only natural I suppose that I've been thinking a great deal about time lately: time spent and memories of the past as well as what to do with the time that is left. Time of course is a huge factor within the Harry Potter novels, Pensieves and timeturners and memories and flashes forward to the future. So I had to chuckle over the latest from the ongoing construction at the Harry Potter theme park. Not only did they take down most of the scaffolding over the giant park, but I delighted as a clearer photo is now available of the immense clock that hangs over the entrance to the castle (thanks to Orlando United and Orlando ThemeParkNews). Not sure it was ever clearly decided what the heck was the deal with Dumbledore's watch, but I am personally rather delighted at this odd sort of sundial/wacked out clock to greet in you a place where perhaps time -and reality-really aren't as they seem. MAGIC for muggles even if you will :) Comfort too that for the time being at least that giant pendulum thing (first from Cuaron then I think they used it too behind Umbridge? but I could be wrong about that) is not there lol but maybe that will be blown up or lmao Grawp will take it and hurl it at the spiders in Deathly Hallows.

I remember the first time I went to a theme park, Disneyland, and just being sooo thrilled at going thru the Haunted Mansion which still to this day is my most favorite ride ever (followed closely by the Beast at Kings Island, I looooove roller coasters) I remember we drove out there in the traditional family vacation, brown paneled station wagon ala brady bunch and lol griswold family sorta is adventure, and ending up in California. It was such such a huge deal to get to to there and Knots berry farm, wow seems like a life time ago, and in many respects it is. I was such a dork, but I loved the ghosts that came swooping out at us and I remember my mother being all concerned because some of them were green lol but me and my dad immediately went back and got in line as soon as we finished the ride lol while mom and my brother and sister went off to find pooh lol. I am not certain what kind of time warp fans will experience going thru that ride- through the past seven years of Harrys life and I think that will be a fantastic time turner event no?

AnywayI am going through more of the family photos this holiday and am hoping to find most of those, however they are all on slides and I need to find a place that can transfer old slides over to digital so thats my next project.

Ah well. One more useless point this morning regarding this giant searchlight atop probably Gryffindor tower or something. Universal and WB will no doubt have the most extravagant overdone production planned for the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter , and while I figure there will be Weasley fireworks (FLYING PIG PLEASE LOL) and certainly they will be tempted to toss up some giant deathmark at Halloween or something lol besides using it to light the castle in various ways (oooh the mind boggles at what they can do at Halloween and Christmas like they do over at Disney world)I am hoping this might be a giant Lucius signal in the sky...or maybe not. Whatever they use it for I think time will be suspended there and even as I move forward with my life I cant wait to visit there to take a trip back through these past wonderful years.

No Regrets for Reading

One of the many things Ive neglected or been unable to indulge in as much as I have wanted recently has been reading. I love to read and am hopeful that is one pursuit I can regain reinvest in. I know this is probably waaaay old news, but thanks to Ann for letting me know about this poll over at Goodreads (and no Im still not there yet *sigh*) regarding books you REGRET reading. I cant think of ever actually regretting reading a book- equating regret to say not saying I love you enough to my mother etc. There are books that have been painful to endure, for me it would be some of those dread AP books or something you had to endure through college (ie the Binns type, which given my love of history I would have adored but still different strokes different folks), and sure I might have wished to have not spent the time having to do this, but to actually regret reading it-hmm thats a tricky call for me I think.

Books are always an intimate thing, to say I regret reading anything you might put down would be like saying I regret I took time to actually stop and give a moment a smile a gesture a conversation or even a friendship, and I cant think of a single person Ive encountered personally in my life I have that much distain for. Sure there are some Im better off not knowing and Im certain others are glad Im not part of their life anymore either but still. Blather blather but it struck me how many of the Twilight novels are on the top of the list. LOL. While Im not an avid fan of them (aside from the Volturi part but thats because I love elegant old world Vampires) I dont regret that Ive read them or at least become aware of what all the mass hysteria/hype/adoration/dismay is over them. I see too Potter is on there as well, alas. If you are inclinded, has anyone here ever felt so strongly about a book that they REGRET reading it? Im not disparaging anyone who may feel so, just curious as to why you would.

