For Ding.

In response to her comment way below.

I put it up here without any extended discussion or analysis because, frankly, I'm (in the words of Veggie Tales) 'shocked, and a little embarrassed.'

I'm not sure I even want to know if this leads to a revision of Ding's analysis of Mr. Radcliffe in Order of the Phoenix as "'warmer than 'meh' and slightly less heated than a full-fledged 'hot'" because, again with the shocked and a little embarrassed here.

A wee distraction from Harry.

Lalalalalala - In the past I've ranted on about Macy's, so you know I was pleased to read these short reports collected by NYT-online today - highlights?

June marked the fifth-straight month that the operator of the Macy's and Bloomingdale's chains posted same-store sales that missed expectations.

The Cincinnati-based company said total sales for the June period fell 1.9 percent to $2.32 billion....

Macy's suffered a 2.7 percent drop in same-stores sales, worse than the 0.8 percent decline expected....

The company, which has been the subject of takeover speculation in recent weeks...

Go get 'em, unknown takeover type entity! Faster, pussycat, kill, kill!

Update

I've given in to myself, and, while not exactly re-reading - I'm going back and just reading the theory parts to clean up items - for example this morning I was reviewing McGonagal's actions in Book 5 and trying to figure out exactly how a foe-glass works.

In other news, I saw Order of the Phoenix again last night - it works even better the second time - things slow down enough for analysis - and it stands up to analysis.

This I Believe

Despite having had a lovely weekend, including a meet up with some fab blogger-chicks and a day of crafts n' fun with M-Bee, I find myself entirely incapable of concentrating on anything not Potter related. However, I've already done the re-read - more than once - in the last 4 months. I tried to start the re-read again, but discovered, to my chagrin, that I have Theories. I didn't mean to develop Theories, but now I cannot do another re-read because I am just looking for support for my Theories.

I blame the essays at Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet. I'm not usually a Theory sort of girl - I'm generally content to just let the author tell me what happens, and I can't move off canon once it is set.

However, I thought it would be helpful (to me, anyway) to throw the Theories out here so that they are out of my head (except for who I'm afraid might die - I don't want to get to a point where I *believe* someone might die - I am comfortable only in going so far as to be particularly scared for some people). Anyway:

I believe Snape is good.

I believe, albeit sadly, that McGonagall is Voldemort's Most Loyal Servant.

I believe that James was not killed inside the cottage in Godric's Hollow.

I believe that Neville will survive and will become the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts when Professor Sprout retires.

Depending on the time of day, I believe that either (a) Snape or (b) Neville's father, was the person in the cottage in Godric's Hollow when Lily was killed.

I believe that Lily created the potions shortcuts written down in Snape's old textbook.

I believe Lily and Snape were friends, and that Lily brought Snape home to visit over one holiday. I believe Snape is the 'awful boy' that Petunia remembers.

I believe that the curse that Harry survived was not Avada Kadavra, but rather was the spell which creates a horcrux - however, I also believe that Harry is not a horcrux.

I believe the theories of alchemy are important to the whole series.

I believe Nagini is not a horcrux.

Also, gratuitously, and still in the thrall of the movie last night (although that is why it is at the front of my head - it is a consistent underlying belief that I have) I believe Alan Rickman is both a genius and hot.

All I want for Christmas

is a loop of Alan Rickman delivering his lines from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In fact, I would be perfectly content just to have a tape upon which he delivers his first two lines (which I quote below in their entirety) :

"Yes."

"Obviously."

I titter a bit just thinking of it.

Clearly saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last night at midnight. I enjoyed it very much - repeated (and rapid, because there is only a 9 day 14 hours 45 minutes and 32 seconds before the book comes out ) viewings will be necessary - but it may rival Prisoner of Azkaban for the top spot on my personal list of Harry Potter Movies in Order of Preference. And that is rather a coup, actually, because Order of the Phoenix is not my favorite book. In fact, Prisoner of Azkaban is.

Cheers to all my geeky girlfriends who joined me for the experience last night - and here is hoping Ms. Gooch was able to power past her back spasms through sheer will, meds and the lure of Brendan Gleeson, has also viewed this film from a suitable venue during her vacation in the hinterlands!

Coasting

I'm going to let Ding do my work for me today.

Shocking Green-ness

I have just been picking up my organic veg farm share in an i-go car.

I mean...