New promo for Final Season of LOST

Only a few more months to go lol, I love Dark UFO, but do NOT go there as they have loads of spoilers. This on the other hand is the new ABC promo... so what I want to know if last season was a sort of Bobby Ewing dream aka time flash forward back never happened, does this mean Charlie is back for sure? My head spins-needs to go catch up w/Jay and Jack
umm am trying to fix their code because they are missing some stuff, so here is the link

Moving Forward

The last few months have been some of the hardest in my life. However now, after my mother has passed and we draw to the end of a decade, I need to move on and embark on a new adventure. Leaving the Leaky Cauldron was most certainly not made out of anger hatred or any other such nonsense, and I depart with nothing but high regard, deep affection, love for those true friends and a sincere appreciation for all Ive been so fortunate to experience do meet and share in the goodness and light. I leave with my head held high, and my heart full of love as I move forward 

Plus I remain fully confident Leaky (and PotterCast) will still be kicking it as next year will see the theme park, the release of the long awaited LEGO HP video game (oy for years I've been on about that lol), and heh knowing WB they will blanket the world in promotion for the release of DH Part one, you wont be able to escape it lol. :))) OOOH speaking of the Lego video game  (and lol sorry, I will not always talk Potter but Ive been waiting for this game for years)  They updated their blog, and one of the producer said this of the fun nature of the game:

LOL, LordVoldemort, evile despot and a mutant blob with culinary manners lolol. and ooooh I hope they use that same Ewok voice for the Pesky Pixies attack in Lockharts room hah! :D Amazon reports the game will now be released FEBRUARY 23, 2010.

I also am hopeful Jo will be releasing something, whether it be her new non-hp book or perhaps a Harrys school book or something. I will be eagerly awaiting all of these things, whether online in this fandom or not. I also hope one day we will see the Scottish book released, altho as Ive told my friends before and say again, I dearly hope and would greatly love her to release a massive website with all that info, a sort of Ultimate Pensieve or the online official Hogwarts Library (restricted section included) with all sorts of mini-pensieves on the books characters her involvement in the films etc!!! Wouldnt that be so cool? Ive been dreaming of this for some time now lol, I think that would be awesome, get it all out there poof and then move on you know?  Just as I ADORE AND LOVE and respect all my time here with Harry, I need to move on but it doesnt meant the magic end.

Lolols please always know that friendship will NOT END, no matter where the road takes us, that love and magic is UNBREAKABLE

In the meantime I am going try and update this blog much much MUCH more frequently with all sorts of things news random items as I move forward. I have NO FIRM announcements, some freelance things hopefully, and I'm always open to new possibilities (OPEN FOR HIRE TOO lol :))) ) but I am also confident on the future and I look to this with great anticipation, I hope my friends can be happy for me.

Back from the Beyond, Plus Beedle the Bard Countdown

I live! sorta. Here are some updates from the House of Hufflepuff... :)

First up: Finally, it's here, a very fun Beedle the Bard countdown via Leaky (think M is going to post about it sometime here today)-add it now because the book will be here in just a few short weeks lol, but at least we have it now. SPIN ME BEEDLE,love this :)




Two: Apologies for not writing more. People have been emailing and I'm still dreadfully behind on stuff from this summer, let alone now. Life has that pesky way of interfering with the fun stuff, like blogging here lol. I've had the usual profession obligations, and my personal NON POTTER other activities people etc, plus the family takes precedent and weve had some health scares that have been weighing on me... Sometime I cant breathe, sometimes I think ok Im done with Potter time to go. other days its hard to muster the enthusiasm when people complain complain complain about every tiny thing-put it in perspective and its just...well it can make you go why do I or we bother? Then again, when you think of how cool it will be to get the Beedle book, or realise Leaky Con is a few months away, or see that excellent trailer and remember the films are still yet to come, it can re kindle the flames of the magic I guess but man it can be hard. Still I suppose we all feel this way, esp of late. Oh I still have my love of Harry Potter of course. Leaky still takes up a huge chunk of my life, and now that we have to do those weekly PotterCast vlogs on Youtube, thats more time away from my free time if you will, so enjoying a bit of writing time has been sacrificed of late-alas.

Three: Speaking of Potter, I had a great time in New York recently. SUCH FUN spending time with everyone! I went the weekend of Melissa's book release, and went a couple days early so I got to spend Halloween in the city. While there I:

-got to go ice skating in Rockefeller Center. O.M.G. Old bat. on ice. I had not been on skates in at least 15 years and I must confess while so not pretty it was so much FUN. I had not intended to try this, due to financial concerns (end of trip, needed to save last of cash for cab and food) but mostly concerns about being old, dearly out of shape and particularly grossly nonathletic and being unable to attempt such a feat without disgracing my self by wiping out in spectacular manner in front of the press corp which was setting up for the next day election coverage, as well as the hordes of tourists there, and more importantly afraid of breaking something. Thanks to Melissa, who at the end of the time there lent me her skates and then we quickly switched so I could sneak on the ice, plus she lent me her Gryffindor scarf for courage as mine was badly flagging. Then under the great patience care kindness and steady hands of Frak, Lizzie and esp dear dear Edward I made a singularly hilarious trip around the rink, topped the welcoming applause of a watching tourist family from France who actually stood and applauded when I made it back to Melissa by the gate LOLOL absolutely hilarious. But JUST LIKE IN A MOVIE I felt too, being on that ice, a place seen in so many movies and shows-very magical if you will.

-I also had a MARVELOUS time at the NY HP group's Halloween ball, (aka The group who shall not be named). These are all truly good and fun people and never fail to impress me with their warmth friendship and kindness that they greet me with each and every time-such good people, proving Potter people rock!

-had some fantastic food, lots to drink :) (Im serious my friend Addie and dear Kimmy and I need to organize our Corona con, I think a lolo trip to Vegas or Cancun is definitely in order!), wonderful conversations with people I dont get to spend enough time talking with normally, just time well well spent with some people I care for very much, celebrated the release of Harry a History (proper post on that coming soon), talked to the team who made We are the Wizards documentary, saw places and sights in the wonderful place that is New York City and made me realise all the more I need to move to a city again on the east coast. LOVE LOVE LOVE it there on the East coast (made coming back to michigan all the more depressing)

-LOST MY CAMERA, so Ive no photos to show :(((((((((((((((((((((((
Very bummed indeed. Not sure when Im going to get a new one either. Had been wanting to get an iPhone for my holiday present as my cell is all kinds of poo and works only on and off, but financial pressures are on so that had to go, and coming up with cash for that plus now for a camera is errm daunting. aw well times are tough everywhere. at least gas prices are down! The only way too I can make those pcvlogs is using the camera on my macbook, so if anyone has any ideas suggestions etc for ways to shoot with a laptop attached let me know :) I still feel very very awkward and uncomfortable seriously doing those each week, but thanks to those who have commented and those who also subscribed to my personal House of Hufflepuff channel. I hope to try and figure out more time/ways to get stuff up on there very soon as well


-hope to be making a return visit to NYC very very soon...hmmm now I wonder what thats all about....
;)

In the meantime, will be off to see family and friends next week for Thanksgiving, hope those who are celebrating this will have a warm joyus blessed and happy holiday!

xxxx

I solemnly swear today Im up to more goofballness... (if that is even a word lol) Right, as part of PotterCast we are doing video blog extras for our YouTube Channel, and today, TUESDAYS = SUZETUESDAYS. Good lord! well errr here is my first attempt at this. I havent been to active with my House of Hufflepuff channel yet so keeping up with this weekly will be a challenge for me to say the least. Melissa is on Mondays, Dawlishgoober is Thurs and friday will be made fabulous by Frak! Anyone with idea or suggestions of things for me to do for these installments please owl me at Sue@the-leaky-cauldron.org please!

Random "Deathly Hallows" Casting thought

Utterly random, but Im sitting here working and listening to Stephen Fry's excellent narration of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and my thoughts turned to the Deathly Hallows movie....I wonder if they will cast young Dumbledore and Grindelwald for the films? I figure they will (if Kloves even has it in there) use that backstory as either aa single trip down the pensieve Dumbledore , perhaps some expository dialogue from Aberforth, or maybe even a Quibbler article or info from Xeno or something...or maybe Rita if we are lucky enough to see Miranda Richardson reprise her role (and excellent portrayal) of Rita Skeeter....hmmm

edit: Ok I admit, I would REALLY like to see Jude Law in a Potter film...just saying...between him and Jason I think it would make for a most visually enjoyable film ;)


Pensieves and Ponderings,

Sue


ps thanks so much for all the amazing and I do mean truly lovely mails I've gotten over the past few weeks. The folks in the Harry Potter fandom are a kind, bright, hugely perceptive and damm caring group of people; Im at a loss what to say other than thank YOU! plus Mike esp I think you are wonderful, I havent forgotten I promise and will owl you soon I promise